The world held many secrets.
While most believed humans were confined to the material realm, explaining their existence through "nature," nature could not answer everything. In their search for deeper truths, they discovered a source of immense power.
"Heaven and Earth are two sides of the same coin, and a true cultivator can see both sides at once."
— Dao Ma Book, Volume 1, Page 12
Over the ages, humanity divided into two groups: mortals and immortals, each inhabiting separate worlds. The continents, rich with spiritual energy, birthed celestial beings. However, this harmony was fleeting; some sought greater power, leading to the rise of the Dark Path.
After many battles, the immortals and mortals united to defeat the Dark Path, which fled to the world's edges. The immortals retreated to their sacred mountains, while mortals forged empires. Yet peace was short-lived. A cultivator known as the "Mad Immortal" disrupted the natural order, merging parallel worlds and creating unstable rifts called "anomalies," sowing fear among the inhabitants.
… Part One …
The village of Tian lay at the foot of the White Mountain. Tea and rice fields sprawled along the Huan River, while clouds danced over the jagged peaks, sometimes obscuring the sun. The evening breeze carried the scent of rice through the valley, mingling with the sounds of rushing water and rustling grass.
Beneath an ancient tree, a ragged man dozed, a dusty straw hat shielding his face. The wind caressed his healed wounds, whispering through his worn clothes. Nearby, a ten-year-old boy dragged a wicker basket up the hill.
Fishermen shouted in frustration, searching for him: "Fang Yuan!!! You little rascal, you stole my bait again!!!"
Oblivious, Fang Yuan emptied the basket, and hundreds of wriggling worms cascaded to the ground. Beaming, he declared, "I found so many Gu worms today!!!"
The stranger chuckled from beneath his hat. "Those are just ordinary worms."
Fang Yuan's cheeks flushed with indignation. He scooped up a worm defiantly. "Shut up!!! You don't understand the greatness of Gu worms!!!"
"Oh? Really???"
Fang Yuan's anger simmered as he muttered, "Don't hold a grudge against me in your next life!!!"
Smack!
A blow landed on Fang Yuan's backside, and he screamed, dropping the worm. "Nooo!!! My worms!!!"
The man lifted him by the collar. "There aren't many Gu worms in this world, kid. You'd better forget those damn worms… Wait a minute, where's my wallet???"
In a panic, Fang Yuan tossed the pouch he had stolen from the man down the hill into the tall grass. The stranger, feigning outrage, pretended to crush Fang Yuan's worms with a kick. He then whistled sharply, summoning a majestic white fox from the tree. Named Xiao, the fox leaped gracefully between branches, its fur soft and shimmering. As a nine-tailed white fox, Xiao was one of the celestial beings that emerged after the cultivation era began.
Fang Yuan stared, entranced by Xiao's beauty. But as the fox leaped down and gobbled up half the worms in one swift motion, Fang Yuan's expression turned to fury.
Screaming and cursing the heavens and the earth, he howled, "Why, you thieving fox!!!'"
The stranger laughed, stroking Xiao's head. "Xiao thanks you… little boy!!"
Fang Yuan, fuming and now holding a grudge against both the stranger and Xiao, glared at the fox with pure malice…