Fourteen years had passed since Xiao Chen arrived in this world - A world similar but unlike his previous one. With a sigh, he rose to his feet and gazed up at the starry night sky.
Astronomically, it closely resembles Earth, featuring a sun, moon, and stars.
As Xiao Chen looked around, he saw the villagers bustling with life; the truth was, he had been reincarnated into this world
The inhabitants of this world commonly refer to it as the "Ironroot World." This world is imbued with Qi, a force that does not exist on Earth.
Martial artists cultivate and harness Qi to enhance their physical abilities, strengthen their bodies, and perform extraordinary feats, such as powerful attacks, swift movement techniques, or healing.
Qi is the source of a practitioner's inner strength and is essential for mastering martial arts, cultivating inner power, and achieving higher levels of spiritual and physical prowess.
It was a world of martial arts and immortals. However, he had never encountered a cultivator or an immortal, as he had lived a quiet life in this village until now. In this village, he was an orphan who had been taken in by the village chief, Tien Li, who raised him as his son.
In his previous life, Xiao Chen was an outstanding employee at a government organization. He was also a health enthusiast, dedicated to bodybuilding, martial arts, yoga, and nutrition.
A fortunate opportunity presented itself through a friend involved in the secret project "Brainlink," which was gearing up for its first human trial. This project aims to create a direct connection between AI and the human mind, similar to installing an AI application directly in the brain. According to the research paper, its main advantage is the enhancement of cognitive abilities, along with various other improvements. It is being celebrated as the next significant breakthrough, reminiscent of themes depicted in the film Lucy.
Although the process may be complicated, the use of advanced medical techniques and robotic technology enabled it to be completed effortlessly without any human intervention.
After undergoing the procedure, his comprehension, memory, and IQ soared. He could visualize almost everything instantly and with precision, enjoying the advantages of a smartphone-like interface or a status screen akin to those found in novels. However, these abilities were somewhat restricted due to the experimental phase of the testing process.
The AI chip warmly greeted Xiao Chen, saying in a sweet voice
[Intializing ... Brainlink AI]
[Binding to user...checking Temporal Aura ...registration Complete]
[Ding..User Xiao Chen, welcome to the new era]
and the UI screen can seen in front of the eyes
One of the AI design team members even inquired, "How is the voice feedback? Isn't it fantastic?" Can you see the Augmented Reality view in front of you ??
"Yup, It seems futuristic," said Xiao Chen
"Aha..good, everything is fine," said the team member and continued with other tests.
Daily testing and feedback became a routine for Xiao Chen.
AI chip enhanced his memory, IQ, and intelligence to unprecedented levels. He felt as though, until now, he had only been using 20% of his brain, even though he was aware that the idea of utilizing 100% of the brain had been debunked by the scientific community.
After that AI chip became part of Xiao Chen and the doctors and design team treated his colleagues
Four months after the installation, during a routine check-up, Xiao Chen decided to bring along a Murim novel to pass the time, a suggestion from a friend. When he wasn't on the testing bed, he immersed himself in the story, indulging in his passion for martial arts tales. Although he recognized the exaggerations within the novels, he couldn't help but enjoy them.
However, as the chip testing began and his thoughts wandered through the fantastical world of Murim, Suddenly something went wrong.
[COMMENCING EMERGENCY SHUTDOWN PROCEDURE...ERROR...ERROR.. &E7W88 7WE7 INTIATATED ..LOADING..INPUTED ..THOUGHTS.... WRONG KEYWORD...FIND...ERROR ]
That was the last voice message he heard from the AI chip.
Xiao Chen suddenly felt a throbbing pain in his head and then all he could remember were vivid images of doctors and other staff rushing in as his vision faded.
When he opened his eyes he was in Shi village, a village located in a remote area of Verdant Sky Empire, taken care of by the village chief and his family along with other villagers.
Other than the Verdant Sky Empire there are other neighbouring kingdoms like The Iron Crane Kingdom, Xia Empire, Hanlong Empire, and Baoxian Empire.
After the age of 3, he came to know that he was abandoned in front of the village, and the village chief took care of him as his son.
Unlike other children around his age, he always buried himself in the books in the village chef's home and learned more about this world. Books in this world are made of either leather-like material or parchment paper called Papyrus with some preservation chemical infused.
Unlike most of the novels, Xiao Chen doesn't have a talking AI chip or status screen but the abilities acquired after the AI chip procedure are there.
In just a few months, he learned the language of this world and was able to converse within the age of 2, astonishing the entire village. He is regarded as a prodigy among his peers.
"Xiao Chen," called the village chief, Tian Lei, his voice steady and clear. Xiao Chen lost in thoughts of his past, turned toward the chief, ready to listen.
"The moon shines like jade, and stars adorn the sky like brocade," the village chief sighed, gazing at the night sky. "ah.. in the blink of an eye, fourteen winters and summers have passed since you arrived in our village. This old one can see that gleam in your eyes—I fear this humble mountain village won't be able to hold you back much longer.
Xiao Chen's eyes sparkled with determination as he replied, "I wish to learn more about this world and become an immortal legend in the stories ."
Tian Li chuckled softly. "Well, that's a first," he said. "Finally sounding your age, Xiao Chen. It's refreshing to hear."
His eyes twinkled with a mixture of fondness and perplexity. "You've always been a peculiar child. At times, your words and actions belie your young years. There are moments when I feel I'm conversing with a peer rather than a youth barely into his second decade.
Xiao Chen didn't respond to that.
"Anyway I was looking for you to give your keepsake, this amulet was along with you when I found you," said the Village chief Tian Lei and put the sigil in the hands of Xiao Chen.
When asked more about the sigil, the Village chief knows nothing about it.
Village chief Tien Lei continued " Though I can't make you immortal I help you in the journey, there is a sect nearby around 100 li north from here, though it may look shabby, it was once the greatest sect, I know someone there "