'glueg , glueg, glueg'
In front of a vast river, a boy around 14 or 15 years old could be seen vomiting onto the ground. A black liquid spilled from his mouth as he retched uncontrollably.
"Bah, what an unlucky thing!" the boy grumbled, clearly irritated.
"Who the hell told you to eat something a stranger gave you without a second thought, you dumbass? Now you've left me with all this mess!" he cursed under his breath.
"And God, even if you planned for me to be reincarnated, why did you choose such an unlucky person for me to be reborn as?" He looked up at the sky and shouted in frustration.
After venting his anger, he walked toward the river and rinsed his mouth with water, trying to wash away the strange smell lingering after vomiting.
Looking at his reflection, he saw a slightly pale boy with an above-average face. His black hair cascaded down his back, and the only distinct feature was a pair of striking gray eyes.
It was the unfamiliar face of the boy he had just reincarnated into.
He had originally been an ordinary otaku on a planet called Earth, who met an absurdly tragic end—falling down the stairs and smashing his head.
When he opened his eyes again, instead of seeing something like the stairway to heaven or, more realistically, a pit leading straight to hell, he found himself in an unfamiliar body, lying in the middle of a forest.
At first, he was confused. But as a flood of memories rushed into his mind, confusion turned into realization, followed by anger and sheer speechlessness.
According to these memories, the body he now inhabited belonged to the son of the City lord of a large city named Wanhao, located in the Yan Kingdom.
His father was Xiao Zhan, and no, his name wasn't Xiao Yan—it was Xiao Yao.
Since his father was essentially a City lord, and this world seemed somewhat backward with emperors and feudal customs, it was common for powerful men to have multiple wives.
Xiao Yao was fortunate enough to be the son of City lord Xiao Zhan's third and final wife.
Although Xiao Yao's mother was just an ordinary woman—a commoner before marrying Xiao Zhan due to her exceptional beauty—he was never bullied in the city lord's residence.
But everything changed one day when his mother suddenly fell ill with a strange disease. Within days, she went from a healthy, radiant woman to a frail, skeletal figure.
Unwilling to watch his most beautiful wife suffer, Xiao Zhan invited numerous doctors and even some renowned alchemists—who were considered big shots in this large city.
Ah yes, this was a world where people cultivated immortality.
Ahem, back to the topic.
Contrary to his expectations, every single one of them shook their heads after examining Xiao Yao's mother. Their hopeless expressions made it clear—there was no cure. Xiao Zhan, despite his power, was left helpless as he watched his wife deteriorate.
Although this was devastating news, it didn't have much of an impact on the original Xiao Yao, who was only a 6- or 7-year-old child at the time.
However, soon after, an ominous rumor began spreading through the mansion—Xiao Yao was a cursed child, an unlucky star who had brought misfortune upon his mother. His gray eyes were whispered about, seen as an ill omen.
This gossip, though initially dismissed, planted seeds of doubt in people's minds. Over time, it created a slight negative image of Xiao Yao, leading to minor bullying from his stepbrothers and stepsisters.
But everything took a drastic turn when, one day, his mother passed away silently in her sleep. Not long after, his father suffered a severe injury while fighting for a rare opportunity outside.
The rumors that had once been mere whispers now became undeniable truths in the eyes of the servants. More and more people believed them. And with his mother gone, even his father—who had once held some negative opinions about him due to previous rumor—began to feel outright disgust toward him.
The original Xiao Yao lived a life filled with bullying from both servants and family members. However, no one dared to go too far, as he was still the biological son of the City Lord.
Soon, Xiao Yao turned 12, and it was time for children to be tested for spiritual roots—the key qualification for becoming an immortal. Without one, a person would remain a mere mortal unless they stumbled upon some extraordinary opportunity.
Xiao Zhan took it upon himself to personally check Xiao Yao's spiritual roots.
Even Xiao Yao held onto a sliver of hope—if he had the qualifications to become a cultivator, everyone's attitude toward him would change.
But reality hits the hardest when you least expect it. And so, young Xiao Yao was struck with cruel disappointment.
He was a mortal. A body without spiritual roots. And the moment he saw Xiao Zhan's darkened expression, he knew—his hopes had been utterly crushed.
Life went on, but now, with a twist of bullying intensified. Servants mocked him openly or secretly deducted his monthly allowance. His stepbrothers and stepsisters, already disgusted by him, began beating him over the smallest matters. His life turned from bad to worse.
Eventually, when Xiao Yao had enough, he made a decision—he would leave the City Lord's residence and run away, searching for any opportunity to cultivate immortality.
Taking one last look at the mansion, he clenched his fists and thought, "Thirty years east, thirty years west. Don't you dare look down on me just because I'm poor now!"
But unlike the usual protagonists who stumble upon adventures one after another, Xiao Yao remained the same poor guy he was before.
One day, after spending all his money, he wandered through a small village, starving and desperate. Just as he was about to collapse, he met a man in black robes who offered him something to eat.
Xiao Yao had wandered around the village, hoping to beg for food, but the already impoverished villagers had nothing to spare for charity.
Despite being bullied and beaten at the mansion, he had never once gone to bed hungry.
Now, with hunger gnawing at his stomach and no other thoughts in mind, he readily accepted the bun offered by the hooded man.
He devoured it in just a few bites, finally feeling a little full. But just as he was about to thank the man, his vision darkened. The last thing he heard was a chilling laugh, followed by the eerie voice of the black-robed man.
"Jiejiejiejie… I never expected such a treat to walk right into my hands. I only need one more soul to become a cultivator. Truly, the heavens favor those who work hard! Jiejiejiejie!"
As the sinister laughter echoed in his ears, Xiao Yao felt his body being dragged away roughly. His consciousness faded into darkness.
---
Watching this memory unfold nearly made the main character curse out loud.
Xiao Yao's life had all the makings of a protagonist in a novel—being bullied by servants and family members,leaving home and all was left was struggling through hardships, rising above adversity, taking revenge on those who wronged him, and eventually making even his father jealous and heartbroken over his achievements in cultivation.
But why did his story shut down before it even began?
It was almost the same feeling as finally getting a reply from your crush, only to find out she is a lesbian.