A New Path

"The ones selected for the next crescent moon trial are the best from the different branches of the Haiyue clan. Nine of the crescent moons have the right to bring two representatives."

Nine villages, eighteen crescent moons all part of the Haiyue clan. Under identical evaluations, the best of the best will be chosen to represent their branch.

Jun lay inside a straw hut, unconscious for some reason, even though it seemed to be daytime.

He hadn't been beaten as hard as the others, but even if the beating had been worse, he would have healed thanks to his control over his inner energy.

At that moment, Jun looked much better. His muscles were noticeable, and the strength hidden in his arms was something no one would have expected from him.

His body was incredibly strong, so much so that even he hadn't fully explored its limits.

But that wasn't important right now. Jun was staring at his reflection in a crystal-clear lake.

He found himself in some kind of forest, the water reflecting his face, showing him how he looked at that moment.

"At least I'm somewhat in the middle ground... Still not sure if the women of this era appreciate beauty more than strength," Jun thought as he gazed at his reflection in the lake.

He planned to cut his long hair once he woke up. He had no good ideas about how to style it, so he'd opt for something shorter.

Aside from his Asian features, Jun didn't care much about other traits he hadn't identified as notable. After experiencing death numerous times, such small details were the last things he would notice.

Now, he needed to figure out how to wake up.

"That lake is your inner energy."

Jun turned to see an old man fishing beside him. He didn't know when the man had appeared, but given that he was currently unconscious, he didn't pay too much attention to it.

"Caught anything?" Jun sat by the lake, dipping his feet into the water and gazing peacefully at the undisturbed surface.

The old man smiled faintly and said, "You've come a long way, boy, but you must focus on the future and leave the past behind, or you won't wake up."

"Am I in a coma?" Jun wasn't sure if this elder was his ancestral guardian or something like that.

"You've been poisoned with something special that enhances your inner energy, stabilizes your body's fatigue, and rejuvenates your muscles from undetectable wounds. Even so, this is your final test as the first chosen representative of the ninth crescent moon for the death tournament." The elder seemed to have his eyes closed, and Jun couldn't see him clearly.

In many Chinese novels Jun had read, he knew opportunities like this existed. Ignoring it might mean missing a chance to improve.

'I'm the protagonist.' Jun thought quietly, wondering if this was the right approach.

The old man, of course, couldn't read thoughts, so he said, "You must leave everything behind to start a new life. Bury your past self and be reborn."

"My goal is to live without seeking death. Believe me, it would be very foolish to participate in that tournament." Jun had no intention of risking his life again.

"It's an opportunity."

"An opportunity?"

"The crescent moons are the only ones permitted to leave the village for the human world. If you don't want to stay trapped here, you'll die without ever exploring the world. Your soul craves something greater than what this village conceals. You must venture out, seek new experiences, and make all of this worthwhile."

"Is that true?" Jun reconsidered upon hearing this.

"Only one survives the trial. Since you're an orphan from the outside world, many of the clan members will try to kill you. You must be cautious during the test."

Jun nodded slightly, thinking this might indeed be his ancestral guardian, like in the novels he used to read. "Thank you for your advice, elder. Do you have anything else for me?"

"Why would I have anything for you?"

"Your inheritance; I'm ready to receive it. Tell me what it will be—no, I'll guess: a cultivation technique for immortality." Jun scratched his chin as he considered the idea.

The old man, on the other hand, looked at him as if he had some mental issue. "No one in this life is immortal. We may live longer, but in the end, we all die like everyone else."

"Well, it doesn't matter. I'll settle for a sword or a treasure. Maybe a martial arts technique would be appreciated, anything, really." Jun didn't seem disappointed. He knew those things didn't exist, but he still had a small hope they did.

The elder stood up, walked toward Jun, and murmured, "Wake up already. I spent everything in life not to give it to any living man or woman."

Whack!

Jun's eyes widened when he saw the elder's fishing rod in his dream swing toward his head. "You son of a…"

The blow was so strong that Jun was knocked completely unconscious again.

What kind of world had he reincarnated into?

...

In the hut, Jun slowly opened his eyes, only to find a face staring at him closely. "Who the hell are you?"

"He's awake, Trevor! The chosen one is awake!"

"Shut the hell up, Vera, you'll scare him!"

Jun sat up and watched as the two young men suddenly started brawling inside the hut like two rabid dogs. "What's going on?"