Chapter 2

Having nothing else to do, Chen Ping lived a normal life for the next year. What his mother earned as a servant was enough for them to live comfortably.

She even bought him new clothes, and with that, he could occasionally have meat to eat—a luxury in the slum area. If things continued like this, they might even be able to leave the slums and move to a normal residential area next year.

But soon, a exciting news arrived.

A young master from the inner city had misbehaved with the sister of an inner disciple from a big sect while traveling to a nearby city. As a result, the disciple had wiped him out—along with his entire family—erasing them from existence.

At first, Chen Ping thought it had nothing to do with him. But when he learned the name of the family, his heart nearly stopped.

It was the Lin family—the very family his mother had started working for a year ago.

In the next moment, he ran straight toward the inner city, holding onto a sliver of hope that his mother was safe.

After running for a while, his breathing turned heavy, sweat covering his body, but he didn't stop. As he neared the area, he saw a crowd gathered where the Lin family once stood.

Using his small height, he shuttled through the people, clinging to the faint hope inside him.

"Tsk, tsk… A whole prosperous family destroyed because of an idiot's actions."

"Sigh Who would've thought the young master of the Lin family would offend someone with such a background? The Lin family was bound to be destroyed."

"Yeah, they didn't even let a single servant escape."

Chen Ping's heart grew colder as he listened to the chatter around him. Biting his lips, he still pushed forward.

When he finally reached the front of the crowd, what came into view wasn't a luxurious mansion or a grand gate—but simply bare ground, submerged in the imprint of a massive palm, still radiating a powerful aura.

Inside the area covered by the massive palm print, countless messy bloodstains painted the ground, with rubble, gold, wood, and other remnants chaotically mixed together.

Chen Ping could almost picture the scene—an indifferent cultivator floating in the sky, looking down at the ant-sized Lin family before casually slapping down, reducing everything to ruins. People below, lost in their daily thoughts—what to do next, their families, their future—only to be crushed to dust in an instant, never even realizing what had happened.

With a thud, he fell backward onto his hips, the long run finally taking its toll on his skinny body.

The surrounding people glanced at him, some sighing, others shaking their heads, understanding that he must have lost someone inside. He wasn't the only one here drowning in devastation.

Chen Ping lay there blankly for about fifteen minutes before finally standing up. Taking slow, unsteady steps, he turned and walked back toward his home, knowing that from now on, he was completely alone in this unknown world.

This incident only reinforced his belief—cultivators in power didn't even see ordinary people as their own kind. In this world, having power was the most important thing. Without it, one's life could be trampled on at any moment.

A few days later, the name of the force that destroyed the Lin family was revealed—it was Xiaoyao Sect, one of the top sects in the Peng Kingdom. He deeply hated that inner disciple, but there was nothing he could do. He was powerless in every sense.

In the years that followed, he lived a normal life using the money his mother had saved. With his mature soul, he managed to avoid many dangers that an orphaned child in the slums would typically face. At the same time, he looked for work, using his past life's knowledge—like basic arithmetic—to earn from merchants and shopkeepers.

Simultaneously, he continued trying various ways to access cultivation, but luck was never on his side. Even the lowly servant positions in cultivation families within the inner city were out of his reach. Most of those positions were taken by the relatives and friends of existing servants, secured through both fair and shady means.

Chen Ping sighed as he finished recalling the past, his breathing gradually becoming calm and steady.

Getting up from the bed, he quickly moved to a corner of the house. Using his hands, he dug a small hole in the ground. Inside, an object wrapped in cloth lay buried. Pulling it out, he removed the covering.

What came into view was a poor-quality sword—a single-edged blade, somewhat similar to a katana but shorter in length and slightly broader in width. Its craftsmanship was crude, with visible imperfections, but for him, it was better than nothing.

He had spent almost all of his saved money to buy it, a fortune for someone like him. Even though it was of poor quality, it was the best he could afford.

Smiling helplessly, Chen Ping held the sword close to his chest, fully aware that survival today would be extremely difficult.

The ones after him belonged to the Fish Gang, a notorious group that thrived by exploiting fishermen and other river-related businesses. It was one of the major gangs in the outer areas, with its leader and vice leader rumored to be in the Body Strengthening Realm—far beyond what he could handle. Let alone the captain and vice-captain, even ordinary gang members could easily beat his weak self.

As he clutched the sword tightly, the sound of footsteps echoed from outside the house, drawing closer.

And then—

Bang!

A powerful kick struck the door, sending the fragile wood crashing inward.

"Haha! Found you, little mouse!"

A voice, laced with excitement, rang out—along with it, a huge, muscular man stepped inside. His wild hair was tied back, a thick beard covered his face, and a wide grin stretched across his lips. Behind him, seven to eight men followed, all wearing the same teasing smiles. Their clothes, adorned with the distinct blue fish pattern, made it clear—they were from the Fish Gang.

The leader stood at a towering 2.1 meters, resembling a giant compared to Chen Ping, who was only 1.6 meters tall at fifteen.

Taking a deep look at the man before him, Chen Ping forced a flattering smile and said, "I don't understand what sirs from the Fish Gang are saying. Why would I run from you all?"

The leader took a long look at Chen Ping before bursting into laughter.

"Hahahaha! Oh? Now you're acting like you didn't see us trading with those monsters, huh?"

Behind him, the gang members chimed in with mocking grins.

"Boss, maybe it was his twin who was there, not him."

"Yes, yes! Just look at how innocent he looks!"

Their teasing remarks were filled with amusement, but Chen Ping knew better. Their confidence and the fact that they openly mentioned the matter only confirmed one thing—they were going to silence him.

Even if he truly hadn't been there or heard anything, it didn't matter. Killing him was the safest option for them. After all, collaborating with monsters was a grave taboo among humans.

If word of it got out, the Fish Gang would likely cease to exist by Tommorow.