Chapter One: The Celestial Tomb Chapter

"Chen Fan, let's go on a trip. My uncle just opened a farm in Yunnan, and we have a rare May Day holiday. Let's go have some fun—my treat."

"No, Fatty, maybe next time."

The young man sighed, rejecting the offer.

Chen Fan, a junior at Southern Maritime University, had always been lucky—he had squeezed into a key high school with just one extra point on the entrance exam and later entered Nanhai University by another narrow margin. But by the time he was nineteen, it seemed like his luck had finally run out.

"Xiaofan, a new month is about to begin, and you know our family's situation. We don't know how much more your father's illness will cost us. Could you try borrowing some money from your aunt? We need to tighten our belts from now on."

"Mom, it's okay. I'm grown now. I can work part-time to support myself. Don't worry."

After hanging up, Chen Fan sighed again.

During his first two years of college, he had never been in the habit of saving money, spending freely as if his finances were limitless. Now, with his family's support cut off, he found himself on the brink of starvation. The realization filled him with a deep sense of inferiority.

His aunt's house was only half an hour away by bus, but he had no intention of going. His aunt's family had always been indifferent toward them, and past conflicts had only widened the gap. He still remembered when he got into university—his mother, overjoyed, had called to share the news. All she received in response was a cold, indifferent "Oh." Nothing more.

"I refuse to believe a living person can starve to death. I can support myself."

Determined, Chen Fan clenched his fists, giving himself a pep talk. He had seen a girl in his class, from a poor family, excelling through part-time jobs and scholarships. As a man, he had no excuse to do worse.

On the morning of May 1st, Chen Fan woke up to an empty dormitory. The only thing left behind was a steaming bowl of wontons on his desk, beads of water still clinging to the plastic bag.

Fatty, who had left early to catch a bus, had bought it for him.

Chen Fan was always a late sleeper, and Fatty always brought him breakfast.

After finishing his meal, Chen Fan left campus. Nearly an hour later, he arrived at a hotel.

Working as a waiter—a job that required no skills or qualifications—was a common choice for students looking to earn some extra money.

By the time he stepped out of the hotel again, the sky was dotted with stars, the moon shining bright.

On his way back to school, he resisted the tempting aromas wafting from the night market stalls. He had worked nine hours that day, and after deducting bus fare, he had earned nearly a hundred yuan.

For the first time, he experienced the satisfaction of making money with his own hands.

Checking his phone, he saw the balance in his WeChat wallet: 102.3 yuan.

A surge of joy filled him.

But in the distance, a pair of headlights cut through the darkness, growing closer.

Chen Fan instinctively looked up, only to see a black car hurtling toward him.

He tried to dodge, but his legs refused to move.

Before he could shout—

BANG!

He was sent flying.

"Come on, everyone, this way! We're recruiting people here. You'll get two Celestial Longevity Pills every month!"

Still semi-conscious, Chen Fan opened his eyes.

He found himself following three people, the leader a girl around his age, dressed in silk robes.

Turning back, he was shocked to see dozens of people behind him.

Even stranger, their attire was bizarre—some wore Mao suits, others dragon-embroidered robes, and some were clad in heavy armor.

Was this a movie set?

That was Chen Fan's first thought.

Before he knew it, they had entered an inn called "Uninvited Guests."

A burly man descended the stairs, his muscular arms exposed under a white tank top.

Seeing the crowd, he frowned. "Xiao Yao, why are there so many this time?"

The girl glanced at the newcomers. Seeing nothing unusual, she replied, "I secretly used Spirit Gathering Powder this time. Most of them are newcomers, and the ones at the back have only been here for a few days. They don't know much about us yet, but don't worry."

The man nodded, his gaze sweeping over the group with an air of authority. Without addressing their confusion, he said,

"Welcome to the Xian Sheng World."

"Xian Sheng World?" Chen Fan murmured.

"Don't worry," the man continued. "Once you're here and join our Kaiyun Sect, you're one of us. Together, we will seek the path to immortality in the Xian Sheng World."

Immortality?

Chen Fan's breath caught in his throat.

"All of you who have come to the Xian Sheng World are virtuous souls who have cultivated for at least ten lifetimes. However, in this realm, you are merely the lowest tier of celestial citizens. Your lifespans will be longer than ordinary people, but in two or three hundred years, you will still turn to dust."

He paused, then added with a smirk,

"But aren't kings, nobles, generals, and ministers all the same at birth? If we want to live better than others, we must climb higher—to become the Supreme Gods."

Confused murmurs spread through the crowd.

A man clad in armor at the back finally spoke up. "How do we become gods?"

The burly man locked eyes with him and replied,

"By raiding celestial tombs."

"Celestial tombs? But... how can celestial beings die?"

The man burst into laughter.

"Hah! Who says celestial beings can't die? They must be replaced. Some reign for a hundred years, some for a thousand, some for ten thousand. But when their divine status is lost, they perish."

His voice lowered, carrying a sense of temptation.

"The deceased celestial beings are buried in celestial tombs, hidden within the flowing clouds. These tombs contain countless celestial artifacts. If we retrieve these treasures… everyone will have a chance at immortality."

Chen Fan glanced at the others and muttered under his breath,

"Have I… joined some kind of immortality cult?"

"Alright, brothers! Time is of the essence." The burly man clapped his hands. "Let's go. I'll show you something."

Chen Fan had no idea what was happening, but with no other choice, he followed along.

Soon, they arrived at a dense forest, where another group was already waiting.

Unlike them, these people all carried cloth bags on their backs and wore strange shoes.

An elderly man in the crowd squinted at the newcomers, then grinned.

"Xiao Yao is quite capable. She brought so many fresh recruits. Well done."

The newcomers were instructed to put on the strange shoes.

Seeing others obey, Chen Fan hesitated, then followed suit.

"Alright, is the usual equipment ready?"

"It's ready, Master Yun."

"Good. Let's pull the tomb."

"Understood."

Everyone retrieved hook-like tools from their bags, connecting them into four long chains.

The old man attached talismans to the chains and chanted something under his breath.

To Chen Fan's shock—

The chains rose into the air on their own.

"Magic?" someone gasped.

The girl giggled at their astonishment.

Soon, the chains stopped moving.

The group stepped forward, gripping the chains tightly.

Then, they pulled.

Moments later—

Something descended from the sky.

When Chen Fan saw what they had pulled down, his blood ran cold.

It was a cloud.