Chapter 001: Strange Meteor

  Dongsheng Continent

  This is a vast and boundless continent, stretching across tens of millions of miles, with countless countries large and small.

  This land has numerous famous mountains and great rivers, blessed places and sacred caves beyond count. Among them are also many ancient forbidden lands and ruins.

  In these endless years, the legend of immortals has been passed down from generation to generation, and humans have deeply believed in it.

  ……

  Yu Yang State, south of Lingyang, at the Yang family's separate courtyard.

  In the midst of a cluster of flowers, all is quiet.

  The young man sat cross-legged as usual, with a faint layer of moonlight on his angular face.

  The night sky above, with stars shining brightly, adds a touch of mystery to the world of Dongsheng Continent.

  What a beautiful night!

  However, the young man's eyes were tightly closed, oblivious to external things, and he devoted himself to cultivation.

  A layer of pale misty light enveloped his body, giving people an illusion as if he was floating like a celestial being.

  After a long time, the young man let out a breath, and a "white air chain" spouted out, which actually lasted for ten breaths.

  If a worldly martial artist were to see this, they would definitely be shocked: the young man in front of them had actually reached the Innate Realm of a martial artist.

  After exhaling, the young man opened a pair of eyes, like stars in the night sky, deep and mysterious.

  "It's been twelve years..."

  The young man looked up at the unchanged starry sky, and his eyes showed a special sentiment: "Twelve springs, summers, autumns, and winters, I have been cultivating tirelessly, and only then did I achieve my current accomplishments..."

  This young man's name is Yang Fan, eighteen years old, and he is the pride of the younger generation of the immortal family "Yang Family of South Neighbor".

  In the vast Yangjia Fortress, he is the number one genius in cultivation!

  At just eighteen years old, Yang Fan had already advanced to the second realm of cultivation - the Condensing Spirit stage.

  Dongsheng Shen Zhou Xiuzhen Realm, the cultivation level is divided into nine major realms: Refining Qi - Condensing Spirit - Building Foundation - Golden Elixir - Yuan Infant - Transforming Spirit - Merging Body - Crossing Tribulation - Mahayana.

  At his age, if he can cultivate to the Condensation Period, it would be considered extraordinary talent.

  The ultimate goal of cultivating immortality is to roam freely in heaven and earth, living forever young.

  Once entering the state of concentration, human lifespan can increase to around 150 years. As cultivation increases, human lifespan will be greatly extended and possess various magical powers: summoning wind and rain, overturning rivers and seas, and traversing thousands of miles in an instant.

  "What a pity... I've been cultivating so diligently, even being called the number one genius of my family, but to reach the eternal path of immortality, it's still far from enough. What's more regrettable is that for ten years, Father has gone missing and never returned, and I don't have the power to find him..."

  A hint of desolation appeared on Yang Fan's face.

  Who else knows that behind a genius, how much effort and heart's blood has been paid... And also, the unknown loneliness.

  He gazed at the beautiful night sky and had a thread of doubt about his pursued dreams:

  "Could it be that eternal life and ascension to the heavens, transforming into an immortal with feathers and wings, is just a fundamentally non-existent dream pursued by generations of cultivators?"

  At this moment, a dazzling light spot appeared in the night sky of Dongsheng Continent.

  "That's... a meteor shower!"

  Yang Fan was shocked and his heart was also racing with excitement.

  In his eighteen years of life, he had never seen a meteor shower.

  "Brother Fang, come out and see the meteor shower!"

  At this moment, a young man who looked similar to Yang Fan but slightly younger rushed in from outside.

  This young man is very handsome, named Yang Lei, 16 years old this year, and is Yang Fan's younger brother.

  "Big brother, you shouldn't practice all day either. Meteor shower is a rare sight that can be seen only once in a hundred years."

  Yang Lei complained.

  "Hehe, meteor shower, indeed can't be missed."

  Yang Fan smiled and stood up to accompany his younger brother to watch the meteor shower together.

  But the meteor shower lasted for just one or two breaths before disappearing.

  It just ended like this for no reason!

  "What a pity..." Yang Lei's face was filled with regret, "I didn't even have time to make a wish."

  Yang Fan felt a bit strange in his heart: Why did this meteor shower suddenly disappear?

  "Right, big brother, tomorrow is the 'Ask Heaven Conference' that our family holds once every three years. This is a rare opportunity for us third-generation descendants to show off. At that time, each of the third-generation descendants will have to undergo an assessment by their elders to evaluate their progress over the past three years."

  Younger brother Yang Lei suddenly remembered something and hastily said.

  "Hehe, isn't it just a 'questioning heaven conference', what's there to expect, completely no suspense."

  Yang Fan said with a lazy face, patted his brother's shoulder and comforted him: "You have to believe in yourself, you can definitely do your best."

  "Hmph, of course Brother doesn't need to worry about it. You've only cultivated for ten years and already possess the cultivation level of Condensing Spirit Initial Stage. This is a first in our family's hundred-year history. I ask you, among the numerous Southern Yang Family, who can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Big Brother?"

  Younger brother Yang Lei said at this point, with a mix of pride and a hint of bitterness.

  He and his elder brother Yang Fan almost started cultivating at the same time, but the gap between them was so big.

  Big Brother Yang Fan cultivated to the initial stage of condensing his spirit, and his cultivation was on par with that of the second generation elder in his family. However, he, as a younger brother, remained at the later stage of refining his Qi during the same period.

  Facing his younger brother Yang Lei's adoring gaze, Yang Fan let out a sigh, and his dark, profound eyes gazed at the night sky of Dongsheng Continent, saying:

  "Throughout the ages, on the Eastern Profound Continent, there have been countless cultivators who were incredibly talented and had exceptional abilities. Among these great beings, most of them possessed talents that surpassed mine. However, tracing back through the continent's ancient history, over 100,000 years, not a single person has ever successfully transcended their tribulations to ascend."

  In his childhood, he envied those "immortals" flying in the sky and hoped that one day he could soar through the skies freely like them. However, after being taken as a disciple by the family elder due to his exceptional talent and receiving special training, he realized how vast the world was and how small he himself was.

  Although his talent was placed in the small Nanyang Yang family, it was still okay, but looking at this nearly infinite Eastern Sheng continent, it didn't count for much.

  Yang Lei was taken aback, sensing the change in his brother's emotions. He also gazed at the sky of the Eastern Continent, and began to question the dreams he had been pursuing.

  Is the immortal path of cultivating immortality just a non-existent fantasy?

  But if so, why are the billions of cultivators on the Eastern Profound Continent chasing after this elusive and illusory dream?

  Whoosh!

  At this moment, a meteor suddenly appeared in the sky outside of Dongsheng Continent.

  Suddenly, a dazzling arc of light flashed across the night sky, attracting the attention of countless people.

  What a beautiful shooting star!

  Yang Fan was slightly stunned, the meteor shower that had just disappeared without warning had suddenly returned with another one.

  "Big brother, look quickly! Another shooting star has come! Let's make a wish."

  Yang Lei danced with joy, excitement overflowing, finally closing his eyes, clasping his hands together, and making a wish.

  Yang Fan gazed at the shooting star, a hint of joy on his face: "Judging from its trajectory, that shooting star might fall near our southern neighbor. According to ancient records, if the shooting star lands on the ground, it will give birth to an extremely rare 'Heavenly Meteorite', which can be used to forge legendary spiritual treasures..."

  In his field of vision, that meteor, in his eyes, became clearer and clearer.

  It's strange that this meteor was surrounded by a layer of colorful light as it fell, and its size remained unchanged.

  Whoosh!

  Suddenly, Yang Fan discovered that the direction where the meteorite fell was actually the Yang Family of South Ridge.

  "No, its target is actually this separate courtyard of mine..."

  Yang Fan's face changed suddenly, his face twitched involuntarily, and he wanted to dodge and remind his brother, but it was too late.

  That meteor streaked down rapidly, only the size of a thumb, and happened to hit Yang Fan's forehead.

  Then a small object rolled down and fell into Yang Fan's hand.

  "This is..."

  Yang Fan's face was shocked, and he found that in his palm, there was an extra strange silver ring.

  At first glance, there is nothing special about this ring. It seems like just an ordinary ring from the mortal world.

  But Yang Fan wouldn't think an ordinary ring would fall from the sky.

  To know that although cultivators have the ability to fly after reaching the Condensing Spirit stage, it is not possible for anyone other than a great master to fly out of the sky.

  It is said that beyond the nine heavens, there are powerful thunder and gale winds. To say nothing of an ordinary ring, even a mighty being with great magical powers flying past would likely be torn to shreds.

  "What secret could this ring possibly hold?"

  Yang Fan was extremely curious in his heart, he vaguely sensed that this object was extraordinary, and could even change the fate of his life.

  At this moment, his younger brother Yang Lei finished his prayer and opened his eyes, with a curious expression on his face, asking: "Big brother, has there been any meteorite falling from the sky?"

  "This... doesn't seem to be here."

  Yang Fan quietly pinched the silver ring in his palm.

  "Hmph, even if a meteorite falls from the sky, it wouldn't be our southern neighbor Yang family's turn to own it." Yang Lei said with a cold smile. Although he was young and slightly immature, he knew the basic rules of the Xiu Zhen realm.

  Yang Fan nodded in agreement: "Without a meteorite falling from the sky, for our southern neighbor Yang's family, it might still be a good thing."

  In the country of Yu Yang, the Yang family of Nan Ling was just an inconspicuous small force. If a meteorite from outside were to descend, it would likely attract the attention of various major forces, bringing catastrophic disaster to the Yang family of Nan Ling.

  "Little brother, you'd better go back now. Tomorrow is our family's triennial 'Ask the Heavens Assembly', you should prepare well."

  Yang Fan smiled and said.

  "Alright, I'll go back and adjust my state. Tomorrow, I need to make a super long shot and win the favor of the elders. Who knows, maybe I can become like big brother and be cultivated as a key object by the family."

  Yang Lei swore an oath on the Dao.

  After finishing speaking, younger brother Yang Lei hastily left, he also has a separate courtyard, just near his older brother's.

  Bidding farewell to his younger brother, Yang Fan clenched the mysterious ring in his palm, feeling anxious and expectant.

  "This ring came from the heavens, most likely dropped by a powerful warrior or perhaps even left behind by a legendary immortal. Whatever its origin, it may bring me great opportunities..."

  Yang Fan was more excited than ever before, his body still slightly trembling.

  "You all withdraw, I want to meditate for a night, and prepare for tomorrow's 'Ask Heaven Conference'."

  Yang Fan's face was cold and expressionless as he dismissed all the servants from the other courtyard, then entered his own room and sat down cross-legged.

  He immediately thought of something and hastily set up several layers of prohibition around the room to prevent others from spying.

  After doing all that, he let out a gentle sigh, unfolded the silver ring in his hand, and with an expectant glint in his eyes, murmured: "I hope you won't disappoint me..."