In the Great Xuan Dynasty, there's the Sword Sect.
"Ah! My head hurts, who am I? Where am I..."
A young man, entirely swathed in bandages, lay in bed and slowly opened his eyes. His head throbbed painfully, and countless memories surged towards him like an incoming tide.
His name was Su Chen, the son of the Sword Sect's patriarch. He was once the number one prodigy of the Great Xuan Dynasty, a young man with extraordinary talent. At just sixteen years old, he reached the ninth level of the Spirit Condensation realm. Many called him the future Sword Saint of the Great Xuan Dynasty.
However, when Su Chen was sixteen, he ventured alone into the forbidden areas of the Sword Sect, disappearing for three days and nights. By the time the patriarch of the Sword Sect found him, Su Chen was soaked in blood and unconscious.
Despite being rescued, Su Chen's cultivation took a turn for the worse. Within one year, his cultivation had tumbled from the ninth level of the Spirit Condensation realm down to the first level of the Qi Cultivation realm. No matter how he trained, he seemed unable to break through.
From being the number one prodigy of the Great Xuan Dynasty, he was now the butt of everyone's jokes, a complete waste.
"Did I... travel through time?"
Su Chen was somewhat puzzled. After some contemplation, he finally sorted things out. He was originally just an ordinary, overworked 997 worker on Earth. One night, after pulling yet another all-nighter, he felt the world spin, fell into darkness, and collapsed on his desk, never to wake up again.
Unexpectedly, Su Chen had crossed over to a different world. Moreover, the body he now inhabited was also named Su Chen.
"But, it seems this host is a bit unlucky..."
Having integrated the host's memories, Su Chen couldn't help but feel a headache. The original Su Chen was the son of the Sword Sect's patriarch and the number one genius of the Great Xuan Dynasty. However, after a certain incident, his cultivation took a nosedive. Left helpless, the Sword Sect patriarch spent a white-haired night, and when Su Chen was sixteen, he left to find a way to cure Su Chen's injuries.
He has been gone for five years!
In these five years, there hasn't been a single piece of news from the patriarch of the Sword Sect. No one could contact him!
Even the ninth princess of the Great Xuan Dynasty, who was engaged to Su Chen, had left him. A few days ago, when Su Chen went to find the princess, he was beaten up by her and the young master of the Flowing Cloud Sect, Yu Ce. When they brought him back, he was barely breathing!
Yu Ce, is the new fancy of the Ninth Princess!
"Ninth Princess...Qin Xiangxue!"
Suddenly, Su Chen clenched his fists. Qin Xiangxue originally had a marriage contract with him. When Su Chen used to be the most talented one, Qin Xiangxue had always stuck with him, following his every whim. However, since Su Chen became "useless" five years ago, Qin Xiangxue gradually distanced herself from him, even wanted to sever their relationship at one point!
Poor Su Chen was deeply in love with Qin Xiangxue and had suffered a lot for this in the past five years, even killed by Yu Ce for her sake!
After merging with his new body's memories, Su Chen naturally felt intense anger and sadness.
"I swear I will kill this awful couple... Sss! Pain...pain...pain..."
Just as Su Chen was about to move, he found himself in pain all over, as if every inch of his body was injured.
A young girl dressed as a maidservant was sleeping beside Su Chen's bed, seemingly exhausted. Su Chen's movement woke her up.
"Young Master, you're awake!?"
Seeing Su Chen sit up, Xiaoqing was extremely excited and surprised.
"Yes, how long have I been unconscious for?"
Su Chen asked. Since he had already reincarnated here, he decided to go along with the play and start a new life in this strange land.
"Three days! I...I thought you might not wake up..."
There were tears in Xiaoqing's eyes. She was an orphan who was adopted by Su Jingwen to be Su Chen's maidservant. She was devoted to Su Chen and was the only one who had stayed with him in the past five years, through thick and thin.
"Fool, what are you talking about? Don't I look fine?" Su Chen forced a smile, but he was in severe pain and could only sit helplessly on the bed.
Su Chen asked, "Oh right, Xiao Qing, has anything happened these past three days?"
Xiao Qing hesitated somewhat, glanced at Su Chen's pale face, and was at a loss for words.
Su Chen said, "Just spit it out if there's anything, no need to hesitate."
Organising her words, Xiao Qing gingerly said, "Princess Jiu has sent a letter to the Sword Sect, asking to annul her engagement with you!"
A dump and run breakup?
Su Chen couldn't help but give a little chuckle, not really caring one bit. It was just a simple Qin Xiangxue after all. If her character was acceptable, he would have considered it. But Qin Xiangxue's actions over the past five years had really turned Su Chen cold!
Su Chen shrugged, "Whatever, if she wants to dissolve the engagement, let her be. Anything else?"
Xiao Qing was taken aback, she blankly said, "But, young master, weren't you deeply in love with Princess Jiu? Over the years, every time Princess Jiu said she wanted to dissolve the engagement, you would adamantly prevent her..."
"That was in the past," Su Chen shook his head, "Women will only interfere with the speed of my sword drawing. Without women in my heart, the sword naturally become divine!"
"Uh, this..." Xiao Qing was bewildered. Though the young master's words today were quite peculiar, it seems like he truly didn't care about Princess Jiu anymore. Could it have been because of the disappointment from an event that happened three days ago in the capital?
"Oh right, did the sect agree to dissolve the engagement?" Su Chen asked.
Xiao Qing answered, "No, the engagement between you and Princess Jiu was decided by the Sect Leader and the Emperor, only they, along with you and Princess Jiu, have the right to dissolve it. The sect has no right to interfere."
"That's good to know!"
Su Chen heaved a sigh of relief, puzzled, Xiao Qing asked, "Didn't you just say you were going to break off the engagement? Does that mean Young Master can't forget Ninth Princess after all? Well, Ninth Princess is indeed beautiful and gentle, and she is the daughter His Majesty loves the most..."
While Xiao Qing was busy speculating, Su Chen took a deep breath, and slowly said, "Even if I am to break off the engagement, it should be initiated by me and not Qin Xiangxue! She thinks she can dissolve the engagement by sending a letter? Ridiculous! I am, after all, the Young Master of the Sword Sect. Let the sect send someone to reply to Qin Xiangxue. I'll go to the capital in person and break off the engagement right in front of her!"
"Mmhm!"
Xiao Qing nodded, then hesitated before saying, "Young Master, another thing, two days ago, Young Master Mo Shan announced to the whole sect that he will challenge you. He said according to the rules of the Sword Sect, the strong will lead. He wants to defeat you and become the Young Master of the Sword Sect..."
"Mo Shan? A mere arrogant fool."
Su Chen scoffed dismissively. When he had been at his peak, Mo Shan used to be his most loyal follower, always nodding and bowing to him. But after Su Chen got 'crippled' five years ago, Mo Shan seized the opportunity to become the master and wanted to strike a heavy blow!
For five years, Su Jingwen, the head of the Sword Sect hadn't sent any news back, and Su Chen was 'crippled', making his position as young master susceptive to many lurking covetous eyes.
If it weren't for Su Jingwen's lingering prestige, coupled with the elders' clandestine protection of Su Chen, he might have long been stripped of his position as Young Master!
It's been five years, even the elder couldn't withstand the pressure from the multitude of elders, that's why Mo Shan dared to challenge him!
Shaking his head, Su Chen pushed these thoughts to the back of his mind, closed his eyes, and started focusing on the most important task at hand - becoming strong again!
His consciousness slowly sank, within his shattered Dantian, a three-inch green sword was floating!
