One person: Starting with the Snow Drinking Blade

In an instant, everything went black. All light, color, and shape were swallowed up, leaving only a sharp, piercing ringing in his ears, as if countless metal shards were scraping and colliding inside his skull. Nie Lingfeng groaned, and the Snow Drinking Blade in his arms clattered to the ground. He clutched his head tightly with both hands, curling up his small body to barely avoid plunging headfirst into the icy pool.

Immediately afterwards, a loud "boom" resounded from the depths of my consciousness!

It was as if some ancient seal had been violently broken, or as if a dam holding back a vast ocean had suddenly collapsed. An indescribable torrent of information surged forth like a burst dam! It wasn't words, not images, not even coherent memories, but something more primal, more direct: the tremors of muscle fiber memories, the scorching trajectory of true energy flowing along specific meridians, the subtle angles of force exerted in every inch of bone when executing a technique, the chilling intuition during a life-or-death struggle, the emotional impact of facing a cataclysmic event…

They forcefully and irresistibly squeezed into his tender mind, tearing at every fragile nerve and washing over every corner of his consciousness.

"Ughhhhhh—!"

An uncontrollable, agonizing roar erupted from deep within his throat. Nie Lingfeng curled up tightly, his nails almost digging into his scalp. He "saw"—

A figure in a flowing blue robe stood alone atop a towering snow-capped peak, amidst howling winds that swirled up countless piles of snow. The figure moved, legs like dragons, stirring the wind and clouds, leaving only a pale blue afterimage. The Wind God's Leg!

A swordsman, clad in pristine white, stood silently at the heart of the ancient ice cave, surrounded by icy shards like swords. A flash of sword light appeared, like a cold moon rising in the sky, a chilling aura spreading and freezing time and space. The Six Techniques of Unyielding Cold!

A bare-chested, muscular man wanders through an endless bamboo forest. He carries no knife, yet wherever his will leads, falling bamboo leaves and swaying bamboo branches transform into a chilling, cleaving blade of intent. The Creation Blade!

Next came the ever-changing, ethereal mist of the Cloud-Dispelling Palm; then came the Frost-Heavenly Fist, its frost covering the entire land and slaying all things…

A series of earth-shattering martial arts techniques and profound insights into their meanings flashed and imprinted wildly in his mind like a movie sped up a million times. Every move, every transition, every change in the flow of energy, every breath and movement was crystal clear, as if he had honed these martial arts techniques through countless trials and tribulations, immersing himself in them for decades!

Pain, a soul-crushing pain. It was like cramming a vast library into a space the size of a matchbox. His brain was groaning, convulsing, and on the verge of overload, it was sparking flashes of thought.

But amidst that overwhelming torrent of pain, there was also a strange sense of...familiarity.

He recognized these martial arts techniques and these sensations.

It wasn't a distant impression from comic book pages, but a mark from the depths of the soul, seemingly innate. Like a mother tongue, forgotten for many years, suddenly ringing out clearly in a dream on a stormy, rainy night.

In a daze, fragmented images gradually pieced together and became clear—

It was a burning cave, not the azure pool where he stood, but a scorching place where magma surged and flames soared into the sky. The majestic fire qilin, however, lay quietly and docilely on the ground, its molten gold-like beastly eyes half-open. And beside it, a person stood silently.

His long hair cascaded like an ink-black waterfall, and his white robes were fresher than snow, untouched by the world. His features were gentle and refined, like jade, and a serene smile played on his lips, a smile that seemed to have seen through the ways of the world. He stood there casually, yet he exuded an ethereal aura, as if he were about to ascend to immortality at any moment. He was so close, yet seemed so far away.

Nie Lingfeng's consciousness "saw" that face clearly.

It is Nie Feng. But not the eternally handsome and youthful dashing swordsman from the comics, but a more mature and reserved Nie Feng, whose eyes hold the weight of time and countless stories.

The figure in white spoke slowly, his voice gentle and clear, yet carrying a distant echo that seemed to pierce through endless time and space:

"Junior."

My name is Nie Feng.

"Now, with my remaining spiritual essence, I will impart to you all the profound knowledge I have gained throughout my life."

"However, the path of martial arts is as vast as the sea, and the cultivation of one's mind and character is of paramount importance. Some of the ultimate techniques are too violent and require a special state of mind to master. If one's mind and character are not yet ready, forcibly practicing them can easily lead to demonic possession and harm oneself. Therefore, my inheritance is divided into three steps. What you have inherited now is only the first step, the foundation."

"I have already sealed the remaining two steps with my spiritual senses, hiding them deep within the inheritance. As your mind and character gradually become more harmonious and you comprehend the martial arts of heaven and earth to the corresponding level, the seal will naturally be broken layer by layer."

"May you uphold this legacy, and attain enlightenment. The sword can vanquish evil, but it must be used with caution. May you live up to the sword in your hand and the righteousness in your heart, walk the right path, and protect all living beings."

After a slight pause, Nie Feng, dressed in white, turned his head to look at the fire unicorn lying beside him. A complex glint flashed in his eyes, a mixture of nostalgia,感慨, and 放然.

"Furthermore, the Fire Qilin used a drop of its own 'Qilin Marrow' to cleanse your meridians and reshape your Dao foundation and physical body. This is an unprecedented opportunity, but also a heavy karmic burden. The Qilin Marrow contains the essence of ancient divine beasts. If you can completely refine and absorb it in the future, the transformation it brings... will be no less effective than the complete Dragon Essence."

"The road ahead is long, take care of yourself."

The last four words lingered in the air.

The white-clad figure began to become transparent, like the thin mist under the morning light, like the wisps of smoke drifting from fingertips, gradually dissipating. The fire qilin beside him raised its head, its molten gold vertical pupils seemingly piercing through time and space, giving Nie Lingfeng (or rather, the recipient of this memory) a deep "gaze," letting out a low, muffled roar like thunder. Its massive body then transformed into countless drifting golden-red sparks, vanishing into the void of memory.

The screen shattered completely.

The surging torrent of memories has finally subsided.

Nie Lingfeng collapsed onto the cold ground, like a fish out of water, his mouth agape, gasping for breath. Cold sweat had already soaked through his oversized clothes, clinging to his thin body with a cold, sticky sensation. He felt as if his brain had been hollowed out and then filled again, all his strength drained away, making even moving a finger difficult.

But things are different now.

Something essential, something rooted in the very foundation of life, has become completely different.

He slowly raised his still small hand and stared intently. His skin was still fair, but at this moment, he could clearly "perceive" the subtle flow of blood and qi under his skin, and he could "internally see" the wisps of icy blue, weak but real qi in those delicate meridians, which were slowly circulating on their own according to some mysterious route.

That's... true qi? Internal energy?

Subconsciously, Nie Lingfeng tried to actively guide and gather the barely perceptible wisp of icy blue energy, directing it to the tip of his right index finger, following the basic mental technique called "Ice Heart Mantra" in his mind.

hum.

The air around my fingertips trembled slightly.

A wisp of pure white, cold air, thinner than a strand of hair, rose from his fingertips as if alive. The moment the cold air touched the air, it quickly condensed, turning into a tiny, crystal-clear, hexagonal frost flower, which swayed and drifted down to his knee, then quietly melted, leaving a drop of cool water.

He stared intently at the vanishing frost, frozen in place for a good ten seconds.

Then--

Hahahaha!

A near-manic laugh, a mixture of extreme shock and boundless ecstasy, suddenly exploded in the silent cave. The sound waves crashed against the rock walls, creating echoes that startled the glowing insects in the crevices, causing them to scatter in panic.

Nie Lingfeng, clutching the Snow Drinking Knife he had picked up again, rolled around on the ground without any regard for his image (his baggy trousers slipped down again during the roll, revealing half of his thin, white waist), laughing so hard that tears streamed down his face, and he could barely breathe.

"Wind God Leg! Six Secrets of Frostbite! Cloud-Dispelling Palm! Heavenly Frost Fist! Creation Blade! Ice Heart Technique! It's all there! Although it feels like they're just the most basic first level, the entry-level... it's all in my mind! Personally taught by Nie Feng! Authentic! Officially licensed! Not pirated! Not a knock-off!"

With a nimble somersault, he leaped into the air (a move that required warm-up in his "previous life," but now came naturally), clutching the cold, heavy Snow Drinking Blade, and excitedly spun around in the not-so-spacious cave space, the eerie blue moss light stretching and shortening his leaping figure:

"I knew it! I knew it! How could a transmigration not have a decent cheat code! Even though my body has shrunk! Even though I'm starving to death! Even though I'm trapped in this ghost maze and can't get out—but! I have a complete set of divine martial arts manuals! The essence of Nie Feng's lifelong martial arts! And the supreme VIP tattoo produced by the Fire Kirin! And the Snow Drinking Saber, the coldest weapon in the world! This setup! This start! It's absolutely worth the price of admission! This is awesome!"

After circling around a few times, he stopped, leaning against the cold stalagmite and breathing slightly, but his round eyes shone with an astonishing brightness, as if two clusters of dark blue flames had been ignited.

"Wait, Nie Feng said the inheritance is divided into three steps... I've only obtained the first step, which is the most basic introductory part of all martial arts? What will the second and third steps be? More profound techniques? Xuanwu True Skill? Demon Blade? Ten Directions Invincible? Or..." He gasped, his voice changing, "The Love That Shakes the City?! That won't do! The Love That Shakes the City requires a perfect connection with Mingyue to master! I'm all alone now, where am I supposed to find Mingyue? Practice dating thin air?!"

The intense excitement receded like a tide, and the temporarily forgotten physiological needs roared back with a more ferocious intensity as reason returned.

Glug glug glug...glug...

The rumbling in his intestines sounded like war drums, one after another, and the empty, burning sensation in his stomach almost made him faint.

The ecstasy on Nie Lingfeng's face froze instantly, and he slowly collapsed. He touched his emaciated stomach, then looked around at the cold, hard, lifeless rock walls. The lofty ambitions that had just risen were utterly extinguished by reality.

"No matter how good your martial arts are... you still need to fill your stomach first..." he wailed, clutching his knife, and slumped back down by the pool, the cold stones hurting his bottom. "Besides, with my ten-year-old body, how much of the first level of the technique can I actually unleash? What if I fail to kick out the Wind God Leg and faint from low blood sugar, becoming the first transmigrator in history to starve to death next to his own cheat ability..."

He looked down at the calm water. In the water, the small figure, clutching a large knife, disheveled, and with a face etched with misfortune and hunger, was also looking back at him.

A ten-year-old child. An ancient divine weapon. A Qilin tattoo. A perilous maze.

The scene is absurd and comical, yet it exudes a strange and discordant epic feel in the dim blue light.

As Nie Lingfeng watched, he suddenly grinned and smiled.

The smile was initially weak, but it quickly became clear, even carrying a hint of arrogance.

"What's there to be afraid of?" He raised his hand and patted the cold, hard scabbard in his arms. The Snow Drinking Blade seemed to sense his intention, its blade trembling slightly and emitting a deep, resonant hum.

"I have a knife," he whispered, as if speaking to his reflection in the water, or perhaps to himself, "the world-renowned Snow Drinking Knife."

He stretched out his left hand and pressed it against his chest, where the Qilin tattoo was located. Through the thin fabric, he could almost feel a faint but constant warmth emanating from the tattoo, forming a strange cycle with the chill of the snow drink in his arms.

"This Qilin tattoo, whose specific purpose is unknown but sounds very powerful, might be some kind of super cheat code."

He closed his eyes, and the vast sea of ​​martial arts traditions clearly appeared in his mind. Although he had only entered the basics, it had already opened a door to a whole new world for him.

"And Nie Feng's complete martial arts legacy. Although I only know the basics now..."

His stomach let out another earth-shattering howl, interrupting his grand pronouncements.

Nie Lingfeng's lips twitched, and he opened his eyes helplessly.

"Alright, the most urgent thing is definitely finding food." He propped himself up on his knees, his sharp gaze sweeping over the eerie blue cave that had trapped him. "Since there's airflow, there must be cracks or passages leading outside. Since there's this pool of water, it might connect to an underground river. And if there's an underground river, then there might be... fish? Or other aquatic creatures?"

He added uncertainly, his gaze unconsciously drifting to the moss on the rock wall that quietly emitted a faint blue light.

The moss, in clumps and patches, like solidified blue starlight, trembled slightly, beautiful and mysterious.

Nie Lingfeng stared at them, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed a non-existent mouthful of saliva with difficulty.

After hesitating for a long time, he slowly reached out his hand, his fingertips trembling, toward the nearest clump of glowing moss.

Just as he was about to touch that soft blue light, he stopped, muttering to himself softly, with a hint of inner turmoil:

"This thing... it shouldn't be poisonous, right? If I eat it... will it glow too?"