Chapter 1: A Bizarre Beginning In the Tianyuan Continent, Yunyang City is a bustling city where various cultivators gather. Lin Yu, only sixteen years old, is just an unremarkable grocery store clerk in the city. He lives a repetitive and monotonous life every day, barely making ends meet. However, the monthly rent collection at the end of each month weighs heavily on him like a mountain. The landlord announced a few days ago that the rent would increase by fifty percent next month, plunging Lin Yu, who was already in financial straits, into a deep predicament. One day, Lin Yu, as usual, went to the mountain forest outside the city to gather some materials for making groceries. When he was searching for herbs in a remote valley, he suddenly noticed a strange - glowing object under an ancient tree ahead. As he approached, he found it was an antique token emitting a faint blue light. There were some runes on the token that he had never seen before, which looked mysterious and eerie. The moment he picked up the token, the bright sun in the sky suddenly dimmed without any warning, as if covered by an invisible black curtain. Strangely, there was no sense of darkness approaching. Instead, a strange light, like daylight but with an eerie tinge, enveloped the surroundings. This abnormal scene filled Lin Yu's heart with a strong sense of unease. Just as Lin Yu was full of doubts, he sensed a slight movement behind him, as if someone was deliberately walking softly and following him. Lin Yu was shocked. He turned around abruptly, only to see a silent mountain forest with no one in sight. But his cultivator's intuition told him that danger was approaching quietly. To get rid of this feeling of being followed, Lin Yu quickened his pace and headed back. After returning to the grocery store, he couldn't wait to study the mysterious token. When he injected a trace of spiritual power into the token, the token glowed brightly, and an illusory light screen appeared in front of him, with some blurred words and images emerging on it. Lin Yu tried hard to make out what they were, but could only tell that it seemed to be related to the opening of an ancient ruin. At this moment, there was a rapid knock on the door. Lin Yu opened the door warily and saw that it was his usually kind - looking neighbor, Uncle Zhao. Uncle Zhao said anxiously, "Lin Yu, I just heard a piece of news in the city. It is said that a group of mysterious black - clothed people have been asking around about your whereabouts recently. They seem to have bad intentions. You have to be careful!" Lin Yu was startled. He didn't understand how he could have offended the mysterious black - clothed people. After Uncle Zhao left, Lin Yu felt that things were getting more and more wrong. He recalled what had happened in the mountain forest today: the strange change of the sun, the feeling of being followed, and this mysterious token. All these seemed to be somehow connected. Could it be because of this token? Lin Yu decided to hide the token first and wait and see what would happen. However, trouble didn't let Lin Yu go. That night, in his sleep, Lin Yu suddenly heard a strange sound, like someone was chanting an ancient spell in a low voice. He sat up abruptly from the bed and found that a faint mist filled the room. In the mist, a vague figure loomed. Lin Yu clenched his fists warily and shouted loudly, "Who? Come out!" The figure slowly approached. Lin Yu could then see clearly that it was a haggard old man. The old man stared at Lin Yu with piercing eyes and said slowly, "Lad, the token in your hand is the key to opening the ancient ruins. If you hand it over obediently, I can guarantee your life. Otherwise..." Before the old man could finish, a powerful sense of oppression emanated from his body, making it almost impossible for Lin Yu to breathe.