Chapter 1
Something dripped onto my skin, and the coolness seeped into my pores. I was woken up by the dripping water.
My head was dizzy and the uneven, cold, hard ground hurt half of my face. My hands twitched unconsciously and bits of dirt got stuck in my fingernails, embedding between my fingers and causing me great discomfort.
After struggling, I finally opened my heavy eyelids and saw a cramped and depressing...hole?
I suddenly jumped up in shock, my whole body twitching in pain. I touched my face and rubbed my neck, looking around in panic.
“Tick-tock—”
The water drops fell on my head again. I wiped my face with my sleeve and saw the cracks in the stone wall where the water was dripping.
Why did I suddenly faint and appear in the tunnel?
This looks like a primitive cave that has not yet been opened up. There is no cement under your feet and no repaired and polished arch above your head. It is definitely not a tourist attraction.
I've been kidnapped!
When this thought popped into my mind, I got goosebumps all over my body. A wind blew in the dark cave, and it was so cold that I hugged my arms and rubbed them.
There is a chilly feeling of winter.
Avoiding the dripping water on my head, I tried to move a few steps. If it was a kidnapping, why didn't they tie me up?
There were no signs of binding on her hands and feet, and her clothes were neatly worn, indicating she had not been abused. None of the kidnapping and finger amputation scenes from movies and TV dramas had occurred.
Not daring to make a sound, I walked towards the ventilation hole with restraint and caution. There were many forked roads in the cave, and I didn't know where they would lead.
I picked up a sharp stone carefully and made arrow marks along the way so that I would not forget the way if the road ahead was blocked.
People with poor directionality always have to find a way.
I kept heading towards the windy route, going where the wind was strongest. Gradually, I saw the light ahead gradually growing brighter, accompanied by the sound of waves.
Waves?
I didn't see anyone except me along the way, so I became a little bolder and quickened my pace, starting from a brisk walk to a jog.
The light from the cave entrance was getting closer and closer.
The sound of waves came from below. When I stepped out joyfully, the cliff rushing towards me made me stop suddenly and sit back with my heart pounding!
It's a cliff!
The vast gray sky and the gloomy sea actually gave me a sense of oppression, and the winter wind blew fine snowflakes towards my face.
The sea breeze was rough, and I looked at the endless coastline and the hundreds-meter-high cliffs with fear. The dark sea was like the mouth of a giant beast.
My legs felt weak and I couldn't stand up. The broken dirt and stones kicked up by my feet fell down and were swallowed up by the sea in an instant.
I used my hands and feet to move back to the back of the cave, away from the precarious edge, and my heart finally settled down.
This road is a dead end.
Feeling regretful, I took a deep breath to calm myself down for a while, dusted off the dust on my pants, and walked back towards the mark I had left.
The winding tunnels diverged, and every choice left me tangled. I groped anxiously, not daring to go into places that were too dark.
Try to choose a path with wind, air and visibility.
If it wasn't kidnapping, could it be a prank? But that shouldn't be the case. Before I passed out, I was at my cousin's house helping wrap wedding candy.
My cousin was getting married, and I came home from college to help her during my short vacation.
My cousin is busy with her wedding, how could she have time to play this joke on me and put me in this deserted cave by the sea?
And it looks like an island.
It can't be a group dare prank, where they knocked me out and sent me here to survive on a deserted island?
It's too dramatic!
The more I thought about it, the more outrageous it seemed. I continued to crouch in fear and chose a tunnel that went down.
I was wearing a long autumn trench coat and slim-fit jeans, my ankle boots stained with mud and dust, the fabric of my clothes, which was decent enough, scratched by the stones. If I had worn less, I would have scratched my skin.
The wind that blew from somewhere in the cave made me shiver in this cold cave. I wrapped my windbreaker tightly around me and buttoned it up one by one. I hunched my neck and looked around.
Suddenly, the downward path narrowed, and the ground beneath my feet dropped almost vertically downwards. I was not careful and slipped down screaming!
"ah--"
The sound that broke out of my throat echoed in the stone cave, like the scream of a lonely ghost. My shouting alone created the momentum of thousands of troops.
"Help--"
The large slide sent me down all the way. I climbed up with my hands and feet, trying to stop the downward trend, but it was in vain.
Each fingernail cracked and blood oozed out. I was afraid and in pain, and I was so panicked that I didn't even have time to care about the piercing pain.
Is this heading towards the center of the earth?
"oops--"
After a bang, my wandering thoughts were brought back by the pain in my body.
He fell to the ground and hit his elbow. The fabric of his sleeves was snagged and several buttons were broken, but the thin sweater underneath was still safe.
Once again, I was thankful for my warm clothing. I blew on my nails, feeling the pain as I saw the blood. Splitting my nails and stubbing my toes on the corner of the table were excruciating pains!
"Oh, there are guests."
An old but strong male voice came from the tunnel. I looked at several cave entrances in horror. It turned out that there were other people here besides me!
In this situation, I don’t know whether I should be happy or horrified.
After swallowing my saliva, I felt my mouth was dry. I had just screamed like a pig being slaughtered for a long time. When I slid down, my pants were torn and sparks were not far away from my butt.
My whole body ached as if it was falling apart. I propped myself up on my knees and tried to call out, "Hello, where are you?"
The sound spread from the tunnel, and I listened nervously to the sounds around me.
"Little girl, take the second path on the left, climb up, then take the third cave entrance on the right, slide down, and you'll find me."
I was silent for a moment, then said shamelessly, "Please say it again, I didn't remember it the first time."
"How foolish."
“…”
I felt a little embarrassed after the old man, whose face I didn't know, sighed and said something to me. This time, I picked up a stone and drew a route on the ground.
The old man patiently repeated it again, and I drew a rough outline.
Left two up, right three down.
After condensing it into this, I began to walk with full confidence. Perhaps because the person opposite me was an elderly person, I was not so scared anymore.
If it was a man in his prime, I would never dare to go over there. Who knows what would happen.
Although the current routine is for the sow to wear a condom, one set after another, there is no other way at the moment, I can only go and see.
I just walked out of the second cave on the left and was about to climb up to the tunnel that only one person could pass through, but because the cave entrance was too high, I needed to move stones and stand on tiptoe to reach it.
"Are you here yet?"
The old man's voice became urgent, and I could almost imagine the impatience of the second uncle at the village entrance through his tone.
After carrying the stones and piling them up half a meter high, I wiped off the sweat and said, "Wait, old man, I'm still climbing up."
"You're so slow and stupid, little snail girl."
“…”
If you don't respect the elderly and love the young, I will scold you!
As I tried to get closer to the old man, I was constantly met with his disdain and criticism. Once the old man started talking, it was like a machine gun, firing non-stop.
She can talk more than my mom.
Finally I reached the third sliding path. I looked at the unfathomable tunnel and felt a little scared.
The memory of sliding down before was so terrifying that I couldn't put my foot down for a while.
"I heard your footsteps coming, why don't you move?"
My steps were clearly very light, but the old man still heard them and could even tell where I was. Surprised, I looked down into the tunnel, hesitating whether to jump or not.
"I, I'm scared."
“…”
I said "I'm scared" tremblingly, and the other party was speechless for a few seconds.
"You're such a fool."
I knew I was going to be told that I didn't know how much time had passed outside. Some of the roads had scenery like a crack in the sky.
Even though the weather outside was gloomy, it was brighter than inside the cave. Occasionally, a few rays of light filtered through, allowing me to see the road.
There's nothing wrong with girls being cautious when they're out there, I thought with a clear conscience and started to retort.
"What's wrong with the mallet? Old man, you're like a trumpet with thorns. Anyway, I don't dare to jump. What if there is a high platform or a waterfall below? I will fall to my death."
“…”
After that, there was silence, and I began to reflect on whether I was a little rude to the elderly.
It's quite scary to be alone in this cave and unable to get out.
Just as he was about to speak, the voice appeared again.
"Jump down, I'll catch you."
"Really!"
"Hurry up, you dilatory, useless, silly girl!"
“…”
The other person seemed to have run out of patience and finally scolded me. I quickly closed my eyes and slid down.
"I'm coming down! Please catch me! I don't want my butt to get ripped off!"
I was moaning all the way, it was hard not to scream.
I was dizzy from the shaking, the air was very thin, and my clothes were torn. It was like sliding down a slide in an extra-long coffin.
There was a spot of light in front of me, and the exit became larger as I fell faster.
"Wow--"
When I rushed out, my windbreaker collar was grabbed and I was almost strangled by it. Soon, my waist was supported.
My feet landed safely on the ground, I covered my neck and looked at the person who caught me.
A white-haired old man with an immortal look was wearing an ancient white robe. His face was as weathered as an old tree, but his eyes were exceptionally bright.
This is a stone chamber, very spacious, and filled with particularly rustic furniture, either made of wood or pottery or stoneware. The decoration style is very old.
When the old man saw me, the light in his eyes was even more intense than that of a young man. I couldn't ignore it, so I looked from the furniture to him again.
As if shocked, the old man looked at me for a long time, his lips trembling. I couldn't understand his confused and melancholy expression.
He finally patted my head with a light trembling voice, and then sang a line of lyrics.
Yes, he sings.
"Love you walking alone in a dark alley."
It was completely a conditioned reflex, and I subconsciously opened my mouth to continue: "I love the way you don't kneel!"
The old man nodded, feeling both relieved and regretful. "It seems that you are the one who traveled through time after me."
When I heard this, I felt like I understood it, but not quite.
The old man was dressed very anciently, but spoke in a relatively modern way. The combination of ancient and modern made me a little confused.
Seeing that I was still confused, he said again.
"That's right, you're a dull and silly girl. I shouldn't have any expectations of you."
"...Hey! Stop taking advantage of your age and talking down to me!"
"You've traveled through time, silly girl. Is this song still popular where you are?"
“It’s only been out for over half a year, and it’s become a huge hit recently!”
"It turns out that I traveled through time, and not much time has passed in that world. Time flows at an uneven rate. How old do you think I am now?"
After the old man said this, I observed him carefully. He looked like a centenarian, but he was very energetic. He probably had more physical strength than me, a college student.
I told him my guess, and he stroked his white beard and laughed.
"I'm one hundred and one years old. Be thankful. I'm not just any random person. I'm a peerless master who's retired to the mountains. People in the martial arts world call me 'The Immortal Guest from the Sky'. I haven't left the island in twenty years."
I felt like I didn’t hear a single word he said, and the words “I traveled through time” were still circling in my mind.
Time travel! It’s a very old-fashioned topic, and even the word “old-fashioned” is very old-fashioned.
I was still distracted when a ball of air hit my forehead. I looked at the old man snapping his fingers in surprise. He twisted his fingertips and flicked them towards the mountain wall proudly.
This time, I clearly saw that the hard and smooth stone wall was shattered into a small hole by the gust of wind ejected from his fingertips.
If he had hit me on the head like that just now, I would have had a hole in my skull!
Frightened by the difference in strength, I began to be skeptical.
"What's your name, silly girl?"
"My name is Qin Xiao'e. Where is the old man?"
"A fairy from outer space."
"I'm talking about your last name. Do I have to call you Uncle Tian?"
"Whatever you want, I'm going to die anyway."
"...Don't keep saying you're dead! I see you're still very active! You could live another five hundred years."
Ignoring my flattery, the old man simply stretched out his arms and jumped, stepping on the stone wall with his toes, and displayed his inhuman lightness skills as if he were walking on flat ground.
His clothes fluttered without wind, as if an immortal had descended.
Just as he swept across the bed as light as a swallow, I noticed that there was another unconscious person.
When I got closer, I saw a young man in black ancient costume.
He was very young, his jade-like face showing a hint of youthfulness. His waist was tied with a ribbon, highlighting his broad shoulders and narrow waist, and his body proportions were very good.
I couldn't help but exclaim in admiration, how handsome!
He is the most handsome man I have seen in the past twenty years, with clear outlines and delicate and clean features. Although his eyes are not open, his straight nose, long eyelashes and fair skin are visible.
I was bewitched for a moment and reached out my hand towards the other person's face, wanting to poke that fair and flawless face. It looked like a block of tofu, and I wondered if it would be very elastic.
“Snap—”
The old man slapped my hand, and I shrank back in pain, rubbing the back of my hand and muttering.
"Now that he's woken up, you're responsible for settling the situation." The old man scolded me and dragged me back to where I was standing just now.
Like a primary school student being punished by the teacher, I glanced at the bed a few more times and asked, "Why is there a Sleeping Beauty on the old man's bed?"
"Silly girl, you only care about appearances. If you travel through time like this, you will be eaten to the bone."
I immediately grabbed the old man's wide sleeve and said, "Please take care of me! I can endure hardships! I have a good temper and don't hold grudges. I don't have any bad habits. I don't gamble, smoke, drink, or chew betel nuts!"
Old man: "Oh, these were my hobbies before I traveled through time. I really miss modern life."
Me: “…” Who on earth is he?
From this conversation, I still couldn't get the feeling of time travel, probably because the environment was a monotonous cave.
"Is this Sleeping Beauty your grandson?"
"No, this is a little ghost I picked up on the island more than ten years ago, and then I sold it to someone else. It's only been so many years since I last saw it."
"That……"
After asking a few questions, he was interrupted by the old man again, and he spoke in a serious tone.
"Since there's a new time traveler, it means I'm really coming to the end of my life. I'm already at the age where I should be able to go back to the modern era. I originally wanted to give this skill to this little kid, but now I've met a fellow countryman, even though you're a troublesome, timid, and silly girl."
“…”
Why can I only hear a strong sense of disgust in his words? He has the stubborn temper of an old man, but he acts very young. It's quite contradictory.
The old man was still stroking his beard and sighing, "If only a man could travel through time and space, and pass on all my skills to him, so that he could continue to dominate the martial arts world and sit firmly on the throne of the world's number one."
I frowned, "Why do you still favor boys over girls? Girls can do it too."
"Oh, really? You're not getting married? You're not in love anymore? When you saw Chu Yingyu just now, weren't you still infatuated with him? Lust is a sword hanging over your head!"
I was surprised and laughed, "So the Sleeping Beauty's name is Chu Yingyu! I wonder what those characters are."
Old man: "I won't tell you about your future!"
If you don’t want to tell me, then don’t tell me. It’s the same when you ask Sleeping Beauty later.
Thinking of the topic just now, I continued.
"Don't say that. I'm not a strong woman, but there are always women who can do it. Besides, girls have all kinds of personalities, some strong, some soft, and a hundred flowers bloom."
"But I only have you, a fool, in front of me. As fellow villagers, we should keep the wealth within the family. I will reluctantly give you this skill."
“…” There’s no need to feel so wronged.
The old man waved his hand casually as if he was sending away a beggar. He didn't say much about the unconscious boy. His mind and eyes were filled with only me, the uninvited guest from outside.
If we were both time travelers, he must have been lonely for many years. I kind of understood his temper, so I stopped talking back.
The old man lifted his robe, sat on the ground, and gathered his true energy in his hands. This realistic posture quickly reminded me of the actions in martial arts movies.
"Come and sit facing me. This world is a world of advanced martial arts, where martial arts can reach the pinnacle."
As someone who reads romance novels, I had no idea what this meant. Confused, I walked over and sat down cross-legged, "What does that mean?"
"Have you watched the TV series Fengyun?"
"Oh, I've seen it with my dad. Nie Fengkeqi."
Ignoring my complaints, the old man said, "It's that kind of setting, the kind that can slay dragons."
Is this still a martial arts novel? Isn't it fantasy? I thought martial arts novels were "Little X Flying Dagger" and "The Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre"!
"Perhaps, old man, this is an oriental fantasy or fairy tale?" I argued in a low voice.
"No, I can't fly, I can't achieve immortality, I can't fly with a sword, I don't have the external power of thunder, lightning, wind and rain, I rely entirely on my own true qi and internal and external skills."
"But there are dragons! Dragons! There are no dragons in 'Dragon X'!"
"As for dragons and such, just treat them like giant pandas! They're just animals you only see once in a century."
“…”
After he glared at me, I was frozen in silence, not daring to retort.
What followed was a set of teaching that was like radio gymnastics, with all kinds of manipulation, and even the old man holding my head while teaching me skills.
I can’t describe the feeling, but it’s like a warm current as continuous as a river or ocean, seeping into my body through my meridians and the surface of my skin.
All the muscles, bones and veins in the body are stretched inch by inch. Isn't this more comfortable than a complete health care routine?
In a daze, I heard the old man's voice.
"I'll give you all my hundred years of power, but you're a useless, silly girl. It's normal that you can't use it in the early stages. You have to figure out how to use it later."
"The magical skill 'Spiritual Travel Immortal Method' is a secret one. Although I have cultivated it to the highest level, I have never actually used it. You're on your own and study hard. After all, you're a college student!"
Come on, college students are not doctoral students! Is there such a thing as martial arts training?
"I'm leaving now. If I'm lucky, maybe we'll meet again in modern times. Then let's sing 'The Lone Hero' together, silly girl."
"One last thing, don't mess with Chu Yingyu."
My consciousness became scattered and I could no longer concentrate on hearing any sound. In the end, my eyes went dark and I lost all my senses.
The author has something to say:
Open! Thank you for your support!
The lyrics in the text are from "The Lone Brave"
false +2 2022-01-17 23:57:17
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