The endless mountain range stretched across the land like rolling waves, its peaks rising and falling in an unbroken rhythm. Verdant foliage brimmed with life, its powerful vitality filling every corner of the earth. Towering ancient trees stood tall like spears piercing the sky, their massive branches sprawling outward to form a canopy as vast as the heavens themselves.
In the distance, mist and clouds shrouded the highest peaks, hiding their true heights. Some mountains were crowned with gleaming snow, reflecting the early morning sun into dazzling, colorful rays that lit up the sky.
Falling through a space-time rift, Xin Xiaoqi found himself in this primeval forest, his upper body bare and marked with numerous scratches. Clutching a bottle of white liquor, he wore only a loosely tied bathrobe around his waist. His eyes remained shut, seemingly lost in a deep, peaceful sleep atop the thick branch of a colossal tree—one sturdy enough to fully support his weight without risk of falling.
The strengthening morning sunlight roused the forest's creatures. From a distant cliff, a monstrous beast, as large as a mountain itself, awakened with a deep, resonant roar that echoed through the valley. This powerful bellow startled all nearby life, stirring swirling clouds into little whirlpools.
Startled awake by the beast's roar, Xin Xiaoqi jolted upright. Losing his balance, he tumbled down from the tree with a loud thud. Though the fall wasn't far, he gasped for breath and muttered in disbelief, "Holy crap!"
Slowly standing, he pulled his bathrobe tighter and glanced around. He stuffed the bottle of liquor into a large pocket of his robe and stared blankly at the massive tree that had served as his resting place.
Where was this place? Some kind of primeval forest? "How much would a tree this big even sell for?" he wondered aloud.
Suddenly, the distant beast roared again, as if answering Xin Xiaoqi's thoughts. On edge, he dove into the tall grass, whispering anxiously, "What the hell is that?"
At his side, a creature nudged him. Turning, Xin Xiaoqi saw a giant rabbit—not frightened, but curiously watching him. The rabbit was enormous, roughly the size of a medium dog.
Xin Xiaoqi chuckled, "Where did a rabbit this big come from? Is it domesticated? But it's still pretty wild-looking." His stomach rumbled loudly. "Man, how long has it been since I last ate?"
Eyeing the rabbit, Xin Xiaoqi reached out to catch it, hoping for some fresh meat. The rabbit nimbly dodged, then stopped and looked back as if to challenge him.
Frustrated but intrigued, Xin Xiaoqi chased the rabbit for nearly two miles, failing to catch it. Eventually, the rabbit ceased fleeing.
"Hey, why aren't you running now?" Xin Xiaoqi muttered, annoyed.
But then, from behind the rabbit, three enormous white beasts appeared. They weren't cows as he first thought, but giant rabbits with huge, blood-stained mouths.
Fear crept up Xin Xiaoqi's spine, chilling his bones. Screaming, he bolted for his life, stealing anxious glances at the elusive rabbit as he ran.
He finally reached a riverside cliff, where a stone cave beckoned. Desperate, Xin Xiaoqi plunged inside to catch his breath.
Outside, a colossal python lay coiled near the river—its size impossible to take in with a single glance. Xin Xiaoqi held his breath, eyes wide, as the snake dipped its enormous, horned head into the water.
Suddenly, a giant eagle swooped down, talons aimed at the serpent. The eagle's claws struck the snake's scales, sending sparks flying, but failed to pierce the hide. In an instant, the snake bit the eagle, swiftly killing it.
The snake glanced briefly toward Xin Xiaoqi before slipping back into the river, leaving him drenched in cold sweat.
When Xin Xiaoqi finally emerged, he noticed the dead eagle had two heads—an unnatural sight that left him utterly bewildered.
"Did I just cross into another world?" he muttered. "No reincarnation or magic manuals? No legendary elixirs or mystical fruits? What kind of fantasy nonsense is this?"
His stomach growled again. "Well, if no one's protecting you, I guess you're next," he said, eyeing the two-headed eagle.
After hours of struggle, Xin Xiaoqi dragged the massive bird to a cliff edge. Without a knife or fire, cooking it seemed impossible. Using bones and mud from the riverbank, he dug a pit and covered the bird, attempting to light a fire through primitive methods—but failed.
Despairingly, Xin Xiaoqi groaned, "If I can't cook this, I'm going to starve to death. Guess I better find some fruit."
Just then, several unknown fruits dropped from above. Looking up, Xin Xiaoqi saw a woman descending gracefully—her tall, slender figure concealed beneath a black veil and wide-brimmed hat.