The morning sunlight filtered through the treetops and landed on Li Xuan. He rubbed his aching temples; yesterday's unexpected transmigration had left him exhausted. As he tried to stand, a wave of dizziness washed over him, and he slumped back to the ground.
"Are you unwell, young friend?" A gentle voice came from behind him. Li Xuan turned with difficulty and saw the Old Hunter standing there, leaning on a bamboo staff and carrying a bamboo basket filled with herbs.
"Thank you for your concern, old man. It's probably... fatigue from the journey." Li Xuan hesitated, unsure how to explain his situation.
The Old Hunter took a few steps closer and knelt down to examine Li Xuan's pulse. His movements were skilled and professional, not at all like those of an ordinary hunter. "Your meridians are in disarray, and your qi is unstable. It's as if you've been struck by some kind of strange power."
Li Xuan was startled. Not only could this old man see the abnormality in his body, but he could even sense the effects of the transmigration.
"Here, have a drink of this medicinal broth first." The Old Hunter took a flask from his bamboo basket and poured out a bowl of dark brown liquid. "This is a medicinal wine that I often keep on hand to nourish qi and calm the nerves. It will help with your current condition."
Li Xuan took the bowl and took a sip. As the medicinal wine went down, a warm current immediately spread from his chest, and he became much more alert.
"What a peculiar effect," Li Xuan exclaimed. He had practiced martial arts and had experience with various sports drinks, but he had never encountered anything with such a noticeable effect.
The Old Hunter smiled without saying anything, gesturing for Li Xuan to follow him into the mountains. Along the way, Li Xuan noticed that although the old man looked to be advanced in years, he walked effortlessly, and not a single footstep could be heard. This further confirmed his suspicion - the person before him was definitely no ordinary man.
Soon, they arrived in front of a simple thatched hut. Outside was a yard for drying medicinal herbs, and several smoothly polished wooden stakes were neatly arranged, obviously for practicing skills.
"You'll stay here for the time being," the Old Hunter said as he sorted the herbs, "Once your body has recovered, I can teach you some basic skills."
"Thank you for taking me in, Old Sir," Li Xuan sincerely thanked him. In this unfamiliar space-time, to encounter such a master willing to help him was truly a great opportunity.
In the days that followed, the Old Hunter began to teach Li Xuan some basic life skills. How to identify directions, find food, and avoid wild beasts... these skills were completely useless in modern society, but were essential for survival in this era.
"Although the young friend's origins are peculiar, his nature is pure and his comprehension is not bad," the Old Hunter commented one evening as he boiled herbs. This was the first time he had mentioned Li Xuan's background.
Li Xuan hesitated for a moment, then decided to be honest, "Old Sir's eyes are like torches, I am indeed not a person of this era..."
"No need to say more," the Old Hunter waved his hand, "Heaven's secrets cannot be revealed too much. Since you can come here, there is a will of Heaven. I only need to know that you are an upright young man, that is enough."
This made Li Xuan admire the old man's magnanimity even more. No wonder the ancients often said, "Great people hide in the marketplace." Martial arts seniors like this often kept a low profile.
As his body gradually recovered, the Old Hunter began to teach Li Xuan some basic skills. Starting with the most fundamental stance, every movement was required to be extremely strict.
"Young people nowadays practice martial arts, always wanting to reach the top in one step," the Old Hunter said with satisfaction, watching Li Xuan diligently practice his horse stance, "but they don't know that if the foundation is not solid, no matter how good the martial arts are, they're just castles in the air."
Li Xuan agreed deeply. He had learned a lot of fighting techniques in modern times, but now he understood that those flashy moves were useless against a true master if they weren't supported by a solid foundation.
One morning, as Li Xuan was practicing his horse stance in the courtyard, he suddenly heard a burst of hurried footsteps. A young hunter with a look of panic ran over.
"Old Zhang, it's not good! A master of poison has come to Weijia Town, and he's already killed several people!"
The Old Hunter frowned. "Do you know where this person comes from?"
"I heard he's an out-of-towner, using Exotic Western Poison that ordinary medicine can't cure," the hunter said, gasping for breath, "The doctors in the town are helpless, so they have to ask you, sir, for help."
Li Xuan's heart skipped a beat. He'd often read about situations like this in wuxia novels, but he never expected to encounter one in the ancient martial world. It seemed the martial arts and poisons of this world were far more profound than he'd imagined.
The Old Hunter pondered for a moment, then turned to Li Xuan. "You've been studying here for a while now. It's time for you to see the world. Your task is to go to Weijia Town and gather information. Consider it a small test for you."
"This disciple obeys," Li Xuan said solemnly. Although he hadn't formally become a disciple, the title came naturally to him.
"Take this." The Old Hunter retrieved a cloth bag from inside. "It contains some basic antidotes and hidden weapons. It should be enough for self-defense. Remember, when traveling the martial world, you must know how to assess the situation. Not everything can be solved with force."
Li Xuan accepted the cloth bag and carefully stowed it away. This was his first time going out on a mission alone, and he felt both nervous and excited.
"Go." The Old Hunter watched Li Xuan's departing figure, lost in thought. This mysterious young man might truly be the successor he had been waiting for all these years.
Li Xuan followed the Old Hunter's instructions, taking the mountain path towards Weijia Town. Along the way, he reviewed what he had learned. Although the old man only taught basic skills, each one was incredibly practical. Especially the knowledge of the meridian acupoints, which surprisingly coincided with certain theories of modern medicine.
Halfway there, the sound of fighting suddenly erupted in the distance. Li Xuan stopped cautiously, listening for the source. He saw a woman in white being surrounded by three men in black. The woman wielded a long sword, and her movements were light and agile, clearly indicating she was also a martial artist. However, facing three opponents who were clearly superior in strength, she was already at a disadvantage.
Li Xuan's heart clenched. Although the Old Hunter had warned him not to get involved in the conflicts of the martial world, he couldn't bear to stand by and watch the woman's perilous situation. Just as he was about to step forward to help, he saw the woman suddenly unleash a brilliant sword technique, breaking through the encirclement in an instant and running towards him.
The three men in black pursued relentlessly, closing in. Li Xuan made a quick decision, reaching into his cloth bag and pulling out a hidden weapon, which he threw towards the foremost man in black.
"Whoosh!" The hidden weapon whistled through the air, forcing the man in black to stop and dodge. This momentary delay allowed the woman in white to reach Li Xuan.
"Thank you, young master, for your help!" The woman said hastily, her voice clear and pleasant.
Before Li Xuan could respond, the three men in black had already caught up. The leader stared coldly at Li Xuan: "Youngster, it's not a good habit to meddle in others' affairs."
"I was just passing by, but I can't stand seeing the weak bullied," Li Xuan replied, adopting the most basic defensive posture as taught by the Old Hunter. Although he knew he was no match for these martial arts experts, he couldn't back down now that he'd intervened.
"Interesting." The leading man in black sneered, "Since you want to ask for trouble, I'll grant your wish!"
With that, he slammed his palm down. Li Xuan tried to dodge, but found the force of the attack was incredibly powerful, blocking all his escape routes. If he took this palm directly, he would be seriously injured at best, or killed at worst.
At that critical moment, a bamboo pole suddenly shot out from the side, striking the black-clad man's wrist with precision. He grunted, and his attack faltered.
"Let's see who's bullying the youngsters here," a familiar voice said. Li Xuan turned to see Old Hunter standing not far away, his ordinary bamboo staff in hand.
The three black-clad men's faces immediately changed. The leader stared at Old Hunter for a long moment, then gasped, "I-Is it Hunter Spirit Senior?"
Old Hunter smiled faintly, "You at least have some sense."
The leader's forehead broke out in a cold sweat. "This junior was blind and didn't recognize Mount Tai, and has offended you, Senior! Please forgive us!" With that, he turned and tried to leave.
"Wait," Old Hunter's voice was still calm. "The poison case in Weijia Town, did you do it?"
The three men stiffened noticeably. The leader forced himself to remain calm. "Senior is joking. We were only ordered to pursue a female thief. How would we know anything about a poison case..."
Before he could finish, Old Hunter tapped the ground lightly with his bamboo staff. An invisible force instantly enveloped the three men, and they felt their bodies go numb, unable to move.
"People of the jianghu are clear about their grudges and debts. But using poison to harm others is strictly forbidden in the martial world." The Old Hunter's voice finally turned stern, "Speak! Who ordered you?"
The leading black-clad man finally couldn't withstand the pressure: "It's, it's the Scorpion Gang..."
"The Scorpion Gang?" The white-clad woman suddenly exclaimed, "No wonder their martial arts style seemed so familiar. They're remnants of that demonic cult!"
The Old Hunter nodded: "Indeed. This hidden danger, it seems, must be eliminated." With that, he flicked his fingers, and a surge of energy shot into the bodies of the three men. The three black-clad men immediately collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
"Senior's capture technique truly lives up to its reputation." Lin Wan'er, the white-clad woman, smiled and bowed, "This junior, Lin Wan'er, is the daughter of the Qingyun Sect's head. I came down the mountain this time on my master's orders to investigate a case. I didn't expect to meet Senior."
The Old Hunter glanced at her: "Is your father doing well these days?"
"My father is fine, but..." Lin Wan'er looked worried at this point, "Lately, the rumors in the jianghu haven't been peaceful. It seems something big is about to happen."
Li Xuan listened intently from the side. He hadn't expected that he, a modern person, would be drawn into such a jianghu conflict. And from these people's conversations, the martial world of this era was far more complex than he had imagined.
Old Hunter looked at the sky. "It's getting dark. Miss Lin, why don't you stay at my humble abode for the night? We can go down the mountain together to investigate the case first thing tomorrow morning."
Lin Wan'er readily agreed. On the way back to the mountain, Li Xuan felt that the young miss from Qingyun Sect was constantly sizing him up with curious eyes. There seemed to be a special meaning in her gaze, which inexplicably made his heart beat faster.
\n\n
As night deepened, Li Xuan lay on the straw mat, recalling everything that had happened today. He knew that his life in this unfamiliar space-time was gradually becoming more exciting. Tomorrow, he would go down the mountain with Old Hunter and Lin Wan'er to investigate the mysterious poison case. And this might just be the beginning of his adventures in the martial world.
\n\n
In his sleep, he seemed to hear Old Hunter and Lin Wan'er talking softly outside. He vaguely heard words like "Mysterious Book" and "Heaven's Mandate," but he couldn't make out the specific content. The next morning, when he woke up, he found that Lin Wan'er's gaze toward him was even more peculiar.