Chapter 1
Eastern Wastelands, Ziyang Prefecture.
Under the bright daylight, the official road bustled with the sounds of carriages and horses. A convoy of over a hundred people and more than a dozen carriages was rushing forward at full speed.
A young man dressed in silk lifted the carriage curtain, his face pale as he tried to take in some fresh air.
“Hah…”
“Traveling long distances in ancient times is pure torture… cough.”
As soon as he opened the curtain, the dust in the air made him cough twice.
“Young Master, it’ll be another two days before we reach Qingyuan Sect,” the coachman said with a polite smile.
Then, after a pause, he cautiously added, “Our family’s carriages are already among the most comfortable for traveling.”
“Got it.”
Li Mo responded briefly, sighing inwardly.
High-speed trains and airplanes were so much better.
Two days ago, he had unlocked the mystery of his own birth and awakened the memories of his past life.
In his previous life, he had lived in a place called Blue Star, a world of advanced modern technology.
Da Yu was different.
Here, martial arts were revered, and power belonged to individuals.
He had just turned sixteen. Before he could fully enjoy the leisurely life of a wealthy family in ancient times, his father had stuffed him into a carriage and sent him to Qingyuan Sect—one of the three great sects in Ziyang Prefecture—to take the entrance examination.
“Martial arts, huh…”
Li Mo’s gaze turned wistful as he looked up at the three suns hanging high in the sky.
Along the way, he had overheard other young travelers heading to Qingyuan Sect talk about this world’s martial arts. Apparently, someone like his father—who was as powerful as a humanoid war machine—was still just at the stubborn bronze level.
It was said that two of the three suns in the sky were once two emperors of Da Yu who had ascended.
This wasn’t just mythology—it was recorded history.
—
An hour later.
The sky darkened.
The convoy, escorted by a security escort agency, slowly came to a stop at a relay station.
As soon as Li Mo jumped off the carriage, the curtain of another carriage behind him was lifted.
A girl stepped out, dressed in plain indigo robes. Her skin was as smooth as white porcelain under the moonlight.
Though still in her early teens, her delicate figure was already beginning to show graceful curves, and she was nearly as tall as Li Mo.
Days of travel and illness had taken a toll on her. A trace of frailty softened her refined, noble features, yet her beauty remained breathtaking.
She looked exhausted and weak, dressed simply, yet the moment one laid eyes on her, it was easy to believe that the phrase six palaces filled with beauties pale in comparison was not just a mere exaggeration.
A name surfaced in Li Mo’s mind.
Ying Bing.
The Li and Ying families had been close for generations and their ties went back to their grandfathers’ time.
In their generation, the elders had even intended to arrange a marriage between them to strengthen their bond.
“Is there anything you want to eat? I’ll have the kitchen prepare it.”
Li Mo spoke casually.
Ying Bing completely ignored him. Without even glancing at him, her icy, mirror-like eyes remained indifferent as she walked past him into the relay station, leaving behind only a faint lingering fragrance.
“The Ying family… recently went through some misfortune, so—”
“You don’t need to explain. I was too reckless in the past.”
Li Mo sighed helplessly.
What a mess.
He had been reborn into a new world, only to find himself as a spoiled brat.
Born into a wealthy family and doted on by everyone, he had caused his fair share of trouble.
Like secretly watching a maid bathe… or stuffing firecrackers into a woodpile…
A few years ago, disaster struck the city when a beast tide broke through. The entire Ying family perished, leaving only Ying Bing behind. His father had her stay at the Li estate to settle down for the time being.
He used to bully her on purpose while secretly liking her at the same time.
It was a bit like a middle schooler having a crush—pulling a girl’s hair just to get her attention…
"As everyone knows, those whose entire family is sacrificed to the heavens are never ordinary."
As a former web novels reader, Li Mo’s mind wandered in strange directions.
"Soup delivery!"
A grinning waiter arrived with a tray in hand.
Li Mo’s mouth twitched as he muttered, "I’ve lived two lives now, and I still don’t have a golden finger or anything…"
"Hello! you do."
"Who said that?!"
Li Mo jumped like a startled cat.
"Young Master?" The butler gave him a puzzled look. What’s he going on about this time?
"Nothing… probably just ringing in my ears."
Li Mo frowned. Just as he began to suspect he was hearing things, the voice echoed in his mind again:
"Since you have so sincerely asked, this system has no choice but to make an appearance."
Li Mo: "……?"
So if I hadn’t asked, were you planning to stay hidden forever?
Fine, that wasn’t the point.
"What’s your function, System?"
"This is the Investment Rebate System."
"The host can invest in any target. The stronger the target’s 'Destiny,' the better the rewards."
"If the investment target achieves a major breakthrough, additional rewards will be granted."
Li Mo raised an eyebrow.
"Any target?"
"Can I invest in myself?"
"A Destiny Eye has been granted to the host. Please determine for yourself whether you hold investment value."
So basically, yes.
Just as Li Mo processed this, he suddenly felt something unfamiliar appear in his mind. It wasn’t something he could see or touch, but it undeniably existed.
He didn’t understand its intricacies, but he found that he could use it.
However, the information it provided was vague and difficult to grasp—neither words nor sound, just something abstract.
Destiny Eye?
Li Mo frowned. He couldn’t make sense of it at all.
Then, in the next moment, a panel appeared in front of him, seemingly adjusted for user-friendliness.
[Name: Li Mo]
[Age: 16]
[Innate Constitution: None]
[Cultivation Level: Mortal]
[Destiny: Gray (Born weak, destined for hardship)]
[Evaluation: Born with deficiencies, leading to poor health—completely unsuited for martial arts. Aside from being somewhat good-looking and having a rich father, what do you even have? What even are you?]
[Recent Event: Encountered this system.]
Li Mo: "……"
It's too real.
Not very polite, but Li Mo had to admit—he really wasn’t worth investing in.
"There have to be some decent talents among the ones heading to Qingyuan Sect from the county."
He lost his appetite and looked up.
A flicker of obscure light passed through his eyes as he scanned the other travelers eating and resting in the hall.
[Name: He Yong]
[Age: 16]
[Innate Constitution: None]
[Cultivation Level: Qi and Blood Realm, First Vein]
[Destiny: White (Like a blade of grass)]
[Evaluation: One among the masses, as fleeting as a mayfly—utterly unremarkable.]
[Recent Event: Born into a woodcutting family, borrowed travel expenses from neighbors, currently worrying about repaying debts.]
…
[Name: Chen Xiaoyan]
[Age: 16]
[Innate Constitution: None]
…
…
After checking several people, most had white destiny. The best he found were a few with green.
Then, when his gaze reached a corner, a flicker of blue-green finally appeared.
[Name: Wang Hu]
[Age: 16]
[Innate Constitution: Tiger Arms, Panther Waist]
[Cultivation Level: Qi and Blood Realm, Third Vein]
[Destiny: Blue (Slightly Gifted)]
[Evaluation: Some talent. If he trains hard, he might achieve something in the future. However, he is narrow-minded, vengeful, and arrogant—prone to walking a dangerous path.]
[Recent Event: Stuck at a bottleneck in fist techniques, urgently seeking a sparring partner to break through.]
…
All in all, there wasn’t anyone particularly worth investing in.
The only half-decent choice was Wang Hu… and they were already on bad terms.
Just then—
"Sir, here’s your chicken soup, made with the ten-year-old ginseng as requested."
"I’ll take it up to the second floor now."
The inn’s waiter greeted him and prepared to carry the meal upstairs.
"Wait a moment."
Li Mo’s thoughts stirred. He stopped the waiter.
"I’ll take it up myself."
The waiter gave him a puzzled look but handed him the food box.
Li Mo turned his gaze toward the private room at the end of the second floor.
What kind of destiny will she have?
Knock, knock—
After a brief pause, a soft voice responded from inside.
"Enter."
The girl sat quietly by the window, moonlight filtering through the gauzy curtains, casting a silvery glow over her ink-dark hair. Her deep eyes shimmered faintly in the dim light.
When she saw it was Li Mo who entered, her delicate brows knit together slightly.
Li Mo stood frozen, completely stunned.
The girl’s information unfolded in front of him,:
[Name: Ying Bing]
[Age: 16]
[Innate Constitution: Taiyin Moon Phoenix Constitution.]
[Cultivation Level: None]
At this point, the Heavenly Fate Divine Eye seemed to stutter. As if the karmic burden on her was too immense, the system lagged for a moment.
After a few seconds, the rest of the information slowly emerged.
[Destiny: Red (Born with an imperial bone, frost as her fate, autumn water as her spirit, with the bearing of a sky-soaring phoenix)]
[Evaluation: Her fate is riddled with tribulations, yet she will always turn misfortune into fortune. Though her wings are still unformed, when the winds of change arrive, she will soar above the nine heavens and reign over all directions.]
[Recent Event: Before unlocking her Lunar Phoenix Physique, it manifests externally as a crippled meridian body. Until she fully masters the power of lunar frost, she must endure unbearable cold every day.]
Li Mo: "?"
I knew it.
Not only did the system momentarily break, but it didn’t even assign a color at first—just directly categorized her as an anomaly.
According to the Divine Eye’s ranking, destiny was classified from lowest to highest as:
Black → Gray → White → Green → Blue → Purple → Gold
Above gold, there was red destiny.
At this level, destiny could no longer be measured by simple colors; each case came with unique celestial phenomena.
The founding emperor of the Great Yu Dynasty, the legendary Martial Emperor, was recorded in history as having been born under an extraordinary omen—sun and moon shining together, the Ziwei Star shifting, and a divine tortoise carrying a stone tablet to bestow his name.
If that was a sign of supreme fate… then Ying Bing’s destiny was of the same caliber?
His future wife was someone who could one day rival the founding emperor?
This… feels kind of bad.
Li Mo fell into deep thought and started to question his life.
“…Uh, drink the soup while it’s hot.”
Pa!
The door shut.
—
"So, I’ve returned to this day."
"Rebirth… so this is what it meant."
Ying Bing picked up a piece of chicken and tossed it out the second-floor window into the backyard.
The old guard dog there sniffed it, then happily devoured it. A few moments passed—nothing unusual happened.
Just… regular chicken soup?
It wasn’t that she held grudges. Aside from a few dear ones, all past love and hate had long faded into mere memories.
But if she recalled correctly, Li Mo used to love playing childish tricks on her.
So why was he suddenly bringing her chicken soup today?
—
"Ding—"
A crisp sound rang in her ears.
"Who’s there?"
Ying Bing’s eyes narrowed instantly.
Yet the voice ignored her wariness and rang out again:
"System binding successful."
"Winner takes all, the defeated eat dust. Are you… ready?"
Under the bright daylight, the official road bustled with the sounds of carriages and horses. A convoy of over a hundred people and more than a dozen carriages was rushing forward at full speed.
A young man dressed in silk lifted the carriage curtain, his face pale as he tried to take in some fresh air.
“Hah…”
“Traveling long distances in ancient times is pure torture… cough.”
As soon as he opened the curtain, the dust in the air made him cough twice.
“Young Master, it’ll be another two days before we reach Qingyuan Sect,” the coachman said with a polite smile.
Then, after a pause, he cautiously added, “Our family’s carriages are already among the most comfortable for traveling.”
“Got it.”
Li Mo responded briefly, sighing inwardly.
High-speed trains and airplanes were so much better.
Two days ago, he had unlocked the mystery of his own birth and awakened the memories of his past life.
In his previous life, he had lived in a place called Blue Star, a world of advanced modern technology.
Da Yu was different.
Here, martial arts were revered, and power belonged to individuals.
He had just turned sixteen. Before he could fully enjoy the leisurely life of a wealthy family in ancient times, his father had stuffed him into a carriage and sent him to Qingyuan Sect—one of the three great sects in Ziyang Prefecture—to take the entrance examination.
“Martial arts, huh…”
Li Mo’s gaze turned wistful as he looked up at the three suns hanging high in the sky.
Along the way, he had overheard other young travelers heading to Qingyuan Sect talk about this world’s martial arts. Apparently, someone like his father—who was as powerful as a humanoid war machine—was still just at the stubborn bronze level.
It was said that two of the three suns in the sky were once two emperors of Da Yu who had ascended.
This wasn’t just mythology—it was recorded history.
—
An hour later.
The sky darkened.
The convoy, escorted by a security escort agency, slowly came to a stop at a relay station.
As soon as Li Mo jumped off the carriage, the curtain of another carriage behind him was lifted.
A girl stepped out, dressed in plain indigo robes. Her skin was as smooth as white porcelain under the moonlight.
Though still in her early teens, her delicate figure was already beginning to show graceful curves, and she was nearly as tall as Li Mo.
Days of travel and illness had taken a toll on her. A trace of frailty softened her refined, noble features, yet her beauty remained breathtaking.
She looked exhausted and weak, dressed simply, yet the moment one laid eyes on her, it was easy to believe that the phrase six palaces filled with beauties pale in comparison was not just a mere exaggeration.
A name surfaced in Li Mo’s mind.
Ying Bing.
The Li and Ying families had been close for generations and their ties went back to their grandfathers’ time.
In their generation, the elders had even intended to arrange a marriage between them to strengthen their bond.
“Is there anything you want to eat? I’ll have the kitchen prepare it.”
Li Mo spoke casually.
Ying Bing completely ignored him. Without even glancing at him, her icy, mirror-like eyes remained indifferent as she walked past him into the relay station, leaving behind only a faint lingering fragrance.
“The Ying family… recently went through some misfortune, so—”
“You don’t need to explain. I was too reckless in the past.”
Li Mo sighed helplessly.
What a mess.
He had been reborn into a new world, only to find himself as a spoiled brat.
Born into a wealthy family and doted on by everyone, he had caused his fair share of trouble.
Like secretly watching a maid bathe… or stuffing firecrackers into a woodpile…
A few years ago, disaster struck the city when a beast tide broke through. The entire Ying family perished, leaving only Ying Bing behind. His father had her stay at the Li estate to settle down for the time being.
He used to bully her on purpose while secretly liking her at the same time.
It was a bit like a middle schooler having a crush—pulling a girl’s hair just to get her attention…
"As everyone knows, those whose entire family is sacrificed to the heavens are never ordinary."
As a former web novels reader, Li Mo’s mind wandered in strange directions.
"Soup delivery!"
A grinning waiter arrived with a tray in hand.
Li Mo’s mouth twitched as he muttered, "I’ve lived two lives now, and I still don’t have a golden finger or anything…"
"Hello! you do."
"Who said that?!"
Li Mo jumped like a startled cat.
"Young Master?" The butler gave him a puzzled look. What’s he going on about this time?
"Nothing… probably just ringing in my ears."
Li Mo frowned. Just as he began to suspect he was hearing things, the voice echoed in his mind again:
"Since you have so sincerely asked, this system has no choice but to make an appearance."
Li Mo: "……?"
So if I hadn’t asked, were you planning to stay hidden forever?
Fine, that wasn’t the point.
"What’s your function, System?"
"This is the Investment Rebate System."
"The host can invest in any target. The stronger the target’s 'Destiny,' the better the rewards."
"If the investment target achieves a major breakthrough, additional rewards will be granted."
Li Mo raised an eyebrow.
"Any target?"
"Can I invest in myself?"
"A Destiny Eye has been granted to the host. Please determine for yourself whether you hold investment value."
So basically, yes.
Just as Li Mo processed this, he suddenly felt something unfamiliar appear in his mind. It wasn’t something he could see or touch, but it undeniably existed.
He didn’t understand its intricacies, but he found that he could use it.
However, the information it provided was vague and difficult to grasp—neither words nor sound, just something abstract.
Destiny Eye?
Li Mo frowned. He couldn’t make sense of it at all.
Then, in the next moment, a panel appeared in front of him, seemingly adjusted for user-friendliness.
[Name: Li Mo]
[Age: 16]
[Innate Constitution: None]
[Cultivation Level: Mortal]
[Destiny: Gray (Born weak, destined for hardship)]
[Evaluation: Born with deficiencies, leading to poor health—completely unsuited for martial arts. Aside from being somewhat good-looking and having a rich father, what do you even have? What even are you?]
[Recent Event: Encountered this system.]
Li Mo: "……"
It's too real.
Not very polite, but Li Mo had to admit—he really wasn’t worth investing in.
"There have to be some decent talents among the ones heading to Qingyuan Sect from the county."
He lost his appetite and looked up.
A flicker of obscure light passed through his eyes as he scanned the other travelers eating and resting in the hall.
[Name: He Yong]
[Age: 16]
[Innate Constitution: None]
[Cultivation Level: Qi and Blood Realm, First Vein]
[Destiny: White (Like a blade of grass)]
[Evaluation: One among the masses, as fleeting as a mayfly—utterly unremarkable.]
[Recent Event: Born into a woodcutting family, borrowed travel expenses from neighbors, currently worrying about repaying debts.]
…
[Name: Chen Xiaoyan]
[Age: 16]
[Innate Constitution: None]
…
…
After checking several people, most had white destiny. The best he found were a few with green.
Then, when his gaze reached a corner, a flicker of blue-green finally appeared.
[Name: Wang Hu]
[Age: 16]
[Innate Constitution: Tiger Arms, Panther Waist]
[Cultivation Level: Qi and Blood Realm, Third Vein]
[Destiny: Blue (Slightly Gifted)]
[Evaluation: Some talent. If he trains hard, he might achieve something in the future. However, he is narrow-minded, vengeful, and arrogant—prone to walking a dangerous path.]
[Recent Event: Stuck at a bottleneck in fist techniques, urgently seeking a sparring partner to break through.]
…
All in all, there wasn’t anyone particularly worth investing in.
The only half-decent choice was Wang Hu… and they were already on bad terms.
Just then—
"Sir, here’s your chicken soup, made with the ten-year-old ginseng as requested."
"I’ll take it up to the second floor now."
The inn’s waiter greeted him and prepared to carry the meal upstairs.
"Wait a moment."
Li Mo’s thoughts stirred. He stopped the waiter.
"I’ll take it up myself."
The waiter gave him a puzzled look but handed him the food box.
Li Mo turned his gaze toward the private room at the end of the second floor.
What kind of destiny will she have?
Knock, knock—
After a brief pause, a soft voice responded from inside.
"Enter."
The girl sat quietly by the window, moonlight filtering through the gauzy curtains, casting a silvery glow over her ink-dark hair. Her deep eyes shimmered faintly in the dim light.
When she saw it was Li Mo who entered, her delicate brows knit together slightly.
Li Mo stood frozen, completely stunned.
The girl’s information unfolded in front of him,:
[Name: Ying Bing]
[Age: 16]
[Innate Constitution: Taiyin Moon Phoenix Constitution.]
[Cultivation Level: None]
At this point, the Heavenly Fate Divine Eye seemed to stutter. As if the karmic burden on her was too immense, the system lagged for a moment.
After a few seconds, the rest of the information slowly emerged.
[Destiny: Red (Born with an imperial bone, frost as her fate, autumn water as her spirit, with the bearing of a sky-soaring phoenix)]
[Evaluation: Her fate is riddled with tribulations, yet she will always turn misfortune into fortune. Though her wings are still unformed, when the winds of change arrive, she will soar above the nine heavens and reign over all directions.]
[Recent Event: Before unlocking her Lunar Phoenix Physique, it manifests externally as a crippled meridian body. Until she fully masters the power of lunar frost, she must endure unbearable cold every day.]
Li Mo: "?"
I knew it.
Not only did the system momentarily break, but it didn’t even assign a color at first—just directly categorized her as an anomaly.
According to the Divine Eye’s ranking, destiny was classified from lowest to highest as:
Black → Gray → White → Green → Blue → Purple → Gold
Above gold, there was red destiny.
At this level, destiny could no longer be measured by simple colors; each case came with unique celestial phenomena.
The founding emperor of the Great Yu Dynasty, the legendary Martial Emperor, was recorded in history as having been born under an extraordinary omen—sun and moon shining together, the Ziwei Star shifting, and a divine tortoise carrying a stone tablet to bestow his name.
If that was a sign of supreme fate… then Ying Bing’s destiny was of the same caliber?
His future wife was someone who could one day rival the founding emperor?
This… feels kind of bad.
Li Mo fell into deep thought and started to question his life.
“…Uh, drink the soup while it’s hot.”
Pa!
The door shut.
—
"So, I’ve returned to this day."
"Rebirth… so this is what it meant."
Ying Bing picked up a piece of chicken and tossed it out the second-floor window into the backyard.
The old guard dog there sniffed it, then happily devoured it. A few moments passed—nothing unusual happened.
Just… regular chicken soup?
It wasn’t that she held grudges. Aside from a few dear ones, all past love and hate had long faded into mere memories.
But if she recalled correctly, Li Mo used to love playing childish tricks on her.
So why was he suddenly bringing her chicken soup today?
—
"Ding—"
A crisp sound rang in her ears.
"Who’s there?"
Ying Bing’s eyes narrowed instantly.
Yet the voice ignored her wariness and rang out again:
"System binding successful."
"Winner takes all, the defeated eat dust. Are you… ready?"
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