Chapter 31: Entry (Seeking recommendations and bookmarks)

For the following month, Li Jie spent his time reading books, revising screenplays, and occasionally working out at the gym, his life passing by with tranquil ease.

"Ding! Lin Pingzhi from the Great Ming world wishes to avoid the tragedy of his family's extermination and serve his parents until their final days."

The Great Ming? Lin Pingzhi? If he remembered correctly, the original work never specified a particular era. The system's prompt mentioning the "Great Ming world" was intriguing. Was it simply the world of *The Smiling, Proud Wanderer*, or was it a comprehensive copy of the world? Unfortunately, the system was as tight-lipped as a clam; there was no point in hoping for specific information about the mission world.

In the original story, Lin Pingzhi was showered with affection from a young age. Growing up in such a coddled environment left him naive to the dangers of the world, and he never applied himself to his martial arts studies, leaving his skills mediocre at best. However, he was a man of excellent character—chivalrous, righteous, and deeply filial. It was a tragedy that the martial arts world coveted his ancestral legacy, the *Bixie Sword Manual*, which became the root cause of his miserable life. After witnessing the malice and treachery of human nature step by step, he eventually realized that one could never truly rely on others. He could not escape his fate, eventually becoming tainted by the cruel and sinister world, spiraling into the opposite extreme, and becoming cold-blooded and ruthless.

Throughout his life, lived for the sake of revenge, he sacrificed everything. In the end, he was not met with the release of vengeance, but with a lonely wait for death in a dark, damp dungeon. One could only wonder what went through his mind in those final moments. Looking back, his life was indeed a tragedy; the treacherous world destroyed everything he held dear, and his thirst for revenge blinded him, dragging a man who once looked toward the light into the abyss of darkness.

Over the next two months, Li Jie spent his days at the library researching the Ming Dynasty. Fortunately, his memory was exceptional, and he managed to grasp the gist of the period. Being unsure of exactly when in the timeline he would enter, he felt a bit uneasy, though he took comfort in knowing he could return if he encountered danger. Given the power levels in the *Smiling, Proud Wanderer* world, nothing should be able to damage his soul. If he arrived right before the family's destruction, he would have no choice but to take up the blade and castrate himself. Even if he were willing to defect to another sect and offer the *Bixie Sword Manual* as a tribute, it would be difficult to escape the whirlpool—much like a child carrying gold through a crowded market; without the strength to protect it, disaster was inevitable.

Once everything was prepared, Li Jie lay on his bed and closed his eyes.

"System, enter the mission world."

...

His vision darkened. When he tried to open his eyes, his eyelids felt heavy and his head swam. Sensing his surroundings, he realized his hands and feet were small—he hadn't been transported back to his childhood, had he?

Oh no! It felt like he was running a fever!

In ancient times, a fever could easily cost one their life. He couldn't possibly die the moment he arrived in the mission world, could he?

"Ding! Due to the host's adult soul being too powerful, the child's body could not perfectly accommodate it. The system has corrected this. As compensation for this error, the system will slightly enhance the host's comprehension for the duration of this world."

This system was rather unreliable. Li Jie had assumed the system was omnipotent; he hadn't expected such a low-level error. He was likely the first host, he realized. Thankfully, this bug hadn't led to any catastrophic consequences.

Dazed, Li Jie heard voices from outside the room.

"Master Lin, while I have done my utmost to treat the young master's sudden high fever, and the symptoms have abated, there are lasting complications. I do not know if I should speak of them," a slightly aged voice said slowly.

"Elder Xu, he is my only son. It is a miracle of heaven that he has been saved. The Lin family is eternally grateful to you. What are these complications?"

Recognizing the resonant, vigorous male voice, it had to be his father in this life, Lin Zhennan. Hearing the word "complications," Li Jie pricked up his ears, wondering what the system's error had caused.

"The young master's fever was persistent. During treatment, I had to use potent, aggressive medicine, otherwise I fear I could not have saved his life. One of the ingredients will cause damage to the young master's vitality. I fear that when he grows up, he will be unable to... in matters between men and women..."

The voice trailed off. A long silence followed, punctuated by a sigh from Lin Zhennan outside.

"Alas... is it heaven's will? Why must fate be so cruel to the Lin family... so cruel..." His voice grew choked with emotion.

Hearing this, Li Jie complained to the system.

"System, can this bodily damage be repaired? You caused this; aren't you responsible for fixing it?"

The system remained silent. After waiting for a long time without a response, Li Jie recalled the system's previous coldness. Just as he was about to give up on questioning it, it spoke.

"Ding! The system cannot repair physical damage. The system has already issued compensation according to its internal laws. It is suggested that the host cultivate martial arts to the Innate Realm. Reaching the Innate Realm allows for the cleansing of the marrow and the repair of such injuries."

Innate?

The name alone suggested it wasn't an easy realm to reach. He wondered if there were classifications like "unranked," "third-rate," "second-rate," and "first-rate." Li Jie’s mind began to wander, but overwhelmed by his weak, fever-recovering body, he drifted into a heavy sleep.

When Li Jie woke, the sky was just beginning to brighten. He tried to sit up but failed after several attempts, forcing a bitter smile; the young body was truly too frail.

The rustling sound startled a servant. A young girl with her hair in twin buns, wearing a white, cross-collared robe, hurried over.

"Young Master, you're awake! That's wonderful! Wait here, I'll go tell the Master!"

She dashed out in a flurry. Looking at the girl, memories of her identity surfaced: she was Xiao Cui, a girl purchased by Madame Wang, Lin's mother, when she encountered a family selling their daughter during a famine. Finding her pitiful, Madame Wang bought her and named her "Xiao Cui," hoping she would grow up to be as resilient as bamboo.

A moment later, rapid footsteps approached.

A middle-aged woman in a dark gown, her face etched with exhaustion, burst into the room and hurried to the bedside, pulling Li Jie into a tight embrace.

"My child! You're finally awake! May the Bodhisattva be praised! I shall go to Miaohua Temple tomorrow to fulfill my vows," she sobbed, wiping away her tears.

"Enough! Pingzhi has just woken up; stop the weeping. Physician Xu said he is out of danger now, he just needs to rest and recover," Lin Zhennan said, patting her shoulder.

The woman glared at him, ignored him, and turned to Xiao Cui. "Xiao Cui, go tell the kitchen to stew an old hen. We must nourish Pingzhi properly. How could he have fallen so ill?"

She let go of Li Jie, who finally had a chance to examine his surroundings. It was a somewhat luxurious room in an ancient style; all the furniture was decorated with exquisite carvings, and a faint scent of sandalwood lingered in the air.