Between Qian Country and the Extreme North Cold Domain lies a three-thousand-mile expanse of snow ridges, with long winters and countless mountains and valleys, often inhabited by wild beasts.
The mountains tower into the clouds, snow remaining unmelting all year round; walls of cliffs stand precipitous and smooth, sparsely populated.
"Huff! Huff!"
Atop the snow mountain, in front of a massive cave entrance, a sixteen or seventeen-year-old youth is practicing his punches, moving with the vigor and flair of a tiger.
At his feet, a snow-white little tiger cub occasionally pounces left and right, sometimes clinging to his leg and kicking wildly, overjoyed.
The youth had his hair tied back, stood tall, and had an impressive appearance, quite handsome.
Chen Tang had been in this world for over a month.
In his past life, he was pushed by the pressures of life, working overtime for a week straight, when he suddenly died at his company.
Given the chance to live a new life, he decided to enjoy it well and never work overtime again.
If he could spend money without working, that would be best.
This world lacks the high technology of his previous life, which is quite dull.
Fortunately, there's martial arts.
Although his combat power wasn't high, there was still lightweight skill, inner strength, and such.
He imagines once he learns them, he could wander the Jianghu, with quick horse and light sword, accompanied by beauty, perhaps not too bad.
In the subsequent days, as Chen Tang merged with the memories of his predecessor, he realized that surviving in this world was still not easy.
His predecessor had lost his mother at a young age; his father, Chen Da'an, was a hunter, living with Chen Tang in the mountains near Changze County, teaching him some martial arts skills and hunting techniques.
Just last winter, Chen Da'an moved with Chen Tang into the county town.
As Chen Da'an said, following him hunting had no future, easily inviting death under a tiger's mouth, while city life could provide a better living and broaden their horizons.
However, not long after the Chen father and son moved into the city, they encountered trouble.
The predecessor, having grown up in the mountains, had a heart as pure as a child and was full of hot-blooded zeal; upon witnessing an injustice on the street, he stepped forward to help, soon hacked down to the ground, life hanging by a thread.
Moreover, the opponent aimed every cut at his joints and fascia, such that even if he survived by chance, he would be crippled, a fate worse than death.
In desperation, Chen Da'an carried Chen Tang into the Three Thousand Snow Ridges, entrusting him to a stranger on the snow mountain.
It was said that this person had some relationship with Chen Tang's grandfather, only allowing themselves to be sought out in times of necessity.
But in reality, the predecessor died before he could see this person.
By chance, Chen Tang found himself here.
After a moment, Chen Tang finished a set of Tiger Subduing Fist and stood still, his body steaming with heat, slightly panting.
The little tiger cub also grew tired of playing, suddenly leaping up, and Chen Tang opened his arms to embrace it.
"Xue Tuan'Er, you're heavier again!"
Chen Tang couldn't help but complain.
Xue Tuan'Er was the name Chen Tang gave to the little tiger cub, emphasizing its well-behaved cuteness and harmlessness.
"Ha!"
Xue Tuan'Er gave a fierce growl, seemingly dissatisfied.
It then nestled most of its body in Chen Tang's arms, with its front paws on its chest and its little head resting on Chen Tang's shoulder, licking its lips before closing its eyes to doze off.
Since arriving here, this was the only thing that brought Chen Tang comfort.
In his past life, he could only pet a cat, but now he could pet a tiger and even touch a tiger's butt.
Chen Tang held the little tiger cub and walked toward the dark cave, asking, "Senior, is this Tiger Subduing Fist reliable? I've known this set of fists since I was a child, practiced for many years, and haven't seen much effect."
The Tiger Subduing Fist had a total of sixteen moves, simple and easy to learn, making it one of the most common external fist techniques in the streets, almost everyone knew a few moves.
"A tiny mistake can lead to a huge error."
From the cave came a voice: "You practiced incorrectly from the start; if you continue, you'll only deviate more. Even if you practice for another thirty years, you won't achieve anything significant."
There was some sense to these words.
Although the Stranger taught him the Tiger Subduing Fist, it was still the sixteen moves, and the techniques were quite similar, there were significant differences in many actions, postures, details, and the application of strength.
Chen Tang walked into the cave, where suddenly two balls of eerie light the size of copper bells lit up in the dim space!
Chen Tang was not surprised and walked directly towards the eerie lights.
Upon reaching closer, there was a giant tiger lying there, also pure white without a trace of other colors.
This white tiger's size was even bigger than the adult elephants he had seen in his past life, extremely exaggerated.
Lying there, it was still much taller than Chen Tang.
The first time he saw it, Chen Tang was nearly taken aback, thinking he had come to an Immortal Martial Realm filled with demon beasts.
Chen Tang placed Xue Tuan'Er under the white tiger's belly.
Xue Tuan'Er seemed to have smelled something, muddledly pressing its face against the white tiger's belly, contentedly suckling.
The white tiger's gaze on Chen Tang was very gentle, full of maternal radiance.
Injury to the muscles and bones requires a hundred days to heal.
And the fascia torn inside Chen Tang's body had already healed, largely due to him drinking tiger milk with Xue Tuan'Er for over a month.
The white tiger seemed to truly regard him as its child to nurture.
He was seventeen years old, yet had to lie on the white tiger's belly... thinking about it was somewhat embarrassing.
At first, Chen Tang was resistant.
But this place was desolate, lacking any salts or seasonings, and the meat had no flavor.
By comparison, the tiger milk was much better.
Just consider it drinking milk.
Chen Tang comforted himself in this way.
Not far from the white tiger sat a middle-aged man in his forties or fifties, his long hair scattered freely, unshaven and unkempt.
Despite the cold environment, he wore only a single layer of clothing, his chest partly exposed, face pale, perhaps from the cold...
The stranger referred to himself as a Mountain Guest.
According to him, this exotic beast white tiger named 'Mountain Lord' was the true king of the Three Thousand Snow Ridges, and he was merely a guest in the mountains.
"I've been training with you for over a month now. What realm am I likely to reach?"
"A month with me is equivalent to three years for others. But to take revenge and clear your shame with that person, you're still far off."
"That person's cultivation should be at the Seventh Grade, and you haven't even reached Entry Level."
Qian Country categorized martial artists across the world into grades, with First Grade being the highest and Ninth Grade the lowest.
This order is the same as the Ninth Grade official system of his past life.
Ninth Grade is Rebirth, Eighth Grade is Bone Transformation; if one successfully attains a grade, they are a Ninth Grade martial artist, also known as an Entry Level martial artist.
"Isn't it late to start following your method of martial arts now? Is there still a chance to catch up with that person?"
Chen Tang asked again.
The Mountain Guest said, "Indeed, it's late. You are seventeen, your muscles and bones are nearly fully developed, and your foundation is very poor. Even if you train correctly, your future achievements will be limited."
Does this mean there's no hope?
Chen Tang was a bit panicked.
After a pause, the Mountain Guest slowly said, "Fortunately, you have been nourished by the Mountain Lord for a month."
Chen Tang's face turned dark.
Such things need not be mentioned aloud.
Luckily there are no outsiders here.
And why does this person always talk so gasping for breath?
The Mountain Guest continued, "Do not underestimate this month of tiger milk. Even the children of noble families, nurtured from a young age with countless precious medicines, cannot match the foundation you've built within this month! The Mountain Lord is a rare exotic beast in this world, and the changes the tiger milk brings you go far beyond this."
"Once Xue Tuan'Er's lactation period is over, you won't be able to drink it even if you want to."
Chen Tang licked his lips.
This talk made him a bit thirsty, his gaze unconsciously glancing towards the Mountain Lord beside him...
The Mountain Guest added, "Moreover, you have the chance to enter the divine state and gain insights into martial arts particularly fast, with virtually no bottlenecks, so your cultivation will naturally progress swiftly."
Back when the Mountain Guest first saw him, he said that Chen Tang was destined to have a great opportunity and enter the divine state.
"I always hear you talk about entering the divine state. What does it actually mean?"
Chen Tang couldn't help but ask.
"Break the Mud Pill, and only then can you enter the divine state."
The Mountain Guest said, "As the saying goes, 'with the spirit platform clear and the divine light shining within and without, one becomes a grandmaster.'
Chen Tang was silent for a moment before saying, "You said a lot, but I didn't understand a single word..."
The Mountain Guest said, "Entering the divine state brings no improvement to your power or realm, but it helps you instantly enter a special state, originally a means only possessed by First Grade Grandmasters, yet you have it now."
Chen Tang seemed to understand vaguely.
Anyway, in more than a month, he had never felt any divine light shining within and without.
It's too mysterious.
"Your injury is healed, you should go down the mountain today."
The Mountain Guest waved his hand, issuing an eviction order.
Is he really driving me away?
If I cannot defeat that person, I still want to stay atop the mountain.
Just as these words reached his lips, Chen Tang swallowed them back.
He didn't really want to go down the mountain.
After all, his former self was just chopped down in Changze County, who knows if he might run into his enemies?
If they see he's still alive and decide to eliminate him for good, it would be a tragedy.
But his injuries have already healed, and if he continues staying on the mountain while his father worries down below, it would certainly arouse the Mountain Guest's suspicions.
At that time, he might be kicked off the snow mountain, ending up shattered to pieces, even more tragic.
"With my current ability, how likely am I to win against the constables of Changze County?"
Chen Tang asked again.
Since he's being sent down the mountain, he needs some means of self-protection, not to mention he can't even beat a constable.
"Those constables are merely ordinary people with strong bodies."
The Mountain Guest said indifferently, "Your chance of winning doesn't depend on your strength, but on how ruthless you are."
Chen Tang was startled.
He understood the underlying meaning of the Mountain Guest's words.
Whether in his past life or earlier state, Chen Tang never counted as a ruthless person, but once he steps into the Jianghu, he is only forced to adapt and make changes.
Chen Tang couldn't help but recall a saying, murmuring lightly, "In the Jianghu, one cannot control their own fate..."
"Hmm?"
An unusual color flashed in the Mountain Guest's eyes.
The speaker said it unintentionally, but the listener took it to heart.
In the past, this saying was common and widely known.
But to the Mountain Guest, it seemed novel, stirring some old memories, and he fell into contemplation, expressing a hint of wistfulness on his face.
Chen Tang appeared calm.
No one here knows the Jianghu better than Master Gu.
"It's rare for someone so young to have such insights."
After a long while, the Mountain Guest came back to himself, nodded to Chen Tang, and expressed a bit of appreciation.
This kid seems not bad, like a natural denizen of the Jianghu.
The Mountain Guest said, "These eight words are worth a grand toast, but alas, there's no wine here."
Chen Tang felt a stirring in his heart.
The Mountain Guest had issued an eviction, yet hadn't told him to return.
This godforsaken place, he couldn't even find it again.
And even if he found it, he couldn't climb it.
The Mountain Guest's recent words, whether intentional or not.
Was he hinting at me?
Chen Tang's mind was active, and he tentatively asked, "Shall I bring a few pots of wine and come up to offer the elder a drink?"
The Mountain Guest smirked, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.
Chen Tang let out a breath.
There's hope.
Xue Tuan'Er was full and curled up, covering her eyes with her two tiger paws, sleeping soundly.
The Mountain Lord slowly rose, came to Chen Tang's side, and prepared to escort him down the mountain.
This snow mountain towers into the clouds, covered in ice and snow. If Chen Tang descended by himself, it would be no different from free-falling.
As he was about to leave the snow mountain, Chen Tang stood at the cave entrance, staring in a daze at the vast expanse of white mist in the distance, filled with a sense of loss.
The various experiences from his past life seemed to blur gradually as the clouds rolled, as if it truly was a big dream that had become the past.
The Jianghu of blood and storms, of swift vengeance, described in the books, seemed to be getting closer, becoming more real.
"Elder, is the Jianghu far away?"
"Not far. You are already in the Jianghu, how could it be far?"