The person Ian Song replaced was Evan Chu, eighteen years old, originally the son of Thomas Chu, head of the martial Chu Family in Gracefield Town.
Thomas Chu was celebrated as Gracefield Town's top martial artist. Though only in his early forties, his cultivation had reached the peak Divine Sea Stage—just one step away from forming his core.
With Thomas Chu overseeing things, the Chu Family was the leading power in Gracefield Town. If he had broken through to the Origin Core Realm, unifying the town's martial families would have been easy.
Unfortunately, while in seclusion trying to break through the Divine Sea, Thomas Chu was ambushed by a mysterious attacker. Though he drove off the enemy, his Divine Sea was shattered, his meridians ruptured, and after barely surviving three days, he died unwillingly.
After Thomas Chu died, his elder brother Drake Chu and younger brother Stone Chu joined forces to target Evan Chu, the notorious wastrel of Gracefield Town, and seized control of the Chu Family.
Fortunately, they were still wary of gossip and didn't kill him outright. Instead, they shattered his dantian, stripping him of his ability to cultivate, and expelled him from the Chu Family estate, sending him to serve as a lowly grave-keeper at the ancestral cemetery.
The fall was devastating—Evan Chu went from a pampered young master to a grave-keeper lower than a servant, with his dantian crippled and his future destroyed. He drifted through life in a daze, and if not for his loyal maid Chloe Snow’s care, he’d likely have died already.
Even so, Evan Chu was barely alive—having lost all hope for the future, he’d long harbored thoughts of death.
Here’s a quick introduction to the martial realms of this world: There are three major realms—Transcending Mortal, Divine Ability, and Primordial Spirit.
Within the Transcending Mortal Realm, there are three sub-stages: Tempering Body, Divine Power, and Divine Sea.
The Tempering Body Stage has nine levels, the Divine Power Stage is divided into six, and the Divine Sea Stage consists of three heavens.
Besides martial arts, this world also has Immortal Dao, Divine Dao, sorcerers, Buddhist cultivators, alchemists, formation masters, and more.
By the way, this world is called the Wildmarch Continent.
Many races coexist here; Humans are just one of the ten major races, and only rank eighth among them.
As for how strong the top experts in this world really are, Ian Song can’t say—since the body he replaced, Evan Chu, was just a local young master whose furthest trip was to Maplecloud City.
And Maplecloud City is just a small city under Human territory.
Still, Ian Song suspects that this world harbors beings beyond immortals, since the heaven-and-earth energy here is much denser than in his original cultivation world.
Just then, a faint sound of footsteps came from outside the dim, damp wooden hut.
Judging by the rhythm of the steps, it was probably a girl.
Ian Song instinctively tried to probe with his Primordial Spirit, only to find that all his cultivation was completely sealed by the System somewhere deep inside his body—he couldn’t use any of it!
What does that mean?
Ian Song was at a loss for words.
After a few more attempts, he still couldn’t unleash his cultivation. His face darkened, and he couldn’t help but curse: “System, what the hell are you playing at?”
Suddenly, the wooden door creaked open and in walked a girl—sallow-faced and thin from malnutrition, dressed in coarse linen, but with delicate features.
Seeing Ian Song sitting on the wooden bed, she softly said, “Young Master, you’re awake. Snowy will go make you something to eat.”
Mm.
Ian Song nodded, feeling a pang of sympathy for the girl—barely twelve or thirteen, yet already caring for that muddle-headed fellow.
That soft “Mm” and the nod left Chloe Snow stunned. Then, joy lit up her face as she threw herself into Ian Song’s arms, exclaiming, “Young Master, you’re back to normal! This is wonderful, truly wonderful—if Old Master Thomas Chu could see this from the afterlife, he’d surely…!”
Watching Chloe Snow babble incoherently, Ian Song couldn’t help but sigh. That fellow was lucky indeed—to have such a loyal maid.
He vaguely remembered that Chloe Snow was a girl his adoptive father, Thomas Chu, had picked up on his travels. She was obedient and sensible, so he assigned her to serve as Evan Chu’s personal maid.