The Village Children of Nancun Bully My Old Age and Weakness

Three years after divine revelation.

Qing Kingdom.

Yunzhou, Yongning Prefecture, Baisha County

Autumn.

After a torrential downpour that lasted until midnight, the dust in Xiahe Village was washed away along with the last bit of heat, and the morning raindrops dripped down the thatched roofs.

"I almost forgot that today is my 60th birthday."

Zhong Xuan was wearing a light blue robe with patches on the cuffs, and his temples were gray.

He glanced at the roof; a corner was missing.

The wind was strong yesterday.

The thatched roof was blown off and fell into the bamboo grove outside the courtyard, where it was picked up by several children from a neighboring village.

When people get old, even children dare to tease them.

After all, we've only ever heard the saying "Don't underestimate a poor young person," but never "Don't underestimate an old person."

Zhong Xuan let out a long sigh:

"The children of Nancun bully me because I am old and weak."

Yes.

He is a time traveler.

Forty-five years ago.

I traveled to this world.

With the foundation of a liberal arts college student in his previous life, he became a student in the county examination on his first attempt, which caused quite a stir in the surrounding villages. Everyone said that he was a prodigy who was rare in a century, but then reality dealt him a heavy blow.

It's easy to pass the preliminary examination for the first degree, but difficult to become a scholar.

As for becoming a Juren (a successful candidate in the imperial examinations)... that's even more difficult than climbing to heaven.

If you think that memorizing a few poems will make you a literary genius, you are sorely mistaken.

For a full forty-five years, Zhong Xuan remained a student without making any further progress.

Disheartened, he had originally planned to live a peaceful life of marriage and children, but fate had other plans. In the 43rd year of Yuanping, the Dragon King turned the tide, the Qinghe River burst its banks, and refugees were everywhere. He became a refugee and witnessed firsthand just how heavy the seemingly trivial "exchanging children to eat" in history books really was.

They almost starved to death on their way to escape famine.

After the new emperor ascended the throne, he opened the granaries and severely punished the treacherous officials.

He made his way to the next county alone, where he survived thanks to the relief porridge distributed at a soup kitchen.

later.

After the floodwaters receded, he returned to Baisha County and barely made a living by copying books for wealthy families in the city. By the time things settled down, he was already quite old.

He should not marry at forty, nor buy clothes at fifty.

In the Qing Kingdom, seventy is a rare age, and forty is already considered old age. One might just marry and have children before passing away, and then have a son call someone else "father," which would be heartbreaking. Therefore, Zhong Xuan had no interest in such things.

Why bother?

Zhong Xuan returned to the house.

Some people dream of traveling back to ancient times, but only when they actually arrive do they realize how happy they were before.

The house was small, only about ten feet square.

A bed and a table.

The mattress on the bed was damp and heavy from the rain that had leaked last night, and a bowl of steaming soup noodles sat on the table.

In Xiahe Village, there is a custom of holding a grand celebration for a person's 60th birthday.

But he had neither sons nor daughters.

So Zhong Xuan cooked himself a bowl of noodles, and unusually added a few bright green scallions.

He picked up the warm bowl of noodles, raised his chopsticks, and was about to eat.

However, at this moment—

Zhong Xuan felt a moment of dizziness, and he saw himself in his youth, full of vigor and ambition.

at the same time.

A golden ray of light pierced the space between the eyebrows, and an antique scroll slowly unfurled in half, revealing eight large characters in regular script.

In the year of Jiazi, everything is renewed.

"This is... a cheat code?"

Zhong Xuan's heart, which had long been stagnant, was stirred up again.

He never expected that this essential cheat code for time travelers would only be activated when he was already in his sixties.

Then, two lines of small characters appeared before Zhong Xuan's eyes.

[Destiny: All Things Renewed]

[Attribute: For every year of age gained, one point of increased physical constitution.]

"A destiny of renewal?"

Zhong Xuan was taken aback.

"Innate talent... Martial arts..."

He has been in this world for over forty years, so he knows that martial arts exist in this world.

"The martial arts master of Baisha County can punch through a seven-inch-thick stone slab. He is capable of taking on a hundred opponents. Ordinary people would be injured if they were grazed by him, and would die if they were touched by him."

"Legend has it that the martial arts grandmasters in the Qing Kingdom are even capable of splitting mountains and seas, like immortals."

The Qing Kingdom was founded on military strength and is rich in martial virtue.

In this world where extraordinary power reigns supreme and martial arts are revered, the status of a martial arts graduate is far higher than that of a civil graduate.

However, in order to learn martial arts, in addition to the saying "the poor study literature and the rich study martial arts," physical constitution is also extremely important.

In my early years.

Zhong Xuan had also considered learning martial arts, but because his physique couldn't withstand the stances, he would never be able to master the basics even if he practiced martial arts for a lifetime, so he had to give up in the end.

If one's innate talent is lacking, it's difficult to compensate for deficiencies. In the end, the more one trains, the more deficient one becomes, and one might even be trained to death. Even medicinal supplements will be of no use. On the other hand, martial arts geniuses with exceptional talent can make rapid progress, and some even become grandmasters in their thirties.

People often say, "A man with a broad back and a strong waist is bound to be a fierce general." This broad back and strong waist is actually a kind of physical constitution.

One's innate physical constitution is predetermined and cannot be changed; this is common knowledge in martial arts.

However, the destiny of "renewal of all things" not only allows him to learn martial arts, but also gives him the ability to improve his physical constitution, which can be described as defying the heavens and changing his fate.

"Most martial artists rely on their youth and vigor, and are fond of fighting. When they get older, they are covered in hidden injuries. In their old age, their blood and energy are depleted, and they can only end up in a miserable state. But I am different. The older I get, the stronger my constitution becomes."

"Practicing some longevity-promoting health-preserving exercises is most suitable."

"Moreover, since destiny exists in this world, there might also be methods for cultivating immortality and achieving longevity."

Zhong Xuan's heart stirred slightly.

Cultivators often live for hundreds of years, blessed with the destiny of "renewal of all things," and can even transform from mortal bones to immortal bones.

next moment.

Zhong Xuan felt a surge of heat within his spine, and his previously icy limbs became warm and comfortable.

Change your fundamentals!

Zhong Xuan looked at his palm.

Before today, it would not be an exaggeration to say that he was powerless, but now he can feel the immense power hidden in his body, even stronger than when he was young.

His determination to practice martial arts grew stronger.

"I remember the Zhang family hired several martial arts masters to guard their home, so they should have some health-preserving techniques."

......

early morning.

The sky was just beginning to lighten.

Zhong Xuan got up early, carefully locked the courtyard gate, and then walked south along the still muddy official road at the entrance of the village.

Today is the day to copy books for the Zhang family.

The Zhang family was a prominent family in Baisha County. Although they started out as merchants, the patriarch of the Zhang family had a penchant for refined pursuits and built a library in the courtyard, which was said to have three thousand books.

I want so many books.

Naturally, a copyist would be needed.

Zhong Xuan's calligraphy was quite good, and he was chosen by Master Zhang to become one of the copyists in the Zhang family.

Over the years, I've barely managed to make ends meet by earning money from copying books.

They walked until noon.

Zhong Xuancai arrived at a magnificent mansion in the eastern part of Baisha County.

We didn't go through the main entrance.

He came to the alley on the west side of the mansion and knocked on an inconspicuous side door.

About fifteen minutes later.

An elderly man with a white beard, who appeared to be in his early fifties, pushed open the wooden door. Upon seeing Zhong Xuan, he spoke with a polite yet somewhat cold tone: "The library has prepared writing materials and is waiting for you, sir."