Erlun stared wide-eyed at the thatched roof, plastered with mud and straw. It was covered with an old quilt that had turned a deep yellow and no longer showed its original color. A faint smell of mildew hung in the air.

Beside him slept his second brother, Han Zhu, snoring softly and soundly. The sound of his snores rose and fell in volume from time to time.

About half a zhang away from the bed, there was a wall of yellow mud plaster. Due to time's passage, several inconspicuous, thin cracks had appeared on the wall. From these crevices, Han Mother’s incessant nagging could be vaguely heard, occasionally interspersed with the "pa-da" "pa-da" sucking sounds of Han Father’s pipe.

Er Lengzi slowly closed his already heavy eyes, forcing himself to fall into a deep sleep as soon as possible. He knew very well that if he didn't go to sleep honestly now, he wouldn't be able to wake up early tomorrow morning. Then he wouldn't be able to go into the mountains with his other companions to gather firewood.

Er Lengzi's surname is Han and his given name is Li. Such a decent-sounding name, but his parents couldn't come up with it themselves. It was his father who used two steamed buns worth of grain to ask Village Elder Zhang for a name.

When Lao Zhang was young, he had spent a few years as a companion reader for wealthy people in the city. He was the only scholar who knew a few characters in the village, and more than half of the children's names in the village were given by him.

Han Li was called "Second Fool" by the villagers, but he wasn't actually foolish. He was the smartest child in the village, just like other children, he only listened to people calling him "Han Li" when it was from his family. The nickname "Second Fool" has followed him to this day.

And the reason he was nicknamed "Er Lengzi" was simply because there was already a child in the village nicknamed "Lengzi".

This isn't a big deal. Other kids in the village are called things like "Dog Boy" or "Second Egg," and those names aren't necessarily any nicer than "Second Fool."

Therefore, although Han Li didn't like the title, he could only continue to call himself that.

Han Li's appearance was unremarkable, with tanned skin typical of a common farm boy. However, his mind was deep, far beyond that of his peers. From a young age, he yearned for the wealth and splendor of the outside world, dreaming that one day he could leave this small village and see the world as Old Zhang often spoke of.

Of course, Han Li had never dared to tell anyone else about this idea. Otherwise, it would surely shock the villagers. A little boy like him actually had such thoughts that even adults wouldn't dare to think about easily. You have to know, other children around Han Li's age were still chasing dogs all over the village, let alone having the strange thought of leaving their hometown.

Han Li's family of seven has two older brothers, a sister, and a younger sister. He is the fourth oldest child in his family. He is just ten years old this year. Life at home is very difficult. They rarely eat meat dishes throughout the year, and the whole family has been struggling to survive.

At this moment, Han Li was in a daze, half asleep and half awake. His mind was still filled with the thought: "When going up the mountain, he must pick plenty of red berries for his beloved younger sister."

The next afternoon, as Han Li trudged home from the mountain, his back aching under the scorching sun and the weight of a half-man-high pile of firewood, his arms laden with a full bag of berries, he was unaware that a guest had arrived at his house—a guest who would change his life forever.

"This esteemed guest is a close relative of his - his maternal uncle."

I heard that in a small town nearby, he works as the manager of a restaurant. He is considered a powerful figure by his parents. Perhaps over the past hundred years, the Han family has only produced one relative with some standing, like Uncle San.

Han Li had only seen his third uncle a few times when he was very young. His elder brother was an apprentice to an old blacksmith in the city, a position introduced by this third uncle. This third uncle also often entrusted people to bring food and other necessities to his parents, taking good care of their family. Therefore, Han Li had a good impression of his third uncle and knew that although his parents didn't say it outwardly, they were very grateful in their hearts.

Big Brother is the pride of the family. It's said that when he was an apprentice blacksmith, not only did he have his food and lodging taken care of, but he also received thirty copper coins every month. When he finally became a journeyman and got hired by others, he earned even more money.

Whenever the parents mentioned their eldest son, their spirits would lift, as if they were a different person altogether. Even young Han Li was filled with envy; he had already decided on his ideal job - to be taken in by a skilled artisan in the small town, becoming someone who made a living through their craft.

So when Han Li saw his uncle, who was wearing a brand new silk robe, had a chubby round face, and sported a small mustache, he felt extremely pleased.

After putting the firewood behind the house, he went to the front room and shyly greeted his third uncle with a bow. He meekly said, "Uncle Three," and stood obediently to the side, listening to his parents chat with his third uncle.

Uncle Three smiled at Han Li, sizing him up. He praised him a few times with words like "obedient" and "well-behaved," then turned his head and told his parents about the purpose of this visit.

Although Hàn Lì was still young and couldn't fully understand his uncle's words, he grasped the general meaning.

Originally, the restaurant where Uncle Three worked belonged to a "Qixuanmen" martial arts sect. This sect had an outer and inner sect, and not long ago, Uncle Three officially recommended disciples aged 7 to 12 for the Qixuanmen's recruitment examination.

The once every five years "Qixuanmen" disciples recruitment test will begin next month. This uncle who has a few distinct and still has no sons of his own naturally thought of the eligible Han Li.

As for Old Man Han, he was always an honest man. Hearing words like "martial world" and "sect," which he had never encountered before, he felt hesitant and unsure what to do. He picked up his pipe and took a few hard puffs, “clatter,” “clatter,” sitting there silently without a word.

In Uncle Three's [text], "The Seven Xuan Men" is naturally the most outstanding and top-tier sect within hundreds of miles.

As long as you become a disciple, not only will you be able to learn martial arts and have your food and lodging covered for free in the future, but you will also receive one or two taels of silver each month as pocket money. Moreover, even if you don't pass the examination, there is still a chance that you can become an outer gate disciple like Uncle Three, specializing in managing the business outside the "Seven Mysterious Gate."

When he heard that there might be a couple of taels of silver to be earned every month, and the chance to work for someone like his uncle, Mr. Han finally made up his mind and agreed.

When Uncle Three saw that Han's father had agreed, he was delighted. He left a few taels of silver and said he would come back in a month to take Han Li away. During this time, he asked them to make more delicious food for Han Li and nourish him well so he could cope with the examination. After that, Uncle Three greeted Han's father and patted Han Li on the head before leaving the village to return to town.

Although Han Li didn't fully understand what his uncle was saying, he understood that he could make a lot of money by going into the city.

His long-held wish was about to come true, and he couldn't sleep for several nights because of his excitement.

Uncle San arrived in the village on time after more than a month, ready to take Han Li away. Before leaving, Han's father repeatedly urged Han Li to be honest, to yield when encountering problems, and not to argue with others. While Han's mother told him to pay attention to his well-being, to eat well and sleep well.

In the carriage, watching his parents' figures gradually disappear, Han Li bit down, forcing himself not to let the tears in his eyes well up.

Although he had more than other children from a young age, after all, he was still a ten-year-old. His first trip away from home made his heart a little sad and hesitant. He secretly made up his mind in his heart that when he earned a lot of money, he would come back immediately and never be separated from his parents again.

Han Li had never expected that after this trip, the abundance of wealth would lose its meaning to him. He unexpectedly embarked on a path different from ordinary people, the immortal Dao, and forged his own unique path of cultivation.