Chương 2: There’s No Way I Am... Song A'niu

Song A'niu.. Song A'niu Giant Willow Village, Inside the dilapidated thatched hut of the Song family. After depleting nearly thirty percent of its energy, Zhang Xiong finally figured it out: the energy from this light sphere could actually remodel his physical body. Thanks to the electrical stimulation, he now radiated a comforting heat, and his severe chill had almost entirely dissipated. It seemed this thing could be used to boost his physical stats.

Unfortunately, it didn't project any stat panels or concrete data.

"Can't you learn from others and form a proper System? The user experience is terrible," Zhang Xiong secretly despised the Golden Finger. But only a fool would ignore a superpower. The body of "Shameless Xiong" was incredibly honest. He immediately mobilized the light sphere, and the energy within surged like a broken dam, flooding every inch of his body. The sphere flashed blindingly, sending a numbing electric current coursing through him.

But right after, a wave of pure euphoria spread across his flesh and bones, as if he were soaking in a hot spring. A long while later, when the sphere had shrunk to the size of a ping-pong ball, the sensation finally faded. Zhang Xiong felt his previously frail body now brimming with newfound strength. The illness was entirely purged, and it felt as though a roaring fire was burning within his chest.

"This feels amazing." Zhang Xiong muttered to himself, clenching his fists to feel the power within his small frame. To think this world actually has ghosts. In his combined two lifetimes spanning over forty years, he had never seen a supernatural entity. Having nearly lost his life to one just hours ago, the reality of the situation had struck deep. Clenching his hands and sensing the light sphere in his mind, his anxiety eased slightly.

"Ghosts, superpowers... Did I transmigrate into a Xianxia world?" With a Golden Finger in hand, the future was no longer pitch black. In high spirits, Zhang Xiong wanted to explore other functions of the light sphere, but despite his various attempts, it just lay there quietly, unmoving. With no other options and his stomach rumbling loudly once again, he had no choice but to go to sleep, holding onto a faint anticipation of another ghost dropping by for a visit. He slept soundly. No ghosts came.

Only in his dreams did he see himself attaining the Dao and becoming an immortal, his prestige echoing across the four seas, surrounded by flocks of fairy maidens, looking absolutely triumphant.

"Cock-a-doodle-doo..." The loud crow of a rooster signaled the arrival of a new day. The sun leisurely cast its first rays over the barren mountain village. Thump... thump... thump...

"Brother A'niu! Brother A'niu, open the door quickly..." Deep in slumber, Zhang Xiong was awakened by the knocking and shouting. Rubbing his bleary eyes, he reluctantly dragged himself out of his cozy doghouse of a bed.

"Coming, I'm coming!" Opening the wooden door, he found two people standing outside: a boy roughly his age and a square-faced, dark-skinned, emaciated middle-aged man. Sorting through Song A'niu's memories, he instantly recognized them. They were the Li father and son, his neighbors who had always looked out for him.

"Uncle Li, Gou'dan, good morning. Please, come in."

"Brother A'niu, I came to check on you! Look, I brought you some porridge my mother made." Saying that, Li Gou'dan produced a steaming bowl of porridge from behind his back like a magic trick, proudly showing it off.

"A'niu, your complexion looks much better," Uncle Li said.

"Last night, I was truly worried you wouldn't make it through. It seems you're recovering well. Hurry up and eat some porridge to warm your body." A sour ache spread through his chest—an involuntary physical reflex of his predecessor. Zhang Xiong knew the Li family wasn't well-off either. Uncle Li, whose full name was Li Tie, had encountered a fierce tiger while hunting with A'niu's father a few years ago. A'niu's father was unluckily mauled to death, and Uncle Li's left leg was crippled.

Unable to afford a doctor, he was left with a permanent limp, making mobility difficult. Once the family's pillar, he could no longer hunt and struggled with physical labor. The couple still had to raise two children, Gou'dan and Er'ya. While they weren't starving to death, they definitely didn't have full bellies often. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. Since his mother passed away, Uncle Li had frequently supported him.

But this body was prideful and refused to accept charity, rejecting their help numerous times. Forcing himself out into the freezing winter to forage was exactly what led to him catching the fatal chill and kicking the bucket. Reeling in his thoughts, Zhang Xiong accepted the bowl of porridge. Staring deeply at the Li father and son, he silently vowed to repay their family in the future.

"Uncle Li, Gou'dan... thank you." The young boy grinned widely.

"Eat it while it's hot, Brother A'niu! My mother's porridge is the best." Uncle Li also nodded.

"That's right, A'niu, eat up. The weather is harsh these days, don't go outside. I know you don't like owing anyone, but our families have been friends for generations. If I didn't help you, how could I have the face to meet your parents in the afterlife? Here are a few catties of rice, take it for now. If you face any hardships, you must tell me." His eyes grew moist. He knew the Li family's situation; giving away this much rice meant they would have to tighten their own belts this month.

But having just arrived in this unfamiliar world, he knew this was an urgent necessity. Taking a deep breath, Zhang Xiong spoke with a trembling voice, "Uncle, thank you." Li Tie looked at the stubborn child with a relieved smile.

"What gratitude? You're still a child, don't be so frugal. Force yourself to eat. A person's body is the foundation; only when you are healthy can you attain everything else." Zhang Xiong nodded slightly.

"I know, Uncle." Li Tie affectionately rubbed the boy's head, gave a few more instructions, and left with his son. In this freezing winter, he too had to hustle to secure more food for his family. Closing the door, Zhang Xiong stood in silence holding the bowl for a long time. As a gnawing hunger struck again, he pushed aside his thoughts, lifted the bowl, and gulped it down until it was spotless. A sense of fullness spread through his stomach. Setting the bowl on the table, he sat cross-legged on the bed.

He needed to strategize how to procure food in the coming days to sustain himself. He figured that around noon, when the temperature rose slightly, he should take a walk outside to see if there was any way to harvest some food.

"But first things first, I need a new name. In this life, I absolutely cannot be Song A'niu. I'd rather die than be an 'A'niu'. How am I supposed to roam the martial world with a name like that in the future?" Stroking his chin, Zhang Xiong pondered.

"Surname Song... Which almighty expert has the surname Song?" A moment later, a name flashed in his mind.

"That's right, that's the one! From now on, I will be called..." Song Que! Yes, the Heavenly Saber, Song Que! [Author's note: Song Que (Heavenly Saber Song Que) is a legendary, supremely proud Grandmaster swordsman from Huang Yi's classic wuxia masterpiece "Twin Swords" / "The Great Tang Twin Dragons Chronicles".] Zhang Xiong had long admired the unparalleled demeanor of that supreme boss from the classic wuxia tales. He chuckled darkly, shamelessly plagiarizing the name for his own use.

"Please, call me Heavenly Saber Song Que."

"Hehehe..." A bout of shameless laughter echoed. Zhang Xiong—no, from now on, Song Que —was amusing himself, pacing excitedly around the room. Suddenly, he felt his stomach turn piping hot.

"Shameless Song" panicked and hastily inspected himself. Nothing unusual on the outside. Closing his eyes and focusing inward, he saw the light sphere in his Sea of Consciousness flashing brightly. It was rolling and expanding! He could clearly feel it digesting the porridge in his stomach to fuel its own growth. It wasn't until the heat in his belly vanished that the sphere stopped rolling, resting quietly at the size of a fist.

"Oho, so a single ghost provides as much energy as a few dozen bowls of porridge. Nothing too special after all. This Lord won't need to risk his life hunting ghosts anymore; as long as I have food, I'm all set!" Song Que thought joyfully. To reward himself, he used his will to mobilize the light sphere. That familiar, wonderfully numbing sensation reappeared, coursing through his body. A few short breaths later, it vanished.

He squeezed his hands and felt an increase in raw physical power; the sensation was intoxicating.

"It seems this light sphere doesn't just absorb ghosts, it also absorbs various energies within my body to grow. It can enhance my physique, and perhaps there are many more uses I've yet to discover."

"Since you transmigrated here with me and granted me a new lease on life, I should give you a name too, shouldn't I?" Pondering for a moment, Song Que finally declared, "From now on, I'll call you... Tesseract." Right on cue, a pang of hunger hit his stomach again. Song Que smiled bitterly and looked at the small bag of rice.

"You win some, you lose some. Nothing comes from nowhere. It seems my immediate goal is to figure out how to get a massive amount of food."

"Tesseract, oh Tesseract, you knockoff, you really need to learn from the original! The real Space Stone is a source of infinite energy. Why can't you put in a little effort yourself? You still need your master to feed you! What a bitter fate I have, figuring out how to grind enough to fill this bottomless pit."

"Shameless Song" sighed with a grin. With a clear goal, life suddenly became full of motivation. He labored to cook a massive pot of porridge, polishing off two heaping bowls. Feeling the Tesseract digesting the energy in his belly, Song Que felt a soaring confidence. Even the freezing weather didn't seem so intimidating anymore. Seeing it was nearly noon, he rummaged through the house, grabbed a rusty hunting knife, and opened the door to explore his surroundings.

The north wind howled outside, and the ground was still damp from the melting frost. Yet, brimming with enthusiasm, Song Que followed the muddy trail eastward, guided by his predecessor's memories. About half an hour later, a rolling expanse of green appeared before him. In the distance, mountain peaks pierced directly into the clouds. He knew he had reached his destination. The Great Ridge Mountains. This was the primary lifeline of Giant Willow Village.

Once winter passed and spring arrived, teams of hunters and herb gatherers would constantly move in and out of here. Most of their harvest would be taken to Yellow Leaf Town to be sold or bartered for daily necessities for the village. However, this place was no paradise; it was riddled with peril. Tigers, bears, wolves, venomous snakes—they were incredibly abundant. A single misstep meant being buried within. Song Gen—the predecessor's old man—was a profound example of this.

Therefore, he didn't dare risk his newly acquired little life. He only planned to wander around the outer perimeter of the forest, observing and searching for anything usable.