Longevity Martial Arts: Grinding Experience in the Chaotic World novel Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Chapter 1: Awakening Innate Wisdom

Da Liang, Seventh Year of Jianping.

Yun Province suffered a severe drought, the land turned crimson for thousands of miles, crops failed completely, and the people could not sustain themselves. Rebel armies began to rise, throwing the empire into turmoil.

...

Qing Province.

Gu's Manor.

The orange hues of the setting sun spilled onto a solitary grass-thatched hut at the edge of the village, scattering a few broken streaks. A mild summer breeze swayed gently, barely dispelling the lingering heat.

"Ugh..."

A muffled groan of discomfort broke the silence inside the thatched hut.

Gu Sheng clutched his head, his face pale, his gaze vacant as he sorted through the last tendrils of information swarming in his mind.

"So, I've truly... transmigrated? To be precise, after suddenly dying fourteen years ago, I've been reborn in this world. And now, my innate wisdom has awakened?"

Over the past few days.

Gu Sheng's mind was in a state of chaos, muddled and dazed.

Those around him thought he was mourning his father's passing, unaware that this was only one of the reasons. The greater cause was the overwhelming information flooding his mind.

Blue Star, automobiles, smartphones, nine-year compulsory education...

Strange yet familiar, intriguing yet mysterious.

To an ordinary rural boy, it felt like stepping into an Immortal Realm, unable to distinguish between fantasy and reality.

Until today.

Only after fully absorbing the information did Gu Sheng understand—his previous life's innate wisdom had awakened.

That so-called Blue Star was precisely the world where he had lived in his past life.

And the sudden awakening of his innate wisdom...

Was triggered by the shock of his father's death. After fainting and subsequently waking up, he became like this, returning to clarity only today.

"This life of mine... really is full of misfortune."

Gu Sheng's eyes dimmed slightly.

The awakening of his innate wisdom had matured him overnight, transforming him from a clueless rural boy into someone far more perceptive. But these fourteen years of life were undeniably real.

Born during the chaotic days of an empire, he knew only that the kingdom was called Da Liang. The farthest he'd ever ventured was Canghe County, where Gu's Manor belonged.

Though the empire was still united, signs of disorder had begun to emerge. Bandits and marauders roamed unchecked, and ordinary folk couldn't walk ten miles without losing layers of skin.

He had lost his mother at a young age, growing up relying on his father, with whom he had shared a deep bond.

Now his father had passed away; he was left alone in the household. A profound sense of loneliness surged within him. However, the transformation in Gu Sheng helped hold his sanity together. Otherwise, he might truly have gone mad.

Even so, Gu Sheng still felt no small amount of grief in his heart.

He vividly recalled the words his father often told him, "Sheng, no matter how hard or dire it may be, you must live on. To live is to have hope!"

Gu Sheng clenched his fists tightly.

"I must live on! No matter how cruel this era may be!"

If the Gu Sheng before his awakening had been a fourteen-year-old farm boy, attempting to survive on his own in this world would have been nearly impossible.

But now, with two lifetimes worth of wisdom fused, the odds of survival had greatly increased.

What mattered most was—

A glimmer of light flashed in Gu Sheng's eyes—

"The proficiency panel."

As he murmured softly to himself, a translucent interface appeared before him, visible only to his eyes.

[Name]: Gu Sheng

[Age]: 14

[Realm]: None

[Martial Arts]: None

...

"This is the game panel I developed before my sudden death in the previous life!"

Gu Sheng's heart surged with excitement. This was the sole item he'd managed to bring over from his past existence.

"The panel's function is simple—it assists players in their martial arts cultivation. Once a martial art is learned at an entry level, it registers on the panel. By grinding proficiency endlessly, one can break through without impediment!"

Thinking about this, he couldn't help but feel thrilled. Yet his enthusiasm quickly turned into dejection.

"Right now, I don't know a single martial art, so this panel isn't of much use."

"Practicing martial arts must wait. I should focus on figuring out how to survive first."

In this world, martial artists existed—those strong enough to cut through gold and jade, or lift massive weights with ease. But achieving such prowess wasn't simple. The saying "rich families write, poor families fight" wasn't just empty talk.

With his father's passing...