1: Chapter 1 Rebirth

Above the firmament.

The surface of the sun was covered by a massive, hand-shaped black mark, with flames and various rays of light constantly leaping and gushing from between the fingers, causing the brightness and color of the sky to shift from time to time.

In a brown wasteland beneath this spectacular scene, hundreds of disheveled people, like ants, were sweating profusely in the twilight, digging and hauling earth and stone.

Tang Long stood dazed among the crowd, staring at this magnificent yet eerie scene, unable to snap out of it for a long time.

Clearly, this was not Earth.

He had only ever seen such a spectacle in a holographic simulation game called "Tianbian."

The game was set on a planet called Blue Star in a parallel Universe, telling the story of a dying mythical martial arts civilization. Against the backdrop of an invasion by Alien Gods and the ravages of Yao Beasts, it chronicled the series of events that occurred as the people of Blue Star fought for their continued survival.

Tang Long had also been a loyal player of Tianbian, but he had never imagined that one day he would witness this scene with his own eyes.

Of course, there were many things he hadn't anticipated.

Besides its excellent production and Advanced technology, which allowed players to achieve a near-realistic experience, it had one major gimmick. The ultimate method for the Blue Star civilization to save itself was to break through the dimensional barrier and go to the origin of the gods—Earth—which greatly stimulated the savior complex of Earth players.

Consequently, it became an instant global hit, with the peak number of concurrent players exceeding 700 million.

When the game's plot reached the day Blue Star broke through the dimensional barrier, various Blue Star fan clubs and gaming groups even held grand gatherings and celebrations across the globe.

It was also on that day that disaster struck.

The sky was torn apart, and that Blue Star truly appeared in near-Earth orbit before disintegrating in mid-air.

The debris turned into meteors, forming a fiery waterfall that covered the entire sky. The subsequent impacts, nuclear explosions, earthquakes, and tsunamis—those horrifying scenes were still imprinted in Tang Long's mind, even more shocking than the sun held by the giant hand.

It was also on that day that the surviving Tianbian players simultaneously gained transcendent powers equivalent to those in the game, forming a Resistance Army to fight back amidst the disaster.

Only then did people realize that everything in the game was real.

Over the next thirty years, natural disasters caused by extreme climates, diseases brought by alien ecosystems, the slaughter by Blue Star Martial Artists, and even the mighty power of the Blue Star gods wove together a brand-new worldview, as well as the apocalypse of humanity.

Of course, there was never a shortage of foolish human infighting.

A traitor appeared within the Resistance Army, colluding with the Blue Star army of Martial Artists, and the base where Tang Long was located was breached. He vaguely remembered being struck in the head, then falling into darkness, and after waking up, he was here.

So at this moment, looking at the sun covered by the black hand in the sky, his thoughts were naturally extremely agitated.

The game "Tianbian" went through five versions: "Overture of Calamity," "Afterglow of the Setting Sun," "Elegy of the Gods," "Frozen Long Night," and "Horn of Dawn."

According to the timeline he knew, for the three to four hundred years of game time spanning the first three versions, the sun in the Tianbian World remained in this state.

After the fourth version went online, this sun would completely collapse.

And it was only by the end of the fifth version, "Horn of Dawn," that Blue Star would invade Earth.

If this sun was still here, that meant...

The invasion hadn't happened yet?

The problem now was that he was very certain he was not in a game state.

The game's sensory experience was very realistic, but it definitely did not include hunger and thirst; at most, these were only reflected in values and status.

Also.

He could not feel his transcendent powers.

At this moment, he was exceptionally weak, as frail as he was back in college when he was a scrawny weakling.

And he seemed to have become younger, his skin having become much more delicate.

Many scars from decades of bitter fighting in the Doomsday Era had already disappeared. However, a new scar had been added to the back of his head, as if left by that final blow at the end of his life.

And on his shoulder, there was an additional scar of a number, 5726, branded at some unknown time, which still ached.

He could be certain that he had been reborn, reborn into that Blue Star world which would invade Earth in the form of a game.

The memories of his previous life gradually faded, and looking at the crowd clanging away as they dug for stones, he couldn't help but let out a low sigh.

The feeling of being alive was good, but...

"Why am I a mine slave?"

Tang Long sighed with emotion, and someone beside him immediately mocked him.

"What else did you think you were? Get to work!"

"mine slaves are also divided into tiers. You are a lower-tier mine slave, only fit for digging dirt and stones."

"New guy, if you don't work properly, you won't even be able to be a lower-tier mine slave; sooner or later, you'll be hung on a pole by the Overseer as bait."

"Why are you reminding him? Wouldn't it be better to just let this big dummy keep staring at the sun?"

"I wonder who will be unlucky today. Last time, that guy had his legs bitten off by a Yao Beast and screamed for several hours before dying."

"Sigh, if only I could master the Breathing Method, I could become an upper-tier mine slave and wouldn't have to worry about being hung on a pole to fish for Yao Beasts."

"They even get to eat meat every day. Last time, a big brother gave me a small piece; it was so fragrant. Compared to Yao Beast meat, the chaff cakes we eat are pig swill, and they don't even fill you up."

"I heard that if an upper-tier mine slave accumulates five Spirit Stones, they will be granted freedom."

Amidst the chatter, a scream suddenly came from not far away.

Everyone turned around in horror to see a bald Overseer clad in iron armor grabbing a mine slave and dragging him toward the towering Tower in the center of the mine.

The loudspeaker on that Tower soon blared.

"mine slave 5725 was caught sleeping on the job. Now, in accordance with the mining law enacted by the Duke of Fengcheng of the Dongyu Kingdom, he shall be whipped ten times and hung on a pole to be made an example of!"

"I hope this serves as a warning to everyone!"

"Execute!"

The bald Overseer took the whip from his waist and started whipping him directly, causing the mine slave to scream in agony.

After ten lashes, he was beaten until he was covered in wounds and fainted.

Then the Overseer dragged him to a tall pole not far away, tied him up with a rope, hoisted him up, and then turned around to shout loudly.

"What are you still looking at? Do you want to be hung up there with him!"

The mine slaves were all terrified, hurriedly lowering their heads and digging for earth and stone with redoubled effort.

However, the Overseer soon walked over to this area and came directly behind Tang Long, asking in a strange tone.

"Is the sun pretty?"

Tang Long's body stiffened. Before he could turn around, his arm was grabbed by the Overseer, who rolled up his sleeve to check the branded number on his shoulder.

"5726, what a coincidence? You and the bastard I just hung up are only one number apart."

Saying this, the Overseer patted his brand and grinned viciously: "There's already someone on the pole now, I'll come for you tomorrow."

The bald Overseer then walked away as if nothing had happened, while the surrounding mine slaves cast sympathetic glances at him.

This was a mining area.

The ant-like mine slaves had dug out a small basin here, with a Tower in the center where the Overseers lived, and various mine caves distributed around it.

The mining area mainly produced fire-attribute spirit energy crystals; those that were full and well-formed were called Spirit Stones, while the small, fragmented pieces were called spirit residue, which were important resources for the cultivation of Blue Star Martial Artists. Lower-tier mine slaves couldn't do this kind of work; it had to be mined by upper-tier mine slaves.

But much of the earth and stone produced during the process, or the opening of new mine caves, needed to be done by the lower-tier mine slaves.

upper-tier mine slaves were the main force in mining, so naturally, the more of them, the better. Therefore, the mining area would unconditionally teach a Breathing Method that all mine slaves could learn.

If this were a game, with Cultivation Techniques and resources, and the mining area being a high-spirit region, it would at least count as a decent spawn point.

However, it was clearly not a game now.

Managing to hold on until almost dark, Tang Long felt like he was about to collapse from exhaustion when a siren suddenly blared from the Tower.

"A Yao Beast is approaching, everyone stop working. Take shelter in the nearest mine cave!"

"Repeat! A Yao Beast is coming!"

The mine slaves were like frightened birds, each summoning their last bit of strength to find a place to hide.

And just then, the ground trembled noticeably.

A Yao Beast with a single horn on its head and resembling a Tyrannosaurus Rex had already appeared at the edge of the mine. It let out a roar and charged straight toward the mine slave hanging on the tall pole.

Tang Long recognized this thing too.

A Level 12 Yao Beast, the Great-Horned Dragon. It was ferocious by nature, would actively attack all living things, had thick skin and high defense, and its attack power was extremely strong.

In the Early Stage of the first version, it counted as a small field BOSS; players below Level 10 were in grave danger if they encountered this thing.

It charged straight toward the tall pole, leaped up, and swallowed the blood-scented mine slave in one bite, but it stopped there.

"Demon-Hunting Crossbow, fire!"

As the order came from the Tower, cold light suddenly flashed from the crossbow machine on the roof.

Pure metal crossbow bolts, as thick as a wrist and over three meters long, shot into the gill and neck area of the Great-Horned Dragon in succession.

Although the Great-Horned Dragon was manic and twisting, the crossbow bolts were extremely precise. After the third bolt pierced through its right eye, its heavy body finally collapsed into the dust.

All the mine slaves couldn't help but cheer together, but Tang Long's heart sank.

The loudspeaker on the Tower also let out a laugh, "Today's hunt went very smoothly, I approve for you to rest early. Light the fires and butcher the Yao Beast."

The mine slaves cheered even louder, singing the praises of the 'Mine Manager'.

The Overseers immediately called for people to butcher the beast's corpse, and the upper-tier mine slaves came out from each cave in order to receive meat to roast over the fire. The aroma of meat quickly permeated the mine. Some gulped it down ravenously, while others stared greedily, swallowing their saliva.

Tang Long inquired and discovered that the lower-tier mine slaves didn't even have dinner.

"Envious?"

"If you're envious, work a bit harder. After dinner, an upper-tier mine slave will come out from each cave to teach you the Breathing Method."

"As long as you learn the Breathing Method, you will become upper-tier mine slaves and will also be able to eat meat."

"Becoming an upper-tier mine slave not only means having meat to eat, but you can also rest at will every day as long as you hand over twenty pieces of spirit residue. If you are lucky enough to dig up five Spirit Stones, the generous and benevolent Duke will even grant you freedom!"

The bald Overseer shouted loudly, and as he said this, he happened to stop in front of Tang Long.

When he recognized Tang Long, he couldn't help but laugh too.

"Number 5726, I recognize you. You were lazy at work today; tomorrow I will hang you on the tall pole too, unless you master the Breathing Method tonight."

There was an immediate burst of laughter all around, and Tang Long's face twitched slightly.

He had just been reborn!

Not to mention comparing himself to the protagonists of web novels, even in his previous life, he had once been a prominent figure, ranking first on the international list of master thieves.

Although his work meant he didn't have much time to play games, and later in the Doomsday Era his strength was mediocre, he was at least battle-hardened, right up until the last fortress of the Resistance Army was breached.

What a magnificent life that had been...

Now, living a second life, he was actually facing the fate of being fed to a Yao Beast?

Damn the Blue Star people.

That said, this Breathing Method seemed quite difficult to master.

If he really couldn't master it, could he escape tonight?

The Mine Manager and the Overseers were definitely all cultivators, and there was also the Demon-Hunting Crossbow on the Tower, which had long range, high precision, and great power; it could easily kill a Level 12 small BOSS, so shooting a person or two would probably be very simple.

And there were so many eyes around...

Even if he could slip away unnoticed, he had no idea where he was or where a path to survival might be.

With his current physique, wandering aimlessly in the wasteland without food or water, it would be hard to survive for three days even without running into a Yao Beast.

In his anxiety, an upper-tier mine slave with one eye, number 883, finished eating and came over to teach them the Breathing Method.

The Breathing Method was very simple, just a breathing cycle of six special rhythms. The one-eyed man only demonstrated it once, and Tang Long memorized it.

The man only taught it once and then started chatting with other mine slaves.

"Brother, you say this Breathing Method is clearly so simple, why can't we master it?"

"Nothing strange about it, not everyone is suited for cultivation. Some things are simply innate; if your talent isn't enough, no matter how hard you try, it's all in vain. For this Breathing Method, those with enough talent can master it in three to five days; if you don't enter the gate in seven days, don't bother hoping."

"Ah? Then except for the new guys, aren't we all hopeless?"

"Basically, yes. Actually, if you look closely, our mining area has over a thousand people, and there are less than two hundred upper-tier mine slaves; the ratio hasn't changed much. The proportion of people suitable for cultivation only accounts for one-fifth or one-sixth; it's about the same all over the world."

"That's not right, if there's really no hope, why does the Overseer urge us to Cultivate every day?"

"Uh... I heard there are exceptions, but I haven't seen them; the Overseer has his own reasons."

Tang Long also couldn't help but ask, "Then how do you know if you've entered the gate?"

All the mine slaves turned their heads in unison, and seeing that it was him who asked, someone laughed out loud, and in a blink of an eye, there was a burst of laughter.

"Isn't this the unlucky guy that the Overseer is going to hang on the pole tomorrow?"

"Heh heh, he really thinks quite highly of himself."

"Don't say that, he's also a new guy, he might really be able to master it."

"Even if there's a one-fifth or one-sixth chance, he only has this one night; he can't master squat."

"Look at his silly look, all he knew was to stare at the sun in a daze during the day. If he can master it, I'll let the Yao Beast eat me first tomorrow."

The lower-tier mine slaves made sarcastic remarks, but the one-eyed man didn't; instead, he gave him the answer.

"Simply put, when you feel your eyes and heart becoming hot and dry, and you can suddenly see things in the dark, that means you've mastered it."

Some of the mine slaves sighed and groaned, some believed they were definitely that small minority, and more people silently began to breathe.

However, as soon as Tang Long finished one cycle, he felt a raging flame rise in his chest, and at the same time, a long string of slightly blurred glowing text appeared in his vision.

[You have learned the Torch Spirit Breathing Method {Incomplete}!]

[Adventurer {Tang Long}, welcome back to the Tianbian World.]

[Data abnormality detected, correcting, please wait...]

[Due to a System abnormality, your data has been lost. We are now evaluating the loss and providing the following compensation:]

[You have received: vitality upgraded to {Advanced}, Spirit Energy upgraded to {Advanced}, Trait - vitality Recovery {Intermediate}, Skill - Detection upgraded to {LV9}, Permission: Instantly upgrade any two life skills to Great Master level, Permission: Task Issuance {Elementary}]

...

[Reload complete!]

[Tang Long: Deep Hunger {All stats reduced by 29%}]

[Realm: Qi Manipulation {Not yet ranked}]

[Level LV1: 0/100]

[Attributes: Strength 4, Agility 5, Stamina 6, Spirit 8, Charisma 6, Spirituality 2, Legendary 1]

[vitality {High}: 831/1000]

[Spirit Energy {High}: 0/100]

[Trait: vitality Recovery {Intermediate} {100/hour}]

[Cultivation Technique: Torch Spirit Breathing Method {Incomplete} {1/3000}]

[Skill: Detection LV9 {0/9999}]

[Task Issuance Permission LV1: Maximum tasks that can be issued 1, maximum completion count 100.]

Seeing this familiar data panel, Tang Long was completely stunned.