Siheyuan: tomb robbing? I am serious about hunting.

The Lingxiao Hall, perpetually shrouded in clouds and mist, evokes a celestial aura. Lifelike dragons and phoenixes are carved into the jade pillars within, while a night-shining pearl hangs from the ceiling, emitting a gentle and eternal glow that illuminates the entire hall like daylight.

At this moment, a solemn atmosphere permeated the hall. Immortals stood on either side, heads bowed, daring not to speak, not even to breathe. In the center of the hall, the Jade Emperor sat upon his Nine Dragon Throne, his brow furrowed, his gaze fixed on a white-robed immortal standing below.

This white-robed immortal was none other than Yunhua, the celestial master of high rank. He wore a moon-white robe embroidered with intricate cloud patterns in silver thread. With his movements, the clouds seemed to come alive, gently flowing across the fabric. His long hair was held back with a white jade hairpin. He had a handsome face and a cool, cool demeanor, emanating a faint, ethereal aura, like a plum blossom atop a snowy mountain, noble and aloof.

"Yunhua," the Jade Emperor's voice broke the silence in the hall, carrying a hint of majesty and a touch of helplessness. "The Star Lord Siming has just deduced your destiny. You are destined to face a calamity of earthly fate. You must descend to the mortal world to experience it before it can be resolved. This calamity is related to your immortal path. If you can successfully overcome it, your cultivation will reach a new level. If you can't..."

The Jade Emperor did not continue speaking, but the immortals and Yunhua Immortal Venerable were well aware of the danger involved.

Immortal Yunhua nodded slightly, his face devoid of any panic, maintaining his cool demeanor. He said calmly, "Disciple understands. Since this is destiny, I am willing to descend to the mortal realm to endure the trials and tribulations, and I will never retreat."

Siming Xingjun emerged from the group of immortals, holding a golden book of destiny. He flipped open the book, scanned the text, and addressed Immortal Yunhua: "Immortal, this time you descend to the mortal world, you will be reborn into a family of scholars, named Su Muyan. Your fate in the mortal world will be smooth in the early stages, but you will face many hardships in the later stages—your family's decline, failure in the imperial examinations, emotional setbacks... These are all tests of your tribulation. Remember, during this tribulation, do not use your immortal power lightly, otherwise you will disrupt the order of the mortal world and your tribulation will worsen."

Yunhua Immortal Venerable accepted the jade pendant from Siming Xingjun. The jade pendant was a brilliant white, with the Chinese character "Hua" engraved on it. Siming Xingjun explained, "This is a soul-protecting jade pendant. It will protect your soul and help you through life-threatening situations. Once you successfully overcome the tribulation, the jade pendant will automatically emit light, guiding you back to the heavens."

Immortal Yunhua put away the jade pendant and bowed to the Jade Emperor and the immortals: "Disciple, take your leave."

After saying this, he turned and walked out of the hall. When he reached the hall entrance, he paused and glanced back at the familiar High Heaven Hall. A subtle flicker of nostalgia flashed across his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by determination. Then, he leaped, transforming into a streak of white light, and flew towards the mortal world.

A white light pierced through the clouds, crossed mountains and rivers, and finally landed on a small town in the south of the Yangtze River. This town, called Qingxi, boasted beautiful scenery and simple folk customs. At the eastern end of the town lived a family named Su. The owner, Su Wenqing, was a scholar, loyal and honest. His wife, Liu, was gentle and virtuous. The couple had longed for a child.

One day, Liu was embroidering at home when she suddenly felt dizzy and lost consciousness. When she woke up, she found herself lying in bed, surrounded by an anxious Su Wenqing and the midwife. The midwife smiled and said to Su Wenqing, "Mr. Su, congratulations! You've given birth to a big, handsome boy. He's sure to be a successful man in the future!"

Su Wenqing was overjoyed. He hurried to the bedside and looked at the tiny baby in the cradle. The baby's eyes were closed, its face flushed, and its breathing was even. He carefully reached out and gently touched the baby's hand. The baby seemed to sense something and slowly opened its eyes.

Those eyes were clear and bright, not as innocent as those of an ordinary baby. Instead, they held a hint of coldness and depth that didn't belong to that age group. This was none other than the Yunhua Immortal Venerable who had just descended to the mortal world, now Su Muyan.

Su Wenqing didn't notice anything unusual, only thinking that the child was exceptionally intelligent, which made him even happier. He named the child Su Muyan, hoping that he would become a person of noble character and great talent.

Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, Su Muyan had grown to six years old. Unlike other children, he didn't like to play and fight, but instead had a special liking for the books at home. Su Wenqing was very pleased to see his son so eager to learn, so he began to teach him to read and write.

Su Muyan had a remarkable ability to learn. Whether it was the Three Character Classic, the Hundred Family Names, or Tang and Song poetry, he could memorize it instantly. In less than six months, he had memorized thousands of poems and his handwriting was as neat and beautiful as an adult's.

Everyone in the town knew that the Su family had a child prodigy, and they came to visit, wanting to see Su Muyan's talent. Facing everyone's praise, Su Muyan always maintained a calm attitude, neither proud nor shy, and still had that cool look.

Although Su Wenqing and Liu Shi felt that their son was somewhat different, they simply thought he was introverted and did not think much of it. They only hoped that Su Muyan would grow up healthy and happy, and that he would pass the imperial examinations and bring honor to the family.

However, what they didn't know was that Su Muyan, in his heart, always remembered himself as the Yunhua Immortal Venerable of the Celestial Realm, and that his descent into the mortal world to endure trials was merely a stage in his journey to immortality. He watched the sunrise and sunset, the passing of the seasons, and felt the warmth of family affection, yet his heart remained clear. He knew his trials had only just begun.

Chapter 2: The family fell into poverty and experienced hardship for the first time

Su Muyan lived peacefully in Qingxi Town for ten years. During these years, he studied diligently, his knowledge growing ever deeper. He was not only proficient in the classics, history, and literature, but also dabbled in military strategy and medicine. Su Wenqing, watching his son's progress, was filled with hope. He firmly believed that Su Muyan would one day pass the imperial examination and change the Su family's destiny.

However, things never go as planned. When Su Muyan was sixteen, a sudden disaster disrupted the peaceful life of the Su family.

Su Wenqing's integrity offended the town's bully, Zhang the Butcher. Holding a grudge, Zhang, a narrow-minded butcher, colluded with corrupt officials in the county to frame Su Wenqing for corruption and abuse of power. The officials, having accepted Zhang's bribes, indiscriminately arrested Su Wenqing and imprisoned him, confiscating the Su family's property.

When Liu heard the news, she fainted on the spot. When Su Muyan returned home from school, he was horrified to see the house in a mess, his mother lying unconscious on the floor. He quickly helped his mother up, pinched her philtrum, and shouted her name.