It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.... more>>

—— Dickens《A Tale of Two Cities》

I took my hatred and plot for revenge with me down the mire, to the depths of the abyss, and returned as a ghost of the past. I want to plant the seeds of the rotten truth, nourish their deadly thorns with fresh blood so that they grow and pierce through this civilization built on lies.

I reached the bottom of the abyss…only to find a shining star. <<less

“Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” -Matthew 7:14... more>>

Guomen, 過門/过门, meaning marriage in Chinese. If explained literally, it means going past the gates/door-a reference to the Bible(see above).

“Through the Strait Gates”: to me, it’s the best way to explain it.

The gate’s narrow, the road small for them.

Their past and future interwoven into a tangled, messed up web.

Thirteen years of sour and bittersweet memories. And seven years in between that washed out everything they had like water, leaving only stark, plain, throbbing dullness. <<less

Twenty years earlier, the ‘Blade of the South’ Li Zhi was condemned a bandit by imperial decree for establishing the 48 Strongholds of the Shu Mountains to shelter the destitute refugees of the world. ... more>>

Twenty years later, a young man going by the name of Xie Yun, carrying an ‘Anping Command’, barges into the 48 Strongholds by night. Sir Gan Tang receives the command and descends the mountain, henceforth setting into motion the gears of fate.

Zhou Fei, a descendant of the ‘Blade of the South’, is born and raised within the 48 Strongholds, but has yet to experience the martial world. She begins to stray from this straight road after she encounters Xie Yun.

However, the current martial arts world is embroiled in turbulence, those once carefree and worry-less youths are swept without warning into the midst of turmoil and unrest; and ‘that’ secret which has been buried for 20 years, is about to be uncovered…

“There will come a day–you will cross the tranquil and noiseless waters of the Inkwash River; you will depart from this haven sheltered by mountains; and you will find yourself under a vast and shrouded night sky. When you witness in succession the collapse of countless colossal mountains and the evaporation of fathomless seas into desert, you must always remember: your fate rests on the tip of your blade, and the tip of your blade must always point forward.”

“I pray that by the cold steel of your sword, you will be able to cut through the darkness of night for a glimpse of the day.” <<less

In a world where strength is power and one’s worth is decided by birth, Chang An goes against the odds by learning the way of the saber.... more>>

He was born as a frail and sickly sub-beast, falling ill when exposed to even a little gust of wind, yet from a young age, he has always yearned to be strong like the beastman warriors. Everyone tells him that it’s impossible, and he himself nearly resigned to it as well. However, upon experiencing the death of a loved one, he learns that only by being strong can one be a master of their fate.

On the other hand, Hua Yi, the son of a Chief, is a beastman with silver marks. He is gifted with immense power and could rule over others if he so pleases. However, he finds himself to be different from the other beastmen. He has no desire to conquer, and inside he is softhearted. He would’ve liked to keep living a simple and carefree life, but after a betrayal from a family member, he is forced to grow up.

These two once innocent children are brought together by fate. Together, they navigate a cruel beastman world, and along the way, they learn more about life and themselves. <<less

Uncle Qu Yuan said: The whole world is turbid, but I alone am pure; the whole world is drunk, but I alone am awake.... more>>

Then he jumped into the river in grief and anger… <<less

Okay then, this is actually a dark fic combining the tropes of mafia stories, modern rebirths, old cucumbers pretending to be young, younger tops, and more… (I can almost see the lightning… trembles)... more>>

Ahem, but since I’m not your stereotypical author, our bottom is also not your stereotypical bottom, and our rebirth…

It’s also not your stereotypical rebirth. We’ll only get into the rebirth part after the first volume finishes at around 40K words.

Staring at the sky mournfully, I wonder if everyone can stay until then…

Finally, a slow-burn as per usual. <<less