The sun set in the west, and the sky was filled with rosy clouds.
On the streets of Fengyang City, streaks of rosy light were cast.
Lǐ Xián woke up, the rosy light so dazzling it hurt his eyes. At the same time, his head was splitting, and his bones felt like they were falling apart, causing immense pain.
Where am I? What's happening to me?
Through his slightly opened eyes, Lǐ Xián saw that he was surrounded by many common folk in ancient attire, watching the spectacle.
Could... could all these people be acting?
Just then, a foot fiercely stomped on him, and he couldn't help but cry out in pain.
The pain made him realize this wasn't an act; at least, the pain was real. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and he felt as if he were dying, a trace of fear creeping into his heart.
What in the world has happened?
"Lǐ Xián, I'm telling you, hurry up and get me five hundred taels of silver! You have three days! If you exceed the deadline, I'll kill you!" someone said in a voice like a broken gong. The speaker was a burly man with a foot planted on him.
Lǐ Xián's head throbbed, and countless memories flooded his mind, merging with his own like a tidal wave.
Information about the burly man immediately appeared in Lǐ Xián's mind. He was the owner of a small gambling house, known as "Brother Leopard," though few knew his real name.
Through the merged memories, Lǐ Xián suddenly understood. He had transmigrated, his soul traveling to this ancient person with the same name.
He was just a high school student, who was supposed to be sleeping soundly at home. How did he end up transmigrating to this ancient era?
The original owner was a degenerate gambler. He had lost over a hundred taels at the casino and then borrowed five hundred taels from the owner, Brother Leopard, only to lose it all again.
As a result, Brother Leopard and his cronies had beaten him up and dumped him on the street.
This was utter humiliation, disgraced beyond measure.
"Lǐ Xián, listen! For every day you don't return the five hundred taels, fifty taels in interest accrue. The longer you delay, the more the debt will grow! Hurry up and go get the money for me!"
Brother Leopard kicked Lǐ Xián again and turned back towards the gambling house, followed by ten subordinates, exuding an air of authority.
The surrounding common folk pointed and whispered about Lǐ Xián.
"This Tang Family's live-in son-in-law is truly useless. He can't do anything, yet he dared to gamble. Now, he owes so much money to Brother Leopard!"
"Brother Leopard kills people. Just a couple of days ago, he beat a gambler who couldn't pay into near death. That gambler died shortly after returning home."
"This good-for-nothing relies on the Tang Family's protection, so Brother Leopard doesn't dare kill him outright. But he might resort to sly methods!"
"Hush! Speak softly! Don't let Brother Leopard hear you!"
"The Tang Family has long given up on this live-in son-in-law, they won't lift a finger for him! Besides, it's said his wife is also from a collateral branch of the Tang Family and doesn't hold much power within the clan."
"This guy thought he'd make a name for himself by marrying into the Tang Family, but he ended up with just a peripheral relative. Tsk tsk, a live-in son-in-law, just a freeloader."
"..."
Lǐ Xián listened to the gossip, gritting his teeth against the pain.
Others transmigrated to become young masters or nobles, but he, of all people, became a good-for-nothing gambler who owed the casino owner five hundred taels.
He was also a live-in son-in-law of the Tang Family, a status looked down upon in this era, with no real standing.
Five hundred taels was equivalent to over five hundred thousand in his previous life. How could he possibly earn so much money all at once? And the interest kept compounding – fifty taels a day, a hundred in two days.
If he didn't pay within three days, the casino owner, Brother Leopard, might kill him. Debts must be paid, and the Tang Family probably wouldn't intervene for their live-in son-in-law.
Lǐ Xián shakily stood up. He had never suffered such hardship in his past life. This was truly an unlucky transmigration.
The original owner was a degenerate gambler who had incurred a massive debt of five hundred taels. This was misfortune piled upon misfortune, the worst luck imaginable.
Lǐ Xián felt a deep sense of shame. He had never been so embarrassed in his life.
Lǐ Xián, forcing himself, endured the pain and walked forward. The onlookers, seeing him, parted to make way, as if afraid of being contaminated by his bad luck.
He reached a secluded path, where no one was pointing or whispering, and Lǐ Xián finally breathed a sigh of relief.
After resting briefly, Lǐ Xián continued walking.
At that moment, a cold wind blew, and Lǐ Xián shivered.
A calico cat appeared in a dim alley ahead, watching Lǐ Xián coldly.
Lǐ Xián rubbed his eyes, thinking he was hallucinating, or perhaps suffering from a concussion from Brother Leopard's beating.
A translucent panel appeared before him.
【Current Demon: Cat Demon (Early Spirit Gathering Realm)】
【Killing it will grant Vital Energy: 1000 Cal】
【Current Martial Art: Lǐ Family Swordplay (Novice)】
【Current Vital Energy: 0 Cal】
【Note: If sufficient Vital Energy is infused into the martial art, its strength can be improved.】
Lǐ Xián's hair stood on end. He had encountered a demonic creature. He had no weapon. What should he do?
If the panel hadn't warned him, he might not have noticed.
The Cat Demon was in the Early Spirit Gathering Realm. He was unarmed, and his Lǐ Family Swordplay was only at the Novice level. He couldn't even defeat someone like Brother Leopard, let alone a Cat Demon?
It was truly a case of bad luck piling on.
Lǐ Xián began to sweat profusely, beads of perspiration forming on his forehead. He nervously stared at the Cat Demon, whose icy gaze seemed to hold murderous intent, giving Lǐ Xián a bad premonition.
The atmosphere grew heavy, as if the air itself had stopped flowing.
"The Cat Demon is over there!"
Suddenly, a voice called out, followed by the sound of approaching footsteps.
"Meow!" The Early Spirit Gathering Realm Cat Demon cried out, leaped, and darted away into a side alley.
"Quick, pursue it!"
Several figures rushed in that direction. One of them paused briefly at the alley's intersection, glanced at Lǐ Xián, and then continued the chase.
Lǐ Xián recognized the attire of the pursuers as the constables of Fengyang City. These constables not only apprehended criminals but also hunted demons.
Lǐ Xián breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, they had arrived. Otherwise, it would have been troublesome if the Cat Demon had attacked him.
Lǐ Xián quickly moved on. Encountering the Cat Demon had unnerved him. This world was too bizarre, with demons actually existing. With his pathetic skills, dealing with such creatures would be extremely difficult.
Lǐ Xián walked for a while before leaning against a tree by the roadside to rest. His mind, however, was racing through the events that had just transpired.
Even now, he still found it hard to believe that he had truly transmigrated. He hadn't adapted at all to this strange world.
Just then, he saw a Cat Demon, its skin torn and fur matted with blood, reappear in his sight.
【Current Demon: Cat Demon (Early Spirit Gathering Realm)】
【Killing it will grant Vital Energy: 1000 Cal】
Lǐ Xián's scalp tingled, and his hairs stood on end. What terrible luck! He had encountered the same injured Cat Demon again.
Lǐ Xián panicked and instinctively grabbed a rock, using it as a weapon.
The injured Cat Demon's blood-red eyes fixed on Lǐ Xián. It advanced, its speed rapid, closing in.
"Holy crap!" Lǐ Xián couldn't help but curse. The rock in his hand moved just as quickly, striking the Cat Demon with all his might.
"Meow!" The Cat Demon let out a miserable yowl and was sent flying backward, but it quickly lunged at Lǐ Xián again, like a persistent shadow.
Fear gripped Lǐ Xián. This Cat Demon wasn't afraid of death and dared to attack again? He still clutched the rock tightly and slammed it forward once more.
"Crack!" The rock hit the Cat Demon directly on its head, sending it flying backward again.
Lǐ Xián watched as the Cat Demon shook its head, looking dazed, clearly stunned by his blows and momentarily disoriented.
Lǐ Xián pressed his advantage, swinging the rock again and again, smashing it onto the creature's head until its skull caved in. It finally lay still on the ground, unmoving.
Lǐ Xián's arms and legs felt numb. He sat down, panting, and breathed a sigh of relief seeing the Cat Demon finally dead.
【Current Martial Art: Lǐ Family Swordplay (Novice)】
【Current Vital Energy: 1000 Cal】
【Note: Infusing Vital Energy into martial arts and honing them can improve their strength.】
Lǐ Xián subconsciously opened the panel and saw the result he desired.
Indeed, killing the Cat Demon had granted him 1000 Cal of Vital Energy. How would this Vital Energy change things when infused into his martial arts?
However, now was not the time to explore that. It was best to leave this place as soon as possible.
Lǐ Xián stood up and hurried forward.
Lǐ Xián planned to return to the Tang Family and turned towards a more bustling street.
In these secluded areas, he feared encountering more demons. If that Cat Demon hadn't been injured and weakened, he would likely have been the one to die. He wouldn't always be so lucky.