"Come over, newcomer! Don't be shy. Didn't think you'd still have a cheat after being transmigrated for so long, did you?" said a young man named Makiya, dressed in black martial arts gear with a three-foot green blade on his back.
This Makiya looked young, yet his face held a weathered weariness he couldn't hide. His skin was a dull reddish-tan, his lips slightly cracked, and his chin was dusted with stubble. His hands were rough and calloused, and while his black clothes fit well, they were frayed and scarred.
His eyes were deep and spirited, his back straight as a pine. He stood with the presence of a sheathed sword, his sharp edge hidden within.
"Yeah, ancestors be blessed. I actually managed to survive until this cheat activated. We've officially made it big." The other person was also dressed in dark, simple clothing, making it hard to discern his background.
Wizard Makiya looked closer and realized this one was wearing a blue Taoist robe with wide lapels, a hem reaching his knees, and sleeves that flowed with his movements.
"Ahem, actually, strictly speaking, you guys are the newcomers."
Wizard Makiya approached the two and placed his hands on their shoulders. Since they already understood how the mysterious space worked and knew they were among themselves, they didn't resist. They let Wizard Makiya begin sharing powers and memories. Meanwhile, Ninja World Makiya, Soul Reaper Makiya, and Hacker Makiya appeared one after another.
After merging their memories, everyone sat in a circle on the floor and began talking enthusiastically.
"I really didn't expect this. Could it be that the wish I made to that 'Universal Transcender' in the novel's comment section actually came true?"
Taoist Makiya sighed deeply. "The cheat just came a bit late. Fortunately, I had a reliable master. I've been through so many ups and downs over the years. To be honest, when I first realized I'd transmigrated to the Republican Era, my heart went cold. Better to be a dog in a time of peace than a man in a time of chaos."
Taoist Makiya was born into a poor peasant family in a small village during the Republican Era. Since childhood, he had never had enough to eat or wear, suffering from extreme malnutrition.
When he was five, exorbitant taxes felt like a noose tightening around their necks, slowly suffocating his family of three. The food at home had long run out. His parents caught a cold while out gathering wild vegetables in the rain; they developed fevers, took to their beds, and died one after the other.
With no one to rely on, little Makiya was nearly caught and eaten by starving villagers. Fortunately, he was saved by a passing opera troupe. The troupe leader saw that Makiya had lively eyes and a sharp mind. Despite being skin and bones, his frame was well-proportioned—he looked like he had the potential to play a young lead once fed—so he took him in.
However, misfortunes never come singly. While the troupe was traveling to a large estate, they stopped to rest at a small village. As night fell, strange things began to happen. First, the troupe's star performer vanished mysteriously. Then, several young laborers turned into mummies overnight, as if demons had hollowed out their organs.
The troupe leader was terrified and told everyone to pack up and leave immediately. But they found they couldn't get out of the village. No matter how much they exerted themselves on the foggy road, they eventually looked up to find they were back at the village entrance.
Just as they were despairing, three figures appeared in the mist. Leading them was a square-faced man in yellow Taoist robes with a stern, resolute
expression. His cheekbones were prominent, and his thick, black unibrow gave him a heroic air.
This was Priest Lin. His two young disciples were named Wencai and Qiusheng. While the priest fought desperately, his two useless disciples dragged him down at every turn. Nevertheless, Priest Lin managed to drive away the female ghost possessing the troupe's lead actress.
The female ghost had been consuming the essence of men. After devouring several strong men, her power had grown, making her arrogant enough to try and face Priest Lin head-on.
After much trouble, the disciple Qiusheng had part of his essence drained, but Priest Lin successfully subdued the ghost and performed a ritual to let her pass on.
As the mist dissipated and the sky began to brighten, the group realized there was no village. Where they had stayed the night was actually a mass grave.
Before leaving, the troupe leader handed a large sum of money to Priest Lin, begging him to take Makiya.
The leader believed Makiya had brought them bad luck and that his troupe couldn't handle any more trouble. However, looking at the lonely boy, he remembered his own childhood and decided to pay his way out of the misfortune.
Following a powerful priest was a stroke of luck for Makiya.
Priest Lin hesitated, but his two disciples, Wencai and Qiusheng, took the money with smiles, already planning how to improve their meals. With things having come to this, Priest Lin had no choice but to take Makiya back to the mortuary, telling him to call him Uncle Jiu.
Thirteen years passed in the blink of an eye. As Makiya grew, Uncle Jiu found the boy to be clever, hardworking, and reliable. He learned everything instantly, proving far more dependable than the two disappointing disciples.
Moreover, he was sharp-witted and made his master proud in public. Uncle Jiu eventually stopped hesitating and took Makiya as a formal disciple.
Once Makiya began calling him 'Master,' he was taught the Maoshan arts. Makiya did not disappoint. Whether it was using the ink line or drawing talismans, he excelled. He mastered divination and swordplay alike. Despite being the last to join, his status rivaled that of the most senior disciple. He worked with Uncle Jiu to subdue countless ghosts and suppress zombies.
Recently, Uncle Jiu had been thinking of contacting his senior brother, Shi Jian, to teach Makiya the Lightning Style.
"Uncle Jiu, huh? I really liked him when I watched the movies," Ninja World Makiya said, narrowing his eyes. "Wencai and Qiusheng are still that unreliable? How do you stand them?"
"Problem not big. Since I started learning the Taoist arts, they haven't been able to screw Master over," Zombie World Makiya grinned. "I just treat them like two idle mouths to feed. I don't bring them along when I'm out exorcising demons."
In high-level encounters, the worst thing is a pig teammate. As Makiya grew more capable, Uncle Jiu preferred taking him along rather than the two who only caused trouble.
"I was startled when I first entered this space. I thought I'd gone to the Underworld early," Zombie World Makiya said, flicking his sleeves. "Even though I'm technically part of the 'system' now, who'd want to go to the land of the dead if they could stay in the land of the living?"
Navy Makiya suddenly thought of something. "Does that mean you're going to get a promotion when you go back?"
"I doubt a simple increase in strength will get me a promotion," Zombie World Makiya laughed. "It mostly depends on whether the ancestors agree. My world has big shots above and below; it's a complete hierarchy."
At this point, Wuxia Fusion World Makiya looked at the black-clad Makiya with a sigh. "Based on your outfit, I thought you were from a martial arts world like mine. I didn't expect it to be an upgraded version. Honestly, your place sounds way too dangerous. How have you survived all these years?"
The black-clad Makiya gave a relaxed smile. "The past is like the wind—nothing but a bit of frost."
He might look like a martial artist, but he was actually a cultivator. The world he transmigrated into was a heavyweight: Liao Zhai!
Social unrest, suffering people, rampant demons, constant disasters, and widespread resentment. In this world, the gods and Buddhas had turned their backs on humanity.
Against this backdrop, Makiya was born into a wealthy family, a prominent clan known for miles around. It was said their ancestors included a top scholar, and some rumored they were powerful martial artists, but his parents remained tight-lipped about it.
At two and a half years old, Makiya broke through the 'confusion of the womb,' remembering his past life. He became a famous child prodigy in the area, his reputation soaring.
In the hierarchy of social classes, status was clear. Scholarly pursuits were held above all else. His family fully supported his goal of gaining an official post, hoping to restore their ancestral glory.
With a comfortable life and beautiful concubines to accompany him, Makiya had only one task: to study.
He was quite successful. His excellent memory allowed him to master the thirteen classics, and he could write essays and policy critiques with ease. Occasionally, he'd plagiarize a poem to show off his literary talent, enjoying a time of great success.
His fame spread far and wide through merchants. Eventually, a high-ranking official took notice and wished to marry his beautiful daughter to him.
They were a perfect match in talent, looks, and status. On their wedding day, guests filled the house, and everyone was envious.
That night, after the guests left and Makiya shared the ceremonial wine with his bride, she suddenly tore off her skin, revealing hideous mandibles and claws.
The bride was actually a Centipede Demon!
Screams from the courtyard reached Makiya's ears. The Centipede Demons disguised as servants were carrying out a massacre in the Maki estate. Strangely, just a wall away on the street, passersby noticed nothing wrong.
The bride didn't seem in a hurry to eat Makiya. She dragged him to the door, forcing him to watch his relatives being slaughtered, while she repeatedly demanded to know where 'the box' was.
Makiya had no idea about any box. He could only watch as his family fell one by one, his eyes nearly bursting with rage.
At the critical moment, ten thousand points of golden light descended from the sky. Countless swords, carrying a brilliant righteous aura, pinned the Centipede Demons to the ground.
The bride could not escape death either. A bearded giant of a man, smelling of wine, appeared beside Makiya. Without any visible movement, the countless flying swords merged into a single streak of light, slicing the bride in two. The massive centipede corpse crushed the support pillars, and the main house collapsed, burying everything.
The bearded man was Yan Chixia.
Yan Chixia didn't say much. He just took a swig of wine, muttering that he arrived a step late. He recalled the flying swords, which transformed into a single blade that slid back into its sheath. Then, he helped Makiya search the estate for survivors.
Makiya's parents luckily survived, but the tragedy took its toll. His mother was left traumatized and delirious, while his father's hair turned white overnight, his spirit broken.
Yan Chixia asked Makiya if he wanted to cultivate with him. Worried about his parents, Makiya politely declined.
From then on, the Maki family's fortunes declined. Fearing further retaliation, they changed their names and moved to a small mountain village to live in seclusion. Life was simple, far from their former glory, but still better than that of the average peasant.
After two years of caring for them, his parents passed away. Before dying, his father took Makiya's hand and gave him a small wooden box and an ancient book.
On the night of the funeral, Yan Chixia appeared once more and extended his invitation.
This time, Makiya did not refuse. He resolutely sold all his property and followed Yan Chixia to travel the world, exorcising demons and defending the right.
Inside the small box were nine wooden swords. The words 'Empty' and 'Void' were carved on the outside. The cover of the ancient book bore four large characters: The Empty Sword Manual.
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