The evening sun slowly sets in the east, leaving a beautiful and enchanting red hue on the mountain surface, illuminating the crops and villagers alike.

The cheerful sounds of the village kids playing with each other.

The site of village warriors returning to the village with a huge haul. This is one of the richest profession in the village. But benefits and risks go hand in hand. The world outside the village is filled with ferocious beasts that are fatal to humans.

There were also many village maidens filling water in their vats and bringing them to their homes to quench the thirst of their families.

These scenes fell in Gohan's eyes as he helped his father to stock the harvested crop.

In front of him was a huge bundle of a reddish brown plant that was shining faintly under the red hue of the setting sun.

These were the Red Earth Seaweeds. The bundle weighed almost 3 kilogrammes. Looking at the harvest, Gohan's father, Old Kai nodded with a satisfied expression.

"Okay, I will send these goods to Lord Gu Master. You will help your mother." 

To Gohan, this was his daily routine. Without any questions, he walked away. 

During the whole process, he did not take the initiative to chat with his own father. His expression remained neutral and calm.

Seeing his son's steady footsteps, Old Kai could only sigh.

"If not for him crying during his birth, I would have thought that he is a mute. It's good that he is diligent, but not socialising is not good for his health."

Old Kai shook his head and placed the bundle on his shoulders before walking towards the outpost erected near the village boundary.

"It's good that he is a decent looking boy. In future, as long as he can earn a steady income, his life should be easy."

Old Kai was definitely a man who has earned his own share of hardships. But these hardships and hurdles created a mental blockade that reduced his ambitions, making him satisfied living with the status of a slave.

Once ambitious youth turned into a helpless old man!

Really, fate loves to play a cruel joke on people.

Step

Step

Gohan walked as his long shadow followed him. Under the setting sun, his whole body felt gloomy, unlike his calm and neutral self.

"Gu Masters are the trend of this world. Without any Gu cultivation, mortals can only serve the purpose of slaves to be ordered. Yet, mortals live this purpose without any questions."

Gohan looked thoughtful before letting out a rare smile.

"But this is what makes things interesting. A world where a bigger shark eats a weak fish. A society based on power, instead of laws."

He raised his head as his deep black pupils resembled an ancient abyss.

"In previous life, I had to take care of people. I had to restrict myself, this caused me to grow rebellious, leading my path of terrorism. But now, terrorism is the orthodox path of this world. A world where morality holds no meaning."

He took a deep breath and looked towards his house. He could see his mother walking inside the house with a vat between her waist and hand.

"A world where Benefits are Eternal." 

***

In the small hut, Gohan laid on his bedding. His eyes gazing at the twinkling stars illuminating the night sky. The dark clouds covering the moon looked especially gloomy, making him recall the last day of his previous life.

He put his hand behind his bed and sighed lightly. In front of the world and his parents, his face was covered with a neutral expression. 

To him, these people who have lost their ambitions weren't worth communicating to. This also included his parents.

Thinking about his current parents, some depressing memories about his previous family emerged from the corner of his mind.

"Hu hu, family! What a family! One Family treats you like a slave and one teaches you the methods of the slave. I guess, my luck with blood relationship really blows!"

Thinking of this Gohan couldn't help but chuckle in a self-deprecating manner. But his gaze held a tiny sliver of hope.

"Gu cultivation is the only path. Without cultivation, all I amount to is livestock, ready to be butchered."

Thinking of this, he started remembering the stories spoke by his mother. 

Even though the Gu Masters and the Mortals are worlds apart, the method of gu cultivation is a piece of public knowledge.

"The world was inhabited by monsters and Gu worms alike. But during the growth of the world, the first Human– The Human Ancestor walked the world filled with treacherous monsters and lived a simple life."

"Everyday, he would eat raw flesh and drink blood to satiate himself. His lifestyle coarse and brutal. His methods vicious and instinctive."

"But such a lifestyle couldn't be afforded as a particular group of beasts started tailing the Human Ancestor."

"These beasts were known as Predicaments. They emerged in various sizes and shapes. Each had different abilities. But they all had a common feature."

"They loved the flesh of the human ancestor and were addicted to the taste of his blood."

"Finally cornered, the human Ancestor had one decisive battle against the group of Predicament Beasts, leading to his demise."

"On his deathbed, the Human Ancestor was approached by three balls of light."

"Oh, Human! Use us. We can help you solve your problems. But we will take your life in exchange."

"These balls of lights were Gu worms that approached the Human Ancestor. Left with no choice, the Human Ancestor agreed to the Gu Worms and he selected the biggest ball of light."

"Oh, human! My name is Strength and I can provide you with the power to defeat the Predicaments."

"Since that day, the Human Ancestor turned a brutal savage that attacked and killed the beasts and lived a healthy life. He used the Strength Gu continuously and in return, he paid his youth to the Gu, turning into a middle-aged man."

"But one day, he encountered trouble. The Human Ancestor realised that he couldn't defeat every Predicament through Strength alone. He realised that with strength alone, he wouldn't be able to defeat large groups of Predicaments."

"So, he went to seek the other two Gus."

"Oh, human! I can help you solve your problems and defeat large groups of Predicaments. In return, I want your life."

"So, the Human Ancestor picked the most beautiful light out of the two balls of light."

"Oh, Human! I am Wisdom and my power can help you solve your troubles."

"From that day forward, the Human Ancestor started hunting the Predicaments and other beasts. He was quickly known throughout the world."

"But such a life did not last long. To use the Wisdom, he lost his Middle-Age and he became an Old man."

"His muscles started to rot, unable to hold the power provided by the Strength Gu."

"His mind started to lose its mental capacity, unable to gain any Wisdom."

"So came the destined day when the Human Ancestor was defeated by a group of Predicament."

"Oh, Human! You have given me your youth. You have nothing else to provide me, I am leaving."

Said the Strength Gu.

"Oh, Human! You have sacrificed your Middle-Age. You have nothing left to pay me. I am leaving, too."

Said the Wisdom Gu.

"Driven to desperation by the abandoning of the Strength Gu and Wisdom Gu, the Human Ancestor accepted his fate."

"Before his death, the remaining ball of weak light approached the Human Ancestor."

"Oh, Human! Use me. I can solve your problems."

Said the Gu.

"Oh, Gu! I have nothing else to provide you. I have lost my lifespan. You should leave before the Predicaments attack you."

Human Ancestor was depressed.

"Human, I do not require your life. I simply require your heart."

The weak ball of light spoke out once more.

"The Human Ancestor hesitated before nodding. After all, what else could he lose."

"So, the Human Ancestor picked up the ball of light with shaky hands and placed it inside his heart."

"The moment the ball of light entered his heart, the light started to shine brighter and brighter and turned like a raging inferno."

"Human, I am named Hope. With me, you can solve all your difficulties."

"Run, we Predicaments are most afraid of Hope. Run away and save your lives."

"From that day forward, all the Predicament beasts avoided the Human Ancestor. Making his life easier."

***

"Sigh, without Gu Cultivation, the Predicaments of life will eventually drown a human to despair and demise. Only with Cultivation can one overcome his predicaments and earn the qualifications of immortality."

Gohan sighed. 

The Legends of Human Ancestor was deep and the lessons given by this fairy tale is absolutely immeasurable. 

Nobody knows if these legendary Gus mentioned in the story exist in reality, but these stories depict the foundation of humanity.

Unknown to Gohan, the midnight had already struck and his eyes started to feel heavy.

Every day, he would ponder on the Legends of Human Ancestor and each time, he would earn various gains.

But today, something different happened.

Before he could sleep, a light emerged from his chest region. The area where his heart is located.

The light started to get brighter and brighter and entered his body, flowing towards the region below his navel.

Feeling a warm sensation, Gohan's eyes widened in surprise and he looked at the strange scene in utter silence. 

Suddenly, his figure trembled as he felt a violent pain in the region between his kidneys. A strange pressure started to build in this region of the body, causing Gohan's body to go limp with pain. 

His expression still remained neutral, but his complexity had turned pale.

Bang!

A sound emerged within his body and his expression finally eased.

Slowly, the strange glow receded back inside his heart and he looked around in confusion.

"Is it-"

Thinking of a possibility, he immediately sat in a meditative position and he could feel his will reaching out to a new existence within his body. 

It was infinitely large and also small at the same time. It was a mysterious region formed in between his kidneys and below his navel.

His mind entered this region and he saw a large spherical area covered by a thin film of light. The entire area was filled with a deep sea that was copper green in colour. 

Seeing the whole sphere filled with the green copper sea-like existence, Gohan's body and mind shuddered.

Today, Gohan turned 15 years old.

Today, Gohan earned his qualifications of immortality— An Aperture.

***

Western Qi Mountain.

This mountain was shared by two Gu Families. 

Kame Family and Crane Family.

Kame Family Village.

Thud

Thud

Thud

Unlike the ordinary gentle knocks, the subordinates actually started to beat his door.

Thinking of this, the middle-aged man with white sideburns got furious and ordered the person to come in.

"Reporting to the Clan Head, a strange situation occurred in one of the mortal village controlled by the family."

Before the Clan Head could shout and reprimand the subordinate, he knelt and reported.

"What do you mean?" The clan head frowned. From the body language of the subordinate, he had a faint premonition that this was something big.

"The Village youths are found to have their Apertures formed mysteriously."

"What? This situation... is too strange. How many youths have opened their Apertures?"

The answer made the Clan Head jump out of his seat.

"All the youths have opened their Apertures."

******

Ps: I know that sun sets in west, but this is a different world and the rotation is changed