MTLNOVEL Chapter 1 - The Fallen Prodigy – Bai Chen
Chapter 1: The Fallen Prodigy – Bai Chen
Tongfu Inn.
“Old Bai, another plate of peanuts!”
A patron drinking leisurely called out without even lifting his head.
“Coming right up!”
Bai Zhantang, who was busy tending to other customers, responded without hesitation.
He then stepped toward the kitchen area and shouted loudly, “Big Mouth, one more plate of peanuts!”
[Bai Zhantang (白展堂): Literally “White Display Hall,” suggesting grace and openness.]
At that moment, a young man in a white robe slowly entered the inn. Bai Zhantang’s pupils contracted for a brief second as he caught sight of the newcomer, but he quickly regained his composure and hurried over with a beaming smile.
“Brother Bai, the usual?”
His expression carried a hint of flattery, his voice full of cheer.
“The usual.”
Bai Chen nodded, the faint trace of a smile appearing on his face as he regarded the man who was once the notorious “Saint of Thieves.”
[Bái Chén (白尘) can be interpreted as: “White Dust” or “Pure Dust.” The name conveys a sense of elegance and humility.]
“Got it!” Bai Zhantang called out as he sprinted toward the kitchen.
Bai Chen shrugged, his smile unwavering, as he casually found himself a seat.
“Looking at Old Bai now…”
“Even if I told others he was once the ‘Saint of Thieves,’ I doubt anyone would believe me.”
As Bai Zhantang bustled about, Bai Chen thought this to himself with a hint of mischievous delight.
Bai Chen, a transmigrator.
Twenty-four years ago, he had inexplicably arrived in this world.
Not long after his birth, he became aware of the existence of the Jinyiwei. At that time, he naively believed he had been transported into a historical setting resembling the Ming Dynasty.
[Jinyiwei (锦衣卫, Jǐn Yī Wèi): The Embroidered Uniform Guard, a Ming Dynasty secret police force.]
That illusion was shattered when, at the age of three, he witnessed a Jinyiwei leaping more than ten meters into the air with a single bound.
He was stunned.
A leap of ten meters? Is that even possible?
From that moment, Bai Chen realised this world was anything but ordinary.
Its martial prowess, in particular, was utterly extraordinary.
As he grew older, Bai Chen learned more about his surroundings. This world was several times larger than the one he knew before his transmigration. It was divided into five major continents, each ruled by a powerful dynasty:
The Ming Dynasty (明朝, Míng Cháo), ruled by Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang (朱元璋), governed Zhongzhou (中州, “Central Continent”).
To the east lay the Qin Dynasty (秦朝, Qín Cháo), where Emperor Ying Zheng (嬴政) unified Dongzhou (东洲, “Eastern Continent”).
Southward was the Sui Dynasty (隋朝, Suí Cháo), ruled by Yang Guang (杨广) after Emperor Yang Jian’s (杨坚) death.
The Song Dynasty (宋朝, Sòng Cháo) occupied the west, established by Zhao Kuangyin (赵匡胤).
To the north lay the Yuan Dynasty (元朝, Yuán Cháo), where Emperor Kublai Khan (忽必烈, Hū Bì Liè) harboured grand ambitions.
When Bai Chen pieced together this information, he was bewildered. These dynasties, which should have existed in separate timelines, coexisted here. The sheer absurdity of it was mind-boggling.
But soon, the emergence of martial sects like Shaolin (少林, Shàolín), Wudang (武当, Wǔdāng), and Quanzhen (全真, Quánzhēn), among others, diverted his attention. Even schools he had only heard of in legends, like the Hundred Schools of Thought (诸子百家, Zhū Zǐ Bǎi Jiā), were present.
[Shaolin, Wudang, Quanzhen, Hundred Schools of Thought: Renowned martial arts and philosophical schools in Chinese culture.]
For Bai Chen, martial arts were an exhilarating novelty. Having been an ordinary person in his previous life, he resolved at a young age to train diligently and strive to become a top-tier martial artist.
Perhaps due to his transmigrator status, Bai Chen was exceptionally gifted. His affluent family spared no effort to support his aspirations, gathering numerous martial manuals and resources for him.
At the age of eight, Bai Chen cultivated his first strand of inner strength, stepping into the Houtian (后天, “Postnatal”) realm. By eleven, his inner strength had evolved into Xiantian (先天, “Innate”) true qi, marking his entry into the Xiantian realm. Five years later, at sixteen, he reached the Zhi Xuan (指玄, “Finger Profound”) stage and became a Grandmaster.
[Qì (气/氣): Means “air, energy, spirit, breath.” A fundamental concept in Chinese philosophy, martial arts, and medicine, representing life force or energy.]
[Houtian (后天) & Xiantian (先天): Martial cultivation stages in Chinese martial arts novels. Houtian literally translates to “Postnatal”; and Xiantian, to “innate]
[Zhi Xuan (指玄) which can mean “finger profound” is a fictional martial stage symbolizing profound mastery.]
Bai Chen’s achievements filled his parents with pride. However, their joy was short-lived. His parents, already nearing forty when he was born, succumbed to old age despite his efforts to extend their lives with his qi. By the time he turned eighteen, both had passed away.
After three years of mourning, Bai Chen left his hometown of Qixia Town (七侠镇, Qī Xiá Zhèn) to roam the martial world. Along the way, he encountered many “familiar” figures, including Bai Zhantang, once the “Saint of Thieves.”
Three months ago, as a Tianxiang Grandmaster, Bai Chen confronted a demonic Grandmaster massacring a village. Though he managed to defeat the enemy, he suffered grave injuries, damaging his martial foundation.
[Tianxiang (天象) literally means “Heavenly phenomenon,” It is a high martial realm, often denoting mastery over nature-like phenomena.]
With no hope of further breakthroughs, Bai Chen returned to his hometown. To his surprise, the place had changed dramatically, even adopting a new name: Seven Heroes Town.
Since reuniting with Bai Zhantang, Bai Chen had become a frequent patron of Tongfu Inn.
“Perhaps leaving the bloodshed behind to live a quiet life isn’t so bad,” he murmured with a faint smile.
“But why does a part of me remain unwilling to let go?”