C1 Men Are Not Allowed to Stay(1)

Zhong Wen had a dream. In it, he encountered a girl flailing in the water. He leapt into the lake without a second thought for his own safety, driven by the desire to play the hero, just this once.

The girl, unable to swim, was in a state of panic. In her frantic struggle, her elbow struck Zhong Wen square in the nose, leaving him reeling. Already a poor swimmer, he promptly forgot everything he knew about staying afloat.

As he sank to the lake's depths, a single thought crossed his mind: "Women are terrifying!"

Then came the suffocation, the biting cold, and an engulfing darkness.

On the brink of freezing, Zhong Wen felt a warm surge flow into him. It meandered through his body, banishing the cold. Before long, he was enveloped in warmth, as if cradled in his mother's embrace.

With his tension eased, he slipped back into unconsciousness.

Time passed, and eventually, Zhong Wen's eyes fluttered open.

"What an excruciatingly long dream," he mused. "It gave me a headache. Thank goodness it wasn't real, or I'd be the butt of every joke. I tried to rescue a drowning beauty, only to be knocked out and drown myself. That would be the talk of the town."

"You're awake!" A soft, soothing voice reached Zhong Wen's ears.

He turned to see a small, adorable girl. She looked to be around eight or nine, with long black hair cascading over her shoulders. Her attire resembled the ancient costumes from TV dramas, yet it was slightly different.

The girl's face lit up with a sweet smile at the sight of Zhong Wen coming to, leaving him spellbound, his heart nearly leaping out of his chest.

"Little girl, who are you?" Zhong Wen asked, certain he'd never met her before. Such a charming child would have been unforgettable.

"I'm Lin Xiaodie, but you can call me Xiaodie. What's your name?" she replied.

"Hello there, Xiaodie. I'm Zhong Wen." As he faced the adorable little girl, Zhong Wen felt no need for caution. Instead, he made a conscious effort to offer her a warm smile.

The reason Zhong Wen was striving for gentleness was the sharp pain in his head, which felt as if it might split open at any moment.

He reached up with his right hand to touch his forehead and, to his relief, found he didn't have a fever. Taking a deep breath, he surveyed his surroundings.

It quickly became clear to him that this was no hospital.

The room's decor was charmingly antique, reminiscent of sets he'd seen on historical TV dramas. Wooden bed, tea table, and desk were all present. An incense burner on the desk wafted a unique scent that seemed to clear the mind. A landscape painting hung on the wall, its style more realistic than abstract, lacking a certain depth of expression.

What truly caught Zhong Wen off guard was the lighting fixture dangling from the ceiling. It was neither a contemporary LED light nor an ancient candle. Instead, it resembled a porcelain basin suspended in the air, cradling a palm-sized, luminous stone that bathed the room in light.

"How do you feel? Is there any pain anywhere in your body?" Lin Xiaodie inquired, her eyes wide with concern.

Zhong Wen mused, "If I could have such a delightful daughter someday, that would be wonderful."

As Zhong Wen sat up, he not only rotated his neck and twisted his waist but also stretched his limbs. Apart from the persistent ache in his head, his body seemed to be functioning normally.

"I'm alright," Zhong Wen replied softly. "Xiaodie, where are we? How did I end up here?"

"You're in the Floating Flower Palace. I brought you here," Xiaodie declared with a hint of pride.

"What?" Zhong Wen was utterly bewildered.

"I thought you were nearly dead when I found you on the mountain behind us. Eventually, it was my Senior Sister who helped me bring you back here, and we had my master tend to your wounds."

Floating Flower Palace? Master? Senior Sister? Healing?

What sort of plot was unfolding here?

Zhong Wen's confusion deepened. "Have I traveled back to ancient times?" he wondered.

His head throbbed mercilessly as he cradled it in his hands, blurting out a question that sounded absurd even to him: "Which dynasty are we in right now?"

"A dynasty? What exactly is a dynasty? Oh, are you referring to the year? It's currently the 296th year of Xingling."

At that moment, Zhong Wen was so groggy he could barely make out Lin Xiaodie's words. Her voice seemed to fluctuate between highs and lows.

Overwhelmed by pain, Zhong Wen let out a sharp cry, "Ah!"

Unable to endure the throbbing in his head any longer, he cried out and then succumbed to unconsciousness once more.

"Zhong Wen! Zhong Wen!" Lin Xiaodie's voice, tinged with urgency, echoed faintly in his ears.

When Zhong Wen came to, daylight had already filled the room. The stone-shaped "lamp" no longer glowed. Sunbeams filtered through the window paper, and the sounds of birds chirping and insects buzzing reached his ears.

Free from the headache, Zhong Wen felt a wave of relief wash over him. He sat up and stretched expansively.

He noticed Lin Xiaodie resting at the edge of his bed, sleeping deeply. Her face was so endearing that he was tempted to gently pinch her cheek.

Not wanting to disturb Lin Xiaodie's slumber, Zhong Wen slipped out of the covers and crept to the room's entrance. He eased the door open, squinting as the bright sunlight struck his face.

"What's this?"

In the brief moment he squinted, a bookshelf materialized before him.

A towering, seven-tiered bookshelf stood before him.

About a meter from the bottom of the bookshelf was a solid panel, adorned with several large characters gleaming in gold.

New Light Library!

A twitch played at the corner of Zhong Wen's mouth, accompanied by an intriguing sense of anticipation.

His eyes soon adjusted to the light, and he peered outside. The door opened onto a spacious courtyard, encircled by structures rich with ancient charm. The courtyard's main gate stood ajar, offering glimpses of a verdant forest. A delicate mist enshrouded everything, lending an ethereal, almost celestial quality to the scene.

He inhaled deeply, the crisp air filling him with an invigorating energy that seemed to pulse through the atmosphere. His spirits soared.

"You're awake!" Lin Xiaodie's voice came from behind him.

"Xiaodie, did you stay by my side all night?" Zhong Wen inquired, turning to see her bright, eager face, which instantly lifted his spirits.

"Yes, you suddenly collapsed yesterday, and it really frightened me," Xiaodie confirmed with a nod before patting her chest, adding, "Thankfully, Third Senior Sister gave you a Minor Rejuvenation Pill."

"Thank you," Zhong Wen expressed, feeling a warmth in his heart, which led him to affectionately pat her head.

"Xiaodie, ever since I woke up, my mind's been foggy. I only remember that my name is Zhong Wen, but everything else seems to be a blur," Zhong Wen fibbed, "Could you fill me in on what's been happening here? It might jog my memory."

"Sure! You're currently in Nanjiang Province of the Great Qian Empire. This place was an ancient ruin discovered by the Grandmaster. He sensed the abundant spiritual energy here and founded the Floating Flower Palace. Our current Sect Master is my teacher," Lin Xiaodie explained, clearly enjoying her conversation with Zhong Wen.

Zhong Wen steered the conversation, quickly getting a grasp on his circumstances within half an hour.

He was certain he had traveled through time and space.

That wasn't the frightening part. The terrifying realization was that his dream of drowning was actually true.

Someone had thrown him to the bottom of a lake, which led to his transmigration.

The thought of his previous life's demise brought on a sudden, overwhelming desire to experience death once more.

"Have you recalled anything?" Lin Xiaodie asked, noticing Zhong Wen's distant gaze and assuming he was struggling to retrieve his memories.

"I'm still feeling a bit woozy," Zhong Wen admitted, regaining his focus. "Do you have any texts about the Great Qian Empire? They might help me."

"In the Library, we mostly have Cultivation Methods and Spirit Skills, medicinal herb manuals, and novels. But Mrs. Wang often brings some old issues of the Great Qian Post for my master. I'll fetch some for you," she said before quickly exiting the room.

She truly had a kind heart.