Chapter One: Sixteen Years in a Fist

　　“Sixteen years. I can finally get out!”

　　Staring at the mysterious portal before him—neither stone, wood, metal, nor earth, and at times even seeming illusory—Chad Sullivan’s face was shrouded in a chilling, terrifying sharpness, like ancient, unyielding ice! This was the result of a punch forged over sixteen years, unmatched in its ferocity.

　　Bang!

　　A huge boom echoed amidst dazzling waves of brilliance.

　　“Ghost!” The hundreds gathered in the The Carter Family ancestral hall were startled, and a shrill scream spread like a plague to the street outside, causing passersby to stop, crane their necks, and look with envy at the grand, lion-like, imposing mansion.

　　“Damn!”

　　“This way of making an entrance is a bit... ‘special’...”

　　Brian Sullivan looked around, speechless, because he found himself lying in a coffin.

　　Still, the burial goods were quite lavish. The cat’s-eye gems, jadeite, and all sorts of glittering gold and silver—things he could only drool over behind glass at the Palace Museum in his previous life—were right at his side, cool and smooth to the touch, exuding wealth.

　　“At least, I must have transmigrated into the body of a dead man from a wealthy family. My surname is Shen—could the original owner of this body be... the son of George Sullivan? A rich second generation...”

　　Brian Sullivan fantasized for a moment, but an imposing voice from outside rudely interrupted his reverie: “What are you screaming for? In broad daylight, under the clear sky, where’s the ghost? That was thunder from the heavens, blessing our The Carter Family’s third young master for his virtuous deeds and spirit ascending to heaven.”

　　“Virtuous deeds? He was clearly angered to death.”

　　At this moment, an ill-timed mutter came from a corner of the ancestral hall. It was a typical middle-class man, wearing a green official’s hat and a purple silk robe.

　　“That’s right! This William Carter really is ‘unlucky.’

　　Though born of the second wife, who would have thought he’d be the most favored in the family? Heaven really didn’t treat him badly.

　　But he was frail and sickly since childhood, and as stubborn as a bull.

　　Sixteen years ago, when he was born, Edward Carter, his father, happily had the maids bring a pile of items for him to pick from, hoping for a good omen.

　　Who knew, out of all the gold, silver, treasures, divine weapons, and spiritual materials, he ignored them all and stubbornly chose the ‘Great Freedom Karma Sitting Meditation Sutra.’

　　Nearly drove his father half mad. The kid clung to that damn ‘Karma Sutra’ and wouldn’t let go—was he planning to become a monk?” another slightly hoarse voice snickered quietly.

　　“Exactly. That lousy sutra was immediately tossed aside by Edward Carter.

　　He even tried to give him his own Longquan Sword.

　　But William Carter just wouldn’t take it. Without the sutra, he cried nonstop for three days and nights, until his throat bled.

　　And his crying was especially loud, like thunder, making life in the The Carter Family unbearable.

　　In the end, Edward Carter was so tormented he had to pick up the sutra and give it back to him.

　　Who knew, the moment the kid got the sutra, he broke into a huge smile.

　　From then on, he clung to that book, muttering to himself, reading like a fool for sixteen years.

　　But everyone knows, this so-called ‘Great Freedom Karma Sitting Meditation Sutra’ is garbage, a dime a dozen.

　　Monks in temples recite it absentmindedly for fun. It’s nothing like the ‘Perfect Penetration Sitting Meditation Sutra’ from the ‘Great Thunderclap Temple’ that can actually be used to cultivate martial arts,” said the man in the green official’s hat.

　　“Yeah, and as a result, he neglected the The Carter Family’s ‘Luoyu Technique.’

　　Even now, he hasn’t managed to reach perfection in the body-forging stage, the ‘Cangyue Realm,’ so he can’t shake his spirit or open the ‘Heaven’s Gate.’

　　And the kid’s a bit slow.

　　So weak, yet he fell for Grace Turner, who also studied at Haian Academy.

　　A few days ago, he saw his girl hanging out with The Thompson Family’s fourth son, David Thompson, from one of the three great families of Tianyang County.

　　They got into a fight over it, and of course he was beaten badly, came home, and died coughing up blood.

　　Like an egg hitting a rock—pitiful, lamentable, and sad,” the hoarse voice sighed and shook his head.

　　“That Grace Turner isn’t any good either. As the belle of Haian Academy, how could she fancy a loser like William Carter?

　　She just wanted to use him, scam some money for her cultivation. Once she met David Thompson, she kicked that loser aside.

　　Truly pitiful. That loser probably died without ever figuring things out—a confused ghost even in death.” The man in green shook his head and stroked his chin.

　　“Damn!”

　　“So I’m not George Sullivan’s... son, but a total loser!” Brian Sullivan was a bit frustrated. Reaching out, he found the ‘Great Freedom Karma Sitting Meditation Sutra’—seems the old man still treated him well, hadn’t forgotten his ‘favorite.’