Naturally, for ordinary people, it’s impossible to distinguish truth from falsehood in these matters; most just read them as myths or legends. However, as long as one cultivates, one can master great power—this, at least, is no lie.

At the very least, Ethan Brooks’s father, Owen Brooks, is a powerful cultivator, the number one expert in Luofeng City. His cultivation is formidable, and it’s said he’s not far from the legendary Martial God realm. Lifting a ten-thousand-jin boulder is nothing to him.

His understanding of martial arts is almost identical to that of his previous life, though some realm names differ slightly. In fact, he knows even more and in greater detail, because in his past life, he was a peerless powerhouse surpassing even the gods.

It’s just a pity that he doesn’t know where this Tiandu Continent is located. According to his understanding, it’s still within the myriad domains of the heavens.

But the myriad domains are so vast that even someone as strong as he was in his previous life couldn’t traverse them all, let alone in this life.

Only by becoming strong can he leave this Tiandu Continent.

Unfortunately, his current cultivation—after sensing it—is only at the third level of the Postnatal Realm!

Such cultivation is only a bit stronger than an ordinary person. In the Postnatal Realm, the first three levels mainly temper the muscles and bones, strengthen the body, and make one a bit stronger than most people. Only from the fourth level onward does one become truly powerful.

After sensing this cultivation, even Ethan Brooks couldn’t help but be speechless. Reaching only the third level of the Postnatal Realm at sixteen years old—if not a cultivation cripple, it’s close enough.

No wonder, in his memories, he was often scolded as the trash of the Ye family. Even the servants and maids didn’t think much of him.

Those clan members were even more blatant in their ridicule and sarcasm.

Although he was the son of the city lord and family head, because of his cultivation, his status in this strength-oriented world was not high.

However, one thing is worth mentioning: his current self is only at the third level of the Postnatal Realm, but his former self—

The youngest Innate expert in the history of the Xiafeng Kingdom, a peerless genius who reached the Innate Realm at thirteen!

Chapter 3 Olivia Harris

When the initial memory fusion occurred and he learned of this, even Ethan Brooks, who had been a supreme being in his previous life, couldn’t help but gasp in shock.

An Innate expert at thirteen—what a monstrous talent that is.

Even geniuses with decent talent usually only reach the Innate Realm after the age of twenty, and that’s already a prodigy who draws the attention of the entire Tiandu Continent.

An Innate expert at thirteen… if not the first in the history of the Tiandu Continent, it’s close enough.

And this was just the son of a city lord in an ordinary, medium-sized kingdom, without the vast cultivation resources of those ancient holy lands that could move even great nations. He reached this level through his own efforts—such talent is truly monstrous.

So, his former self was such a monstrous genius, but why, upon awakening, had he become only at the third level of the Postnatal Realm?

This was the strangest thing, and it puzzled him.

As his memories continued to merge, Ethan Brooks gradually learned the whole reason. At the age of fourteen, when he was hailed as the most outstanding genius in the Xiafeng Kingdom, he participated in the so-called King’s Ancient Road Trial, the pinnacle event for the younger generation of the Tiandu Continent.

This was a trial road that only the most outstanding geniuses were qualified to take.

Back then, “Ethan Brooks” was qualified, but he encountered a lifelong nemesis—an exceptionally gifted and powerful opponent—who shattered “Ethan Brooks”’s dantian, abolishing years of painstaking cultivation and expelling him from the Ancient Road.

The dantian is the main area where a cultivator stores power. Once it’s broken, all cultivation is lost and cannot be restored, unless a legendary god intervenes or a celestial pill is taken.

Unfortunately, his former self was not so lucky. Almost all his cultivation was destroyed, with only a trace of power left in his body, leaving him at the third level of the Postnatal Realm, unable to advance any further.

From then on, “Ethan Brooks” fell from the glorious pedestal of genius, never to recover, and became a cripple abandoned and scorned by the world.

Such a blow would drive anyone mad. No matter how good his temperament was, he couldn’t withstand it and thus fell into despair, never again displaying the brilliance of a once-proud genius.

His recent suicide attempt was, in fact, partly because of this.

“So there was such a story.” Ethan Brooks sighed, more or less understanding the cause and effect.

Once a peerless genius admired by all, he was sabotaged on the King’s Ancient Road, his cultivation destroyed in a day, and he became a cripple, falling into despair.

Moreover, the world’s scorn—from worship and admiration to contempt and disdain, from heaven to hell—the gap was immense. After merging memories, he could feel the pain of such a blow. It was excruciating, and how many in this world could endure it?

No wonder his former self fell into despair before awakening in this life.

It was at this moment that Olivia Harris appeared.

At that time, “Ethan Brooks” was in deep pain, unable to bear the blow. He had rushed out like a madman, arriving at the lakeshore outside the city, where he knelt on the ground, crying out in agony, weeping bitterly, and cursing the heavens for treating him so cruelly.

He was in utter despair and wanted to throw himself into the lake to end his life.

At that moment, a graceful and beautiful figure appeared. Her black hair cascaded like a waterfall, her features were delicate and lovely, and she wore a simple white dress, drifting toward him like a fairy.