chapter 1 Beauty in distress

In the scorching summer, the sun blazed overhead, the relentless heat causing cracks to form on the ground. Cabin Huang walked towards the outskirts of the village, backpack in hand.

Mocking voices trailed behind him.

"This kid probably ran out of money for booze, heading to the seaside for clamming, I bet."

"It's high noon, not low tide yet, where's he going for clamming? He's definitely off to meditate somewhere!"

"Hmph, look at him, his pants are so worn they're practically see-through. Can't even afford a new pair. He's heading straight for destitution!"

"Yeah, a guy like him won't even find a wife in his lifetime!"

Cabin turned around, glaring angrily at the group.

His uncles and aunts quieted down, but their disdainful expressions remained.

Cabin was incredibly poor. Besides the three houses and a small courtyard left by his ancestors, he had nothing. However, Cabin wasn't troubled by this. During his time serving in the border, he acquired a peculiar book called "God Formulas."

For three years after his discharge, he did nothing but occasionally go clamming by the seaside to make a living. The rest of his time was dedicated to practicing the "God Formulas."

The book was a gift from The Zen Master Dawa, a highly respected monk in the border region. He claimed that upon seeing Cabin's extraordinary aura, he recognized him as someone beyond the ordinary and bestowed him with this treasured book.

After giving him the book, The Zen Master Dawa disappeared.

He had been searching for a suitable person to practice the God Formulas. After passing the book to Cabin, he severed his worldly ties and went into seclusion.

According to The Zen Master Dawa, the God Formulas first involved training the blood vessels in the body, opening up the meridians. This would enable one to control the spiritual energy in their body, gradually leveling up, with limitless potential ahead.

Once the Profound Gateway was opened, one could freely utilize the Miracle Cure, Divine Will, and Divine Fight contained in the God Formulas.

As long as one continued to practice and progress step by step, it was impossible for even The Zen Master Dawa to predict what level they would ultimately reach.

Because the God Formulas were meant for those fated to practice, no matter how clever or wise, those without destiny would find it hard to reach the peak.

Cabin couldn't be bothered to deal with the mundane villagers and walked out of the village with his backpack, heading to the nearby woods near Mirror Lake.

The air here was fresh, nestled by the mountains and water, brimming with the essence of heaven and earth—a perfect place for cultivation.

Taking out the parchment book from his backpack, he opened it and read for a while. Then, he sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and entered a deep state of meditation.

The energy within his body seemed like two coiling and dancing dragons, circling back and forth.

For three years, Cabin hadn't taken a day off, not a moment of rest. Today marked exactly three years.

Suddenly, Cabin's heart brightened. Two originally incompatible energies merged into one, unexpectedly opening the Profound Gateway and connecting the meridians.

An elderly voice echoed in the void.

"The first level of the God Formulas has been completed. You can now practice Medical Aspect, allowing you to heal; Divine Fight will serve as self-defense. You need to practice diligently in the future."

Cabin rejoiced, leaping to his feet and looking around, but there was no one in sight.

He felt a surge of energy coursing through his body, filling him with strength.

At that moment, on a small path outside the woods, a tall, beautiful woman with a backpack over her shoulders approached. She wore a checkered shirt open at the front, knotted at her lower abdomen, revealing a peach-colored bra inside.

Her denim shorts were quite avant-garde, wrapping around her shapely, muscular buttocks. Her long legs were bare, their milky whiteness highlighted by the sunlight, exuding a certain sensuality.

She was Dagny Ding, a recently appointed village official in Hushan Village.

Hushan Village was a impoverished place, nestled beneath the towering mountains, surrounded on all sides by rugged terrain. To the south, it bordered the vast sea. The only way in was a treacherous mountain road, making transportation extremely inconvenient. The industrious villagers could go clamming and fishing to supplement their livelihoods, while the lazier ones relied on the few acres of alkaline soil, yielding little harvest throughout the year. As a result, it was known as the poorest village in the entire county.

Dagny, upon becoming the village official here, knew the job wouldn't be easy. However, she had a strong determination and loved a challenge. She aimed to uplift this impoverished place.

Having just returned from town, she walked under the scorching sun, her body radiating heat. She reached down and pulled up the hem of her shirt, wiping away the glistening sweat from her fair face.

Ahead lay Mirror Lake, its waters crystal clear, emanating a misty vapor. When Dagny was in school in the city, she had been the champion of the school swimming team. At the sight of water, she would itch to dive in. Especially in a natural lake like this, swimming freely gave her a sense of returning to her roots!

Taking a look around, it was high noon, and there wasn't a soul on this road. Most likely, the villagers were either gathered under the shade of trees playing cards, or taking midday naps at home. No one would venture out under this scorching sun.

So, Dagny hung her backpack on a small tree. She took off her shirt and denim shorts, laying them on a rock. She was now in a bikini. With a graceful leap, she plunged into Mirror Lake. She moved through the water like a mermaid, feeling instantly refreshed.

With a swift dive, she suddenly felt a loosening sensation in her chest. She reached out, realizing that her bra had come undone. This was a brand-new piece she had spent over a hundred bucks on. She quickly turned back to search for it in the water.

Suddenly, a dark figure appeared in the clear lake water. My goodness, it was a giant python. Judging by its waistline, it could almost rival her thigh in thickness. Dagny didn't waste any more time looking for her bra. She turned back and scrambled to the shore.

Barefoot, she reached the shore, but after a few steps, she felt a sharp pain. She had stepped on a grass thorn and fell to the ground in agony. She suddenly felt a chilling sensation enveloping her. The python had coiled around her. It wound its way up from her calf to her waist. Despite Dagny's punches on the python's tough scales, she couldn't inflict any harm.

Dagny couldn't get up, couldn't run. She knew the next move of the python would be to constrict its body, snapping her bones, and eventually, using her as its meal. She urgently turned her head and called out in despair, "Help! Someone, please!"

At this moment, on the deserted road, there was not a soul in sight. However, in the woods, there was Cabin, who had just broken through the Profound Gateway.

He was currently savoring the benefits brought by the surge of spiritual energy in his body when he heard a woman calling for help. He quickly grabbed his backpack and rushed out.

Seeing a fair maiden entangled with a faintly glowing python by the small lake, he couldn't help but chuckle. "Headman Ding, when you encounter a python, it's best not to provoke it. They usually don't attack people."

Dagny didn't expect to have really attracted someone. She looked up and saw a robust young man standing not far away. He was wearing camouflage shorts, a tank top, and had a military backpack in his hand.

Wasn't this the village's penniless drunkard, Cabin?

Without caring that she was topless, she waved and called out, "Cabin, hurry, save me!"