Mortal Mirror

Heaven Sword City wasn't large, merely a mid-sized city with a population of several tens of thousands.

The southern part of the city was dilapidated, featuring an old street called Muddy Lane. Whenever it was overcast or rainy, this area, being low-lying, became incredibly muddy. Anyone who went in or out would be covered in mud, hence the name Muddy Lane.

Needless to say, those who lived there were extremely poor.

In a dilapidated old house with drafts coming from all sides, the door was suddenly pushed open, and a burly, stout woman entered.

She looked at the disheveled teenager on the bed with disdain, saying, "Always playing dead. Let me tell you, we're almost out of food. Even if you have to crawl, you need to go work and earn money. Otherwise, you and that old geezer can both get out!"

The teenager didn't speak, but there was pain in his eyes. He ignored the woman and grabbed a dirty, broken bowl. The contents of the bowl looked like pig slop and even smelled sour.

Without any hesitation, he grabbed it and stuffed it into his mouth, looking utterly wretched.

Seeing this, the woman's eyes flashed with malice. "Eat, eat, eat! Why don't you eat yourself to death, you good-for-nothing!"

With a twist of her waist, she turned and left.

Then, with a loud bang, the dilapidated wooden door was slammed shut.

As the teenager ate, tears streamed down his face. He was just too hungry. Three days, a full three days without a single bite of food. So, no matter how bad the contents of this bowl were, even if it was inedible, he had to eat it. He had to survive. He firmly believed that one day he would make something of himself.

The teenager was fifteen years old this year, named Li Muzhen. Strange, isn't it, that such a poor family would have a name? It was just that when his old man picked him up, he already had a name.

That year, during a heavy snow, his dad, Li the Cripple, went out and saw a small basket with a baby crying inside. The baby's face was blue from the cold and would have died if not for Li the Cripple. Inside the small basket, there was also a note.

It contained the baby's birth date and name, but nothing else. That was the teenager's brief background.

He didn't know why his biological parents had abandoned him; he only knew that he hated them in his heart.

The teenager struggled to get up. It was evident that the teenager’s left leg was severely swollen, turning purplish-blue. Because he had eaten a little food, the teenager finally had some strength.

He pushed open the door, wanting to see where his lame old dad had gone. He hadn't seen him since he got injured.

Li the Cripple had his own son, who was Li Muzhen's older brother. That stout woman was his older brother's wife. She was a shrewish and unreasonable woman. His older brother, Li Tiezhu, although tall and strong, was afraid of this woman.

Li Muzhen was annoyed, but his dad, Li the Cripple, was still counting on the woman to carry on the family line, so he kept giving in. Now, it was all for naught; this woman was ruling the roost at home and becoming increasingly excessive.

She didn't treat him and his dad like human beings. Several times, he had wanted to take his dad and live separately, but his dad would always say that the woman was his son, his root.

If I leave, wouldn't I be without roots? At least, let me see my future grandson.

Li Muzhen had no choice but to endure with his dad, giving all the money he earned to the woman to manage. A few days ago, he was carrying stone materials when the cart-pulling horse got spooked, and a boulder fell, hitting his leg before he could dodge.

That venomous woman wouldn't even give him food. If it weren't for his dad, he would have left this family long ago.

Filled with resentment, he limped toward the main house, searching around, but he couldn't find anyone. He didn't know where the whole family had gone.

Just then, a sharp pain struck him. He looked at his lower leg; the swelling was even worse. If he didn't get treatment soon, he might end up disabled. Although he had been injured before, none were as severe as this time.

To be honest, he was a little scared. If his leg was ruined, he would really be done for.

But he didn't have a single coin in his pocket. Walking out of the dilapidated Muddy Lane, the houses ahead suddenly became orderly, and there was no longer the disgusting muddy smell of Muddy Lane.

Although it was only a street away, it felt like two different worlds.

Although Li Muzhen was only sixteen years old, he was tall, but long-term malnutrition made him extremely thin. There wasn't much meat on his body, as if a skeleton was covered with a layer of skin.

Many passersby looked at him with disdain.

As he walked, he pondered how to ask the pharmacy owner for some medicine on credit.

There were several pharmacies in the city, all on the main street. He usually didn't like going there. Why? Because his clothes were tattered and dirty, not much better than a beggar's. Every time he went to the street, he would attract a lot of scornful glances.

Although he was poor, he was very clever. When he was young, he would sneak to the outside of the school, climb the old willow tree, and eavesdrop on the teacher's lessons.

He could remember everything the teachers said after hearing it once, and he understood many great principles. But after he turned ten, after his older brother got married, he lived a life worse than a beast of burden.

That shrewish woman would find him several jobs to do, leaving him no time to rest. If it weren't for his old man, Liu the Cripple, he would have quit long ago.

However, he was a grateful person. Although he knew he was adopted, he knew even more that the grace of upbringing was greater than heaven. He couldn't abandon his dad; he couldn't do such a thing.

All the way, he suffered the scornful gazes of various passersby. Some people even avoided him when they saw him.

He could only limp along with his head down, not daring to look up at the crowd. To be honest, sometimes he really wanted to cry out loud.

Just as he was preoccupied with his thoughts, he felt a strong force coming at him, and then he heard a cry of "Ouch!" He had bumped into someone.

He quickly looked up and saw a girl as beautiful as a fairy, with an annoyed expression on her face, staring at him.

Beside her was a handsome, tall man who was also looking at him with displeasure.

The man and the girl were dressed gorgeously, obviously not ordinary people. Seeing that he had caused trouble, he became frightened and didn't know what to do.

At this time, a large group of people gathered around, pointing fingers at him. Some were cursing, some were shouting for him to pay compensation. Anyway, they all looked at him with disdain, as if hoping he would be more unlucky.

Just as he was afraid that the two would ask him to pay compensation, he heard the girl suddenly say, "Oh, you're seriously injured. If this continues, I'm afraid this leg can't be saved."

He raised his head and looked at the girl with slight surprise. He looked at the girl in disbelief. The girl's initial annoyance had turned into a look of concern.

Then, the girl came to his side, not minding the smell on his body, not minding his dirty body, and stretched out a jade-like palm, touching the area on his leg.

At that moment, he couldn't help but tremble all over, his eyes filled with astonishment.