In Qingyan Town on the Xuanling Continent lives a boy named Zhang Waizui. Born with a crooked mouth, he is often mocked and bullied by the town's children. But Zhang Waizui dreams of cultivating immortality. He longs to escape his fate as an object of scorn and one day become a powerful figure whom everyone respects.
One day, while gathering herbs in the mountains, Zhang Waizui accidentally falls into a mysterious valley. Strange mist fills the valley, and bizarre rock formations surround him. In a cave, he discovers an old, unadorned manual that glows faintly. Four ancient characters are carved across its cover: The Immortal Canon of Lingxiao.
Overjoyed, Zhang Waizui eagerly opens the manual and begins to study it. It records a unique path to immortality, entirely unlike the cultivation methods he has heard about before. Following its instructions, he begins drawing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth into his body and practicing the circulation of spiritual energy. At first, the path is incredibly difficult. The energy surges through his body, leaving him drenched in cold sweat from the pain, but Zhang Waizui grits his teeth and perseveres through sheer willpower.
As time passes, Zhang Waizui gradually learns to control the spiritual energy, successfully condenses a seed of spiritual power, and takes the first step on the path to immortality: the Qi Refining stage. He decides to leave Qingyan Town and travel to the Lingxiao Sect, where cultivators gather, in search of deeper knowledge and greater opportunities.
The Lingxiao Sect's towering gates are wreathed in clouds and mist. Standing before them, Zhang Waizui is filled with nervousness and anticipation. Yet when he explains why he has come and asks to join the sect, many disciples mock him and bar his way.
“With a crooked mouth like yours, you think you can join the Lingxiao Sect? Keep dreaming!” sneers a sharp-faced outer disciple.
