When the sparks of modern technological civilization fall into the decaying abyss of the late Southern Song, a university professor named Zhou Chengjun becomes the first light to tear through the darkness.
Reborn into a wealthy merchant family in Jiangnan, he uses his astonishing talents to improve winemaking, sugar refining, looms, and farming methods, while wielding the power of firearms.
He had hoped to spend this “corrupt” life in leisure, surrounded by beautiful women. But possessing a treasure invites trouble. The greedy eyes of treacherous ministers, Tartars, and powerful local clans weave a net around him. A plot is foiled when Zhou Chengjun strikes back, but it still ends in disaster: his father is killed, his family is destroyed, and the father of the woman he loves sets himself on fire and dies for his cause.
Amid blood and tears, Zhou Chengjun flees to the mountains of Yuzhou with his mother, his beloved Su Miaozhen, a Western Xia noblewoman of mysterious origins, and his loyal followers. Under the assumed name Liu Juncheng, he rebuilds his foundation in Bibo Gorge and Feipu Valley. This is no retreat from the world, but a period of quiet preparation before the flames spread! He establishes efficient workshops and a new army, and develops weapons ahead of their time. He reforms agriculture, welcomes displaced people, and provides relief through work. He founds the “Spark Society” and writes New Strategies for Ruling the Realm, championing the astonishing ideals of “equal education, equal opportunity, and equality before the law” to ignite the hearts of those who would fight for change.
But the undercurrents never subside. The Night Owl’s claws pursue him like a shadow, while the Mongol cavalry has already broken through Jinghu. Xiangyang is besieged, and the land is drenched in blood and fire! Faced with the crisis of a fallen country and a ruined home, Zhou Chengjun knows that clinging to a corner of safety is only an illusion.
The power he has amassed is no longer just for self-preservation!
