After the Devil Invasion, the world's spiritual qi began declining at an alarming rate.
Vast regions gradually turned into barren wastelands where cultivation became almost impossible. Only the areas surrounding the Heavenly Conqueror Dragon Earth Vein, now commonly known as the Heavenly Earth Vein, remained largely unaffected.
Spiritual qi still flowed abundantly there, making the vein the last reliable source of cultivation energy in the world.
As a result, cultivators from all over the land began gathering around it. New cities sprang up along the vein, and even demon cultivators established their own territories nearby, seeking to claim a share of this precious resource.
Sensing the spiritual qi around him, Liang sighed.
"The decline is faster than I expected."
He shrugged and chuckled.
"Well, it has nothing to do with me anymore."
As he continued through the wilderness, he suddenly stopped.
About two miles away, two cultivators were fighting. Both were at the Core Formation Realm.
Although Liang's cultivation appeared no different from that of an ordinary mortal, his bloodline as an Infernal Void Serpent granted him extraordinary innate abilities. Among them was an exceptional talent for sensing spatial disturbances.
He could detect living beings and fluctuations of energy across several miles.
A faint grin appeared on his face.
The space around him twisted, and he disappeared.
In the next instant, he appeared beside the two cultivators.
Both immediately stopped fighting and retreated several steps, staring at him warily.
One was a middle-aged man dressed in black robes, with a deep scar running across his forehead. He held a long sword, and his aura revealed that he was at the mid-stage of Core Formation. His eyes were filled with killing intent.
The other was a young woman wearing white robes embroidered with gold. She held a jade flute and was at the early stage of Core Formation. Her spiritual energy, however, was surprisingly refined and stable.
Both sensed something strange about the newcomer.
He showed no signs of cultivation and appeared to be an ordinary mortal.
Yet he had appeared out of nowhere.
How could an ordinary mortal possess such an ability?
"Who are you?" the black-robed man demanded.
"I'm just a traveler," Liang replied with a gentle smile. "You two seem to have quite a dispute. Why don't you tell me what happened?"
The woman hesitated before answering.
"He killed my master and stole his treasures. I only want to recover what belongs to us."
The man in black immediately sneered.
"Don't listen to her. Her master stole my treasures first, and I simply took back what was mine."
Liang listened to both sides without interrupting.
After a moment, a sinister smile appeared on his face.
"It seems neither of you is particularly honest. How about we make a simple deal?"
The two exchanged suspicious glances.
The black-robed man frowned.
"Why should we trust you?"
Liang ignored the question, his smile growing wider.
"I happen to need a servant. Whoever agrees to serve me first will live. The other will die."
The woman's eyes widened in disbelief. She instinctively turned toward the man in black.
He sneered, but the fear in his eyes betrayed him.
Neither dared to underestimate the mysterious stranger.
Liang soon grew impatient.
"I don't have all day."
He snapped his fingers.
The space around the two cultivators twisted violently.
The black-robed man's face drained of color.
"I'll serve you! I agree!" he shouted.
The woman barely had time to react before the space surrounding her began collapsing inward.
She tried to scream, but no sound came out. Her body twisted and fragmented, as though her very existence were being torn apart.
A moment later, she vanished completely.
Only a faint trace of spiritual energy remained.
The black-robed man stared at the empty space in horror.
"What... what did you do to her?"
Liang chuckled.
"She's probably dead by now."
The man's face grew even paler.
"You must be a Spirit Severing Realm expert!"
Liang rolled his eyes.
"No. I already told you I'm just a traveler."
The man wisely decided not to question him further.
"Now, let's discuss our agreement," Liang continued.
"From this moment onward, you will serve me without question. In return, I'll spare your life and give you access to knowledge and power you could never obtain on your own."
He looked directly at the man.
"Do we understand each other?"
After a brief hesitation, the man lowered his head.
"Yes. We have a deal."
Liang nodded in satisfaction.
"Good. Let's go. I've been away from this world for more than two hundred years, so I need to learn what's happened during that time."
The man nodded and began walking beside him, explaining the major events that had taken place over the past two centuries.
Liang listened quietly, his expression giving nothing away.
After a while, he spoke again.
"By the way, what's your name? And who was that woman?"
The man hesitated before answering.
"My name is Gao Feng. The woman was Zhang Ying. Her master stole my treasures years ago, so I tracked them down and reclaimed them. Zhang Ying came after me afterward, accusing me of murder just to get the treasures back."
Liang chuckled.
"Interesting."
He pointed ahead.
"Take me to the nearest city."
Gao Feng immediately obeyed and led the way, though unease remained in his heart.
He couldn't shake the feeling that meeting this mysterious traveler would change his life forever.
As they walked, Liang reflected on everything he had learned.
This world has changed quite a bit.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
That should make things more interesting.
With that thought, he continued toward the nearest city, ready to begin his new life.