One month later, Elder Shu brought Wang Lin to the edge of the forest.
Below them lay a vast valley.
Smoke curled from distant cities.
Sects hovered on flying islands.
War banners waved beneath the sun.
> "The outer world," Shu said. "Where cultivation thrives… and justice sleeps."
Wang Lin stared, wide-eyed. "It's… massive."
> "The world is broken into three realms," Shu explained.
The Realms of Cultivation
The Mortal Ring – the lowest realm, where mortals struggle and low-tier cultivators dominate. Greedy sects, corrupt clans, and endless bloodshed for minor resources.
The Spiritual Middle Realm – ruled by powerful sects and ancient families. Spirit beasts roam wild, and forbidden techniques are hunted by decree of the Ten Great Tribes.
The Sovereign Sky – a floating realm high above the clouds, said to house immortals. No mortal can enter without the approval of the Elder Law Circle.
> "And you," Shu said, "you exist outside their system. You are an abomination to their laws. If they discover you…"
> "They'll try to erase me," Wang Lin finished.
Shu nodded.
> "The Abduction Path is older than the sects. Older than the sky itself. Long ago, it consumed an entire era. They fear it. And rightly so."
Wang Lin looked down at his hands.
> "So what do I do?"
> "You hide. You grow. You master it quietly."
> "And if I'm found?"
Shu's eyes narrowed.
> "Then you devour their fear. And you rise."
---
A Glimpse of the Enemy
That night, far away, in the Sovereign Sky…
Mo Xie knelt before an altar made of bones and black crystals.
> "The boy still breathes," he whispered. "He is resisting."
A voice — ancient and sharp — echoed from the void.
> "Then break him. Before he learns who he really is."
Mo Xie smiled.
> "Yes, master."
And above them, a blood-red moon pulsed for the first time in a thousand years.