When they first arrived at the Autumn Maple Secret Realm, everyone was shocked by the sight before them. The barrier had already disappeared, the once lush forest reduced to withered, lifeless trees. The sky within the secret realm was entirely different from the clear skies outside.
Inside the secret realm, the sky was an ominous orange-red, as if someone had set the forest ablaze—a stark contrast to the bright blue heavens beyond, as though this place belonged to another dimension.
Han Ling felt his spiritual bond with Xie He abruptly break—his companion had fallen. Rage flared within Han Ling. At that moment, the other sects arrived as well, their faces grim as they took in the scene.
"I'm sure you all already have your suspicions. Enough useless talk—go see for yourselves.
Disembark and fly on your swords!"
Han Ling led his sect toward the center of the secret realm. The others followed silently, for the deeper they went, the more desolate the land became. Plants and animals along the path lay dead in twisted, pitiful shapes.
Faint black smoke still rose from their corpses, as though drawn purposefully toward the center.
"Are they trying to drain all the spiritual energy from this place?" the Grand Elder muttered with a frown.
The Third Elder crouched to examine an animal carcass.
"Looks like someone clawed open the hide and removed the organs—but didn't even take them. Makes no sense."
Han Ling looked at the other remains and confirmed: the bodies had been ripped open, the entrails pulled out, but left behind.
"But human fingernails wouldn't be that long… could it be… not human?" the Third Elder murmured.
Han Ling heard and nodded.
"Open the Heavenly Eye."
In this age of thinning spiritual energy, those born with the Heavenly Eye were rare. Most cultivators needed spells or talismans to open it and see the other side of the world.
The elders and disciples hurriedly closed their eyes, traced hand seals, and recited:
"Heaven and earth open, yin and yang revealed, spirits of the three realms, show your true names. By the edict of the Supreme Elder Lord, open my Heavenly Eye and reveal the truth!"
The other sects also opened their Heavenly Eyes in unison.
The lower-ranking disciples pulled out leaves of seven-star grass inscribed with talismans from their pouches, pressed them to their eyes, and chanted the same incantation.
"Heaven and earth open, yin and yang revealed, spirits of the three realms, show your true names. By the edict of the Supreme Elder Lord, open my Heavenly Eye and reveal the truth!"
"This—!"
Everyone gasped as the world transformed before their eyes. The secret realm sky was now a sinister purple-black, an ominous portent.
"Look at the center."
As they approached, Han Ling saw the body of the "yin serpent" the disciples had mentioned earlier, with a white light shining beneath it—clearly a formation.
"That's… the Cold Yin Soul-Locking Array!" the Grand Elder said grimly.
Han Ling frowned, sensing this was more than just a Cold Yin Soul-Locking Array—there were traces of other formations mixed in, something inexplicably strange creeping through him.
From his pouch, he took out a miniature pair of divination blocks and cast them, reciting:
"Divine ones above, disciple Han Ling humbly asks for guidance: is this journey auspicious or ill-fated?"
The blocks landed in his palm: both flat sides up—great misfortune.
The other elders' expressions turned grave, and even the other sects' leaders grew serious. They didn't have someone like Han Ling, a Tiangang powerhouse, to rely on; if he divined this as "great misfortune," then the enemy would surely be no laughing matter.
Han Ling tucked away the blocks and hid his frustration, leading the group onward. But as they neared the center, that eerie feeling closed in around them.
He knelt by the formation on the ground but couldn't yet decipher what other formations were woven into it—it would take time to unravel.
"Everyone, be careful. Don't step inside."
After giving his warning, Han Ling finally looked up at the creature before them.
It was indeed a yin serpent—one that had already broken through to a higher stage and reached the bottleneck of Void Transformation. It should have been almost impossible to defeat, yet here it lay, with the Earthfire Gate still absorbing the last of its spiritual energy.
"How many cultivators at the Spirit Condensation stage were present at the time?"
"Reporting to Sect Master, aside from Senior Brother, there were Senior Chen of Ningzhong Sect and Senior Yu of Baihua Sect," one disciple replied.
"Only three… anyone else help?"
"No. The rest of us were too weak; Senior Brother told us to tend to the wounded. We stayed in a cave to recover. Later, Senior Chen and Senior Yu were both injured and dragged each other back. Senior Brother told us to call for help…" the disciple's voice faltered.
"Continue," Han Ling said, pinching his brow.
"When I urged Senior Brother to come back with us, that gate suddenly appeared. His face darkened and he ordered us to flee. What happened after that… we don't know."
Han Ling rose and circled the yin serpent from the air, finally spotting his disciple's figure near the gate. He flew down and found Xie He lying quietly atop the serpent, bound by glowing runes slithering across his skin—a Soul-Binding Talisman.
"Damn it!" Han Ling bit his thumb, drawing blood to inscribe a Soul-Shattering Heaven-Sealing Talisman from Xie He's forehead to his abdomen. Forming seals, he chanted:
"Pure Yang Fire, blaze through the Nine Hells, break the lock, destroy the curse, restore the soul to the righteous path, Heaven and Earth bear witness, by the edict—break!"
The runes shattered with a crisp sound. Han Ling scooped Xie He up and leapt off the serpent.
Just then—
The formation beneath the serpent shifted, lighting up in purple-black, its lines writhing like countless venomous snakes. The array heart cracked open, revealing a bottomless rift.
In the air above, Yu Yuan hovered, his eyes blood-red, sneering. He crushed a drop of his own soul blood and pressed it into the formation's core.
"The heavens are blind, the earth is merciless! With my blood as sacrifice, I shatter this prison! Hellfire Abyss, let all demons return, devouring gods and souls, defying heaven—open!"
With a deafening roar, the Earthfire seal trembled violently, chains shattering, flames and demonic energy intertwining.
A black-red vortex known as the Earthfire Gate opened. From the crack came a frigid, sinister wind and the wails of countless ghosts, as though from the depths of hell.
Countless sealed demons and evil cultivators crawled out, eyes blazing crimson, clawing their way free, calling Yu Yuan's name in crazed devotion.
"Not good!"
The elders drew their swords and weapons, preparing to fight.
"For us! For the world! For our sects! Fight to the death!" the Second Elder roared, leading the disciples into battle.
"Grand Elder, please… help guide him to the underworld," Han Ling said coldly, handing Xie He to the Grand Elder for soul release.
"Be careful," the Grand Elder nodded, quickly placing Xie He in a Soul Pouch and retreating.
The depths of the Earthfire Abyss roared, its molten rivers like raging dragons. The towering Earthfire Gate loomed, inscribed with countless seals and restraints, but it grew ever larger, something terrifying lurking behind it, waiting for its moment to emerge.
Han Ling floated alone, his silver-white robes fluttering in the heat. His hair was bound high, his eyes icy, and his sword Xiaoyao gleamed in his hand, a bright light cutting through the darkness.
Opposite him stood Yu Yuan, draped in black robes, his pale face twisted with manic malice, eyes black as ink, wreathed in black flames.
Yu Yuan raised his head, smirking.
"You came, Han Ling… the number one of Tiangang. You didn't disappoint me."
Han Ling's voice was cold: "Yu Yuan. What are you trying to do?"
Yu Yuan's laughter echoed through the abyss:
"Do? Years ago, your father sealed me in this hell, thinking I'd beg for death. But he underestimated me!"
"You'll open the gate, release these demons—you know the consequences!"
Yu Yuan's gaze turned frigid:
"Consequences? Why should this hypocritical world keep on existing? Today, I'll make it pay for my pain! And when it's all ashes… you can join me in soaring beyond this realm!"
With that, Yu Yuan formed a seal, black flames rising as the Earthfire Gate's seals shattered and the abyss roared.
Han Ling drew his sword.
In the dead, silent Autumn Maple Secret Realm, the two figures clashed—sword light and black flames colliding in a thunderous storm, shaking the world as red sparks lit the darkness.
The crimson leaves of Autumn Maple were no more.
Only scorched earth remained.
Yuyuan's black flames were incomparably fierce and sinister. With a single palm strike, eerie black fire patterns ignited in the void. Han Ling leapt into the air, his sword light like a silver rainbow that shattered the fire patterns, then reversed his grip to thrust toward Yuyuan's chest.
Yuyuan sidestepped to evade, then countered with a palm wind that forced Han Ling back.
"You truly are stronger than your father but still not enough!" Yuyuan sneered coldly. Both his hands weaved a series of complex seals, and with a deafening roar, the ground cracked open. A gigantic black magic array, previously concealed, instantly emerged. Runes flowed across its surface, emanating a strange, all-devouring aura.
Han Ling's expression shifted slightly, and he muttered under his breath:
"The Sacrificial Grand Array of the Void Return… you're insane!"
It was one of the most vicious forbidden arts among the demonic sects—an array that used living souls as sacrifices to unseal the forbidden gate.
"That's right." Yuyuan's smile grew cruel. "But the sacrifice… won't be me."
As his words fell, a surge of powerful force suddenly struck from behind!
Han Ling staggered violently, pushed straight into the center of the array!
The array instantly blazed to life. Black chains emerged from the void, binding his limbs tightly and trapping him within the formation.
Eyes wide, Han Ling turned his head and the one standing behind him was none other than… the Third Elder!
"Third Elder?! You—"
The Third Elder's expression was indifferent, as though looking at a stranger. His tone was icy as he said: "Han Ling, did your father ever consider the feelings of those he trampled on when he stood high above everyone? Today, I'm merely giving the world another choice."
Yuyuan laughed madly, full of ridicule:
"So much for your 'Righteous Sect.' Human hearts rot the easiest—ha ha!"
Han Ling's spiritual power surged madly as he struggled against the chains. But the sacrificial power on the chains devoured his strength, pulling him deeper and deeper into the trap.
On the Gate of Earthfire, seal after seal shattered under the array's power. The gate grew wider, and the dark aura within grew more violent, as if countless pairs of scarlet eyes were watching them.
"In your dreams!" Han Ling growled, and his silver-white spiritual energy suddenly erupted to the extreme!
With a sharp crack, a fracture appeared in the chains binding him!
Yuyuan's face darkened. He raised his hand to suppress Han Ling again—
But Han Ling suddenly looked up, his eyes as sharp and cold as stars:
"As long as I live, you will never destroy this world!"
With a roar, he raised his sword and slashed fiercely at the ground beneath him. A pillar of white light shot skyward, and the array was forcibly torn open at one corner!
The Earthfire Abyss shook violently, and the cracking of the seal ground to a halt.
Yuyuan narrowed his eyes, his voice chilling:
"As expected of the head of the Tiangang. But… how much longer can you hold on?"
Han Ling's robe was soaked in sweat and blood, his face pale—but his gaze remained resolute. He raised his sword Qingxiao high, the white light on the blade growing even more dazzling. Within it, a faint golden lightning began to condense.
"Whether it's you, Third Elder, or Yuyuan…" Han Ling's cold smile carried a chilling determination.
"This is my vow—as Han Ling: I would rather die than let this world fall."
As his words fell, the golden lightning descended like divine judgment, slamming into the Gate of Earthfire and illuminating the entire abyss as if it were daylight!
The array shattered. The gate shook violently. Countless black mists were burned away by the lightning, and agonized howls split the air.
Yuyuan's face sank. With a sweep of his sleeve, a tide of black flames surged forth, clashing with the golden lightning.
"You'd destroy yourself just to stop me?!" Yuyuan roared.
"At all costs." Han Ling slowly closed his eyes, burning through all his spiritual power and lifespan. Then, at the final moment, he threw back his head and let out a long, earth-shattering howl. Twin golden beams burst from his eyes, his voice rolling like thunder across the blood moon:
"If I am to be a sacrifice… then let me become a god and break this spell!"
In an instant, his Tiangang true power fully ignited, his soul blazing like the sun as it detonated. With his very soul, he lit the heart of the array and charged against it.
A thunderous crack split the night as countless cracks appeared in the sacrificial array. Blood light reversed, the soul-binding serpents screamed in torment as divine power tore them apart inch by inch!
Yuyuan's expression changed drastically. Before he could retreat, a golden ray shot through the blood mist and pierced his chest like an arrow! His chest exploded, blood spraying as his body was hurled dozens of feet away and crashed heavily to the ground.
"No… impossible!" Yuyuan struggled to rise, half his face charred black by divine fire, his eyes filled with fear and unwillingness. This was supposed to have been his flawless victory—yet Han Ling, at the cost of his soul, forcibly shattered the array and gravely wounded the master of the demonic ritual.
Han Ling's figure stood unsteadily, his divine body covered in glowing cracks. He looked down at his now almost transparent hands, the corner of his mouth still carrying a sharp smile, as though he could see through Yuyuan's terror:
"A sacrifice… still depends on who you're facing. Yuyuan… remember this: the Tiangang path… cannot be defiled!"
As his final words fell, his divine sense shattered. He dissolved into countless golden lights that drifted into the night sky—completely fallen.
Yuyuan, his face full of horror, clutched his burning wound as black smoke rose from his chest. Paralyzed, he watched as the array collapsed and the blood moon faded. His eyes burned red as he stared at the falling golden lights in the sky, only managing to let out a furious, mournful howl.
In the heavens, the crimson faded, leaving yet another indelible grudge between the righteous and the demonic.
The name Han Ling, alongside the golden light of that night, would forever be etched into the hearts of all who witnessed it.
That final sword strike tore through the darkness of the abyss and illuminated the Earthfire Gate that was nearly pried open.
The gate slowly swung shut again.
Yuyuan threw back his head and roared, his black flames gradually consumed by white light. The Third Elder was blown out of the array, his aura faint.
And Han Ling… his figure trembled, finally falling to one knee, his face pale. Yet his sword still stood firmly planted in the ground.
The Autumn Maple Secret Realm fell silent once more.
---
On the other side, Year 34,555 of the Blue Earth.
In a strange yet spacious room, the walls were painted a warm cream color, complemented by a floor-to-ceiling window. The curtains swayed gently in the breeze as the window stood slightly open.
The whole room was simply yet elegantly designed. Outside the window was a dazzling night sky filled with stars, and here and there, what appeared to be flying ships streaked past.
Inside, a white sofa, a pure black desk, and a massive transparent display case covered nearly an entire wall. Inside the case sat bizarre yet exquisite ancient artifacts, alongside rows of books and even a few bamboo scrolls hinting that the room's owner had a deep fondness for antiques.
Overhead, sleek, high end strip lighting cast a soft glow on the floor and on the person lying in the large bed.
He had strikingly beautiful, delicate features and long, thick, raven black hair. His face was stunning yet not lacking in masculine elegance, inspiring a strange sense of pity and protectiveness.
Bothered by the light overhead, his eyelids trembled faintly as though he was about to awaken the next second.