Chapter 1: The Sovereign's Fall
The Crimson Abyss Peak in the Taixu Domain loomed like a jagged scar against the heavens, its cliffs wreathed in blood-red mist that pulsed with ancient malice. At its summit, Mo Tianyin, the Demonic Sovereign, stood unyielding, his black robes shredded, blood dripping from countless wounds. His sharp features—high cheekbones, eyes like twin abysses, and long, ink-black hair whipping in the storm—radiated a chilling defiance. Despite the onslaught of a hundred righteous cultivators, his presence was a mountain, unbroken and fearsome.
The air crackled with killing intent as the leaders of the Taixu Domain's great sects encircled him. Elder Yun Zhao of the Starveil Pavilion, his silver robes shimmering with starlight, clutched a jade scepter. Mistress Lian Xue of the Moonshadow Order, her face veiled in frost, wielded a whip of icy qi. Master Shen Hu of the Blazewind Temple, his bald head gleaming, brandished a flaming spear. At their forefront stood Yan Qing, Mo Tianyin's disciple, his youthful face pale with guilt, his spirit sword trembling in his hands.
"Master," Yan Qing whispered, his voice barely audible over the howling wind, "the Human Emperor's Records… they're a calamity. You've gone too far down the demonic path."
Mo Tianyin's lips curled into a sneer, his eyes glinting with scorn. "Calamity? You betray me for these hypocrites, Yan Qing? The Records are mine, earned through centuries of blood and cunning. You think they'll share their power with a traitor?" His gaze swept over the righteous cultivators, their sanctimonious facades masking greed. The Human Emperor's Records, a forbidden tome said to hold the secrets of ascension to the God Realm, had driven the Taixu Domain into a frenzy. Mo Tianyin had spent lifetimes trying to unlock its sealed runes, but they remained impenetrable, locked by an ancient will he could not break.
"Silence, demon!" Elder Yun Zhao roared, his scepter unleashing a torrent of starlight that tore toward Mo Tianyin like a meteor shower. The Demonic Sovereign raised a hand, demonic qi surging to form a blood-red shield—his own Blood Aegis Technique, honed over centuries. The starlight shattered against it, scattering like broken glass.
You call me demon, yet you covet my prize," Mo Tianyin spat, his voice a low growl. "Let's see how many of you survive this day."
The battle erupted in a maelstrom of light and shadow. Mo Tianyin moved like a specter, his Phantom Step—a demonic technique created by him—allowing him to weave through spells and blades. His fists, wreathed in crimson qi, struck with the force of collapsing mountains, sending Starveil Pavilion disciples flying, their bones shattering. Mistress Lian Xue's icy whip lashed out, but Mo Tianyin's Iron Body Art hardened his skin, deflecting the blow. Master Shen Hu's flaming spear grazed his shoulder, drawing blood, but Mo Tianyin countered with Soul Drain, siphoning the temple master's qi to fuel his relentless assault.
Yet, the odds were overwhelming. Yan Qing's betrayal had united the sects, their combined might a tidal wave even the Demonic Sovereign could not withstand. A starlight chain from Yun Zhao bound his arms. Lian Xue's ice needles pierced his chest. Shen Hu's spear burned through his side. Finally, Yan Qing's trembling sword struck true, sinking into Mo Tianyin's heart.
As blood pooled beneath him, Mo Tianyin laughed—a chilling sound that silenced the battlefield. "You think this ends me? The Records… are beyond your reach." With a surge of demonic qi, he shattered the physical tome, its pages dissolving into motes of light that sank into his soul. Unbeknownst to him, the Records' true essence merged with his memories, lying dormant. "I curse you all… to chase shadows forever."
His body collapsed, and the righteous cultivators stood in stunned silence, their victory hollow. Yan Qing fell to his knees, tears streaming down his face, as the weight of his betrayal crushed him. The Records were gone—or so they thought.
Mo Tianyin's soul spiraled into the void, carried to a lower realm—a mortal world where a frail boy named Lin Xuan awaited his destiny.
In the Dawnriver Kingdom, a forgotten speck in the Western Continent, the Liu Clan's manor lay in ruins. Charred beams smoldered, and the once-grand gates were splintered. Lin Xuan, a sixteen-year-old servant with striking features—sharp cheekbones, almond-shaped eyes, and jet-black hair matted with sweat—stumbled through the wreckage. His gray robes were torn, blood staining his chest, yet his eyes burned with resolve.
Ahead, traitorous Liu Clan servants pursued Liu Yue, the clan's young lady. Her sapphire robes fluttered, torn at the hem, revealing glimpses of her porcelain skin. Her beauty was ethereal—raven hair cascading like a waterfall, eyes like twin moons glistening with tears. Beside her, her mother, Luo Shuang, gripped the hand of Liu Yang, Liu Yue's seven-year-old brother, his small face pale with fear.
"Run, Yue'er!" Lin Xuan shouted, throwing himself between the pursuers and the trio. A cudgel struck his chest, sending him sprawling. Pain seared through his frail body, but he locked eyes with Liu Yue. For a fleeting moment, her gaze softened, a silent bond passing between them. "Go!" he rasped, blood dripping from his lips. Liu Yue hesitated, her heart torn, but Luo Shuang pulled her away.
As the traitors closed in, Lin Xuan's vision faded, his last thought a vow to protect her. Then, a searing light engulfed his soul. Mo Tianyin's consciousness merged with the boy's shattered body, awakening as Lin Xuan. His eyes snapped open, glowing crimson, sending the traitors stumbling back in terror.
"Who… are you?" one stammered, gripping his cudgel.
Lin Xuan rose, his movements fluid despite his wounds. "Your death," he said coldly, his voice carrying the weight of centuries. He unleashed the Demonic Devouring Art, black tendrils of qi erupting from his palm. They latched onto the nearest traitor, draining his life force until he withered into a husk. One by one, Lin Xuan devoured their qi, his cultivation surging from the 7th to the 8th Layer of the Body Refining Realm. His wounds closed, his muscles hardening, but a strange pang gripped his heart when he thought of Liu Yue's tearful eyes.
Love? he scoffed, dismissing the notion. Mo Tianyin cared for no one. Yet, the boy's memories lingered, tugging at his soul. Clenching his fists, he swore an oath to the heavens: "I, Mo Tianyin, reborn as Lin Xuan, will ascend to the God Realm. Those who betrayed me, those who hunt Liu Yue… they will all burn."
Following Liu Yue's faint qi signature, he set out into the night, determined to save her—not for love, he told himself, but to honor the boy's will and crush the Zhi Clan, a 3rd-rate rival clan behind this betrayal.