The clouds churned above the mountaintop, mist curling around jagged rocks like restless spirits. An old man stepped forward, his green robes streaked with gold shimmering faintly in the dim light — the unmistakable insignia of the Shinxi Sect. His eyes blazed with fury, and his voice rolled through the clouds and mist, carrying a weight that silenced even the winds.
"You are a demon," he thundered.
Below him, a sea of warriors, masters, and sect leaders from every corner of the world had gathered, their gazes fixed on a single figure. Lin Ming Yue.
He stood calmly in the center of the clearing, a faint smile tugging at his lips. His hair floated around him as if caught in an invisible current, and every movement radiated effortless control. There was no fear in his eyes, only arrogance and pride — a man who had long since outgrown the rules of mortals and cultivators alike.
A voice rang out from the crowd, sharp and trembling with rage:
"You killed our family… our entire clan! And you laugh?!"
All eyes turned to Lin Ming Yue.
He laughed — a chilling, demonic sound that reverberated through the mountains like a curse. "They were just my stepping stones," he said, voice cold and merciless. Then, his smile vanished. In a calm, almost poetic tone, he continued:
"The world seems empty without life…
But I can live in emptiness,
If I wield seamless power."
The words hung in the air, heavy and final. Even the wind seemed to still, as if the mountains themselves feared to move.
The old man gritted his teeth, his qi surging violently. Green energy roiled around him, forming a protective barrier that shimmered like liquid jade. "You will pay for your sins, demon! No power, no matter how immense, can absolve you of this!"
Lin Ming Yue tilted his head slightly, the corners of his mouth curling into a smirk. With a single exhale, an invisible force rippled outward, bending the mist and clouds. The very air seemed to thicken, charged with demonic qi — a dark, seamless energy that made the world around him feel suffocating and unreal.
The crowd staggered instinctively, their cultivation a mere shield against a storm they could not comprehend. Warriors, masters, and sect leaders alike felt their qi tremble, hearts pounding as if a great beast lurked beneath reality itself.
Lin Ming Yue raised a hand lazily. A strand of qi, black as obsidian, slithered through the air like a living serpent. It coiled around the old man's protective barrier, testing, probing, and finally striking with a soundless force that cracked jade-like energy apart.
The old man stumbled but held firm, eyes narrowing. "You… you have become something beyond humanity!"
Lin Ming Yue's smile returned — calm, cold, and terrifying. "Humanity was never enough. Power is the only truth."
A tense silence fell over the mountaintop. Even the clouds seemed to hesitate, and the mist wrapped around Lin Ming Yue like a shroud, as if the world itself acknowledged the presence of a true demon who had transcended all laws.
And in that moment, every cultivator, every warrior, every sect leader knew: this battle was not just about vengeance. It was a glimpse into the abyss itself — and no one would leave unchanged.
Suddenly, a voice boomed from the sky, deep and commanding:
"Surrender yourself!"
Lin Ming Yue tilted his head, expressionless, eyes fixed on the heavens. No fear, no hesitation — only an unreadable calm.
Then, in a flash of light, seven Generals of Heaven descended like meteors, each radiating immense power, qi so vast it made the world tremble. They struck together, a coordinated assault meant to crush a demon who had defied fate itself.
Lin Ming Yue's body glowed with dark, demonic qi. He laughed — a sound that echoed like thunder — as the seven generals attacked in perfect unison. Light clashed with darkness, energy screamed across the mountaintop, and for a moment, it seemed the world itself might shatter.
But even in the face of overwhelming power, he did not struggle. He was struck, thrown, and finally overwhelmed. The generals' combined might bore down on him, and he fell. Blood and qi spilled into the mist, but his lips still curled in that same cold, unyielding smile.
He died laughing.
Yet even in death, he felt it — a pull, a warm, blinding light approaching him. His mind was calm, almost serene. He had known this day would come.
A voice whispered in his soul: This is not the end.
And as the light enveloped him, Lin Ming Yue's consciousness faded… only to awaken a thousand years in the past, reborn, carrying the fragments of his Immortal Qi, the memory of his arrogance, and the knowledge that he would not repeat the same mistakes again.
The world would see him rise once more.