The battle between the Heavenly Demon and the Sword God did not remain confined to the Black Demon Mountains. Its devastation extended far beyond, unleashing a catastrophe upon the mortal realm—fifty years of drought followed by fifty years of relentless storms, claiming countless lives.

At last, when that era of suffering came to an end, the heavens cast fragments of the Black Demon Mountains down upon the mortal world. The survivors, having barely escaped annihilation, now turned their sights toward power, standing against one another in bitter rivalry.

Each fragment of the Black Demon Mountains fell into a different corner of the world, becoming a hidden realm. For centuries, cultivators sought these concealed lands, competing fiercely in their pursuit. Many perished in the struggle, yet no one succeeded in breaching the mysterious realms.

To survive, smaller sects banded together, establishing great factions upon the very sites of the hidden domains. Though unable to unlock the treasures within, they instead drew upon the spiritual energy radiating from them. Thus, the wars over the hidden realms came to an end, giving rise to a new age.

This new era was called the "Age of Flourishing." Conflicts diminished, and people focused on cultivation, forging connections, and crafting magical and spiritual weapons. Cultivators ventured across continents, exploring the vast world. It was during this time that they discovered an unknown land inhabited by beings unlike themselves. They called it the "Demon Continent."

But the discovery of the Demon Continent marked the end of the Age of Flourishing. Some sought peaceful relations with the demons, yet many of the great sects saw them as a threat. Through deceit and conspiracy, they ignited chaos, plunging the world into conflict—a conflict that would come to be known as the "Thousand-Year War."

For a millennium, blood was spilled without end. Countless demons and humans perished, the mortal realms burned, and once-glorious lands were reduced to desolate ruins. The Eastern Continent, which shared a border with the Demon Continent, was nearly wiped from existence.

At last, after a thousand years of war, humanity and the demons reached an accord. The elders of both races established the Black Sea as their dividing line, infusing it with countless spiritual entities to prevent either side from crossing.

Thus, the Thousand-Year War ended, and a new age began—an age known as the "Era of Advancement."

Five Thousand Years After the Dawn of the Era of Advancement

Eastern Continent – Feng Wang Gao Kingdom – The Royal Palace of the Feng Clan

The markets teemed with eager crowds, all awaiting the arrival of the Ling Clan’s caravan.

"Did you hear? They’re bringing a member of the Ling Clan here today!"

"Yeah, I heard the Ling Clan’s eldest son is being brought as a hostage!"

"Young master Ling Yun?! Ah, they say he’s a strikingly handsome man. But as the old saying goes, the heavens are fair—his looks rival those of an immortal, yet his fate is worse than that of a demon."

"Hahaha! I heard the young lady of the Feng Clan gives special treatment to hostages like him. They say her harem is full of men from fallen noble families!"

"Shh! Don’t speak of Lady Feng like that! Those are just rumors. The Feng Clan’s patriarch would never allow such a thing. Besides, have you heard? After years in seclusion, he’s finally reemerging this year. Word is, he’s broken through to the Golden Core Realm!"

"What?! The Golden Core Realm?! That makes the Feng Clan invincible! The strongest cultivators on our continent are still stuck in the Nascent Soul Realm, but now that the Feng patriarch has reached the Golden Core, no one can stand against them. The Ling Clan made a grave mistake challenging them."

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At that moment, a man who had been silently listening finally spoke up.

"To be honest, this whole situation is anything but fair. Some say it’s nothing more than a ploy to suppress the Ling Clan. The eldest son is a prodigy—he’s already reached the fourth level of Qi Refinement at his age! Talents like him are seen as threats by powerful noble families. By taking him hostage, they’re trying to force him into the Feng Clan."

"And if he refuses?"

"They’ll either kill him or hand him over to a demonic sect in exchange for favors. I’m sure you know—many demonic sects practice ‘Dual Cultivation’ techniques!"

"Damn it! So instead of simply killing him, they’ll send him straight to hell? Then again, I’ve heard that female cultivators from those sects are so beautiful that even the heavens envy them."

"Hey, hey! Look over there! The Ling Clan’s young master’s caravan has arrived!"

A grand procession entered Feng Ming City, banners of the Ling and Feng Clans fluttering in the wind. Cultivators from both clans soared just above the ground, riding their swords. The elders of the Feng Clan rode majestic third-rank spirit beasts, their gazes filled with unshakable pride as they proceeded down the stone-paved streets.

"Brother! Brother! Look at that grand carriage! That must be it! That’s where the Ling Clan’s young master is!"

"Heavens! That face… Is he even human?!"

Men and women alike found themselves in awe of Ling Yun’s beauty.

"His skin is like snow, his black hair like silk. Look at that jawline! It’s as if a divine sculptor carved him perfectly in his mother’s womb!"

"Young master Yun! Young master Yun!"

The crowd erupted in a roar of applause, their excitement surging like a rising tide, as if they were witnessing the descent of a celestial being.

But Ling Yun did not react. His lifeless eyes remained fixed on the path ahead, his expression unreadable.

When the caravan reached the palace, Ling Yun was taken to an estate in the eastern wing. A few servants were assigned to him, and guards—merely at the early stages of Foundation Establishment—were stationed to prevent his escape.

When Ling Yun got to the bed in the corner, he was unsteady, barely having any strength left in him. He then took a shaky breath, and sitting up on the bed with his back against the headrest. Looking up to the ceiling, he put a trembling hand up, as if to grab on to whatever was right there, but just out of his reach.

"Ah... so this is what defeat tastes like?"

A bitter smile curled his lips.

"The genius of the Ling Clan? Hah… now I’m nothing but a loser."

"Fourth layer of Qi Refinement? None of it matters anymore… I’ll be dead soon."

A single tear traced a slow path down his cheek. He lay motionless in the darkness, swallowed by silence, as if the world itself had turned away.

---

At Midnight,

A shadow slipped silently past the patrolling guards, moving like a wraith through the estate. A master of concealment, the intruder slipped through the window without a sound.

Bathed in moonlight, he saw a man in white night robes lying motionless on the bed, pale as a ghost. Drawing his sword, he knelt before Ling Yun.

"Young Master!"

Ling Yun’s hollow eyes met his.

"I was expecting you."

The masked man’s eyes glistened with unshed tears. This mission weighed heavy on him. But it was his young master’s final command.

"Young Master… please. It’s not too late! I can get you out of here. There will be a chance for revenge!"

Ling Yun let out a mirthless chuckle, his gaze devoid of hope.

"Revenge? Hah… I have no future anymore. I don’t even have my cultivation."

The masked man clenched his fists.

"My lord!"

"Enough. This is my order. If death is inevitable, then I would rather die by the hands of my own clan than suffer humiliation."

A choked sob escaped the masked man’s lips.

"Even now, you think only of the clan! But what about us? What about your sister?!"

Ling Yun slowly rose from the bed and walked to the window, gazing at the full moon.

"This is… for her future."

"She will understand why I must leave her behind."

With deliberate ease, he loosened his hair, letting it fall in smooth, silken waves over his shoulders. He pulled at his collar, the fabric parting to reveal a body hardened by years of ruthless training. Grasping a bottle of spirit wine, he broke the seal, inhaling its deep, intoxicating fragrance before tipping it back. The warmth spread through him, its rich aroma lingering in the air.

"This scent… it will mask my death."

"By the time they realize I’m gone, you’ll have had enough time to escape. Return to the Ling Clan. Protect my sister. This… is my final order."

The masked man hesitated, his trembling hands gripping the hilt of his sword.

"I pray… that I may serve you in my next life as well, Young Master."

Ling Yun raised the bottle in a silent toast, a faint smile on his lips.

"Do it."

With a swift motion, the blade pierced Ling Yun’s chest.

Blood erupted in a crimson arc.

Ling Yun crumpled to the floor without a sound. In his final moments, his vacant eyes suddenly changed.

The masked man would never know what thoughts crossed his young master’s mind in that last breath—only that, for the briefest second, his gaze burned with an inexplicable light.

Minutes Later,

The masked man pressed his fingers against Ling Yun’s pulse.

Lifeless.

With an expression as cold as ice, he sheathed his sword and slipped out of the window without hesitation.

A moment later, silence consumed the eastern estate.

A chill wind drifted in through the open window, carrying the mingled scent of blood and wine.

And in that moment, within the hush of the night…

Ling Yun rose from the ground.

Wide-eyed, he stared at the bloodstained floor and the open window. Moonlight flickered across the wooden boards, and in the distance, cicadas sang their nocturnal melody.

Staggering toward the mirror, he ran a hand across his pale face. His lips curled.

A wicked grin spread across them.

"I… did it!"

"I… the Heavenly Demon, have reincarnated!"

He turned his gaze to the starry sky, his eyes gleaming with seething hatred. Clenching his fist, he murmured, his voice low and venomous:

"I will return to the Sacred Realm."

"Wait for me, Sword God!"