The world has changed. Greatly.

The supernatural returned and magic became commonplace. Deities walked among mortal men and women whilst truly godlike entities did all that they pleased. On a simple whim, a life could be lost. On a simple whim, a new life could be given.

The strong ruled while the weak groaned. Within this new world, the law of the jungle was none more than imposed.

The Human tribe which once stood on the top had toppled down from it's throne. Treated as vermin and only seen as laborers and slaves, the Human tribe all but lost their dignity.

This new world...it was too cruel.

.....

After the Heavens had made themselves known once again and Divine Reckoning had struck, the entire world changed. It had expanded. The long-forgotten God tribe and Devil tribe had returned.

The Human tribe lost it's throne. Their technology useless against the mystical magic of the other tribes, they soon became something equivalent to vermin.

Reduced to laborers and slaves, most of the Human tribe lived within large prisoner camps and broken cities. Of course, their were rumors. Rumors of a powerful empire that was fully composed of the Human tribe who possessed terrifying unique abilities.

This mysterious empire was called the Divine empire by those who believed in it and hoped to one day join it and the False empire by those who thought it simple inspired cruel, false hope.

Within the Qinglong Domain, in which the Devil tribe ruled supreme, their was a small backwater broken city.

Within this broken city, the slaves and labors lived. The Human tribe lived there.

Most occupants of the broken city wore ragged clothing and were marred with dirt. The lucky few who had clean clothes and shelter were those who possessed beauty. In other words, they were accepted as concubines of those from the Devil tribe. Even a few had become the playboys of a sick few.

In the northern district of the broken city, their lay the slums. Within the slums lived the orphans and slaves who could not afford housing within the higher levels of the broken city.

Despite being treated terribly and seen as vermin, the Human tribe still possessed a chance to rise up and become powerful: the Demonic magic of the Devil tribe.

Practicing Demonic magic and becoming powerful enough to join the Devil tribe. That was the one and only way a Human of the Human tribe would be able to live a decent life. Even then, cruel Devils would torment them.

Within one of the many small rooms within the closely packed buildings of the slums, a young boy stared at the frail beautiful woman laying in front of him. The beautiful woman breathed slowly, as if on the verge of death, which she was.

"Little Wu...you mustn't let hatred cloud your heart. Only with a pure martial heart...a pure mind...would you be able to ascend through the Nine Cosmos...and become a Immortal..." The beautiful woman weakly motioned to the young boy.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

The young boy, little Wu, walked over and laid his head on her bosom. The faint voice of the beautiful woman continued talking. Saying how sorry she was for giving birth to him in the Qinglong Domain. How sorry she was for him to be born into this cruel world. How much she loved him.

"Don't forget...little Wu...no matter how far they set you back...you must simply set higher goals...

"Don't forget...little Wu...don't forget......your mother shall always love you..." With that final word, the beautiful woman stopped breathing. Slowly, her body became colder and colder.

Wu Ling stoically stared at his mother. His beautiful mother. His wonderful mother. His wonderful mother, who did not hate him, but rather, loved him dearly.

Tears streamed down his face yet he did not make a sound. He vowed. Vowed to get vengeance. Vowed to eradicate the Devil tribe to allow her to rest peacefully.

"Mother..." Wu Ling said with a cracked voice before his eyes shone with grim determination. With nothing but clothes on his back, he grabbed the corpse of his mother gently. Slightly groaning from the weight.

From their on, he began his long trek. He passed by many scenes. Many slaves who stared at him with pity, others with sadness, others with disdain.

Slowly, Wu Ling came in front of a garden. This garden was a hidden paradise amidst the ugliness of the broken city.

Their he laid down his mother's corpse gently. Afterward, he began to dig. With his own arms.

With his own bloody arms, Wu Ling put his mother into a rest amidst this beautiful paradise.

With his own bloody arms, Wu Ling filled the small hole he had made.

Afterward, he simply sat their. This hidden paradise was not discovered by the officials of the Devil tribe. Only his mother and him knew about it.

In his mind, a peculiar memory appeared.

"Little Wu, do you know why this is a paradise?" His mother had asked him with a smiling voice. Pointing to the garden, at the moment, in which they were seated within.

"Because of the flowers?" Wu Ling cutely replied, tilting his head adorably. Despite his young age, he was blessed with powerful intellect and was sharp.

"No..." His mother smiled before pointing to the large tree against which they were leaning. "This Seawood Maple...little Wu. It's because of this Seawood Maple, that it is a paradise."

Wu Ling stared at the large Seawood Maple tree. It's leaves, instead of the usual green, were a light blue color similar to that of the sea.

"Mother...rest in peace..." Wu Ling murmured and with his bloody arms, began the long trek back home.

Unbeknownst to him, a single light blue maple leaf had fallen onto the grave of his mother.

One light blue leaf fell, others followed suit. Soon, the grave of Wu Ling's mother was enveloped in a sea of blue.

As if...his mother was dancing amidst a beautiful paradise of blue...