In a sinister and ominous place, engulfed by flames and a sense of dread that permeated the air, a man knelt before a statue that exuded an aura of malevolence.

The Ancient Devil statue has intricate carvings etched into its gray skin. Its eyes blaze a fiery red and seem to peer into one's very soul. Razor-sharp, black claws extend from its twisted, gnarled limbs. Its contorted features appear frozen in a cruel snarl, mocking humanity. This statue represents pure evil, a monument to darkness and malevolence.

The statue towered above the man, its presence dominating the dark surroundings and instilling fear in any who dared to gaze upon it. The man himself appeared cruel and ruthless, his eyes locked onto the statue with a fervor that suggested he had surrendered himself to its devilish powers.

"Master, I have gathered the materials you asked for," the man said as he knelt before the statue.

"Excellent! I, Devil Sovereign Ye Sha, will finally awaken from my long slumber," the ominous voice boomed, sending a shiver down the man's spine. "For thousands of years, this world has been without my supreme power, but now it will bear witness to it once again!"

The sound of an eerie laughter filled the room, causing the man to flinch. "Hurry and perform the ritual to release me from my shackles," the voice commanded impatiently.

The man rose to his feet with a nod, his sharp features catching the light in a way that could only be described as handsome.

A prominent scar traced a jagged path over his right eye, lending an air of danger to his otherwise flawless visage. His hair was raven black and fell in sleek waves around his face, framing his sharp jawline and accentuating the intensity of his gaze.

"Master, I'll begin drawing the circle right away. Firstly, I'll construct the Dark Jade Skull Platform, followed by the use of the Black Candle of the Soul, which was formed by extracting the Blood Qi of thousands of mortals. And finally, I'll complete the ritual by drawing the Crimson Seal of the Devil using the Black Candle of the Soul's wax," the man spoke with a determined tone.

"Excellent, excellent! I see you have mastered the Blood Night Devil Invocation Mantra?" Ye Sha asked with excitement.

"Yes, Master. However, before doing the ritual, I do have one request. I yearn to take revenge on the Jin Dynasty who looked down on me my entire life. I wish to slaughter them all," the man stated firmly.

"Haha! I'll gladly help you take your revenge. I will make sure the pain they inflicted on you will be returned tenfold," Ye Sha laughed with malice.

With a smile, the man began the ritual to revive Ye Sha into the Blue Sky Mortal Realm.

He constructed the Dark Jade Skull Platform with care, making sure every detail was perfect. Next, he lit the Black Candle of the Soul, and as it burned, he used its wax to draw the intricate Crimson Seal of the Devil. Each line and curve was precise, imbued with the man's utmost devotion to his master.

As the man finished drawing the seal, he smiled and said, "Master, I'm almost done. Now, what should I do?"

The devil laughed and said, "Go in the middle of the platform and chant the Blood Night Devil Invocation Mantra."

With a nod, the man began chanting the powerful mantra, "Blood of the slain, summon the devil! Night of the dark, unleash the devil! Mantra of the evil, invoke the devil!" The words echoed throughout the room, each syllable infused with the man's unwavering determination.

Suddenly, the Crimson Seal of the Devil started to tremble, emitting a blinding red light that engulfed the entire room. The man felt a searing pain coursing through his body, as blood started to flow from his seven orifices.

The man struggled to catch his breath, barely managing to choke out the words, "Master, what have you done to me?"

Ye Sha's laughter echoed mercilessly within his mind, sending shivers down his spine. "I am simply taking possession of your body, my faithful servant," he replied, his tone devoid of any emotion.

The man's eyes welled up with tears, as he realized the dire consequences of his ignorance. All his life, he had yearned for power and revenge, but at what cost? The realization hit him hard, as he felt his very soul being consumed by the devil.

The man's body trembled as the devil took over, sending waves of panic and fear through him. With a deafening crack, the Crimson Seal of the Devil shattered, its dark energy seeping into every fiber of his being. As the man's consciousness faded, the devil's presence took hold.

"Hehehe..." A low, menacing chuckle echoed through the dark chamber, as the man spoke in a voice that was not entirely his own. "The Blue Sky Mortal Realm will soon tremble before my wrath. With the power of the Netherworld Soul Refining Technique at my disposal, I shall transcend my previous limits and ascend to the Netherworld itself!"

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

As he spoke, the man's eyes glowed with an otherworldly fervor, and his skin seemed to ripple with a dark energy that emanated from within. The air around him grew heavy and oppressive, as though the very fabric of reality was warping and twisting in response to his words.

In the Jade Cloud Sect, one of the most prominent sects in the Eastern Continent, an old man was deep in cultivation, determined to break free from the shackles of mortality and ascend to the Immortal Realm. Suddenly, his eyes flew open, filled with terror.

"What is this ominous presence I feel?" he muttered to himself. "It's as if an Ancient Devil has returned to the world once again."

With trembling fingers, the old man performed a divination to predict the fate of the world. He coughed up a mouthful of blood and sighed deeply, "The Blue Sky Mortal Realm is in for a calamity. I fear for the survival of our Human Race."

As the year passed by in the Extreme Jade Sword Sect on the Jiaolong Continent, life went on as usual.

However, little did Wu Yang and his fellow sect members know that an Ancient Devil had once again risen in the world. Even if they were aware, there was little they could do to stop it.

Having to start his cultivation anew was no hindrance to Ye Sha's ability to evade the eyes of Great Ocean Realm experts. He scoffed at the idea that they could detect him.

In his cave abode, Wu Yang was deep in cultivation when his attendant, Zhao Xia, interrupted him with important news, "Young Master, Wu Li is here and wishes to speak with you. Shall I show him to your room?"

Wu Yang shook his head, feeling a bit stiff from his prolonged cultivation. He decided to step outside and meet Wu Li in person, saying, "No need, I'll go to him."

Zhao Xia nodded and departed, leaving Wu Yang to emerge from his abode. As he stepped outside, he spotted Wu Li's imposing figure in the distance, looking even more domineering than he had during their last encounter at the duel.

Wu Li greeted Wu Yang with a warm smile, "Brother Yang, it's been a while since we last saw each other. I can see that your cultivation has improved since then."

Wu Yang humbly replied, "Thank you for your kind words, Brother Li. Your progress is even more impressive. I can hardly keep up."

As the two sworn brothers caught up, Wu Li's expression grew more serious. He looked at Wu Yang with a glint in his eyes and asked, "Brother Yang, I have a proposal for you. Would you like to go on an adventure with me?"

Wu Yang hesitated and said, "Brother Li, you know I'm not exactly the bravest person out there. It takes a lot to convince me to go on an adventure with you. But I'm curious, where do you plan to go?"

Wu Li chuckled and replied, "Brother Yang, you know I've had my fair share of lucky encounters. When I first joined the Extreme Jade Sword Sect, I stumbled upon several maps to Secret Realms. One of them is the Tomb of Emperor Xuan, which I've already explored."

Wu Yang nodded, acknowledging Wu Li's remarkable luck. But he also knew that with great fortune comes great danger, and he wasn't sure if he was ready to face it with Wu Li.

Wu Yang was intrigued and asked, "What's the name of the Secret Realm you want to explore, Brother Li?" He didn't want to reject the idea outright.

"It's called the Azure Profound Star Secret Realm," Wu Li replied. "Legend has it that the Azure Profound Star Sect was an ancient sect that even had Sages."

"Interesting," Wu Yang said, leaning in.

Wu Li then continued, "It is said that in the Ancient Era, a powerful man once severed the Jiaolong Continent from the Eastern Continent with his might. The Eastern Continent kept its name, while the Jiaolong Continent became the smaller fragment."

Wu Yang's curiosity was piqued, and he asked, "Who could have split the Eastern Continent into two parts? And what cultivation realm did they reach?"

Wu Li shrugged his shoulders, also puzzled by the question. Even Liang Xia, whom he had asked, had no answer. "I'm not sure, but I believe he must be an Immortal," he replied.

Wu Yang hesitated, "Brother Li, I really don't know if I should go. What if something happens to me?"

Wu Yang had been enjoying his solitary cultivation and only occasionally provided support to Wu Li. He was hesitant to put himself in danger and lose the opportunity to accumulate Points.

He also couldn't know how many Points he accumulated since the System stopped responding to him after he reincarnated.

Wu Li grinned and said, "Don't worry, Brother Yang. I'll lend you the Golden Soul Restoration Lamp, a life-saving treasure."

Wu Yang shook his head and said, "Even with such a heaven-defying treasure, it would still take me a long time to refine it, maybe 10 years or more. I don't want to be a burden to you, Brother Li."

Wu Li was moved by his brother's words and let out a sigh, "You don't have to refine it, I already did it. You can use it as it is."

Wu Yang took a moment to consider his brother's offer and asked, "If I were to die, would there be any drawbacks?"

Wu Li nodded, "The only drawback is that you would need to cultivate to the Nascent Soul Realm in order to reconstruct a new body. Without a body, it would take 50 years or more to reach the Nascent Soul Realm, but Brother Yang's talent would not be affected after you reconstruct a new body."

As Wu Yang weighed his options, he thought, "The rewards are worth the risks. Obtaining powerful techniques will greatly benefit my future reincarnations."

In the end, Wu Yang made his decision and replied, "Alright. I will accompany you to the Azure Profound Star Secret Realm."

Wu Li grinned and praised, "Brother Yang's choice is wise. You must not be a green flower in a garden. This is also an opportunity for you to hone your sword techniques. Not many sect geniuses have such experience."

Wu Yang agreed, knowing that their peers mostly focused on cultivating and had little experience in actual combat. As the common saying goes, "reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles", or in other words, practical experience is essential for mastering martial arts.

"Brother Li, you are absolutely right," Wu Yang responded with a thoughtful expression. "May I ask if you know the exact location of the Secret Realm?"

Wu Li's expression turned pensive as he shook his head, "I have some knowledge of its general location. It should be within the Heavenly Spirit Empire, which lies close to the Jin Dynasty. The Secret Realm is expected to be unveiled in the coming months. This could be a golden opportunity for us to return to the Wu Clan."

Wu Yang nodded and said, "That's great news. We should make preparations to leave in a week."

With a smile, Wu Li handed over the lamp to Wu Yang and added, "Brother Yang, I assure you that the Golden Soul Restoration Lamp is a genuine Heaven Grade Refined Treasure. Its abilities are truly remarkable."