Somewhere in the Chaos on the Desolate Plane, a person was engaged in battle with a colossal serpent. The serpent was so immense that it could crush small planets out of existence. On the other hand, although the cultivator was not as large as the serpent, his soul avatar had the power to eclipse it.
The cultivator’s white hair bore testament to his old age, yet his face retained the appearance of a man in his twenties. His white clothing reflected the simplicity of his tastes, but the bloodstains and tattered condition of his garments revealed the intensity of the fierce battles he had endured.
He said to the serpent, “Vasuki, we can still stop. By now, you should understand that it is futile. You cannot win against me.”
The serpent replied, “I know this is the end for me, but I cannot stop. You understand that I have no choice but to see this through. Of all people, you should know this. The heavens will not tolerate it. I will always choose my own sacrifice over the death of my people.”
The cultivator responded, “Well, you are right. We both have no choice but to fight. Everyone on both sides is dead. We are the only ones left on this battlefield. Let’s fight with all our hearts. I will give it my all, so prepare yourself.”
The serpent charged towards the cultivator as the gem on its head began to shine brightly. The gem emitted a beam of light so powerful that it pulverized everything it touched. This beam, moving faster than the serpent itself, dashed towards the cultivator.
The cultivator manipulated the space around him to contain the incoming beam, but he was unable to stop it. The beam struck him in the chest, sending him hurtling thousands of miles away while blood seeped from the corner of his mouth. Before he could even catch his breath, the serpent's body, traveling at an extremely high speed, collided with him. As the serpent drew closer, its speed seemed to decrease, not through a reduction in pace, but as if time itself had slowed down.
The serpent once again squeezed the remaining energy from its body, and the gem on its head shone brightly, enhancing bodily toughness. The cultivator, along with his soul avatar, raised his sword as the mysteries of space and time began to swirl around it. He swung his sword down towards the serpent, and the sword force traveled swiftly across space, moving directly in front of the serpent’s body.
The serpent opened its large mouth, trying to swallow the attack, but the remaining force still pierced its body in multiple places. Blood started gushing out of its body, making the bloody river on the battlefield. The shining gem on its head began to dim. Before the serpent could catch its breath, the cultivator appeared in front of it and delivered another swift slash.
The serpent opened its mouth and let out a powerful scream at the last moment. The sword force tore through the scream and struck the serpent, worsening its injuries. Before the cultivator could celebrate his victory, the serpent’s tail appeared out of nowhere and struck him on the side. However, this time the force was not strong enough to send the cultivator flying.
The cultivator stumbled several miles but quickly regained his footing. He teleported beside the serpent's tail and swung his sword, severing it from the serpent's body. The serpent let out a scream of agony and charged toward the cultivator again, its red eyes blazing and its gem glowing with its final light. This time, the serpent did not unleash any attacks.
Instead, it raced toward the cultivator, expending all its energy in an attempt to breach the space-time barrier surrounding him. As the serpent drew near, its body began to swell. It was at this moment that the cultivator realized the serpent's intent, but it was too late.
Serpent Vasuki, the last of its kind in this battle, sacrificed itself in a desperate bid to kill the cultivator. Even through the barrier, the cultivator felt the full force of the attack. Although he survived, he was left heavily injured, and recovery would be extremely difficult. He managed to sit down and enter meditation, focusing on regulating his breathing to stabilize himself.
He was trying desperately to maintain control, but his grimaces of pain contradicted his efforts. He couldn't stop the dark golden blood oozing from his wounds. With each passing moment, his desperation and denial gave way to grief and acceptance of the harsh reality he was facing.
He was dying, and he had no choice but to accept it. The battle he had endured was yet another reminder of the cruelty of the cultivation world. With a heavy sigh, he gazed at the battlefield, where the countless bodies of cultivators—once dreamers who aspired to challenge the heavens—lay strewn across the ground, turning the soil red with their blood.
Immortality, longevity, and eternal power had once been his dreams as well. However, in the face of his current predicament, he reflected on the naivety of those early aspirations during his journey to become one of the most powerful cultivators.
As life and memories flashed before his eyes, his gaze grew resolute, exuding a determination that only someone with hope could possess. He steeled himself, preparing for one final stand against his fate, against the heavens.
He retrieved a shining orb made of an unknown metal and began pouring all his power into it. Dao patterns started forming on the surface of the orb as he channeled not just his strength but also his soul energy and insights into it. The unrestrained power within the orb grew so immense that space itself began to fracture.
As the orb transformed into a formidable treasure, he fixed his gaze on the portal through which the serpent and its companions had arrived. His eyes seemed to pierce through the portal, focusing on a specific direction as if something significant lay beyond.
There, across time and space, he saw a middle-aged man—unaware that his destiny and life were on the brink of a crucial change.
Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author's preferred platform and support their work!
Both sides in the conflict had traveled through portals to this battleground. This place, known as the Desolate Plane, lay beyond the jurisdiction of either faction. With the serpent defeated on the battlefield, the portal on the opposing side was left unguarded. The cultivator and his companions were supposed to use the enemy's portal to advance and conquer their foes. However, he chose not to follow this course of action.
As soon as the orb completed its transformation, he began applying various formations to restrain its aura. He issued instructions to the orb, which trembled as if it understood its master's commands. With a sense of relief, he threw the orb into the enemy portal, letting out a sigh that his work here was done.
He then turned his gaze towards the battlefield, where energies from the various cultivators were colliding and creating a chaotic mix. The Heavenly Dao laws were becoming jumbled, forming a forbidden zone capable of annihilating soul energy.
Gathering his power, his soul avatar appeared behind him. With both his own strength and that of his avatar, he struck the battlefield with full force. Most of the fragmented battlefield was obliterated, leaving only a single area where the majority of the enemy's fallen fighters lay.
The cultivator moved this remaining piece of land towards the portal through which he and his companions had arrived. This fragment of the battlefield was traveling towards a specific world he had chosen, even as he was on his last breath.
With a final sigh, he looked in a particular direction and murmured, "This is my last gift to you. I hope you will achieve what I could not. This battle must continue for true freedom."
With these words, the cultivator dissipated into nothingness. The battle came to an end without either side claiming victory.
Meanwhile, the metal orb journeyed through space and time, leaping from one portal to another. Its destination remained unknown and undetectable by any force. After millions of years traversing through the fabric of time and space, it finally arrived on Earth, where the destiny of a man was about to undergo a profound transformation.
It was a Friday morning in mid-March. As winter was coming to an end, the temperature was rising, making the surroundings mildly warm. Alex was sleeping peacefully in his bed when the tranquility was abruptly shattered by the sound of his alarm. He opened his eyes reluctantly, as if someone had rudely awakened him from a cherished dream. He stopped the alarm, glanced around, and grudgingly got out of bed. It was time to prepare for another day of work.
Alex, in his mid-thirties, had a few white strands in his hair and beard that signaled his age. As an only child, he had lost his parents, but he was content with his life.
He worked as a project manager for a software company. His current project involved developing a simulation model of various force fields based on theoretical physics. Although he had aspired to become a researcher with a background in science, limited job opportunities had steered him into the software industry. Nonetheless, he was thrilled to be working on this project, as it resonated with his passion for cosmic research and brought him closer to his childhood dreams.
As Alex was about to head out for work, the bright morning suddenly turned gloomy. Dark clouds began to converge in the sky, and the air was filled with the ominous sounds of thunder and lightning, as if a calamity were about to strike the Earth. The sudden change in the weather left Alex bewildered.
Without warning, he heard cracking noises from behind. Turning around, he was stunned to see a metal orb spinning wildly and tearing through the fabric of space-time around it.
“Holy shit! What the hell is that?” was his immediate reaction. Before he could make sense of the situation, the orb moved toward him and struck him with force. In that instant, Alex’s mortal body was disintegrated.
A portal opened beside the orb, and the orb vanished into it. As quickly as the chaos had begun, everything returned to normal, as if nothing had happened—except for the fact that Alex was no longer in this world. Alex was dead.
*****
In Falling Heaven World, William Lionheart, the city lord of Balden City, paced anxiously in front of a room, his steps quick and restless. Today was a momentous day—his wife, Judy Lionheart, was in labor, and William was about to become a father for the third time. The entire Lionheart family was on edge, hoping and praying for a successful delivery.
William's father, Adam Lionheart, stood nearby, along with William's two young sons—Bradley, who was six years old, and Henry, who was four. The atmosphere was tense, with everyone sharing in the anticipation and worry of the impending arrival.
William Lionheart was the city lord of Balden City, a title he earned through his significant contributions during the war. Originating from an ordinary noble family in Balden City, William joined the army at a young age and steadily rose through the ranks due to his numerous successes. His dedication and achievements during the war ultimately led to his appointment as city lord.
The ladies of the Lionheart family were busy with preparations for labor. Judy Lionheart lay on the bed, clutching her hands in pain, while Madalyn Lionheart, her mother-in-law, offered her support. As the time for the birth approached, the faces of everyone present were etched with a mix of anxiety, hope, curiosity, and happiness.
Just as Judy was about to give birth to her third child, a portal opened above the Lionheart Palace. From this portal emerged a spinning metal orb, racing toward the labor room at an incomprehensible speed.
The weather, which had been pleasant until then, suddenly turned dark and gloomy. A giant eye appeared in the sky, though it was invisible to all but the most perceptive. The eye fixed its gaze on the metal orb with an expression of anger, clearly disapproving of its arrival in this world. A bolt of lightning began to descend from the eye, and the citizens of the city were left bewildered, wondering who would dare provoke such a heavenly tribulation in their city.
Before the eye could unleash its lightning punishment, the metal orb entered Judy Lionheart's womb and vanished. The descending lightning abruptly ceased, and the eye, now in a state of confusion, searched the surroundings for the orb but was unable to locate it. After a brief period of searching, the eye also disappeared.
Before the Lionheart family could make sense of the sudden shift in weather, a cry of a newborn filled the labor room.
“It’s a boy!” the midwife announced, holding the baby in her arms. The infant's cries indicated his displeasure at being thrust into the world, adding a dramatic note to the already tense atmosphere.
The atmosphere, which had been so gloomy just moments ago, was now filled with happiness and relief. Everyone let out a collective sigh of relief, their faces breaking into smiles as they offered prayers for the health of the newborn. The midwife cleaned the baby, wrapped him in a towel, and handed him back to his mother. Judy, her eyes brimming with love, let a tear fall as she gazed at her newborn son. The labor pains seemed worthwhile in that moment.
William, along with his sons and father, entered the room and beheld the newest member of the Lionheart family. He approached Judy and gently kissed her on the forehead, his affection for his wife evident to all. Judy handed the baby to William, who called Bradley and Henry to come and meet their new brother. The two boys looked at their sibling with wide, expectant eyes, as if he were a new toy to explore. Adam and Madalyn also offered their blessings and love to the baby.
Judy then asked William, “Love, what should we name him?”
William pondered for a moment, looked at the baby boy, and said, “Welcome to the world, Alex Lionheart!”