At the side of a jagged peak piercing the clouds, by a weathered boulder, a lone figure sat cross-legged, eyes closed, long hair cascading past his shoulders. A thick layer of dust, nearly a foot deep, had accumulated over his head and shoulders—evidence of countless years spent in silent cultivation atop this mountain. Each day, fierce astral winds howled across the summit, strong enough to shatter stone, yet they could not even ruffle the figure's frail body.
Suddenly, the man opened his eyes. Twin beams of dazzling brilliance, like the stars of the Big Dipper, shot forth from his gaze. A sharp, resounding cry burst from his lips as he sprang up, leaping off the peak in a sweeping arc before landing nimbly back atop the summit. He stood, peering down from the lofty heights, and with a slight shake of his body, dislodged the thick dust covering him.
At that moment, as if sensing something, he lifted his head to the sky. From the heavens, a streak of white light descended—a white rainbow—which, upon touching the ground before him, transformed into the figure of a man.
"I am pleased," the newcomer said, "that you have achieved some progress as your three-year term draws to a close. However, I come bearing a message from the Sanctuary: your allotted time has expired. From this day forward, you are forbidden from appearing within a hundred miles of the Holy Mountain. From now on, your life and death are your own responsibility."
The ascetic was none other than Fengyun Wuji, who had recently ascended to this realm. After years of arduous cultivation, he had successfully completed the first layer of the Ninefold Mystical Art, attaining a level where his vitality was now governed by fate itself. Though his inner energy could not yet compare to that of those who had trained for thousands or tens of thousands of years, it was nonetheless a solid foundation. Moreover, he had fully mastered the art of sword flight through the training of his Sword Intent.
Hearing the Sanctuary envoy's words, Fengyun Wuji remained expressionless. His long hair fluttered in the mountain winds as he turned without a word, leaping off the thousand-foot-high cliff, tracing a smooth arc through the sky, and vanishing from the envoy's sight.
Beyond the Holy Mountain, there stretched endless ranges of rugged, blue-black peaks. Massive prehistoric beasts roamed the forests below, snapping trees and crushing hills wherever they passed. Fengyun Wuji flew close to the ground, careful to avoid drawing their attention. Even from a distance, he could sense that the beasts' auras far surpassed his own. The dangers of this primordial world were vivid and real—giant fierce birds dominated the skies, monstrous beasts prowled the earth, and everywhere the threat of death loomed.
The world of the ancients was far vaster than Fengyun Wuji had imagined. For days, he encountered no other humans besides himself. On the fifth night, as he was about to find a tall tree to sleep atop, as he had done every previous night, he noticed a distant fire atop a mountain. Unlike the crimson breath of nocturnal beasts, this was the steady glow of an open flame—a sure sign of human presence. Curiosity piqued, Fengyun Wuji took to the skies, heading toward the fire.
Suddenly—A piercing cry split the night sky.
Beneath the stars, a colossal bird with a wingspan over thirty meters swooped toward him, stirring a violent gale with each beat of its wings. Alarmed, Fengyun Wuji immediately activated his sword flight technique, soaring upward. Yet no matter how he twisted or turned, the monstrous bird remained hot on his trail. He dared not lead it toward the distant fire, fearing to endanger those who had lit it. Forced to stay within the mountains, he engaged the bird in a desperate aerial chase, its deafening cries shaking the heavens.
Seeing no way to escape, Fengyun Wuji devised a plan. He lured the bird behind a towering cliff, then suddenly reversed course, circling around behind it. With a sweep of his right hand, he drew a pine needle from a nearby tree, infusing it with his sword energy until it gleamed like steel. In a flash, he hurled it at the bird.
A series of metallic clangs rang out—the pine needle, capable of piercing stone, struck the bird's body but failed to penetrate its iron-like hide.
Enraged, the monstrous bird retaliated. With a sweep of its right wing, it struck Fengyun Wuji squarely in the chest. The sound of cracking bones echoed in the night as he was flung backward like a broken ragdoll, smashed into the side of another towering peak.
Not content to leave him alive, the bird screeched and swooped down once more, transforming into a deadly streak of light.
"It's over," Fengyun Wuji thought bitterly, pain wracking his body. "I never imagined such an ordinary-looking beast would possess such terrifying power. I'm not even a fraction of its match."
Just as he resigned himself to death, a thunderous voice rang out from the heavens:
"Beast! Stand down!"
The voice echoed from all directions, its source impossible to pinpoint. But the monstrous bird, maddened by bloodlust, ignored the warning and dove straight for Fengyun Wuji.
"You ignorant creature," the voice growled, now tinged with anger.
Suddenly, a blade-sharp gust of astral wind sliced through the air, effortlessly cutting the bird in two along its beak. Black blood rained from the sky as the bird's massive corpse plummeted to the earth.
"You and I are of the same race," the voice said, "and by fate we meet today. Very well, I shall save your life."
A powerful force enveloped Fengyun Wuji, pulling him free from the rocky wall and setting him gently atop the cliff.
There, atop the narrow summit, sat a middle-aged man clad in a jet-black robe that gleamed in the firelight. Before him blazed a campfire, upon which a slab of monstrous meat roasted. Beside him lay the carcass of a slain beast, its massive body partially charred.
The man's face bore the weathered signs of countless years, his beard streaked with white, yet his eyes shone bright as gems in the night. A long, ancient-looking blade hung at his waist, a palpable murderous aura emanating from its scabbard.
He casually turned the roasting meat on the fire while extending his other hand toward Fengyun Wuji. A misty white energy flowed from his palm, seeping into Fengyun Wuji's head. Within moments, the sound of bones snapping back into place filled the air, and vitality surged through Fengyun Wuji's veins.
Fengyun Wuji fell to his knees and bowed deeply. "Thank you, senior, for saving my life."
He could feel not only that his wounds had healed, but also that his cultivation had grown stronger. The man accepted the bow without a word and tossed the roasted skewer of meat toward Fengyun Wuji.
Seeing his hesitation, the man let out a cold laugh.
"You must be newly ascended. In this world, demons eat men, and men eat demons. Sooner or later, you'll have to accept it. On this savage land, anything that walks or flies is stronger than humans. If you can't accept that, you'd best stick to foraging for wild fruits like lowly beasts."
The man's outstretched hand did not withdraw. After a moment's silence, Fengyun Wuji bowed his head and accepted the meat. Only then did the man smile faintly, cutting another slab of bloody flesh from the beast's carcass to roast.
"Your strength is far too low. Even a mere winged beast nearly killed you. If you wish to survive, I can point you toward a path."
"Thank you for your guidance, senior," Fengyun Wuji said respectfully.
"Senior?" The man snorted. "I ascended eight hundred thousand years ago. 'Senior' is a fair title. Listen well, boy—what I'm about to tell you concerns your very survival."
He gazed up at the swirling clouds overhead and continued in a low voice:
"This ancient era stretches endlessly—millions upon millions of miles across. The mountains, rivers, and forests teem with countless beasts and monsters. In this vast world, humans are few, and beasts are many. One could argue that this world belongs not to humanity, but to the demons and monsters."
"For hundreds of billions of years, it was only through the emergence of world-shaking heroes that humanity carved out territories in this savage land. Every inch of safe ground was won with bloodshed. Within these territories, the strongest demons were exterminated, leaving only weaker beasts—like the one you just encountered."
"But the dangers are still immense. There are hundreds of billions of monstrous creatures. Take the Western Paradise alone—the angels there number over six hundred billion, and their ranks never dwindle. In contrast, we humans number only in the tens of millions—and we're divided, mistrustful, consumed by selfishness."
"In this human-held domain, there are four great factions: the Ice Palace, ruled entirely by women whose martial prowess defies comprehension; the Blade Domain, home to three Supreme Blademasters—the Blade Saint, Blade Emperor, and Blade Sovereign—each a force capable of challenging the strongest monsters; the Demon Domain, where cruel practitioners of dark arts run rampant, despised even by fellow humans but tolerated to avoid further weakening our numbers; and the Snow Domain, a frozen wasteland too deadly for even beasts, yet said to house ancient warriors from a time before gods and demons alike."
"Beyond these four powers roam independent cultivators—free warriors unaffiliated with any faction. Among them are some peerless masters. It is said that even the Three Supremes of the Blade Domain once fought an unmatched expert known only as 'Moonbreaker'—and failed to capture him."
"As for how many such hidden masters exist among the independents, none can say—but at least six are confirmed."
Intrigued, Fengyun Wuji asked, "I heard that among humanity, there are those capable of rivaling the gods and demons themselves. Which of the Supremes are they?"
The man was silent for a long time before answering. He lifted his head to gaze at the swirling storm clouds overhead.
"Xuanyuan Hill of the Northern Sea, Cangwu Abyss of the Western Lands, Fushan of Jiuyi, and the Nether Domain hidden in the firmament," he said quietly. "If your strength one day reaches the right level, you will understand."
With those words, the man rose into the air and disappeared into the darkness like a great bird.