Prologue

A treasure light pierces the sky, the earth trembles, and strange phenomena appear in the heavens.

The entire sky, day and night, is bathed in boundless crimson clouds. The clouds, illuminated by the red glow, appear exceptionally beautiful, but everyone who sees them knows this is not normal. This is not a sunset, for whether day or night, the red glow never dissipates.

From time to time, the earth shudders. At the foot of towering peaks, swathes of trees and rocks collapse, sending out thunderous rumbles.

Here, the mountains stretch endlessly, desolate and uninhabited. No one knows of such a remote place.

Heaven and earth are overturned. As the tremors intensify, a massive mountain completely collapses.

Boom!

As if packed with countless explosives, the mountain is hurled high into the air, instantly pulverized by a terrifying force, its dust scattered by a raging wind. The crimson light grows even stronger, undimmed even by the thick clouds of dust.

Though the shattered mountain is crushed by a mysterious force, its peak is flung outward, crashing down onto a river.

The Luoxing River!

The mountain falls upside down, instantly blocking the river’s flow. Downstream, the water is cut off; upstream, it accumulates, forming a dammed lake. When the lake fills, it creates a massive waterfall.

This place belongs to the Kunwu Mountain Range. Legend has it that in ancient times, this was once the dwelling place of immortals.

This legend has long circulated in the world of cultivation...

Chapter One: The Immortal Sect Ruins

In the span of a month, a complete ruin rises from underground. The upper mountains collapse, the great river is cut off, and vast amounts of rock and dust are blasted away. As time passes, the dust gradually settles. Though dark clouds roll overhead, they cannot obscure the red glow emanating from the ruins.

The treasure light illuminates the heavens, soon alarming all the major cultivation sects.

Treasure light means the emergence of a treasure, signifying opportunity and fortune, the reappearance of ancient civilization. No cultivation sect would ignore this. All the great sects send their most powerful experts to investigate.

About three hundred li from here lies a small city called Luoxing City, a border town. To its southwest is where the ruins are located.

Luoxing City is quite well-known in this region. The mountain villagers all come here for the market. The city has no walls, built along the Luoxing River, backed by mountains and facing the river, with houses constructed in tiers.

Strictly speaking, this is a Tusi city. At its edge stands the Tusi manor, and Mr. Parker is the great Tusi of this generation.

Mr. Parker is nearly eighty years old, yet possesses the physique and vigor of a middle-aged man. He is not a cultivator, but he has a son who is. This son brought him miraculous pills, allowing him to maintain his health. Only in the past decade or so has he begun to feel a slight decline in strength.

His son, Edward Parker, has not returned for ten years. Yesterday, a letter arrived. Mr. Parker was so excited he barely slept all night—his son Edward Parker would return home today!

During the day, Mr. Parker burned incense and bathed, leading his stewards, guards, and servants in a thorough cleaning. Mr. Parker wanted to welcome his honored guest with the utmost ceremony. In his letter, his son mentioned he would accompany an important figure from his sect to Luoxing City.

At dusk, Mr. Parker led a large group to wait at the Immortal Welcoming Terrace. Ever since his son became a cultivator, he had built this terrace specifically to welcome and see off the great cultivators, knowing that these powerful figures usually traveled by flying.

Mr. Parker stood ramrod straight, his eighty-year-old face still that of a middle-aged man, though his hair and beard were completely white. He was accompanied by a large retinue—stewards and guards from the Tusi manor. Except for Mr. Parker, everyone else knelt on the ground.

On the Immortal Welcoming Terrace, an incense table was set up with burning candles. Mr. Parker held three sticks of incense, standing respectfully not far from the table.

A sudden gust of wind arose. A flash of excitement appeared in Mr. Parker's eyes—his son was coming home!

In the distance, the sky glowed with a dim red light. This red glow had persisted for over two months. The people of Luoxing City called it an ominous sign, but Mr. Parker believed it was a great omen, for after ten years, his son was finally returning.

The wind abruptly ceased, just as suddenly as it had begun. Five people now stood on the Immortal Welcoming Terrace.

Mr. Parker bent low, holding up the incense, and called out loudly, "Respectfully welcoming the great immortal masters!"

The kneeling crowd echoed in unison, "Respectfully welcoming the great immortal masters!" Their voices were loud, though tinged with a slight tremor.

"Is this your father?"

A slightly magnetic voice sounded.

"Grandmaster, this is my father, the great Tusi of Luoxing City. He governs this entire region."

"Father, let them withdraw. The Grandmaster does not like crowds."

Only then did Mr. Parker straighten up, placing the incense into the burner and waving to his attendants, "You may go!"