Soft light fell upon his eyelids, and a faint voice gradually became clearer in his ears.

“Shao Ming Sheng Jun…”

“Shao Ming Sheng Jun…”

— Who was calling him?

His eyelashes trembled slightly, and his phoenix eyes opened a crack. Everything before him seemed to be shrouded in a halo of light, blurry and indistinct, making it difficult to see clearly. Within this hazy vision, a particular light caught his attention. As he focused his gaze on that point, the misty halo slowly dissipated, and the warm light gradually became clearer.

A pearl, small enough to fit in the palm of his hand, floated in mid-air. Inside the pearl was a mass of primordial energy, breathing in and out spiritual essence, emitting a soft, warm glow that warmed the heart.

It gently fell into his palm, rolling back and forth as if trying to please him. A slightly childish and coquettish girl’s voice emanated from within the pearl.

“Shao Ming Sheng Jun, you’re unhappy today,” she said with certainty. “Why?”

The man smiled faintly, closing his fingers around the pearl. His warm, calloused fingertips caressed it as he spoke softly, “Just some trivial matters.”

He didn’t want to say more.

The pearl enjoyed being cradled in his steady, strong palm, allowing his long fingers to press and stroke her. Through this physical contact, she could sense his inner joys and sorrows. She liked him and didn’t want him to be sad, but she was still just a severely injured primordial pearl, unsure of what she could do for him. She could only act coquettishly in his palm to please him.

A warm aura enveloped his hand as he nourished her with his spiritual power. This nurturing had been going on for a thousand days. Thanks to his attentive care, she had recovered most of the injuries sustained during the sky-mending incident, and her consciousness was gradually becoming clearer. He often told her about things happening in the outside world. He was the Human Sovereign, the first transcendent being in human history to naturally develop divine apertures, revered and loved by all people. But he rarely had moments of happiness. Every time she was in his palm, she could feel the boundless sorrow and heaviness in his heart.

This day was different from others. He drew a line of blood on his forehead with his index finger, and a drop of crimson blood wrapped in golden light was extracted from his brow. His handsome face instantly turned pale, as if he were enduring intense pain. His trembling fingertip guided the blood drop into the primordial pearl, which flashed with a golden-red light, seemingly becoming stronger and more substantial.

That drop contained a strand of his soul essence—his lifeblood. He had forcibly separated part of his soul and extracted most of his power to complete the primordial pearl’s revival ritual. The cracks in the pearl were gradually filled with his soul essence, tracing out faint golden patterns—the power and aura of Shao Ming Sheng Jun.

The pearl let out a comfortable sigh. The dazzling light once again became soft, as if countless layers of gauze enveloped her. Beneath these layers of light gauze, a slender and graceful figure slowly emerged. Raven-black long hair cascaded down, and the layers of light transformed into silk clothes, covering her jade-like body. She knelt on the ground with her knees together, her skin like warm jade emitting a sweet fragrance. She looked down at her white, soft fingers in confusion, then slowly raised her eyes to look at the man standing before her, allowing him to see her as well.

Though her face was beautiful enough to captivate the three realms, her eyes were innocent and unworldly.

He was slightly dazed by the sight. She smiled, her vermilion lips parting slightly as she called out, “Shao Ming Sheng Jun!”

The mist completely dissipated. She reached out with her slender arms and clung to his neck, nestling against his chest affectionately.

He was slightly startled, lowering his eyes to conceal the complex emotions within them. His right hand gently stroked the back of her smooth, dark hair.

— “Your Holiness, the three thousand boys and girls have been sacrificed. It’s finally raining in Dongze.”

He stood on the high platform, his phoenix eyes staring blankly at the heavy rain before him. The subjects were cheering, wild with joy at the long-awaited rain after the drought. Only he felt a heart full of sorrow.

In this land ruled by the Divine Clan, he, as the sovereign, was merely a puppet. The divine right of kings—whatever the gods said, he had to obey. He had personally sent those three thousand boys and girls into the misty Xihe Divine Palace, turning his back, unable to bear hearing the children’s desperate cries.

The subjects believed that the gods were blessing this land, completely unaware that while the gods had brought the rain, they had also caused the three-year drought that left Dongze barren, with corpses everywhere and people resorting to cannibalism.

The Divine Clan fed on faith. They created fear, then bestowed grace, using absolute power to rule the three realms, making all beings bow down and worship, thus gaining the power of faith.

He was born extraordinary, different from ordinary people. He could absorb the spiritual power between heaven and earth, his divine spirit and body far stronger than normal. At eighteen, he was honored as Shao Ming Sheng Jun, worshipped by all. But the longer he sat in this position, the clearer he saw. The masses were ignorant, unknowingly enslaved, and manipulated by the Divine Clan. They burned incense and prayed, offering their sincere faith, even willing to harm their flesh and blood to please the gods. The Divine Clan, well-versed in human greed and fear, firmly controlled the hearts of countless people, leaving him to watch helplessly as innumerable fellow humans lost themselves in the abyss, living like insects, their lives as worthless as grass, their fates decided on a whim.

To the gods, all under Xihe were mere insects.

But even insects have unyielding hearts and the will to slay gods!

In the eternal night, if there was no torch, let him be the first light.

At some point, a naive and carefree young girl appeared at Shao Ming Sheng Jun’s side. She wore plain gauze clothes, her face beautiful, with a shimmer of light in her every movement that unconsciously captivated onlookers.

Shao Ming Sheng Jun was always particularly patient with her. Whether cultivating or handling official business, she never left his side. Her little mouth was full of endless questions. When he was dealing with affairs of state, she would curl up in his arms, listening to him patiently read word by word to her, earnestly answering her innocent and childish questions. She learned extremely quickly, had a photographic memory, and could draw inferences. Like a child, she would proudly seek his praise. Seeing this, he would smile slightly and reach out to gently pat her head, as if she were still that round little pearl.

His deep voice softly called her “A Zhu,” and his cold, serious handsome face would only show a smile for her alone. Yet behind that smile lay a bitterness unknown to others.

In the deep night of Changming Palace, she ran barefoot to his bed, unwilling to be apart from him. He told her that men and women should be separate, but she stubbornly said she was just a pearl. Saying this, she rolled back and forth on the bed, rolling into his arms.

Like the thousand nights before, she loved the warmth of his palm and the rough caresses on her body, but she no longer wished to turn back into a pearl. She liked being held in his palm, but she preferred to take human form and embrace his body with her arms.

“Shao Ming…” Her head nuzzled against his chest. Hearing him sigh softly, he tightened his arms, holding her close.

Occasionally, Shao Ming Sheng Jun would take her out of the palace to play. They would change their appearances, and he would hold her hand, showing her the bustling temples, the devout yet numb common people, girls with straw in their hair, and old people dying by the roadside.

Her black, innocent eyes seemed to understand yet not understand. She held his hand, only feeling the heaviness and suppressed anger in his heart.

“Shao Ming, why aren’t you happy?” She only cared about him.

Shao Ming Sheng Jun lowered his head, looking into her clear, mirror-like eyes. Instead of answering her question, he asked in a low voice, “A Zhu, why did you mend the sky back then?”

Years ago, during the great war of the Divine Clan, the sky was torn and the earth sunken. The three realms were on the brink of destruction. It was the primordial pearl that transformed into the sky-mending stone, filling the tears in the sky. Because of this, she was severely injured and dormant for ten thousand years, only regaining consciousness after meeting Shao Ming.

Shao Ming Sheng Jun thought that perhaps she was also kind-hearted and compassionate, willing to sacrifice herself to repair the sky.

However, she said, “The Heavenly Dao ordered me to do so.”

Shao Ming Sheng Jun was slightly startled: “The Heavenly Dao?”

She nodded: “At that time, I didn’t have my consciousness. It’s because of you that I started to become human, having a human appearance and emotions.”

Shao Ming Sheng Jun was silent for a moment, then asked, “A Zhu, if it were the current you, would you be willing to sacrifice yourself to save all living beings?”

“Hm?” A Zhu was somewhat surprised, but she refused without hesitation, “I wouldn’t want to. Why should I sacrifice myself to save people who have nothing to do with me?”

“In your view, are all these living beings unrelated to you?” Shao Ming Sheng Jun asked.

A Zhu smiled and said, “Of course. Whether it’s the Divine Clan or the human race, they all come from chaos. My existence, along with the Book of Destiny, is only to maintain the order of this world. As for whether the beings in this world live or die, it’s of no concern to us.”

The primordial pearl and the Book of Destiny were formed from the primordial essence of chaos, embodiments of the Heavenly Dao, transcendent existences. She was not part of the three realms, not belonging to any faction. He selfishly wanted her to understand this human world, to feel compassion for the human race, and even hoped that she would be willing, like him, to fight and even sacrifice for the suffering human race.

But she said she was unwilling…

Later, he never mentioned it again. He left without saying goodbye for some time and returned from the abyss with a divine artifact, which he named Jun Tian. In the following ten years, Jun Tian became a weapon that struck fear into the hearts of the Divine Clan. The high and mighty gods never imagined that among the mortals they viewed as insects, such a powerful and terrifying being would appear. With just one man and one sword, he ascended to the Xihe Divine Palace, trampling countless temples and shattering divine statues everywhere, causing the Divine Clan to lose their support of faith.

How could a mortal defy heaven and slay gods?

But he was no ordinary mortal. He was the first and only person in the human race born with divine apertures, carrying a heavy mission from birth, shouldering the rise and fall, honor and disgrace of an entire race on his shoulders, tearing open this sky-covering dark curtain with his own hands. He was the chosen one born to fulfill destiny, Shao Ming Sheng Jun, a threat that the Divine Clan found difficult to deal with.

Finally, the enraged Divine Clan had no choice but to summon the Book of Destiny, using the power of destiny to suppress the chosen one.

On that day, a bamboo scroll appeared above the Xihe Divine Palace. Two large, black characters were written with vigorous strokes and a desolate aura. The primordial aura emanating from it made even the gods bow and tremble.

— Destiny!

A slender, powerful hand reached out from the void, gently grasping the bamboo scroll. His figure slowly materialized.

The man wore a green robe, as tall and straight as a pine tree, as precious as jade. His eyebrows were like distant mountains, his eyes like an autumn moon reflected in a calm lake, showing neither joy nor sorrow, neither anger nor serenity. He walked out as if from a painting, completely out of place in this world.

“Who has summoned the Book of Destiny?” The man’s thin lips parted slightly, his deep voice devoid of emotion.

The gods lowered their proud heads, their eyes filled with a fierce intent. “We, the Divine Clan, summon the Book of Destiny to slay the Evil Sovereign!”

The gaze of the God of Destiny fell upon the handsome man holding Jun Tian, his pitch-black, profound eyes momentarily pausing.

“The Son of Destiny can be restrained but cannot be slain,” the man said indifferently.

The gods continued, “We summon the Book of Destiny to restrain the Evil Sovereign! Let him never emerge again, so that the human race will be rid of this sovereign!”

They sought to erase the existence of Shao Ming Sheng Jun, to wipe away the shame of the Divine Clan’s defeat. In doing so, they could restore the unquestionable glory of the Divine Clan, making all beings once again bow to them, offering sincere worship and lifelong faith!

The God of Destiny nodded slightly. “Very well.”

The bamboo scroll flew from his hand, transforming into a massive canopy that obscured the light of the sun and moon.

The voice of the God of Destiny echoed in the darkness: “Shao Ming, the Evil Sovereign, who defies heaven and slays gods, has fallen into darkness and shall be sealed in the Melting Abyss.”

No force in this world could counter the Book of Destiny. The Book of Destiny, infused with primordial power, wrote the cause and effect, redefining the universe.

What the God of Destiny spoke was the truth.

The God of Destiny, with the power of the heavenly laws, bound Shao Ming Sheng Jun. A wave of dark energy surged from his heart, and a dark red hue appeared over his left chest. This dark color spread, staining his golden armor crimson, causing his jade crown to shatter and his ink-black hair to fly. Shao Ming Sheng Jun trembled as he gripped his sword, resisting the encroaching power of the laws. He struggled to lift his head, his handsome face was no longer dignified and pure, his phoenix eyes swirling with crimson killing intent.

The Sovereign had ultimately fallen into darkness.

At that moment, the perception of all living beings was altered; no one in the world remembered Shao Ming Sheng Jun, only knowing of a fallen god sealed and suppressed beneath the Melting Abyss.

That man had given everything for the human race, yet left nothing behind.

No, he had left behind much.

In his final moment, he dissipated his entire cultivation, like a meteor scattering across the sky, falling into the sea of mortals. From then on, the human race began their path of cultivation, no longer living like ants, subject to the whims of the Divine Clan.

He did not become a torch; a single light extinguished, yet countless sparks remained.

One could say he had no regrets…

If there were any, it would be her…

His phoenix eyes closed, and it felt like ten thousand years.

When his phoenix eyes opened again, it was ten thousand years later…

Before him lay a sea of lava and flames, raging fire burning in his phoenix eyes.

He was Shao Ming Sheng Jun.

He was a fallen god.

He was also Xie Xuechen.

Yet now, he was none of these; he was the Demon Sovereign!

Dressed in fiery garments, his phoenix eyes like torches, demonic energy surged into his body, his robes billowing with the force of the demonic aura. Beneath the Melting Abyss, terrifying changes were occurring.

The crimson moon shone brilliantly, shaking the entire demon realm, the sea of void swirling with demonic energy. Countless demons looked on in terror as disaster unfolded.

“The Melting Abyss is collapsing—”

The demons fled in all directions, panicking and unable to find an escape. A horrifying aura surged from the depths of the Melting Abyss, the pressure from his divine spirit causing their legs to weaken, rendering them unable to run, trembling in fear as they watched.

They saw a red figure slowly emerge from the collapsing Melting Abyss, the brilliance of the crimson moon illuminating his handsome yet cold features.

— Xie Xuechen?

— No!

— I am the Demon Sovereign!

*

On this day, the Two Realms Mountain trembled violently, and demonic energy surged westward, causing the world to be filled with unease.

The old Demon Sovereign was dead, and a new one had risen.

The emergence of the new Demon Sovereign was unprecedentedly powerful, even surpassing Sang Qi. However, Xie Xuechen had resigned from his position as the sect leader, disappearing without a trace, his life or death unknown.

Only Nan Xu Yue knew that Xie Xuechen was dead, his destined star extinguished completely. On the same day, Mu Xuan Ling awakened.

She opened her lifeless eyes as if realizing something. Her mind was still in chaos, yet tears fell unbidden.

After waking for three days, she neither ate nor drank, spoke nor made a sound. The primordial energy returned to her body, and her physical form gradually revived, but her heart remained in a state of dead silence. No matter what Nan Xu Yue or A Bao said, she did not react at all.

The Immortal Alliance was thrown into chaos due to the disturbances in the demon realm. Xuan Xin Zun Zhe kept a close watch on the changes in Yong Xue City. Upon learning of Mu Xuan Ling’s revival, a strong sense of unease surged within him, prompting him to rush to Yong Xue City.

“Nan Zhuang Zhu, Mu Xuan Ling has revived. Has Xie Xuechen met with misfortune?” Xuan Xin Zun Zhe asked gravely.

Nan Xu Yue, dressed in a simple blue robe, nodded heavily.

Xuan Xin Zun Zhe lowered his gaze, pondering for a moment. “If that’s the case, Mu Xuan Ling truly is the reincarnation of the primordial pearl…”

Nan Xu Yue raised her eyes to look at him, seeing through his thoughts. “Xuan Xin Zun Zhe, you want to use the power of the primordial pearl to deal with the Demon Sovereign.”

Xuan Xin Zun Zhe nodded. “With Xie Xuechen gone, the Demon Sovereign is invincible. We can only rely on the power of the primordial pearl to defend the Ten Thousand Immortals Array. These days, the demonic energy has surged, and the gap in the Ten Thousand Immortals Array is widening. I fear we cannot stop the Demon Sovereign. I wish to appoint Mu Xuan Ling as the new sect leader of the Immortal Alliance, and He Xian would do the same.”

Nan Xu Yue scoffed lightly. “This position of sect leader is better left unheld. In the past, when she was the Holy Maiden of the Demon Clan, she was treated with disdain and tormented in every way. Now that they seek her help, they merely wish to use her as a weapon for the Immortal Alliance.”

Xuan Xin Zun Zhe sighed. “The past is the past; the Immortal Alliance was blind. But if Xie Xuechen were here, he would also wish to protect this world.”

“That’s because he was foolish, guarding this unworthy world,” Nan Xu Yue said indifferently. “Ling’er is the primordial pearl, not belonging to this world. Why should she sacrifice her life for it?”

His protective tone was evident, and Xuan Xin Zun Zhe frowned slightly. “I wish to speak with her in person.”

Nan Xu Yue closed her folding fan, her voice cold. “Xuan Xin Zun Zhe, you are a wise man. I thought there was no need for further words; you should understand.”

Xuan Xin Zun Zhe replied, “In my position, I can only do what must be done. I believe Mu Xuan Ling will understand and will be willing.”

Nan Xu Yue replied unhappily, “She is unwilling.”

Xuan Xin Zun Zhe said, “It was she who invited me here.”

Nan Xu Yue was taken aback.

Nan Xu Yue found Mu Xuan Ling alone at the Snow Cliff, standing beneath a snow-covered pine tree, gazing at the towering yet desolate snow peaks.

“Ling’er, you are indeed here…” Nan Xu Yue slowly approached her from behind, looking at her back with a complex expression. “Xuan Xin Zun Zhe said you requested to go to the Two Realms Mountain to slay the Demon Sovereign and guard the Ten Thousand Immortals Array.”

Mu Xuan Ling did not turn around or respond but instead asked, “Nan Xu Yue, do you still wish to practice the Jade Que Sutra and restore your divine apertures?”

Nan Xu Yue was taken aback.

Mu Xuan Ling turned her head to look at him, her clear peach blossom eyes filled with affection for another, leaving him with only indifference.

Nan Xu Yue smiled bitterly. “You only wish to clear the air between us, to owe nothing to each other.”

“Nan Xu Yue, in this life, I can only, and only wish to owe one person,” Mu Xuan Ling lowered her eyes, hiding her sorrow. “But he is no longer here. I promised him that I would accompany him to guard the Ten Thousand Immortals Array for the rest of my life.”

At that time, he was still by her side. She thought they would have a long life together, but in the blink of an eye, she was left alone, guarding the world in solitude. She wished to pluck the Lotus of Eternal Life and ask the divine official on the Heavenly Ladder what price Xie Xuechen had paid to exchange for her rebirth, but that would take at least two hundred years for the Lotus of Eternal Life to bloom again…

Two hundred years… that was the lifespan of many people, but she could wait.

“He is no longer here, yet your life is long. The primordial pearl shares the same lifespan as heaven and earth. Will you guard the Ten Thousand Immortals Array for eternity?” Nan Xu Yue stepped forward, his outstretched hand paused in mid-air, then slowly curled into a fist, holding back from resting on her shoulder. “I do not care about the length of life; a thousand years of solitude is not as good as a hundred years of companionship. Ling’er, if you feel indebted to me, I do not want the Jade Que Sutra. I only wish for you to give me a hundred years of your long life. Is that acceptable?”

She saw his deep affection and humility, not that it did not touch her, but it was merely a touch and a sense of regret.

“I’m sorry,” she said softly, then raised her hand, her pale, cool fingertips touching his brow, pure primordial energy flowing into his nearly destroyed divine apertures.

Mu Xuan Ling said, “You deserve someone who loves you wholeheartedly.”

Nan Xu Yue closed his eyes in sorrow. “But if it’s not you, it has no meaning.”

The primordial energy surged into his limbs like a warm current, yet his heart remained cold. Nan Xu Yue felt a sudden piercing pain in his brow, the old scars ruthlessly torn open. In the unseen places, blood flowed freely, yet it made him more awake, as if a glimmer of light ignited in his mind, suddenly awakening memories that had been dormant deep within his soul.

Nan Xu Yue’s body shook, and he suddenly opened his eyes. A tremendous force surged from his divine apertures, pushing Mu Xuan Ling’s hand away. Mu Xuan Ling’s fingers tingled slightly, staring in shock at Nan Xu Yue, who knelt with his head lowered, his ink-black hair cascading over half of his handsome face, obscuring his expression.

Mu Xuan Ling thought he was injured and hurriedly approached to check, reaching out to touch his brow, but he grasped her wrist with his cold hand.

Nan Xu Yue slowly raised his head, his eyes meeting hers, dark and deep like an endless starry sky. His usually elegant and gentle features now appeared exceptionally cold and unfeeling.

“Nan Xu Yue?” Mu Xuan Ling called out in confusion.

Nan Xu Yue’s gaze shifted slightly as if regaining some vitality, yet his expression was very strange as he looked at her.

“Nan Xu Yue… ha.” Nan Xu Yue tightened his grip on her wrist, the corners of his lips curling up in a smile that was neither a smile nor a frown, his unfamiliar expression causing Mu Xuan Ling to feel a sudden unease.

“Have you forgotten me?” he asked her as if speaking to himself. “Indeed, the injury is too severe… for that person, time and again…”

“You are not Nan Xu Yue!” A sharp light flashed in Mu Xuan Ling’s eyes. She forcefully broke free from his grip, striking her palm against his chest.

Nan Xu Yue did not dodge or evade, taking the blow head-on, his body retreating a full yard. She controlled her strength to avoid hurting him, but unexpectedly, her attack not only failed to harm him but was absorbed and neutralized by him.

Nan Xu Yue smiled faintly, his figure suddenly vanishing from sight, reappearing behind her, his hands pressing down on her slender shoulders, his voice gentle and low as it whispered in her ear.

“Forget me? That’s fine.” Mu Xuan Ling panicked, realizing she was completely restrained by him, unable to move, only allowing him to pull her into his embrace, his cold fingertips brushing against her cheek. “Let’s get to know each other again.”

“I am Destiny.”