Thunderous storm clouds rumbled over the Eastern Border of Fengyun City. Lightning tore through the pitch-black night sky, illuminating a gigantic chasm that looked like the wide-open maw of an ancient monster. This was Shenmo Death Valley—a forbidden region shrouded in poisonous black mist and death aura that pierced to the bone.
At the edge of the chasm, two Xiao Family guards stood in animal-hide rain capes. On the muddy ground, Xiao Chen's body lay helplessly. His rough clothes had now turned a deep red from the blood continuously seeping from his chest.
"Hurry up and finish this! This place is seriously making my hair stand on end," one of the guards said, rubbing his prickling nape. The icy aura rising from the bottom of the chasm seemed like a ghostly whisper ready to claim their lives.
"Hmph, this piece of trash isn't breathing anymore either. Young Master Yiran's Soul-Severing Claw Technique completely destroyed his internal organs," the second guard replied as he kicked Xiao Chen's body toward the edge of the cliff.
Without the slightest trace of mercy, the two guards lifted Xiao Chen's limp body and hurled him into the eternal darkness of the Shenmo chasm.
*WHOOSH!*
Xiao Chen's body plummeted through the thick black mist. His falling speed increased explosively, accompanied by the whistle of the storm wind. Within his consciousness, which was on the verge of completely going out, Xiao Chen felt the poisonous mist's coldness gnawing at his skin. However, he could no longer feel the pain in his body.
*Is this the end?* Xiao Chen's inner voice whispered amid the darkness of his soul. *Mother... I'm sorry. I couldn't hold on... I can't avenge you...*
Just as his consciousness was about to vanish completely, a golden-red light suddenly radiated from Xiao Chen's chest. It was the dull black stone pendant left behind by his mother, which had hung around his neck all these years. The stone, cracked by Xiao Yiran's earlier blow, now absorbed the fresh blood flowing across its surface.
*BZZZZT!*
The cracks in the pendant burst open, radiating ancient symbols written in the extinct language of gods and demons. The golden symbols floated through the air, wrapping around Xiao Chen's body and slowing his fall until he landed gently at the bottom of the chasm, which was covered in ancient locust skulls and bones.
*BOOOOM!*
A tremendous wave of dark energy erupted from the bottom of the chasm, blasting away all the poisonous mist around it.
Deep within Xiao Chen's soul, a boundless empty chamber suddenly took shape. At its center floated a gigantic golden-black sword bound by mystical golden chains. Sitting atop the sword was an elegant woman in a translucent white dress, her blue eyes glittering like ice crystals.
She was Xue Ling'er, the ancient sword spirit that had slept for thousands of years.
"How many millions of years have passed...?" Xue Ling'er's voice echoed softly yet coldly, filling Xiao Chen's sea of consciousness. "Who would have thought that the bloodline descendant of the Ancient God-Demon Emperor would finally awaken me with his blood of despair..."
Xue Ling'er floated toward Xiao Chen's dim soul, which flickered like a candle in the wind. She looked at Xiao Chen's completely destroyed meridians and smiled faintly.
"Poor mortal. Your Blocked Meridians aren't actually a congenital defect, but a Forbidden Seal meant to conceal the God-Demon Blood within your body. That Xiao clan boy's blow instead destroyed the seal and awakened your true potential!"
Xue Ling'er extended her slender finger and touched Xiao Chen's forehead.
*CLINK!*
"Rise, my lord! Accept the Fatebreaker Legacy and rebuild your body with the blood of gods and demons!"
*BOOOOM!*
In the real world, Xiao Chen's body, lying atop the pile of bones, suddenly rose into the air. The dark energy of the Demon Realm and the sacred light of the God Realm merged and surged into Xiao Chen's chest. His shattered bones fused back together with loud cracking sounds. His destroyed meridians melted away and were replaced by strands of golden energy that carried pure God-Demon Qi!
"AAARGHHH!"
Xiao Chen let out a loud scream as his entire body and soul underwent a complete transformation. His short black hair grew all the way to his waist, shimmering with golden-silver radiance. His once-dull black eyes transformed into golden eyes crowned by red pupils that radiated absolute terror.
His cultivation aura, which had once been nonexistent, exploded with terrifying speed!
*Body Refining, First Level... Third Level... Sixth Level... Peak Body Refining!*
The energy explosion did not stop there. With a roar that shook the entire bottom of Shenmo Death Valley, Xiao Chen broke through the mortal boundary and directly advanced into the Foundation Establishment Realm, First Level!
Xiao Chen landed on the ground with both feet. His long hair streamed in the dark wind. He clenched his fists, feeling tremendous power capable of shattering mountains flow through every inch of his muscles.
Beside him, a golden-black sword engraved with dragons and demons—the God-Demon Sword—formed from thin air and automatically settled across his back.
Xiao Chen raised his head and looked toward the towering cliff, where the Xiao Family had thrown him several hours earlier. His eyes gleamed coldly, radiating a killing intent capable of freezing the blood of anyone who saw it.
"Xiao Family... Xiao Tianhai... Xiao Yiran..." Xiao Chen's voice echoed with two tones, blending a human voice with the whisper of an ancient god. "Wait for me to return. This world will witness... how the trash you threw away will make gods and demons kneel beneath my feet!"