Xuan Tian was sitting alone in the garden. His mind was processing everything he had heard from Lin Qian, cross-checking it with One's reports over the years. Dots began to connect. A blurry picture started to take shape.
Xu Ming, the Head of Lingxu Immortal Sect and one of the strongest Saints in the Human Realm, was ambitious. He wanted cultivators to rule the Human Realm. No—he wanted to rule it himself.
It seemed his open moves began around five years ago, but Xuan Tian suspected his preparations had started long before that.
His first step was to strengthen Lingxu, both in manpower and in political influence. He developed a type of pill—Shengtian Pills—that allowed cultivators to leap several cultivation levels, ascending stages with ease. Those who took them became significantly stronger than others at the same levels. But these pills required immortal cores as a key ingredient.
So he created another pill—Fanjing Pills—that could force regular humans with no innate talent to cultivate to form immortal cores. Once the core was formed, it would be harvested, leaving the human to die a painful death.
Once he had his army continuously growing, he shifted his focus to strengthening Lingxu's political influence. He knew the Emperor and ICEB would strictly uphold the rule that cultivators could not hold power in court. So first, he removed ICEB's grip on the Emperor—while forcing the Emperor's hand at the same time.
He challenged ICEB's authority over cultivators by establishing the Alliance. He poisoned the Crown Prince to show the Emperor, Mu Cangtian, that Lingxu could easily reach into the Palace. Then, he slowly stripped ICEB of its authority entirely and took full control by kidnapping the Crown Prince.
He had managed to do all this in five short years. Xu Ming was either a very capable man—or someone powerful was helping him from behind the curtain.
Xuan Tian believed the latter. It meant the mastermind was still in the shadows. And worse, this mastermind was someone from the Celestial Realm. Xuan Tian was certain.
Because no human could have known the alchemy behind the Fanjing and Shengtian Pills. The methods using immortal cores and demon blood as ingredients had been destroyed in the Purge following the Great War. They were written in a forgotten language—a language used back when all Three Realms were united.
If Xu Ming continued to get what he wanted, the Five Ancestor Saints would not sit still. If they appeared, it would bring war upon the Human Realm.
Xuan Tian knew war too well. He knew how it would affect the lives of ordinary people—how much horror it would bring to the innocent. He wouldn't wish it on anyone. Not even his enemies.
But what was the mastermind's ultimate goal? Was he trying to rule the Human Realm? Because he couldn't rule the Celestial Realm? Was Xu Ming just a puppet Emperor in waiting?
Something didn't add up.
ICEB wouldn't just stay quiet. So where were they? And what about Ziyu Sect—the strongest sect after Lingxu? Were they still declining? Or had they vanished from the fight altogether?
What about Ling Yu? What would happen to her if Lingxu's plot succeeded? Would she join the war against Lingxu?
Knowing Ling Yu—even if their time together had been brief—Xuan Tian knew the answer. Ling Yu wouldn't sit still. She would be at the very front line.
Images of Ling Yu's bloodied, lifeless body suddenly flashed through his mind. Her face, ruined. Her body mangled beyond recognition. Then came images of her screaming in pain—reaching out for him, blood pouring from her mouth. Another image: she was crying, eyes wide with terror, begging him to save her. Her voice rang in his head, shattered and desperate. "Xuan Tian... help me... please..." In one image, she had lost a limb. In another, both eyes. Then another—her head, rolling, eyes wide open.
One gruesome image after another assaulted Xuan Tian's mind.
His breath hitched, uneven. His heart beat faster—too fast.
If he were in the Human Realm, sweat would be pouring from his brow.
Xuan Tian opened his eyes and exhaled sharply.
What was that? A heart demon? I've never experienced this before. What's going on?
He struggled to regulate his breath, forcing his spirit energy into circulation, trying to clear his mind. But something clung tight. It refused to let go.
Xuan Tian's expression twisted in pain. Panic crept in.
It is a heart demon! No! I can't!
The more he panicked, the more his spirit energy rebelled in his meridians. If this continued, he would suffer serious internal injuries. Even permanently damaged his celestial core.
Inside his meridians, a sliver of black spirit energy was traveling fast toward Xuan Tian's Celestial Core. It was unstoppable. He could feel it, but he was helpless to stop it. Something like this had never happened before. He tried to circulate his spirit energy, to push it out—but the more he tried, the faster the black spirit energy surged, closing in on his core.
His breath grew shorter. His body trembled. His purple eyes had begun to darken, flecks of black swirling within them.
Xuan Tian knew what was happening.
He was slowly turning into a Dark Celestial—a Celestial corrupted by heart demons and driven into the path of dark cultivation. An outcast. Exiled to a forgotten place in the Celestial Realm. Feared and hated by all. He could see the disappointment in Tian Xu's eyes.
His heart sank. Tianjun! Help me!
As if sensing the core was near, the black spirit energy travelled even faster.
Xuan Tian could only feel powerless as the black thread reached his core. He closed his eyes, completely defeated. He could only accept his fate.
My time has come. I never thought this is how I would end. I am sorry, everyone. I have failed you all.