Two years…
Meng Meng was nowhere to be seen. The reason — he was deep beneath the earth, cultivating in complete solitude, absorbing the vitality of the land itself. His speed of progress was far beyond that of any ordinary cultivator.
One year later…
When he finally opened his eyes, a strange glow flickered within them.
"It's almost impossible to even think that one can cultivate using the life force of the earth!" he murmured in disbelief.
This cultivation method had been passed down to him through the inheritance of Teng Xuwan. Though Teng Xuwan's soul had long since faded, his legacy lived on through Meng Meng — continuing that rebellious, heaven-defying path.
Meng Meng had obtained countless treasures from Teng Xuwan — most were high-level techniques and spells, far beyond what his current strength could handle.
He looked up at the dim light filtering from above and soared upward. Flying — something meant only for Golden Core cultivators — came easily to him.
"This technique is also good for escaping and deceiving," he said with a faint smile.
Reaching the surface, Meng Meng looked around and guessed that nearly three years had passed since he began inheriting Teng Xuwan's legacy. He had mastered all of Teng Xuwan's spells and techniques — yet this was not his greatest fortune. What truly blessed him were Teng Xuwan's memories. Though blurry, those ancient recollections of a master thousands of years old would play a crucial role on his future path.
This time, Meng Meng's aura felt entirely different — like he had been reborn and reforged. A fierce curiosity burned within him. Could he now stand against Foundation Establishment cultivators? The battle intent in his eyes was unmistakable.
He remembered Teng Xuwan's final wish — to take revenge against the leader of the Tenxu Sect.
When Teng Xuwan had fought against the heavens, he had survived but was gravely injured. At that time, when he was at his weakest, the leader of the Tenxu Sect — Simu — ambushed him for his treasures. But he should have known that Teng Xuwan was not someone one could betray and live without consequence. Even while on the brink of death, Teng Xuwan had chosen to shatter his own soul orb to drag Simu down with him.
He succeeded… but Simu barely survived, left broken and with his cultivation crippled.
At first, Meng Meng had been hesitant about carrying out the revenge. But thinking about the past — and especially about Meng Ping — he accepted Teng Xuwan's final wish. He would give Simu a painful death.
He remembered that final moment vividly.
Teng Xuwan had looked at him with a strange gaze. To anyone else, it would have seemed terrifying, but to Meng Meng, there was a trace of softness hidden within.
As Teng Xuwan's soul began to fade, Meng Meng knelt and blew three times toward him — a gesture of respect that startled Teng Xuwan. He had always despised those who knelt, yet this unfamiliar act brought a strange feeling to his heart — warmth. A smile formed on his lips.
"Good…" he whispered. Then, his soul disappeared completely.
Meng Meng knew this was not just a recording, but a trace of Teng Xuwan's real soul. Somehow, he had left a piece of himself within the jade, lingering for a short while longer.
Remembering it all, Meng Meng's gratitude toward Teng Xuwan grew even deeper.
"I will walk the path you once took… and I will avenge you!"
Meng Meng stepped forward, spreading his divine sense across the entire island. He saw nothing but bones and ruins. As he lowered his gaze, he noticed a strange symbol etched onto his hand — one that had appeared during the inheritance. He hadn't paid it much attention, but it pulsed faintly with power.
Expanding his divine sense farther, he finally sensed life — a beast.
"Rank 3 Jade Boar?"
A Rank 3 beast — comparable to a two-star Foundation cultivator. Perfect to test his strength.
Taking one step, Meng Meng vanished and reappeared a hundred feet away — using the Swift Step technique, created solely for covering long distances in an instant.
After a few more flickers, he stood in front of the Jade Boar. The beast sensed his presence and roared, charging at him with blinding speed. Yet Meng Meng didn't panic — he only smiled.
He closed his eyes, took a silent step to the side, and disappeared again — reappearing ten feet away. Then, with calm precision, he raised two fingers and muttered softly,
"Painless Death."
The death qi around the island began to tremble violently, gathering madly at the point between his fingers. A burst of eerie, gray energy condensed — dense, suffocating, filled with death itself.
The boar's instincts screamed danger, and it tried to flee — but it was too late.
The beam shot forth, piercing through the air like a blade of annihilation. It struck the Jade Boar's head, punching clean through — and didn't stop. The beam tore through a distant mountain before finally dissipating.
The beast remained standing for a moment… then fell silently, lifeless, without even a sound of pain.
Meng Meng stood still, surprised by the display of power.
"This was one of the weakest spells… yet it's terrifying. It didn't even consume my qi, only the death qi around me. This land is filled with it — no wonder its power increased so much!
1.Painless Death — a low-level spell that condenses all surrounding death qi into two fingers. When released, it pierces the target's life force directly, ending existence in a single, silent burst.