Prologue:
Ancient Era, Burial Immortals Mountain Range
Immortal Eardwulf stood surrounded by nine other True Saints, his body broken, blood spilling from his lips, Saint Power raging uncontrollably within him. Fury blazed in his eyes as he faced the nine.
“Eardwulf, hand over the Chaos Pearl. We’ll spare you a place in this world. In the end, there’ll still be a place for you in the Nine Heavens and Ten Domains.”
“Heh...”
“Fools. You think you can refine the realms, sacrifice the essence of those immortals, and ascend to dominion?”
“We don’t need your approval. Hand over the pearl and you might still live.”
“Hahaha…”
“The Chaos Pearl holds the primal forces—time, space, creation itself. You think I’d ever give it to you?”
“Eardwulf… we admit you’re strong. But now it’s nine against one. What chance do you think you have?”
“Haah…”
"Final rites... seek the true path!"
"All things honest in this world!"
"Demons and gods alike shall fade!"
"I’ve never bowed to the Heavens!"
"Even if I die here, the Chaos Pearl stays with me. I swear on my Dao heart—no more immortals in this world!"
“Then die with us!”
“Eardwulf… what are you doing!?”
“Sever the Heavens, seal the Nine!”
“No—!”
Boom!
With a roar, Immortal Eardwulf unleashed his full power. A golden light erupted from the pearl on his brow. Time twisted, space cracked, Dao Will surged. In an instant, the entire world collapsed—skies fell, suns dimmed, countless realms shattered. Every immortal was reduced to ash in the backlash. True immortality ceased to exist.
The other nine Saints were swallowed by the storm along with him. From that day on, the Age of Immortals ended. History called it the Burial Calamity.
…
Blackwater City.
Reed Clan.
In the dead of night, hundreds of black-clad men stormed the estate, killing without mercy. Not even chickens or worms crawling out of the dirt were spared—cleaved clean open. It was blood and death everywhere.
William Reed, son of Clan Head Alexander Reed, stared at the massacre around him, frozen in shock. Ever since he was twelve, he’d been declared a waste—born with a crippled spirit, unable to cultivate. Now, with weapons clashing all around, he trembled like a leaf.
“William! Run! Run as far as you can—never come back to Blackwater City!”
Alexander shoved him away. William’s eyes blurred with tears as he looked back—his father, mother, little sister, and the clan all holding off the attackers just to buy him time.
He stumbled off into the night, each step heavy, every breath a struggle.
Elsewhere in the dark—
“Bad news! That waste William slipped away—covered by Alexander himself!”
“What? He got away?”
“Which way!?”
“Toward Blackwater Mountains!”
“Chase him!”
…
On the mountain peak, William's robes hung in tatters, blood pouring from gashes across his body. His face pale as death.William Reed scrambled up the mountain, not even noticing when sharp branches tore his clothes and left dozens of cuts on his arms and legs. Dirt smeared his face, blood stained his robes, but none of that could hide the sharp lines of his face or the star-like glint in his eyes.
He was clearly running out of strength, swaying with every step.
Around him, a dozen masked men closed in, weapons drawn. Behind him was a bottomless abyss. There was nowhere left to run or hide.
“Who... who are you people?” he shouted, voice hoarse. “Why did you destroy the Reed clan?”
A burst of cruel laughter rang out.
One of the masked men stepped forward, voice like ice. “William, some things you’ll never know. If you want answers, go ask your parents in the afterlife.”
“We never offended anyone! The Reed clan always minded its own business!” William yelled, desperate.
“You still don’t get it, huh? You're too green. This world... it’s not as simple as you think. Kill him.”
Two men advanced, blades gleaming with killing intent.
William froze. He knew—it was the end.
“If I die today, it’ll be by my own hand. No one kills a Reed. No cowards in my bloodline!” He gritted his teeth. “And when my uncle returns with the others, he’ll rip you all to shreds!”
One of the men snorted. “Still got a backbone, huh? Fine, I’ll enlighten you. That uncle of yours? He ain’t coming back.”
“What do you mean?”
“Take a good look at me.”
The man ripped off his mask.
A familiar face.
“U-Uncle… Nicholas?!”
“No! That’s impossible... You’re not my uncle! You're lying!” William shouted, voice cracking.
Nicholas Reed stepped forward, voice cold and full of resentment. “Your father hogged the throne of clan leader for eighteen years. Half the clan’s resources went to propping up your useless body. If that power went to my son, he’d have formed his foundation by now.”
“You were a burden. Your father was a burden. It's time the Reed family moved on.”
“Kill him.”
William staggered back. His body trembled as his fists clenched tight. Blood trickled from his eyes as he stared at his uncle, voice hoarse from hate. “U-Uncle…”
“If I survive this... I’ll rip you all apart! You’ll never die in peace!”
He burned every face into his memory. Then, without hesitation, he turned and leapt into the abyss behind him.
Nicholas and the masked men rushed forward, peering into the depths below.
Thick mist shrouded the bottom. It was a chasm that swallowed light, a monster that devoured hope.
“C-Clan leader, what now? We can’t sense anything down there. Should we get ropes and check?”
Nicholas looked around at the mountain ridges, then picked up a stone and tossed it into the abyss.
“Clink… Clatter… Thump… Clatter…”
The sound echoed, fading into silence.“No need. That abyss is deep—maybe hundreds or even a thousand zhang. And look at that fog, thick enough to blot out the sky. That waste of a kid didn’t have a shred of cultivation. Jumping down? He’s mashed into pulp for sure.”
Just then, a figure soared from the distant forest and landed atop the cliff.
The red dress and shawl hugged her tall frame. Pale as snow, eyes flickering like starlight—every inch of her radiated beauty.
“I suppose I should call you Patriarch Reed now.”
“Miss Sutton.”
Grace Sutton glanced at Nicholas Reed, her voice cold.
“That waste. Where is he?”
Nicholas smiled faintly. “He jumped. With no power to break his fall, he’s probably meat paste by now.”
“Anyone left from Alexander Reed’s line?”
“No. That brat was the last.”
“Good. You’re neat and decisive. I respect that. But next time, clean up even better. No mistakes.”
She vanished in a flash, flitting through the forest like a ghost.
Nicholas turned to the rest. In a sudden motion, he drew his sword. Five were down before anyone reacted—cut clean through.
“Patriarch—why…?”
“They weren’t truly of our family. Too much knowledge is dangerous.”
“Send word. Work with the Sutton family. Any outsiders who saw anything—kill them.”
“Move!”
The group vanished into the night. Silence fell. The breeze stirred the trees, as though mocking the injustice of the world.
…
Down below, a river flowed steadily. Fish darted through the water, carefree and playful.
William Reed had landed deep in the abyss. Near the bottom, a massive tree jutted out from the cliff, breaking his fall. It slowed him, but didn’t spare him—bones cracked, skin ripped open by branches.
“Crash!”
His body hit the river, sending water flying. The impact drove fresh blood from his lifeless lips.
The current carried him away, silent and unfeeling.
The river twisted through mountains, dragging William into a dark tunnel. Caught between two stones, he lay motionless, blood thinning into the water.
Then—something stirred.
His blood, now threadlike strands of red, seemed drawn by an unseen force, pulled toward the riverbed.
There, buried in stone and muck, lay a pearl no bigger than an egg. It had been asleep for who knew how long. When the blood touched it, it flared gray with sudden life.
“Whoosh!”
Gone in an instant—the pearl became a streak of light, shooting into William’s brow.
Everything froze.
The river stopped. The fish hung still mid-splash. Birds froze in flight. Even blood from William’s wounds halted in place.
“Flash!”
With another surge of energy, William vanished.
Silence. Darkness.
Then, his eyes flew open.
Gasping, he looked around, wild with fear.
Gray all around—mist thick and endless. He could only see a few dozen meters ahead. Beyond that, nothing but swirling gloom.
“Where… where is this…? Is this the underworld? Am I dead?”
“Father… Mother… Little Sister… I’m coming to find you…”