In the Grand Dynasty of Chu, within the Imperial City.

Under the hanging moon, a swift figure darted westward from the Yardley mansion, one of the four great family estates.

The silhouette was tall and straight, with handsome features complemented by a vibrant youthful energy. Any who saw him would praise him as the epitome of youth in its prime.

This young man was Asher, the foremost prodigy of the Imperial City, whose might surpassed all others of his generation despite his tender age. Three years ago, he had emerged unexpectedly victorious in the martial arts competition, maintaining his supremacy until now.

Today, as usual, after his training, he headed toward West Mountain with joy written across his face. Soon he would meet his childhood sweetheart from the Orne family, and his heart raced with anticipation.

At this age of burning passion, almost everyone began to yearn for romance. Asher was no exception, especially since Gertie was one of the four great beauties of the Imperial City, and their families had arranged their marriage long ago.

Before long, he reached a cliff on West Mountain, where a figure stood waiting in the wind. Sensing Asher's arrival, Gertie turned to face him with a gentle smile.

With lips like flame clouds, brows like willow tips, skin like jade, and hair like cascading waterfalls - she embodied every man's dream of perfect beauty.

She approached gracefully with a wine vessel, her steps as delicate as lotus petals. Since obtaining a secret manual called the Nine-Cycle Heaven-Penetrating Art, they had been practicing here together every few days.

Training together doubled their progress, and their cultivation advanced rapidly.

"Brother Asher."

Gertie's eyes sparkled with apparent joy at his sight.

Asher stepped forward and grasped her hands tightly, warmth flooding his heart.

"Once I master the Nine-Cycle Heaven-Penetrating Art, I shall make you my bride."

"Yes."

A blush spread across her ethereal face, mesmerizing Asher.

She playfully lifted the item in her hands.

"Stop staring. Look what I've brought. Wine brewed from Spirit Sun Grass - drinking it will enhance our training tremendously."

She placed two jade cups on a nearby rock, poured the wine, and pushed one toward him.

"How thoughtful of you."

Asher stroked her head affectionately. At this moment, the woman before him was his everything.

After sharing wine and laughter in the beautiful setting, they began their usual practice.

The Nine-Cycle Heaven-Penetrating Art, being supremely yang in nature, caused terrifying waves of heat to emanate from their bodies, raising the temperature of the surrounding area.

As Gertie had said, the wine accelerated their cultivation dramatically. Their previous barrier at the peak of the first cycle showed signs of breaking under the surge of scorching true qi.

Half an hour later.

Sweat covered their foreheads as their auras grew more powerful, transforming them into miniature suns. The surrounding heat withered countless plants.

Soon, a terrifying golden ripple spread across the cliff, reducing many trees to ash.

Asher opened his eyes excitedly, overjoyed.

"Muse, we did it! Our Nine-Turn Celestial Art has reached the second turn!"

But his joy was short-lived as his head began to spin, his vision blurring before him.

"What's happening?"

Asher struggled to stay conscious, but his body wouldn't obey, growing weaker by the moment, threatening to collapse.

"Is it the technique?"

He muttered to himself.

Across from him, Gertie's lips curved into a meaningful smile as she spoke softly:

"How did you enjoy that cup of wine?"

"What... what do you mean?"

His brows furrowed.

Through their still-clasped hands, a terrifying force began pulling from Gertie's side.

The power of his second-turn cultivation rebelled against his control, frantically being drawn into Gertie's body.

The reversed technique caused his qi to flow backward, shattering his meridians.

Asher cried out in fury:

"What are you doing? Stop this!"

"Stop? And waste all my careful planning?"

Gertie looked at him with disdain.

"Why! Muse, why are you doing this!"

"Your Yardley family is merely a stepping stone for my Orne family to reach the Four Great Families. You're nothing but a tool for my cultivation. If not for your talent, why would I, Gertie, ever look at you? Now give me everything!"

She roared.

The pulling force intensified, transforming into a soaring dragon that ravaged through Asher's meridians.

His channels completely collapsed, the destruction reaching his dantian until it finally shattered.

His dantian was destroyed! His cultivation lost!

He watched helplessly as all his power flowed into this woman until nothing remained.

Stripped of all strength, he collapsed like a wooden puppet, his fingers clawing at the dirt.

"You drank the wine too, why!"

Hearing Asher's weak voice, Gertie laughed:

"I'll let you die knowing - the wine wasn't poisoned, but the cup was."

"You!"

From the darkness, a jade-faced young man in white appeared, walking toward him step by step.

"Asher, how the mighty have fallen. The Capital's First Prodigy, now as pathetic as a dead dog."

Asher's body trembled, his fingers leaving bloody marks in the ground as understanding and hatred consumed him.

His face flushed red, veins bulging!

"You! Jaxon! I'll kill you both!"

He crawled toward them with all his remaining strength, but his movements were pitiful and weak.

"Don't waste your energy. Your meridians are ruined - you're nothing but a cripple now. Enjoy your life as a worthless waste, hahaha!"

Jaxon's cold, piercing laughter rang out as he watched Asher's struggle!

The Yardley family backed by the Four Great Families, and him their brightest star among the younger generation.

The tallest trees catch the most wind - the Tony Royal House had finally moved against him, though he never expected such cruel methods!

Gertie walked softly before him, meeting his eyes with a slight smile.

"I've actually been with Lord Hather for some time now. Compared to him, you're really nothing at all."

"The most noble of all is not the Four Great Families, but the Royal Manor, isn't it?"

"You treacherous wench!" Asher roared with his remaining strength.

"Still not completely desperate, I see." The young lord stepped forward and pulled Gertie into his embrace.

"Let me share another secret with you - my Northern Demonic Art channels the ultimate yin energy! Every time you helped Gertie cultivate her yang energy, she would merge with my yin energy. Now you understand?" Jaxon laughed heartily.

Asher's entire body trembled violently, his eyes bloodshot. The hatred burned within him - how he wished he could rise and slay these two traitors! All his painstaking cultivation had merely served their purposes.

"Ah!" Blood spurted from his mouth.

Seeing this, Gertie's eyes flickered. She whispered something in Jaxon's ear.

Jaxon slowly crouched down and placed his hand on Asher. His draining force was even more terrifying than Gertie's. This time, he wasn't absorbing spiritual energy - he was draining blood!

"Almost forgot you possess innate warrior blood. What a windfall!" Maniacal laughter echoed in Asher's ears.

Asher felt himself growing weaker, the pain numbing, his vision blurring completely.

After a short while, his warrior blood was completely drained.

"Since you're already worthless, let's make it thorough." Gertie approached and kicked Asher off the cliff.

As he fell, the wind whistled louder and louder in his ears.

He laughed madly, a tragic sound. "I, Asher! As long as I live! I will kill you both! Kill! Kill! Kill!"

Bang!

He crashed at the bottom of the cliff, losing consciousness as darkness took him.

Within his body, a red light appeared, activating the last trace of spiritual energy. This tiny remnant began reversing the heart technique!

Heaven and earth's spiritual energy surged madly into his body, transforming into rolling waves of true qi flowing through his meridians.

The originally fierce yang power of the Nine Heavenly Transformations became raging flames, burning in his shattered dantian!

The heat flowed through his meridians, continuously eroding his flesh, as if conducting a massive transformation.

Under this assault, spiritual energy transformed into more and more red true qi, pouring into where his dantian had been.

A red light gathered like clouds where the dantian once existed.

The momentum continued as the red true qi condensed further.

Gradually, a crimson pearl appeared within the red clouds, marked with a golden pattern.

Below the pearl, a three-inch black cauldron materialized.

The flames fell into the black cauldron.

In the darkness, Asher's consciousness seemed to drift.

He seemed to see a pair of flame-red eyes slowly opening in the darkness, their fire-light piercing the void.

A resounding voice rang out, like an ancient bell in the wilderness, its dharmic sound powerful and clear:

"Heaven and Earth Reverse!"

"Nine Deaths Undying!"

"Live Through Death!"

"Break to Rebuild!"

"Establish Rule Under Heaven!"

"Nine Pearls Connect the Stars!"