Chapter 1

In the beginning, the universe was in a state of chaos, known as the Boundless Number, which lasted for 129,600 years, called the Heavenly Epoch. One epoch is divided into twelve periods: Zi, Chou, Yin, Mao, Chen, Si, Wu, Wei, Shen, You, Xu, and Hai, also known as the Twelve Earthly Branches. Each period lasts 18,000 years and is divided into two calamities. Every sixty years is called a Jiazi, and 90 Jiazi make up one calamity.

Each calamity brings a great heavenly disaster, hence it is called the Dharma Calamity. The land of Shenzhou, with its countless living beings, uses the Dharma Calamity as its calendar. Because each calamity requires a Pure Yang being to perish, it is also known as the Pure Yang Dharma Calamity.

During the Pure Yang Dharma Calamity, the heavenly fate is confused, and the five major sects of Sword, Dao, Buddhism, Demon, and Beast are in constant conflict. There was a battle between the Great Bodhisattva Jueyuan and the Demon Lord of the Eastern Capital, one being Pure Yang and the other a Half-Step Boundless. Shenzhou suffered greatly from their battle, with countless deaths.

The Sword Master of the Sword Hall, Xiao Nanli, emerged to fight. With one sword, the light and coldness of the heavens were illuminated, and the land of Shenzhou was divided into five regions: Qingzhou, Shenzhou, Shangzhou, Luzhou, and Juzhou. Xiao Nanli died from the backlash of the Heavenly Dao, fulfilling the Pure Yang Dharma Calamity.

More than 5,000 years have passed, and the five continents have each flourished and developed, presenting a new landscape.

In Qingzhou, the human race has formed a unified nation, and at this time, the Great Law Dynasty is in power. The crown prince, Li Qian, ascended the throne and changed the era name to Chengyuan.

In the second year of Chengyuan, a strange star descended, and those who recognized it sighed in secret, "A sign of the great calamity!"

...

In the fourteenth year of Chengyuan, in Zhaoyang City of Qingzhou, at the Su family residence.

In just two hours, the entire family, including over a hundred servants, were killed. The Su family, being a prominent household in Zhaoyang City, had about twenty guards, yet they were all killed so swiftly.

In the deep courtyard, a young boy, about twelve or thirteen years old, knelt. His eyes were lifeless, his eyelids swollen, his body emaciated, and his appearance haggard, clearly suffering from a long illness. He was the only survivor of the Su family.

The entire Su residence was silent, and it was already the hour of Mao. The noise of the early market gradually came from outside, and the first rays of the sun were just beginning to appear.

In front of the boy stood a woman, her presence giving a mysterious and subtle feeling just by standing there.

She wore a snow-white palace dress, with a two-inch wide green silk belt around her slender waist. Her lotus shoes were white, with golden runes embroidered on the sides, mysterious and profound. Her graceful curves were barely visible, and her three thousand strands of black hair were loosely tied at the end. Her skin was fair, her long neck exuded an inviting luster, and her presence made others feel inferior.

Her delicate face was naturally perfect, with no need for any embellishment. She was slightly immature, perhaps only sixteen or seventeen years old. Under her slightly arched eyebrows were a pair of star-like eyes, with the power to see through the hearts of others. However, her expression was indifferent, showing no emotion for the Su family's tragedy.

The autumn wind stirred the withered leaves, forming small whirlwinds. The leaves spun inside, flowing with the wind, like the fate of a person, unable to struggle.

"All the family members died so cleanly, you don't seem very sad. Moreover, why do you think their deaths are not related to me?" The woman in the palace dress spoke calmly, her voice harmonious like a great song, cleansing the heart.

"Perhaps you fear for your life, afraid that revealing my true identity will lead to your death as well."

The woman in the palace dress felt a slight doubt. Observing the boy's vital energy, he seemed to have no hope of survival, and would die within two years at most. Yet, there was a feeling that tugged at her. Otherwise, with her nature, she would have left after saving him.

The boy's lifeless eyes flickered, and his dry, cracked lips moved, emitting a hoarse voice: "Though I am just a mortal, I have heard of ghostly matters. When essence and energy transform into objects, ghosts and spirits appear. If you were the murderer, the resentment of over a hundred family members would have surged towards you, but it has slowly dissipated."

As he spoke, a hint of redness flashed across the boy's face, and he struggled to stand, bowing: "Thank you, Immortal Lady, for saving my life. However, I have a request. Please lead me to the immortal gate. If I succeed, I will surely repay you generously."

The woman in the palace dress's expression turned cold, her star-like eyes gleaming with a cold light: "Your words are quite bold. Knowing that I saved your life, you still ask me for an opportunity. What is the reason for this?"

The boy felt an overwhelming force pressing down, almost making him lose his balance. He endured the surging blood in his body, gritting his teeth: "Immortal Lady, you asked why I am not sad. In short, it is a matter of power." The boy's heart was trembling, but he could not afford to be cautious at this moment.

"Hmm?"

Seemingly curious about the boy's words, she retracted her pressure and said calmly: "If so, explain yourself. If you cannot satisfy me, I will extract your soul and make you suffer."

The boy bowed again, a gesture of respect in the Great Law Dynasty. At this moment, his bow expressed his respect, with no other meaning.

"The sage said, 'The wise are not wise, and the blind followers are many. Why? Because they do not understand the matters of ghosts and spirits. Ghosts and spirits can do what humans cannot, thus they possess great power, which mortals cannot compete with. It is also said that ghosts and spirits are also humans, and humans can become ghosts and spirits.'"

"I understand the principles of heaven, earth, and humanity, but I lack power. With my weak body, how can I talk about revenge? I believe you can see that if I do not enter the immortal gate, I have no more than two years to live. If I were to cry and wail like a weak and indecisive person, would it not be self-pity? How could I pursue power and avenge the deaths of my family?"

The boy's voice was still young, hoarse, and filled with suppressed sorrow. Since he was three, he had been reading books without interruption, gaining some understanding of this world. The matters of ghosts and spirits were indeed true, but the so-called "words of the sage" were fabricated.

As he spoke, the boy's eyes regained clarity, gradually transforming into a resolute force, staring directly at the woman in the palace dress. Despite his emaciated and weak body, there was an infinite strength within him, and his words were clear: "For you, it is just a matter of lifting a finger, but for me, it is like a drought-breaking rain or a snow-sent charcoal, a great favor."

No matter how sharp a mortal's eyes, they could not move her. She smiled faintly: "Do you think I don't know the original text? However, changing one word makes the entire meaning fresh, indeed worthy of praise." This faint smile had a natural charm, captivating.

The boy saw clearly, and after a moment of daze, he regained his senses. At this moment, he had no time to admire her beauty. Hearing her words, his pale face turned slightly red, with a hint of joy.

The woman in the palace dress felt slightly surprised, but her expression did not show it. She suddenly changed her tone, speaking coldly: "How do you determine that it is just a matter of lifting a finger for me? Do you know that if I give you an opportunity, it will create a tangled cause and effect? If you cause me trouble, what will you say?"

"Such a weak mortal, what makes you confident that you can repay me greatly? The path to immortality has lasted for thousands of years, and many talented people have failed. What makes you think you can surpass them?"

"I observe your constitution, and it is barely passable. A young boy, not knowing the vastness of heaven and earth, how can you think the path to immortality is so easy?"

At this point, her voice slowed, and her expression remained calm: "Even if it is an investment, it must be worth it. Clearly, you do not have that value. Cherish the remaining days of your life, and do not think too much."

With that, she was about to leave, but the boy suddenly knelt, his head bowed, his expression hidden. His body trembled slightly, as if he were sobbing.

The woman in the palace dress did not look at him, and a thought formed, a sword light shooting out, ready to carry her away.

The boy's trembling became more intense, and he suddenly fell to the side. His face was ashen, and his skin rippled like waves, his already emaciated body visibly shrinking.

This scene greatly surprised the woman in the palace dress. She pressed down the sword light, her delicate fingers forming a seal, and a green light entered the boy's body. She discovered that his vital energy was even weaker than before. Another thought split off, entering the boy's mind.

She saw a sea of blood, and the boy's consciousness cowered in a small boat. As the sea of blood surged, the boat was tossed, as if it could be swallowed at any moment. However, a faint white light protected the boat, barely resisting.

The woman in the palace dress's delicate face showed surprise for the first time: "A demonic spirit? The bald monk Songtao spent twelve years in Qingzhou, looking for it."

As the sea of blood surged, a human form appeared: "Little girl, I advise you not to meddle. Get lost."

Hearing this, she laughed inwardly, but her expression remained calm: "A mere incarnation of a demon lord..."

Her thoughts stirred, secretly invoking the stars, and her fingers formed seals. Suddenly, a green light descended from the clear sky, landing on the boy's body. It was daytime, and not many people noticed.

As the green light entered the boy's mind, the sea of blood resisted fiercely. However, the green light firmly protected the boy, remaining steady despite the surging blood.

The demonic spirit fully revealed its form, identical to the boy, but strange and inexplicable. It cursed: "Damn brat, you are from the Nanli Palace."

The woman in the palace dress found it interesting and said meaningfully: "This boy can resist you. Perhaps the so-called strange star's descent is related. Let me see how it ends." She smiled faintly, ignoring the demonic spirit's roar, and exited the boy's mind.

She did not notice that the boy's mind changed again. A rectangular object appeared in the boat surrounded by green light, resembling a book, with a faint purple glow. As it appeared, the green light seemed to fear it, and the sea of blood calmed, no longer daring to act.

The boy slowly regained consciousness, feeling the pain in his body had diminished. He thought he would not survive this time, but unexpectedly, he had another chance at life. He got up from the ground, feeling some strength in his body, something he had not experienced in twelve years, leaving him somewhat at a loss.

"Immortal Elder?" The boy was puzzled, not knowing what had happened, but feeling better than ever before.

"I can help you, but you must agree to two conditions. If you agree, I will help you enter the path of cultivation and write a recommendation letter for the Sword Hall. I believe the Sword Hall will not refuse me this favor." The woman in the palace dress did not notice the change in his address. Seeing him awake, she smiled mysteriously, as if she had found something interesting.

"Two conditions? Sword Hall?" The boy had not yet figured out the relationship, but the situation had suddenly improved. Although it was beneficial to him, it felt unreal, so he asked uncertainly.

"If you can reach the realm of immortality, my conditions will have value. If not, there is nothing to say. The Sword Hall is one of the top sects in the world, occupying half of Qingzhou. If you can enter, you will have a good chance of avenging your family." The woman in the palace dress explained kindly, but it seemed like a form of enticement.

At this moment, the boy had no other choice. Even if it meant facing a mountain of knives and a sea of fire, he had to charge forward. He bowed: "Please help me, Immortal Lady."

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The page turns, and the AD ends.