*In the Present*
*Black Turtle, Ancestral Domain of the Xuan Family, spanning millions of kilometers.*
The patriarch of the Xuan family, Zheng Xuan, sat on his throne. His long, graying beard and time-worn face were framed by a black robe adorned with jade. His appearance was that of a calm, harmless old man—were it not for the raging aura he exuded at that very moment. The eye on his forehead had veins bulging all around it.
Around him, guards struggled to stand upright under the crushing pressure of his aura. Some coughed up blood from the invisible force. At the foot of the throne lay a lifeless corpse—the broken body of his rebellious son, drained of all essence.
"Father."
A beautiful young woman in her twenties stood beside the throne. Her features were delicate, her green robe hugging her slender, enchanting figure. Her short black hair framed her jade-like eyes, which regarded the scene with indifference. Her younger brother was dead, but they hadn't been particularly close. In her two hundred years of existence, she'd seen him at most three times.
She had always been reclusive, focused on cultivation. It was only when she reached the Holy Sage realm that she emerged, only to learn her younger brother had returned dead from a lower realm.
"Father, please calm down."
"How can I calm down, Daiyu? Shen died like a dog in the lower realm. Even his essence was devoured!"
Zheng Xuan slammed his fist, causing a tremor that resonated for thousands of kilometers. After all, being a Heavenly Emperor was no joke.
"Your allies only killed mortals and your subjects for nothing, Father."
"You're right..." His aura finally retracted.
He glared at the guards.
"It was that damned hedonist from the Hu ancestral family who led him there, wasn't it?"
One of the guards coughed, then spoke.
"Indeed, Patriarch. Rumor has it he intended to kill the Devourer."
"That little brat! He thinks the Devourer is someone he can face alone with a few lackeys. Bring him to me. I want an explanation, or else..."
"Yes, Patriarch!"
Instantly, a hundred beams of destructive Qi split the sky.
Daiyu, still silent until then, finally spoke.
"Father, I don't think attacking an ancestral family is wise."
"You think your father is weak. Even if those old hags try to stop me, I'll still destroy that good-for-nothing's cultivation. It's the least he deserves for causing Shen's death."
"Very well, Father. I'll take a stroll and meet some geniuses of this era." She said with a disinterested gaze.
"Do as you please." Zheng Xuan waved his hand. He knew all his daughter cared about was cultivation and tormenting geniuses, so he let her be—after all, she was now his only descendant.
She vanished as if she'd never been there.
...
*Temple of the Tao*
*POV: Hu Bai She*
'I'm really in deep shit.'
I sat casually before a statue of a great White Tiger.
You're probably wondering what I'm doing here instead of running back to my family's estate.
Well, it's because I'd get killed—either by my mother, Patriarch Xuan, my master, the sect leader, or the sect elders. Basically, there were so many people who wanted me dead that I didn't know what to do.
At the center of the East Continent, divided by domains of the most powerful, stood the Temple of the Tao, the holiest site. Cultivators and mortals alike paid homage to the Law Incarnations of ancient times. There were statues of legendary figures: the Azure Dragon, Vermilion Bird, Yellow Qilin, Black Turtle, and White Tiger... It was a vital place, harvesting faith to preserve their souls until reincarnation.
And me? I'd defiled three disciples on the altar dedicated to the Azure Dragon. Why? Well, Qing Long, the Azure Dragon's descendant, had beaten me up, so I decided to humiliate his ancestor. But I was caught by an elder.
Then, I manipulated Xuan Shen, my childhood friend, pretending to want to clear my name by killing the Devourer. I ended up killing him in the lower realm and stealing his power, which partially restored my memories—plus another bonus.
And now I'm kneeling here, my cultivation still unstable, my arm torn and oozing malignant energy.
Even as a young master, I wasn't respected at all. I was a lecherous, rebellious, disrespectful brat who rarely cultivated despite my innate talent. No, I was simply trash among my peers.
'Looks like no matter the era, I'm always the same.' I laughed self-deprecatingly.
Gazing at the statue of my ancestor, the White Tiger, I couldn't help but sigh. He'd sacrificed his life to kill his era's Devourer, only to end up with the Devourer as his descendant.
*End of POV*
"White Tiger, your descendant is going to die today, and yet you remain inactive. Aren't you trash too?" Bai She clicked his tongue as soldiers arrived at the Temple.
"Young Master Hu, come with us without a fuss. The Patriarch demands an explanation!"
"Death doesn't scare me. Let me pay my respects to my ancestor first." He declared, his tone calm and cold, showing no fear. He stared at the statue, his thoughts filled with curses.
The apparent leader sneered in disdain and pointed his spear.
"No need to bluff, Young Master. Come with us, or else..."
"Or else what? Are you going to kill the White Tiger's descendant in front of him?" He retorted arrogantly.
"Don't... Don't make this harder, Bai She!"
A Sage's aura swept the area, making Hu Bai cough up blood. Already weak from his unstable cultivation and severe self-inflicted injury, he was slowly dying.
Bai She clenched his teeth, maintaining his calm demeanor despite the humiliation.
The Temple of the Tao was a restricted zone, but due to the commotion, many curious cultivators had gathered in the distance. Among them was a figure descending slowly as if carried by clouds. Their cyan and black robe fluttered lightly, a mist partially obscuring their face but revealing long black hair, blue scales on their cheeks, and reptilian irises. It was Hu Baishe's greatest rival, Qing Long, known as the reincarnation of the Azure Dragon and the most powerful of the younger generation.