The tides of the East Sea rose and fell like the breathing of a giant. Beneath its waters, coral palaces glowed faintly with immortal light, and vast schools of spirit fish darted through forests of kelp taller than mountains. For countless years, this sea had been turbulent, its protector long dead in the devastating war that ended the Age of Supremes.
And yet, on one auspicious day, the waves thundered with a sound that shook heaven and earth.
From the depths of the sea, a young man stepped onto the shore. His long black hair clung to his shoulders, dripping with seawater that shimmered faintly like molten gold. His eyes opened slowly, and for an instant, they glowed with a majestic brilliance that made the sea beasts bow instinctively in submission. But then, as quickly as it came, the brilliance dimmed, leaving only a calm, unreadable gaze.
This was Long Taiyi.
He stood silently on the rocks, listening to the roar of the sea. His hands clenched, not because he remembered who he had once been, but because deep inside, something stirred—fragments of battles, shadows of fire and blood, a woman in crimson whose face he could never forget.
Yet those visions dissolved like mist. His dragon blood, once mighty enough to shake the realms, was sealed and silent. To the world, he was no more than a youth, weak by immortal standards, forced to claw his way upward from the lowest cultivation stage.
Still, the sea trembled around him. The creatures of the deep remembered the dragon's roar that had announced his birth. Even if the world did not yet know his name, destiny itself was watching.
---
Far away, in the Fire Desolation, a secret realm hidden behind endless waves of flame shuddered violently. At its heart stood a cocoon of fire, radiant enough to scorch space itself. Cracks spread across its surface until, with a blinding eruption, it shattered.
From the blaze, a woman emerged. Her figure was slender, her long hair the color of crimson flames, and her eyes unfocused as though she had awoken from an endless dream.
This was Feng Jiu.
But she was no longer the Feng Jiu who had once soared above the heavens with Taiyi at her side. Her memories of the war, of Taiyi, of her daughter Tie Ling—everything—were gone. She blinked, confused, clutching her chest as if something important had been torn away.
Yet her body told another story. The blood of the Phoenix and the Fire God fused perfectly within her veins, radiating a terrifying vitality. Her aura surged instinctively, flames dancing along her skin in patterns of divine runes.
She looked at her own hands, dazed.
"Who… am I?"
There was no answer. Only the endless inferno responded, embracing her like an old friend. The fire whispered to her, urging her forward. Each breath of flame tempered her body, each heartbeat resonated with power. Though her mind was clouded, her instincts sharpened—stronger than ever before.
Alone, without past or purpose, she walked into the desolate lands. Every step she took left behind scorched earth, and yet, in the distance, the realm itself seemed to bow, as if recognizing a forgotten sovereign returned.
---
The world turned. Far in the west, in the Azure Flow Realm, peace had endured for generations. This land was famed for its harmony: rivers of azure qi flowed through mountains like veins of light, clans shared resources instead of warring, and mortals prayed to gods that had long since fallen silent.
But all peace is fragile.
On a clear morning, the skies split open. A woman descended slowly, her robes shimmering with silver threads that seemed woven from moonlight. Her expression was serene, her eyes tranquil, yet beneath that stillness lurked an unfathomable abyss.
This was the Peace Goddess.
Long forgotten by history, she had survived the Dusk of Gods, hidden within the folds of void. Her dao was not peace itself but the chaos that blooms when peace decays.
Standing upon the sacred shrine of Azure Flow, she gazed across the kneeling worshippers. Her voice was gentle, but it carried to every corner of the realm.
"Peace breeds weakness. Harmony dulls the blade of will. And when blades grow dull, the world rots."
Her words seeped into the hearts of all who heard them. At first, nothing changed. But within days, old grudges resurfaced. A clan that had once sworn eternal friendship accused their neighbors of betrayal. Markets that had bustled with laughter turned to scenes of brawls and bloodshed.
The more chaos spread, the brighter the goddess's smile became. She walked through burning villages as though strolling through gardens, her hands folded in her sleeves. To her, this was not cruelty but renewal—the necessary storm that shattered stagnation.
"Let them struggle," she whispered, her eyes glinting like cold stars. "From discord, new rulers will rise. And only then will this world awaken."
---
Meanwhile, whispers spread across all realms.
In the East Sea, tales arose of a young man with dragon blood whose roar had once shaken heaven.
In the Fire Desolation, rumors spoke of a crimson goddess walking through flames, stronger than any mortal could comprehend.
In the West, panic grew as the Azure Flow Realm burned, undone not by armies but by a single goddess's presence.
The myriad diversified world, which had endured in fragile silence after the Dusk of Gods, now stirred restlessly once more.
---
On the shore of the East Sea, Long Taiyi clenched his fists. His cultivation crawled slowly, far too slowly for his restless heart. He did not know why, but every night he dreamed of a crimson figure standing amid fire, her eyes filled with sorrow. He could never see her face clearly, but the ache in his chest told him she was someone he could never forget.
Far away, in the Fire Desolation, Feng Jiu lifted her hand, flames dancing across her palm. Though she had no memories, her heart trembled faintly whenever she gazed at the horizon, as though something—someone—was waiting for her.
And in the Azure Flow Realm, the Peace Goddess looked up at the heavens, smiling.
"The era of silence is over. The game begins anew."
The stage was set.