After the Era of Darkness, when the tides of chaos finally receded, the broken world was pieced together once more.
The seven continents of the old age were no more, swept away into dust and memory.
From the ashes rose five new continents, and among them thirty nations, each clawing to carve its dominion beneath the Heavens.
Upon the Sky Continent, the mighty Zee Empire reigned. Its authority rested upon nine supreme families. Among them, the Zhou Family towered like an unshakable mountain.
The patriarch, Zhou Li Yi, was an invincible Tier-A Ranker. Advent Stage, Tier A—his cultivation pierced the heavens, his strength absolute among his peers. In the eyes of the world, he was a pillar that could not fall.
But to Zhou Fang, he was only a shadow.
---
The school bell rang.
From its gates, Zhou Fang emerged. His eyes were calm, his steps steady, his aura unreadable—yet every movement carried an invisible edge.
On the busy streets, a gentle voice drifted into his ears.
"Zhou Fang."
A delicate white bird sprite appeared before him, fluttering with a glow not of this world. It was Emma, his artifact spirit, guardian, and silent witness.
Passersby turned their heads, whispering. To them, Zhou Fang seemed like a madman, speaking to thin air. But their gazes were meaningless, like ants staring at the sky. Zhou Fang ignored them and walked into an empty alley, where silence wrapped around his figure.
There, his tone grew colder.
"Emma. You told me before—I possess the Divine Dao Body, the perfect vessel for immortal cultivation. Then why do you still refuse to give me a technique?"
Emma's soft voice lingered, distant and elusive.
"I have told you, Zhou Fang. With this body, stepping into the Divine Dao Stage is inevitable. But I possess something greater. A method not bound to the Star Universe. A method that transcends all cultivation systems, even beyond the highest worlds. It was created by my Master. If you wish to walk this path, you must fulfill its conditions."
Zhou Fang's eyes sharpened. His smile was faint, yet cold enough to freeze blood.
"Conditions, you say? Very well. But one of them… to offer my soul mate my Divine Dao Body? Hmph. Where do you expect me to find such a person?"
His gaze turned inward, his words becoming blades of thought.
"To place my life in the hands of fate is foolishness.
I would rather let the world down than be let down by the world.
Kinship, friendship, love—these are chains disguised as warmth.
They dazzle the weak, but to the strong, they are shackles.
What is ambition if bound by such illusions? Nothing but a joke."
Emma's tone was light, as though she had long expected his ruthlessness.
"That is your problem to solve. I only wish to surpass everything. Not for the sake of power, but to walk freely beneath Heaven and Earth."
"Freedom…" Zhou Fang muttered, then laughed coldly. "Freedom is but another chain. The strong pursue freedom, only to be shackled by Heaven's will. Tell me, Emma, how can one be free beneath Heaven if Heaven itself is my enemy?"
He turned his back on her voice, his expression unreadable. "There is no point in continuing this talk."
Emma chuckled softly. "Even my Master said the same. You are alike."
Zhou Fang's gaze sharpened. "You always speak of your Master. Who is he? Tell me his name."
"When the time comes, you will know."
"Always the same words." Zhou Fang shook his head. "Forget it. I have already broken through to the Soul Sprite level. My soul power has deepened beyond what you imagined."
Emma's eyes widened, though she concealed it. So fast… truly a genius. But if I praise him, his arrogance will grow.
Instead she said, "Do not be proud. This is but the first step. And… I must leave for some time. Take care. Do not throw yourself into danger."
"Where are you going?"
"I cannot say."
"…Fine."
And with that, she vanished into the air, leaving only silence.
---
Zhou Fang's footsteps carried him to a towering building. Its grand display broadcast the latest news:
"Zhou Li Yi, patriarch of the Zhou Family, has cleared yet another Universal Gate! His power has risen once again."
Zhou Fang's expression remained calm, but deep within his gaze, a coldness lingered.
"Father… always chasing power, always clearing gates. Family means nothing to him. Do I hate him? No. Hate is useless. But I am… disappointed."
His tone lowered, carrying the ruthlessness of steel.
"Love, friendship, family—illusions.
Heaven and Earth—enemies.
This world is a battlefield, and survival is the only law.
To cling to warmth is to embrace death."
His phone rang. Zhou Fang glanced—it was his father.
"Zhou Fang," the voice said, "today is your eighteenth birthday. Return to the mansion."
"I'm sorry, Father. I am busy."
"I knew you would say that. But your mother… she left something behind for you. Will you not come even for her?"
At last, Zhou Fang replied, "I will come tonight."
As the call ended, Zhou Fang's heart stirred faintly.
"My mother… I saw her only when I was small. So small, I cannot even recall her face. Only this remains—she loved me."
For the first time, a softness brushed against his ruthless heart. But it faded as quickly as it came.
---
Suddenly, the ground beneath him rippled. A Universal Gate tore open at his feet. In an instant, it dragged him into a void filled with silent stars.
Thanks to his Soul Sprite level, Zhou Fang endured. But monsters emerged in endless waves, their killing intent devouring the silence. Zhou Fang's eyes grew sharp, his strikes merciless.
With Emma's techniques guiding him, he cut through the tide. One soul attack—dozens of monsters' spirits shattered like glass.
But then—he froze.
From the abyss, countless Outsiders appeared. And among them… one being whose very presence made reality collapse—an Eternal Outsider.
Even Tier-S Rankers dreaded it. Its aura shattered time and space itself. Zhou Fang's body cracked, his strength fading, death gnawing at his edges.
Yet his mind was calm. Ruthless.
"When death arrives, illusions collapse.
Love cannot shield. Friendship cannot delay.
Even gods are swallowed by silence.
Only ambition lingers.
But ambition without strength… is but a coffin awaiting the living."
As despair closed in, the pendant at his neck burst with light.
A figure descended—a beautiful woman, her aura divine. Her touch healed Zhou Fang, mending his broken body.
To him, she felt painfully familiar, like a soul carved from his own essence.
But as she gazed upon his battered state, her fury ignited. The universe trembled.
Time froze.
Planets collapsed.
Galaxies shattered.
Cosmos crumbled.
The laws of the Universe broke apart.
Her killing intent erupted, drowning the Outsiders in despair.
And Zhou Fang, even as he stood half-healed, whispered to himself—
"Heaven collapses. Laws shatter.
Even in ruins, the path of ambition remains.
If the world seeks to bury me,
Then I shall bury the world first."
_ _ _