Exactly two hundred thousand years ago, the celestial space gained consciousness and created the three realms, the sun, the moon and the stars.
The God realm was filled with immortals whose cultivation level was enough to draw power from the sun and become gods. The immortal realm split into eight sub-realms. Each sub-realm is classified based on its spiritual roots and level of cultivation. The mortal realm was then populated by conscious beings who could not form a single spiritual vein; hence they were ruled by Gods and immortals.
The fourth realm emerged shortly after the appearance of a demon god named Cangmo who cultivated malicious energy from the moon and degenerated into what the immortals call a devil.
He traded most of his emotions to possess the Cursed God Power Of The Moon and used it to build the foundations of the Demon Realm. He lured in thousands of greedy immortals who in turn traded off their immortal essence to Cangmo in order to be able to draw power from the moon and degrade as demons, mindless puppet soldiers he used to terrorize the Immortal and Mortal realms.
Love paved a way for him and he was able to destroy the God realm with his malevolent powers and tricks, also owning a God seal which he plans to use to become the only sovereign God in the Celestial space.
*
Each step he took toward the swamp river, the immortals gathered and made way for the Lonely God, their heads bowed in acknowledgement of his presence as he moved between them.
The life and death energy balancing around him formed a dark grey domain as he moved on his bare feet.
His face was cold, pale and uninviting. His full dark lips matching the long, dark ominous robe that draped him.
His pale beauty was unmatched in all of the four realms, his long white hair falling perfectly behind him like long, silky strands. A few long ones cradled his perfectly carved face. Mysterious markings and symbols that resembled life and death were inscribed on his neck and at the back of his long fingers.
He walked reflecting this eerie feeling of both peace and chaos, of calm and turbulence, life and death, weal and woe.
An epitome of beauty and sin.
The Lonely God of the Red Central Tower.
He paused at the feet of the swampy river and noticed the dark, murky sight of blood and the burning stench of death.
He tilted his head; there was no broken star in sight.
''Where is the star?'' he asked the disciple beside him softly who also stared confusedly at the river.
''M–Master, it was just right there when I left…'' The disciple turned to the crowd he had left after noticing the star and asked, ''Where is the star?''
The immortals looked as confused as he. They turned to one another and whispered, wondering if anyone knew where the broken star had gone.
''We do not know. It was floating on the river before breaking into more pieces and we couldn't see it again. All we saw was that ominous blood staining our river—-the river essential to our cultivation!''
''Yes!'' They all chorused in anger.
''If the river loses its essence because of the blood, how will it be useful for the immortals of the third immortal realm?'' She questioned boldly, earning a few nods from the group.
''Has the lonely, bitter God of death come from his Towering Red Tower to get rid of the mess for us?'' The immortal sneered, putting her hands on her waist.
The disrespect of the immortals nerved the disciple. ''How dare you…''
''You high and mighty Gods from the God realm think you are better than us immortals simply because you are solar panels for the sun? They find petty ways to make us grovel before them. It's unacceptable!''
''I am sure it is one of you Gods that sent that star to fall on our precious river thereby contaminating it with blood in order to ruin any chances we might have to improve on our cultivation!''
''Yes!'' They echoed, raising their hands as they had had enough of the Gods constantly bullying the immortals.
The disciple stared at each of them in awe and disbelief.
''You ungrateful swamp rats! You have no idea how much my master has done to protect—''
''Yaoqin.''
The disciple turned to his Master, ''Yes, Master?''
''You don't have to make them feel grateful if they don't want to,'' he cautioned before turning to the angry group of immortals.
''The river would remain contaminated if you do not open up to me about the whereabouts of the broken star.'' He said, taking note of each of their fascial expressions.
Each of the immortals avoided eye contact with him as they looked away, feigning innocence and ignorance of the star's whereabouts.
Until…
''It drowned!''
''LinLan!'' Everyone turned to the snitch in disbelief. His eyes fell on the immortal ready to confess. He looked the most guilty out of the group and ready to talk.
''It drowned right after we tried to force our magic on it to capture it in hopes of drawing power from it.''
His gaze darkened.
If the star really was his beloved who met with death.
How dare they try to take advantage of his predicament.
The traitor knew he would be cast out of the sect for snitching. It was evident on their faces and with the way they regarded him with murderous intent.
The immortal fell at the feet of the Lonely God to plead for their sins.
''The star fell out of nowhere and it kept breaking and staining the river with blood. But at the same time, we could not ignore the immense power and level of cultivation of the star that we tried to take it out of the river and ground it into elixirs to boost cultivation.''
''We never expected the star to drown in the process.''
''Do you people not know who you are thinking of grinding into powder to boost your cultivation?''
Everyone turned to each other oblivious to their sin.
He thought of many ways to end them. But none was as cruel as their intentions towards his star.
''From now on,'' he began in a tone gripping enough to have them fall to their knees in fear. '' all your spiritual veins will be blocked for a thousand years and your children would bear no spiritual roots like the mortals.''
Yaoqin's gaze widened at the Master's punishment on the trembling immortals. But when they thought he was done with them.
A long, dark thread oozed with the dark grey aura of his domain, multiplied, and entered the cores of their beings.
Yaoqin watched in horror as the immortals began to convulse on the floor and roll in the dirt. Their cries echoed loudly through the swamp forest as bones corroded under the thread's influence.
''Every year, from this day, you shall all suffer the pain you have caused me when you said to my face that you wish to harm my beloved and used her body for a mere cultivation boost.''
The immortals rolling at his feet scratched and peeled at their skin from the unbearable pain they suffered. The dark, pale beauty just regarded them all emotionlessly.
''She is worth more than that.''
Power radiated from the golden glow of his God's seal etched in the depths of his dark brown eyes and they were all blasted miles away from the river like they were nothing.
''Fools.''
Yaoqin trembled slightly when his master turned to the river and stared at it with a deep longing and sadness.
''Yaoqin,'' he called.
''Y–yes, Master.'' The divine beast fell on one knee beside the lonely god ready to do his bidding.
''Guard this place with your life and make sure no one disturbs me as I bring her back.''
The divine phoenix bowed his head and said, ''As you wish, Master.''