RUMBLE—!
The underground cavern shuddered.
Ling Xiao stood at its center, feet planted on blood-soaked stone, the power within him roaring like molten lava through newly forged veins. His heartbeat thundered in his ears—each pulse carrying strength that was no longer human.
The phantom Asura blade behind him slowly dissipated, dissolving into wisps of crimson light. Nearby, the colossal azure dragon spirit—Qinglong—hovered in the air, its translucent body coiled protectively around him like an unseen guardian.
"Your body has only just begun to adapt to the bloodline," Qinglong's ancient voice echoed within his mind.
"This abyss is infested with demonic beasts that have feasted on dragon remnants for millennia."
The dragon's eyes gleamed coldly.
"Their blood essence will temper your Asura Dragon Body."
"Kill them. Devour them. Grow stronger."
Ling Xiao flexed his arm.
There was no pain.
No stiffness.
Only terrifying vitality.
His cultivation had stabilized at the peak of Foundation Establishment—a realm countless outer disciples would spend decades crawling toward, if they ever reached it at all.
A cold smile curved his lips.
"Then let's begin."
He lifted his gaze.
The cavern stretched endlessly outward, faint blue crystals embedded in the stone walls providing dim illumination. Several tunnels branched away from the underground lake like the open jaws of beasts.
From the nearest tunnel—
GRRRRRK—!
Low growls echoed. Claws scraped against rock.
Three figures emerged.
Abyss Shadow Wolves.
Each was the size of a warhorse, bodies cloaked in pitch-black fur that drank in the light. Their eyes glowed blood-red, intelligence and hunger flickering within. Mid–Foundation Establishment demonic beasts—renowned for speed, coordination, and merciless pack hunts.
Any ordinary disciple would flee.
Ling Xiao stepped forward.
The lead wolf lunged.
WHOOSH—!
Jaws gaped wide, fangs flashing—aimed straight for his throat.
Ling Xiao didn't dodge.
Crimson runes flared across his right hand as phantom katana burst forth—five razor-sharp extensions of condensed killing intent.
Asura Rend.
He swiped once.
SHLK—!
The wolf's head separated cleanly from its body, spinning through the air in a spray of blackened blood.
The corpse hadn't even hit the ground—
—before the other two attacked from opposite sides.
Ling Xiao's left eye flared azure.
Dragon might erupted.
He exhaled.
A roar escaped his throat—not loud, not violent—but infused with absolute draconic authority.
HUM—!
The air trembled.
The two wolves froze mid-leap, bodies crashing to the stone as their limbs locked in terror. Whimpers escaped their throats as instinct screamed submission.
Ling Xiao walked up calmly.
CRACK. CRACK.
He crushed their skulls with his bare hands.
Three streams of blood essence surged from the corpses, rising like scarlet smoke before funneling directly into his body. His meridians expanded violently. Bones crackled as they reforged, denser and stronger than before.
Early Foundation → Mid → Late → Peak.
In minutes.
Qinglong let out a low, approving chuckle.
"Good. Ruthless—yet controlled."
"The Asura path devours without waste."
Ling Xiao wiped the blood from his claws, eyes steady.
"How do I leave this place?"
"Follow the upward flow of spiritual energy," Qinglong replied.
"An ancient dragon vein runs through this abyss—remnants of my fallen kin."
"It will guide you to the surface…"
The dragon's gaze sharpened.
"…and to greater prey."
Ling Xiao turned toward the tunnel where the air pulsed faintly upward.
And walked.
Time lost meaning.
Hours—or perhaps days—passed in unending darkness.
Ling Xiao carved a path upward through blood and bone.
A nest of Iron-Skinned Serpents—devoured.
A swarm of corpse-feeding aberrations—erased.
Then—
A lone Abyss Tiger, its aura brushing Core Formation, burst from the shadows.
The battle was vicious.
Fangs tore into Ling Xiao's shoulder. Claws nearly ripped his arm free.
He laughed.
Azure scales erupted across his skin as he activated partial dragon manifestation. With a roar, he plunged his hand into the beast's chest and tore out its still-beating heart.
SPLAT—!
Each kill forged him further.
His Asura Dragon Body Refinement surged into the Bone Forging Stage. His skeleton gleamed with internal dragon patterns. When struck, his skin shimmered faintly with azure light.
Strength enough to shatter boulders.
Endurance enough to laugh at wounds.
Finally—
A pale shaft of daylight pierced the darkness.
Ahead lay a narrow vertical passage, hundreds of meters tall—leading straight to the abyss mouth.
But something moved within it.
A massive shadow clung to the walls.
A six-armed demonic ape, its fur bristling like steel needles, muscles bulging with terrifying power. Its eyes gleamed with savage intelligence.
Foundation Establishment—Peak.
The true guardian of the abyss exit.
Countless fallen cultivators had died here.
The ape beat its chest.
BOOM—BOOM—!
It dropped down, blocking the shaft.
Ling Xiao cracked his neck.
"Perfect."
The battle erupted.
Six fists hammered down like meteors, each strike splitting stone. Ling Xiao weaved between them, phantom blade tearing deep gashes into the ape's flesh—
—only for them to regenerate instantly.
He didn't retreat.
He welcomed the blows.
Each impact tempered his body further.
Finally—
He caught two arms mid-swing.
Dragon Suppression.
Azure dragon might exploded outward.
KRAAASH—!
The ape shrieked as its regeneration halted, bones shattering under invisible pressure.
Ling Xiao's eyes burned crimson.
Asura Execution.
Twin blades crossed in an X-shape.
SHRRRRK—!
The ape's body split apart, torn into four pieces as blood essence flooded into Ling Xiao like a raging river.
BOOM—!
A breakthrough.
His cultivation smashed straight into Core Formation.
Within his dantian, a golden core formed—spinning violently, etched with crimson Asura runes and azure dragon sigils.
The corpse crumbled to dust.
Ling Xiao didn't pause.
He leaped upward, blade sinking into the shaft walls as if they were soft clay. He ascended rapidly, wind howling past him.
At the top—
He stopped.
Voices drifted down.
"…It's been three days. That trash is definitely dead."
Zhao Hu's smug tone.
"Senior Brother Zhao, should we report it now?"
"No rush. Let the elders 'discover' his absence during the next roll call. My uncle will handle the rest."
Laughter.
Ling Xiao's eyes turned fully crimson.
He vaulted over the edge.
Silently.
Seven figures sat around a campfire on Blackwind Mountain, roasting spirit beast meat.
Zhao Hu and his six lackeys.
None of them noticed the shadow behind them—
Until a calm voice spoke.
"Handled by your uncle, was it?"
They spun.
Zhao Hu's face drained of color.
"Y–You… Ling Xiao?!" he shrieked. "Impossible! You fell into the Forbidden Abyss!"
The others scrambled for weapons, terror flashing in their eyes.
Ling Xiao stood there quietly.
Robes torn.
Aura overwhelming.
The air itself felt heavy.
"Impossible?" He tilted his head slightly. "Then let me show you something even more impossible."
He raised his hand.
FWOOOM—!
Phantom Asura blade extended ten meters outward, hovering like executioner's blades.
"Kill him! Together!" Zhao Hu screamed.
Seven swords flashed.
Ling Xiao didn't move.
The blade swept once.
SHLK—!
Seven heads rolled.
Blood sprayed across the campfire, extinguishing it with a hiss of steam.
Silence fell over Blackwind Mountain.
Ling Xiao looked down at Zhao Hu's corpse, voice devoid of emotion.
"This is just the beginning."
In his mind, Qinglong spoke softly.
"Well done, my heir."
"But greater enemies await."
"The Flowing Cloud Sect… shall we burn it next?"
Ling Xiao gazed toward the distant sect peaks glowing beneath moonlight.
"Not yet," he murmured. "I want them to know fear first."
A faint smile curved his lips—
The smile of an Asura awakening.
Far away, a white-robed figure with flowing silver hair paused midair atop a flying sword.
Bai Xue frowned.
"That aura…" she whispered. "Could it be?"
She changed course, flying toward Blackwind Mountain.