Prologue:
In ancient times, there were Great Powers who possessed the might to sunder the heavens and split the earth. A single glance could transform oceans into fields; a wave of a hand could shape the world. As one such Great Power neared the end of their life, they sighed toward the heavens. Harnessing Chaotic Power, they shattered space, altered the rules of existence, and forged the Extreme Martial Continent. At the continent's dawn, when Chaos first receded, countless strange and wondrous things came into being.
The Extreme Spirit Pearl, an object of ultimate power, possessed the ability to steal the very fortune of creation, absorbing the Ultimate Power between heaven and earth for its own use. It was a Chaos Supreme Treasure. And it… is where our story begins…
Chapter 1: The Crippled Youth.
A spring breeze caressed the face. It was the beginning of spring, a time when all things were reviving and rain nourished the earth. The air was exceptionally fresh, and a potent vitality permeated the Extreme Martial Continent.
In the Xuanling Empire, within Luofeng City, a door to a small, remote house in the Mu Family Courtyard was gently pushed open by a boy in white. A woman in green followed him out. She was graceful and dignified, her black hair coiled into a bun. A trace of worry was written on her beautiful face, but it was overshadowed by maternal love.
"Chen'Er, spring has only just begun. The cold hasn't passed yet, so be careful not to catch a chill."
The woman's gentle voice was like a soft breeze through willow catkins, a warmth that flowed directly into the white-robed boy's heart.
"Mother, it's alright. The weather is getting warmer, and I want to breathe some fresh air."
The boy in white was about twelve years old. His frame was exceptionally thin, and his fair skin was enough to make most women feel inadequate. However, this was not a healthy fairness; it was a sickly pallor.
Seeing her son's gaunt figure from behind, a flicker of guilt crossed the green-clad woman's eyes, and tears seemed to well within them.
"Wan'Er, don't worry. As long as I have a breath left in my body, I will never let Chen'Er be harmed again." With a soft sigh, a man in a blue robe emerged from around the corner of the house. His features were resolute. He gently took the green-clad woman's hand and spoke with determination.
"Thank you, Brother Feng. As long as Chen'Er can live a long and healthy life, I'll be content. But…" The woman, called Wan'Er, leaned gently against the man's chest, her voice trembling.
"You have to have faith in Chen'Er." The man in blue raised his head slightly, his own reddened eyes also fixed on the distant boy, lost in thought.
These two were the boy's parents, Mufeng and Bi Wan.
Stepping out of the courtyard and looking at the lush greenery all around, he murmured to himself, 'Spring is here. Heh… They say spring is a time full of life, but where is mine?'
The boy in white shook his head in self-mockery. He had been cooped up in his room for the entire winter; it was time to go for a walk. With a sigh, he started walking slowly out of the courtyard. He was heading for the rear mountain. Only there could he find some peace.
"Yo, isn't this our family's crippled Fourth Young Master! I haven't seen you all winter. Oh, my apologies, Fourth Young Master, allow me to greet you." Not long after he started walking, an arrogant-looking youth with ordinary features spoke with a face full of ridicule. Behind him, a boy in luxurious blue robes walked over, surrounded by a crowd. This boy was about thirteen, exceedingly handsome with delicate features, but his thin lips hinted at a cruel nature. His eyes looked down with contempt at the white-robed boy strolling down the path.
The boy in white frowned slightly but ignored the group, continuing on his way.
"Eh? Fourth Brother, what's wrong? You don't even greet your Second Brother? Could it be that after staying indoors for a whole winter, you no longer recognize me?" The blue-robed boy's tone was indifferent, his eyes fixed on the boy in white.
"Then again, only someone as idle as Fourth Brother would have time for a leisurely stroll. It's early spring now, the birds are singing and the flowers are fragrant—a perfect time for maids to enjoy the scenery. Ah! If only I could have as much free time as you, Fourth Brother. What a pity."
The blue-robed boy's cruel lips curled into a disdainful smile. The meaning behind his words was clear: it was a season for maids to admire flowers, and as a man, he needed to be cultivating. Only a waste of space like the boy in white would have time to stroll around and admire flowers like a maid.
Hearing this, a flash of anger appeared in the white-robed boy's eyes, but years of ridicule had trained him to suppress it. The anger vanished as quickly as it came.
He had to endure. The blue-robed boy before him was Mu Rongxuan, the Mu Family's publicly acknowledged number one genius. At only thirteen, he had already reached the strength of a Seventh-Ring Martial Disciple. Even in the entirety of Luofeng City, Mu Rongxuan was worthy of the title of genius.
It was a known fact that everyone's body needs time to develop, a process that takes nine years. Only at the age of nine can one begin Body Forging. Body Forging is the most fundamental training, using continuous practice of basic skills to invigorate the body, thereby laying a solid foundation for the future path of cultivation.
This foundation-laying period typically takes two to three years, meaning one can only become a qualified Martial Disciple at the age of eleven. Yet, Mu Rongxuan had broken through to become a Seventh-Ring Martial Disciple in just two years. This was proof of his genius-level Cultivation Talent. On the Extreme Martial Continent, might makes right. Strength represented everything; it represented the right to speak. If you had strength, you could trample others underfoot and humiliate them.
The Martial Disciple is the most basic rank on the Extreme Martial Continent. Reaching the Martial Disciple realm means you are not a cripple; you can begin your journey of cultivation. Above Martial Disciple are ten major realms, in order: Martial Artist, Martial Master, Grand Martial Master, Martial Spirit, Martial King, Martial Sect, Martial Emperor, Martial Venerable, Martial Saint, and Martial Emperor. Each realm is further divided into nine minor tiers, with each tier referred to as a "Ring."
When you break through from Martial Disciple to Martial Artist, circulating your Primordial Power will cause Martial Rings of condensed Primordial Power to appear at your feet. The number of Martial Rings indicates your Cultivation Tier. One Martial Ring means a First-Ring Martial Artist, while nine means a Nine-Ring Martial Artist. Each time you advance a Great Tier, the color of your Martial Rings will change accordingly.
Red for a Martial Artist, orange for a Martial Master, yellow for a Grand Martial Master, green for a Martial Spirit, cyan for a Martial King, blue for a Martial Sect, purple for a Martial Emperor, silver for a Martial Venerable, gold for a Martial Saint, and rainbow for a Martial Emperor. As for Martial Disciples, because they cannot yet absorb Primordial Qi, their rings are colorless.
However, ninety-nine percent of people could become a Martial Disciple. It was practically a given. But he couldn't. He was a cripple known by all, a good-for-nothing fated to a life of mediocrity from birth.
Thinking of this, he was even more unwilling to stay a moment longer. They were not people of the same world.
The boy in white quickened his pace. But after just three steps, a figure suddenly flashed in front of him, blocking his path. The boy looked up. The figure was not unfamiliar. It was the same arrogant youth who had first mocked him, Mu Hu.
"I say, Fourth Young Master, I already greeted you, but you didn't even say a word. What's wrong, you look down on me? Oh, right, with Fourth Young Master's heaven-defying cultivation speed, I really can't hope to compare." Mu Hu said with a straight face, immediately drawing a round of sneers from the crowd behind him.
It had to be said, although Mu Hu's looks were average, his skill at insulting people had reached the pinnacle of perfection.
Seeing the situation, the boy in white gave a bitter smile in his heart. 'Looks like I won't be getting away unscathed this time either.' So, he simply closed his eyes, letting these people display their ugly nature. Even if they were to beat him, it didn't matter. He was already a cripple; what more could they do to him?
Mu Hu noticed the boy's resigned posture and chuckled. "Yo~ what's our Fourth Young Master doing? Acting all nonchalant? You even closed your eyes. Are you saying we're not worthy of your gaze? Brothers, do you think that's what he means?"
"I think so. The Fourth Young Master never gives us the time of day," someone immediately chimed in.
"Exactly! Fourth Young Master, I'm not convinced. On what grounds do you look down on us?"
"How about this, Mu Hu, you fight the Fourth Young Master. Why don't you let him use both his hands and feet?"
"Better yet, don't even move. Just let the Fourth Young Master hit you. If he can knock you down, we'll admit he has the right to ignore us!"
"..."
"Alright, as you wish." Mu Hu chuckled, then turned to the boy in white. "Fourth Young Master, I'll stand right here and won't move. As long as you can knock me down, I'll let you leave. And from now on, whenever I see you, I'll bow respectfully. If you don't dare, that's easy too. As the price for looking down on us, you'll have to crawl through the legs of everyone here."
At this, Mu Rongxuan, who had been watching with a smile, frowned. 'No matter how much of a waste old fourth is, he's still my cousin. Making my own cousin crawl under the legs of my followers? Isn't that a slap in my own face?' Thinking this, Mu Rongxuan said in a low voice, "Mu Hu, what did you just say?"
Mu Hu froze. He wasn't stupid and instantly knew he had misspoken. He quickly corrected himself, "Uh, never mind. If you don't dare, as the price for looking down on us, you'll have to crawl under Second Young Master's legs."
Mu Rongxuan: "..."
Although he still felt Mu Hu was going a bit too far, it wasn't as awkward for him now.
The boy in white, still standing in place, had a face ashen with fury. His eyes snapped open, a sharp gaze locking onto Mu Hu as he bit out each word, "I. Ac. Cept!"
Startled by the boy's sudden glare, Mu Hu subconsciously wanted to take two steps back but managed to restrain himself. Realizing he had almost lost his composure, he spat silently and said, "I'll stand right here. If you can knock me down, you win."
With that, Mu Hu firmly planted his feet in a horse stance, took a deep breath, and placed his hands behind his back. "Come on."
The moment he said 'I accept,' the boy in white regretted it. This Mu Hu might be far weaker than Mu Rongxuan, but he was still a Peak Third-Ring Martial Disciple, just a hair's breadth from advancing to the Fourth Ring. His fundamentals were solid. How could he possibly knock him down? With this crippled body of his?
The boy in white sighed. A gentle breeze blew past, lifting the sleeve of his right arm. The empty sleeve fluttered in the wind, as light as a feather…