Chapter 1 — The Fall of Jade
The Emerald Sovereign Domain was not known for its beauty. It was known for its power. Mountains carved from spiritual jade stood like silent guardians. Rivers flowed with dense qi that shimmered like liquid light. The air itself was heavy; even a low-level immortal could grow stronger simply by breathing there. This land was not gifted by the heavens. It was seized and defended by the Zhuo Clan.
For ten thousand years, the Zhuo Clan ruled the domain. They were not saints, and they were not gentle. They were strong, disciplined, and united. That was enough. Their swords spoke clearly, and no one dared question their authority. Beside them stood their closest ally—the Jade Emperor Dynasty. Together they fought wars, signed blood oaths, and shared territories. Trust between them seemed unbreakable.
Then the Great War came.
The Ancient Blood Races returned from sealed void realms, beings older than the current heavens. They did not negotiate. They destroyed. The war dragged on for centuries. Immortals who once stood proud began to fear extinction. Resources thinned. Casualties mounted. Survival became more important than loyalty.
And when survival takes priority, betrayal becomes easy.
On the battlefield known as Falling Heaven Plains, space itself was cracked. The sky looked torn apart. Immortal corpses drifted in the air like broken statues. Spiritual storms raged across the land.
At the center of it all stood Zhuo Qing, Patriarch of the Zhuo Clan and Sword Dao Saint. His armor was shattered. Blood soaked his robes. His breathing was steady, but the strain showed in his eyes. Behind him lay the entrance to the Emerald Sovereign Domain. Behind him stood his clan.
In front of him stood the Jade Emperor's army.
At first, he believed they had arrived as reinforcements. Then he noticed their formation. Their banners did not face the enemy. They faced the Emerald Domain.
The meaning was clear.
The Jade Emperor had chosen to remove the Zhuo Clan. The war provided the perfect excuse. A weakened but surviving Zhuo Clan would be difficult to control afterward. A destroyed Zhuo Clan would leave behind a territory ripe for absorption. The decision had already been made somewhere far from the battlefield.
From the Jade ranks stepped the strongest Sword Dao Saint under heaven. His blade was known as Heaven's Verdict. He had once trained alongside Zhuo Qing. They had shared victories in the past. Now they faced each other in silence.
Their swords rose.
The first clash split the sky. The second tore open the earth. Waves of sword qi spread across the plains, cutting down anything in their path. Immortals retreated to avoid being shredded by the shockwaves.
Zhuo Qing fought without hesitation. His strikes were fierce and direct. The Sword Saint fought with cold precision. Steel met steel again and again. Blood fell like rain. Zhuo Qing's shoulder was pierced, but he did not retreat. He drove his blade forward and tore through his opponent's ribs. The Sword Saint endured the wound and gathered every ounce of his Dao into a final strike.
Heaven's Verdict descended.
The attack cut through Zhuo Qing's defense and through his body. He was split in two. For a brief moment, he remained standing. Then he fell.
The Emerald Sovereign Domain trembled.
Within the collapsing domain, Zhuo Ren watched everything. He saw his father fall. He saw the Jade Emperor's army invade their land. He saw clan elders detonate themselves to stall the enemy. He saw the mountains fracture and the spiritual veins shatter.
What rose inside him was not grief. It was not fear.
It was hatred.
Cold and steady.
He activated a forbidden technique hidden within the clan's core scripture—a reincarnation seal prepared only for absolute disaster. It was a desperate gamble. If he stayed, he would die. If he fled, there was a chance to return.
The domain continued to collapse around him. The Jade Emperor's forces attempted to seal the surrounding space, but they were too slow. Zhuo Ren detonated his immortal core. Pain tore through his soul as his body disintegrated. Light vanished. Sound vanished. Everything went dark.
Then came rain.
Mud.
A weak breath.
He opened his eyes beneath a gray mortal sky. His body was fragile. His strength was gone. The spiritual pressure of the Immortal Realm had disappeared.
Zhuo Ren had fallen from heaven.
He had been reincarnated.