Chapter 001: Rebirth by the Blade

The sun set behind the western mountains, bathing the world in a crimson glow, as if a blood-stained waterfall had poured down from the heavens.

Atop Yellow Springs Mountain, at the end of the Road of No Return.

Three burly men with knives blocked the path of a youth in blue, their yellow teeth bared in sinister grins.

The man standing in the middle stepped forward, stopping less than three feet from the youth, and said coldly, “Mu Tianhen, the seventh night after your death will be your sister’s wedding night…”

“Silence!” Mu Tianhen roared, his voice crackling with murderous intent. Fury erupted from within as he lunged with a clenched fist toward the brute.

A cold blade flashed through the air, sending a spray of blood.

Mu Tianhen instinctively clutched his gashed neck, bloodshot eyes glaring at his assailant.

With a grunt, the brute drove a hard kick into Mu Tianhen’s abdomen. “Down you go, you worthless brat!”

A dull thud echoed as Mu Tianhen was sent flying over the mountain’s edge, plunging toward the abyss below.

As the wind howled past his ears, Mu Tianhen’s vision faded, his life draining away. Images from his past flashed rapidly through his mind.

He was once the heir of the Mu family, first in line to inherit their legacy, enjoying unparalleled status and respect. Gifted from a young age, he opened his meridians at three and joined the ranks of martial artists; at five, he reached the sixth stage of Meridian Initiation, and by ten, broke through further to become the youngest Blood Ignition stage expert.

Mu Tianhen was the beacon of hope for Sky Harmony City, a genius unseen in a century, and the pride of the Mu family, adored by the masses.

But at age twelve, all was lost.

During an expedition, he was gravely injured while protecting his clansmen, his dantian shattered by a savage beast. It was a miracle he survived.

From that day forward, Mu Tianhen fell from prodigy to pariah, weaker than even ordinary folk. Not only did outsiders despise him, but his own clan shunned and bullied him.

His parents left the family to seek a cure, never to return, leaving him and his sister to struggle on their own.

Four years passed. Mu Tianhen endured endless humiliation, dragging his sister into hardship with him.

Three years ago, with their father—the clan chief—still absent, true power fell to the Great Elder. He drove the siblings from the main house to a draughty shack of straw.

Mu Tianhen swallowed all indignities, waiting for his parents’ return.

But three days ago, the Great Elder claimed that Mu Tianhen’s fourteen-year-old sister was now an adult and demanded she marry his wife’s nephew—as a concubine.

Mu Tianhen refused, defying the Great Elder, which only gave the man an excuse to be rid of him.

To save her brother, his sister agreed to the elder’s demand, filling Mu Tianhen with guilt. He had failed to protect her, forcing her to humble herself and marry a fool.

He could not let this happen. He confronted the Great Elder again, only to be beaten and dragged away to this Road of No Return by household servants.

Those three brutes tormented him along the way, taking three days to reach the spot, where they finally killed him and hurled him over the cliff.

Once he fell into the sea below, even if he did not die instantly, he would not survive. Sea monsters would devour him, leaving not a trace.

That way, his sister could be told any convenient lie.

“Xue’er, forgive me. I couldn’t protect you! Father, Mother, I have failed you. Where are you? Please come home and protect Xue’er…”

Lost in endless remorse, Mu Tianhen’s consciousness faded into darkness.

At that moment, a golden radiance surged from the waves below, rising rapidly to envelop Mu Tianhen midair, suspending him above the abyss.

Within the sphere of light, the visage of an old man appeared, gazing at Mu Tianhen. A deep, timeworn voice echoed forth:

“Since I fell in the War of Gods and Demons, my lingering soul has endured here for ten thousand years. Many have come, but none worthy—mediocrities, unfit to bear the burdens of the world.”

“Today, one whose soul matches my own has finally arrived. You shall inherit all I have left, fulfill the wishes I could not, and bring great good. I, the Azure Lotus Emperor, may at last rest in peace.”

With that, the visage faded, coalescing into a golden pearl that entered Mu Tianhen’s body through his brow.

…

Mu Tianhen had no idea how long had passed when a gentle warmth roused him. He slowly opened his eyes to the sound of crashing waves and birdsong.

He sat up and looked around, finding himself on a beach—endless sea before him, a dense forest behind.

“Is this… the afterlife?”

The thought crossed his mind, but something felt familiar.

Looking around again, he finally realized this was not hell, but Poison Shark Bay, thirty miles southwest of Sky Harmony City.

“I’m alive?”

He instinctively touched his neck, finding it smooth and unscarred, puzzling over the impossibility. His throat had been slit, his body kicked into the abyss, his life and soul extinguished—how had he returned without a mark?

Suddenly, a buzzing pain filled his head as countless memories—some his, some not—flooded in, threatening to split his skull. Clutching his head in agony, he gritted his teeth and crouched down.

After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the memories fused and the pain faded.

Now Mu Tianhen understood: he truly had been killed, but his fate matched the requirements for the Azure Lotus Emperor’s legacy. His spirit was reborn, leaving no trace of his former wounds.

In his mind floated two tomes—one the Infinite Heart Method, the other the Azure Lotus Sword Manual—both radiating golden light.

He knew these were the legacy of the Azure Lotus Emperor, now his to cultivate.

With that, Mu Tianhen found a cave in the mountains, sat cross-legged, and began practicing the Infinite Heart Method. Soon he entered a deep meditative state, transcending the self.

Before long, his skin shimmered, turning faintly golden as wisps of white vapor seeped from every pore, enveloping him from head to toe.

The vapor expanded outward, halting three inches from his body, then merged to form a thin barrier, cocooning him. The barrier grew denser, taking on the form of a giant silken cocoon, completely concealing his form.

A day later, as the morning sun rose, the cocoon cracked with a crisp pop and vanished.

Mu Tianhen’s eyes flew open, twin beams of light shooting forth, his gaze now deep and spirited.

He had reached the third stage of the Blood Ignition realm, his body brimming with strength and a kingly aura. His physique had been refined into an Innate Saint Body.

“Xue’er, in this life, I will keep you safe!”

He swore to himself that he would leave no more regrets. He would protect his sister, reclaim the family, find his parents, and restore their happiness together.

As for those who had twisted the truth and bullied the weak, they would pay double for every hardship suffered by him and his sister.

With these thoughts, Mu Tianhen emerged from the cave, striding forth with vigor, racing toward Sky Harmony City.

P.S.: Dear readers, welcome! As this new story begins, your support is urgently needed. Every click, every bookmark, every recommendation is a great encouragement for me. I bow in gratitude to all of you—thank you!