What—no way!?
Mingyun's pupils dilated.
This was Nezha, one of the Nine Rulers of the Nine Heavens. He was even an expert among the Nine Rulers and an enemy of the Mortal Ruler.
This shocked Mingyin. Why was the same person here with him?
Mingyin held his head in shock as he began to process the information.
Is Nezha my ancestor? But it was never recorded that he had any wife—
No… that doesn't make sense. If he didn't have a wife, then why is he here?
Mingyin looked forward, but before he could even speak, Nezha was already in front of him—his arms behind his back, eyes closed, and a smile on his face.
As he spoke, winking—
"Isn't it Mingyin?"
Mingyin froze.
Is this how I, the talentless hero from other web novels, somehow gain a superpower from the person whose heir I'll become—representing him like his son—and then become incredibly powerful and undergo character development?
Or is he going to be my trainer, like those cultivation masters, teaching me to reform centipedes or spiders… or other insects… or some mystical insect granting me a legendary power?
No, no… maybe this is where I get many harem girls, where I become the king of a harem… cough… cough…
Mingyin clenched his fist and placed it near his mouth, looking quite embarrassed by his thoughts.
The image of Nezha circled him, his eyes scanning Mingyin's body at the speed of light—so fast that even Mingyin didn't notice.
This young man, who looked like Nezha, suddenly spoke while summoning—
A cube made of dark bone. He spun it with one hand while summoning a chair, sitting down, and holding his chin.
Mingyin smiled.
"So yo—you are… Nezha?"
The young man smiled while looking up.
"No, brother. I am just a torn spirit cast by Nezha. I've been wandering this place for about 2,999,500 million years."
"But it only felt like five hundred years… while my original body lived through countless ages."
Mingyin could not hide his excitement.
"So I am the one who will bring balance to this world, train for three years, and save the world as a hero?"
Nezha sighed.
This kid is stupid… yet likable.
The image of Nezha shook his head as his gaze turned serious.
Suddenly, he looked at Mingyin while still holding his chin.
"Let me first tell you something."
Crack.
Suddenly, many cracks appeared on the cube as it shattered into pieces!
Then he looked up.
"For the past Heavenly Century… Nezha has been searching for a vessel that can help him bring the entire Mortal World into the Nine Heavens."
Mingyin was too excited.
This was how the young, untalented boy would gain knowledge, rise to the top, and achieve what even those at the pinnacle could never do.
But the next sentence shocked Mingyin!
"In the Mortal World, there exists an immortal artifact stronger than the combined power of the First to Seventh Heavens."
This time, Mingyin fell down in shock.
"What!? That's impossible!"
"How could an immortal artifact be in the Mortal World!?"
Mingyin yelled.
Nezha shook his head.
"That is a secret that should not be told."
"Even the King of the Immortal Dao Realm is not allowed to know."
"Only the First Son of the Father of All Existence knows this… because it was his third vital artifact."
Mingyin jolted up and saluted him.
"Teach me how to take the artifact! I promise I will bring your spirit back to its original form and surprise you with my actions!"
Nezha nodded, stood up, and patted his back.
"Ahahaha! Mingyin, you are the chosen one—to save the Mortal World and rise to the top. You will take the artifact and use it for the army of Nezha!"
Mingyin smiled and laughed.
As he looked up, scratching his nose—
"I am truly the chosen one… chosen by fate itself…"
As he looked forward—
"Let's see what will happen after countless years… to someone like me."
Suddenly, Nezha summoned an insect.
There were golden spider threads in the air, floating above his palm and shining with light.
A centipede was caught in the net, shaking its head and biting the threads.
A worm crawled along the threads, covered in dirt.
There was another insect—
A bee cutting through the threads while being entangled in them.
And above them all—
A small spider, its eyes covered like glass, slowly climbing down and staring at Mingyin.
But what caught Mingyin's attention—
Was a large cicada, covered in flames.
This time, Mingyin was instantly shocked.
…
Mingyin looked up, his face covered in blood, as he muttered—
"After one billion regressions… and pure, bitter pain… of looking like a fool to fate… I didn't even awaken in my final regression!"
"Ahahaha… is this how it's going to end?"
Mingyin tried to stand up but instantly fell face-first, hitting his nose hard.
Crack.
Blood poured from his nose.
As he crawled forward—
His blood left a trail behind him.
Mingyin suddenly looked up.
There stood another Mingyin—his original appearance from his very first regression.
Mingyin tried to look closer, but he heard something that made him grit his teeth.
"Stop resisting. The image of Nezha lied to you. You were only an untalented young man… tricked into being used by Nezha, one of the Nine Rulers…"
Sigh.
"You poor guy. You should have given up after four or five regressions… yet you cultivated through countless regressions, making you the second oldest among the Nine Rulers. Their ages surpass even centuries themselves… even beyond what is called the Divine Century."
Mingyin looked up.
"Divine Century?"
The young man nodded.
"Divine Century could mean countless years—where even two years feel like nothing, or even a hundred thousand years pass unnoticed. For the Nine Rulers, it feels like a hundred days… while their entire life feels like just a few hundred years."
"But honestly… they've only lived a fraction compared to the universe."
Mingyin smiled faintly—but his smile looked twisted.
As he held his chest—
Suddenly, the crystal in his heart emitted a weak glow. A voice echoed from within it—
"Useless body of the century. I'd rather inhabit an old woman's body than a dying young one like you!"
The crystal slipped into his sleeve.
Mingyin's face twisted. His once cold and handsome appearance distorted.
His height, once over six foot three, shrank to five foot eleven.
His raven-black hair turned chestnut brown.
He wore a white garment, tied with a leather belt.
He stood up.
His eyes were beautiful—but covered in blood.
He was blind.
He looked up, breathing heavily.
As he held his chest—
"I wish…"
Mingyin looked up.
His vision turning blurry—
"Who am I… truly?"
"Am I Mingyin, fated to suffer for all eternity until death?"
"Or am I fated to follow the way of heaven… and become nothing but a pawn?"
"Mingyin…"
"Or am I destined to walk the unrighteous path—the shortcut to success?"
"Or am I Mingyin, destined to follow the righteous path?" To just be a nobody
"Or am I a lone cultivator… walking the path of loneliness?"
Mingyin looked up as something stirred in his mind.
"How did I end up in this world?"
The young man in front of him smiled.
"After one billion regressions… you've finally reached that answer, my friend."
Suddenly, Mingyin stood up, his breathing ragged and deep.
A memory he had never noticed before surfaced.
Suddenly, he screamed—
"Noooooo!"
Mingyin could not believe his eyes. He felt true sadness.
"Nooooo!"
Tears poured down his face.
As he curled into a ball, he screamed—
"Nooooo!"
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Mingyun stood up—
As he thought, tears streaming down his face.
Suddenly, countless crystal fragments appeared in the air.
And beneath them, a hidden scene was revealed—
At the top of a massive valley, a woman lay inside a large pit, alongside other females.
A burly man shoveled soil and grass down onto them.
Then the man looked up.
"I never wished for this to happen… my children… my dear wife… but you stood in the way of my goal."
Mingyin, seeing this, nearly vomited.
Among them was a young teenage girl.
Her chest was torn apart, flesh ripped open.
Mingyin screamed—
"Wait… I know her!?"
"That's… my child!?"
…
Mingyin stared as tears streamed down his face.
"Ahahahahahahahaha…"
Mingyun laughed bitterly.
Not knowing what to do.
"So this… is my destiny?"
Mingyin shook his head.
The other Mingyin smiled.
"Kinda weird, boy. You're blind… yet you can still see what's in front of you…"
"Shut your mouth! I don't care—get lost!"
The young man, who looked like Mingyin, showed a sad smile.
Suddenly, his ears turned dark.
"Go… and rot in hell, bastard of the century."
"Father…"
This time Mingyin whole reality his own mind and whole being went blank
A cry tore his soul
Qing Shai ?