Tianhan stood at the edge of the rocky cliff, mountain winds whipping his coarse cloak and tugging at his sweat-damp crimson hair.The night was withdrawing, and the first threads of dawn pierced the sky—as if the world itself waited for something to happen…something that belonged to him alone.
He held the silver device between his fingers.A simple object… yet closer to a spiritual blade capable of slicing through destiny.
The mountain's silence was heavy.Almost as if it held its breath, watching the moment unfold.
Tianhan inhaled slowly, then pricked his fingertip with the edge of his dagger.A single drop of dark blood emerged—small, yet carrying the entire path of his life within it.
The drop neared the glowing red circle on the device.
And when it touched—
BOOOOM!
A surge of crimson light burst from the device, rising around him in a living vortex of energy, as though the heavens themselves were being torn open.
Tianhan stepped back but planted his feet firmly.
Then a deep, resonant voice echoed—not from the device, but from the world itself:
"Name… Tianhan."
Lights flared again—red… blue… green…then vanished instantly, leaving a transparent screen floating before him.
It displayed:
[Talent Assessment – Tianhan]
1. Spiritual Root: Red (Excellent)• Extremely high absorption rate of heaven and earth energy• Rapid cultivation growth• Vast future potential
2. Spiritual Body: — None —A normal human body. No special attributes.
3. Spiritual Bones: — None —Ordinary bones with no spiritual properties.
4. Mental/Spiritual Energy: Blue (Strong)Can specialize in three major spiritual professions under proper conditions.
5. Spirit: — Unclassified —A normal human spirit.
6. Spirit Eyes: — None —
Tianhan froze.
A red root of excellence…but no spiritual body…no special bones…no spirit type…no spirit eyes…nothing but a single gift the heavens gave him—and then deliberately stripped away everything else.
He stared at the results.
"An excellent root… but ordinary body, bones, and spirit…""My path won't be easy… at all."
But—
Tianhan smiled.
He had never wanted an easy path.
Before he could close the screen, the device pulsed again and projected a new light.
A massive map unfolded—so large it filled the air in front of him like a sky painted in spirit light.
[Grand Map of the Human Realm]
The land was divided into vast territories:
● The Warfronts
Red zones along the east, north, and south—where humanity fought against beasts, evil spirits, and the mysterious outer tribes.Each red point carried a number—signifying contribution rewards.
● Major Trade Cities
Golden circles shining brightly—centers of treasure, rare materials, soul weapons, and spiritual trade.
● The Three Great Sects
Each represented by a towering mountain colored uniquely:• Raging Dragon Sect — Fire• Sea of Spirit Sect — Water & Soul• Heavenly Radiance Sect — Light & Sacred Energy
● The Two Great Clans
Massive territories larger than the sects, ruled by Saints:• Blackbone Clan• Silver Dawn Clan
● The Five Sovereigns
Five black points at the top—with no explanation.Yet their presence alone sent a shiver through anyone who looked.
Tianhan dismissed the map with a tap, shrinking the device back into his palm.
He looked toward the sky, the rising sun painting the clouds with gold.
"This device shows everything… wars, cities, sects…But I won't let anyone else dictate my fate."
His gaze shifted to the pill resting in his hand.
Small, white as crystal, glowing faintly with stable spiritual light.
The pill Elder Linhai had given him—promising it would help him break through the Bone-Refining Realm.
He held it up between his fingers.
"If I want to build my clan…I must advance.""I must grow stronger."
He stared at the pill for a long moment, then exhaled slowly.
"This is the first step… I won't retreat now."
He sat cross-legged in the middle of the small stone chamber and closed his eyes, guiding his breath as he pushed energy through his battered meridians.
The moment the pill dissolved in his stomach, a powerful warmth surged through his body.His muscles trembled, and threads of violent energy spread through his limbs.
The entire chamber shook.
BOOOOOM!!!
Cracks split along the walls.The air grew heavier—like the heavens themselves were pressing down on him.Tianhan lifted off the ground as a vortex of spiritual energy wrapped around him.
But that was only the beginning.
The Descent of the Heavenly Tribulation
Without warning, the sky darkened above the ruined building—even though it had been a calm dawn seconds before.
The first spiritual lightning bolt struck the roof.Stone exploded.Azure light ripped through the chamber and crashed down upon Tianhan's body.
KAAAAAK!!!
He screamed—not just from pain—but to force his body to endure.
This was the tribulation of entering the Spirit-Gathering Realm—the first test from the heavens.
The energy was strong enough to flatten a building—yet Tianhan did not retreat.
His blood boiled.His meridians burned.Every part of him threatened to explode.
Then—
A drop of blood the elder had given him slipped from Tianhan's pocket and floated before his chest, trembling as if alive.
Suddenly, a voice echoed from deep within his soul:
"It is time…"
The drop ignited, turning into a red beam that shot into his heart.
A profound warmth spread through his bones, flesh, and spirit.The drop fused with his erupting energy—sometimes calming it, sometimes raging with it.
Then, without warning—the drop began to melt inside him.
A complete merging.A union with no return.
Tianhan felt an ancient consciousness touch his soul—granting him a fraction of its strength and wisdombefore fading away.
Its final gift erupted in his mind:
Flaming sigils forming the shape of a colossal palm—a forbidden martial art capable of crushing the enemy's soul itself.
A technique that bypassed spiritual defenses.A weapon of pure annihilation.
The moment Tianhan understood it, his energy surged again.
His body burned from the inside out.Old strands of black hair fell away…replaced by darker, glowing crimson strands.
His eyes shifted too—their red deepened into a sharper, predatory glow, like twin embers burning in a void.
This was no longer his old body—but a weapon forged to challenge the heavens.
Energy gathered at the center of his spirit core—compressing—tightening—until—
BOOOOOOM!!!!
The bed shattered.The floor cracked open.Half the walls collapsed.
Tianhan stood amid the dust, chest heaving, his eyes blazing with new light.
At that moment—
Tianhan had entered the Spirit-Gathering Realm.
A true cultivator.
He stood among the ruins, a faint red glow pulsing from his body, while the heavens receded—defeated in their attempt to crush him.
He whispered:
"This… is only the beginning."