No one knows exactly when the Qiankun Realm came into existence; perhaps it has been around since time immemorial.
Legend has it that this realm is immeasurably vast, its circumference spanning billions upon billions of li.
Long, long ago, a mighty cultivator once sought to traverse the entire realm. Yet, after more than a hundred years, he had only covered a tiny fraction of it. He eventually gave up in despair as his lifespan neared its end, passing away regretfully, having squandered countless years of cultivation.
This illustrates just how immeasurably vast the Qiankun Realm is; only legendary immortals might possess the ability to fully explore it. Alas, legends remain just that—legends. To this day, no one has ever personally witnessed an immortal. They exist, perhaps, only in the tall tales spun by old men who collect absurd rumors, just to earn a meager living.
Nowadays, humanity thrives. After countless years of accumulation, the human population has swelled to astronomical, immeasurable numbers.
Every day, many perish, but in return, the number of children born is a hundredfold greater. This doesn't even account for those who cultivate to seek longevity. While they may not yet reach the legendary realm of true immortality, the number of people whose lifespans exceed several hundred years is not uncommon.
Thus, the population doesn't decrease daily; on the contrary, it tends to increase. Everywhere is brimming with vibrant vitality, and it can truly be said that humanity is experiencing its most beautiful and glorious years.
With such a massive population, even if only one in a thousand possesses the aptitude for cultivation, the number of people embarking on this arduous yet captivating path is still immeasurable. Cultivation is practiced in every home, and immortality sought by all. Large and small sects, clans, and Daoist temples have sprung up like mushrooms after rain, almost entirely covering the Qiankun Realm.
Over countless years, the number and skill level of cultivators here have increased to an unimaginable extent.
As is often the case, too much of anything leads to undesirable consequences.
Although the Qiankun Realm is vast and its resources abundant, the number of cultivators is growing ever larger. While most of the land remains unexplored, it's for the simple reason that such places often harbor deadly dangers, and no one foolishly rushes in without sufficient strength. This has led to a scarcity of resources. How can this be resolved, when every cultivator requires resources to aid their practice?
The answer is very simple. Humans, in the end, are merely animals with higher intelligence than other species; thus, when interests are at stake, conflict inevitably arises. Those who are stronger and more daring will seize more resources. That's all there is to it; this is the fundamental truth.
Every day, across the Qiankun Realm, countless bloody and brutal battles for resources erupt, leading to bloodshed and death. With every passing breath, hundreds, even thousands, of cultivators unwillingly fall. But as mentioned before, the number of cultivators doesn't decrease; on the contrary, it increases, because in that same breath, tens of thousands of ordinary people eagerly step onto the path of immortality.
And so, the cycle of slaughter continues, the world ever turning. One person dies, another steps forward to take their place. Blood flows everywhere, joy and resentment intertwine, clouding everyone's minds, ensuring that no one retains the horrifying memories from over a hundred thousand years ago.
Sometimes, enjoying prolonged peace, free from the threat of other species, can be the very cause of humanity's demise.
And our journey will begin with an event that sets the stage for all the instability that followed.
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Chapter 1: Encounter
The Van Tuong Forest was located in the north of the Qiankun Realm. Its length exceeded tens of thousands of miles, covering a vast expanse. Calling it a forest wasn't entirely accurate, as it was clearly an immense, sprawling mountainous wilderness, with deep valleys and towering peaks, containing everything imaginable.
Within the Van Tuong Forest, lush vegetation flourished everywhere. Many ancient trees had trunks so wide it would take dozens of people to encircle them, with luxuriant branches and leaves reaching for the heavens. The calls of birds and beasts echoed here and there, and waterfalls thundered down; one could say it was truly vibrant with life. The breathtaking scenery here would make anyone who stumbled upon it unable to resist gazing around in wonder, their spirit soaring to the heavens.
However, for those in the know, the Van Tuong Forest was far from as welcoming as the facade it deliberately presented. This place harbored immense danger, teeming with demonic beasts and highly poisonous plants that could claim the life of anyone who was careless.
Naturally, a place of such danger also offered considerable benefits to the daring. Spiritual herbs and rare creatures were abundant; if one was skilled enough to search, they wouldn't return empty-handed. Yet, throughout history, few who dared to venture deep into the Van Tuong Forest ever returned alive; the majority perished there, becoming prey for the demonic beasts.
And yet, at this moment, a small figure was stumbling and fumbling its way through the forest, truly making anyone who chanced upon it disbelieve their own eyes.
A closer look revealed this was a boy about eleven or twelve years old, his scrawny frame swaying precariously, as if about to topple with each playful gust of wind. His somewhat haggard and gaunt face would have been passable, were it not for the layers of grime and dirt covering it, appearing like the soot-covered bottom of a pot that hadn't been scrubbed in ages.
After stumbling around for a while, the boy suddenly stopped. His thin arm laboriously lifted to wipe the sweat streaming down his forehead, his lips parted slightly as he muttered.
“I’ve been lost in here for days, when will I ever get out of this wretched place?”
Having said that, he dejectedly plopped down onto the muddy ground covered in decaying leaves.
This boy’s name was Chen Fei, and he had just turned twelve this year. Four days prior, he had woken up to find himself in this desolate, primeval forest. To his dismay, he didn’t even know where he was or why he was suddenly in this place. Apart from his name and age, his memory was blank. All his previous memories had vanished, leaving only a hazy, chaotic jumble in his mind, as if he had just come into existence.
For the past few days, Chen Fei had diligently searched for a way out, but to no avail. This accursed place was nothing but endless trees; he walked and walked, yet saw nothing but more trees, and not a single soul was in sight. If he did encounter anything, it was always fierce, monstrous beasts of myriad forms, constantly hunting and killing, terrifying Chen Fei to his core. Each time he had to flee for his life to survive; his misery was truly boundless.
Unlike the countless forest beasts Chen Fei dared not approach, edible fruits and plants were exceedingly rare. There were days he was so faint with hunger that he only managed to find a few wild berries to shove into his mouth, but they did nothing to sate him. The gnawing hunger in his stomach persisted, and he couldn't even find peace to sleep all night.
And so, traveling by day and resting by night to avoid danger, it was now the fourth day since Trần Phi "was born" in this damned forest. There was still no sign of an exit, and his physical strength had been utterly depleted after days of hunger, thirst, and torment by fierce beasts. If not for his tenacious will to endure, Trần Phi would have collapsed long ago. For some unknown reason, the thought always surfaced in Trần Phi's mind that he couldn't die; he absolutely had to live.
It was the same now; as Trần Phi lay sprawled on the ground, intending to sleep a long sleep and abandoning himself to whatever fate awaited him, that thought suddenly resurfaced in his mind once more.
"I can't die, I can't die! I must live..."
His bloodshot eyes slightly opened, and Trần Phi gave a sarcastic laugh. "Who would want to die! But in this situation, even if I want to survive, there's nothing I can do..."
While still muttering to himself in self-mockery, the roar of some beast rang out, making Trần Phi jump. Instinctively, he immediately scrambled towards a nearby tree and laboriously climbed up.
Exhausted as he was, after struggling to climb up and slipping down, scraping himself all over, it took immense effort for Trần Phi to reach what could be considered a somewhat elevated position. His feet rested on a fork in the branches, his back against the trunk, and he silently looked down.
Below the tree, at that moment, a pair of eyes, glowing red like two coals, was staring up at Trần Phi.
He hadn't seen it before, but the moment he did, Trần Phi couldn't suppress the intense fear that surged within him. Standing at the base of the tree was a black tiger, more than three meters long. Its muscular body was packed with solid muscle, looking full of power at first glance. The tiger's large, crimson mouth was agape, letting out series of roars, its interior full of sharp fangs.
"Wha... what kind of monster is this?"
Trần Phi's emaciated body, a complete contrast to the tiger's, trembled uncontrollably. In the past few days, he had faced many fierce beasts, but this was the first time he had encountered one as large and ferocious as this pitch-black tiger. Trần Phi couldn't help but feel anxious, but the thought that tigers couldn't climb trees gave him a little peace of mind. He also saw that the distance from the ground to where he sat was quite far, believing that no matter how high the ferocious tiger jumped, it wouldn't reach him.
After roaring a few times to assert its dominance, the black tiger began to circle the base of the tree, as if looking for a way to catch the prey hiding above. Meanwhile, Trần Phi watched nervously, hoping the tiger wouldn't find a way and would eventually get bored and leave, like the other fierce beasts before it.
Suddenly, the black tiger slightly lowered its massive body to the ground, then gathered its strength in its four legs and sprang upwards with immense force. Its leaping power was extraordinary; in the blink of an eye, it covered a distance of nearly five meters, leaving it only a similar distance from Trần Phi.
At this point, it ran out of momentum, and the black tiger's four paws slammed hard into the tree trunk, its knife-sharp claws digging in so deep that sap gushed out. The tiger's eyes, like two cold coals, flicked a glance at Trần Phi, its massive tongue licked its chops, then it slowly began to climb, one paw at a time, pulling itself up, then digging its claws back into the trunk, hauling its bull-sized body upwards.
Above, Trần Phi's eyes nearly popped out of his head when he saw this sight.
"A tiger... a tiger can climb trees?? It's over, I'm dead this time... Is anyone... is anyone going to save me?"
The black tiger drew closer and closer. Trần Phi was so panicked he couldn't sit still, his limbs trembled, and he cried out for help loudly.
His cries were just cries; in this desolate wilderness, where would anyone be to save Trần Phi? How pathetic!
Trần Phi's cries for help were met by the muscular body of the tiger, approaching ever closer like a grim reaper coming for a life.
In a panic, Trần Phi's eyes darted around and spotted a branch as thick as a wrist nearby. He quickly used all his strength to break it off, then aimed at the tiger below and whipped it repeatedly, hoping to knock the tiger down or at least slow the monster's climb.
"Damn it! You rotten tiger, get down now! I'll beat you to death!"
What strength could a child of just over ten years old possess, especially since Trần Phi was already completely exhausted? And he was sitting in a tree, with no leverage to strike effectively. Trần Phi's blows were no more than an itch scratch for the tiger. It growled, not even bothering to dodge, and continued to climb, picking up a little speed.
He struck until he was utterly breathless and exhausted, yet it was still ineffective. Trần Phi panted heavily, his vision blurred, and he nearly fell from the tree trunk. Just as he was about to give up entirely, a daring thought suddenly flashed through his mind. He gritted his teeth, his thin arms gripping the branch tightly, and gathered all his strength to thrust it down forcefully, aiming for the tiger's glowing red eye, which was now almost right next to him.
"Die!"
*Thwack!* Because the distance between them was too close, and Trần Phi had put all his strength into the thrust, the black tiger, which had been too complacent from the start, was immediately struck, unable to dodge.
The tiger's right eye was pierced by the branch, stuck fast, and fresh blood spurted out like a fountain. The monster let out a roar of terror, then its massive, heavy body fell from the tree, crashing heavily onto the ground with a resounding thud.
The ground shook, causing the tree Trần Phi was sitting in to tremble as well, nearly making him fall down with the tiger. Luckily, he managed to cling tightly to the tree trunk in time.
The heavy fall didn't seem to injure the tiger. It scrambled up, letting out a series of furious roars. Then, its bestial nature unleashed, the black tiger ignored the branch still lodged in its right eye. It lunged at the base of the tree where Trần Phi was sitting, its two front paws wildly striking it.
Not even in his wildest dreams could Trần Phi have imagined the tiger's strength to be so terrifying. Each swipe of the tiger's paw made the tree trunk shake violently, and its razor-sharp claws tore off chunks of wood. There was no doubt; the monster was in a frenzy, intent on felling the tree like a lumberjack chopping wood.
This thought sent a chill down Trần Phi's spine, making him tremble even though it wasn't cold. Clearly, the tiger had many ways to catch Trần Phi; earlier, it had climbed the tree because it wanted to approach its prey in the gentlest, most "polite" way.
"This is truly the end for me. I only hope that when it eats me, it will be gentle and quick, to lessen the pain!"
Trần Phi closed his eyes, his hands still clinging tightly to the trembling tree trunk. Before the black tiger's fury, it seemed even the tree trunk was as terrified as Trần Phi.
When it had gnawed away both sides of the tree trunk, leaving only a small core in the middle, the black tiger suddenly stopped. It sat down, watching Trần Phi clinging tightly to the tree, swaying back and forth, on the verge of toppling over at any moment. It was as if this was the monster's amusement, playing with its prey for a while before devouring it.
This action of the tiger made Trần Phi realize how much pain and anger he had inflicted upon it. It would surely torment Trần Phi for a long, tedious time, until it was thoroughly satisfied, before finally savoring him. This damned beast also possessed a petty streak, much like a human.
Trần Phi felt as if death was imminent, clinging to the tree trunk that swayed back and forth like a drunkard, muttering prayers under his breath. Suddenly, a cheerful voice rang out.
"Oh, a Hắc Điện Hổ? I didn't expect to find one here. My luck isn't bad at all!"
That sound reached Trần Phi's ears like a drowning man suddenly grasping a lifebuoy, and he immediately opened his eyes wide.
The owner of the voice was a young man, about seventeen or eighteen years old, tall and slender, around six feet, wearing a set of blue clothes. His face was exceptionally handsome, his eyes bright and spirited, sparkling with captivating allure. What was particularly striking was his relaxed and leisurely demeanor, completely ignoring the black tiger that had turned to face him, roaring hostilely. Looking at the scene below, Trần Phi suddenly felt that even if the entire world collapsed before his eyes, the young man in blue wouldn't bat an eyelid.
"Help... Senior Brother, please save me..."
The moment of surprise passed, and Trần Phi opened his mouth wide and roared as the tree trunk he was clinging to finally crashed down.
The handsome young man's thick eyebrows furrowed slightly. He lightly raised a hand and waved it towards Trần Phi, who was falling heavily.
Instantly, an invisible gust of wind enveloped Trần Phi, like a soft cradle gently helping him land. No sound, no pain appeared.
While Trần Phi was still dazed, unsure of what had just happened, the black tiger had transformed into a blur and lunged straight at the young man. Ever since the young man appeared, the black tiger had focused all its attention on him, no longer bothering with Trần Phi. It was as if it recognized this person as its true enemy, the one who always made it uneasy.
"Attacking me? This little cat has quite some guts!"
The young man chuckled lightly, his tall, slender body, as if weightless, drifted to the side, narrowly dodging the tiger's pounce.
Missing its strike, the black tiger became even more enraged. It roared furiously and lunged at the young man again, its front paws swiping wildly with lightning speed.
Seeing this, the young man smiled even more cheerfully, his body darting east and west according to some mysterious rhythm, once again effortlessly evading the tiger's attacks.
Continuously striking at empty air, the black tiger growled and retreated. Its left eye glowed crimson, reflecting deep apprehension. Its instincts told it that the prey before it was incredibly powerful, stronger than any foe it had encountered since birth. Yet, its pride would not allow it to retreat. Today, between it and this person, only one would survive.
Seeing the tiger's attitude, the young man dropped his playful smile and said in a deep voice, "Come on, show me all your abilities while you still have a chance. Where are those mosquito-chasing lightning bolts of yours?"
The young man in blue's words seemed to strike the tiger's pride. It furiously glared, its left eye flaring crimson, its blood-red maw opened wide, and suddenly, a dazzling beam of light shot out from within, striking straight at the young man.
"Good!"
The young man exclaimed, his body sinking slightly, his hands placed in front of him, gathering power. Instantly, a shimmering, ethereal light barrier appeared directly in front of him, just as the lightning bolt, as thick as an adult's forearm, shrieked out from the tiger's mouth.
With a resounding "Boom!", the light barrier flickered a few times but remained firmly in place, completely unchanged, without the slightest damage. Meanwhile, the lightning bolt vanished without a trace, as if it had never existed.
Seeing clearly that the result was unsatisfactory, the black tiger faltered slightly, its four paws shifting back a little further.
"Go on, is that all the tiny bit of lightning you have in you?" the youth in blue robes said with a laugh.
Pushed past its breaking point, the black tiger roared loudly, simultaneously unleashing three lightning bolts from its mouth, each slightly larger than the previous ones. Notably, one of these three bolts was blue, not bright white like the other two.
"Oh, blue lightning, huh? So it's a mutated Black Lightning Tiger, about to enter level four. Looks like I'll get some extra spirit stones from this!"
The youth in blue robes mumbled as if talking to himself. Other than that, he made no further moves, simply standing calmly and watching the three lightning bolts rush towards him.
The three lightning bolts struck the light barrier, creating deafening rumbling sounds. Afterwards, the lightning bolts and the light barrier vanished together.
The black tiger's steps were somewhat unsteady; it seemed that after unleashing those lightning bolts, it had exhausted its strength, much like Chen Fei's previous state of hunger and thirst. Then, realizing its attack had once again failed to yield the desired effect, the tiger let out a weak, unwilling cry, then panted and tucked its tail, fleeing.
"Where do you think you're going?"
The youth in blue robes lightly flicked his arm, and from his sleeve, a silver light shot out with lightning speed, too fast for the naked eye to follow, far surpassing the speed of the lightning bolts the tiger had unleashed earlier.
The beast's pained roar immediately ceased. The black tiger, which had been so ferocious just moments before, now tumbled to the ground, its head detached from its neck and rolling away, revealing a clean, smooth cut from which blood gushed out like a spring.
After circling the tiger's neck once, the silver light, having completed its task, seemed to have eyes as it immediately flew back and disappeared into the sleeve of the youth in blue robes.
At this moment, Chen Fei's emotions were indescribable. From the moment the youth appeared, to the tiger unleashing its terrifying lightning bolts, and then having its head effortlessly severed by that person – everything that happened, though it seemed long in the telling, actually transpired in less than a few dozen breaths, yet the outcome was already decided.
Never had Chen Fei imagined there could be someone so powerful in this world. Just looking at the tiger's fate was enough to know; this beast was no gentle creature, having effortlessly knocked down a tree trunk that two people could barely embrace, yet it couldn't withstand a single blow from that youth. Admiration, Chen Fei was truly filled with immense admiration for this sudden savior. Admiration to the point of speechlessness.
"Are you alright, kid?"
The youth in blue robes didn't even glance at the tiger, but instead walked closer to Chen Fei and asked with a wink.
A flicker of annoyance crossed Chen Fei's face at being called "kid." He frowned slightly but immediately relaxed. His admiration and gratitude for being saved wouldn't allow him to be disrespectful to his benefactor.
"I'm fine. Thank you for saving my life, Senior Brother!" Chen Fei said, sounding very "grown-up."
This made the youth in blue robes chuckle. "I am Luo Hou. What's your name, kid? Why are you here all alone? Where's your family?"
"My name is Chen Fei." Realizing the youth was teasing him, Chen Fei replied somewhat awkwardly. "As for that... a few days ago, I woke up and found myself here. I don't remember anything else."
"Oh, so you have amnesia, kid? This is a bit tricky. I was planning to help you get home, but if you don't remember anything, what can I do?" Luo Hou frowned.
“Little brother…” Tran Phi gave a wry smile. Before he could speak, his stomach rumbled a few times. Ever since the tiger appeared and chased him, the fear had made Tran Phi forget his hunger. Now that the danger had passed, the gnawing hunger began to return, making his stomach protest violently.
“I forgot, you’ve been lost in here for days, you must be starving.” La Hou slapped his forehead, then pulled out a few steamed buns from his person and handed them to Tran Phi. “Eat your fill. Once I’m done collecting everything, I’ll figure out a way to help you.”
He tossed Tran Phi a bottle of water, then walked over to the corpse of the Black Lightning Tiger. His hands moved skillfully, darting back and forth. A moment later, the tiger’s massive, bulky corpse had been broken down into neat piles of materials. Next, Tran Phi saw La Hou take out a small, palm-sized pouch from his person, but somehow, it managed to fit all those piles of materials, not even leaving a single bone behind. This strange sight made Tran Phi forget to chew; his mouth, full of steamed buns, hung agape, looking extremely unhygienic.
La Hou turned back, saw him, and chuckled. “This is a Sumeru Pouch. The space inside is roughly the size of a room, so it’s perfectly normal for it to hold the entire Black Lightning Tiger.”
“I see, how marvelous!” Tran Phi nodded vigorously, continuing to chew and swallow noisily. Whenever it got too dry and hard to swallow, he’d take a gulp of water, then resume chewing.
La Hou sat nearby, silently smiling, not urging him on. His gaze occasionally fell on Tran Phi, seemingly lost in thought.
“Are you full now?” After Tran Phi had finished off the steamed buns, La Hou asked.
Tran Phi patted his stomach, a slightly satisfied expression on his face, and replied. “It’s… alright. It’s been a long time since this little brother ate so well!”
La Hou’s eyes widened. Only ‘alright’ after eating all that? This kid’s stomach isn’t a Sumeru Pouch too, is it?
“Have you remembered anything yet? I’ll take you home, and then I have to return to my sect.” La Hou asked.
Tran Phi furrowed his brow and pondered for a long time, then shook his head dejectedly. “I can’t remember anything at all. It’s already lucky enough that I remember my name for convenience!”
As if he had expected this, La Hou nodded. “Now, I’ll give you two choices. First, you can come with me to my sect. Although it’s not currently the time for disciple recruitment, with my recommendation, you’ll receive special permission to undergo a talent assessment. Whether you’re accepted or not will then depend on your aptitude. This is the best I can do for you. Second, I’ll take you to the nearest city, give you some gold and silver, and then you can find a way to make a living on your own.”
After hearing this, Tran Phi lowered his head in thought. A moment later, he looked up and asked. “If this little brother follows you to the sect now, but then fails the talent assessment, would you still be able to help me with the second option?”
La Hou was momentarily stunned by his words. This kid is truly too cunning. He let out a chuckle. “Of course. You’re just this young, yet you already know how to take advantage of me. You have a future!”
“How could this little brother dare!” Tran Phi chuckled mischievously.
Earlier, Trần Phi's mind was suddenly flooded with information. Though unrelated to his background or origins, it was believed to be significantly helpful for his future journey. These included methods of interacting with others, schemes to exploit others for personal gain, and even numerous insidious plots. It was unclear who had crammed all this into Trần Phi's head. All he knew was that this person seemed desperate for him to survive, to prolong his life for as long as possible. It was truly perplexing. He only hoped that, as time passed, more information would surface in his mind, helping Trần Phi discover who he truly was. But as it was now, he was truly suffering immensely.
Who could accept a life without a past, unless it was a past best forgotten?