The Tianshan Mountain Range in Xinjiang.
It was a barren mountain range unsuitable for human habitation, but since ancient times, a massive organization had made its lair there.
Tianmo Shenjiao.
As a single sect, it could undoubtedly be called the number one in the world, including the Central Plains and the Beyond the Great Wall. It is the Holy Land of the Demonic Path.
And they had been coveting the abundant Central Plains since ancient times, but...
Recently, they had been strangely quiet.
As if they were plotting something.
The center of Tianmo Shenjiao, Moyong Palace.
The leadership of Tianmo Shenjiao was staring at the seat of honor with grave expressions.
The throne where the Cult Lord should sit.
Yet that throne was empty.
And for ten years at that.
"...What are we going to do about the position of Cult Lord?"
"We can't keep it vacant forever, so won't we have to hold a Holy War?"
"But the previous Cult Lord might still be alive."
At Huoyan Mozun's words, a silence like cold water being splashed swept through Moyong Palace.
At the same time, everyone's pupils shook greatly.
Along with that, the previous Cult Lord, who had handed over his position and vanished ten years ago, came to their minds.
Among those called Heavenly Demon throughout history, his martial prowess was among the top few.
The one who rose to become Cult Lord and earned the title Heavenly Demon without cultivating the divine art, Tianmo Shengong, which only the Cult Lord could learn.
Not satisfied with mastering hundreds and thousands of demonic supreme arts in Tianmo Shenjiao, he was a supreme genius who dabbled in everything from medicine to miscellaneous studies.
A figure bestowed with countless praises.
Juedui Tianmo.
Shiver—
Everyone trembled at the fear and terror that bound them just from the thought of him.
But a few shook their heads left and right to shake off the terror, and cautiously brought up the topic.
"But it's been ten years."
"Y-Yes, that's right. Besides, the Cult Lord stepped down and left."
"That is true, but if the Cult Lord is displeased with the new Cult Lord..."
At Huoyan Mozun's words that ruined the atmosphere once again, their faces turned pale.
Just once in the past.
There was someone who provoked the Cult Lord's displeasure.
And the result was tragic.
The Five Great Families that supported Tianmo Shenjiao at the time were reduced to Four Great Families.
Jolt!
Those who recalled the previous Cult Lord who single-handedly annihilated the Helian Family stiffened with fear.
Swish—
Making eye contact with each other with fear-stricken eyes, they swallowed their saliva and whispered.
"Then let's talk about this next time..."
"Let's do that."
"Y-Yes, let's."
Looking at them terrified, the Cult's strategist, Manao, let out a sigh.
"Haa."
A bitter smile lingered around his mouth.
"If only the Cult Lord had designated a successor..."
How many times has it been now?
They held a meeting every year, but the result was always the same.
Even though Juedui Tianmo had disappeared, they could not escape his grasp.
No, rather, they became even more bound.
Because the unseen is scarier.
'If only I knew where he was, it would be much better.'
He searched for Juedui Tianmo every day.
But whether he sank into the ground or soared into the sky, he couldn't find any traces at all.
So time just flowed by without any results.
For a whopping ten years at that.
"Haa—"
Manao, who let out yet another deep sigh that hadn't dried up lately, held his head as if it ached, and muttered toward the one who created this mess.
"Where on earth are you? Cult Lord."
* * *
A small cave deep in the Tianshan Mountain Range where perennial snow was piled high.
Since the perennial snow began to pile up, not even a beast, let alone a human, had entered the cave for an eon, but from ten years ago, a warm light existed there.
There was a man in the cave.
Disheveled hair and a beard.
Furthermore, the clothes he wore were so old and worn out that they looked like they would tear at a touch, making one wonder how long he had been wearing them.
The man, Dugu Julian, raised his right hand, and pitch-black qi surged up.
Then, his hand moved fluidly.
Slash!
A giant circle was instantly drawn on the floor, and as if adding something on top of it, unidentified patterns were rapidly inscribed.
"How dare you make me suffer like a dog?"
The cold breath that leaked from between his lips spread faintly around.
Unlike the cold air, his voice was excited.
Dugu Julian was immersed in a sense of exhilaration.
At first, it was a light interest.
After mastering all the demonic supreme arts in the Tianmo Library, he finally began to pay attention to other miscellaneous studies aside from martial arts.
Meanwhile, he belatedly recalled the unfinished Great Art written at the end of the Juedui Junlin Gong he was cultivating.
Since he had already achieved great mastery of the Juedui Junlin Gong, he thought he would complete it in no time.
But as one year passed, and two years went by, he could feel to his bones how arrogant that thought was.
He could not execute the Great Art.
No matter how many times he tried.
His soaring pride cracked.
At the fact that he could not complete it.
He didn't care about things like eternal immortality or ruling the world written in the Great Art, but when he couldn't succeed, a stubborn determination flared up.
So he casually handed over the position of Cult Lord that bound him to just anyone, left Tianmo Shenjiao, and arrived here.
* * *
"Now, it's finally complete."
Exhilaration dominated my body.
How much I had longed for this day.
The day the Great Art is completed!
Until I devoted myself to this Great Art, my pride knew no bounds.
Just by looking at it once, I could learn all the martial arts in the world, and not to mention medicine, I could even learn formations and Great Arts in an instant.
But recently, that pride was broken.
Because of the Yongsheng Bumie Junlin Dafa drawn right here!
"It's been a long time."
An involuntary smile formed on my face.
I invested a whole ten years into a single Great Art.
As its completion reached its end, I absolutely could not control the joyful laughter leaking from between my lips.
Now I just had to stand on the formation.
Alright.
While fully savoring the soon-to-come victory, I carefully surveyed my surroundings.
I stayed for ten years, but it was desolate.
Just a single book and the piled up Bigu Dan.
That was all.
There was no water, clothes, or blankets.
The only noticeable thing was the luminous pearl that brightly illuminated the interior of the cave.
Since I had achieved Invulnerability to Cold and Heat, I didn't feel the cold, and I only needed to fill my empty stomach.
"It was truly sickening."
I shook my head as I looked at the Bigu Dan.
No matter how much I had reached the Absolute Realm, the sensations dominating my body were the same.
I was not a Daoist.
Yet I ate the tasteless and bitter Bigu Dan every single day.
To save even a little bit of time.
Thanks to my competitive spirit winning over my appetite.
Now that's over too.
Swish—
The moment I moved my stopped feet again.
Hwaaaak!
A five-colored brilliant light spread across the Great Art.
'Yes, just as I expected!'
The colors I met for the first time slowly wrapped around me like silk.
A warm sensation tickled my skin.
Hehe—
The corners of my eyes curved like half-moons.
* * *
One of the pillars of the Nine Sects and One Faction, the Huashan Sect.
Normally, it would have been early morning busy with training, but today it was unusually quiet.
"……."
"……."
In the Medical Hall, the Daoists of the Xian generation, the pillars of the Huashan Sect, were staring at one place with grave eyes.
A small bed placed in the center.
The Master of the Medical Hall was carefully inserting acupuncture needles into the body of the young Daoist lying with a pale complexion.
How much time had passed?
"Phew..."
Having inserted all the needles, the Master of the Medical Hall let out the breath he had been holding and wiped his sweat.
"It is finished now."
"Is Juanhui going to be alright now?"
"Is he cured?"
"How is he?"
The Daoists who had been watching with bated breath began to pester Tian Gu, the Master of the Medical Hall and their disciple-nephew, as if they had been waiting.
"I have taken all possible measures."
Swish—
Before those words even finished, a female Daoist, Xian Li, who had been watching with bloodshot eyes while biting her lips, moved.
She held the small hand of Juanhui, who lay as if dead, and sent him a sorrowful gaze.
Perhaps because this winter was exceptionally cold.
When she visited early in the morning, Juanhui, whose body was already in poor condition, had collapsed and lost consciousness.
"If only I had hurried a little..."
Tears welled up in Xian Li's eyes.
The Daoists expressed their pity at the tears of Xian Li, who was known to be the most rational and cool-headed among the Daoists of the Huashan Sect.
Because everyone knew how much she cherished Juanhui.
"No matter how dear the junior disciple was, isn't he too young to follow him..."
At her tearful words trembling with sorrow, everyone swallowed a groan.
Juanhui was the only disciple of the deceased junior disciple.
From the moment he entered the Huashan Sect holding the junior disciple's hand, his body was poor and he could not learn martial arts, but he was a beloved existence because of his righteous and pure nature.
Just as they were biting their lips in sorrow.
Twitch—
Juanhui's finger moved.
"……!"
Xian Li hastily turned her head.
Everyone had surprised eyes.
"S-Sect Master Senior Brother."
At Xian Li's urgent words, the Sect Master of the Huashan Sect, Xian Shang, immediately nodded and opened his mouth toward Tian Gu.
"Is there no other way?"
"I cannot be certain, but... if he takes our sect's Zisuo Dan, it might have some effect on the junior disciple who has not learned martial arts."
A calm voice spread around.
But contrary to that calm voice, the content contained within was astonishing.
What was the Zisuo Dan?
The Dahuan Dan of Shaolin,
The Taiqing Dan of Wudang.
It was the peerless spiritual pill of the Huashan Sect that boasted an efficacy that did not fall behind the two widely known spiritual pills in the world.
Yet they would give such a spiritual pill to a young Daoist who hadn't even learned a mental cultivation method?
If other martial artists had heard it, they would have fainted from stomachaches.
But Xian Shang did not hesitate.
Juanhui was the treasure of their sect.
He was more precious than the Zisuo Dan.
"Allow it."
Tian Gu's eyes shone as he turned his head.
"Jiyun."
As if he had been waiting for the call, the Vice Master of the Medical Hall, Jiyun, scurried in.
"Did you call for me?"
"Go and bring the Zisuo Dan."
"The Zisuo Dan, you say?"
Jiyun's eyes widened endlessly.
Then, discovering Juanhui lying collapsed, he quickly nodded.
"I will bring it right away."
A moment later, Jiyun came in holding a wooden box.
Swish—
He pulled out the needles stuck in Juanhui.
After that, he slowly took out the Zisuo Dan.
The rich plum blossom fragrance of the revealed Zisuo Dan spread in all directions.
"Please, please..."
"I beg of you."
"I will do my best."
Tian Gu, who listened to their earnest voices, took out a long needle. Then, without hesitation, he deeply inserted it into Juanhui's Baihui acupoint.
Push!
Along with that, he crushed the Zisuo Dan with both hands and slowly poured it into the opened mouth.
As a result, two crossed destinies became intertwined.
Dugu Julian, who had fallen into a deep sleep, suddenly woke up from the rich fragrance that pushed through his throat and flowed in. But his mind was still hazy.
'The Great Art?'
The only thought that clearly came to mind.
Then.
"...Chasing the Palace and Passing the Acupoints is... difficult..."
"How... now... life..."
Muffled voices, as if hearing from deep under water, were heard.
'Voices?'
The first thing that came to mind was bewilderment. The cave he stayed in was in the deepest part of the Tianshan Mountain Range, making it hard for even beasts, let alone humans, to visit.
Yet voices were heard.
And the voices of many people, quite steeped in the passing of long years.
For a moment, he recalled the elders of the Cult.
But he soon shook his head.
'Even if they found this place where I hid, there's no way those old fogeys would come.'
They were uncomfortable with him.
After becoming the Cult Lord, he had ignored most of what they wanted because it was annoying.
They would definitely welcome his disappearance instead.
While recalling them who would be smiling.
Rumble!
Suddenly, his body twisted.
Then, an indescribable, excruciating pain rushed in all at once.
'What the hell is this!'
His mind reeled from the sudden wave of pain.
About fifty years ago, after achieving great mastery of the Juedui Junlin Gong and reaching the Absolute Realm, he had never felt pain.
Was it because of that?
The pain he felt after a long time came even more intensely than back then.
Shocked, he urgently searched for the cause.
The blood vessels throughout his body were so narrow that it was hard for even a single needle to pass through, and as a result, all the muscles in his body were shrunken.
'Damn it!'
Swallowing the curses he couldn't spit out, he frantically widened his blood vessels.
Creak—
Perhaps because he forcibly tore them open to widen them.
Indescribable pain rushed in.
'Damn! It hurts like hell!'
But he couldn't stop.
To move somehow, he had to first widen the blood vessels leading to the Baihui acupoint.
After hastily taking a temporary measure to stabilize himself, he concentrated his mind and racked his brain to figure out the situation.
'The Great Art definitely succeeded...'
Then, the voices that had been muffled as if hearing underwater became clear and struck his ears.
"Ah, the Heavenly Venerable has helped us."
"The virtues accumulated by our ancestors in the Huashan Sect are shining."
'What? Huashan Sect?'
He lost his mind along with a shock as if he had been hit on the back of the head with a giant hammer.
'What kind of bullshit is this now?'