High above the mist-shrouded mountain valley, hidden amidst clouds laced with ancient concealment talismans and spatial seals, a lone figure floated in complete stillness. Draped in a robe woven from star-shadow silk, he blended perfectly into the night sky. His eyes, sharp and vigilant, pierced through all layers of illusion surrounding the ancient tomb below.
He had been watching… silently… for a long time now.
The moment the tomb trembled and a forbidden killing formation began to activate, he moved—cutting through the void like a divine spear. But even he, a master of spatial travel, was a moment too late.
From the depths of the tomb, golden light erupted like the wrath of an ancient god. The core of the formation ruptured violently, swallowing everything within a thousand-meter radius. Screams were silenced. Lives turned to ash. Even lingering soul imprints scattered into oblivion.
His pupils shrank.
"Too late…"
This man was no mere observer. He was the personal shadow guard of Young Master Gu Changge—the first heir to the illustrious Gu Clan, one of the ruling pillars of the Central Continent in the Lotus Realm.
His mission had been straightforward—monitor the two strange cultivators marked by his young master. Simple… or so he thought.
Initially, he had believed his master was wasting time on nobodies—an ant from a barren state, and another with no known background. But the more he watched, the more his perception changed.
He had seen many—heirs of holy clans, hidden monsters, even strange ones who defied karmic logic. Yet among them, these two stood out.
One had a celestial aura, as though even fate hesitated to touch him.
The other… no presence at all. Like a phantom erased from reality.
And now—both had vanished.
With a single hand seal, the shadow guard disappeared from the sky. He warped space itself, flying across continents within hours, and arrived at a floating jade palace suspended amidst a sea of stars.
Lotus Realm – Central Continent – Gu Family
Inside the palace, a young man sat upon a throne carved of celestial jade, a lazy yet dangerous aura cloaking his frame. He looked like an idle immortal—his presence mysterious, regal, and unfathomable.
Twin golden eyes opened slowly as the guard knelt before him.
"You're early," Gu Changge said coolly, swirling a cup of jade spirit wine. "Why are you here? I gave you a critical task."
"I beg forgiveness, Young Master," the guard said, pressing his forehead to the floor. "I was observing the two targets. Though newly initiated into cultivation, their auras were far from ordinary. They entered an ancient tomb meant for Nascent Soul cultivators. But before I could investigate further, an ancient killing formation activated. The entire tomb… self-destructed."
Gu Changge's smile vanished.
"Self-destructed?" he asked softly. "That kind of formation shouldn't exist in a mere Nascent Tomb. And even if it did… that taboo one should have sensed it. Are you saying they both perished before their destinies could bloom?"
"Yes, Young Master. Most within were annihilated instantly. I attempted to recover traces, but both space and time laws were ruptured beyond repair."
Gu Changge tapped his finger on the armrest of the throne. "Among those who entered… were there two youths like these?" He flicked his fingers, revealing two glowing portraits suspended in golden light.
The guard's eyes widened.
"Yes. I saw them both. Their talents seemed average, but their presence was… unnatural. Still, I didn't think they were worth your attention. You should focus on the upcoming Gu Clan competition, not on mortals—"
CRACK!
The jade cup shattered in Gu Changge's hand, spirit wine spilling like blood.
"You dare question me?" he whispered.
The guard trembled, not daring to breathe.
Gu Changge stood slowly. His shadow stretched like divine judgment across the celestial jade floor.
"Leave."
"Yes, Young Master!" The guard bowed deeply and vanished.
Gu Changge turned toward the star map glowing behind him, his expression unreadable.
"Unless… someone else has regressed," he murmured.
He clenched his fist tightly.
"No one else should have returned. I paid the price. I was the only one chosen… And yet, someone has slain a being the entire Upper Realm once united to kill—before he even bloomed."
A chill ran down his spine.
He summoned another personal guard—a peak Divine Transformation stage expert.
"Strengthen all surveillance around the tomb and nearby cities. Anyone suspicious—bring them in. Or soul-search them."
"As you command."
Gu Changge looked into the endless void beyond the jade windows.
"A regressor capable of killing that taboo existence before he even awakened… If he belongs to a realm above, I must not provoke him recklessly. But if he is from this realm… then I must kill him as soon as possible. I must erase the hidden stone in my path before it becomes a mountain."
His expression darkened.
"But the Chaos Qilin bloodline of the Youngest Immortal… it's already gone. Damn it!"
He exhaled sharply, then narrowed his eyes in contemplation.
"I remember now… In my past life, a secret realm tied to an ancient powerhouse lies hidden within this Lotus Realm. It will open in ten years. If I can obtain the opportunity inside, my entire fate might change."
A sharp glint flashed through his golden eyes.
"And once I seize that chance, no one will stop me from becoming a giant in the Upper Realm. Not even those so-called True Immortals. And then… even she… that celestial fairy will no longer be beyond my reach."
As he thought of her, his eyes turned bloodshot with desire.
As Gu Changge stood before the celestial star map, a flicker of crimson lit up within his golden eyes.
The Saintess…
A name he dared not utter aloud. A name that had once made his heart burn and his soul tremble.
In his past life, he had only caught a single glimpse of her during a Grand Immortal Assembly in the Upper Realm. Draped in robes of moonlight and silver mist, her presence was like a dream sculpted from divine essence—elegant, aloof, and entirely untouchable.
The Saintess of the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan.
A woman who carried the bloodline of a Primordial Spirit Beast. The youngest ever to comprehend the Fox Clan's [Illusory Nirvana Dao], she was revered across realms as a true celestial beauty. Entire sects knelt before her. Crown Princes of Immortal Dynasties offered their hearts and souls. Even Heaven's Chosen didn't dare look her in the eyes for too long… lest they fall, body and spirit, to her charm.
Gu Changge had been no different.
Though already powerful in his past life, he had stood amidst the crowd, watching her from the shadows—knowing full well that someone like him, was unworthy of her gaze.
He remembered the way she had floated across the lotus bridge that day, speaking to no one, yet silencing the world with each step.
And he remembered the scorn in the eyes of those beside her.
"He's from the lower realm."
"His talent is not good.
Their voices still echoed in his mind like ghostly laughter.
But now…
Now he had regressed.
And this time, he would not be denied.
This time, he would not look from the shadows.
He would rise higher than ever before—crushing all obstacles and seizing every opportunity the heavens dared place before him.
And then… when he stood at the peak… he would extend his hand toward her.
Not as a beggar.
But as a man worthy of her divine heart.
A dangerous smile tugged at Gu Changge's lips.
"Saintess…" he whispered, almost lovingly. "In this life, I will not simply admire you from afar. I will become the man fated to stand by your side. And if the world tries to stop me—"
His voice dropped to a chilling murmur.
"—then I will burn it to the ground."