The night was calm. Ni Xiyan slept peacefully inside the house while Ni Tian sat outside in meditation, his thoughts heavy with the words of the woman they had met earlier.
"My wife will turn eighteen soon. When the seal breaks, if I don't possess the Golden Sun bloodline, I won't be able to keep her by my side forever. If the world learns of this, powerful clans with the Golden Sun bloodline will try to take her away."
Ni Tian clenched his fists, his heart filled with urgency.
Suddenly, he heard rustling in the trees. His sharp instincts told him it wasn't just the wind. Someone was watching. He stayed still, pretending not to notice while observing carefully. Moments later, he sensed an unfamiliar presence entering the house. His eyes narrowed as he stood up, ready to act—but before he could move, six men at the Great Ascension Realm blocked his path.
Their leader smirked.
"Stay down, boy. This isn't your fight."
Ni Tian ignored him and tried to rush past, but the six cultivators attacked. He countered fiercely, but the difference in numbers and cultivation level overwhelmed him. Despite his strength, he was defeated.
The door opened, and Ni Xiyan stepped out, standing beside an old man at the Heavenly Realm.
"Ni Tian, don't fight," Ni Xiyan said calmly. "They're here for me. We cannot match their strength."
Ni Tian gritted his teeth in frustration, his body trembling with suppressed rage. But seeing Ni Xiyan's serious expression, he forced himself to stay calm.
"I will come for you," he promised.
Ni Xiyan gave him one last look before leaving with the group in silence.
That night, as Ni Tian rested, Ni Xiyan sat inside a grand carriage with the old man and the other cultivators. She looked at them coldly.
"What do you want?" she asked.
The old man studied her before speaking. "You are of the Aeris Clan, the sole inheritor of the Ice Phoenix bloodline. The Crown Prince of Ignis Aeternum possesses the Golden Sun bloodline. If you and he unite, you will create an unparalleled power that can dominate the world."
Ni Xiyan's eyes widened in shock, then burned with anger. But she knew resisting now was pointless. She clenched her fists, whispering to herself:
"Husband, come quickly."
The next morning, Ni Tian woke up filled with fury. He had no time to waste. He needed power.
He took out the Primordial Rebirth Lotus and consumed it. Instantly, his body was wracked with pain, but his Divine Bloodline minimized the suffering. His cultivation surged, and a vision of the Ultimate Realm appeared before him.
With the lotus's power and his inherited divine bloodline, he broke through multiple stages in one go—ascending from Nascent Soul to Soul Formation, to Void Refinement, and finally to the 1st level of Great Ascension Realm. However, he had only absorbed 25% of the massive energy passed down to him. There was still much more power he had yet to unlock.
With newfound strength, he set out immediately.
His first stop was the village where the family he had saved lived. He asked for a map, and after hearing his story, they eagerly helped him in any way they could. With their assistance, he planned his journey and decided to head to the Aerium Continent, the closest major land.
While traveling, Ni Tian came across a girl being harassed by a group of men. Without hesitation, he intervened, quickly disposing of the attackers.
The girl, relieved, bowed in gratitude. "Thank you, kind sir. How can I repay you?"
Ni Tian waved his hand dismissively, uninterested in rewards. But when she said, "I know this land well, I can guide you," he reconsidered and agreed.
They traveled together in silence until they reached a grand imperial city.
Upon arrival, the girl finally introduced herself.
"My name is Yushen Xuanlian, the only daughter of Emperor Yushen Tianxu."
Ni Tian was surprised but remained composed.
Xuanlian led him directly to the imperial palace, where they were granted an audience with the emperor.
After hearing how Ni Tian saved his daughter, Emperor Yushen Tianxu was furious but soon calmed down, expressing his gratitude.
"You have done me a great favor. Take these as my thanks."
He presented Ni Tian with rare pills, precious herbs, and a generous sum of gold.
However, as the great elders of the empire examined Ni Tian, they saw something remarkable in him.
One elder stepped forward. "Young man, I see great potential in you. Would you like to become an inner disciple of our sect?"
Ni Tian declined.
But before he could leave, another elder, a woman with a mysterious aura, stepped forward.
"I would like to take you as my direct disciple," she said.
Ni Tian hesitated. Before he could refuse, she spoke again:
"I know her."
Ni Tian froze.
He immediately turned to the woman. "Who… who are you?"
She smiled.
Before Yun reveals that she was a direct servant of Ni Tian's father, she suddenly says:
"Come with me."
Ni Tian is confused but follows her.
She takes him to a secluded chamber deep within the Yun Sect's territory, ensuring that no one else is listening. Only after sealing the room with a powerful formation does she speak:
"What I am about to tell you must not be heard by anyone else."
She then reveals the truth about his father's real death, the illusion of his past humiliation, and the existence of the Upper World.
"My name is Yun Seraphis. I am the sect leader of the Yun Sect. More importantly, I was once a direct servant of your father."
Ni Tian's heart pounded.
"You… knew my father?"
Yun nodded. "There were 24 of us, his most trusted subordinates. After his death, we scattered across the world, searching for his killer. I have watched over you from the shadows for a long time."
Ni Tian was in disbelief. "I was told my father died because of his own power…"
Yun laughed coldly. "Are you serious? That is a ridiculous lie. Your father surpassed the Divine Realm—someone like him could never die from his own strength. The truth is, he was killed. His soul was destroyed."
Ni Tian's blood ran cold.
"Who… who killed him?"
Yun's expression darkened. "That is something I will tell you when the time is right."
After a moment of silence, Ni Tian changed the subject.
"Master… what is the true ranking system of cultivation?"
Yun nodded. "There are four major realms:
1. Mortal Realm: Qi Refinement → Foundation Establishment → Core Formation → Nascent Soul → Soul Formation → Void Refinement → Great Ascension (highest)
2. Immortal Realm: Earth Immortal → Heavenly Immortal → Golden Immortal → True Immortal → Celestial Sovereign
3. Divine Realm: Ancient God → Heavenly Dao → Supreme Dao → Primal Origin → Cosmic Sovereign
4. Ultimate Realm: Ethereal → Infinity → Genesis → Oblivion → Transcendence (strongest)
You are currently at Great Ascension, meaning you are close to stepping into the Immortal Realm."
Ni Tian absorbed the information. "And what about the Upper World?"
Yun's expression turned serious. "From what your father told me, the Upper World is vastly different from our own. He once described it as a single, blinding figure standing alone in an endless void. That being holds the power of all existence."
Ni Tian frowned. "A single person? Wouldn't that make them… a god?"
Yun remained silent.
Finally, she said, "Rest for now. Tomorrow, I will take you to reached the Immortal Realm."
Ni Tian clenched his fists, excitement surging through him.
"Xiyan, wait for me."
End of chapter 8...