Meteoric Rise

Meteoric Rise...

More than two decades had passed since the day he cradled a baby in his arms, a baby who had now grown into a full-fledged man. With unwavering determination, willing to confront life and death itself, he had dragged the demon sword across a hundred thousand miles to reach the Pill Emperor Hall.

What more could he possibly desire?

Gazing upon the majestic demonic divinity great roc, the enigmatic man's eyes welled up with tenderness and profound emotions.

He had yearned to intervene long before this day, but he had made a solemn promise: Qin Wentian's life would be a journey of his own making. Only then could Qin Wentian rely on his own strength to uphold the realm he had achieved.

If Qin Wentian had grown up in the shelter of others, he might have become reliant on their protection, instead of forging his own path and attaining strength through his own efforts.

Back then, this man had stood tall and resolute, an awe-inspiring figure. How could his child ever be ordinary? Relying on the protection of others rather than his own strength?

Today, it was merely hearing rumors of a young man who had journeyed a hundred thousand miles with a demon sword that had brought him here to witness this. Seeing the man he had once held as a baby, he now glimpsed the shadow of the man he had always admired.

His heart swelled with happiness and satisfaction. Countless trials awaited this child in his future. Knowing what tempests and challenges lay ahead, he understood that the child needed to be forged through the world's trials, standing strong on his own, even in the face of death.

Life was a long and arduous journey. Today, as he boldly infiltrated the Pill Emperor Hall, even if it meant sacrificing his life, wasn't this a fresh start? A rebirth in the crucible of fire?

Despite having been here from the start, not a single soul could sense his presence. All eyes were fixed on the great roc and Qing'er. The only one who perceived him was the evil skeleton lurking at the abyss's depths.

At this moment, the fragments of bones in the sea of corpses fused together, forming a colossal skeletal arm that thrust itself toward the enigmatic man.

As he shifted his gaze toward the abyss's depths, ice-cold flames flickered in his eyes. With measured steps, he advanced toward the gigantic skeletal arm, each stride sending ripples through the entire space.

As if his steps were orchestrating an enigmatic symphony with the world.

"Thud..."

A faint footstep echoed like the snapping of a twig. The ground quivered as a colossal shockwave obliterated the massive skeletal arm, the tremendous force reverberating through the abyss. In an instant, the pile of decayed skeletons was reduced to a formless cloud of dust. The mysterious figure, hands clasped behind his back, turned his attention to the cave where the malevolent presence resided. A noticeable surge of energy, teeming with an eerie sense of undeath, emanated from that direction.

"Thud..." Another crisp footstep resonated as the entire cave crumbled into fragments. From within emerged a figure that shone with an unsettling charm, youthful in appearance as a teenager, yet his skin radiated an unnatural clarity. However, his eyes gleamed with a blood-red light, exuding a horrifying aura. He inclined his head, fixing a piercing gaze on the enigmatic figure in the air. With an eerie tone, the monster demanded, "Who are you?"

Even as the monster's words hung in the air, horrifying chains materialized, hurtling toward the mysterious figure. These sinister chains ensnared him, while the flames of malevolence, fueled by the aura of undeath, erupted into a violent conflagration.

Yet, the enigmatic figure simply descended another step, his hands still leisurely behind his back, utterly unperturbed by the raging flames. "Crack!" The chains shattered, the malevolent flames continued to burn, but they proved ineffectual against his presence.

Above the heavens, a resplendent constellation emerged once more, not only enshrouding the sacred grounds but also enveloping the entire Pill Emperor Hall.

At this juncture, it was as though the Pill Emperor Hall had been isolated from the outside world. No one could discern what was unfolding within.

"What's happening? Another constellation manifestation?" The spectators craned their necks, their expressions awash with astonishment. The two Pill Emperor Hall Ascendants were already grievously wounded. Who was responsible for this celestial display?

Members of the Chen Clan, Hua Clan, and Star-Seizing Manor had long withdrawn from the Pill Emperor Hall, yet they never averted their senses from the spectacle. Now, however, they found themselves incapable of 'witnessing' the events transpiring within. Previously, they had only sensed an overwhelming presence in the atmosphere, and now a mysterious figure had appeared in the sky. Despite standing still, hands clasped behind his back, he exuded a dominance that seemed to shoulder the heavens themselves.

Who was this enigmatic person?

Why had this mysterious figure appeared?

No one, not even Qin Wentian or Qinger, had an answer to that question. Presently, Qin Wentian lay unconscious, oblivious to the unfolding events around him.

Qinger, with Qin Wentian still on her back, gazed up at the constellation in the sky. A potent spatial energy enveloped both of them, and a gust of wind swept through their location. At this moment, all she desired was to carry Qin Wentian away from this wretched place.

"Bzzz!"

The spatial currents were abruptly disrupted. The energy emitted by the constellation locked down the entire space, rendering even Qinger's profound spatial understanding useless.

Her eyes bore a hint of icy determination as she glared at the constellation above, her anger palpable.

"Hey there, little doll. You're not half bad," a voice resonated directly into Qinger's ears. Only she could hear this telepathic message.

Qinger furrowed her brow. Shortly after, a lazy-looking old man materialized from within the constellation in the middle of the air. He gazed indifferently at the unfolding scene below.

He didn't take any action. All he did was employ the potent energy fluctuations of his constellation to seal off the entire Pill Emperor Hall.

"Who are you?" Qinger inquired.

The Pill Emperor and the ancient elder, their complexions ashen, fixed their gaze on the hazy silhouette in the air. Despite their grievous injuries, the mere energy emanating from the constellation had them feeling severely suppressed. They had never imagined that so many legendary figures would gather here in the Pill Emperor Hall. Alongside them, there were other terrifying Celestial Phenomenon Realm existences making an appearance.

"Who are you people? Why have you come to my Pill Emperor Hall?" the Pill Emperor demanded.

The airborne silhouette offered no response, simply ignoring the Pill Emperor.

Meanwhile, at the site of the ruined cave dwelling, the monstrous youth watched the new constellation in the sky, his expression souring. He questioned, "You've brought allies?"

The lazy-looking man descended gently onto a stone platform, his eyes shifting to Mo Qingcheng as he shook his head with a sigh.

"Allies? Even at your full strength, dispatching you would be as simple as flipping my hand, let alone now when you're just a half-dead creature clawing its way out of the grave, sustained by the lives of others." The mysterious figure nonchalantly extended his palm, and an immense, invisible force shook the entire area. It was as though he could manipulate the very heavens and earth.

"Sealing these mountains to siphon their celestial qi and purify the life force you've stolen? You vile creature, face your death!" The figure clenched his fist, and the surrounding mountains crumbled and disintegrated instantly, reduced to specks of dust carried away by the wind.

The monstrous youth paled at this sight. When the mountains broke apart, black chains, which were used for sealing, became visible within them. However, cracks suddenly appeared on these chains, which subsequently exploded, reducing everything to dust. Nothing could escape this overwhelming destruction.

If the Pill Emperor possessed such power, he would have obliterated Qin Wentian long ago, even if the demon sword was in his possession. The ability to shatter everything with a mere clench of his fist was awe-inspiring. Qin Wentian would have been defenseless against it.

The formless energy surged toward the monstrous youth, who hesitated no longer and immediately tried to flee.

"Think you can escape?" The mysterious figure extended his hand and clenched it once more. His mandate's will caused the monstrous youth to explode; his flesh and blood shattered into fragments, reverting his core to a skeleton.

Yet, the monster was not yet dead. It exuded a dreadful, malevolent energy as it continued its frantic escape.

"CEASE!" The mysterious figure clapped his hands together resoundingly. The skeleton fractured into eight pieces but clung tenaciously to life, continuing its escape.

At this moment, a fourth constellation appeared in the sky. Its radiant light cascaded down, the cold silvery glow burning the bone fragments of the evil entity until they liquefied and evaporated, erasing the last remnants of its unnatural existence.

The old ancestor of the Pill Emperor Hall, who had schemed through death and employed all methods to be reborn, saw his final, desperate attempt to cling to life extinguished forever, thanks to Qin Wentian, his love for Mo Qingcheng, the machinations of Luo He, and the Pill Emperor.

The mysterious figure flicked his sleeves, allowing the astral light from his constellation to cleanse every nook and cranny of this cursed land, wiping away all traces of the evil formation set up by the monstrous youth.

Then, his figure flickered, and he appeared on the stone platform, gazing down at the beautiful figure lying there.

"Child, you've been through a lot."

The peerless expert's eyes mirrored the gentleness he had shown when looking at Qin Wentian. Warm and filled with tenderness, he had observed everything from above. Qin Wentian had come to the Pill Emperor Hall for this girl, and she, for Qin Wentian, didn't hesitate to sacrifice everything. Before she condensed that pill, her eyes had brimmed with endless longing and love.

She didn't want to die. She didn't want to leave. But she had no other choice.

"Retrieve the pill."

With a subtle inclination of his head, he spoke calmly. In an instant, a fierce gust of wind swept through, and the seemingly indolent figure materialized beside him, holding a medicinal pill in his hands. It was none other than the pill Mo Qingcheng had expelled earlier, a testament to her remaining life force and essence—a pill infused with her love.

"Both of them are truly exceptional women," remarked the languid figure, infusing the pill with his energy before gently returning it to Mo Qingcheng. The pill dissolved into spiritual qi, which permeated Mo Qingcheng's body.

"Seeing the way you care for him, we cannot help but reciprocate your good intentions. However, in his life, he is destined to defy the heavens and earth, his name resounding throughout the world. If you wish to be his wife, you must also undergo a meteoric ascent, rising to his level," the mysterious figure mused before turning to the languid companion. "You, assist her in this. Guide her to become the wife of our young master. The Pill Emperor Hall is not deserving of her."

"Of course," the figure nodded lightly. He lifted Mo Qingcheng onto his shoulder and, with a single step, soared into the clouds, vanishing in an instant.

Then, the mysterious figure gazed up at the heavens, shaking his head.

Moments later, his gaze softened as he fixed his eyes on Qing`er, who was carrying the colossal roc on her back.

"You lucky fellow. With two women of such character caring for you like this, you are much more fortunate than your father ever was. In the future, do not dare to let either of them down," he murmured. A heartwarming smile graced his lips, his eyes reflecting the sweetness of cherished memories.

Chuckling fondly, he casually took a step forward. Yet, the entire Pill Emperor Hall quaked violently from the sheer force of that single step!