Yue Country!

Rain Immortal Valley!

Soaring Dragon Continent, Yue Country!

From the depths of a miasma-filled field, the mist parted itself with an eerie grace, like curtains unveiling a sinister door.

Boom!

Bam!

Bang!

A cascade of explosions lit up the sky, their thunderous echoes reverberating through the ancient forest.

Whoosh!

A blood-soaked silhouette emerged from the mist, tearing it apart like the void itself.

"Tch, those bastards cost me too many life-saving treasures!" Ning Gufan spat, his voice dripping with venom. "Once I recover, I will eradicate this entire mountain and everyone in it!"

Just then, a feral roar pierced the silence.

"Roaaaar!"

A two-tailed white tiger, its fur shimmering like freshly fallen snow, leaped towards his back, its eyes blazing with murderous intent.

Whoosh!

Ning Gufan reacted instantly, fire surging from his back to form a demonic mouth.

Deep red flames, like the wrath of hell itself, erupted towards the beast, their heat distorting the air.

"Feel fortunate Mortal beast! You should be first two tailed white tiger to be killed by my Infernal flames!" he sneered, his eyes glowing with a savage light.

Bam!

The inferno struck the tiger directly, reducing it to bones in an instant before incinerating it entirely.

"Whimper...."

The tiger's pained cry echoed briefly before silence reclaimed the forest.

Panting heavily, Ning Gufan inhaled deeply, the taste of blood and ash lingering in the air.

He staggered, dragging his battered body through the deep maze of towering trees and demonic beasts that infested Seven Cloud Mountain.

His body was drenched in blood, but none of it was his.

His enemies had underestimated him, and now they lay dead, their blood marking his path to rise.

As he moved forward, the forest seemed to whisper around him, the leaves rustling with secrets and promises of power.

"What is that...?" Ning Gufan muttered, his eyes widening as sudden gigantic shadow enveloped him.

His back tingled, a shiver running down his spine. With a weary gaze, he glanced upwards.

BANG!

A colossal cauldron, as big as an elephant and shining with a blinding golden light, smashed into the ground right in front of him, shaking the earth with its impact.

Ning Gufan staggered, the force of the cauldron's arrival sending tremors through his already exhausted body. "A treasure of this magnitude... What is it doing here?"

The cauldron pulsed with an ethereal glow, ancient runes and symbols etched into its surface flickering with a life of their own.

The air around it seemed to hum with a powerful, almost divine energy.

"Old monster Ning, empty your treasures! This Empress won't repeat herself again!" A booming voice echoed from above, making Ning Gufan frown.

'Why did she come at the worst possible time?' he thought, smiling bitterly.

Hovering in the air was the Evil Empress, her presence as intimidating as it was beautiful.

Her long, rose-pink hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall of silk, framing a face that was both cold and enchanting.

Her eyes, a mesmerizing shade of crimson, glowed with a deep light.

She wore a resplendent crown adorned with sapphires, and her armor, intricately designed and shimmering with a silvery sheen, accentuated her graceful yet deadly charm.

If it were any other day, he would have crushed her like an ant, but today, he could only hope to frighten her with his words.

"Evil Empress, don't bluff in front of the monarch! Everyone in the Four Heavens knows your cultivation was crippled by your own treacherous disciple, forcing you to seek refuge here!" he shouted, his voice laced with defiance.

"This Ning Gufan is as old as your ancestor! Don't you fear death?"

The Empress sneered, her lips curling into a disdainful smile. "Courting death!" she spat, her voice dripping with contempt.

Ning Gufan's heart raced.

The cauldron's golden light reflected off the Empress, casting an unearthly glow around her.

He tightened his fists, feeling the weight of his injuries and exhaustion.

"Do you think mere words can save you?" the Empress mocked, her voice echoing with disdain. "I am here to collect what is rightfully mine, and no crippled old fool will stand in my way."

Summoning his last reserves of strength, Ning Gufan stood tall, his gaze unwavering. "Evil Empress, you underestimate me! Even in my weakened state, I am more than capable of sending you to the underworld!"

The Empress's eyes narrowed, and with a flick of her wrist, a wave of dark earth Vein Black flames surged from the top of the cauldron, forming a colossal dragon.

ROARRRRR....

The dragon's roar shook the heavens, and Ning Gufan felt the searing heat blast against his face.

He recalled a time when the likes of Evil Empress would have called him 'Venerable' with respect.

But today, his fortune had turned sour.

In his weakened state, she dared to come and rob him.

'How ironic,' he thought bitterly. 'This is the world of cultivation, where the strong prey upon the weak. Without strength, all my previous prestige is useless.'

The dragon of flames lunged towards him, its mouth wide open, ready to devour.

Ning Gufan's mind raced, his body screaming in protest, but his spirit remained unbroken.

"Even if I fall today," he whispered to himself, "I will not go down without a fight."

Channeling every ounce of his remaining energy, he thrust his sword forward.

Booom!

A brilliant light emanated from the blade, clashing with the dragon in a dazzling display of power.

The force of the collision sent shockwaves through the forest, uprooting trees and scattering debris.

Ning Gufan gritted his teeth, his muscles straining as he held his ground.

"You think you can break me, Empress?" he shouted over the roaring flames. "I have faced death countless times and emerged victorious. You are but another obstacle on my path!"

The Empress sneered, her eyes gleaming with malice. "Your words are futile, old monster. Today, you will fall, and your treasures will be mine."

As the dragon's flames threatened to engulf him, Ning Gufan's eyes flickered towards the cauldron.

An idea sparked in his mind. 'If I can tap into the cauldron's power, perhaps I can turn the tide.'

With a roar, he shifted his focus, channeling his energy into the ancient artifact.

The runes on the cauldron glowed brighter, responding to his will.

The dragon hesitated, its form wavering as the cauldron's power surged.

The Empress's eyes widened in surprise. "What are you doing?!"

Ning Gufan's lips curled into a determined smile. "You wanted my treasures, Empress? Let me show you the meaning of true power!"

Buzz... Buzz...buzz...

The cauldron erupted with a blinding light, enveloping the battlefield.

The dragon of flames dissipated, its roar silenced as the cauldron's energy consumed it.

But before Ning Gufan could fully harness the cauldron's might, the Empress channeled her own power.

Whoosh!

The dark flames intensified, overwhelming Ning Gufan's defenses.

Whoosh!

He screamed as the searing heat engulfed him, his flesh starting to melt under the intense inferno.

"N-no! This can't be!" he gasped, his strength failing him.

Thud!

He fell backward, hitting the ground hard.

He didn't expect even his broken veins to betray him at the last moment, bursting suddenly under the immense strain.

His eyes quivered in disbelief as his flesh sizzled with the still lingering earth Vein Black flames.

Sizzle...

The Evil Empress descended slowly, her eyes cold and victorious.

Her rose-pink hair flowed like a silken river, and her regal armor glinted ominously in the night.

She pinched her nose as she approached his charred body, the stench of burnt flesh filling the air.

"Such a pitiful end for the once-feared Monarch of the Infernal Realm," she said mockingly, her voice echoing with a cruel satisfaction. "But this is the way of our world. The strong prey on the weak, and fortune favors the bold."

Ning Gufan's vision blurred, his life ebbing away.

His body twitched involuntarily as the dark flames continued to consume him.

He could only watch helplessly as the Empress knelt beside him, her delicate fingers prying the storage rings from his charred hands.

"These will aid me greatly," she murmured, a hint of satisfaction in her voice.

Her crimson eyes glinted with a mix of relief and greed.

In truth, she too was a victim, stranded in this unforgiving world.

Like Ning Gufan, she sought fortunes to recover her lost strength and status.

It was desperation that drove her to offend such a powerful figure.

But now, with his treasures in hand, her path to recovery seemed within reach.

"Perhaps, in another life, we could have been allies," she mused softly, almost to herself. "But the way of the cultivator is a solitary and ruthless path."

She stood up, her eyes scanning the horizon. "I will rise again, stronger than before," she vowed, her voice filled with unyielding determination. "And no one will stand in my way."

With a final, indifferent glance at the fallen Ning Gufan, the Evil Empress turned and vanished.

Ning Gufan's last thoughts were filled with bitterness and regret. 'If only... if only... I had one tenth of my strength...'

But it was too late.

The world of cultivation showed no mercy, and now, he was just another cautionary tale of power lost and pride undone.

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A/N: Changes to Cultivation system:

1) Nascent Soul Stage [C-rank]

- Soul Manifestation Realm -> Nascent Soul Refinement Realm

- Soul Refinement Realm -> Nascent Soul Ascension Realm

2) Void Crossing Stage [A-rank]

- Void Initiation Realm -> Void Refinement Realm

- Void Mastery Realm -> Void Fragmentation Realm

3) The sub categorisation of realms, is based on Initial -> Intermediate -> Late -> Peak