Chapter 1:Yueying Continent

Chapter1: The Final Ashes

The Last Stand

The once-majestic Celestial Battlefield lay in ruins, bathed in blood and the lingering glow of dying embers. The air was thick with the scent of iron, burnt flesh, and the remnants of powerful spells that had torn through the heavens. Once-proud palaces were reduced to rubble, their divine inscriptions shattered beyond repair.

At the center of the devastation stood Ruoyan, her crimson robes soaked in blood—her own and that of her enemies. Her long black hair was matted with sweat, dirt, and streaks of golden fire that flickered weakly. She could barely stand, but her burning gaze never wavered.

She had fought until her last breath.

The battlefield was littered with corpses, the bodies of both allies and foes. Behind her, Lin Feiyan and the others fought desperately, barely holding their ground. The enemies were too strong—a force controlled by the Star Lord, the one who orchestrated this war.

But the one who stood directly before Ruoyan… was the man she had once loved.

Xiao Han.

Her heart clenched as she looked at him, his silver robes unstained, his eyes cold and distant. He stood tall, his sword still glistening with her blood. The blade had pierced through her shoulder just moments ago, and though she had managed to retreat, she knew—her body was at its limit.

She coughed, a splatter of blood staining her lips.

"Why?" she whispered, her voice hoarse, barely audible over the battlefield's chaos.

Xiao Han's expression remained unreadable, his fingers tightening around his sword.

"It had to be this way."

A cruel laugh echoed from above. The Star Lord, a man draped in celestial robes embroidered with the constellations of the heavens, hovered in the sky like a god overseeing his game.

"Ah, how tragic. The Phoenix, betrayed by her own," he mused, his voice dripping with amusement.

Ruoyan gritted her teeth, her fingers curling into fists.

She had known that betrayal was part of this world. She had seen it countless times, had even expected it—but from Xiao Han?

From the man who had once promised to protect her?

Her vision blurred, her strength slipping. Yet, she refused to fall.

The Phoenix does not bow.

Even in death, she would make them remember her name.

The Ultimate Betrayal

A gust of wind swept through the battlefield, carrying the scent of blood and fire. The embers of Ruoyan's flames flickered weakly, struggling against the overwhelming spiritual pressure crushing down on her.

But then—

A sharp pain exploded in her chest.

Her breath hitched.

Her body froze.

She felt it—another blade.

This one pierced through her back, its cold steel sliding effortlessly through her ribs, straight into her heart.

Her hands trembled, blood pouring from her lips as she looked down, watching the blade emerge from her chest.

And then—

She heard the voice behind her.

Soft. Familiar.

"I'm sorry, Ruoyan."

Her eyes widened. Her breath stilled.

She knew this voice.

She knew it better than anyone else.

Slowly, painfully, she turned her head.

Mei Ling.

Her best friend.

Her sister in all but blood.

The one she had trusted the most.

Ruoyan's lips quivered, though no words came. The pain was unbearable, not just from the blade, but from the realization.

Mei Ling's eyes shimmered with tears, but her grip on the sword never wavered.

"This is the only way," Mei Ling whispered.

Ruoyan coughed violently, blood splattering onto the ground as she tried to comprehend.

Her heart pounded, a mixture of rage, grief, and disbelief swirling inside her.

Xiao Han stood motionless, his eyes shadowed. He didn't interfere. He didn't stop it.

He let it happen.

Ruoyan's legs buckled. She fell to her knees, her blood pooling beneath her.

Her golden flames flickered one last time.

"…Why?" she choked out.

Mei Ling looked away, unable to answer.

Ruoyan laughed.

A raw, bitter, broken laugh.

How foolish she had been.

To think that love and friendship could survive in this world.

A Phoenix Falls

The battlefield grew silent.

Lin Feiyan, who had been fighting desperately, turned just in time to see Ruoyan collapse.

His heart stopped.

"RUOYAN!" he screamed, his voice breaking.

He ran toward her, his spiritual energy surging, desperate to reach her.

But it was too late.

The moment her body hit the ground, a powerful golden light erupted from within her.

A light so blinding, so pure, that it forced everyone to stop.

The heavens rumbled.

A golden rain began to fall, shimmering like the tears of the gods themselves.

And then—

Her body began to disintegrate.

Golden flames consumed her, her form turning into ash before their eyes.

Lin Feiyan's steps faltered. His eyes widened in horror.

"No…"

He reached out, but his hands passed through the flames.

Ruoyan's body was gone.

Her existence was wiped away.

Mei Ling gasped, stumbling backward, as if she herself couldn't believe what she had done.

Xiao Han clenched his fists. His face remained calm, but his soul was in turmoil.

The Star Lord sighed dramatically. "And so, the Phoenix falls."

But then, he frowned.

Something… was wrong.

What Remains

The war was over.

Ruoyan was dead.

Her enemies watched in eerie silence.

Her allies stood frozen in despair.

Lin Feiyan was on his knees, staring blankly at the ashes that had once been Ruoyan.

But—

Xiao Han's heart pounded.

Something felt wrong.

If Ruoyan had truly died, if her soul had perished…

Then where was it?

The heavens had mourned her. The golden flames had consumed her. But there was no trace of her soul.

No reincarnation cycle.

No lingering presence.

The Star Lord's brows furrowed, his celestial senses scanning the void, searching for something—anything—that could explain it.

And then—

A sudden, chilling realization dawned on him.

"…Impossible."

The Star Lord turned his gaze toward the cosmic rift above the battlefield.

A space so dark, so ancient, that even he hesitated to look into it.

Xiao Han followed his gaze, his grip tightening on his sword.

And at that moment—

A powerful voice echoed through the void.

"No, little Phoenix. This is only the beginning."

The celestial battlefield trembled.

Lightning crashed across the sky.

And somewhere—somewhere beyond this world—

Ruoyan's soul awakened.

To be continued…

Arc 2 - Chapter 1: Rebirth in Yueying Continent

---

The Abyss of Rebirth

Darkness stretched endlessly around her.

Ruoyan floated in the void, neither alive nor dead. Her body had crumbled under the weight of the heavenly tribulation in her past life, her soul shattered into fragments. She had felt herself fade into nothingness—yet now, she existed once more.

Where was she?

A strange energy pulsed around her. It wasn't spiritual qi, demonic energy, or divine power. It was something deeper, older—primordial energy.

Chaos energy.

Ruoyan's fragmented soul instinctively absorbed it into her core. As the energy merged with her, she felt space itself ripple around her.

Then, a realization struck her.

This wasn't just any chaos energy.

This was world-forming energy—raw, untamed, and limitless. Given enough time, it had the potential to form a separate space, an independent world.

Excitement surged through her.

If she could nurture and shape this energy, she would possess her own dimension, beyond the capabilities of any ordinary storage ring or pocket realm.

In her past life, only ancient immortal beings had access to such power.

But now?

It was already forming within her.

---

A New Life Begins

Time passed.

Ruoyan soon realized she was not in the void anymore—she was inside a womb.

Her mother's womb.

Unlike a normal unborn child, she was fully conscious.

She could feel spiritual energy surrounding her, being absorbed into her forming meridians. But what fascinated her more was the pulsing chaos energy at her core.

It was stabilizing, shaping itself into something greater.

A space was beginning to take form within her soul.

It was small, just a flicker of existence, but it was there.

She smirked internally.

This world… would be hers to command.

But for now, she had to wait.

She needed to be born first.

---

The Day of Birth

A powerful force gripped her, an instinctual pulling sensation dragging her downward.

Outside, a woman's agonized screams filled the air.

Her mother.

A sudden pressure squeezed her body, forcing her forward.

Then—light.

Blinding. Overwhelming.

She felt cold air rush against her skin, and suddenly, a firm slap landed on her back.

Her tiny lungs inhaled sharply, and an involuntary cry escaped her lips.

"Waaaa!"

"She's born! The young miss is born!"

Ruoyan was lifted, her small body wrapped in warm cloth.

The first thing she felt was warmth—a comforting, protective warmth.

She forced her blurry vision open.

And saw a woman.

Her mother.

She was breathtakingly beautiful, despite the exhaustion in her features. Dark eyes filled with warmth gazed down at her, filled with love and relief.

Ruoyan felt something stir deep within her.

For the first time in both lifetimes, she was being held with love.

---

The Father's Arrival

A rush of footsteps sounded outside.

The doors slammed open, and a man strode in.

Ruoyan felt the powerful presence before she even saw him.

A sharp, masculine voice, tinged with worry, rang out.

"Yue'er! How are you? Is the child—"

The moment his gaze landed on them, his steps halted.

His wife, pale and exhausted, was holding a tiny bundle wrapped in silk.

The midwife bowed deeply. "Congratulations, Patriarch! It's a daughter."

The man's face was unreadable for a moment.

Then, he took slow, measured steps forward.

Ruoyan's tiny form was lifted from her mother's embrace, cradled in large, calloused hands.

She blinked up at him.

Her father.

He was a tall man with a regal bearing, his dark eyes sharp and piercing. His long black hair was tied in a half-crown, and his robes bore the insignia of their family's crest—a symbol she did not yet recognize.

Power radiated from him, but his expression softened as he gazed down at her.

"She's so small," he murmured, his deep voice carrying an emotion Ruoyan couldn't quite place.

His fingers brushed against her tiny hand, and instinctively, she grabbed one of them.

He stilled.

Then, after a long pause, he let out a low chuckle.

"She has a strong grip."

Ruoyan didn't miss the way his voice shifted slightly, something almost prideful within it.

Her mother, still resting on the bed, smiled gently.

"She's ours, Qingfeng. Our daughter."

The father—Qin Qingfeng, patriarch of their family—let out a breath and sat on the edge of the bed.

Ruoyan felt his warmth, different from her mother's but just as steady.

His fingers traced the curve of her cheek, and his dark eyes deepened with emotion.

"A daughter… The Qin family finally has a daughter."

His voice was soft, almost disbelieving.

Ruoyan instantly understood.

In cultivation families, sons were often preferred, trained to carry on the family name and legacy.

For this man, a daughter was unexpected.

And yet, as he held her, she saw no disappointment in his gaze.

Instead, she saw something else.

A quiet determination.

A promise.

"You will have everything," he murmured. "No one in this world will look down on you."

Ruoyan's tiny fingers curled tighter around his.

She had no intention of being looked down on either.

Her father had unknowingly declared a truth she already believed.

This world… would be hers to conquer.

And one day, she would stand above them all.