Chapter 1: The Ancient God from the Forbidden Land

A wild forest stretched across the outskirts of the Forbidden Land of the Gods, shrouded in mystery and fear.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

A group of hundreds rushed frantically through the dense trees, their breaths ragged, their faces pale with desperation. Behind them, an elite army of tens of thousands pursued with relentless precision.

At the forefront of the fleeing group was Li Xiao, Crown Prince of Tang.

"Your Highness, we can't go any further!" a guard cried out, his face stricken with fear. "The Forbidden Land of the Gods lies ahead. No one who enters ever returns!"

The other guards exchanged uneasy glances. Legends spoke of this place as a cursed land, where even the gods themselves had perished, their corpses forming a powerful, inescapable curse. For millions of years, no living being had dared to set foot inside.

Li Xiao clenched his fists, his expression grim. "If we stay here, we die. If we enter the Forbidden Land, there's at least a chance of survival."

His voice carried both desperation and determination. He knew why they were being hunted—Chen State's army pursued him for the world item he possessed, a treasure tied to the fate of Tang. He would never allow those bastards to claim it.

His hatred ran deep.

Chen State had invaded Tang, razing its capital to the ground. His father, the emperor, had been slain by Chen's generals. Li Xiao barely escaped with his life, and now, only a few hundred loyal guards remained by his side.

One of his men hesitated. "Your Highness… the Forbidden Land is too dangerous."

Li Xiao exhaled sharply. "That's just a myth. The legends exaggerate the danger. Besides, we'll only stay at the outer edges—it should be safe enough."

He had no other choice.

If they remained outside, the Chen army would slaughter them all.

His guards exchanged glances, then nodded with solemn resolve.

"If this is your decision, Your Highness, we will follow you to the end."

Loyal to their prince, they steeled themselves and charged forward—into the unknown.

Suddenly, one of the guards let out a bloodcurdling scream.

"Your Highness… L-Look ahead!"

His voice trembled with terror, his entire body shaking.

"What nonsense is this?" the commander barked, irritated by the panic. But as he turned to look, his breath caught in his throat.

A terrifying presence loomed ahead.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The ground trembled violently—like an earthquake of unfathomable magnitude. The force was so intense that the towering trees collapsed into dust.

Then, they saw it.

A giant emerged from the mist.

Not just any giant—this was something beyond comprehension. It was not ten meters, not even a hundred meters. It stood at an impossible height of ten thousand feet, its massive form eclipsing the very mountains.

They were nothing before this being. Ants. Insects.

Even one of its toes was the size of a mountain.

Li Xiao's gaze traveled upward, but he could not even see its head—it stretched beyond the clouds themselves. Only its towering waist was visible through the swirling mist.

One guard fell to his knees, his voice trembling. "W-What kind of monster is this?"

"No… This is not a monster." Another whispered in awe. "It's a god. An Ancient God from the Forbidden Land."

The realization struck them like lightning.

The legends were true.

An overwhelming pressure filled the air. It was not an attack—this being had not even acknowledged their existence. Yet, its mere presence was enough to crush their spirits.

The once-proud soldiers shook with primal fear, their bodies betraying them.

Their swords felt useless. Their strength meant nothing.

Some collapsed to the ground, unable to withstand the sheer awe of divinity. Others barely clung to their senses, their eyes filled with worship and terror.

Even Li Xiao found himself frozen in place, not daring to breathe too loudly.

This was not an enemy they could fight.

It was something beyond mortal comprehension.

Just then, the distant thunder of galloping beasts echoed through the forest.

The Chen army had arrived.

An elite force of one hundred thousand, clad in black armor, rode in on fierce war wolves, weapons gleaming under the dim sky.

They were here to finish the hunt.

But as they charged forward, their commander suddenly raised his hand, signaling them to halt.

He had seen it too.

The Ancient God stood before them, motionless yet undeniably alive.

The battlefield fell silent.

No one dared to move.

Not anymore.