Haotian's flight cut across valleys and seas, his figure gleaming like a golden comet. Before long, the jagged peaks of the Zhenlong household came into view, shrouded in clouds and ancient dragon qi.
He descended in silence.
The mountain dwelling was quiet, its vast stone courtyards glimmering with the faint traces of dragon runes carved by their hands centuries ago. The four ancestors — Yangshen, Yuying, Jinhai, and Meiyun — were gathered as always, their auras immense, though still confined to the Saint's peak. They turned as Haotian landed.
Yangshen smirked first, crossing his arms. "You're early. I thought you'd vanish for another month of training before visiting your elders."
Yuying chuckled lightly, her frost-tinged voice carrying warmth. "But he looks different. Firmer. Sharper. What have you brought us this time, little one?"
Haotian's golden eyes met theirs steadily. "Something Alter entrusted me with. For all of you."
Their smiles faltered.
With a slow motion, Haotian raised his hand. Four beams of light burst forth from his brow, streaking into the air before solidifying into four radiant tomes. Each one floated with the weight of laws carved into the very fabric of the universe, their covers engraved with draconic glyphs that shimmered like living fire.
The Saint Dragons froze.
Haotian spoke, his voice calm but resonant. "These manuals are cultivation paths designed for you. With them, you can finally break past your limit. Not just Sovereign… but all the way to Peak Emperor Realm."
The courtyard shook from the weight of those words.
Jinhai's hand twitched, his usually calm demeanor cracking. "…Peak… Emperor Realm?"
Meiyun's eyes widened, her lips parting in disbelief. "You're serious. These are not fragments? Not theories? Complete methods?"
Haotian nodded once. "Complete. Alter himself forged them. He asked me to deliver them into your hands."
The four stood frozen. For a long moment, no one moved.
Then Yangshen, usually the most prideful, let out a strained laugh. His voice trembled despite himself. "For centuries we clawed at the ceiling of Saint Realm, convinced it was fate that bound us. Now you hand us… Emperor."
Yuying stepped forward, her hand brushing the glowing surface of the tome meant for her. She shivered at its resonance, tears welling in her eyes though her smile held. "…I thought our path ended long ago. That we would watch over our bloodline until it burned out. But now—" She looked at Haotian, her voice breaking. "Now you've given us back our future."
Meiyun's composure shattered; she covered her mouth, whispering, "…I can't… I can't believe it."
Jinhai, silent until now, clenched his fists, his draconic aura surging faintly as if the Emperor's gate already stirred. His voice was low, reverent. "Alter has given us more than we deserve. And you… you carried it here."
The four lifted their gazes to him together, eyes shining with awe and gratitude.
Yangshen, voice heavy but sincere, bowed his head. "Haotian. From this day, we are not just your ancestors. We are in your debt."
Haotian's expression softened. He cupped his fists and bowed deeply. "No debts between us. We fight for the same future. When the seal breaks, we'll need every shred of strength. These manuals will give you what you need."
The tomes pulsed once more, as if acknowledging their new masters.
The Four Saint Dragons, ancient and proud, stood in silence — shaken, grateful, and newly resolved.
For the first time in countless years, their path forward was no longer closed.
The four manuals floated gently before the Saint Dragons, their glow filling the courtyard with an aura so dense it made the air itself vibrate.
Yangshen's usual arrogance was gone; he held his tome reverently, his eyes burning with newfound fire. Jinhai bowed his head low, his fingers trembling as he brushed the glyphs. Meiyun's lips moved silently, as though praying. Yuying simply closed her eyes and pressed the tome to her heart.
Haotian's golden gaze swept over them. "Do not rush. These paths demand patience. But once taken, the gates of Sovereign will no longer hold you. And when the time comes, you will all stand at the peak of Emperor Realm."
The four exchanged looks, their auras quivering with emotion. Then, as one, they bowed deeply to Haotian — something they had never done before.
Without another word, they turned, each retreating into their cultivation chambers. Doors sealed, dragon runes blazed, and the mountain hummed as four ancient saints began their climb toward realms unseen for millennia.
Haotian lingered for a moment, staring at the sealed halls, before exhaling softly. Good. Then I can move forward without worry.
Haotian soared high above the clouds, far from the sects and the eyes of others. The world stretched below, mountains like ants, rivers like threads of silver. Here, only the sky would bear witness.
He closed his eyes, and his cores blazed as one. His aura surged until the heavens trembled.
Time to test it. Not just one strike. The chain. All eighteen.
His body lowered into stance.
"First Strike — Fist of Ruin."
BOOOM. The air collapsed as his fist cracked the sky itself.
"Second — Heaven-Piercer Step."
He vanished upward, his foot lashing through the clouds, a trail of lightning splitting the heavens.
"Third — Void Fang Rend. Fourth — Bloodlash Howl."
His claw shredded the air into ribbons; a spinning kick followed, shockwaves rolling like thunder through the stratosphere.
Strike after strike roared forth. His fists, palms, and feet tore through the fabric of the sky. Graviton Sever bent gravity itself; Soulbreaker Dive ripped the world beneath him; Hellpulse Eruption detonated the very air.
The sky screamed as reality cracked again and again.
His body bled, bones groaned, but he pressed harder, chaining each strike tighter, faster, smoother.
"Fifteenth — Thousand Cross Fang!"
Dozens of afterimages burst from him, hammering in every direction, space fracturing like glass around his storm of blows.
"Seventeenth — Sovereign Fang Collapse!"
He soared higher, then plummeted like a meteor, his fist detonating with such force that the horizon rippled like waves.
His body was shaking, blood pouring from his lips, but he drew everything in for the last.
"Eighteenth — Creator's Banishment."
The storm of afterimages collapsed into one single strike, infinite layers of force converging. The sky split wide, revealing a void of nothingness beyond. For a moment, even the stars seemed to flicker and vanish.
The chained combo shook the heavens themselves.
CRAAAAAACK—
A gaping rift opened in the sky, stretching across miles before it mended itself with a shudder. The world fell silent. Even the winds refused to move.
Haotian floated there, drenched in blood, his chest heaving. His body was barely holding together, his veins burning, but his golden eyes blazed like suns.
"…It works."
The full chain, all eighteen strikes as one. A martial art capable of destroying gods.
He swallowed a pill, the healing light surging through him, and exhaled raggedly.
When the seal breaks, this will be the blade that cleaves their path to survival.
He turned, his figure streaking across the horizon once more — toward the battles that awaited.
The mountains below were endless, valleys shrouded in mist, rivers carving silver lines across the earth. Haotian flew steadily, his golden eyes searching. His aura swept the land like a tide, provoking what hid beneath the earth to rise.
And rise they did.
A thunderous roar split the forest as a scaled behemoth burst from the treeline, a Sovereign-ranked beast with fangs like spears. It lunged at Haotian, jaws wide enough to swallow him whole.
Haotian narrowed his eyes. He clenched his fist.
"First Strike — Fist of Ruin."
BOOOOOOM.
The beast convulsed midair. Its bones shattered like glass, its organs imploded. By the time its body hit the earth, it was already dead.
Haotian hovered above the corpse, his expression faintly troubled. One strike… too much.
He pressed onward.
Hours later, another challenge came — a sky-serpent with wings of fire, Sovereign mid-tier, its flames scarring the heavens. It struck with blinding speed, a meteor of fury.
Haotian sighed. "Fine. Three this time."
"Second Strike — Heaven-Piercer Step. Third — Void Fang Rend. Fourth — Bloodlash Howl."
He blurred, his foot lashing upward like a bolt of judgment. His claw tore through the serpent's scales, and his spinning kick detonated its chest. The serpent's shriek was cut short as it plummeted, its insides shredded, its body twitching once before going limp.
Haotian descended over the corpse, his golden eyes grim. Even chaining three strikes… not enough resistance.
He tried again and again, moving deeper into forgotten wildernesses, places where Sovereign-ranked beasts were said to reign for centuries. A tusked giant of iron hide, a feathered predator with illusions that bent reality, a river leviathan the size of a mountain — each one rose to challenge him.
And each one fell.
None survived more than three strikes.
Blood and broken corpses littered valleys and rivers in his wake.
Haotian stood above the last slain beast, his robes torn, his knuckles dripping crimson. His breathing was steady, but his gaze was heavy with disquiet.
"…They're too weak."
The Demon God Killing Martial Arts were not designed for beasts, not even Sovereign-tier ones. Each strike carried power meant to obliterate gods, demons, emperors. Against the wild, the techniques weren't tempering him anymore. They were erasing everything too fast.
Haotian looked up at the sky, his golden pupils narrowing. If I want to sharpen the chain, I'll need enemies who can actually endure it. Beasts won't do. Only demons… or higher.
The wind carried his words away as he rose once more, heading deeper into uncharted lands — where remnants of forgotten wars might still slumber.
The forest grew darker the deeper Haotian went, the canopy thick with vines and moss, the ground slick with moisture. The air reeked faintly of venom and decay.
From above, Haotian stilled, golden pupils glimmering. Voices drifted faintly through the mist.
"Formation! Stay tight!"
"Don't leak your aura, or we're done for!"
A dozen disciples in matching robes moved carefully through the underbrush. All were Nascent Realm, their faces pale but resolute. Their sect crest was unfamiliar to Haotian, but their formation was disciplined — a spear wedge with talisman-bearers in the rear.
The leader, a wiry young man, whispered hoarsely. "Our quarry should be close. If we bag it, Elder Li promised rewards and contribution points enough for all of us."
The girl beside him frowned, clutching her talisman. "That's if we survive. A five-colored serpent is not prey for Nascent disciples."
Branches snapped. The ground trembled.
The forest seemed to hiss.
From the shadows, a massive serpent slithered forth — its scales shimmering in five shifting hues: emerald, sapphire, crimson, ivory, and pitch black. Its eyes glowed like lanterns, its forked tongue flickering. Venom dripped from its fangs, sizzling holes into the soil.
The disciples froze, their formation faltering.
The serpent reared, its head rising above the treetops, then lunged with a roar that shook the earth.
"FORMATION! SPEARS UP!" the leader screamed, though his voice cracked with fear.
They surged forward bravely, talismans igniting with bursts of light — but the gap was too wide. The serpent's tail lashed, smashing two disciples aside like ragdolls. Its poison mist spread through the trees, corroding leaves to ash.
The disciples coughed, pale, panic spreading.
From his perch in the branches, Haotian exhaled slowly. So reckless. At Nascent, facing a beast like this… suicide.
His hand clenched.
"First Strike — Fist of Ruin."
BOOOOOOM.
The forest shook. Air collapsed inward.
The serpent's massive head convulsed mid-lunge. Its skull caved as though crushed by the heavens themselves, venom spraying uselessly into the soil. Its enormous body thrashed, then collapsed in a heap, crushing trees as dust erupted in waves.
Silence fell.
The disciples stood frozen, spears still raised, their faces pale with disbelief. The beast — the mission they thought might cost their lives — was dead. One strike. Not from their blades, not from their talismans, but from somewhere else entirely.
Haotian dropped lightly from the branches, landing silently on the serpent's corpse. His robes were untouched, his golden eyes calm.
The disciples stared, mouths agape. The leader stammered, "S-Senior… may we ask—who—"
Haotian walked past them, his presence pressing down like an unspoken mountain. His voice was steady, carrying without force.
"Take the serpent. Report it as your kill. Let your sect reward you."
The disciples exchanged stunned looks.
One of the girls blurted, "B-but Senior Brother, you—"
Haotian paused, glancing over his shoulder. His golden eyes glowed faintly in the mist.
"You need it more than I do."
Then he walked away, vanishing into the depths of the poisonous forest, leaving only silence and trembling hearts behind.
The disciples would never forget the golden-eyed stranger who felled a five-colored serpent with a single strike — and gifted them the glory of survival.
The forest was thick with fog and damp earth, the kind of wilderness where the weak dared not tread.
At the edge of the treeline, a group of young sect disciples gathered, a dozen in all, their robes marked with the crest of a mid-tier sect. Their weapons were polished, their talismans freshly inscribed, and their leader — a stern-faced young woman — stood at the front.
"Form up," she ordered, her voice steady despite the unease in her eyes. "Our quarry is a five-colored serpent. Elder Li said it lairs here. Stay sharp. One mistake, and it'll cost us all."
The disciples nodded, some more nervously than others, and entered the forest in formation. The mist closed behind them, swallowing their trail.
Not long after, the silence broke.
A hiss like thunder slithered through the air.
The trees shook as an enormous five-colored serpent crashed through the canopy, its scales glimmering in emerald, sapphire, crimson, ivory, and black. Its eyes glowed with hunger, venom dripping from fangs long enough to pierce stone.
"Formation! Spears forward!" the senior sister shouted, leading from the front.
But it was futile.
The serpent's tail lashed once, and three disciples were smashed into the ground. Its jaws snapped, and two more disappeared down its throat in a single gulp. Screams filled the air, talismans flared and fizzled, but the difference between Nascent cultivators and a Sovereign-grade beast was a gulf too wide.
Blood mist filled the clearing.
"RUN!" someone shouted, but most never made it.
In the end, only the senior sister survived the slaughter. Bloodied, robes torn, she fled blindly through the forest, her voice cracking as she screamed into the mist.
"HELP! SOMEONE! PLEASE—!"
Her cry reached Haotian.
He appeared above the treetops in a streak of golden light, eyes narrowing as he spotted her stumbling, the serpent tearing through the forest behind her.
Its jaws lunged for her back.
Haotian's fist clenched.
"First Strike — Fist of Ruin."
BOOOOOOM.
The serpent's skull caved with a sound like shattering mountains. Its colossal body thrashed violently, tearing trees from the roots before collapsing into a lifeless heap.
The girl staggered, her eyes widening at the sound — then she collapsed.
Haotian was at her side in an instant, catching her before she hit the ground. Her skin was flushed, her breathing shallow, veins dark beneath the surface.
"Poison," he muttered, his fingers on her wrist. "It's already spread through her meridians."
He pulled a detoxifying pill from his sleeve and pressed it to her lips. Her throat worked, swallowing instinctively. For a moment, her breathing steadied.
Then her body convulsed, and heat flared violently from her skin. She whimpered softly, back arching in his arms, her breath ragged.
Her eyelids fluttered open, glassy and weak. "…Senior Brother…" she whispered, voice breaking. "The serpent's poison… it isn't just venom."
Haotian frowned, leaning closer. "What do you mean?"
Her cheeks flushed crimson, sweat dripping down her face as her body shuddered.
"It… it has an… aphrodisiac property."
Haotian laid the girl gently against a tree trunk, his palm glowing with golden light as he pushed chi into her meridians.
The detoxifying pill had worked — the volatile, corrosive property of the serpent's venom was gone. Her veins no longer blackened. Her body no longer convulsed with spasms of death.
But still, her skin burned with unnatural heat. Her breathing grew ragged, her cheeks flushed red. Soft, broken cries escaped her throat, each one edged with pain.
Haotian's brow furrowed. "What sort of poison is this…"
He pressed his chi deeper, searching. Every cycle expelled nothing. Every attempt slid through her like water on glass. His Eyes of the Universe opened, golden pupils scanning her inner body. What he saw made his stomach tighten.
"The poison is gone," he muttered. "But the effect remains… like a phantom. I can't push it out. It's not a toxin anymore — it's twisted into her chi itself."
At this rate, her meridians would burn out completely. She would die screaming, not from venom, but from her own body devouring itself.
The girl stirred weakly, her glassy eyes finding his. "S-senior brother…" Her voice cracked. "It hurts… it hurts so much…"
Her body arched slightly, her hands clutching desperately at his robes. Her tears wet his chest as she choked, "Please… don't let me die."
Haotian froze, torn. He had faced demon beasts, shattered space with his fists, endured Alter's hellish training — but never this. A poison that left no trace, yet twisted the body into torment.
He clenched his jaw, lowering his head. "Damn it…"
The girl's cries grew louder, echoing through the silent forest, her voice breaking into ragged moans of agony. Birds scattered, and even the beasts in the distance stilled, uneasy at the sound.
Haotian's hands trembled before he steadied them on her shoulders. A life is a life. Whatever it takes, I can't let her die here.
He looked over his shoulder at the corpse of the massive serpent sprawled across the clearing, its five-colored scales glinting mockingly in the dawn light. His teeth ground together.
"…Once this is over, I'll chop you up and make snake soup."
The girl whimpered again, clutching at him as her body trembled under the burning chi.
And through the night, the forest was no longer silent. It echoed with her cries and moans of pain until the first light of morning broke through the canopy.