Suddenly, the suffocating ash in the sky began to thin. The darkness faded into a blinding, golden light as the scent of blood was replaced by the aroma of fresh pine and mountain air.
It was a brilliant, sun-drenched day years ago. A much younger Tian was sprinting across a jagged mountain ridge, laughing with the wind, his heart full of life. Suddenly, his foot slipped. With a frantic cry, he tumbled down a steep cliff, bouncing off jagged rocks before landing hard on a narrow ledge.
"Ow... my back... I think I've been folded like a piece of paper," Tian groaned, clutching his spine. "Is this it? Am I going to die in this wasteland just because I wanted to race the clouds?"
"You're not dying yet, boy," a calm, dignified voice echoed.
Tian looked up to see an old man floating effortlessly in the air, his white robes fluttering like a celestial cloud. The Elder's eyes scanned Tian, seeing a hidden, immense talent—a spark that could ignite the heavens.
"You have a rare spark within you, child," the Elder offered, reaching out a hand. "Would you like to join my Sect and seek the path of the immortals?"
Despite the agony, a mischievous grin spread across young Tian's face. He looked at the Elder with playful arrogance. "Immortality? Sounds boring. Tell me, old man—does your Sect have good food? And more importantly... are there beautiful women? If not, I'd rather stay here on this rock."
The Elder's face turned bright red, his calm demeanor shattering. "You shameless brat! I am offering you a seat in the Dead Wood Sect, the number one power in this nation, and you ask for women? Watch your tongue, or I'll leave you for the vultures!"