Eastern Continent
Blaze Clan
The bustling central region of the Blaze Clan today was filled with people from all walks of life. No one knew the reason behind the gathering, but the orders were clear: the clan leader had something of great importance to announce, and anyone who didn't attend would face consequences.
The crowd grew steadily, spilling out onto the streets until it became a sea of people. Suddenly, a majestic voice resonated through the air.
"Today, our clan welcomes its sixth sky conqueror!"
In an instant, six figures appeared above the crowd. People knew that only the sky conquerors possessed the ability to fly, leaving no room for doubt regarding the leader's words.
Excitement spread among the gathering, and conversations sparked among the attendees.
"Now that Elder Kupo has become a sky conqueror, our strength knows no bounds!"
"Elder Kupo? How do you know he isn't the Elder Reng?"
"Don't be absurd! Elder Reng hasn't even pinnacle earth Ruler for twenty years."
"What does it matter? Both of them reached the pinnacle. We can't predict who will progress first."
Such discussions reverberated throughout the entire central region. Meanwhile, the other five individuals in the sky cast peculiar glances toward the sixth person.
"Elder Reng, even our own clansmen didn't anticipate you becoming a sky conqueror so swiftly."
Before long, the voice in the sky resonated once again.
"You're all mistaken. The sixth sky conqueror of our clan is Elder Reng."
The announcement ignited a commotion in the center. Those who had confidently claimed that Elder Reng couldn't be the sixth sky conqueror stood dumbfounded, as if they could discern the face of the sixth person from such a great distance.
The clan leader's purpose in gathering such a multitude in the center went beyond proving something to his own subordinates. He sought to convey a message to the other three major forces. He was aware that spies from those forces had infiltrated his own ranks, just as he had planted spies in their territories.
After the events in the central region of the Blaze Clan concluded, Reng returned to his courtyard.
Within the courtyard, three rooms stood. The first belonged to Reng himself, the second to a married couple who served him, and the third to the child he had brought along many years ago.
Over time, the child had gradually withdrawn from the public eye. He spent most of his time requesting books from the servants and secluding himself in his room.
As Reng grew older, he witnessed the child's transformation. The boy's height increased slowly, bearing a striking resemblance to both his father and mother. It was impossible not to be amazed by the child's emerald eyes and jet-black hair inherited from his mother. Physically, he resembled his father, possessing muscular build and bronzed skin. Although the child clearly took after his mother in body structure, possessing an elegant physique wouldn't have been possible if he resembled his father entirely.
Lost in thought, Reng contemplated his surroundings while the young man in his room sat cross-legged. He was currently engaged in his daily meditation session. Each morning, he would rise early to strengthen his physique through various exercises. Afterward, he delved into books about the current world and then meditated. Of course, these meditations were not for cultivation purposes. They aimed to calm his mind and cultivate patience, enabling him to remain composed in the face of any challenge. To achieve such composure, one required extensive experience or exceptional cool-headedness. While the young man possessed some experience, he firmly believed that cultivating further composure would offer him even greater advantages.
For the past fourteen years, the young man had absorbed knowledge like a sponge, eagerly devouring every book and scrutinizing every scroll. His endeavors had not been in vain.
He had come to the realization that the planet he currently resided on constituted only a fragment of the world from which it originated. To traverse beyond the planet's borders, one had to ascend. Though he remained unaware of what lay beyond the planet, he knew that previous ascenders had existed within this world. The most recent ascender hailed from the northern continent, making it undeniably the most dominant continent at present.
One of the earliest lessons he learned pertained to the cultivation levels, which unfolded as follows:
- Body Strengthening
- Awakening of the Soul
- Formation of Qi
- Ruler Of the Earth
- Conquering the Sky
- Saint
- Ascension
Among these levels, Ascension remained the one about which he possessed the least amount of information. Nevertheless, he did not feel an urgent need to know about it.
The young man's inclination toward meditation stemmed from another reason: the tragic demise of his family. Each time he closed his eyes, fear gripped him tightly. Witnessing his father's battle against three adversaries had initially left him in awe, but subsequent events proved even more terrifying.
The trio opposing his father quickly swelled to twelve formidable opponents, each possessing strength on par with his father's. The battle swiftly concluded with the death of his father, Ursa. However, the twelve had not escaped unscathed. Two men in blue robes, in an act of forbidden technique, had pierced Ursa's chest. The young man had never witnessed a more horrifying scene in his life, discounting the ordeals he himself had endured.
The two men in blue robes had refrained from utilizing the technique until others swore an oath. However, as soon as the oath was taken, they unleashed its power. The young man easily deduced that breaking such an oath sworn to the heavens would result in the immediate annihilation of one's existence, as exemplified by the thunderbolt that had struck Ursa's chest.
After Ursa's demise, events took an even darker turn. His mother shielded him with her own body. He bore witness to his mother being repeatedly stabbed, yet her wounds healed with astonishing rapidity, rendering it seemingly impossible to take her life. The last memory etched in his mind was the blade piercing his mother's chest and impaling his own tender chest.