---
In the True Celestial Continent, a man barely twenty years old was bound in thick chains. His hands were shackled, and his legs were weighted to prevent any movement. The only parts of his body that could move were his head and eyes, which he used to survey the squalid prison he was confined in.
Just as the man closed his eyes, twelve golden shadows emerged from the ground, forming a formation. This startled him open, and he chuckled. "Are you not tired of asking for something I will never give?" he uttered, his face curving into an amused smirk.
The twelve golden shadows remained calm, having experienced similar situations for millennia. However, this deep-rooted familiarity had fostered a profound resentment within them. They were the twelve grand celestial guardians, or as they were often called, the "Guardians of Divine Balance." Formed from the essence of Heaven itself, they could not resonate with Heaven and thus appeared more like celestial aides.
Yet, the man before them was exceptionally close to resonating with Heaven. This man was known as the "Demon God Qin Xianlong." He had obtained a unique cultivation manual birthed from Heaven itself. News of this discovery spread, instilling fear in all. The Demon God was already a formidable figure in the universe, and now, with this unique opportunity to resonate with Heaven, his power was poised to grow exponentially.
For countless years, enemies from all corners pursued him, capturing and torturing everyone he loved, one by one. Witnessing the Demon God's world-shattering massacres, the twelve Celestial Guardians were compelled to intervene, as the very balance of the world was at stake. They descended in their true forms, forgoing their dharma bodies. Even so, Qin Xianlong, aptly named the 'Demon God,' proved to be a formidable opponent, even for the twelve celestial guardians.
"Surrender and hand over the secret celestial book you found, Demon God," one of the twelve celestial guardians demanded.
The Demon God chuckled. "You will never have it, even if you delved into my mind."
One of the guardians retorted, "Today's torment will be more painful, Demon God. Please understand that we will inflict pain akin to death if you do not comply."
"Huh? I've endured millennia of this from you twelve celestial guardians," the Demon God said with a laugh. "Or should I call you the twelve celestial pawns?"
After saying this, the Demon God laughed maniacally. The twelve celestial guardians remained silent, watching the Demon God as if he had lost his sanity.
'Damn it,' the Demon God thought to himself. 'For countless years, they've been asking me the same thing.'
Laughing hysterically, the qi within his body began to form golden blood that flowed through his entire body. The Demon God laughed even harder and shouted, "Finally, finally, I can perfect this technique!"
Startled, the twelve celestial guardians launched a devastating attack on the Demon God. But it was too late. The qi he had accumulated by studying the secret celestial book had reached its limit and finally converged in his dantian. The event did not last long. Once the qi reached the Demon God's dantian, a colossal explosion erupted from his body, unable to contain the power of Heaven.
BOOM BOOM BOOM
The cataclysmic explosion annihilated the entire True Celestial Continent. The blast was so devastating that it obliterated the entire continent, which was ten thousand times the size of Earth.
---