"Is he the one from the Upper Realm?"
From the shadows, a figure in Zhongzhou was observing Qin Tian. The Upper Realm, while not too far away, still felt distant to most. Many royal dynasties and sacred lands in Zhongzhou had a tenuous connection to the Upper Realm, even if that connection had weakened over the years.
Yet, for some of these dynasties, that fragile link was enough to allow for ascension to the Upper Realm. For others, it had become almost meaningless—these realms had been all but abandoned by the powers above. Still, as long as they provided rare resources to the Upper Realm, they could exchange them for other benefits.
"The Da Xia Dynasty was founded by an emperor who ascended to the Upper Realm long ago," Chu Xinyue explained as she gently massaged Qin Tian's shoulders. "That emperor eventually entered a great sect there, and over the years, his status within that sect grew, reconnecting with his dynasty below."
As the Holy Maiden of Wan Dao Sacred Land, Chu Xinyue was privy to many secrets. She had read the ancient records of Zhongzhou, which told of the first emperor of Da Xia, a peerless talent who, at birth, was heralded by the arrival of a celestial crane and radiant purple clouds.
"I've heard that even in the Upper Realm, within the vast primeval Immortal Domain, the founding emperor of Da Xia was considered a formidable talent," she continued. "According to what our ancestors have passed down, it's even possible that he has reached the pinnacle of the Human emperor Realm, the Ninth Layer."
"Left a bit," Qin Tian murmured with a faint smile as he adjusted her hand on his shoulder.
"Xinyue, would you like to accompany me to the Upper Realm one day?" Qin Tian asked with a calm smile.
Only those who had seen the Upper Realm could truly understand the sheer majesty of the primeval Immortal Domain and the overwhelming power of the Immortal Ancient Qin Clan. It was a bloodline that boasted countless unique physiques and ancient talents.
The Human emperor Realm?
In that realm, if one wasn't of the direct bloodline or was too old, they were little more than glorified gatekeepers.
Before Chu Xinyue could respond, Qin Tian spoke again, his tone indifferent. "Your talent isn't particularly strong. At most, you'd reach the peak of the Human emperor Realm. The Heavenly Sovereign Realm would be a stretch."
Chu Xinyue's emotions were mixed—on one hand, she was thrilled at the idea of reaching the Human emperor level in her lifetime. But on the other, it saddened her to think that her talent would cap her potential at that level.
"But don't worry," Qin Tian said softly, pulling her closer. "I can change your physique."
Chu Xinyue's heart skipped a beat. In recent days, she had served him well, and to Qin Tian, changing her physique wasn't a difficult task—unless it was one of the supreme physiques like the Ancient Divine Body, he could handle it. After all, he didn't mind grooming her into a powerful yet beautiful companion.
...
Deep within the Desolate Ancient Forbidden Zone:
"Run! Brother Lin, run!"
A massive golden lion with thick fur was chasing two figures through the dense terrain.
"Let's split up!"
Without hesitation, they dashed in opposite directions, hoping to throw the beast off.
Lin Fan collapsed to his knees, vomiting repeatedly. The lion had chosen to chase after Ye Peng, giving Lin Fan a brief respite.
"Why... Why?!"
Lin Fan screamed in fury at the heavens. Why was he always the one being chased like a dog?
"Power... It's because I lack power," Lin Fan muttered, anger and resentment burning in his chest. In his mind, everything that had happened to him—all the humiliation, all the hardship—was because he lacked the strength to change his fate.
"You... want to be strong?"
A voice echoed in Lin Fan's ears, seemingly from nowhere.
"Who's there?!" Lin Fan frantically looked around, his nerves on edge from the relentless dangers he had faced.
"Don't be afraid, little one. You desire strength, don't you?" The voice continued. "Come to me, and I'll make you powerful."
"In this world, power is everything. Everything else is just an illusion."
"You have a pure demonic aura about you... You were born to walk the path of a demon."
"Come, let me help you grow stronger."
"Can I... truly become stronger?" Lin Fan whispered. Under normal circumstances, his will would have resisted such dark temptations. But ever since Qin Tian had planted the demon seed in him, his mind had been eroded. His goddess had been humiliated, his master was in a deep slumber, and he himself had been expelled from his sect.
All these events had chipped away at his mental fortitude.
Especially now, with his only friend being hunted down by beasts because of him, Lin Fan's desperation for power was overwhelming.
"Come... come to me," the voice coaxed.
"Congratulations, master. You've gained 500 destiny points," the system chimed in.
"Well, well, it seems the Child of Destiny is on the verge of turning dark." Qin Tian smiled faintly. It seemed Lin Fan's "growth" had pushed him too far. At this stage, Lin Fan's mind wasn't fully developed—he hadn't yet become the resolute figure he would grow into later.
Everyone matures over time, even the Children of Destiny. Although their growth was usually rapid, it still required time and experience.
Normally, in these kinds of stories, the Child of Destiny would still be competing with his fellow disciples at this stage, gradually growing through trials and tribulations.
But Qin Tian didn't follow the typical script. Instead of waiting until the endgame to confront the hero, he played his hand early, unleashing the ultimate trump card from the start.
He had humiliated Lin Fan's goddess, sowed discord between Lin Fan and his master, and even caused Lin Fan's friends to be hunted down—all at the moment when Lin Fan was poised to make his first big move. He had shattered Lin Fan's path to enlightenment.
"It seems the demon seed I planted wasn't useless after all," Qin Tian mused with a mysterious smile. The demon seed's purpose wasn't just to control—it was also a powerful tool for disrupting and corrupting.
"Lin Fan is almost finished. I wonder when the next Child of Destiny will emerge?"
Qin Tian chuckled to himself. Plundering the destiny of the Children of Destiny earned him destiny points, which he could use in the system's shop to purchase valuable items. And no matter what, strengthening his own power was always his top priority.
"Let's see..." he muttered, opening the system's interface.
"Master: Qin Tian."
"Physique: Dao Seed of the Demon Path."
"Talent: Ancient Pupil of the Supreme Eye."
"Cultivation: Human emperor, First Layer."
"Identity: Heir to the Ancient Qin Clan."
"Techniques: Dao Heart Demon Seed, Celestial Descent, Supreme Immortal Art…"
"Destiny Points: 1,300."
"My 1,300 destiny points should be enough to upgrade my Dao Heart Demon Seed technique."
This upgrade would further enhance the power of the demon seed, making it easier for Qin Tian to manipulate others' minds and wills.
Though the Dao Heart Demon Seed was a supreme-level technique of the Dao, Qin Tian had only cultivated it to the second layer.
It was a terrifying technique, capable of forcefully controlling a person's mind and soul. While mind control techniques were common in the Upper Realm, a Dao-level technique like the Dao Heart Demon Seed was extremely rare, having long since vanished from the ancient records of the primeval Immortal Domain.