"Immortal Creator?"
Yun Xiao felt time stop; his soul was pulled into a coffin surrounded by black mist, making it feel like he had entered the underworld.
"My little sprout..."
He cried out in shock, realizing he was now looking at a colossal, boundless humanoid corpse.
"This... is an immortal god, lying in eternal slumber?"
Before he could process it, this immortal body began to pull his soul within it, absorbing him.
Buzz!
Upon entering, Yun Xiao felt a spark of life rekindle.
"I've come back to life... by taking over this corpse!"
His eyes opened, and the vastness of this immortal body made the whole world appear small in comparison.
But soon he realized:
"This immortal body is just... a human shell?"
Inside, there were no bones, no blood, no organs. Only space. A demon fog filled it, filled with ancient, terrifying insects, snakes, and other creatures writhing and biting within the corpse.
"Is it possible that these creatures have eaten everything, leaving only the skin behind?"
"What use is this body if it's just an empty shell?" he wondered. But before he could react, countless symbols appeared on the skin of the corpse, glowing and moving like a million immortal soldiers marching.
In his daze, Yun Xiao heard ancient voices call out:
"Creator Immortal, whose wrath could destroy worlds! The Six-sided Ancestor God sacrificed three thousand paradises, burned a trillion lives, and finally sealed this being in the purgatory of Kunlun Mountains."
Though he couldn't make out everything, he felt immense anger emanating from the corpse.
"I, who carried coffins across realms, creator of the six worlds... and this is what I become?"
In that moment, a faint, detached voice echoed:
"When the day the Heavenly Pillar falls, the Creator Immortal shall rise anew..."
As the light surged, the massive immortal body condensed, ultimately shrinking into a small, powerful form resembling Yun Xiao's own original body. He looked down, feeling that his flesh, blood, bones, and internal organs had been restored.
His face sharper, his skin flawless and radiant, he marveled at his new form.
"I... Yun Xiao... have truly been reborn!"
With a gaze upon his hands and arms, he felt an inner strength he had never known. Yet, something still felt incomplete.
Then, across the way, ten immense coffins aligned side by side caught his attention. Each was unique, and each seemed to radiate a terrible power. The first, nearest to him, had the inscription "Heaven-Burying."
The coffin suddenly trembled, filling the room with azure light. A lotus flower, born from the coffin, dyed everything in his vision blue.
"Such... power," he thought, his heart pounding.
Without warning, the lotus merged with his body, transforming his very essence, and with it, a sword appeared in his hand—a Soul Sword, forged from the power of the Heaven-Burying coffin and the azure lotus.
In awe, he murmured to himself, "I have obtained the Heaven-Burying Sword Soul."
Still reeling, he realized he stood not in the ethereal realm but near the imperial city of Yun Kingdom.
"I... I have truly returned."
In the city, celebrations were underway as the newly crowned emperor, Jiang Shang, enjoyed a feast with his family.
Yun Xiao, standing by the city wall, vowed, "Ye Guying, Jiang Yue... my enemies. I will claim your lives!"
Without hesitation, he entered the palace, his soul burning with vengeance, and approached Jiang Shang and his kin.
Laughter stopped as he entered, and the guards, sensing danger, moved to defend. But with a mere glance, Yun Xiao took down each guard with ease. Jiang Shang and his family began to tremble, realizing that this stranger had come to end them.
"Yun Xiao, you have returned from the dead..."
With a cold smile, Yun Xiao turned to Jiang Shang, who was desperately trying to maintain composure but whose eyes revealed deep fear.
"Jiang Shang, did you think you could kill me and usurp my throne without consequences?" Yun Xiao's voice rang through the hall.
Jiang Shang's face twisted in anger and fear. "Yun Xiao, you may have returned, but you are no match for me or my daughter Jiang Yue. She is an immortal of the Blue Soul Sword Sect. If you harm any of us, you're signing your own death warrant!"
"Is that so?" Yun Xiao said with a smirk. "I didn't come back to spare anyone. I came to wipe out your entire family."
Realising the dire situation, Jiang Shang signaled his family and the guards to attack. Thirty-three members of the Jiang clan drew their weapons, surrounding Yun Xiao, their faces contorted in rage.
"Yun Xiao, you're a fool to come here alone! We will show you what true power is!"
Yun Xiao sneered, his eyes gleaming coldly. He gripped the Heaven-Burying Sword Soul in his hand, and with swift, precise movements, he began cutting down his enemies one by one.
Blood splattered across the walls, filling the room with cries of terror and agony. The Jiang clan, once confident in their strength, found themselves powerless before the wrath of Yun Xiao.
The once-celebratory atmosphere turned to chaos as Jiang Shang watched, horror-stricken, as his family fell around him. His legs shook, his arrogance vanishing in the face of Yun Xiao's relentless vengeance.
"Yun Xiao, stop! Please! We were wrong!" Jiang Shang finally pleaded, his voice breaking.
Yun Xiao halted for a moment, looking down at Jiang Shang with disdain.
"Wrong? You stole my throne, slaughtered my family, and left me for dead. Your pleas mean nothing to me."
With a swift strike, he ended Jiang Shang's life, his revenge complete.
From that moment on, the Jiang family was no more.
Afterward, Yun Xiao stood atop the walls of the imperial city, gazing upon the kingdom his ancestors had built five hundred years ago. Though he had eAs dawn broke over the imperial city, Yun Xiao turned and walked out of the palace. His enemies lay defeated, and the throne was his to reclaim.
As Yun Xiao exited the blood-stained palace, the first light of dawn touched his face, illuminating the resolute determination in his eyes. He had reclaimed justice, but his journey was far from over.
Outside, the imperial city had already begun to stir. Rumors of the massacre in the palace were spreading like wildfire, causing both fear and awe. The commoners, who had lived under the oppressive rule of Jiang Shang and his family, watched in stunned silence as Yun Xiao, the rightful heir, walked among them. They didn't know whether to bow or to run. The few who recognized him stood frozen in disbelief, whispering his name in awe.
One brave soul finally stepped forward, bowing deeply before him. "Your Majesty, is it true? Have you returned to lead us once again?"
Yun Xiao regarded him quietly. His strength was indeed renewed, but he also knew the dangers still lurking. The Jiang family might have been defeated, but his true enemy, the Blue Soul Sword Sect, awaited him. Jiang Yue, his once-beloved who betrayed him, was now an immortal of immense power. She would soon discover the fate of her family, and she would not forgive.
He addressed the crowd in a steady voice, one that had once commanded armies. "The imperial family has returned. The throne of Yun Kingdom belongs to its rightful ruler. The years of corruption and tyranny are over."
The people's whispers grew louder as courage filled their hearts. Some knelt before him, swearing loyalty once more, while others wept, calling out blessings upon him. The city that had once turned its back on him now remembered the just and noble ruler he had once been.
"This kingdom has the protection of the Blue Soul Sword Sect, but now that the Jiang family is no more, you people may find peace and stability."
Turning to the people, he continued, "You once said I disrespected the gods, that I was a calamity upon Yun Kingdom. I hold no grudge; as a ruler, it is my responsibility to correct the ignorance of the people. But soon, I will return with Jiang Yue's and Ye Guying's heads, proving to you that the monster you feared was not Yun Xiao!"
With that, he left the city, heading north with determination, setting out for his ultimate battle against the Blue Soul Sword Sect.