Xuan Li approached the pillar with a mixture of anticipation and nervousness. As his hand touched the surface, the pillar erupted with black light, humming with strange, unsettling sounds. All eyes were fixed on him, as this phenomenon had never occurred in the history of Heaven's Holy Ground. The inscriptions on the pillar began to dazzle with the black light, swirling in a chaotic pattern.
Suddenly, a violent shockwave sent Xuan Li flying through the air, crashing harshly onto the ground. The impact was so powerful that everyone instinctively took a step back in alarm. The elderly man watching the scene murmured, "I see now why the pillar is reacting this way. This pillar carries the will of the heavens... It seems the heavens reject him."
A mocking laugh echoed through the crowd. All eyes turned to find Lei Zhen, a disciple from the Shen Wu Sect, standing with an air of arrogance. He had awakened a high-tier thunder element, which had triggered a vision in the sky—thunderclouds filled the heavens, and the world seemed to shift in color. His presence was commanding: white hair, sharp yellow eyes, and a handsome face. He was always considered second, as Xuan Li had been favored by the late Ancestor Shen Wu, a fact that had sparked deep resentment and jealousy within him.
Lei Zhen sneered, his voice dripping with disdain. "What a joke. Even ordinary people are accepted by the heavens, yet this so-called 'trash' is not only rejected by the heavens but cast aside. Not accepted by humans, nor by the heavens that embrace all beings of this world. Haha." His laughter rang out, and the surrounding disciples murmured among themselves, some chuckling at Xuan Li's misfortune.
But then Lei Zhen's tone shifted. His words grew cold and venomous. "Xuan Li... If you don't want to tarnish the reputation of our sect, and if you still care for the late Ancestor, then you should leave."
Hearing these words, Xuan Li slowly pushed himself to his feet. His face was lowered, hiding the mix of emotions swirling within him. Without a word, he turned and walked away, leaving the Heaven's Holy Ground in silence.
Three days later, deep in the forest, Xuan Li stood solemnly in front of Ancestor Shen Wu's grave. Suddenly, he fell to his knees with a heavy thud, tears welling up in his eyes. He whispered, "Why… why, Grandpa? What did I do? Everything feels so dark… the people around me, the sect where I grew up—they've all turned their backs on me. What did I do to deserve this kind of fate?"
As Xuan Li spoke, memories of the past few days flooded his mind. After returning from Heaven's Holy Ground, the news of his "trash" status spread like wildfire. On the second day, Ling Yuna from the Heaven's Edge Sect came to the Shen Wu Sect to formally annul their marriage contract. In the past, Ancestor Shen Wu had arranged the marriage between Xuan Li and Ling Yuna, believing that Xuan Li would awaken a powerful ability. But now, with him labeled as "trash," the Heaven's Edge Sect no longer wished for their promising disciple to be bound to someone unworthy.
Out of respect, the Heaven's Edge Sect had sent Ling Yuna herself to deliver the news. Xuan Li watched, heartbroken, as the engagement was dissolved before his eyes. As she turned to leave, Ling Yuna leaned in close and whispered, "I can't believe I once thought of you as my childhood partner. The difference between us now is like heaven and earth. Don't ever show yourself in front of me again."
Xuan Li heard her words and could only bow his head, silently agreeing, "Yes… the difference between us truly is like heaven and earth."
Later, he stood alone before the cemetery, cursing himself. "Why do I even exist in this world? I don't know my parents or my true identity. In my darkest and loneliest moments, I found a light—my ancestor—who took me in as his own grandchild. I believed that, with Grandpa by my side, I could move forward. But fate is so cruel… I lost that light. Even then, I kept moving, holding onto Grandpa's last words: 'Never give up. I believe that one day, you will rise so high that even I will have to look up to you.' But now… I'm lost in this darkness, with no one left to guide me."
As Xuan Li's consciousness began to blur, he thought, "What's happening? Why am I suddenly feeling so dizzy?" He looked up at the sky, marveling at the sight unfolding above him. "Wh...y is something...like that hap...pen..." His words trailed off as he lost consciousness, overwhelmed by the strange phenomenon.
In the Shen Wu Sect, the sect master inquired about Xuan Li's whereabouts from a disciple. The disciple replied, "I haven't seen him since yesterday… but isn't it good that the trash finally left the sect without us having to force him out?"
Hearing this, the sect master nodded in agreement. Just then, another disciple suddenly burst into the sect hall, exclaiming, "Sect master! Please, come outside—there's an unusual phenomenon happening!"
Seeing the disciple's panic, the sect master, along with other disciples and elders, hurried outside. They were stunned, frozen in place by the extraordinary sight unfolding before them.
As this strange phenomenon unfolded, covering not only the Shen Wu Sect but the entire Yuanfeng plane, the sect master of Heaven's Edge Sect, Jian Tian, watched with a furrowed brow. In his thoughts, he wondered, "I can't feel any Heaven's Aura... This is something more violent, more absolute than the heavens—almost like pure chaos. And yet, at the same time, it feels like a warm current blessing all beings. I have a feeling... that the heavens may have angered something they shouldn't have."
Then, in a low voice, Jian Tian muttered, "Could there truly be an existence beyond the heavens?"
Ling Yuna, standing nearby, overheard his words. Her thoughts stirred with unease. "Could it be true... that there is something beyond the heavens' reach? And why do I feel so unnerved by this unusual phenomenon? It's like I'm being watched by an omnipotent existence... one that's angry with me. It's all so confusing."