In the world of Qingzhou, where cultivation is the ultimate path to power, Ling Xiao is born with a rare defect that prevents him from cultivating through traditional means. Though seen as weak and cursed, Ling Xiao's refusal to accept his fate leads him to uncover a forbidden artifact, the Boundless Meridian, granting him a unique cultivation method that allows him to transcend the normal rules of cultivation. Driven by a ruthless thirst for power and a desire to reshape the world to suit his will, Ling Xiao embarks on a journey where his ambition knows no bounds.
Ling Xiao begins his path not as a hero, but as an anti-hero—an individual willing to sacrifice morality, loyalty, and even allies for the sake of power. Throughout his journey, he manipulates and betrays those around him, taking what he needs to ascend in a world where only the strongest survive. As he consumes souls, defeats sects, and topples powerful immortals, Ling Xiao begins to challenge the very foundation of cultivation, questioning whether the established order should be preserved or destroyed.
Along the way, Ling Xiao forms complex relationships with individuals like Li Fei, a former princess turned assassin, and Mu Tian, a former ally turned rival, but always with a single goal in mind—ultimate power. His rise to dominance attracts the attention of the Celestial Court, the ruling immortals who seek to maintain the current order. However, Ling Xiao, unbound by their laws, faces them head-on, exposing their secrets and growing stronger with each battle.
As Ling Xiao ascends to godhood, his conquest does not come without consequences. His ultimate triumph over the Immortal Sovereigns grants him control over the realms, but it also forces him to confront the emptiness of his victories. Now a being of immeasurable power, Ling Xiao must decide whether to continue his ruthless rule or dismantle the very system that made him a god, all while facing the isolation that comes with ultimate authority.
In the end, Ling Xiao chooses to break the cycle of cultivation itself, tearing down the system that enslaved both mortals and immortals. With his final act of power, he reshapes the heavens, leaving behind a world where power is no longer a hereditary system but a tool for anyone to wield—unbound, chaotic, and free.