The girl lies on the ground, blood staining the corner of her mouth. Slowly, she pushes her trembling body upright, forcing herself to stand. Her cold gaze sweeps over the patriarch and the gathered elders.
Since childhood, she has endured cruelty, ridicule, and rejection from the Spirit Clan. No matter how unfairly she was treated, she always endured. Yet in the end, they repaid her patience with this—stripping her of everything and casting her out like a worthless stray.
Whatever lingering attachment she had for the Spirit Clan is gone.
Dragging her injured body, she staggers toward the hall's grand doors. Step by step, she moves forward.
Behind her, the gathered elders and warriors watch with sneering faces. They take pleasure in her suffering, reveling in her humiliation. To them, the Spirit Clan is pure, noble—untouched by outsiders. Since birth, they have treated her as an intruder, a stain on their bloodline.
She does not speak. She simply memorizes their faces, searing this moment into her heart.
From this day forward, the fate of the Spirit Clan means nothing to her. Their survival or destruction—it is no longer her concern.
Hummm…
A deep, resonant hum ripples through the hall.
Ahead of her, the air suddenly distorts, twisting into a vortex of blood-red light. The distortion expands, growing larger and larger, until the space itself seems to crack apart.
"Who dares trespass into our Spirit World?!"
The elders' faces darken with alarm. Someone—no, something—has broken through their sacred barriers, stepping directly into the heart of their domain.
All eyes lock onto the swirling void. The tension in the air thickens.
Then, under their watchful gazes, a figure steps through.
Tall and slender, with deep crimson eyes, his hands clasped casually behind his back.
The moment they recognize him, chaos erupts.
"Bl—Blood Shadow Demon Lord?!"
Panic spreads like wildfire. Elders leap from their seats, warriors stumble backward, fear gripping their hearts.
"Prepare for battle! Prepare for battle!"
The patriarch, his voice shaking, bellows out commands. "Summon reinforcements! Send a distress signal! Call the Heaven and Earth Alliance—now!"
The hall explodes into frantic movement. Some warriors scramble to assemble formations, others rush to send messages, and a few abandon all pretense of loyalty and flee outright.
Amidst the chaos, the girl remains still. She does not panic. She does not care what becomes of the Spirit Clan.
Her cold gaze fixes on the man before her.
Ling Ye.
The Blood Shadow Demon Lord. The King of the Chaos Universe. The invincible conqueror who swept across the heavens.
He stands before her.
Her breath slows. Unlike the others, she feels no fear.
She does not understand why the world trembles at his name. Is he truly so terrifying?
To her, he is not frightening at all. If anything, he is mesmerizing. There is a powerful, undeniable presence about him, something far beyond mere fear.
Yes, his name commands dread, but his very being exudes an aura that is almost… captivating.
Then, with a blur of movement, Ling Ye steps forward.
The golden patriarch's chair looms before him. The Spirit Clan patriarch, standing in front of it, turns pale. His legs nearly buckle as he stumbles away, retreating from the terrifying figure before him.
Around them, Spirit Clan warriors clutch their weapons, forming tight ranks. Swords, staffs, and enchanted artifacts gleam in the dim hall. The entire might of the Spirit Clan stands assembled.
Yet no one dares to make the first move.
They only watch—silent, frozen.
Their hands tremble. Their hearts pound.
They do not realize how deeply their fear has taken hold.
Why is Ling Ye here? What does he want?
Is he here to destroy the Spirit Clan?
If so… then today will be their end.
But just as those thoughts take root, Ling Ye simply raises his hand.
With a casual flick of his fingers—
Boom!
The air above the golden throne shatters.
A brilliant, nine-colored stone floats into the open space where the void was torn apart.
The Spirit Clan's Spirit Stone.
For generations, it has remained untouched, protected by layers of powerful barriers woven by the most formidable elders of the clan.
Yet before Ling Ye, such defenses are meaningless.
Reaching out, he takes the stone into his grasp.
He needs it. A material necessary to forge a body in the Extreme God Realm.
Silence falls over the hall.
The Spirit Clan's greatest treasure now rests in the hands of the Blood Shadow Demon Lord.
No one dares to speak. No one dares to move.
Because they all know—if Ling Ye is displeased, their entire clan will cease to exist.
Without another word, Ling Ye turns.
Step by step, he walks toward the girl.