The abyss had been his grave, yet now it was his rebirth.
Xiao Lan stood at the edge of a jagged cliff, the vast darkness stretching endlessly below him. The crimson glow of his newfound power still flickered across his skin, casting an eerie light against the eternal void. The sword in his hand pulsed with life, whispering to him—an ancient force that had chosen him as its master.
But power meant nothing if he remained trapped in the abyss.
His gaze lifted. Far above, barely visible in the distance, was a rift in the dark—a faint opening leading back to the world that had cast him away.
A slow smirk tugged at his lips.
"So the heavens thought they could bury me here forever?"
His fingers tightened around the sword. "Fools."
With a single step, he vanished.
—
The climb was brutal.
The walls of the abyss were treacherous, the air thick with malice. Every step he took was a battle against the will of the abyss itself. Shadows writhed around him, whispering, clawing, trying to pull him back into eternal nothingness.
But he was no longer a mere mortal.
Each time a shadow lunged, his sword carved through it, obliterating its existence. The closer he climbed, the stronger the resistance became. It was as if the abyss itself was afraid of him escaping.
Good.
Let them fear.
—
After what felt like an eternity, Xiao Lan reached the edge.
The moment his hand gripped the final ledge, the abyss screamed in protest. A final wave of darkness surged at him, seeking to drag him back.
But Xiao Lan merely raised his sword.
"Begone."
A single slash.
The abyss split apart. The darkness howled as his power carved through it, silencing it forever.
With one last pull, he stepped out of the abyss and into the world once more.
—
The world had changed.
The sky was darker than he remembered. The air was thick with spiritual energy, yet unfamiliar. He was in a vast, desolate wasteland, the remains of an ancient battlefield stretching before him. Broken weapons, shattered bones, and ruined temples lay scattered across the land.
He frowned.
"How long have I been gone?"
His body had changed. His power had evolved beyond human limits. Had years passed? Decades?
His mind raced, but he quickly calmed himself. It didn't matter.
There was only one goal now—his vengeance.
The Celestial Abyss Sect had thought they had rid themselves of him. They would soon learn how wrong they were.
His lips curled into a cold smile.
"Ren Tianhao, Xiao Lan… Celestial Abyss Sect… prepare yourselves."
"Because I am coming back."
And this time, I will show no mercy.
___