Bab.1 Xiao Clan

The sky above the Xiao Clan residence was shrouded in dark clouds, as if foretelling a great event about to unfold. Light rain drizzled down, wetting the grand rooftops of the clan's main residence, which stood tall with the distinctive architecture of cultivators.

Inside the vast main hall, adorned with golden dragon carvings and ancient symbols, hundreds of Xiao Clan members gathered, forming a circle around a young boy kneeling on the cold marble floor.

The boy was not tall, his body smaller than other children his age. He wore a simple white robe, vastly different from the noble children of the clan, who were clad in layers of silk embroidered with intricate patterns. But what stood out the most about him was a small black cloth covering both of his eyes.

His name was Xiao Bai Tian.

Today was the Cultivation Talent Examination Day for the younger generation of the Xiao Clan. This was the moment when gifted children would receive special guidance and be nurtured as the clan's future leaders. But for those who failed… there was only one fate: to be cast aside and forgotten.

Before Bai Tian, an elder dressed in purple with a long beard looked down at him with a cold gaze.

"Xiao Bai Tian, place your hand on the Spirit Stone," he ordered in a deep voice.

In front of the boy lay a Spirit Stone the size of a human head, its translucent green surface swirling with faint energy ripples. This stone could measure one's potential in cultivation—the brighter its glow, the stronger the spiritual root.

Bai Tian remained silent for a moment before slowly extending his small hand. His fingers touched the cold surface of the stone.

The room fell silent.

The elders, clan members, and young disciples held their breaths, waiting for the light that would determine his fate.

But…

The stone remained dark.

No flicker of light. No surge of energy. Nothing.

Time seemed to slow. Everyone stood still, processing what they had just witnessed.

Then—

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Loud laughter erupted from the crowd.

"Trash! This boy has no spiritual root!"

"Impossible! Even our servants have at least a trace of spiritual potential. But him? Nothing at all!"

"Hahaha! The son of the Clan Head is nothing but a mere mortal! How disgraceful!"

Their laughter grew louder. Their gazes filled with mockery and contempt, as if Xiao Bai Tian was a stain upon the Xiao Clan's history.

But Bai Tian remained silent. He said nothing. He showed no reaction.

Among the crowd, a man in his forties stood atop the highest platform. His face was handsome and imposing, but his sharp eyes were filled with cruelty. He wore a black robe embroidered with gold—the symbol of the Xiao Clan's leader.

He was Xiao Zhenlong, Bai Tian's biological father.

With heavy steps, Zhenlong descended from the platform and approached his son. The room grew deathly still. Everyone held their breath as they watched his cold expression.

"Bai Tian…" Xiao Zhenlong's voice was calm, yet it carried an oppressive force.

"You… are not my son."

Bai Tian remained silent.

"I have endured the shame of having a child like you for years. I thought, perhaps you only needed more time to reveal your potential. But now?"

Zhenlong's voice grew colder.

"You have no spiritual root. You cannot cultivate. That means… you are useless."

SLAP!

Suddenly, a powerful slap landed on Bai Tian's cheek. The boy staggered backward, blood trickling from the corner of his lips.

Yet, he did not complain.

Seeing his son remain unshaken, Xiao Zhenlong's anger only intensified.

"You will only be a burden to the clan! From this day forward, you are no longer part of the Xiao Clan!"

A terrifying aura exploded from his body. As a Dao Boundless cultivator, Xiao Zhenlong needed only a single strike to destroy someone's cultivation permanently.

He raised his palm—

BOOM!

An invisible force surged from his hand and struck Bai Tian's chest.

CRACK!

The sound of his dantian shattering echoed throughout the hall.

Bai Tian's small body was thrown backward, crashing onto the marble floor. Fresh blood spilled from his mouth, staining his robes.

Silence.

No one spoke. Even the elders only watched with indifferent expressions.

Xiao Zhenlong gazed at the boy lying on the ground with utter disgust.

"Take him away. Throw him into the Eternal Death Forest. Let the beasts finish him off."

Immediately, two guards moved forward, grabbing Bai Tian's weakened body and dragging him out of the hall.

Under the Darkened Sky…

The rain grew heavier.

Xiao Bai Tian was dragged out of the Xiao Clan Residence, across the cold stone path. The clan members who saw him only cast looks of disgust or pity.

At the threshold of the hall, a woman dressed in white stood frozen, her eyes brimming with tears.

She wanted to move. She wanted to scream. But her body trembled.

She was Bai Tian's mother.

Yet, she could do nothing.

She was too weak to defy the clan's decision.

Xiao Bai Tian did not turn toward her. He did not need pity.

But behind the black cloth covering his eyes, something began to awaken.

Hatred.

Rage.

The rain continued to fall, concealing the blood dripping from his lips.

In the distance, the Eternal Death Forest loomed like a giant waiting for its prey.

________

Bab.2 The Forest of Eternal Death

________

Heavy rain continued to pour down as two men dressed in black dragged the small body of Xiao Bai Tian toward the outer gate of the Xiao Clan.

Along the rocky path, the clan's disciples and elders only glanced briefly before ignoring him, as if he were nothing more than discarded trash.

"Useless brat."

"Just a waste of the clan's resources."

"He might as well die."

The whispers reached Bai Tian's ears clearly, but his expression remained unchanged. Since childhood, he had grown accustomed to complaints and cold treatment.

But this time was different.

His dantian had been destroyed.

He was no longer part of the Xiao Clan.

And in just a few moments... he would be thrown into the Forest of Eternal Death—one of the most dangerous places in the region.

"Damn it! This kid is too light. It feels like I'm carrying a pile of bones," grumbled one of the guards dragging him.

"Don't bother, just toss him into the abyss! Let's finish this before the rain gets heavier."

One of the men kicked Bai Tian's body, sending him crashing hard into the muddy ground.

"Hahaha, look at that! He didn't even react!"

The other guard kicked Bai Tian's stomach, causing him to roll on the ground with blood spilling from his lips.

Yet, he remained silent.

One of them pulled out a black rope used to bind hands.

"Make sure he doesn't escape," the man said as he lifted Bai Tian's weak body.

Soon, they arrived at the edge of a steep cliff.

From the top of the cliff, a vast and dark forest stretched out before them. Towering black trees, thick mist covering the ground, and the echoing roars of wild beasts filled the air.

This was the Forest of Eternal Death—a place even Nascent Soul cultivators hesitated to enter without thorough preparation.

Within it roamed wild beasts, poisonous plants, and mysterious creatures unknown to the outside world.

"Let's finish him."

One of the guards grabbed Bai Tian by the neck and lifted him as high as he could.

Before throwing him, he whispered into Bai Tian's ear:

"It's your own fault for being born as trash."

Then—

WHOOSH!

Bai Tian's body was hurled into the darkness of the forest.

Falling into the darkness

Damn it!

The strong wind whipped against his face as his small body plummeted downward.

Sharp branches scraped his skin, leaving bloody wounds.

As he fell, Bai Tian did not scream.

But his mind began to race.

Am I... going to die?

No.

I can't die here.

I have to survive.

Then—

CRACK!

His body hit a large tree branch, slowing his fall.

SNAP!

The branch broke, and his body continued to plummet.

But before he fell further—

THUD!

His hand reflexively grabbed a protruding root on the side of the cliff!

Bai Tian staggered but managed to hold on.

With great effort, he took a deep breath. His hands trembled, but he did not let go.

After a moment, he began to climb up the root and landed on a large tree branch attached to the side of the cliff.

He had survived.

But this was only the beginning.

The Deadly Forest

Xiao Bai Tian opened his eyes.

Although covered by a black cloth, the God's Eye sealed within his body remained active.

Through the cloth, the world looked different.

He could see the spiritual energy flowing in the air. He could see the life auras of the creatures around him.

And most surprisingly—

He could see an ancient hidden place concealed within the forest.

The ruins seemed hidden behind another dimension, as if existing between reality and nothingness.

Bai Tian fell silent.

An ancient return...?

Before he could analyze further—

GROAAARRR!!!

A thunderous roar echoed around him.

From behind the trees, a wild beast emerged.

A Black Mist Wolf, a low-level spiritual beast but strong enough to kill an ordinary human.

Bai Tian could not fight back—his dantian was destroyed, and his body was weak.

Yet...

He did not panic.

Because he could see something others could not.

Through the God's Eye, he saw the wolf's weak point.

Without hesitation, he picked up a sharp piece of wood from the ground and stabbed it into the beast's neck!

"AARRRGH!"

The wolf thrashed, black blood spurting from the wound.

A few seconds later—

The creature died.

Xiao Bai Tian stood still.

His hands were covered in blood, but his eyes remained cold.

This was just the beginning.

If he wanted to survive... he had to become stronger.

The Journey Begins

The night grew late.

Bai Tian began to move.

He found a natural herb storage in the forest, healed his wounds with medicinal herbs, and gathered resources to survive.

He did not sleep.

He had no luxury to rest.

With every passing second, the God's Eye continued to analyze his surroundings.

Until finally—

He found something.

The ancient ruins he had seen earlier... truly existed.

Hidden behind an illusionary formation, they emitted an aura different from this world.

Xiao Bai Tian stepped forward.

In front of the ruins stood an old stone monument.

The writing was faded, but one name could still be read clearly...

Xuan Wu (玄无)

Bai Tian frowned.

Xuan Wu?

He had never heard the name before... but for some reason, it felt familiar.

The rain stopped.

The wind carried the night softly, whispering secrets hidden within the darkness.

Inside... Xiao Bai Tian's destiny began to change.

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