The wind whispered through the towering ancient trees of the great forest near Noyan City. Sunlight barely pierced the thick canopy, casting dappled shadows on the moss-covered ground. This place had remained untouched by time, its secrets buried beneath centuries of silence.
At the heart of this vast wilderness lay a seemingly ordinary cave, its entrance shrouded in cascading vines. To the untrained eye, it was nothing more than another forgotten corner of the world. But hidden within its depths, a legend had been sleeping.
Two figures stood at the entrance—motionless, like statues. A man and a woman.
The woman had long, raven-black hair and wore a dark, form-fitting robe. Her presence was eerie, her golden eyes like twin blades in the darkness. She was death incarnate—silent, swift, and absolute.
Beside her, the man stood like an unshakable mountain. His towering frame radiated overwhelming strength, every muscle honed to perfection. He did not need deception or agility—one punch from him could reduce mountains to dust.
They were not human. They were puppets. Puppets given life, consciousness, and an undying purpose.
For 200 years, they had remained here, unwavering in their duty.
Until now.
A tremor rippled through the air.
The woman's golden eyes flickered. "Master stirs."
The man cracked his knuckles, his deep voice like rolling thunder. "The heavens have been quiet too long. It ends today."
A pulse of energy surged from within the cave, sweeping through the forest like an invisible storm. The ground trembled. The vines concealing the entrance withered into dust. Nearby spirit beasts howled in terror, fleeing into the shadows.
A silhouette emerged.
A man stepped forward, his long white hair flowing like silk, his robes untouched by time. His eyes, calm yet unfathomably deep, held the weight of centuries—a gaze that had seen the rise and fall of countless sects, the birth and death of empires.
He had spent 200 years in seclusion, chasing the limits of Dao comprehension. And now, he had finally stepped beyond the threshold.
The puppets knelt instantly. "Master."
Xu Tianran's gaze swept over the world that had forgotten him. A faint smile touched his lips.
"It's been a long time."
The winds shifted. The heavens shuddered.
A storm was coming.
And this time, the world would kneel.