This realm is called Xuanhuang. Since time immemorial, the immortal path has flourished, countless races have stood side by side, and the strong have reigned supreme. Above the Nine Heavens, towering immortal palaces look down upon all living beings. Across the four seas, sects stand everywhere, each vying for supremacy. Yet beneath this dazzling age of cultivation lies an ironclad law: the path of cultivation goes against Heaven, and every breakthrough demands a sacrifice of one's true self. Everyone says that to attain the Great Dao, one must first sever all ties to the mortal world; to wield a sharp sword, one must first cut away all affection. And so, countless prodigies pursuing power cast aside their conscience and sense of justice, becoming puppets of their own strength. They possess power enough to reach the heavens and shake the earth, yet have lost the very essence of being human.
Chen Jie, a boy from Qingniu Town, grew up in such a world. Born into poverty and orphaned young, he barely survived with help from the townsfolk. He had no prestigious family, no astonishing spiritual roots, and no idea what the future held. Most days, he sat on the bluestone at the town entrance, gazing absentmindedly at the mist over the Luoxia Mountains. Cranes soared through those mountains, spirit beasts roamed, and, according to legend, cultivators shut themselves away to practice. To him, it was a world beyond reach, filled with mystery and danger. He had few ambitions. He only hoped to live out his life in peace and not let down the townsfolk who had helped him. That would be enough. What he didn't know was that the wheels of fate had already begun to turn while he was still too young to understand. The sword of destiny hanging above him was about to fall, shattering his ordinary life to pieces. In the end, he would stand with sword in hand and face the eternal struggle between power and justice.
