Chapter One: The Tomb of the Demon King

The wild, untamed mountains, muddy marshlands, and decaying branches scattered across the earth exuded a pungent, rotten odor. Towering ancient trees rose skyward, blocking out the sun and clouds. This was the Falling Wild Goose Mountain Range, three thousand miles from Sky-Shroud City—a forbidden land for ordinary folk and low-level cultivators alike, a place where mortals dared not tread.

Within a forest shrouded in mist and poisonous vapors, a sudden chorus of furious beastly roars erupted. The suspended fog seemed to be struck by an invisible force, swirling violently. Then, dazzling golden light pierced through the layers of mist like sharp blades, revealing the scene within.

A squad of knights clad in golden-scaled armor, their faces cold and handsome, formed a wedge-shaped assault formation, charging forward with relentless determination. There were about twenty knights in gold, each wielding a spear over ten feet long. With every thrust, a monstrous beast wailed and fell.

Yet, around them, hundreds of beasts of varying ranks had gathered, encircling the knights tightly. But no one was afraid, no one hesitated, not a word was spoken. Their sole purpose was to break through and rescue their young master.

“Kill—”

Finally, someone spoke. At the forefront of the triangular formation, a gold-armored knight shouted fiercely. Instantly, his spear burst forth with several yards of spiritual radiance, stabbing straight into the beast horde ahead.

Where the spiritual light swept, nothing could withstand it. Dozens of beasts, regardless of rank, exploded under the force of that spear.

“Charge—”

Again, a simple command. The twenty-odd knights moved in perfect unison, seizing the moment as the path cleared and surging forward. Their mounts roared, and the group swiftly broke out of the encirclement, plunging deeper into the forest without a backward glance.

Behind them, clouds of dust rose as hundreds of enraged beasts howled and pursued with frenzied speed. In half a day, the entire perimeter of the Falling Wild Goose Mountain Range was thrown into chaos by these twenty knights. Countless beasts, eyes reddened with madness, gave chase, causing the earth to shake and dead branches to fly through the air. From afar, the dust storm surged, the twenty riders moved like shooting stars, forging ahead—nothing could halt them for more than five breaths.

Meanwhile, at the heart of the mountain range, a certain canyon was eerily silent. Not a single beast dared to roar here; only the calls of unknown birds echoed.

Within the canyon, on a tranquil patch of land filled with birdsong and flowers, a small grave rested, barely noticeable and almost level with the ground. Suddenly, the grave shook, loose soil tumbling down as a pale hand struggled up from the earth, followed by another hand clawing away the dirt.

A boy, filthy and covered in mud, crawled out of the grave. His face was bewildered, yet his eyes remained as sharp and calm as a wolf’s, scanning his surroundings warily. Incredibly, a moment later, the clarity and fierceness in his gaze vanished, replaced by panic and terror—a look of utter foolishness.

A flawless transition, worthy of an actor’s acclaim.

“Tricked again… That’s the third time… Who’s behind this? Where am I… Who wants me dead?” Though fury burned in his heart, he cautiously surveyed this unfamiliar place.

Once he confirmed he was alone, Ye Feng shed his usual mask of stupidity. His face became composed, chillingly calm. He examined his surroundings carefully, intending to leave, but suddenly retched, as if he had swallowed something in the grave.

“Ugh…” As waves of pain twisted his stomach, he clutched his belly, gritting his teeth to keep from crying out.

In this utterly unfamiliar environment, who knew whether he’d encounter friend or foe? Experience had taught him that only he could be trusted, and only by keeping a clear mind could he make the right decisions and maximize his chances of survival.

Fear and anxiety were inevitable, but compared to his life, such emotions were trivial. It was undeniable—anyone abruptly thrown into an unknown grave while sleeping would not find it amusing, unless they were truly terrified out of their wits.

Suddenly, Ye Feng’s body convulsed, and violet light radiated from his lower abdomen. In the next instant, a vast torrent of memories flooded his mind. As he digested these fragments, Ye Feng was utterly dumbfounded.

“I was thrown into the very heart of the Falling Wild Goose Mountains… into the tomb of a Demon King.” No matter how strong his heart, Ye Feng was completely overwhelmed in that moment.

“And not only that—I accidentally interrupted the Demon King’s rebirth. Even worse… I swallowed the Demon King’s core!” At that moment, Ye Feng felt an urge to run for his life.

To hell with composure—he had just indirectly slain a Demon King-level entity. No amount of calm could help him now.

As the next wave of memories settled, Ye Feng truly wished he could crawl back into the grave and be buried alive.

Because the Demon King whose core he had swallowed was none other than the universally acknowledged King of the Demon Clan—the Dragon Flood King.

“The best plan is to flee! I must get out of here… There are apparently three Demon Kings nearby, acting as guardians. If they catch me, my fate is sealed.” Under such immense pressure, Ye Feng wasted no time—escaping was paramount.

He was genuinely terrified… These Demon Kings rivaled the mightiest human cultivators.

Yet, he was heading in the wrong direction.

As he stepped out of the canyon, the scene before him plunged Ye Feng into despair. At the canyon’s exit, hundreds of legendary beasts had gathered, creatures rarely seen in a lifetime. But now, they were subdued, all lying flat on the ground, barely daring to breathe.

Savage Earth Bear of the seventh rank… Earth Dragon of the eighth… Demon Falcon of the eighth… Vajra Ape of the ninth…

Seeing so many beasts one would only hear of in stories, Ye Feng felt an urge to ram his head against a wall.

At the forefront of these high-ranked beasts stood three sacred beings, each having taken on an almost human form. They too hung their heads, silently waiting.

Among them, the one on the left was a giant, surrounded by intense flames. The one on the right was a dreamlike woman, her violet eyes full of enchantment, as if she wished to overturn the world. The third, standing in the center, appeared as a middle-aged man, but with a gleaming black horn on his head.

As the muddy Ye Feng emerged from the canyon, the fire giant abruptly opened his eyes, excitement blazing across his face as flames crackled and roared around him.

“Awooo… Beloved King, you have finally returned against all odds!” The fire giant cried out in ecstasy, shaking the very space with his shout.

The middle-aged man and the enchantress remained motionless, while the hundreds of high-ranked beasts shivered as if plunged into an ice bath. Some seventh-ranked beasts simply exploded, flesh and fur spraying everywhere.

Yet none dared move. Some beasts of the seventh and eighth ranks were so terrified they lost control, whimpering and urinating in fear.