Great Xia Kingdom, Cloud Dream Ancient Realm!
Deep beneath the earth, in a gloomy lair, eerie vines glimmering with phosphorescence crawled over the damp rock walls, casting a sickly green glow across the space.
At the heart of the lair, a human-shaped shadow lay curled up in silence. Its body was as black as ink, and viscous dark mist flowed over its skin.
Its eyes were tightly shut, its face twisted as though it were enduring a pain that tore at its soul.
Creak... creak...
A hoarse rasp forced its way from its throat. Its claws dug deep into the ground, gouging five savage furrows through the hard rock.
Suddenly—
All its struggling stopped.
The shadow slowly straightened. The instant it opened its eyes, two balls of violet flame flared to life in its sockets.
A suffocating pressure spread like a rising tide, and the phosphorescent vines on the rock walls withered and died!
Wuuu—
From the shadows all around, a dozen or so smaller phantom creatures crawled out.
They whimpered like crying infants, their deformed forelimbs tapping the ground and beating out an eerie rhythm against the rock.
They were unmistakably paying homage to their newly born king!
The shadow raised a claw. A wisp of dark violet energy swirled around its fingertips.
It stared at this power, then suddenly curled its lips into a grin, revealing jagged, bone-white teeth.
Great Xia Kingdom, Mysterious Heaven Pavilion!
At the summit of its majestic main peak, shrouded in drifting clouds and mist, a grand hall stood where the spiritual veins converged.
Inside, the Pavilion Master of the Mysterious Heaven Pavilion, Xiao Tianheng, stood with his hands behind his back. His dark robes stirred despite the still air, and faint spiritual light flowed around him.
An Inner Sect Elder hurried in and