Primal Imperial City.
The streets were still prosperous and bustling, thronged with people coming and going. Today, the birth of an Immortal King's son had caused the essence of the sun and moon to spread like mist, bringing the city's inhabitants a heaven-defying opportunity.
Inside the Imperial Palace, in the Council Hall, more than a dozen Immortal Kings had gathered. Their imposing presence filled the grand hall.
The Ancient Realm Immortal Kings sat on one side of the hall, and the Immortal Domain Immortal Kings on the other. Each Bodhi Seat on both sides held a mighty Immortal King who had cultivated for countless years. The secrets of heaven obscured them, blurring their faces beyond recognition. Only the towering outlines of their Immortal King forms could be glimpsed.
On the two seats of honor sat the Immortal King Six Paths Reincarnation and Immortal King Wuzhong of the Primal Ancient Realm.
At this moment, Immortal Kings from both realms had assembled in the Council Hall to judge the Immortal Domain's Dark Immortal King—Ao Sheng!
The solemn, austere air in the Council Hall seemed frozen. The more than a dozen Immortal Kings were imposing, grave, or proud. They were the supreme rulers of this world, beings who commanded endless years and boundless power.
Now they had gathered to determine Ao Sheng's fate. Each held his own view, and the debate raged on.
A profound light glimmered in the eyes of the Immortal King Six Paths Reincarnation of the Primal Ancient Realm. He said coolly, "Immortal King Aosheng once rendered outstanding service to the Immortal Domain, but what does that have to do with our Ancient Realm? He committed such a grave error this time. He must not be let off lightly! Though he has yet to awaken, the inexplicable surge in his cultivation and his conduct have already threatened the peace of both realms. That is a fact we cannot ignore."
Immortal King Wuzhong nodded in agreement. "Indeed. Immortal King Aosheng's actions are utterly outrageous. He must pay for them. Otherwise, how can we uphold the balance and justice between the two realms?"
The Immortal Kings of the Immortal Domain, however, held a different view.
The strongest among them was Immortal King Sanqing.
An Immortal King in Daoist robes, with white hair and the face of a child, rose to his feet and spoke firmly. "Immortal King Aosheng may have acted strangely during this meeting, but I and my fellow Daoists of the Immortal Domain have all witnessed how he fought against the Dark Beings and defended the Immortal Domain. He never once retreated.
"His bravery and loyalty deserve praise. We cannot erase all his achievements because of a single mistake."
The Immortal Kings of both realms argued their cases, and the atmosphere in the Council Hall grew increasingly tense. Amid that tension, each Immortal King displayed his own wisdom and authority. Their words thundered through the hall, shaking everyone who heard them.
The debate seemed endless, but in the end, there had to be a verdict. What would become of Ao Sheng would depend on the decision of these august Immortal Kings. In the process, his name would be spoken countless times, and his merits and faults weighed over and over.
Ao Sheng, once an Immortal King of the highest order, had his entire life—its glories and its disgrace—placed in the hands of the Council Hall. Would his fate lead to ruin or rebirth? The Immortal Kings who wielded boundless power would decide.
Ruin? Or rebirth?
Yet the Ancient Realm Immortal Kings could not reach a decision lightly.
Ao Sheng's past, his strength, and his influence could not be ignored. How could these Immortal Kings decide his fate so easily?
After overruling the objections, they reduced Ao Sheng's giant-level cultivation to that of an ordinary Immortal King. His attainment of the King Realm remained, but this was now the fate he had to accept.
To make amends, he repaid the countless treasures that had made the Immortal Kings of the Primal Ancient Realm green with envy. It was compensation for the past, and a promise for the future.
More than that, Ao Sheng now owed the Primal Ancient Realm a life-and-death pact. It was both a chain binding him and a responsibility he had to bear. He knew he had to honor it, whatever the cost, in life or death, in glory or disgrace.
In the end, Ao Sheng was allowed to return to the Immortal Domain with its other Immortal Kings.
He felt both relief and heaviness in his heart. He knew his future would be full of challenges, but he also understood that this was his fate—and his responsibility.
Twenty years later.
The Immortal King Six Paths Reincarnation Mansion, in the immortal courtyard.
In a corner of the courtyard, a twenty-year-old young man practiced his punches.
He wore a blue Daoist robe, its hem fluttering with his movements and adding to his handsome air. The young man moved with lithe strength and steady steps. Each punch brimmed with power and grace.
His skin was smooth and fine, and his fair, handsome face radiated youthful vitality. His bright eyes gleamed with an uncanny light, as if they could see through every illusion.
His brows curved like willow leaves, adding a hint of gentleness to his already handsome face. His nose was straight, his thin lips pressed together, revealing his resolve and determination.
Beneath the sunlight, the young man stood tall, his long hair streaming in the breeze. He cut a dashing figure, with an unyielding spirit shining between his brows.
The immortal courtyard seemed to come alive in his presence. As he practiced his punches in this world, it was as if he breathed with heaven and earth and shared his fate with all creation. Each movement revealed the mysteries of the cosmos, with yin and yang and the cycle of rebirth unfolding within. It was breathtaking.
The young man was none other than the son of the Immortal King Six Paths Reincarnation, whose birth had shaken the heavens twenty years ago: the Emperor Reincarnation Body, the Born Supreme—Su Li!
"Whew. The Heavenly Emperor's Six Paths Reincarnation Fist really is great for the body. It's the perfect exercise!" Su Li exclaimed.
Su Li praised the Six Paths Reincarnation Fist not merely for its benefits to the body, but also for the profound philosophy and supreme martial spirit it contained.
With every punch, he seemed to be telling the story of life's cycle, expressing reverence for heaven, earth, and all creation. What he felt was more than power; it was an understanding of life and insight into the world.
The Six Paths of Reincarnation were both a kind of power and a kind of wisdom. They revealed life's impermanence and the world's myriad possibilities, allowing Su Li to understand the true meaning of life more deeply. Each time he practiced, it was as if he were conversing with heaven and earth, and with himself. What he gained was more than martial skill—it was a way of facing life, a way of understanding the world.
He marveled at the wisdom and martial spirit of his old friend, the Heavenly Emperor, and his admiration for him deepened.
He knew that the Heavenly Emperor's Six Paths Reincarnation Fist was no ordinary fist technique. It embodied a unique understanding of life and the highest pursuit of martial arts. That was the greatest thing he had gained from practicing it.
This was his heartfelt praise for the Heavenly Emperor's Six Paths Reincarnation Fist.
"Xiao Li."
Su Li spoke.
"I'm here."
A cold electronic voice replied.
"Open the main panel. I want to see how far I've mastered the Six Paths Reincarnation Fist."
"Of course, Master."
"...Panel opened."
As the voice fell, a pale blue panel appeared before Su Li.
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