More than a decade ago, in the northwestern reaches of the Great Thousand World, on the Hundred Spirit Continent.
"Boom!"
Without warning, a divine rainbow ripped through the sky.
A dazzling orb of light trailed a long tail of spiritual flames, plunging like a falling comet into the depths of the vast, boundless Spirit Beast Forest. The earth and sky seemed to turn upside down.
A violent shockwave swept wildly across the land, ruthlessly destroying everything in its path.
Thin wisps of smoke curled upward. As far as the eye could see, the earth was scorched.
"Cough, cough..."
At the heart of a massive, jagged ravine, a mysterious woman in a white dress lay on her side at the bottom of the crater. Her aura was feeble, her beautiful eyes half-closed, and she coughed up blood again and again, her face twisted in pain.
Who could have grievously wounded an Earth Sovereign Great Perfection expert?
Was it a mighty figure of the Great Thousand World, one who suppressed an entire heavenly domain and ruled a continent? A supreme divine beast that could devour an Earth Sovereign? Or the legendary Evil Clan from Beyond, neither human nor beast?
By then, the night had worn well into its second half, and dawn was drawing near. Yet the silent Spirit Beast Forest seemed to come alive in an instant, imbued with a sinister spirit. Its denizens bared their fangs and claws, ready to devour any prey they found.
In the vast, mysterious darkness, gusts of foul wind blew and beasts roared without end.
Countless ferocious spirit beasts living in the surrounding region came prowling in from every direction, like sharks scenting blood, closing in on their prey.
The faint spiritual energy leaking from the mysterious powerhouse's body had drawn nearly every spirit beast in the ancient forest. The entire forest was in an uproar.
"Awoo! Awoo~~~"
"Hissss~~"
There were packs of two or three wild wolves, giant mottled pythons more than a dozen zhang long, and mountain lizards as huge as hills, along with nameless raptors soaring high overhead.
Dozens of mid-level spirit beasts led the way, while low-level beasts surged toward them from across the mountains and plains.
Farther away, commotion stirred again and again. It seemed several powerful high-level spirit beasts were on their way.
Those were forest overlords capable of battling Divine Soul Realm martial artists and dominating entire regions!
"A fallen Phoenix is worse off than a chicken. Qing Yanjing, is this where it ends for you?"
On the cracked earth, the mysterious woman opened her beautiful, weary eyes and surveyed the land, as well as the ferocious beasts arriving in ever greater numbers. She gave a bitter smile.
--
Hundred Spirit Heaven, Hundred Spirit City.
As the capital of the Hundred Spirit Continent, Hundred Spirit City was unmatched in prosperity and wealth.
Its population, number of powerful warriors, and cultivation resources all far surpassed those of the continent's hundreds and thousands of other cities. It was the natural seat of power.
With the King's Tribute Festival being held in the city, the crowds had grown even livelier in recent days.
Factions from all over had gathered there to pay their respects to the king, present their tributes, and declare their submission.
Inside the majestic, towering palace, splendor gleamed in every direction, while the music of strings and flutes filled the air.
The court musicians played with practiced skill, and the beautiful dancers moved with graceful precision. In perfect harmony, they performed "Qingping Yue," filling the hall with music and dance.
On the jade steps, a young man in splendid silken robes sat cross-legged on a couch, one arm resting on the table as he propped up his head. His eyes were half-closed, his air languid as he lost himself in the music.
His hair was smooth and jet-black, each strand glistening like crystal as it fell loosely over his shoulders.
His face was still youthful and slender, not yet fully grown, but already striking. His features were sharply defined and perfectly chiseled, pleasing to the eye.
A burst of hurried footsteps rang out, and the music and dancing in the hall abruptly stopped.
The youth in fine robes opened his eyes. His black eyes shone like the starry sky, full of spirit and dangerously captivating—enough to entrance thousands of young women.
His personal guard had ordered the performance stopped, leaving the young man somewhat displeased.
"Luo Tong, why is it you? You really know how to spoil the mood."
"I work so hard at cultivation every day. Can't I enjoy myself for once?"
The young noble complained without much concern, then waved his sleeve toward the dancers below and urged them, "Keep playing! Keep dancing!"
The young martial artist named Luo Tong wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and smiled bitterly. "Heir, the king said that if you don't go see him right away, he'll break your legs."
"What? Father wants to massage my legs in front of everyone? How could I refuse? Let's go!"
The handsome youth's expression changed at once. All his languor vanished, replaced by a grave look, and he sprang up from the couch. For a moment, he looked like a gravely ill man jolting upright from his bed.
The two left the palace together.
The rows of beautiful dancers below exchanged amused glances. Their fragrance filled the hall. The Heir really was as entertaining as everyone said.
Then they lifted their skirts and withdrew like a retreating tide.
And who was that young man?
He was the Heir of the King of Hundred Spirits, Mu Chen!
--
At the far end of the hall, two figures stood one behind the other.
One wore a king's python robe. He was tall and broad-shouldered, with a heroic bearing.
His face was resolute, his manner steady, and his frame upright. From a distance, he looked like a spear thrust into the heavens, impossible to forget.
Even the few strands of white at his temples only hinted at how handsome he must have been in his youth.
King of Hundred Spirits, Mu Feng, Sixth Grade Supreme!
The other man was thin, with sunken eyes and an ominous air. His lips were tightly pursed, giving him a sharp, chilling presence.
He stood half a step behind Mu Feng, clearly a trusted confidant.
Zhou Ye, Fifth Grade Supreme, foremost of the Five Great Generals.
Mu Feng's sworn brother and trusted right-hand man, utterly loyal to him. The two had ventured out together as young men, and Zhou Ye later joined Mu Feng and his wife in establishing the Mu Domain.
The King of Hundred Spirits had five great generals and eight commanders beneath him.
The five great generals had once been the five city lords of the Mu Domain and were Mu Feng's absolute confidants.
The eight commanders were the former Domain Lords of the eight domains that had once stood alongside the Mu Domain in the Northern Spiritual Realm.
"Father. Uncle Zhou."
"Oh, Chen'er's here."
By the time Mu Chen entered, Mu Feng and Zhou Ye had already finished their conversation. They looked at him with smiles.
Even Zhou Ye, the Hundred Spirit king's usually stern and humorless chief general, had shed much of his grim air. A hint of warmth showed between his brows.
He was Mu Feng's sworn brother, and he had watched Mu Chen grow up. His own son had also attended the Northern Spiritual Academy alongside Mu Chen, so the two families were naturally close.
"Zhou Ye, you can go now."
Mu Feng gave Zhou Ye a few more instructions. Only after the latter clasped his hands and took his leave did he turn back and look Mu Chen over. "I heard you went hunting a few days ago and hurt your leg?"
His earlier threat to break Mu Chen's legs had only been an indirect way of showing his concern.
Mu Feng had only one precious son. There was no way he would lay a hand on him.
"It must've been Luo Tong or Lie Jiu. Those guys have no loyalty. They secretly went and tattled to you, didn't they? It was only a few low-level spirit beasts."
"Besides, I'm already twelve."
Mu Chen grumbled in protest and thumped his chest.
He had begun sensing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth at the age of five, and had now been cultivating for seven years.
Luo Tong and Lie Jiu were the sons of the former Domain Lords of the Northern Spiritual Luo Domain and the Lie Domain.
"Bullshit. Even if you were a hundred and twenty, you'd still be my son."
In front of his child, Mu Feng had no need to keep up the airs of a ruler of the continent.
"Yes, yes. I'll always be your son."
Mu Chen conceded that his father had a point. He lay back and let himself be teased.
"Twelve years old... Your mother has been gone for almost twelve years, too."
As Mu Feng spoke, his expression suddenly turned wistful, his face touched by memories.
A-Jing, you said you'd come back. Chen'er and I have been waiting for you all this time.
--
Wait. Something seemed off about the timeline.
After Mu Chen's mother, the Ancient Goddess Qing Yanjing, and Mu Feng had fallen in love in the Spirit Beast Forest and founded the Mu Domain together, they had not stopped expanding their territory.
With the support of this capable wife, Mu Feng had advanced from the Mu Domain to the Northern Spiritual Realm, then Hundred Spirit Heaven, the continent's other territories, and even most of the Central Region, before sweeping across the entire Hundred Spirit Continent.
He raised his throne in the continent's capital, was crowned king, and came to rule countless mountains and rivers.
Before she left, Qing Yanjing, the Grandmaster of Spirit Arrays, had laid the foundations of a vast empire for her husband and son. The Mu Clan became the supreme rulers of the Hundred Spirit Continent.
This history seemed nothing like the version people knew!
P.S. This newbie has just started posting! Please take good care of me, everyone~
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