Destruction, Life, the Descent of a God King!

Tang Yuan leaned against the headboard, covered by a thin quilt that had been washed pale.

The old man's hair and beard were gray-white, and there was little color in his face.

He held a bowl of medicine in his hands. After taking only two sips, he could not help but start coughing.

Tang Chen hurried forward and took the bowl from him.

"Grandpa, drink slowly."

Tang Yuan waved his hand.

"It's an old ailment. It's nothing serious."

Tang Chen looked at the chipped medicine bowl beside the bed, and his heart grew even heavier.

When his parents had still been alive, their family had lived in a courtyard near the main peak of the Clear Sky Sect.

The courtyard had been spacious, and the rooms neat and tidy.

The medicinal herbs his grandfather used had also been delivered regularly by people from the sect.

After his parents died in battle, everything changed.

First, their original residence was taken back by the sect.

Then, he and his grandfather were assigned to this remote little courtyard.

The herbs sent to them became worse and worse, while the amount grew smaller and smaller.

For the past two years, even preparing the medicine had required Tang Chen to do it himself.

The fact that the Clear Sky Sect had still allowed them to remain within its gates had become a gift in the mouths of several elders.

Now, even that last pretense was gone.

Tang Yuan took back the medicine bowl and drained the remaining bitter medicine in one gulp.

The old man set the bowl down and looked up at his grandson.

"Chen'er, your expression is off today."

"Did someone bully you?"

Tang Chen fell silent for a moment.

"Seventh Elder told me to pack our things."

"He told us to leave the Clear Sky Sect and live in a village at the foot of the mountain."

The room fell quiet.

Tang Chen had thought his grandfather would be disappointed.

Yet Tang Yuan laughed.

"I thought it was something serious."

"Isn't it just moving somewhere else?"

"Living anywhere is still living."

"It'll be quieter at the foot of the mountain. At least we won't have to listen to those people gossiping every day."

The old man lifted the thin quilt, preparing to get out of bed.

"We don't have much stuff. We'll finish packing soon enough."

Tang Chen reached out to support his grandfather.

He looked at the smile on the old man's face but did not smile along with him.

His grandfather simply did not want him to feel sad.

Over the years, no matter what happened, Tang Yuan had maintained this same optimistic attitude.

When his cultivation had been completely ruined, his grandfather had not shed a single tear.

When he learned that his son and daughter-in-law had died in battle, the old man merely locked himself in his room and sat there for an entire night.

The next morning, Tang Yuan cooked as usual for his young grandson.

In Tang Chen's memories, his grandfather had never shown weakness in front of him.

Even when old injuries tormented his body, the old man would only smile and say that it was nothing serious.

Tang Chen crouched down and looked directly into his grandfather's eyes.

"Grandpa."

"I will definitely change our fate."

"I will become strong."

"I will make everyone who looks down on us regret it."

Tang Yuan looked at his grandson before him.

The confusion that had once filled those clear eyes could no longer be found.

The old man froze for a moment, then burst into laughter.

"Good!"

"That's the spirit!"

"That's my Tang Yuan's grandson!"

Tang Yuan raised his hand and heavily patted his grandson's shoulder.

"Whatever you want to do, go ahead and do it."

"These old bones of mine can still walk with you for a while."

Tang Chen nodded earnestly.

The grandfather and grandson did not have much to pack.

A few old clothes.

Some dried medicinal herbs.

And the two identity tokens left behind by his parents.

That was everything they had accumulated during their many years in the Clear Sky Sect.

Tang Chen slung the bundle over his back, then helped his grandfather out of the small courtyard.

The two followed the familiar mountain path downward.

Along the way, they encountered several Clear Sky Sect disciples.

Those disciples merely watched them from afar. No one stepped forward to see them off.

When they reached the mountain gate, Tang Yuan stopped.

The old man turned and glanced at the mountains behind him.

He had lived here for most of his life.

To protect this place, he had endured countless life-and-death battles.

Now that he was leaving, only his grandson stood at his side.

Tang Yuan quickly withdrew his gaze.

"Let's go."

Tang Chen helped his grandfather step past the mountain gate.

His footsteps were steady.

From beginning to end, he never looked back.

On a distant cliff.

Tang Lie stood with his hands behind his back, watching the grandfather and grandson gradually disappear into the distance.

Only after the two left the bounds of the Clear Sky Sect did he raise his right hand.

A man dressed in tight black clothing stepped out from behind a boulder and stopped behind Tang Lie.

"Seventh Elder."

Tang Lie looked down the mountain.

"Although Tang Yuan's cultivation has been completely ruined, he still knows quite a few old sect secrets."

"And Tang Chen publicly said those things today."

"If we let them leave, they may damage the Clear Sky Sect's reputation outside."

The man in black lowered his head.

"What do you mean?"

Tang Lie turned around.

"You have already reached the Soul Elder realm."

"You will not make a mistake dealing with a cripple and a boy with only level-two Innate Soul Power."

"Make it clean."

"Do not leave behind any traces connected to the Clear Sky Sect."

The man in black cupped his hands in salute.

"Understood."

After speaking, he turned and headed down the mountain, quickly vanishing into the woods.

Tang Lie looked down the mountain again, his eyes utterly calm.

After leaving the Clear Sky Sect, Tang Chen did not head to the village Tang Lie had arranged for them.

That village was too close to the Clear Sky Sect.

Everything there remained under the Clear Sky Sect's control.

Since he had decided to leave, he would not continue accepting the sect's arrangements.

The grandfather and grandson followed the mountain road into the distance.

Tang Yuan's body was weak, and he could not travel for long.

After walking more than ten li, Tang Chen found a flat bluestone by the edge of the forest.

He helped his grandfather sit down, then took out a waterskin and handed it to him.

"Grandpa, let's rest here for a while first."

Tang Yuan took two sips of water.

"I'm fine."

"But you're carrying so much stuff. Aren't you tired?"

"This little bit is nothing."

Tang Chen sat down beside him.

He raised his head and looked in the direction from which they had come.

The towering peaks had already disappeared into the distant clouds, leaving only vague outlines.

They were far enough from the Clear Sky Sect now.

Tang Chen closed his eyes.

"System."

The familiar panel appeared in his mind once more.

[Please choose two from the following four Martial Souls.]

[One: Clear Sky Hammer.]

[Two: Luo Sanpao.]

[Three: Life Ancient Tree.]

[Four: Destruction Scepter.]

Tang Chen did not hesitate.

"I choose the Life Ancient Tree and the Destruction Scepter."

[Selection complete.]

[Life Ancient Tree Martial Soul awakening has begun.]

[Destruction Scepter Martial Soul awakening has begun.]

The instant the notification appeared, a rumble sounded within Tang Chen's body.

Two utterly opposing forces awakened simultaneously from the depths of his body.

The previously clear sky rapidly darkened.

Heavy clouds gathered from all directions, blocking out the sunlight.

The birds and beasts in the mountain forest collapsed to the ground, too afraid to move.

Behind Tang Chen, emerald-green light shot into the sky.

An ancient giant tree slowly appeared.

The giant tree stood a hundred zhang tall, its trunk thick and its branches and leaves blotting out the sky.

Every leaf flowed with dense vitality.

Around the bluestone, withered yellow grass became lush and green once more.

Wildflowers burst from the earth, carpeting the forest's edge in the blink of an eye.

The old injuries that had accumulated in Tang Yuan's body over many years also began to grow warm beneath the shroud of life energy.