After millions of years, Zhao Li and Alessandra had faded into mere legends—recounted in some worlds, yet completely forgotten in others. In some realms, only the name "Zhao Li" endured; in others, only "Alessandra" remained; while elsewhere, all memory of them had vanished entirely from the minds of the inhabitants.
Following countless reincarnations—numbering in the hundreds—Zhao Li and Alessandra were born anew.
This time, Alessandra was born as a saintess within the United Sect of the Righteous, in a world entirely different from the one where she had first appeared. The same held true for Zhao Li; sometimes they would be born into the same world, while at other times, they would emerge in separate, distinct realms.
Yet, regardless of the circumstances, fate would always bring them together.
***
On a mountain with towering, jagged peaks sat a man with long, coal-black hair tied back in a ponytail, and eyes as dark as the deepest void.
This man was Zhao Li—also known as Feng Li Wu, and revered by the title "Venerable of Great Chaos."
He sat cross-legged in a meditative posture, gazing out at the mountain ranges that stretched toward the horizon.
"Beautiful... The Qi Bao Mountains are truly beautiful at this time of year."
His tone, however, was devoid of any genuine admiration.
"Feng Li Wu! You despicable wretch—what kind of nonsense are you spouting?!"
The speaker was an elderly man, surrounded by a large crowd of people. There were eight individuals present at the eighth stage of Early Immortality, along with three hundred others ranging between the fourth and sixth stages. Of these, no more than 123 had reached the sixth stage, while the rest were distributed across the fourth and fifth stages.
Feng Li Wu turned his gaze toward the man who had spoken, his expression remaining entirely indifferent.
"Zhang Su, Sect Master of the Joyous Heaven Sect; Yu Bai Yun, Sect Master of the Divine Swallow Sect; Long Li Fu, Sect Master of the Sect of Righteousness; and Yang Yi Yang, Sect Master of the Yang Mountain Sect... so, you are all here. Truly impressive."
His tone was marked by apathy, underscored by a clear note of mockery.
He then shifted his gaze toward several others—individuals whose power level matched that of the four sect masters—and a cold, joyless smile spread across his face.
"And you've brought guests along, too. Zuo Li Yong of the Chang Yu Sect, Zhong Gu of the Emerald Phoenix Sect, Su Hu Li of the Zi Yu Dragon Sect, and Master Yan Shi of the Northern Cang Li Clan... how pathetic! A collection of trash, accompanied by even filthier trash. Get lost! I have no desire to crush every single insect that happens to cross my path."
His voice was as cold as frost. With a dismissive wave of his hand, he shooed them away—as if they were nothing more than a swarm of annoying flies disturbing his peace. The faces of everyone present flushed deep red with rage.
Zhang Su, the leader of the Joyous Heaven Sect—the very elder who had spoken earlier—stepped forward and declared in an infuriated tone:
"How dare a wretch like you—a pile of filth masquerading as a human—address us with such insolence? Accept your fate and surrender!"
His voice was thick with overwhelming fury. Yang Yiyang, leader of the Yang Mountain Sect, followed up:
"Feng Liwu, there is nowhere left for you to run. Just surrender, and we shall ensure your death is a painless one."
Yang Yiyang's tone was cold, laced with a hint of mockery.
Yet, Feng Liwu's expression remained unchanged; he continued to ignore them entirely, as if they did not even exist.
"Are you finished with your prattle? If so, then get lost—just as I said before. I have no desire to crush every single insect that crosses my path. Shoo, shoo! Get out of here! The Qi Bao Mountains are beautiful this time of year, and I intend to enjoy the scenery—but your incessant chatter is ruining it."
His voice was heavy with disdain.
The faces of those present contorted with rage, but before any of them could utter a word, Feng Liwu—interrupting the dark thoughts they were harboring, which ranged from countless ways to dismember him to torturing him to death—spoke again:
"If Zhao Li were still alive, I wonder how he would react upon seeing your wretched, rotting faces?" His tone was serious, devoid of any jest, as he plucked a fruit from a tree beside him—seemingly indifferent to their very presence.
The expressions of the eight leaders shifted into ones of arrogance and conceit. Speaking in unison, with absolute confidence, they declared:
"He would be proud to have us as his descendants—and he would surely wish for your death the moment he saw scum like you among his kin!"
The killers—members of the four sects and clans—erupted in cheers, emboldened by the words of their eight masters, all of whom had reached the eighth stage of the Early Immortality realm.
Yet, none of them realized that the very man whose lineage they boasted of was standing right before them.
It was none other than Zhao Li himself, reincarnated under the name Feng Li Wu.
Ignoring the clamor of the crowd—dismissing them as nothing more than annoying, buzzing flies—Feng Li Wu rose to his feet. He brushed the dust from his clothes, while an overwhelming, domineering black aura began to radiate from his body.
His pupils transformed into those of a demon as he fixed his gaze upon the sect leaders and their entourage.
A mocking smile curled across Feng Li Wu's lips. Meanwhile, the expressions of the others shifted to anxiety; sweat began to pour down their faces, forced out by the crushing pressure of the aura he had unleashed.
"Wrong. He would feel only shame and disgrace that you are his descendants—or, to be more precise, *my* descendants." As soon as he finished speaking, a wave of dark, violet energy manifested as a colossal sphere, obliterating everything in its path.
The sphere's velocity—surpassing even the speed of light—wiped away everything in its wake. In an instant, the sect leaders and their followers were erased entirely; they did not even have time to scream before they were wiped out of existence.
Once the ethereal wave had dissipated, nothing remained of the Qi Bao Mountains—which had once stretched toward the horizon—save for a perfectly smooth surface, so polished that one could see their own reflection upon it.
Feng Li Wu's expression remained cold and devoid of any emotion as he gazed at the spot where the mountains had once stood.Qi Bao, moments ago.
"They boast and act with such arrogance, as if they were the masters of this realm—yet, in the end, not even a trace of their souls remains in this world. How simplistic human thinking is! How incredibly superficial!"
His tone was cold, devoid of any emotion.
Casting one last glance at the site once known as the Qi Bao Mountains, he departed as if nothing had ever happened.
***
Within a beautiful garden belonging to the United Righteous Sect—an alliance founded by four major righteous sects: the Xuan Sect, the Mount Hua Sect, the Starry Heavens Sect, and the Great Buddha Sect—the organization's primary purpose was to counter the Demonic Sects in general, and the followers of the Demonic Path in particular.
The sect was led by Kong Yu Shui, a Ninth-Rank Immortal Master—or, more accurately, a transcendent being.
In one of the sect's gardens, a beautiful woman with white hair styled into a bun and large, violet eyes could be seen.
Dressed in a loose, white *hanfu*, she tended to the plants.
This woman was Alessandra—or, in her current life, Xiao Qing.
She hummed a folk melody while watering the plants, a charming smile gracing her face.
Suddenly, a young woman, appearing to be about eighteen years of age, approached Xiao Qing with hurried steps.
"Saintess... Saintess!" Her voice sounded exhausted as she leaned against a nearby bamboo pillar, struggling to catch her breath.
"What is it, Kong Myeong-hee? Why are you panting like this? Is there something important you wish to tell me?"
Xiao Qing's tone was calm, giving her the air of a sage or a noble saintess.
"S... Saintess Xiao Qing, I have something important to tell you! Haa... haa... haa..."
Myeong-hee spoke with great difficulty, which left Xiao Qing wondering what could be so urgent that Myeong-hee insisted on sharing it despite her current state.
Observing Myeong-hee's condition—which was hardly befitting the daughter of the leader of the United Righteous Sect—Xiao Qing realized that the matter must be of extreme importance.
She channeled a wave of ethereal energy toward Myeong-hee, causing the latter's body to glow with a golden light.
Myeong-hee's eyes widened in astonishment; she stared at her own body in utter bewilderment before the golden glow faded away after a few seconds.
Her condition improved, and color returned to her face, which had grown pale from all the running.
Myeong-hee's expression filled with admiration as she looked at Xiao Qing.
"Saintess Xiao Qing, you truly deserve your title—in every sense!"
Her voice was imbued with deep respect, appreciation, and sincere admiration. A faint laugh escaped Xiao Qing's crimson lips. She cast a sidelong glance at Myeong-hee before returning her attention to the garden, waiting for the other woman to reveal the reason for her visit.
"Why were you in such a rush—running all the way here from the sect's central palace? Is there something important you need to discuss?"
Her tone remained calm, and her expression did not waver; she maintained her captivating smile.
Kong Myeong-hee felt a wave of embarrassment upon hearing Xiao Qing's words. In her awe of Xiao Qing's abilities, she had completely forgotten the very reason she had come.
"Saintess, I apologize! I came to tell you about the catastrophe at the Qi Bao Mountains!"
Her voice carried a mix of shame over her earlier behavior and the dread she felt whenever she recalled what she had heard about that disaster.
Xiao Qing turned her gaze toward Myeong-hee, feigning surprise—though, in truth, she was fully aware of what had transpired at the Qi Bao Mountains, as she held absolute authority within this world.
Nevertheless, she decided to play along.
"What happened at the Qi Bao Mountains? I have been in seclusion for several months, only emerging two days ago, so I haven't been kept up to date on recent news or events."
"Since you aren't aware, I shall tell you. During the catastrophe, the leaders of the following sects were present: Zhang Su, head of the Joyous Heaven Sect, and Yu Bai-yun, head of the Divine Swallow Sect..." Long Li Fu, leader of the Righteous Sect, and Yang Yi Yang, leader of the Yang Mountain Sect, were present, accompanied by an elite group of their disciples. Also in attendance were Zuo Li Yong of the Chang Yu Sect, Zhong Gu of the Emerald Phoenix Sect, Su Hu Li of the Zi Yu Dragon Sect, and Master Yan Xi of the Northern Cang Li Clan.
They had all come to witness the defeat of the Venerable of Great Chaos, Feng Li Wu—but then..."
Myung Hee's expression darkened, her face contorted with terror and dread. After a few seconds, she continued, her voice thick with fear and awe:
"They were all killed! Not a trace of them remains. Even the Qi Bao Mountains—which spanned thousands of kilometers—have been wiped from existence, as if they had never been there at all. All that's left is a surface so perfectly smooth that it reflects the sky, stretching for thousands of kilometers toward the horizon and beyond.
But what is truly terrifying is that Master Li Yao Li—who has reached the ninth rank, the Cosmic Master realm—could not even find a trace of their souls!"
Xiao Qing's expression shifted slightly, a flicker of unease crossing her features as she mused to herself:
"Feng Li Wu, what is it that you are truly aiming for? Wait a moment... he erased the Qi Bao Mountains? ...So that's how it is. Very well—that's fine." Xiao Qing then turned her gaze toward Myeong-hee, her expression a blend of composure and seriousness.
"I require information on Zhang Su, leader of the Joyous Heaven Sect; Yu Bai-yun, leader of the Divine Swallow Sect; Long Li-fu, leader of the Sect of Righteousness; and Yang Yi-yang, leader of the Yang Mountain Sect. I also need details on Zhu Li-yong of the Chang-yu Sect, Zhong Gu of the Emerald Phoenix Sect, Su Hu-li of the Zi-yu Dragon Sect, and Master Yan Xi of the Northern Cang-li Clan.
I want comprehensive information about them, their respective sects, and the Cang-li Clan as well. Ensure that no detail is overlooked. I shall provide a substantial reward for this task. Here—this document contains the specifics of the mission and the steps for its execution."
Xiao Qing's tone was sharp and brooked no argument as she handed Myeong-hee a sheet of paper, which she had fashioned using her own internal *qi* energy.
Myeong-hee looked at Xiao Qing with a sense of surprise, yet she accepted the paper without asking for an explanation."Very well, Saintess. I shall instruct Ze Yao Mei—the head of our sect's intelligence division—to gather information regarding those sects and the Kang Li clan."
Myung's tone was imbued with deep respect. Despite being the youngest daughter of Kong Yu Shui—the leader of the United Righteous Sects, a ninth-rank Immortal Master, and a truly exalted figure—she held Xiao Qing in the highest regard.
Xiao Qing was revered as the guardian angel of the righteous sects and was known as the "Saintess of Sacred Creation." She stood as the most formidable individual within the Righteous Path.
Conversely, Feng Li Wu—titled the "Venerable of Great Chaos"—reigned as the most powerful figure within the Demonic Path.