High upon a jagged cliff, shrouded in the cold mountain mist, Feng Kail sat cross-legged atop a flat stone. He drew a deep, ragged breath, exhaling a cloud of dark, impure vapor.
"Haa... Finally, I am fully recovered."
Kail opened his eyes, the faint remnants of a dark aura flickering in his pupils before vanishing. He reached down and opened the black leather storage bag he had taken from the slain assassin. Inside, only two glowing medicinal pills remained.
"To think ordinary scouts would carry such high-grade healing pills," Kail muttered, his eyes narrowing as he pulled out a heavy, dark iron token from the bag. Carved into the metal was a single, menacing word: Yin.
"The Yin Clan..." Kail gripped the token so hard the metal groaned. "I don't know who you are. I don't know why you hunted my family. But you crossed the line. I don't care how deep your roots are or how powerful your masters are—I will make you pay for every drop of blood you spilled. From this day forward, I will show no mercy."
Kail returned to the charred ruins of his home one last time. With his bare hands, he dug two graves beneath the shade of an old willow tree. He laid his parents to rest, placing a handful of fresh wild flowers upon the fresh earth.
For the final time, Kail fell to his knees. He let his tears flow, screaming his grief into the empty sky until his throat was raw. But as the sun dipped below the horizon, he wiped his face and stood up. His eyes were no longer those of a twelve-year-old boy; they were as cold as ancient ice.
"Father, Mother... after today, I will never cry again. No matter how brutal or bloody the road ahead is, I will not falter. I will avenge you.. Goodbye."
Turning his back on his past, he walked away without looking back.
Meanwhile, in the Grand Yin Residence...
Deep within the Higher Realm, far from the desolate mortal villages, stood the sprawling fortress of the Yin Clan. It was a city within a city, guarded by a massive army of heavily armored soldiers and dozens of high-ranking cultivators whose auras rippled through the air.
In the main palace hall, Lord Yin Sheng sat lazily upon a golden throne. Three beautiful women surrounded him, feeding him spiritual grapes and laughing softly.
Suddenly, the heavy iron doors burst open. A scout rushed in, sweating profusely, and dropped to his knees. "Lord Yin Sheng! Disaster! The life tokens of the two elite soldiers sent to retrieve the Phoenix Treasure... they have shattered! They are dead!"
Yin Sheng didn't even open his eyes. He waved a dismissive, jewel-encrusted hand. "So what? Why are you making such a massive fuss over two scouts? Get out. Do not disturb my peace."
"Y-Yes, Lord Sheng!" The guard bowed frantically and scrambled out of the hall.
Once the doors closed, Yin Sheng's eyes flicked open, a glint of suspicion crossing his features. Dead? How could they die so easily in the Lower Realm? I sent them on a covert mission to eradicate the final dregs of that fallen clan. Could it be that the Feng Clan still has teeth left?
He paused, then scoffed at his own paranoia. No. Impossible. The Feng Clan was erased four hundred years ago. Even if a few rats survived, they are nothing to me. I am a master at the mid-stage of the True Emperor Realm. In the Lower Realm, I am a god.
One of the women leaned against his chest, pouting. "Darling, what are you thinking about so seriously? Ignore those peasants and focus on us."
Yin Sheng smiled, his arrogance returning in full. "You're right. I am overthinking. Let the dead rot."
A few days later, Kail arrived at a bustling marketplace in a larger neighboring town. He kept his head low, searching for any weapons or manuals. As he walked, a large, rowdy crowd gathered near the town square caught his attention.
"Have you heard?" a cultivator in the crowd whispered eagerly. "The ancient mansion of Xuan Wang is going to open in six months!"
"Xuan Wang?! The legendary cultivator who reached the Supreme Ruler Realm (Tier 8)?" another gasped. "The one who fought against the gods themselves in the ancient war?"
"Yes! It's said that before his fall, he sealed his entire inheritance, countless treasures, and a low-grade Heaven-Class Technique inside his hidden mansion. Powerhouses from all over the world are already gathering, waiting for the seal to break!"
Listening from the shadows, Kail's heart pounded. A Heaven-Class technique... A Supreme Ruler's inheritance! If I want to destroy the Yin Clan, I cannot rely on a borrowed power that destroys my body. I need that inheritance.
"Hey, young traveler!"
A sharp voice snapped Kail out of his thoughts. A shady-looking shopkeeper grabbed his arm, pulling him toward a stall filled with iron cages. "You look like you're traveling alone. A dangerous world requires a strong companion! Come, look at my beast shop. I have spiritual wolves, armored bears, even a minor drakeling! A dragon-blooded pet will protect you on your journey!"
Kail glanced around the cages, unimpressed, until his gaze locked onto a strange, dusty corner of the shop. There, resting on a bed of straw, was a bizarre, metallic-looking egg covered in faint, dual-colored scales of crimson and gold.
Suddenly, a strange vibration echoed from his waist. Inside his storage bag, the Phoenix Feather he had stolen from the Orax began to thrum violently, pulsing with an intense, burning heat.
The feather is reacting?.Kail thought, his eyes widening. There's a connection between this egg and the Phoenix!
"How much for this egg?" Kail asked, pointing at it.
The shopkeeper blinked, then grinned greedily. "Ah, a young man of culture! That is an ancient, rare beast egg. For you? Just ten gold coins."
Ten gold coins?! Kail internally panicked. I don't even have a single copper coin!
Then, he remembered the two pills in his bag. He carefully pulled one out, letting its dense, medicinal fragrance waft into the air. "I don't have gold. Will you trade for this?"
The shopkeeper's greedy smile instantly froze. He snatched the pill, his hands shaking as he examined the glowing medicinal lines on its surface. "This... this is a Tier 3 Pill! Young master, are you insane? Are you really trading this for a dead egg?"
Kail raised an eyebrow, realizing he didn't know the market value. "Is a Tier 3 pill that precious?"
"You don't know?!" The shopkeeper gasped. "Alchemical pills are divided into six strict tiers!
Tier 1 to Tier 6
"True Alchemists are incredibly rare, and barely anyone in this region can refine a Tier 3 pill! It's worth a fortune!"
Kail's mind raced. If pills are this valuable, I need to learn alchemy. It will fund my entire revenge. "How does one become an Alchemist?"
"You need rare ingredients and ancient pill-refining formulas," the shopkeeper explained, his tone suddenly respectful. "If you want formulas, the Grand Pill House is holding a massive auction in a few days. But the Royal Families will be there, and they'll outbid you in seconds. However... I know a place where a rogue cultivator like you can find a hidden alchemy legacy."
"Where?" Kail demanded.
The shopkeeper leaned in, a sly glint in his eye. "I'll give you the map, and the egg, but only if you promise to bring me back a specific item. Have you heard of the Coastal Forest? It's a death zone filled with high-level beasts. But deep within, there is a mystical pond overflowing with rich Qi energy. Legends say an ancient Alchemist died there, leaving his treasures at the bottom of the pond. Bring me his jade ledger, and the map is yours."
"Deal," Kail said without hesitation. He handed over the pill, took the scaled egg, and memorized the map.
A few hours later, Kail hid himself deep within a mountain cave to prepare. He sat cross-legged, channeling the residual energy from the marketplace atmosphere. With a soft pop inside his spiritual sea, his aura expanded.
"Finally... I've broken through to the Early Stage of 2-Star Qi Profunding."
Feeling his increased strength, Kail pulled out the mysterious egg and the Phoenix Feather. The moment the feather came within inches of the shell, a blinding crimson and golden light erupted, filling the entire cave.
Crack. Crack.
The thick shell shattered. From the ruins of the egg, a tiny, chubby creature tumbled out. It had the elegant, fiery wings and golden crest of a Phoenix, but its body was covered in sleek, unbreakable dragon scales, and it possessed the fierce talons of a true Dragon. It was a mythical hybrid—a Dragon-Phoenix.
The little creature blinked its big, golden eyes at Kail, tilted its head, and chirped in a soft, clear voice: "Mama? Mama!"
Kail stared at it, completely dumbfounded. "It can speak?! And wait... a Phoenix and a Dragon hybrid? What kind of monster are you?"
"Mama!" the little creature chirped again, hopping into Kail's lap.
Kail chuckled, his hardened heart softening just a bit. "Alright, little guy. You need a name. How about... Igneel?"
The baby beast began to jump up and down excitedly, its tiny wings flapping. "Igneel! Igneel!"
"Heh, looks like you like it."
Before Kail could react, Igneel spotted the glowing Phoenix Feather on the floor. With lightning speed, the little beast opened its mouth and swallowed the legendary treasure whole.
"Wait! No! Don't swallow that!" Kail cried, slapping his own forehead in despair. "That was my cultivation treasure!"
But the moment the feather entered Igneel's stomach, an explosion of pure, primordial fire erupted from the little beast. The cave walls began to melt. Igneel's body expanded rapidly, his feathers turning into brilliant, cascading crimson flames, his golden wings stretching wide, and his dragon claws growing sharp enough to tear through iron. In seconds, he transformed into a majestic, terrifyingly powerful divine beast.
Igneel lowered his massive, fiery head, looking at Kail with deep affection. "Mama!"
Kail sighed, rubbing his temples. "I am not your mama. Call me Kail."
"Kail! Kail!" Igneel purred, nuzzling his fiery cheek against Kail's shoulder, miraculously not burning him.
Kail smiled, then pulled out the old, rusted sword he had carried from the previous cave. "You know, when I fought those Yin Clan bastards, this sword saved my life by channeling that dark power. It's incredibly strong, but it's covered in this ancient, immovable rust."
Igneel let out a soft rumble. He opened his jaws and unleashed a stream of hyper-concentrated, golden divine fire directly onto the blade.
The ancient rust didn't just melt—it vaporized. The impurities were burned away, revealing a pristine, pitch-black blade that gleamed like the starry night sky. The sword hummed with a terrifying, bloodthirsty edge.
Kail gripped the newly restored weapon, feeling a perfect synchronization with it.
"Amazing job, Igneel," Kail said, his eyes burning with newfound resolve as he slung the sword onto his back. "The preparation is complete. Let's go to the Coastal Forest."