Translator – Misty

Chapter 1: Awakening

At the end of the ancient era, a cataclysmic disaster descended upon the heavens, leading to the fall of countless immortals and demons, all perishing in this calamity.

Not only were the heavens in chaos, but even the Three Thousand Mortal Realms were affected to various degrees, many areas turning into desolate lands.

Despite many years passing since the disaster, the spiritual energy between heaven and earth gradually recovered. However, some places remained barren, including the Crimson Flame Ridge in the ‘Cangxuan’ Mortal Realm’s northwest territory.

Crimson Flame Ridge, also known as the King’s Burial Ridge, was rumored to be the final resting place of the legendary Emperor Nine Serenites of the ancient era, who was a figure of awe among immortals and demons during the cataclysm.

Of course, legends are just that – legends. No one had witnessed them firsthand, and few took them seriously. After all, there have been thousands of rumored resting places of the Emperor Nine Serenites over the years.

The Crimson Flame Ridge was a vast wilderness with mud pits, marshes, valleys, and a barren desert at its center.

On this day, under the scorching midday sun, the desert shimmered like grains of gold under the sunlight.

Suddenly, a mysterious purple flame ignited. Initially weak, it quickly grew, spreading rapidly and engulfing the surrounding desert in a massive inferno of purple flames.

After an unknown period, the purple sea of fire gradually subsided and weakened until it mysteriously extinguished. The desert remained barren, but now, a young man appeared amidst the sands.

He was a disheveled young man in his early twenties, with messy hair, tattered robes, and bloodstains on his body, as if he had just survived a life-and-death battle.

He laid quietly in the desert, surrounded by faint purple flames. These flames flickered like mysterious runes under the harsh sunlight, wavering, blurring, twisting, and dissipating…

As the rune-like purple flames extinguished one by one, the young man’s fingers twitched slightly, and his eyes gradually opened. Perhaps due to a long coma or the intense sunlight, he initially struggled to keep his eyes open.

After a while, he opened his eyes again, revealing a tranquil gaze that seemed as deep as an abyss, filled with confusion.

“I’m alive… Gu Qingfeng is still alive…”

The young man, Gu Qingfeng, also known as the Emperor of Nine Serenities to the world, looked weak and disoriented. Shaking his dizzy head, he raised it, his pale face displaying a bewildered and lost expression…

“Why am I still alive… Has the calamity… ended?”

Closing his eyes, he vividly remembered the catastrophe – the sky collapsing, the earth cracking, the sun and moon disappearing, mixed with endless divine judgments punishing all sins between heaven and earth.

As one who had slain immortals and demons and once ascended the unparalleled throne of both realms, Gu Qingfeng was branded a sinner, a primary target of the divine judgment.

During the catastrophe, the judgment of the Heavenly Dao descended. Gu Qingfeng’s foundational Dao was destroyed, his throne of Immortals and Demons usurped, and the emperor’s seat of the Nine Serenities” extinguished. His cultivation was shattered. His achievements, accumulated over a lifetime, were eradicated by the divine judgment, leaving him with nothing but his mortal flesh.

But how is he alive?

Could it be that the heavens, having taken everything from him, pitied him and spared his life?

No!

Impossible!

The Dao is heartless, and the heavens even more so. To think that the heavens pitied him was something Gu Qingfeng would never believe.

But why was he still alive?

Huh?

… mysticnovel.com …

While pondering, Gu Qingfeng noticed a bone jade pendant around his neck. The jade, the size of a thumb, looked less like jade and more like ancient wood or bone.

He had found this item in an ancient Buddhist site and had worn it ever since. During the catastrophe, all his powerful treasures were destroyed, yet this piece of tranquil bone jade alone was preserved.

“The tranquil bone jade… It must be the tranquil bone jade…”

“Only this Bone Jade could have possibly saved my life…”

Gu Qingfeng had studied this Bone Jade his whole life without understanding its true nature. Now, as to why he was still alive, he was too tired to ponder.

Looking at the surrounding desert and then at the blazing sun, he realized he had survived the terrifying catastrophe…

“The cataclysm has ended… ended…”

Gu Qingfeng slowly stood up, sighing helplessly.

“Fighting against men, immortals, and demons, in the end, I couldn’t defy the heavens…” This was his greatest realization after surviving the cataclysm. His stern face expressed complex emotions as he murmured, “Regardless, it’s good to be alive… As long as I’m alive, there’s hope…”

As long as one is alive, there’s hope…

Lost cultivation can be rebuilt, a shattered Dao foundation can be reestablished, lost thrones can be reclaimed, everything can start anew…

Gu Qingfeng was fearless, never afraid. If he had been, he wouldn’t have defied the heavens and ascended both the immortal and demonic thrones, nor would he have claimed the Emperor of Nine Serenities title, which the heavens always viewed as a thorn in their side.

Staring at the sun in the sky, he laughed scornfully, proudly saying, “Heavens, heh… Even though you’ve taken everything from me and reduced me to a mortal flesh, one day, I’ll return and reclaim tenfold what you took…”

Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, he continued forward.

He didn’t know how long the cataclysm had lasted, or where he was.

Crossing the desert, he entered a rugged wilderness. The environment was terrible, lacking not only spiritual energy but even fresh air, and filled with ferocious beasts. Fortunately, Gu Qingfeng’s body had been tempered by the ancestral fire of Nine Serenities, making every hair, skin, bone, meridian, and internal organ extraordinary.

Even though his cultivation was utterly dissipated by the divine judgment, his physical strength alone was enough to destroy mountains. The only regret was that, despite his immense strength, he had to rely on his legs for travel. With no trace of spiritual power in his body, he couldn’t even perform light body techniques, let alone fly.

The most important thing was that he had just awakened, his soul extremely weak, and his spirit tired. He needed to find a place rich in spiritual energy to recuperate.

As he wandered aimlessly, the more he walked, the more familiar the place seemed, despite its desolation. He couldn’t help but feel a sense of familiarity.

“Could this be Crimson Flame Ridge…?”

Crimson Flame Ridge was where Gu Qingfeng practiced in his youth, where he grew up, and where he first made a name for himself in this world. It held all the memories of his early cultivation years.

Reflecting on the cataclysm, he remembered how the Heavenly Dao’s judgment had left him in an uncertain state, neither fully human nor a spirit. He quickly returned to his homeland in the Cangxuan World, believing that if he were to die, it should be where his life started. Crimson Flame Ridge, the place of his birth, upbringing, and the start of his cultivation journey, was that very place.

Realizing this, Gu Qingfeng’s heart skipped a beat, murmuring, “I remember now, this really is Crimson Flame Ridge…” Looking at the wilderness, he felt a complex mix of emotions, wondering if the cataclysm had destroyed Crimson Flame Ridge.

Sighing, he continued walking until he came upon a vast, ancient cemetery at the foot of the mountains. The cemetery seemed old and somewhat dilapidated, with some buildings even broken. Many people were entering and exiting, gathering around a central monument, seemingly paying homage.

The monument was tall, majestic as a mountain peak, with a poem carved upon it:

A prodigious talent once, Gu Tianlang,
Under Crimson Flame Ridge, his fame sprang.

On the path of mad demons, he laid immortals to rest,
With his defiant laughter the eight desolations were shook.

A symphony of judgment caused the world’s sorrow,
Vanquished the king and ushered a new tomorrow.

When Gu Qingfeng entered the cemetery and saw the inscription, he was stunned because Gu Tianlang was his real name, the name known in the Mortal Realm, while the King of Crimson Heavens was the name he once held in his quest for the throne of the Immortal Dao.

“This is my cemetery?”

Gu Qingfeng never expected to find his own cemetery here. He was so surprised that he stood before the monument speechless for a long time.

“Who would have thought that after so many years, people in this Mortal Realm still remember the name Gu Tianlang…”

His path of cultivation had been extremely tumultuous, judged by the paths of immortals, demons, and heavens, rising and falling thrice. Gu Tianlang was his real name, carrying the countless wild years of his youth. During his time in the Mortal Realm, he experienced both glory and obscurity – revered by all during his peak and ignored like dust during his lows.

Leaving the Mortal Realm, he decided to forget everything, changing his name upon ascending to the heavens, never using his real name again.

“When I was young and reckless, I offended many and was judged by the immortal Dao. Who would have thought someone would honor me like this, building a cemetery for me in my hometown of Crimson Flame Ridge.”

Standing beside the monument, watching the people – some praying, some paying tribute, others lamenting or simply visiting – Gu Qingfeng felt a sense of disconnection. He didn’t recognize anyone. Among them, some were praying, others paying homage, and still others seemed to be there simply to visit the site. Two women, in particular, caught his attention.

One, a ravishing beauty in a red dress, exuded a mature charm. The other, a young girl, about eighteen or nineteen years old, tall and delicate in features, wore a white military outfit, appearing spirited and valiant. Entering the cemetery, the girl looked around with a tinge of sadness and remarked, “Auntie, it seems like fewer and fewer people are coming to pay respects… even less than a month ago.”

The stunning woman sighed softly, observing the visitors, “After the great calamity, as the ancient era ended and a hundred years have passed, numerous talents have emerged like bamboo shoots after a rain, each creating their own legends. How many now remember the once-immortal glory of the King of the Crimson Heavens?”

“The young ones today are unbearably arrogant. Any with a modicum of talent act high and mighty as if they wish the whole world to know their name. Some even audaciously compare themselves to the King of the Crimson Heavens… Ridiculous.”

Her eyes, filled with admiration and reverence, lingered on the monument,

“Back then, on the Stairway to Heaven, the King’s audacity was unmatched!”
“Alone, he charged into the Mountain of Myriad Demons, pointing his sword at the Black Mountain Old Demon, such commanding presence!”
“Single-handedly he fought against the masters of various sects, his arrogance knew no bounds.”
“His laughter echoed across the heavens as he dominated the Immortal Court, such was his tyranny!”
“For his brothers, he spilled the sea of blood across the desolations, such madness!”
“For his beloved, he split the heavens with a single slash, such was his profound love!”

“Those who didn’t live through that era can never understand the awe-inspiring existence that was the King of the Crimson Heavens…”

“Auntie, you weren’t from that era either, right?”

“You cheeky girl, your aunt grew up listening to the legendary tales of the King…”

(End of Chapter)