On the Dragon Realm, countless ages ago, dragons reigned supreme. Now, they’ve long since ascended to the heavens, leaving behind only stories. Still, people here proudly call themselves descendants of dragons.
Here, martial power is everything.
Those who master the path can split seas and shift mountains. The truly gifted? They defy fate, chase immortality.
The land's full of sects, kingdoms scattered like stars. In these mighty lands, legends are carved deep into history by warriors whose names still stir awe.
...
Tianluo Nation, Qingzhou, Tianlong City – the peaks of Qingya Mountain.
At this moment, atop Wuliang Peak, a young man was scrambling up a cliff, clutching a freshly picked Xuan-grade spiritual herb close to his chest. He’d waited all night in a cave for it.
His chest bore a bite wound from a first-grade spirit beast—the Blood Serpent. Small wound, but deadly venom. Still, what mattered most to him now was delivering this herb to the girl he loved. Dealing with the poison could wait.
He had promised her a surprise this morning. Dawn had broken—she should be here soon.
...
“Ethan?” A familiar voice called just as he reached the top.
“Laura!” Ethan Forrest, battered and breathless, smiled and rushed over.
Standing near the cliff’s edge, dressed in white, was Laura Rivers—elegant, graceful—just as he remembered. He hid his bloodied chest quickly, his heart lightened just by seeing her.
“I knew you'd come,” he said, eyes filled with joy.
“What is it? Why bring me here so early?” Laura frowned, clearly impatient.
Ethan didn’t notice her cold tone. Beaming, he pulled out the still-warm fruit—the Xisun Fruit—and offered it to her.
“It’s a Xuan-grade Xisun Fruit! With this, you might break through to the fourth rank of Qi Training.”
Laura's expression shifted the moment her eyes met the fruit. So that’s what his ‘surprise’ was. All that mystery last night—he was risking his life for this.
Ethan had talent, no doubt. But Laura… she lacked it. That’s why he’d pushed himself to get her this fruit.
Now, seeing the blood-stained robes on his chest, she understood it all. Still, she made no move to take the herb. Just stood there, quietly looking at him.“Laura, take it. I picked this for you.” Ethan Forrest held out the Xisui Fruit, but she just stood there, saying nothing. His brows furrowed. “What’s wrong?”
“A mere Xuan-grade herb, and you think that’s enough to buy my woman?”
A voice cut through the air. Dressed in fine robes, Lucas Raynor stepped out from the trees, gaze cold and mocking.
Tall, sharp-featured, and clearly of noble blood—just one glance and you knew he came from a world above.
Something about him rang familiar. Ethan stared, then his eyes widened. “Lucas Raynor... the Little Prince!”
Indeed. In Tianluo, the royals all bore the surname Raynor. Each major city had a royal stationed in it—and this one was Lucas Raynor, son of Leonard Raynor, the Prince Yong’an of Tianlong City.
Lucas, Ethan, and Laura had all trained at Tianlong Academy. Though Ethan had seen him around, Lucas was already at Qi Refining stage five—a whole tier above him.
Lucas walked up and pulled Laura straight into his arms. With a smug grin, he sneered, “So the trash from the slums knows who I am. Good. I’ll spare you this once. Get lost. Don’t ruin my mood.”
Laura didn’t resist. She kept her head down as Lucas held her. That silence told Ethan everything.
He still couldn’t believe it.
She—prideful, noble Laura—had grown up with him in the slums. Why would she fall for the city’s most infamous rich brat?
Lucas was well-known for his debauchery. Ethan clenched his fists. “Laura, why? Didn’t you promise me we’d always be together?”
Lucas only laughed, tightening his hold on her. “With you? Could you get her into Qingzhou Academy? Could you help her open her Qi Sea? What future is there with you? I, on the other hand, can give her everything—resources, mentors, a path upward. You? You’ve got nothing!”
Ethan’s face drained of all color. “Tell me you’re being forced. Tell me he’s threatening you.”
Laura gently pushed Lucas away and slowly raised her head. “I’m sorry, Ethan. You can't give me what I want. But he can. Keep your Xisui Fruit. We won’t see each other again.”
Her words hit him like thunder. Ethan stumbled back, face pale as ash.
Laura frowned faintly at his look, then turned to go. She pulled Lucas with her.
“Die!”
With a roar, Ethan finally lost control—and exploded forward.“Wind Thunder Finger!” Ethan Forrest roared, his two fingers slicing through the air. A surge of fierce energy spiraled around them, and with one thrust, it shot toward Lucas Raynor like a bolt of lightning wrapped in wind.
Lucas snorted. “You’re asking for death, a mere fourth-stage Qi Practicioner thinking you can lay a finger on me?” His guard was already up. Wrapped in blazing red energy, Lucas's right fist shot forward with fifth-stage power, meeting Ethan’s finger head-on.
Boom!
The moment finger met fist, Ethan's attack shattered like brittle glass. Lucas’s fist didn’t stop there—it broke straight through and slammed hard into Ethan’s chest.
Ethan flew back like a ragdoll, crashing to the ground in a heap.
Lucas didn’t pause. In a blink, he was in front of Ethan, fists raining down hard on his chest.
“No!” Laura Rivers cried from behind, her face pale. She realized Lucas had truly meant to kill—but she was already too late to stop it.
Fist after fist smashed into Ethan. Already weakened by snake venom and far outmatched to begin with, the boy couldn't even block a single blow.
Blood sprayed out from his mouth, soaking the dirt red.
“Aaagh!” Ethan’s scream tore through the air. Panic twisted his face as he shrieked, “My... my meridians… my energy!”
Lucas wasn’t holding back. Every punch tore through Ethan's body, and his energy crushed Ethan’s meridians one by one.
Without meridians, energy had nowhere to flow. What little power he had left vanished from his body like smoke.
Teeth clenched, Ethan glared up at Lucas, pain twisting his features. “You crushed my meridians and broke my path to cultivation… You should kill me now. If I live, I’ll repay this tenfold!”
Lucas laughed coldly, like he'd just heard the funniest joke in the world—then, without warning, his smile twisted.
He stomped hard on Ethan’s abdomen.
Another scream ripped from Ethan’s throat.
“Still daring to threaten me? Fine. Let me finish this,” Lucas growled, and stomped again—this time right on Ethan’s dantian.
There was a sickening crunch.
The dantian, core of energy cultivation, was destroyed. From now on, Ethan could forget ever stepping on the path of martial arts again.
Cradling his abdomen, Ethan’s whole body trembled with pain. His voice was hoarse, yet sharp with fury. “Lucas Raynor, if I—Ethan Forrest—am still breathing, I swear I’ll tear your bones apart and burn what’s left!”Lucas Raynor burst into wild laughter, then snarled at Ethan Forrest, “What a joke. You think provoking me will make me kill you? Dream on. I’m not giving you that easy way out. I want to see how far the so-called genius of Tianlong City will fall now that your meridians are shattered and your dantian’s destroyed. Let’s see who still treats you with respect. The same people who once praised you like a god will now step on you like filth.”
His face twisted into a cruel grin. “You filthy brat. Just a piece of garbage from the slums, doesn’t even know who his parents are, and you dared to think you could stand beside me as Tianlong’s top talent?”
Lucas had held a grudge against Ethan for a long time. Both trained at Tianlong Academy, but the headmaster always sided with Ethan. Everyone in the city knew Ethan’s name. Some even called him the number one genius.
Ethan didn’t speak. He clutched his ruined dantian, lying on the ground, lifeless like a dog beaten half to death.
Lucas glanced at Laura Rivers nearby, then leaned close to Ethan’s ear, sneering, “You want to know why I’m here? I asked your girl to try something new... out in the wild. Guess what? She agreed. The goddess you worshipped, pure and proud, turned out to be just another toy of mine.”
He broke into mad laughter, then started kicking the wounded Ethan over and over.
Ethan didn’t fight back. The fists didn’t hurt as much as Lucas’ words. The mention of Laura crushed his heart completely.
“What, no words? Where’s your pride now, Tianlong’s top genius?” Lucas sneered, then gave him a vicious kick.
With one last kick, Lucas sent Ethan off the cliff.
His voice trailed after Ethan with the rushing air, “Go on, rot down there, trash. I know what you're thinking. Come find me if you can. I’ll be waiting. And don’t worry, I’ll keep that used slut around just for you...”
Lucas left with Laura, his arrogant laughter fading away with the wind until Ethan could hear it no more.
Ethan’s heart was dead. He knew how high Qingya Cliff stood. A fall like this meant certain death. But his body kept plunging down, unstoppable.
“Lucas!” Ethan clamped his teeth, rage exploding inside him. “If I survive this... I’ll tear you to pieces. And Laura Rivers... you won’t escape either!”
But then, dizziness overwhelmed him. The blood loss was taking its toll, and his mind went blurry.
He forced his head up, looked at the blood trickling from his lips, and gave a bitter smile. “So... the snake venom’s kicking in now...”
