Qingshui Mountain, situated atop a towering peak on the western side of the mainland in the central Atlantic Ocean!

Legend has it that this mountain appeared during the era of desolation, the year the earth had just awakened. Looking up from the foot of the mountain, one always feels that there is no end to its height. Consequently, it came to be known as Immortal Mountain, believed to be inhabited by immortals.

As long as one holds good thoughts, the immortals will bless you with favorable winds and abundant rains in the coming year, bringing peace and prosperity to the nation.

Although it is merely an unsubstantiated rumor, the residents of Qinghai Village by the ocean firmly believe in it.

Only one person in Qinghai Village truly knows the secret of Qingshui Mountain, and that is the youngest disciple among the eighteen stars of the previous era's Wind Ling Pavilion, whom his senior martial brothers called the Eighteenth Brother.

Many years have passed since then, and many contemporary disciples have since departed.

Among the original eighteen stars, only Ling Jianghai, the Eighteenth Brother, and Ling Yizi, the senior master brother of Wind Ling Pavilion, remain.

The previous pavilion master of Wind Ling Pavilion, Ling Yeqing, was a peak powerhouse who once dominated the mainland. It is said that he had long achieved immortality and transcended even the saints.

Because of this, when Ling Yizi succeeded the position of pavilion master, the prestige of Wind Ling Pavilion immediately began to decline...

Sixty years ago!

"Senior Yizi, Master is calling for you!"

A young man reading scriptures in the study was called out by a small boy outside the window.

The boy seemed extremely anxious, almost dragging Ling Yizi out of the study, panting as if the sky was falling.

Ling Yizi felt that his junior disciple, Jianghai, was acting strange today, speaking hesitantly as if concealing something important.

"Jianghai, why did Master summon me?"

"I don't know. I've only relayed Master's message partially; the rest you'll have to discuss with him in person."

"Very well, I will go."

With that, he set down the scripture in his hands, extinguished the burning candle, and followed Jianghai to the study, where he met an elderly but well-built man.

"Well, I won't beat around the bush, Yizi... from today..."

"Master, I understand your teachings!"

Before Ling Yeqing could speak, Ling Yizi made his stance clear.

He pledged to follow every command of his master!

"Is that so? Then from today forth, Ling Yizi, obey thy Master!"

"Yes!"

Ling Yeqing, the old man, spoke intermittently, hesitating to continue.

"Today, I hereby expel you from the sect. Henceforth, you must never mention that you are a disciple of Wind Ling Pavilion and you must never reveal the cultivation methods you practiced within the sect to others, or else you shall bear the consequences!"

"...Understood, disciple will abide by Master's arrangements."

Contrary to everyone's expectations, Ling Yizi appeared particularly composed.

It was as if he was not the subject of today's judgment. Jianghai and the others could not fathom why their master was driving away their eldest senior brother.

Although they only understood the reasons behind it later, it was already too late...

On the day before Ling Yizi's departure, all the junior disciples paid their respects to him.

Some even came to express gratitude for his guidance, making his farewell day a whirlwind of emotions. The only person who remained sitting without touching his chopsticks was the master, Ling Yeqing, who was seated at a distant table!

Not a single tear fell from Ling Yizi's eyes as he bid farewell at noon the next day...

It was Ling Yeqing standing on the attic, watching the boiling scene below, and asking the other disciples next to him.

"Tell me, is what I'm doing... really right?"

Three years passed, and Ling Yizi had traveled all over the desolate mainland during these three years, witnessing the decline and fall of many empires, but also experiencing the prosperity and rebirth of many countries.

Until one day, Ling Yizi unfortunately suffered a severe injury when challenging the contemporary, even the former Demon Emperor!

Then, while fleeing, he learned that the Demon Emperor was chasing him down due to losing face. The experts from various sects gathered together to hunt Ling Yizi with all their might.

The people from the Four Pavilions naturally wouldn't easily let go of a monster who could go one-on-one against the strongest four people in the world and still escape unscathed.

Although he was defeated by the opponent, when people learned that Ling Yizi had engaged the Demon Emperor head-on, he was immediately hunted day and night by the eight patriarchs of the Eight Small Sects!

With severe injuries, he had no choice in the end.

In desperation, he could only embarrassingly escape back to Qinghai Village on the west coast.

Little did he know, another terrifying event awaited him...

Returning once again to the old site of the Peak Cloud Mountain Wind Lingge on the west coast, Ling Yizi saw his junior apprentice Jiang Hai gasping for breath, lying under a large tree, barely clinging to life.

"Master... cough, Master him!"

Ling Yizi quickly helped Jiang Hai, who was severely injured, to recover, and inquired about what had happened.

"Jiang Hai, Master... Wind Lingge...?"

Looking at the dilapidated Wind Lingge, Ling Yizi sensed that there seemed to be fighting and a ripple of energy emanating from the place, energy that only two individuals at the highest level of the Nine Realms could generate.

Although they concealed it well, ordinary Nine Realms experts might not be able to estimate it.

But Ling Yizi had already advanced to the highest level of the Nine Realms, and being only one level lower than the others, he could still perceive this slight difference with his spiritual energy.

Without thinking, Ling Yizi hurriedly rushed to the top of the Peak Cloud Mountain.

"Eight Ancient Qi Refining Great Method—Blood Refining!"

"How is this possible? How could the ancient art of refining tools appear in the present world?!"

Ling Yizi quietly suppressed his breath and then hid in the distance to observe the situation inside the pavilion.

Inside the pavilion, Ling Yeqing held the Evanescent Cloud Long Sword emitting white light, facing a person with a strange appearance, completely encased in black armor.

"Hehe, I've long heard that humans are cruel and overbearing by nature, and seeing it today confirms it!"

As soon as the words fell, the black sword in the black flame-wrapped man's hand was immediately divided into several sections, eventually dissipated into the sky.

"Ugh...!" The man in the black flame armor seemed to be surprised.

He never expected that Ling Yeqing's Evanescent Cloud Long Sword would have such extraordinary explosive power!

"Someone can actually break my Black Flame Sky Incinerating Sword, you are the second one!"

"You praise me too much, it's just that the forger of this Evanescent Cloud Long Sword was none other than me, the first-generation pavilion master of the Wind Lingge, when I achieved the level of an immortal!"

With that, Ling Yeqing revealed a mocking smile, gripped the Evanescent Cloud Long Sword tightly, and chanted words under his breath.

"Shatter the Ling Changkong, encompass the universe, Wind Lingge Sword Technique—Star Chart!"

"What?"

The man in the black armor finally felt a sense of crisis.

Only the Wind Lingge Pavilion Master could learn this ultimate secret technique, no wonder...

It was only then that Ling Yizi understood why his master, despite being troubled, insisted on sending him out of the Peak Cloud Mountain and told him not to come back.

"This... How could... Ahhh!!"

From all directions of the black flame armor, even beneath his feet!

Countless white light swords tightly packed together, immobilizing him in place.

Then, a black barrier suddenly opened, sucking him in, and before leaving, he left behind a vicious remark!

"I miscalculated, but when I am fully revived, it will be the day of humanity's destruction! Perhaps even the immortals may not be able to save you by then, hahaha!"

"Finally... gone?"

Ling Yeqing, who had been struggling tirelessly, finally collapsed to the ground under the weight of severe injuries.

"Master!!"

Ling Yizi quickly ran to Ling Yeqing, his bloodied master, and helped him up.

With tears streaming down his face, he sobbed, "Master, let me heal your wounds!"

As he tried to lift Ling Yeqing, his master grabbed his wrist and shook his head.

"Don't waste your efforts. I have been injured by the Blood Emperor's insanity, even if an immortal descends, there may not be salvation..."

"...This."

Ling Yizi then noticed that the wounds on his master's body were black and emitting dark energy, no matter how they healed, it would all be in vain!

"Yizi, I never thought I would see you in my lifetime, but... sigh!"

Ling Yeqing raised the fading Cloud-Transcending Sword with blood-stained hands.

"From this day on, you are the 98th generation chief of the Wind Pavilion..."

Exerting his last bit of strength, he passed the sword to Ling Yizi, who, upon receiving it, finally smiled with relief.

"Remember, it's not just the Wind Pavilion but the future of the entire continent that will be left to your descendants, for me... cough, I can finally go and join your senior brothers and sisters..."

Before his words could finish, Ling Yeqing's body began to float lightly and eventually turned into a bright blue light that ascended to the azure sky.

From the disaster that nearly wiped out the Wind Pavilion, only Ling Yizi and Ling Jianghai survived.

Of the remaining 350,000 disciples of the Wind Pavilion, apart from Ling Jianghai who fled and Ling Yizi who was expelled by the sect, none survived...

The next day, the empty pavilion no longer had anyone around, only the dusty tables and chairs that hinted at previous occupancy.

"There were people here just recently..."

"Senior brother, I have used spells to bury the bodies of our brothers. Now..."

"I am leaving the West Coast, there is no meaning for me to stay here!"

After organizing the various scriptures and martial arts techniques left by his master, Ling Yizi prepared to leave the Peak Cloud Mountain, a place that once abandoned him but now sought his help.

Regardless of Jianghai's persuasion, his mind was made up.

"Jianghai, I must leave, and if you wish, you can come with me."

"No, I cannot leave the West Coast..."

Jianghai rejected Ling Yizi's invitation and chose to stay.

"This place holds memories for me, I don't want to leave it... Besides, don't I still have my master and others to accompany me?"

With a bitter smile, he turned to Ling Yizi.

During the disaster, his cowardice led him to abandon his fellow disciples, opting to run away, so now he didn't want to cause trouble for anyone else!

Seeing Ling Yizi's firm attitude, he had no choice but to give up.

Before leaving, he admonished with a single sentence, saying, "Remember, always protect your own life no matter what, after all, we are the last disciples of the Fengling Pavillion!"