Chapter 1

Xiao Nuo, as a descendant of the Xiao family, it is time for you to contribute to the family."

"The young master of the Tian Gang Sword Sect needs the drop of Heavenly Phoenix Blood in your body to achieve the War Phoenix Holy Body. As long as you are willing to hand over the Heavenly Phoenix Blood, the Tian Gang Sword Sect will protect our family for three hundred years."

"Do not resist in vain. For the sake of the family, what is a small sacrifice like yours?"

"Sacrificing you, Xiao Nuo, to benefit the entire family is a blessing that we can hardly hope for, hahaha."

"Bring someone to draw the blood."

"Hisss!"

"..."

"No!"

A cold blade immediately pierced through his spine, the intense pain that penetrated his soul woke Xiao Nuo from his sleep.

"Phew!"

Xiao Nuo was drenched in sweat, breathing heavily.

"Again, this dream..."

Xiao Nuo clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging into his palms, his eyes burning with hatred and anger.

For three years, the night three years ago has become a nightmare that Xiao Nuo can never shake off.

Xiao Nuo was born into the Xiao family of "Lizard Moon City."

On the day of his birth, a strange phenomenon occurred, with a golden aura surrounding him. After examination, it was found that he had a drop of "Heavenly Phoenix Holy Blood" in his body.

With the power of the holy blood, he stood out among his peers, shining brightly, and was once the top genius of Lizard Moon City.

But three years ago...

The Tian Gang Sword Sect and the Xiao family made a deal. The sect wanted the "Heavenly Phoenix Blood" to be transferred to their young master to help him cultivate the Thousand-Year War Phoenix Holy Body.

In return, the Tian Gang Sword Sect offered the Xiao family very generous terms, even promising: as long as the Heavenly Phoenix Blood was handed over, the Tian Gang Sword Sect would protect the Xiao family for three hundred years!

The Tian Gang Sword Sect is one of the seven great cultivation holy lands in the Eastern Wasteland, a behemoth in the eyes of the world.

With the protection of the Tian Gang Sword Sect, the rise of the Xiao family was in sight.

It was because of this promise that the head of the Xiao family forcibly took the drop of "Heavenly Phoenix Blood" from Xiao Nuo.

The Tian Gang Sword Sect received the Heavenly Phoenix Blood and kept their promise, not only giving the Xiao family great benefits but also recruiting the young generation of the Xiao family into the sect for cultivation.

In recent years, the Xiao family has developed rapidly, rising to become one of the top three families in Lizard Moon City.

However, Xiao Nuo, who had his Heavenly Phoenix Blood taken, suffered severe damage to his cultivation body, falling from the heights to the depths in a single night.

The praises in his ears turned to nothing, and the once adoring crowd now looked at him with cold eyes.

Grief! Indignation! Pain! Despair!

These emotions pushed Xiao Nuo step by step into an abyss from which there was no return.

Xiao Nuo tried to seek an explanation from the Tian Gang Sword Sect, but he was either turned away or forcibly driven away, and sometimes even beaten with sticks.

Not long ago, to avoid offending the Tian Gang Sword Sect, the higher-ups of the Xiao family directly expelled Xiao Nuo from the family and erased his name from the family register.

In other words, the current Xiao Nuo does not even deserve to be called by this name.

"You trample on my body, treat me like a dog, Xiao family, Tian Gang Sword Sect... I will definitely reclaim these blood debts, I will, I will..."

Xiao Nuo's knuckles cracked, his eyes sharp like sharp thorns.

"Phew!"

Taking a deep breath, Xiao Nuo stood up. He was currently in a dangerous mountain range.

This mountain range is called the Black Insect Mountain Range.

Xiao Nuo came here to find some medicinal herbs to treat his cultivation body. He had been resting under a tree, and due to exhaustion, he fell asleep.

Three years ago, when the Heavenly Phoenix Blood was taken, Xiao Nuo also developed a chronic condition, causing his cultivation to stagnate.

And the benefits the Tian Gang Sword Sect gave to the Xiao family, Xiao Nuo did not receive any of them, so he had to find medicinal resources on his own.

"This place is getting close to the center of the Black Insect Mountain Range..."

Xiao Nuo muttered to himself and put the basket of herbs on his back.

The Black Insect Mountain Range is full of dangers. The distant mountains resemble ancient dragons, and the dense forests are like a black sea. Xiao Nuo dared not enter the center.

The path of cultivation is divided into: Body Refinement, Foundation Establishment, Qi Mastery, Spirit Connection, Marquis Sealing, King Proclamation, Grandmaster, and Emperor Ascension...

Each realm is divided into one to nine levels, with one being the lowest and nine being the highest.

Currently, Xiao Nuo is only at the fourth level of Body Refinement, capable of dealing with only low-level small beasts. Fortunately, he has been to the Black Insect Mountain Range before, so he is familiar with the routes and can avoid many dangers.

"However, today the Black Insect Mountain Range seems much quieter than before..."

Previously, whenever he came here, the depths of the Black Insect Mountain Range were very lively, with the roars of various fierce beasts echoing. But today, it is unusually quiet.

Xiao Nuo continued to move forward, planning to leave before nightfall.

However, not long after, he realized he was lost.

"I don't think I've ever been here before..."

Xiao Nuo frowned, looking around in confusion.

He had entered a dark forest, which was structured like a giant bird's nest.

Xiao Nuo felt like an ant that had fallen into it, unable to distinguish directions.

Previously, whenever he came to the Black Insect Mountain Range, he would leave marks and signs, but now he couldn't find any of them.

"This is strange, I shouldn't have gone very far..."

Xiao Nuo muttered to himself, instinctively looking up at the sky. The sky above the Black Insect Mountain Range was covered in dark clouds, with stars swirling, like a terrifying dragon.

"Is the weather changing? I need to find my way back quickly..."

Xiao Nuo quickened his pace.

A moment later, an ancient altar suddenly appeared before him.

"What is this?"

Xiao Nuo was startled.

It was an altar that had been abandoned for a long time, with a circular structure, one circle surrounding another, giving a sense of mystery.

The altar had tall stone pillars and an ancient statue.

The upper half of the statue was several dozen meters tall, and the lower half seemed to be fused with the altar.

Behind it floated a huge ring, one hand raised upward, the other reaching forward, like an ancient deity.

The altar had been eroded by wind and rain for many years, with a pitted surface, but the statue remained solemn and intact.

"This is the altar mentioned in the outside world..." Xiao Nuo murmured, his face showing surprise.

He had heard about the altar in the Black Insect Mountain Range.

A long time ago, it was said that there was a mysterious altar in the Black Insect Mountain Range, and occasionally someone would come across it.

There were also rumors that some people had obtained powerful treasures from the altar.

Others claimed to have witnessed divine miracles above the altar.

Still, others said that all the valuable things on the altar had been taken, leaving only an empty shell.

Of course, rumors are half true and half false, but seeing the altar is a matter of probability.

Xiao Nuo slowly climbed the altar and approached the statue.

"If there is really a deity here, please do not blame me. I came here unintentionally and did not mean to disturb..."

As he spoke, Xiao Nuo clasped his hands together and bowed in reverence.

Although he did not believe in deities, he was willing to show respect and awe.

At that moment...

"Hisss!"

A sharp whistling sound came, and Xiao Nuo felt intense pain throughout his body. He opened his eyes wide and looked down to see a cold arrow piercing through his chest.

As a stream of blood splattered, a mocking laugh came from behind him.

"Ha ha ha, praying to the deity? Even the deity can't save your life..."

Hearing the voice, Xiao Nuo turned around sharply.

Three young figures, full of arrogance, came into view.

"It's you..." Xiao Nuo immediately recognized them, descendants of the Xiao family, with the leader named Xiao Yi.

Xiao Yi tilted his head, laughing with disdain: "Senior Brother Xiao Yong ordered us three to take your life..."

Xiao Yong?

Hearing this name, Xiao Nuo's eyes turned extremely sharp.

Xiao Yong was the youngest son of the head of the Xiao family, almost the same age as Xiao Nuo. Before Xiao Nuo's Heavenly Phoenix Blood was taken, Xiao Yong had always been jealous of him. After the blood was taken, Xiao Yong began to take advantage of the situation.

"I have already become like this, and he still wants to target me?" Xiao Nuo, holding the bleeding wound, said angrily.

"Hehe..." The young man holding the bow and arrow beside Xiao Yi sneered: "You, a stray dog, a lowly waste, are not worth our concern. However, in three days, Senior Brother Xiao Yong will officially join the Tian Gang Sword Sect for cultivation. It's a good opportunity to get closer to the young master by getting rid of you..."

Hearing this, Xiao Nuo was filled with rage.

The Tian Gang Sword Sect and the Xiao family had already taken his Heavenly Phoenix Blood, and now they wanted his life?

Xiao Yi also mocked: "In recent years, you have been causing trouble at the Tian Gang Sword Sect every few days. The sect, for the sake of its reputation, ignored you like an ant, but you still don't know your place. To prevent your foolish actions from affecting the relationship between the family and the Tian Gang Sword Sect, you should... disappear!"

As he finished speaking, Xiao Yi lunged forward, striking Xiao Nuo with a palm.

Xiao Nuo quickly raised his palm to meet the attack.

"Bang!"

The force of the palms collided, causing a shockwave. The injured Xiao Nuo was forced to retreat, spitting blood.

Xiao Yi was a lackey of Xiao Yong, and the resources given to the Xiao family by the Tian Gang Sword Sect naturally included him. His cultivation was one level higher than Xiao Nuo, at the fifth level of Body Refinement.

Xiao Nuo's internal and external injuries worsened, and blood splattered onto the altar.

Anger, Xiao Nuo's eyes were filled with anger.

Xiao Yi laughed wildly: "Hehe, a genius turned into a dog, truly pitiful!"

The other two also stepped onto the altar.

"Don't waste words with him, kill him, and go back to report."

"Agreed."

"..."

Seeing the three ruthless and merciless figures, Xiao Nuo trembled, his heart filled with hatred and indignation.

"Am I, Xiao Nuo, going to die here today? I hate it, I am not willing, I have not reclaimed what I lost, I have not sought justice, I am not willing, I am so angry..."

Xiao Nuo's eyes turned bloodshot, and he roared to the sky.

His heart was filled with extreme sorrow.

Just as the three were about to deliver the final blow, a sudden storm of wind and thunder erupted in the sky.

"Clang!"

Xiao Yi and the others were startled. They saw the ancient statue behind Xiao Nuo suddenly emit a bright light from its eyes.

The blood that splattered onto the altar transformed into thousands of mysterious runes.

The runes formed an activated light ring, instantly surrounding Xiao Nuo.

"Rumble!"

The space trembled, the earth shook, and the ancient statue seemed to come to life. Two beams of light shot from its eyes, overlapping and enveloping Xiao Nuo...

In the next second, Xiao Nuo disappeared from the altar.

"Boom!"

The thunder continued, and Xiao Nuo fell into endless darkness.

Then, a chaotic, undifferentiated world, like a cosmic river, appeared before his eyes. In the center, surrounded by countless stars, a towering, ancient, and golden tower came into view...

"Welcome, chosen one, to... the Hong Meng Golden Tower!"