Chapter 1

Qingcheng, Ye Family, Ancestral Shrine. "Honoured ancestors above, Ye Fan is without talent, without virtue... From this moment forth, he is stripped of his title as heir, and Ye Lang shall succeed him." The speaker was an elderly man clad in black robes. Not far behind him stood a young man, the corners of his lips curled into a faint smile. This was Ye Lang. On either side of them stood the elders of the Ye Family. "Why?" Just then, a timid voice suddenly rang out within the ancestral shrine. Everyone turned to look—a young girl stood at the entrance. She appeared to be around twelve or thirteen years old, her small hands tightly gripping the hem of her dress. Her face was pale with a sickly hue, and she looked weak, a trace of fear in her eyes. This girl was Ye Ling, Ye Fan’s younger sister. Upon hearing that the family was stripping Ye Fan of his title, she had rushed over despite her illness. The elder in black robes frowned. "Ye Ling, what do you think you are doing?" Ye Ling gave a small bow to everyone in the shrine, her voice trembling. "Great Elder, my brother Ye Fan is the rightful heir. Why are you stripping him of his title without cause?" The Great Elder shot her a cold glance. "This is a family matter. It is not your place to interfere. Leave at once!" Ye Ling was clearly frightened, unable to meet the Great Elder’s gaze, yet she did not retreat. Instead, she mustered her courage and stepped into the shrine. Once again, she bowed to the elders. "Honoured elders, my brother is currently in the southern mountains, risking his life to secure the mining rights from the Li family. His fate is uncertain, yet the family chooses to depose him with baseless accusations. This is unjust!" "Impudent!" The Great Elder suddenly roared, "It is not for a mere girl like you to decide whether he is deposed or not! Guards, take her away!" At that moment, Ye Lang, the newly appointed heir, let out a chuckle. "She should be caned thirty times to serve as a warning to others." The Great Elder nodded coldly. "Then cane her thirty times." Two Ye family guards quickly entered the shrine. Ye Ling clenched her fists tightly, her voice shaking with anger. "Unfair… My brother has fought and bled for the family for years, even now he is risking his life for the Ye Family. Yet you treat him like this… It is unjust!" One of the guards glanced at Ye Lang, recognising an opportunity to prove his loyalty. The guard sneered. "Young Master Ye Lang’s succession is supported by all. What are you shouting about?" With that, he raised a hand and slapped Ye Ling across the face. Smack! A sharp slap echoed through the shrine. Ye Ling’s right cheek immediately swelled, but she did not cry. She merely clutched her face, her small body trembling. Ye Lang glanced at the guard and smiled. "What is your name?" The guard immediately bowed. "This servant is Zhang Mu. Greetings, Young Master." Ye Lang nodded. "You are quite capable. As heir, I require ten personal guards. From today, you shall be one of them." Hearing this, Zhang Mu was overjoyed and bowed deeply. "This servant is willing to go through fire and water for the Young Master, without hesitation!" Ye Lang nodded slightly. "Take her away. She has disturbed the shrine—do not hold back. Understood?" Zhang Mu glanced at Ye Lang. Seeing the murderous intent in his eyes, he understood immediately. He grabbed Ye Ling by the hair and began dragging her out. Just then, Zhang Mu suddenly froze, his eyes widening in shock at something outside the shrine. Everyone inside turned to look. Not far from the entrance, a young man was striding towards the ancestral shrine. His long robe was tattered and covered in blood. It was Ye Fan, returning from the southern mountains! Seeing Ye Fan, Ye Lang’s smile turned cold. The elders in the shrine frowned deeply. The Great Elder narrowed his eyes, his expression dark and unreadable. From a distance, Ye Fan saw Zhang Mu dragging Ye Ling. His expression twisted in fury. "Who gave you the dog’s courage to lay a hand on my sister?" Zhang Mu’s face instantly changed. He turned to look at Ye Lang, about to speak— But in that moment, Ye Fan moved like a tiger, leaping towards him. Before Zhang Mu could react, Ye Fan’s fist crashed into his face. Boom! Zhang Mu’s vision blurred as he stumbled backwards. But Ye Fan did not stop. He charged at Zhang Mu again. Inside the shrine, Ye Lang suddenly shouted in anger, "Ye Fan, he is my man! How dare you—" Ye Fan’s foot stomped down on Zhang Mu’s chest. Thud! Zhang Mu spat out a mouthful of blood. Seeing this, Ye Lang’s expression darkened, while Ye Fan raised his head to glare at him. His voice was laced with fury. "Your man?" With that, he viciously stomped down on Zhang Mu’s face. Blood splattered as Zhang Mu let out a wretched scream. "Young Master, save me...!" Ye Fan ignored his pleas and instead turned to Ye Ling. Seeing her swollen face, his heart twisted in pain. His hands clenched into fists, his entire body trembling with rage. When Ye Ling saw Ye Fan, tears streamed down her face. "Brother… it hurts… so much…" At her words, Ye Fan’s expression turned savage. The next moment, he turned and slammed his foot into Zhang Mu’s head. Boom! Zhang Mu’s skull shattered against the stone steps, blood splattering everywhere. Everyone in the shrine was stunned. But Ye Fan was not done. He turned his gaze to Ye Lang and snarled, "You dared to touch my sister? Damn your ancestors!" With that, he lunged at Ye Lang. The Great Elder’s face changed drastically. "Insolence!" He stamped his foot, his body flashing forward as his palm struck towards Ye Fan. The force of the palm carried a sharp wind, slicing through the air. Ye Fan’s lips curled into a ferocious grin. His right hand clenched into a fist—his sleeve instantly tore apart from the force. The next moment, he threw a punch directly at the Great Elder’s palm. Boom! Fist and palm collided, sending shockwaves through the shrine. Ye Fan staggered back to the doorway, while the Great Elder was forced back several steps. Everyone in the hall was shocked. In Qingzhou, martial artists were ranked: First Rank - Body Tempering, Second Rank - Strength Training, Third Rank - Internal Reinforcement, Fourth Rank - Dual Cultivation, Fifth Rank - Unending Flow, Sixth Rank - Qi Transformation, and beyond that was the Airborne Realm. The Great Elder was an Airborne Realm expert, whereas Ye Fan was only at the Fifth Rank. A gap of two entire realms—yet he had only been slightly pushed back! The Great Elder’s heart pounded. He knew Ye Fan was talented, the family had raised him as the heir, and he had fought countless battles for them. But he had not expected Ye Fan to have grown this powerful! He had grown too strong! The Great Elder’s eyes darkened with murderous intent. He glared at Ye Fan. "Ye Fan, you dare attack the heir in public?" Ye Fan frowned. "The heir?" The Great Elder sneered. "Ye Fan, you may not know this yet. You have been stripped of your title. From this moment forth, Ye Lang is the heir to the Ye Family!" Ye Fan’s eyes narrowed. "I’ve been stripped of my title?" The Great Elder said coldly, "This was a unanimous decision by the elders." Ye Fan let out a chilling laugh. "I fought and bled for the family, yet you conspired to strip me of my title while I was away?" The Great Elder smirked and pointed at Ye Lang. "Do you know who he is?" Before Ye Fan could answer, the elder continued, "Ye Lang is a Chosen One—he has just awakened his destiny!" Ye Fan was stunned. A Chosen One? What did that mean? The so called Chosen One… In the vast realm of Qingcang, there exists a rare group of individuals. In their youth, they may seem ordinary, but one day, they suddenly "awaken." From that moment on, they become entirely different people—cultivating at an astonishing pace and encountering endless fortuitous events. It is as if the heavens themselves favour them! Qingcang is divided into three continents. Ye Fan resides in Qingzhou, a region with hundreds of kingdoms. He is currently in the Jiang Kingdom. Over the past few decades, fewer than ten chosen ones have emerged in Jiang, yet each of them has eventually risen to prominence. Ye Fan clenched his fists slowly. He knew—the Ye family had decided to abandon him. Not only abandon him but possibly even kill him! At that moment, Ye Lang suddenly chuckled, "Elders, this Ye Fan killed someone in public and even attacked the Grand Elder. According to clan law, how should he be punished?" All eyes turned to Ye Lang. He sneered, "By clan law, shouldn't he be executed by beating?" The elders in the hall nodded in agreement. After all, Ye Lang was a chosen one and also the direct grandson of the Grand Elder. None of them would dare to offend him. The Grand Elder cast a cold glance at Ye Fan and ordered, "Guards!" Immediately, dozens of Ye family guards appeared outside the ancestral hall. At that moment, Ye Fan suddenly spoke, "In the Ye family, there is a rule: to command respect, the heir must accept any challenge from the younger generation." He then locked eyes with Ye Lang. "I challenge you!" Ye Lang narrowed his eyes and smirked, "A challenge? Very well. But we fight on the Life-and-Death Platform. Do you dare?" Life-and-Death Platform! The hall erupted in murmurs. Within the Ye family, when internal conflicts could not be resolved, they were settled on the Life-and-Death Platform. Once on that stage, life and death were left to fate! Ye Fan sneered, "Let's go, then!" Ye Lang, however, shook his head. "One month from now. We will fight when the clan leader has emerged from seclusion. That way, he can bear witness and no one can claim we secretly plotted against you." Ye Fan considered for a moment, then nodded. "Fine." Without another word, he picked up Ye Ling and walked out of the ancestral hall. Watching the siblings leave, the Grand Elder turned to Ye Lang, "He's spent years battling outside the family. His combat strength is formidable. Are you confident?" A cruel grin spread across Ye Lang's face, his eyes filled with murderous intent. "I've only just awakened, and my soul has yet to fully merge with this body. Otherwise, crushing him would be as easy as squashing an ant! In a month, there will be no one in Qingcheng who can stand against me!" The Grand Elder nodded slightly, smiling. "Good." Then, he turned to a nearby elder and whispered, "The people I sent to Nanshan never returned. I noticed Ye Fan looked pale—something seems off. Ye Ku, investigate what happened to him in Nanshan." The elder nodded and left. Ye Fan carried Ye Ling back to his courtyard, gently placing her on the bed. He softly stroked her still-swollen cheeks and asked, "Does it hurt?" Ye Ling wiped her tears and shook her head, "No, it doesn't hurt anymore! Brother, why did they strip you of your title? You've risked your life for the family! Just because Ye Lang is a chosen one, they can take everything from you? It's not fair!" Ye Fan shook his head and lightly touched Ye Ling's swollen cheek. "Fair or not doesn't matter. This time, I was too weak to protect you, and you got hurt because of me." Ye Ling shook her head, tears welling up again. "No, it's my fault. I can't help you at all. I'm just a burden to you." Ye Fan smiled, gently tapping her small nose. "Silly girl, I’m your brother. It’s my duty to protect you. Understand?" Ye Ling sat up and kissed his forehead. With a determined look, she said, "Brother, once I recover, I will train too! I will protect you!" Ye Fan smiled and ruffled her hair. "Alright. But first, I’ll make sure you get better. Now, get some rest." Ye Ling nodded. "I want to hear a story." Ye Fan chuckled, then began, "Once upon a time, there was a mountain. On the mountain, there was a temple. Inside the temple, there was a..." Ye Ling rolled her eyes. "Brother, you've told this story for years. But... I still like it." Half an hour later, she drifted off to sleep. Ye Fan tucked her in carefully. Then, he sat on the floor beside the bed and slowly lifted his robe. A long scar stretched across his abdomen—still bleeding. He had fought twelve warriors from the Li family over a disputed mine. In the end, he had been ambushed by a mysterious assailant. Though he managed to kill the attacker, the enemy's blade had pierced his dantian. A shattered dantian! Ye Fan closed his eyes. This meant he could only train his physical body—he would never reach the Qi Transformation Realm again! That wasn't even the worst part. He looked at Ye Ling, still sleeping soundly. Her face was pale, and even beneath three thick blankets, she shivered from the cold. Cold Affliction! Years ago, she had been exposed to an extreme chill, leaving her body frail. If not for the medicinal herbs and elixirs provided by the Ye family each month—rewards for Ye Fan's service—she would not have survived this long. Ye Fan clenched his fist. Now that he was no longer the heir, would the Ye family still provide those resources? And her illness was worsening. The only place that could cure her was Cangmu Academy in the imperial capital—home to Jiang Kingdom’s best physicians. But to enter, one must reach the Qi Mastery Realm before the age of eighteen! Originally, he had a chance. He was still six months away from turning nineteen. But now, with his dantian shattered, reaching that realm was nearly impossible. Ye Fan gazed at his sleeping sister. No matter the cost, I will cure you. After a moment, as if remembering something, he reached into his robes and took out a black ring—his mother’s keepsake. His memories of her were vague. She had left when he was ten. He recalled the night she left, holding him tightly, tears streaming down her face. Behind her, a middle-aged man in a black robe hovered in the air—not standing, but floating. The man spoke in a grave tone, "Miss, if you don't leave now, and the clan leader learns of the young master’s existence, his wrath may bring catastrophe upon this world. The young master will not survive." Hearing this, his mother gently pushed him away and secretly slipped the ring into his hands. "Fan’er, take care of Ling’er. Take care of yourself. Do not hate me..." With that, she turned and left with the black-robed man. Ye Fan ran after them, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't catch up. They were flying. He chased and chased until he could no longer run. His mother never looked back. She simply disappeared beyond the horizon. Snapping back to the present, Ye Fan gripped the ring tightly. His hands were already injured, and as he clenched his fist, his wounds reopened. A drop of blood fell onto the ring. The ring trembled. Ye Fan's heart skipped a beat. He lowered his head to look—just as the ring transformed into a streak of black light and shot into his forehead. In an instant, he vanished. When he reappeared, he was in an endless starry void. Before him, a towering black pagoda floated in the darkness. Twelve floors high, bound by four massive chains, with three swords impaled into its peak. The entire tower exuded an eerie and oppressive aura. Ye Fan suppressed his shock and looked up at the entrance. Above it, two blood-red words gleamed: Prison Realm. On either side of the door, a pair of blood-red inscriptions read: Left: Imprisoning Heaven, Earth, and all gods and demons. Right: Sealing Fate, Destiny, and all immortals of the myriad realms.