As the dawn’s light kissed the land, chasing away the shadows, the bustling of Cloudstream City began anew. Shopkeepers flung open their doors, their voices mingling in the lanes, especially thick within the western food district where vendors cried out their wares.

From bubbling cauldrons came twisted fried dough, and from steaming bamboo baskets, plump white steamed buns, alongside bowls of sweet bean curd – all drawing a lively throng to the street each morn.

Zeng Shuishan’s stall was different, for he sold wine. Though it was early, the Zeng family brew was light and refreshing. A draught before the day’s toil not only cleared the head but invigorated the spirit, making it quite the favorite.

Zeng Shuishan, a man past fifty, sat beside his stand, puffing on his pipe as he watched his lads bustle about, a smile crinkling his weathered face.

A sturdy middle-aged fellow, having just purchased a flagon, took a long swig and chuckled, “Uncle Zeng, your wine lacks the savor it once held. Are you skimping on the ingredients?”

Zeng’s eyes flashed. He drew on his pipe and scoffed, “Nonsense! The Zeng family…”

But the man cut him off with a grin, “Oh, I know the tale. Your Zeng family wine, brewed for a thousand years, praised by an immortal once upon a time. You spin the same yarn every day, Uncle Zeng! I must be off to work. I’ll spare myself your babblings.” And with a final laugh, he departed.

“Little rascal knows nothing,” Zeng muttered, puffing fiercely. “An immortal *did* savor my family’s wine, sixty years he dwelled with them!”

Within his home, he kept ancient wooden carvings – depictions of Zeng’s first ancestor in Cloudstream City alongside a faceless celestial being, steeped in a thousand years of history. A tale passed down through generations: the Zengs were not native to this city, but refugees from a cataclysmic blizzard.

That legend spoke of his ancestor’s sixty-year sojourn with the immortal, their benefactor who guided their migration.

“Great-Grandfather Zeng Danio, lived to a hundred and thirty-seven, and spoke of that immortal until his dying breath! A tale passed down, I say!” Zeng squinted, tapping his pipe against the ground, his gaze lifted toward the heavens, pride swelling in his chest.

Then, he blinked, peering intently at the sky, his jaw slowly slackening.

Where moments before there was nothing but blue sky, now a visible ripple of energy billowed outwards like a wave.

A thunderous rumble, like the roar of a monstrous beast, echoed through the city, silencing the clamor in an instant. All heads craned upward, eyes wide with apprehension.

Then, in the wake of the sweeping wave, streaks of light descended from the firmament like a volley of shooting stars, piercing the sky’s barrier and coalescing into figures clad in celestial raiment – cultivators.

“Im… Immortals!” A cry of astonishment rippled through the crowd. Some trembled, while others sought refuge within their homes.

“Do not disturb the mortals,” a commanding voice boomed, laced with thunder. “Proceed with haste to the Demonic Seas of Cultivation!” With these words, the descending figures sped away without pause.

Across the face of Suzaku Star, the same spectacle unfolded. Celestial disruptions spurred confusion and dread among the empires of men. All stood frozen, shaking as they looked up.

Fortunately, these sky-borne beings harmed no one. They descended only to depart swiftly.

The native cultivators of Suzaku Star also took notice. None dared to question these newcomers. Even the most powerful of Transformation Gods or Nascent Souls, dared not to approach. Every celestial that passed brought with them a cultivation too vast to comprehend.

The few Soul Severing cultivators of Suzaku Star could only watch with wide-eyed wonder. Zhou Wutai wore a grim expression. He could contend against only a few of those streaks, and those whose mere aura made him gasp.

Though these cultivators hailed from various factions, none paid attention to the natives of Suzaku Star. They sped onward, their destination: the Demonic Seas of Cultivation.

The sky was draped with a thick, tangled web of streaking lights. As the minutes passed, shadows began to swell into being. The sun on the horizon was eclipsed, casting the land in a growing twilight.

The shadows took the shape of colossal Halls of Thunderous Immortality, stationed in the void just outside of Suzaku Star, for the planet could not bear their descent.

Behind them followed a vast procession of heavenly coffins, great and small, attended by swarms of cultivators.

As they flew over the Demonic Seas of Cultivation, some of these cultivators noticed a gargantuan statue.

A brash, arrogant rogue immortal, seeing the statue standing in the middle of what he determined to be a small village, felt the need to immediately end the life of this mortal artifice. With a sneer, he raised his hand to obliterate it.

But just as his fingers closed, a gentle, yet firm, voice spoke from behind.

“Stop!”

He froze, turning to face the speaker. “What is your meaning, Xizi Feng?”

The woman, Xizi Feng, cast him a cold glare, and in a smooth, gentle voice, stated: “Look closely at that statue. Tell me, who is it?”

And with those words, she looked sadly at the monument, sighed, and turned away.

The rogue immortal, clearly frustrated, took a long look at the statue. As he observed, familiarity dawned on his face. Finally, it hit him like lightning from the Heavens, and he cried out, “That is… that is an official Thunderous Immortal Xu Mu!”

Although the Realm of the Heavens had revoked Wang Lin’s title as Official Thunderous Immortal, the battle in which he became one was infamous, and would not be forgotten for centuries.

The rogue immortal felt a cold sweat creep up his spine. He knew of this Xu Mu, and his title of Grand Magus, who was well known to be a merciless butcher. He was not someone who could be so flippant as to insult. And to destroy a statue of his? Far too childish. Without a word, he turned and fled the area.

Others had also recognized the statue, including Yan Leizi and the cultivators of the Corpse Yin Sect. Word spread among the army, and no one wanted to touch the monument.

Cultivators from the Corpse Yin Sect, Realm of the Heavens, Cultivation Alliance and other forces all gathered together in the Suzaku Star, and began to make preparations. The planet may not have been the largest of cultivation stars, but each force deployed the best teleportation formations. The first wave began to enter the Demonic Seas of Cultivation.

In reality, each force only sent a few thousand cultivators to Suzaku Star. They were the first to probe the planet, verifying the information that Wang Lin’s jade slip told of.

There were far more cultivators scattered around Suzaku Star, awaiting the information that the first wave was to discover.

The restrictions on the Ancient God’s Land were of no use, and the first wave broke through with ease. As they approached the entrance, the light began to dim.

From within, the sounds of feral roars could be heard, and on the precipice of the Land, the massive rocks which once floated, began to crumble. From the abyss below, pairs of monstrous, red eyes began to gleam.

This was the place where the ancient Lightning Frog once dwelled. However, now, it was home to an army of fierce beasts, all patiently awaiting their prey.

The roaring grew louder, but the cultivators continued onward, entering the Land.

As the first figure appeared, a bright flash of red struck out, before a monstrous python erupted from the depths, and swallowed him whole.

As if this event was a signal, an all out slaughter began. Savage beasts erupted from the pit and rushed towards the cultivators. In a moment, blood was spilled everywhere, only serving to heighten the savagery of the beasts. The ripples of energy created by the cultivators as they fought disturbed a slumbering presence in the deepest part of the Land – a place that Wang Lin himself had never reached.

The two red eyes stared, as if it were piercing through the distance.

At the same time, on a sharp cone of stone covered in blood, a red-haired Tuosen dragged a finger across its surface. An ear-piercing screech echoed. Slowly, he lifted his head, revealing a sinister smile. He raised his hand, and violently grasped in front of him!