Darkness. Endless, suffocating darkness.
Chen Xiao felt as if he were sinking into a boundless abyss. He couldn't move, couldn't breathe, couldn't even feel the beat of his heart.
Then—boom!
A deafening sound echoed inside his mind, like thunder tearing through the heavens. The darkness shattered, and a terrifying surge of power erupted from within his body.
The pain came first—sharp, overwhelming, searing through his veins like molten lava. Then came clarity.
He opened his eyes. The once fragile body that couldn't even sit up now pulsed with vitality. Every muscle, every drop of blood, every inch of bone seemed reborn.
"What… happened to me?" he muttered, staring at his trembling hands.
A low roar echoed inside his Sea of Consciousness. The nine-story black tower floated silently in the void, but the dragon that had once coiled around it was gone.
In its place, a pitch-black mark shaped like a dragon's claw glowed faintly on his chest.
"The Void Dragon's mark…" Chen Xiao whispered. "It merged with me?"
Information flooded his mind—ancient, profound, and filled with knowledge beyond mortal comprehension. Cultivation methods, forbidden techniques, and secrets of the Void Realm flashed like lightning in his thoughts.
He clenched his fists. The Void Tower wasn't just a treasure anymore. It had become part of him.
A faint smile curved his lips. "In my past life, I was hunted because of this tower. In this life, I'll use it to dominate the heavens."
He slowly stood up. His once frail aura now carried a trace of ancient might. Even though his cultivation was still weak, his soul carried the presence of a dragon.
Outside, the morning sun pierced through the clouds, its golden light spilling into the ruined courtyard where he lay.
Three thousand years had passed since his death, but for Chen Xiao—
his true life had just begun.
"Ling Xiao…" He raised his head, his gaze as sharp as a blade. "You stole my life once. Let's see how long you can keep yours this time."
With that vow burning in his heart, the Heaven-Defying Void Lord took his first step once again into the mortal world.