The Dragon Abyss River, vast and endless, rolled with mighty waves under the moonlight. It was a majestic sight, with the moon drifting through lotus clouds above, casting a serene glow on the water's surface. The winds blew gently through the reeds, adding an almost magical sense to the scene.
Far from the heart of Longyuan Province, by a stretch of beach, a tall, broad-shouldered man clad in dark gold-colored clothing ran and leaped with incredible speed, far outpacing even the fastest of predators like a cheetah. The air around him seemed to tear apart as his body created powerful shockwaves.
His speed was unmatched — not even the fastest horse could match him.
Suddenly, the air lit up as torches flared on the riverbank. Shadows moved, and the unmistakable sound of crossbows being fired rang through the night.
"Flying Crane Crossbows!" someone shouted.
The man, Bai Haichen, reacted swiftly. With a subtle bend of his body, he flattened himself to the ground, evading the volley of crossbow bolts as if he were a piece of paper pressed against the sand.
"You're not getting away, Bai Haichen!" a voice called from the distance, as the man continued to move with fluid precision. "Hand over the Nine Apertures Golden Elixir and the Crawling Flood Dragon Diagram. Surrender them to the Fang family, and your death can be avoided. You'll be treated as an honored guest in our household."
The torches illuminated the figures surrounding Bai Haichen. Hundreds of men had closed in on him. Among them stood a man in fine robes, his graying temples giving him an air of both authority and wisdom. His eyes gleamed like jewels in the torchlight.
"Fang Zeshan," Bai Haichen murmured, recognizing the man at the front.
Fang Zeshan smiled. "I didn't expect Bai Haichen to recognize me."
Bai Haichen glanced around at the soldiers with shining swords and those holding crossbows, the outer ring formed by torchbearers. He was surrounded, but he seemed undaunted.
"My elder brother, Fang Zetao, is the governor of Longyuan, a high-ranking official who has the emperor's favor. When I entered Fang territory, I made sure to familiarize myself with the prominent figures here. But it's surprising that you know about the Nine Apertures Golden Elixir and the Crawling Flood Dragon Diagram. It seems the news has already spread from the Feather Gate," Bai Haichen said, unfazed.
"Indeed, my ancestors were once disciples of the Feather Gate," Fang Zeshan replied, taking a step forward. "We are here because of the Flying Crane Letter from the Feather Gate. You found the Crawling Flood Dragon Diagram in the Yellow Springs Tomb, and the Nine Apertures Golden Elixir is known to have the power to allow one to reach the divine realm. No one else knows, but the Feather Gate is aware."
Bai Haichen let out a dry laugh. "The Nine Apertures Golden Elixir is said to give one insight into divine powers, and the Crawling Flood Dragon Diagram holds a great treasure. You in the Fang family are not seeking these items for no reason. What are you planning?"
Fang Zeshan's expression darkened. "Enough! The Crawling Flood Dragon Diagram will be presented to the emperor. As for the Nine Apertures Golden Elixir, it will help us cultivate a powerhouse who can reach the divine realm and greatly strengthen our family's influence in the court."
With a sudden shout, Fang Zeshan's demeanor changed. "It seems you're unwilling to hand them over, Bai Haichen. In that case, I'll take them from your corpse!"
Bai Haichen's eyes narrowed. His body surged forward, moving like an eel or a dragon, faster than anyone could react. He closed the distance between himself and Fang Zeshan in a flash, landing right before him, leaving his men in a daze.
"Crane Dance in the Sky!" Fang Zeshan muttered under his breath as Bai Haichen attacked. His body swayed like the wings of a crane, narrowly avoiding Bai Haichen's powerful strike.
Bai Haichen mocked, "Good, the Crane Dance technique. You've reached the ninth stage of the physical realm, but you're still no match for me! If you want to survive, call your brother, Fang Zetao!"
With that, Bai Haichen broke through the defenses, leaving a trail of destruction. Guards fell to the ground in an instant, their skulls crushed, their hearts pierced by his fingers. Others were sent flying through the air, their organs shattered. His physical strength, honed to the tenth level, was unstoppable. His body was a weapon of mass destruction.
In moments, the hundreds of soldiers had been torn apart.
"Fang Zeshan, you dared to stop me?" Bai Haichen shouted as he fled the scene, leaving the chaos behind. The remaining soldiers aimed their Flying Crane Crossbows at him, but the arrows bounced harmlessly off his dark gold robe, which seemed to absorb the impact.
Bai Haichen's escape seemed inevitable — until a voice rang out, soft yet powerful, from the distance.
"Why the hurry to leave, Bai Haichen?" The voice sounded like smoke and clouds, distant but clear.
Bai Haichen froze, scanning his surroundings.
A figure emerged from the moonlit riverbank — a woman in white, her skin like jade, her eyebrows delicate like a crescent moon. She moved with an ethereal grace, like a celestial being stepping down from the moon or a princess of the dragon palace beneath the river.
Her presence seemed to purify the air, filling the night with an aura of holiness.
"Young Mistress!" The soldiers saluted immediately.
Fang Zeshan paused. "Qingxue, you've returned?"
This was Fang Qingxue, the eldest daughter of the Fang family.
"I've just returned from the Feather Gate," Fang Qingxue said, nodding at Fang Zeshan. "Leave this to me."
"Leave it to you?" Bai Haichen sneered, raising his hand. A black light shot out from his palm, an artifact he had specially crafted: the Black Death Wheel.
This spinning disc, sharp-edged and made from tungsten steel, was his ultimate weapon. With the strength of his body's tenth transformation, he could throw it with lethal force. Anyone in its path would be pierced by its razor edges.
The Black Death Wheel shot toward Fang Qingxue with lethal speed.
But as it approached, it seemed to hit an invisible barrier around her. The wheel froze mid-air, unable to go any further.
Electricity crackled around her, and the wheel began to melt, turning into molten metal that dripped to the ground.
Bai Haichen's eyes widened. "Impossible! You've entered the Divine Realm! How?!"
A sudden understanding dawned on him. Bai Haichen, despite his own physical strength and mastery, had reached the peak of the physical realm. But stepping into the divine realm was a whole different level. Only a rare few ever reached it. And Fang Qingxue, so young, had achieved this feat.
Realizing he stood no chance against her, Bai Haichen turned and fled, his body moving at blinding speed.
"Purple Lightning Yin Thunder Saber!"
Fang Qingxue, with a low chant, extended her hand. A ball of purple lightning swirled in her palm, spinning with terrifying speed before being hurled forward. It broke through the air, transforming into six sharp saber-like arcs, cutting through the air toward Bai Haichen.
The air crackled with electricity, igniting the reeds along the riverbank as it passed.
Bai Haichen's body was struck, and with a loud crackling noise, his protective armor was torn apart by the electric saber. His body disintegrated into smoke and ash, and his corpse fell into the Dragon Abyss River.
"His life is extinguished; there's no point in running," Fang Qingxue murmured, her figure floating above the river. She reached out, and the waters of the river swirled upward, forming a massive column of water that ensnared Bai Haichen's body.
"Your Crawling Flood Dragon Diagram!" Fang Qingxue noted, glancing at the ancient scroll and the small golden box in her grasp. But as she touched them with her power, the scroll began to tremble, unrolling by itself.
The image on the scroll was of a dark, gloomy background, resembling the nine underworlds. A faint dragon lay coiled within, half-asleep, half-awake. When the dragon's eyes opened, it lashed out, grabbing Bai Haichen and pulling him deep into the water.
"So it's true. The Crawling Flood Dragon Diagram can't touch spiritual power. It only awakened when I used my power," Fang Qingxue mused, watching the water where Bai Haichen had disappeared. The dragon had vanished in an instant, moving faster than the eye could follow.
"Qingxue, you've reached the Divine Realm!" Fang Zeshan exclaimed, his voice filled with awe. "For a hundred years, no one from the Fang family has achieved such a feat!"
"Uncle, send men to search the area. I want to find the Crawling Flood Dragon Diagram again," Fang Qingxue said, her tone calm. "Bai Haichen is finished. The diagram just absorbed a bit of my power, but it's nothing to worry about."
Turning back to her family.