In the Tian Realm of the 9 Heavens, a war that shook all the Heavens broke out. The Immortal Gu family reigned supreme as the major force that controlled two-third of the realm - their ruthless principles and demonic practices angered heaven and earth.
With millions of years of heritage and ancestry, the Gu family stood like mount Tai against the encirclement of the Righteous Alliance composed of the Immortal Clans of Li, Xiao, and Bai; spearheaded by the Heavenly Lotus Temple, the 7 Star Academy, the Heavenly Sky Sword Sect and countless ancient sects from all corners of the realm.
The 11th Ancestor of the Gu family, Gu Rongqing returned to the Ancestral Hall, casually tossing a bloody decapitated head to the table.
"Send this to the Xiao family. If they know what's good for them, they would beg for mercy." Gu Rongqing snorted in disdain, as if killing one of the ancestors of the Xiao family was a casual move. But his injury was clear to the other ancestors in the hall.
The 4th Ancestor took a bottle from his spatial ring, tossing them to him. Each pill contained a hymn of dao, carrying traces of law of life, emitting soft immortal light.
"Rongqing, Haoran will take over your position to guard the Northern Border. You should go recuperate."
Rongqing wanted to keep his act, but seeing how his true state of injury was seen through easily, he removed his facade and bowed respectfully.
"Junior obeys." In a flash, the 11th Ancestor of the Gu family already disappeared.
The 2nd Ancestor of the Gu family, who had been sitting cross legged from beginning to the end finally opened his eyes. His expression was calm, contrary to the myriad of emotions expressed by the ancestors and elders in the hall. Chaotic immortal light flashed in his eyes, his overwhelming aura of True Immortal cultivation created an unfathomable pressure on everyone inside the hall, their knees shaking as if 1000 mountains were pressing on their body.
His divine sense swept across throughout the entire realm; assessing the situation of the family and the territory across all corners of the world in a mere second. His divine aura disappeared the next second, his expression turned from nonchalance to a deep thought.
"Today will be the day our Immortal Gu Clan will become the sole ruler above 9 Heavens and 10 Earths. From my calculation, the destiny of our Gu clan has arrived."
The shocking announcement caused the hearts of the ancestors and elders to be filled with joy and anticipation. And just then, a celestial phenomena appeared in the sky. Stretching 1000 miles from East to West.
The celestial phenomena stretched further, even going out of Tian Realm to all the Realms under 9 Heavens and 10 Earth.
Everyone felt the descend of Heavenly Dao, the taoist rhyme, the laws moving and distorting. Phantoms of Buddha, Demons, and Gods appeared in the sky, mysterious chants and whispers resounded throughout all realms sending the deepest shock, awe, and fear to all creatures in the universe.
The mortals kneeled in worship, prayed for their lives and blessings, those immortals trying to decipher the rhyme of dao from the phenomena bleed from all 7 orifices, as if committing a taboo for even trying to peek.
The phenomena was caused by a child born to the Gu family, carrying with him an Immortal fate and the key to cementing the power of the Gu family as the ruler of the Universe.
The 2nd Ancestor's expression was calm from beginning to end.
"Bring the child here," he ordered.
As soon as he spoke, a spatial fluctuation appeared, and from a crack in space, a middle aged man in black appeared.
"Grandfather…" The man kneeled in front him, his entire body trembling in undisguised pride and happiness. Because it was his son that would bring their family to the throne above the sky.
He presented his son, still swaddled in clothes, to him.
The 2nd Ancestor casually glanced, a wisp of his divine power penetrated deep into the infant's body, as if prying open all secrets. The infant frowned slightly, his eyelids slowly opened revealing golden pupils with traces of law of time etched onto them. His eyes were curious, or perhaps confused as if he was trying to comprehend what was going on.
"27 pieces of Supreme bones, Primordial Chaos root, Devouring Divine Body, and blood carrying traces of Ancient Qilin. He bears the bearing of an Immortal Emperor that would reign supreme for a million years." The words of the 2nd Ancestor sent shock and awe to everyone in the hall.
"Moxuan, what is his name?" Gu Tianlong's eyes carried scrutiny and coldness.
"I named him Hanxing, grandfather. I want my son to be the star that would shine across myriad realms." Gu Moxuan said proudly.
Silence enveloped the hall for a few seconds, Gu Tianlong's calm gaze turned to the infant, as if considering something.
"Within a thousand years, he could rise to take the position of the Emperor's throne. However…" Gu Tianlong's gaze turned colder as he swept his hand, pulling the infant to him through his divine force.
"Those old dogs already knew of his coming of existence. The secrets of the heavens had long been exposed. They would destroy our clan before this child could reach the realm of the Emperor."
"Grandfather…? Then, what do we do?" Gu Moxuan's expression turned from initial pride, to confusion.
"His bones, origin, blood, his root - will be passed onto the members of our Gu family." The sentence was like a death sentence to Gu Moxuan's heart. His lips trembled, his eyes contracted in shock, disbelief. His face turned pale, as if he lost all blood from his face.
"Grandfather…!" Gu Moxuan kneeled on the floor, his eyes bleeding tears. "Please… please spare my son…"
Gu Tianlong's expression remained cold. The infant in front of him, as if understanding what was about to happen burst into tears. His little white hands and feet moving around in the air. The cries of the infant struck pity and unwillingness to everyone present, but no one dared to say a word.
"For the sake of our Immortal Gu family, this is a necessary sacrifice. Moxuan, I appointed you as the head of the family. I believe you too would understand my decisions."
Moxuan couldn't utter a single word, he raised his head, his eyes trembling with tears streaming down his pale face. The cries of the infant pierced into his heart deep, and yet…
He turned his head away, unable to do anything.
"I am sorry… child…"
Gu Tianlong enveloped the infant in his divine power; shortly after, a shrill scream echoed in the hall. The scream turned to whimper, then to a shaky tremble. The extraction lasted for 10 breaths; but for Moxuan, it was as if he was falling into an icy abyss for every moment the pained voice echoed in his ears.
As the divine light disappeared, what remained of the infant floated down to Moxuan's arm. His tears fell onto his son, who had lost even semblance to being a human.
Gu Tianlong waved his hand once more; 27 small pieces of Supreme Bones emit taoist hymns, an orb of light carried the origin of Devouring Divine Body, a pair of eyes carrying fragment from River of Time, a drop of blood carrying origin of the Ancient Qilin; all divided and given to ancestors and elders.
"Give them to the most talented members of our members. As for the Timeless Eyes, give it to the Divine Child. After he successfully refined them, he would break through the Quasi-Saint realm. Within 100 years he would reach the Immortal throne with an unparalleled path of Time and Space."
Moxuan held his son in one arm, the other arm shakily took a piece of bone, a small little rib that emitted soft immortal light.
"My son…" Another tear fell as he shakily held the bone. So tiny, so small.
His gaze turned back to his son. His body trembling, his breathing heaving, as if the pain that he had gone through had been etched deep into his soul. His limbs were all gone, his spine missing leaving his body unmoving, his eyes were hollowed, and his body had turned so thin only his incomplete bones and ribs could be seen.
Moxuan let out a silent cry as he held the infant in his arms, holding it as close to his chest as possible, muttering apologies that he knew meant nothing.
The 2nd Ancestor turned his gaze to his grandson, and spoke words of consolation. "Moxuan. Your contribution to the family will be etched in the immortal steele of our family for eternity. You may leave."
Moxuan carried the child to his home. He sat down shakily on his bed made of white jade. His expression was hollow as he looked at his son.
His origin was damaged, his blood drained, his root was entirely gone. In his cognition, he could tell, his son would not live more than a few years.
He reached out to rub his cheeks, but the infant shuddered, his body trembling even more as if afraid.
"I don't deserve you…" Moxuan said with a self mocking tone.
"Ling'er." He picked up his communication talisman and called out for the person. Soon, a figure wearing servant clothing arrived. She came in and kneeled.
"Reporting to Clan Leader…"
"Find him a good parent in the lower realm… make sure he lived a life with love for the few years he had. Report to me after he-", his voice stuck for a moment, before he continued. "-After he let out his last breath." Gu Moxuan's hoarse voice escaped his throat.
"I understand, I will search for good people." Ling'er looked up to see the infant for once, her eyes contracted in shock, horror, and then, deep sadness. As a servant, she did not know of the secretive matters within the clan. But he knew what to ask and what not to ask. At the moment she can only guess the Clan Leader wanted the child to live a good life even if it was short.
She accepted the inhuman looking infant swaddled in white cloth, and with the treasure bestowed on her, she departed shortly and crossed the realm barriers to the Black Desolate realm of the 10th Earth.