The crimson eclipse hung low in the sky, bathing Lotus Valley in an unnatural bloodlight. Smoke still curled from the ruins, carrying the stench of ash and despair. Yuexin stood atop a shattered roof, the first pulse of his Mortal Vein awakening still surging violently through his veins. Every heartbeat echoed like a war drum in his chest.
Around him, the bodies of the attackers lay strewn across the rubble, some scorched, some dismembered, some turned to dust. He had not yet moved consciously—his body had fought on its own, guided by the faint pulse of the Heavenly Map etched across his skin.
The energy was intoxicating. The pain that had once pinned him to the ground was replaced by a burning warmth, as though his broken veins were being reforged in molten qi. His vision blurred, and the world seemed to slow.
"So… this is the path of the Mortal Vein Realm," he murmured, tasting the raw power in his mouth. "Every strike, every movement… it's like the world itself bends to me."
Yuexin's breath still came ragged as another shadow moved across the debris—a figure cloaked in black, stepping out from behind the fallen gate of the Yue Clan estate. The attacker's eyes glinted like shards of onyx, and the sword he carried seemed impossibly large, yet balanced as though it were part of his own body.
The Heavenly Map flared. Paths lit up beneath Yuexin's feet, highlighting weak points in the figure's stance and gaps in his attack. His hand moved before his mind had time to consider, gripping a jagged shard of stone and striking upward.
The shadow's sword arced to meet him. There was a flash of steel, a burst of sparks, and Yuexin felt the impact reverberate through his bones. Yet, instead of pain, there was exhilaration—a pure, raw connection to his own strength.
"Power… I can feel it… I am alive!"
The attacker hesitated, momentarily confused. Yuexin seized the opening, spinning with the shard in a wide arc. Energy surged outward from the Heavenly Map, striking the intruder's chest with a force that cracked stone. The figure was sent flying, crashing into the remnants of a wall with a deafening roar.
Yuexin fell to one knee, gasping for breath, the shard clattering to the ground. He had won—barely. Yet even as his body shook with exhaustion, a thrill ran through him.
"This… this is just the beginning," he thought.
From the shadows beyond the valley's edge, two figures emerged, their presence commanding even the blood-red light of the eclipse. First was Lian Yue, her long hair flowing like black silk, eyes bright and sharp as the blade she carried. She moved with the ease of water, every step precise, almost predatory.
"Yuexin!" she called, her voice cutting through the chaos. "You're alive… and yet you've already drawn attention to yourself!"
Yuexin blinked, recognition dawning. "Lian Yue… you came…"
She smirked, tossing a small throwing knife into the air and catching it effortlessly. "Of course. I wouldn't let you face this alone, would I? You may be the Devourer of Heaven, but even a Devourer can die if he underestimates the world."
Behind her, a second figure appeared—a woman of serene presence, her robes flowing like liquid silver. Lady Yuenei, the Saintess of Spirit Lake, moved with elegance, yet her eyes held the weight of centuries of knowledge. She surveyed the ruined valley and the faintly glowing map on Yuexin's chest.
"The Heavenly Map," she murmured, almost to herself. "It is real… and it has chosen him."
Her gaze met Yuexin's. "You must understand, boy. This is only the first step. Mortal Vein Realm is but the foundation. Spirit Vein, Celestial Martial… each realm will demand more than your body can endure. You will lose friends, allies… perhaps even yourself."
Yuexin's fists clenched, veins still glowing faintly under his skin. "Then I will endure. I will rise beyond all realms… I will devour heaven itself."
The intruder from earlier stirred, rising despite the damage. He was no ordinary man—his energy dark, twisted, and cold, and the aura around him hinted at cultivation beyond a normal mortal.
"So… the boy with the map awakens," he said, voice hollow and sharp. "Fools. Even with this… you are nothing."
Yuexin stepped forward, the map glowing brighter, illuminating his bruised and battered body. Power surged through him, not yet fully controlled, but instinctively responsive to the threat.
Lian Yue moved beside him, twin blades in hand, her smile sharp. "I'll hold him off—give you a chance to focus on your power."
Lady Yuenei raised her hands, weaving subtle patterns in the air. Threads of silver energy emanated from her palms, forming a protective barrier around Yuexin. "Remember, boy… the map does not fight for you. It guides you. You must strike."
The shadow lunged, a blur of dark energy and steel. Yuexin's body reacted before thought, spinning, sidestepping, and slamming his palm into the map's sigils. A surge of raw energy shot outward, colliding with the attacker's sword in a wave of concussive force. Rocks shattered, dust rose, and the ground quaked.
"This… power… it's… incredible!" Yuexin gasped, heart racing. The map pulsed, each line of light sharpening into luminous blades that circled him like ethereal guardians.
Lian Yue leaped into the fray, blades cutting through the air in deadly arcs, forcing the intruder to retreat. Lady Yuenei's barrier flared, stabilizing Yuexin as he took in the scene.
"Focus on the gaps," Lian Yue shouted, recognizing the map's guidance. "It's showing you where he's weak!"
Yuexin's eyes narrowed. The attacker's movements were deliberate but predictable, and each pulse from the Heavenly Map illuminated another weak point. With a final surge, Yuexin thrust both hands forward, the map's energy erupting in a blinding column.
The shadow screamed, staggering back, then collapsed into the rubble, motionless.
Silence fell across the ruined valley. The air hummed with the residual power of the Heavenly Map. Yuexin's chest heaved, sweat and blood mixing as his veins still glowed faintly.
"This… this power… it's only Mortal Vein Realm," he whispered, astonished. "If this is the beginning… what comes next?"
Lady Yuenei approached, placing a hand on his shoulder. Her expression was calm, yet piercing. "The first step is never the hardest. The real trials lie ahead. Spirit Vein will test your mind. Celestial Martial will test your body. Abyssal Realm will test your soul. And beyond… heaven itself will test your will."
Lian Yue crouched beside him, eyes glinting. "And I'll be here to see you survive it all… whether you like it or not."
The boy stood in the rubble, the eclipse painting the world in red and gold, and for the first time, he understood the path he had chosen. This was not survival. This was defiance.
"I am Yuexin," he said aloud, voice steady. "I am the Devourer of Heaven. And I will rise beyond all realms. Let the world tremble."*
Far above, in the floating islands of the Celestial Martial Realm, a pair of eyes watched the valley below. A young warrior male, Ren Kai, smirked as he observed the sparks of power from Yuexin's battle.
"Interesting," he muttered. "So the boy with the map has awakened… I wonder how long he will survive the real world."*
And in the shadows of the Abyssal Realm, Xuan Ji, cloaked in black, felt a tremor in the spiritual flow. "The Devourer… he is alive. Soon, he will reach the Abyss… and when he does, the game truly begins."
Even the Heavenly Emperor sensed the pulse, far above the mortal and immortal realms. The Map's glow pierced his divine sight, a single, golden thread weaving toward him:
"So the Devourer awakens. Let the heavens prepare… for he will devour all."
Yuexin looked around at the ruins, his heart a mix of rage, grief, and unyielding determination. Mortal Vein Realm had awakened in his veins. The attackers were defeated. Allies had emerged. And the Heavenly Map pulsed with a rhythm that promised power, secrets, and a destiny beyond imagination.
The red eclipse lingered, a reminder of the blood spilled, the path ahead, and the heaven he would one day challenge. Yuexin's hand brushed the map on his chest. Energy surged through him like a tide, and he felt it: the first step of countless, stretching across realms, toward godhood, immortality, and defiance itself.
"This… is only the beginning," he whispered.
And the world would soon know the name of the Devourer of Heaven.