Beneath this vast Upper Realm lay the Underground Realm, another dimension home to the five great Demonic Races. Unlike the celestial continents, which were ruled by emperors and gods, these races lived in perpetual chaos, where only the law of the strongest prevailed. These peoples were in constant war, each seeking to determine which among them would give birth to the next Celestial Demon, a being destined to disrupt the balance of the planes.
The five Demonic Races were the Tengu, Yama, Shonen, Kitsune, and Yurei.
These five races waged endless war, too absorbed in their own conflicts to concern themselves with other planes. Yet, one thing was certain: the day a Celestial Demon emerged from their ranks, the entire world would tremble.
And finally, there was the Lower Realm.
Unlike the other two, this realm was an infinite mosaic of worlds. Some had been created by gods, others by the Tree of Tao itself. Many lacked the talent to cultivate their Qi and couldn't support cultivation, confining their inhabitants to an existence bound by the laws of flesh and time. Others, however, were cradles of exceptional talent, unlikely heroes, and forgotten treasures.
It was in this Lower Realm that relics of bygone eras could be found, artifacts from another age left by vanished civilizations. Because of the Devourer's appearance, anything became possible in this infinite chaos. Geniuses could emerge from insignificant worlds, legendary artifacts could resurface in the most unexpected places.
...
In the vast Eastern Continent, five million kilometers south of the Temple of Tao, stood the sole dominant sect of the region, the Immortal Tao Sect. Its influence extended far beyond its borders, resonating even in the Lower Realms where even a mere outer disciple of this sect received the honors and respect due to a king. Yet, within their own country, these disciples were barely regarded as more than trash. Joining the Immortal Tao Sect was a feat reserved for exceptional individuals. Only those who had reached Spirit Refinement before the age of twenty could hope to enter, and even among them, only the most meritorious climbed the ranks.
The sect's territory was so vast it equaled an entire country, divided into three distinct sections. At the foot of the mountain lay the domain of the outer disciples. These formed the majority of aspiring cultivators, living in modest conditions with little access to precious resources. They spent their days performing menial tasks, hoping to catch the attention of a master or progress enough to join the inner court.
Higher up, in the inner court, resided the elders and inner disciples. These were all cultivators who had reached the Nascent Soul stage. Here, the atmosphere was vastly different. Intrigue and power struggles were omnipresent, with each disciple seeking to gain the favor of the elders to climb the hierarchy. The sect's elite, however, resided at the mountain's peak, where the air itself was thick with Qi so dense it took liquid form, dripping in shimmering droplets along the cliffs. This sacred place was the domain of the Three Pure Ones, the Tianzun, and the sect leader himself.
Becoming a core disciple within the sect was no small feat. One had to be chosen by an elder, and the treatment a disciple received depended greatly on their master's status and power. Those fortunate enough to be taken under the wing of an influential elder enjoyed unparalleled privileges, while others often found themselves relegated to the fringes of power, condemned to serve the strong.
It was a ruthless world, governed by the law of the strongest. Here, the weak had only one choice: bow down and become the underlings of the powerful, or be crushed without mercy. It wasn't uncommon for a single misinterpreted glance to lead to the extermination of entire families up to the third generation. Breathing too loudly in front of a young master was enough to sign one's death warrant.
In this merciless environment, Bai She was considered weak. However, unlike others who tried to rise through their own efforts, he had an advantage many envied: his family background. Thanks to his name, he had secured a core disciple position without difficulty. But instead of using this position to strengthen himself, he abused his power, making life hell for those without influential affiliations.
Bai She was not only weak. He was also a coward.
Far from confronting his adversaries head-on, he preferred to hide behind his lineage's prestige. He relentlessly persecuted the most vulnerable disciples, knowing full well they had no means to defend themselves. He humiliated, punished, and broke those who dared stand up to him, not out of courage or ambition, but simply because he could do so with impunity.
However, such behavior never went unnoticed in such a competitive environment. The most powerful disciples barely tolerated his existence, and many awaited the perfect opportunity to crush him once and for all.
...
The Immortal Tao Sect's palace was a majestic edifice, carved from stone as ancient as the world itself. Its gigantic columns supported a ceiling where moving constellations softly glowed, replicas of the starry sky above the Eastern Continent. The atmosphere was imbued with silent solemnity, interrupted only by the flow of Qi that moved through the air like an invisible river.
At the back of the main hall, three imposing thrones were arranged in an arc. On the central seat sat Tianzun Yuangshi, an old man with a piercing gaze, his features meticulously maintained despite his advanced age. His long white beard fell elegantly to his chest, and he slowly stroked it, meditative, as his eyes scanned the room. Ten elders were gathered before him, discussing in low voices, but his attention was drawn to an empty throne to his right.