Chapter 1: Prologue
The starry sky trembled as the very laws of the world shattered, causing the darkness of the void to be pierced by a formidable spear. Within this abyss of destruction, two figures emerged, standing amidst the emptiness.
One of them appeared as a human male, standing tall and resolute like an upright spear. His sword-straight eyebrows slanted towards his temples, exuding an aura of pride and nobility. He emanated a sharpness akin to a hidden treasure sword within its sheath.
The other figure was a colossal giant, whose massive form encompassed an entire star system. Its body appeared to be forged from bronze, exuding a presence that sought to devour the heavens itself.
Yet, it seemed as though this giant was nearing its end. Unsteadily standing in the void, pitch-black blood dripped from a massive hole in its chest. It bled profusely while the heavens reveled in its impending demise. Its death was already an irreversible fact.
It wasn't willing to accept its fate! It was the greatest creation of its species, a born King!
How could it succumb to the mere whims of a human? Those tiny insects who were nothing more than ants awaiting their inevitable crushing beneath its feet?
Glaring at the man standing tall with his spear, it searched for a look of triumph. It wanted to watch the man who ended it and see what made him so different. What was it that made him able to kill even it, a God?
Yet all it saw was the man look as if he just finished a chore. As if he was merely getting rid of a fly. The man witnessed its impending death with a mix of indifference and finality.
'How dare he look down upon me!'
The Giant raged at its murderer. The man who surpassed the heavens, the man they called the Human Sovereign.
Was it truly so feeble? Would its killer not even deign to relish in the thrill of victory over a formidable foe? Would he not provide it the respect a god deserves, even in its death? Very well, even if it was weak, it would make its enemy regret ever crossing its path!
The bronze giant raised its colossal arms, as if in prayer to an unknown deity. It was ironic really, as it was its own greatest God.
Blood flowed freely from its wounds, yet it made no attempt to heal itself. It began to chant with a voice that resonated as though it belonged to a primordial being surpassing the world at its core, crying out,
"I the Devourer of Worlds, the Apocalypse, one who has swallowed eighteen heavens offer the sacrifice of the nine minor heavenly systems. River of Time and Space, appear before me!"
Nine orbs, each symbolizing a destroyed heaven, erupted from its body, arranging themselves in a celestial formation. Spinning at an infinitely faster-than-light speed, they tore through the fabric of the Void, unveiling a river upon which the flow of time itself was visible.
These nine orbs represented countless lives that used to reside in them. Nine entire Universes. The cosmic giant had devoured the very Multiverse it originated from, and many others to reach this far.
Now, nine of those universes were unleashed in their entirety, to accomplish its goal. The Giant exerted its greatest efforts as the River of Time gradually revealed the past of the man standing against it—a small world with limited resources, the humble beginning of the man destined to bring about its demise.
Bitter laughter escaped the Giant's lips. It, who was born the King of all heavens, would lose to a pauper from an unknown origin? Regardless! It would not allow him to kill it without paying a steep price. It would perish, that was certain, but it would also erase the man's past, ensuring he never reached such heights in the new history!
Meanwhile, the enemy of the bronze giant remained vigilant, anticipating the Giant's impending move. His spear crackled with fiery lightning as he gathered his power. Though he could discern the Giant's intentions, that only deepened his confusion. He questioned the Giant in a perplexed tone, "River of Time? Have you forgotten? The past of a Beyond Divinity is nigh impossible to change. You are merely squandering your energy. Give up, Ancestor God, it is already over."
Even as he spoke those words, his fully charged spear was prepared to strike the Ancestor God. He would not allow it to complete whatever it intended, lest it became a liability. Above all, his homeland, his past—those were the elements one should never tamper with.
The Ancestor God revealed a ferocious, blood-stained grin as it clasped its hands together. "Lin Ming! Oh, the one destined to slay me. I am a celestial, the one King of all. Since you wish to end me, be prepared to pay the price!"
Lin Ming witnessed a pure white light surrounding an orb hurtling towards his image within the River of Time. He launched his spear towards the Ancestor God, obliterating its torso, as he rushed towards the River of Time. Alas, he was too late. His spiritual energy collided with the orb and its radiance, propelling it towards his past at an accelerated pace just as the River of Time sealed itself shut.
It was a grave mistake. Lin Ming felt his very existence dissipating as his past was rewritten, transforming into a new future. Clenching his teeth in frustration, he shouted at the Ancestor God, even as his body gradually disintegrated, "What have you done? How did you change the past? As a complete heaven unto myself, I should be immune to the power of time!"
"Keke... I sacrificed my own time and the Nine Heavens, along with their complete heavenly systems, to truly unlock the River of Time. I seized the purest soul from a different dimension, one immune to the laws of time within our own dimension, if only for a brief period. I sent that soul, along with a fragment of my malice and an artifact forged from nine complete heavens, to pave its path. This artifact is akin to the three from your world but far superior. It will serve as the ultimate aid for the soul's growth, enabling it to become stronger and strike you down before you truly attain your full power!"
"Why are you so certain that the soul you dispatched will kill me? Is it not possible for your plans to go awry?" Lin Ming inquired with a hint of resignation.
"My own malice will twist the soul to despise you from its very core. Moreover, two tigers cannot coexist on the same mountain. As long as that soul yearns to grow stronger within the Martial Path, it will undoubtedly end your life."
Understanding the nature of what had transpired, Lin Ming let out a deep sigh. With half his body already vanquished, he closed his eyes in tranquility, murmuring softly, "Since I once triumphed in the pursuit of the Martial Peak, I shall trust in myself once more. Even if I fall short this time, if the mere introduction of one variable in my path is sufficient to defeat me, then I deserve to lose. For now, all I can do is leave it to fate."
The Ancestor God laughed as its body disintegrated, its existence fading from the depths of space and time. Even in this new future, there was no place for it, of that it was aware. Nevertheless, at the very least, its death had not been in vain.
Unnoticed by both beings, the effect of Lin Ming's attack had an unexpected impact on the Pure Soul. The purity of his spiritual energy washed away the Ancestor God's malicious intent, awakening the soul as it neared entry into the Sky Pill Continent.
This marked the beginning—the dawn of a legend that would resonate throughout all ages. However one might label it, it certainly did not represent a humble start...
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone