Chapter 2 Ren Ji enters the Forbidden Mountain and discovers an ancient tomb.
Ren Ji’s voice was almost drowned out by the whistling wind; he was startled by the sound of a twig snapping behind him. His body froze instantly, and he slowly turned his head. A pair of glowing green eyes peered out from behind the bushes, one by one.
Ren Ji’s eyes widened in shock—three-tailed demon wolves. Low-level monsters weren’t particularly strong against a true cultivator, but for him, they were already deadly enough.
Saliva dripped from the monsters’ fangs. They were hungry, and Ren Ji was easy prey. Ren Ji backed away. “Damn.”
However, one of the wolves lunged immediately. Ren Ji reflexively raised his knife. “I’ll kill you all.”
The monster’s claws struck the knife, knocking it loose, sending Ren Ji’s body flying and slamming into a hard tree. His chest felt tight. The wolf leaped again, this time aiming straight for his neck. Ren Ji’s eyes widened as he muttered, “I’m definitely going to die.”
But just before the monster’s fangs touched his skin, a sudden explosion rang out, followed by a red light from inside the mountain. The ground shook violently. The three demon wolves howled in fear. They took a few steps back, their tails trembling, then fled quickly.
Ren Ji lay gasping for breath on the ground; he tried to stand up while rubbing his still-aching chest. “What was that sound just now?”
A rumbling continued to echo from the direction of the red light; the ground had even begun to crack. Ren Ji should have left immediately to save himself. Yet, a voice deep within him screamed that something terribly dangerous was awakening. For some reason, his feet carried him toward the source of the sound.
It was as if an invisible force were pulling him; the deeper he ventured into the forest, the thinner the mist became. Eventually, Ren Ji found himself standing before a massive stone cliff.
There, he saw an ancient black gate standing firmly in the middle of the mountain wall. Dragon carvings covered its entire surface, the dragon’s eyes glowing blood-red.
A terrifying pressure filled the air; even breathing felt difficult. Ren Ji swallowed hard. “What kind of place is this…”
Suddenly, the rumbling sound was heard again, and the stone gate slowly opened on its own. Hot air burst out from within, and Ren Ji stepped back in fear. However, a deep voice suddenly echoed inside his head. “You’ve finally come.”
Ren Ji stopped in his tracks. “Who are you?”
Silence—no answer. Only a terrifying stillness. Ren Ji stepped cautiously through the gate.
Ren Ji was stunned to see a vast chamber spread out before him, with colossal pillars standing firmly. Red flames blazed along the walls. Right in the center of the room stood a large black coffin bound in golden chains.
Ren Ji’s eyes widened; a terrifying aura radiated from the coffin. His body even trembled involuntarily, and then he saw the ancient inscription on the stone floor: Tomb of the Sky Dragon Emperor.
Ren Ji’s head immediately began to buzz—the Sky Dragon Emperor. That name was merely a legend from thousands of years ago; a dragon cultivator was said to have once ruled over the three realms before disappearing mysteriously.
Many believed he had become a god. Yet, his tomb was right here. Suddenly, one of the golden chains snapped on its own, and Ren Ji jerked back two steps.
The second chain followed, and the room began to shake violently. Dust rained down from the ceiling; Ren Ji turned to run, not wanting to die a foolish death in that place. “No, this is dangerous…”
But that deep voice sounded again. This time it was clearer, closer. “Do you want power?”
Ren Ji’s footsteps halted. Power. That was the word he’d desired most his entire life. Power so he wouldn’t be humiliated or trampled on, and power so he wouldn’t have to live like a pet dog. He clenched his fists. “I want to be strong.”
There was a moment of silence, then all the chains snapped simultaneously. The black coffin opened, and blinding red light filled the entire room. A giant dragon emerged from within the light.
Its body was pitch black, its eyes red as blood. Its ancient aura was so immense that Ren Ji immediately dropped to his knees; the pressure felt as if the sky were collapsing upon him.
The dragon stared silently at Ren Ji, then a deep voice shook Ren Ji to the core. “Weak…! Do you dare to inherit my power?”
Ren Ji’s body trembled; his instincts told him this was extremely dangerous. Yet he also knew this was his chance to change his fate.
Slowly, Ren Ji raised his head, his gaze filled with determination. “I dare.”
A sinister smile appeared on the dragon’s face, and in the next instant, the black dragon transformed into a red light and surged into Ren Ji’s body.
“Ah… It hurts!” Ren Ji’s scream echoed through the ancient tomb. Meanwhile, a glowing red dragon symbol slowly appeared on his forehead.
Ren Ji’s body was lifted into the air by the red light swirling wildly around him. The veins in his neck and arms bulged as if they might burst at any moment. It felt as though his body had been thrown into a sea of fire.
“W-what’s happening to me?” Ren Ji’s voice was hoarse with pain.
But there was no answer. Only the dragon’s roar continued to echo inside his head. Waves of energy erupted from his body, causing the stone floor to crack, and the red dragon symbol on Ren Ji’s forehead grew even brighter.
Strange memories began flooding his mind—war, a blood-red sky, and thousands of cultivators kneeling in fear. A giant black dragon crushed a mountain with a single flick of its tail. A sea of corpses lay scattered. A man in a black robe with fiery red eyes—he was the Sky Dragon Emperor.
“Ugh… it hurts.” Ren Ji clutched his head, which had suddenly started to ache.
The memory felt too real, as if he were experiencing it himself. Suddenly, a deep voice echoed within his soul. “Your body is too weak.”
Ren Ji’s eyes widened. “Y-you’re still alive?”
“Alive?”
“No. I am merely a remnant of a soul awaiting an heir.”
A red light slowly formed the figure of a tall man in a black robe before Ren Ji, his eyes a golden red. His ancient aura made the air feel heavy.
Ren Ji realized immediately. The man before him was the figure from his earlier vision, the Sky Dragon Emperor. He tried to stand, but his knees trembled. “Why did you choose me, Sir?”
The Dragon Emperor stared at him for a long time. “Because you are empty!”
Ren Ji fell silent; all this time he had been mocked for not having a spirit seal. Yet now, that was the very reason he had been chosen. “Do you mean I can?”
