In an instant, the endless cloud sea churned with storm winds, and killing intent smothered the sky from every direction."DIE!" Aiden's eyes blazed. He roared, and his immortal sword split into ten thousand streaks of light, sweeping outward like lightning from the heavens.The crowd scrambled backward, terror in their eyes and cold sweat running down their spines. There were so many of them, and still they trembled.Damien Frost had fallen to him in a single strike. What chance did they have? Unless a miracle happened, Aiden would break through and flee today.This place is no longer safe. Seraphina wouldn't dare plot against me alone. Aldric Vale must be standing behind her. I have to get out of here.Aiden swept a scornful glance over the cowering crowd and prepared a secret escape technique.Then a melody drifted into his ears, ethereal as smoke.He turned toward the sound. Above the sea of mist, a forest of crimson maple leaves had appeared out of nowhere. Within it sat a woman

The autumn wind was cold, and the tree-lined path had grown bare. Students streamed toward Silvermere Lake, this year's graduates, all about to begin new journeys. Some would stay in the mortal lands, and others would travel to Celestara.But in a restroom nearby, Aiden was being beaten black and blue by Caleb. He had always been timid, and now he had neither the courage nor the strength to fight back.Caleb Ward came from a powerful, well-connected family. After graduation he would be sent to Celestara to train in the martial arts. Warriors were plentiful in the mortal lands, but their skill was generally low. The people of Celestara even called this world the Wasteland, because so many here still clung to the old breathing methods. They insisted that the breath cultivators of the Age Before the Crowns had reached greatness through daily practice."Tell me," Caleb sneered, rolling his neck and glaring at Aiden crumpled at his feet, his anger still simmering, "how does a spineless wor

Ancient ginkgo trees lined both sides of the road, their yellow leaves drifting down in a thick carpet that glimmered pale under the moonlight. It was a beautiful sight.Among the ginkgoes stood many maples too, their fiery red leaves stretching as far as the eye could see, like a vast, burning sunset.In this season the grass and trees began to yellow, and most flowers had withered, leaving behind the quiet sorrow of autumn. Yet the golden ginkgoes and flame-red maples along the city roads were so dazzling that they gave the opposite feeling, one of life and vibrancy.In this season, the city showed both its vitality and its loneliness at once.Lucy's breath caught for a moment. She forced a smile and answered lightly, "I'm not going to Celestara. I think the mortal world is better, even if people call it the Wasteland.""My family, my friends, and... the people I care about are all here. I don't want to leave. Even an ordinary life isn't so bad. At least there'll be someone beside m

Normally, Aiden would have ignored such a provocation, too bored to bother with it.But then he saw Lucy step outside with red eyes, plainly having just cried. Irritation stirred in him, and a distant figure slowly overlapped with hers in his mind."Don't think I don't know. You've been secretly practicing that old breathing method. Back at school, I saw you doing it on the rooftop at dawn. On Celestara, that technique is considered worthless. It was discarded long ago."Garrett was talking half to himself, and the crowd stared, surprised and doubtful, glancing up at Aiden on the second floor. They had never guessed he was practicing cultivation.Aiden frowned. It was true that before his past-life memories awakened, he had secretly practiced it. He had made no progress at all and never succeeded.But looking back now, he understood that those so-called life-nourishing methods could extend life, yet they could never be called true cultivation.They were the most basic and incomplete o