Part to the power of the universe

CHAPTER 7

THE FIRST AWAKENING OF THE SUPREME POWER

The mountain outside Westbridge City was known locally as Blackridge.

Most people visited its lower slopes for hiking, but the northern section had been closed after several unexplained accidents.

According to the city's official records, the area was unstable because of underground rock formations.

Xuan Tian knew better.The black ring had guided him toward the northern ridge three nights in a row.

Each time he approached, the spiritual energy in the area grew stronger.He waited until Saturday morning before making his move.

He told his family he was visiting the library, packed a small bag, and travelled by bus to the edge of the city.

From there, he walked.The climb was difficult because his body was still recovering. He had only reached the first stage of Qi Gathering, and his spiritual reserves remained limited.

Nevertheless, he continued until he reached a narrow opening between two enormous rocks.

The ring warmed in his pocket.A faint golden line appeared across its surface, pointing into the darkness.

Xuan Tian entered.The passage descended deep beneath the mountain.

At the bottom lay a cave filled with black stone pillars. Each pillar was covered in symbols that resembled the inscriptions in the abandoned railway chamber.

At the centre stood a circular platform.A transparent barrier surrounded it.Xuan Tian approached cautiously.

The moment he touched the barrier, a wave of pressure struck him.

His knees nearly buckled.A voice echoed through the cave.

IDENTIFY THE BEARER OF CELESTIAL ORIGIN.

Xuan Tian steadied himself."I am Xuan Tian, former Emperor of the Nine Celestial Realms."

The barrier remained motionless.Then the voice returned.

IDENTITY CONFIRMED.

A golden pathway appeared beneath his feet.He stepped onto the platform.The barrier vanished.Inside lay a small stone tablet, suspended above a shallow pool of silver liquid.

Xuan Tian recognised the liquid immediately.Celestial marrow.Even a small quantity could transform a damaged cultivator's body.

He approached the tablet and placed his hand against it.

Knowledge flooded his mind.

The chamber had been constructed by an ancient civilisation that existed before Earth's recorded history. Its purpose was to preserve fragments of a cultivation system known as the Celestial Origin Legacy.

The legacy had been divided into seven seals.Each seal contained knowledge and energy necessary to restore the original power.

But the final message was the most troubling.

THE DEVOURER IS NOT A BEAST. IT IS A HUNGER WITHOUT END.

Xuan Tian's face hardened.He had encountered that concept before.

The black star that destroyed his universe had not behaved like a natural celestial object. It had consumed energy, matter, and even the laws governing reality.

The civilisation that built this chamber had apparently encountered the same force.

And Earth might be one of the places where it had been contained.

A deep rumble shook the cave.The silver liquid began to rise from the pool.

Xuan Tian stepped back, but the liquid surrounded his feet and flowed upward around his legs.The black ring glowed.

FIRST SEAL STABILISING.

The energy entered his body.Pain erupted through every meridian.

He clenched his teeth as the Celestial Origin Scripture activated, drawing the energy into his core. Damaged pathways began to repair themselves. His muscles tightened, his senses sharpened, and the air around him seemed to become clearer.

Then something broke inside him.A barrier he had been struggling against for days finally collapsed.

His cultivation advanced.The first stage of Qi Gathering was complete.

He could now sense the world beyond his immediate surroundings. He could hear water moving through distant cracks in the rock. He could detect the faint vibrations of insects beneath the soil.

For a brief moment, he felt like himself again.

Then the cave shook violently.A black crack appeared across the stone tablet.

A wave of cold energy swept through the chamber.The ring flashed red.

WARNING: SEAL INTEGRITY COMPROMISED.

Xuan Tian stared at the tablet.A shadow moved behind the stone pillars.It had no definite shape. It appeared as a patch of darkness that swallowed the light around it.

The voice returned, no longer calm.

THE DEVOURER HAS NOT FORGOTTEN YOU.

The shadow vanished.Xuan Tian remained motionless.

He had come to Earth hoping to recover his power and find a way home.Instead, he had discovered that the same force responsible for his reincarnation might still be active.

He collected the remaining celestial marrow in a small container and secured the tablet's information inside the ring.Then he left the cave.

By the time he returned to Westbridge, the sun was setting.

His phone contained seven missed calls from his mother.

He called her immediately.

"Cooper, Where have you been?" Margaret demanded. Her voice trembled. "You need to come home right now."

"What happened?"

There was a pause.Then he heard his sister crying in the background.

"Your father has been taken to hospital," Margaret said. "Some men came to the house. He tried to stop them from entering, and they pushed him down the stairs."

Xuan Tian's expression changed."Is he conscious?"

"Yes, but the doctor says his injuries are serious."

"Which hospital?"

She gave him the name."I am coming."

He ended the call.For several seconds,he stood motionless on the pavement.Then the air around him seemed to grow still.

The men who had harmed his father had made a serious mistake.

Xuan Tian had tried to resolve the matter peacefully. He had examined the documents, offered a chance for dialogue, and warned Marcus Vane to stop threatening his family.Now the situation has changed.

He would still seek lawful evidence. He would still distinguish the guilty from the innocent.

But he would no longer tolerate intimidation.

He began walking toward the road.His eyes turned cold."Marcus Vane," he murmured. "You have chosen your path."