The sky above the Lower Realm was vast and endless, an expanse of twinkling stars and drifting clouds. It was a realm far removed from the majesty of the Immortal World, where celestial mountains pierced the heavens and divine palaces floated among the stars.
A golden spatial rift tore through the night sky, and from within, two figures descended.
One was a young man, Ling Tianxiao. Dressed in flowing black and gold robes embroidered with ancient runes, he was undeniably noble, undeniably powerful—yet shackled. His Immortal Dao Foundation had been sealed, and his once boundless aura was now suppressed.
The other was a woman—his guardian, his aunt, his last remaining connection to the world he had lost. Qing Yue.
Her presence was like a moonlit frost—elegant, untouchable, yet breathtakingly beautiful. Silver hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall of silk, her celestial violet eyes deep enough to drown in. Even with her power restrained to avoid disrupting the balance of the Lower Realm, an aura of immortal grace lingered around her.
As they landed atop a vast, rolling mountain range, the wind whispered through the trees, carrying the faint scent of blooming spirit flowers.
Tianxiao gazed at the world before him, his expression unreadable.
"This is the Lower Realm…" he murmured.
Qing Yue turned her gaze to him, her hands folded behind her back. "Are you disappointed?"
He chuckled, though there was no true humor in his voice. "Not quite. I was expecting something worse."
The Dao Council had called this exile a "trial," but both he and Qing Yue knew the truth—it was a desperate attempt to suppress his rise.
They feared him.
And that fear would one day cost them everything.
For now, he had to start anew. The first step—unraveling the seal on his cultivation.
Descending from the mountain, Tianxiao and Qing Yue arrived at a bustling city—one of the largest mortal settlements in the region. The streets were filled with traders, sect disciples, and wandering cultivators, all moving about their daily lives, oblivious to the true monsters that had just entered their world.
Tianxiao's presence, even restrained, was striking. Women turned their heads, eyes lingering on him, while men felt an unconscious sense of inferiority.
Qing Yue, walking silently beside him, was equally mesmerizing. Her beauty was ethereal, almost intimidating, yet that did little to stop the admiring gazes from every direction.
They entered a tea house, taking a private booth near the upper balcony. As Tianxiao poured himself a cup, he felt something stir within his soul.
A fragment of golden light flickered in his vision. Then, a mechanical voice echoed in his mind.
[Villain System: Activated.]
[Scanning Fate Threads…]
[Identifying Destiny-Bound Individuals…]
Tianxiao's fingers paused on the rim of his cup.
A system?
He narrowed his eyes slightly, intrigued. He had heard of fate-bound individuals—those whom the world itself seemed to favor, granting them unnatural luck, power, and opportunities. These were often the so-called 'protagonists' of the world.
And now, it seemed… he had the ability to see and alter their fate.
'Interesting.'
At that moment, the doors to the tea house burst open, and a group of arrogant young cultivators strode in, their robes embroidered with the symbol of the Azure Sky Sect.
They were led by a young man with a high, proud forehead and an air of self-importance.
A title appeared in Tianxiao's vision.
[Fate-Bound Individual: Ye Tain]
[Heaven's Chosen | Fortunate Encounter: 3 Days]
A protagonist.
And in just three days, he was destined to obtain a powerful inheritance.
Tianxiao smiled to himself, sipping his tea.
Perhaps his time in the Lower Realm would not be so dull after all.
Later that night, within the courtyard of a secluded inn, the moon hung high, casting a soft glow upon the world.
Qing Yue stood alone, her silver hair fluttering in the night breeze. Her thoughts were troubled.
Ever since Tianxiao's exile, she had been by his side, guarding him, protecting him. But in this mortal realm, something was… changing.
Her emotions, long buried beneath layers of duty and restraint, were beginning to surface.
She turned as she heard soft footsteps behind her.
Tianxiao approached, his robe slightly loosened, revealing the sculpted perfection of his immortal physique. His gaze was unreadable, but deep within his golden eyes was something she could not ignore.
"You're troubled," he said.
Qing Yue exhaled softly, turning away. "It's nothing."
"You're a terrible liar," he murmured, stepping closer.
She felt her pulse quicken as his warmth enveloped her. The boy she had once sworn to protect had become a man—a man whose presence made her heart waver in ways it never should.
"Tianxiao…" she whispered, voice uncertain.
His fingers brushed against hers—gentle, yet undeniably intimate.
"I am not a child anymore, Yue." His voice was lower now, more intense.
She swallowed hard. "We shouldn't…"
"And yet, you haven't pulled away," he whispered.
Silence.
Then, with a soft, trembling sigh, she finally surrendered.
Her arms wrapped around his neck, her lips meeting his in a kiss that tasted of forbidden longing and years of suppressed desire.
The night stretched long, their bodies intertwining beneath the moonlit sky, their love no longer something that could be denied.