The wind howled across Black Crow Mountain like the cry of countless ghosts.
Dark clouds swallowed the moon as rain drizzled over the ruined village nestled beneath the mountain. Broken houses burned with dying flames. The smell of blood mixed with wet earth, and corpses lay scattered across the muddy streets.
A young boy staggered through the wreckage.
He was only fifteen.
His clothes were torn, his face streaked with soot and blood, and his breathing came in ragged gasps. His name was Lin Yuan.
Every step felt heavier than the last.
"No..."
His trembling voice echoed through the silent village.
"This... this can't be real..."
He found his mother lying beside the well, her lifeless body shielding the small wooden bucket she had tried to protect.
His knees struck the ground.
"Mother..."
His hands shook as he reached toward her cold face.
No answer.
Not even warmth remained.
A few meters away lay his father, still clutching the broken hunting spear he had used to defend the village.
The spear was snapped in half.
So was the man.
Lin Yuan's eyes became empty.
Only this morning his father had laughed, promising to teach him how to hunt the Silver-Horn Deer after the harvest festival.
Now...
Only silence remained.
Footsteps echoed behind him.
Three figures wearing crimson robes appeared from the smoke.
Each robe carried the emblem of a black serpent wrapped around a crimson moon.
One of them sneered.
"So there's still a survivor."
Another laughed.
"He's too weak to even cultivate. Kill him."
The third shook his head.
"Why waste spiritual energy? Leave him. Wild beasts will finish the job."
The three cultivators disappeared into the darkness without another glance.
To them...
Lin Yuan wasn't worth killing.
His fists slowly tightened.
Not worth...
The words stabbed deeper than any blade.
Weak.
Powerless.
Worthless.
He could protect no one.
He could save no one.
His fingernails dug into his palms until blood dripped onto the ground.
"I swear..."
Lightning split the heavens.
"I swear by Heaven itself..."
Thunder roared.
"...one day every person wearing that robe will kneel before me." Ln
The earth suddenly trembled.
Deep beneath the ruined village...
Something awakened.
A crack spread across the ground beneath Lin Yuan.
Before he could react, the earth collapsed.
He plunged into darkness.
...
He crashed onto cold stone.
Pain shot through every bone, but he forced himself to stand.
The cavern was ancient.
Massive chains thicker than ancient trees stretched into endless darkness.
Each chain glowed with strange golden runes.
At the center floated a black crystal covered in nine shattered chains.
The instant Lin Yuan stepped closer...
A voice echoed through the cavern.
It sounded ancient.
Cold.
As though it had witnessed the birth and death of worlds.
"After one million years... another has come."
Lin Yuan froze.
"Who's there?"
The crystal pulsed.
"Do you seek revenge?"
"Yes."
"Do you seek power?"
"Yes."
"Would you sacrifice everything?"
Lin Yuan thought of his parents.
His village.
The mocking laughter of the killers.
His answer came without hesitation.
"...Everything."
The nine broken chains exploded with blinding light.
The ancient voice laughed.
"Very well..."
"From this day onward..."
"You shall become the Ninth Chain Sovereign."
The light swallowed Lin Yuan whole.
.