Far Beyond the Demonic Realm — The Edge of Outer Space
The stars flickered faintly as Tian Lai limped through the vast silence of space, his robes torn and soaked with blood. Every breath burned. Every heartbeat echoed like a dying drumbeat in his chest.
He clutched the hilt of the Seven Ruthless Sword, the once-mighty blade that had failed to defeat the demon king. Its edge was stained with battle, and his fingers trembled as they gripped it.
He looked down at his ruined body. The pain was dull now, distant—a sign his end was drawing near.
"I'm going to die," he whispered into space.
The words felt like surrender, but his eyes remained steady. There was one thing left to do.
His gaze fell upon the sword. If left in the wrong hands, this weapon could tip the balance of realms. He had to make sure that never happened.
And then he remembered.
A Lower World. A place long forgotten by many cultivators of Outer Space. And there… a person. A cultivator who once helped him during a trial in his youth. Someone who lived in obscurity—yet whose heart was purer than any celestial being he'd ever known.
"Yes," he murmured. "I can't fight anymore… but I can hide this sword. I'll leave it behind. Not for now. Not for fame. But for someone… someone who is worthy."
Using the last of his dwindling life essence, Tian Lai stabilized his soul and extended his lifespan—just enough to finish his mission.
He raised a trembling hand and tore open a crack in space.
With the sword held close to his chest, he stepped through.
---
Lower World – Blue Continent
A blast of cold wind struck Tian Lai as he emerged into the skies above a vast ocean of mountains and rivers. Clouds drifted peacefully below him, unaware that a dying legend had entered their realm.
The Blue Continent.
He didn't hesitate. His divine sense reached far and wide, locking onto familiar coordinates. Then he flew, dragging his injured body through the air, each movement tearing at his insides.
After what felt like hours, he reached his destination—hovering over a vast, tranquil valley surrounded by cliffs and ancient trees.
Here, he descended. Slowly. Gently.
He landed on one knee.
Then, he drew the sword before him and pressed it between his bloodied palms.
He closed his eyes.
"May this weapon… never fall into darkness."
The Seven Ruthless Sword began to glow, humming with ancient energy.
Suddenly—
A thunderous boom shook the air.
The single sword split into seven.
Each blade floated in the air before him, their auras radiating elemental might:
• Sword of Inferno
• Sword of Earth
• Sword of Wind
• Sword of Immortal Tree
• Sword of Aqua
• Sword of Thunder
• And the final sword… Sword of Demon Heart
Tian Lai coughed blood but didn't falter.
With a burst of soul power, he spread his arms—and the blades vanished in streaks of light, flying across the continent and beyond. Some sank into secret realms, others pierced deep into sacred grounds, and a few hid themselves within the Blue Continent's deadliest forbidden lands.
But the final sword… the Demonheart Edge… Tian Lai carried it with him.
He traveled one last time, deep into the ancient mountains where no beast or man dared tread.
There, inside a forgotten cave bathed in crimson mist, he placed the sword upon a black stone pedestal.
Its red glow dimmed, as if sleeping.
Tian Lai, exhausted and hollow, sat beside it.
With the last flicker of life in his soul, he whispered:
"Let the worthy one find you…"
Then, he closed his eyes.
And the man who once challenged the Demon King—Tian Lai, the Celestial Supreme—breathed his last.
The cave fell silent.
But far in the future… someone would come.
And the trials of the Seven Ruthless Swords would begin.