Deep in the white cloud forest, forbidden to practitioners of the magical arts, a man sat in silence at the forest's edge, where the trees thinned and the mountain dropped away into sky.
The wind tugged gently at his robes as he sat beside a small fire, a blackened kettle balanced above the flickering flames. Steam curled from the spout, rising into the cool morning air like a dragon in slumber.
In his right hand, he held a novel, and with measured accuracy, he stirred the boiling tea with a spoon in his left hand, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon where the clouds met the mountains, and the world seemed to hold its breath.
In that stillness, it felt like he was both part of the forest and apart from it, like a man waiting not for something, but for someone.
Li Yao.
He was considered a powerful and extraordinary entity, he stood unrivaled as the mightiest force in the world. His power transcended the boundaries of the physical realm, transforming him into something beyond mortal comprehension—a living embodiment of pure, unrestrained energy.
A being even the gods themselves envied and wished to become.
The rumors of his strength spread like wildfire, and soon he became known as the literal God of magic, no one held a candle to him.
"So... You've finally arrived."
His eyes fluttered open as he sensed the presence of several figures gathering behind him.
Yet even then, he raised his cup and took a slow sip of tea, refusing to turn away from the surreal beauty stretched before him, as if the view itself held more weight than whatever threatened at his back.
"Li Yao..."
As the moon rose higher, its light broke through the trees, casting soft shadows across the forest.
From the darkness fifty men stepped out, each moving with quiet strength and precision. In their hands they held swords—each one different, marked with detailed patterns that reflected the style and techniques of it's wielder.
"Intricate markings, ancient runes... Artifacts?"
He didn't need to look—he could feel it. The raw, ancient energy that moved around the sword like a current.
"Your execution has been ordered Li Yao, it'll be in your best interest to comply with no resistance. You should have known better before consuming our lord's heavenly pearl."
The fifty men stepped forward in unison, each aiming their artifact at Li Yao. He didn't flinch. Instead, he casually turned a page in the novel he was reading, as if the threat before him were nothing more than a passing breeze.
"Do you know what I love most about this novel? It's the truths that lies beyond this story."
Li Yao rose to his feet, brushing the dust from his robe with care. He walked to the edge of the cliff, where the wind tugged gently at his sleeves.
He stood in silence, looking out over the vast horizon below with steady eyes, as if searching for something only he could see.
"The main character is just like me, once a weak martial artist, had to watch his mother die in the name of lowly bloodline. The only difference between us, is the drive for revenge."
"In order to avenge the death of my family, I ate the sacred relic of your lord and attained power that threatened even the gods themselves. I grew stronger and soon after even death feared my existence."
He turned slowly, his gaze settling on the fifty men who stood with blades drawn, ready to strike. But there was no fear in his eyes—only a quiet despair, and a loneliness so deep it seemed to echo beyond the moment.
"However." He closed the book with care and lifted his eyes to the sky, he stared into the endless expanse above, as if searching for an answer written somewhere among the stars.
"Even after taking vengeance on those that wronged me, I still feel empty, perhaps because all those close to me are no more? No, that's not it."
Shortly after Li Yao was born, his mother was executed on the orders of Lady Serapha Veyra, the newly appointed Phoenix Matron and head of the Flameblood Clan.
As the former clan head's mistress, she was deemed disposable , but it was her son, Li Yao, who bore the greater sin.
In him flowed the blood of the Phoenix Matron, a bastard child marked by fire, and for that alone, she believed neither of them deserved to live.
Ever since he was hunted, a heavy bounty hung over his head, drawing magic mercenaries and assassins like vultures to a dying flame.
Driven by vengeance, he did the unthinkable and consumed the Flameblood Clan's most sacred relic, the Heavenly Pearl, and with it, awakened a power the clan had long sealed away, a power that rivaled even that of the gods.
"All my life, I've lived for one purpose, and now that purpose is fulfilled, there's nothing more for me in this world."
A thought ran through his mind, and for the briefest moment, a smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
"That's right, that's all I wanted, but now that all the clans have united against me, I have nothing left but this final battle."
His fingers loosened, and the book slipped from his grasp, falling silently from the cliff and into the endless abyss below.
"Enough of your treacherous fable! Attack!"
The fifty mages surged forward like a tidal wave, with each one wielding an ancient weapon etched with the forgotten runes of old.
Their eyes burned with the same fiery intent, to kill the bastard heir and traitor of the Flameblood clan, Li Yao.
But Li Yao didn't run. He stood at the edge of the cliff, his robe whipping in the wind, firelight dancing in his eyes. With a single step forward and a breath drawn deep into scorched lungs, he raised his hand.
"Celestial Flame Magic: Imperial Star."
The sky darkened as heavy clouds churned above, swallowing the light. Suddenly, a blazing streak of crimson fire tore through the heavens like an infernal comet, trailing sparks like the wrath of a fallen star.
From that blazing orb, a colossal pillar of flame erupted, cascading downward like a molten waterfall of pure destruction. It roared with the fury of a thousand suns, each wave of heat warping the very air, shimmering and distorting the battlefield below.
The fifty mages barely had time to react before the inferno slammed into them. Their ancient weapons melted and over half of their members were burnt to a crisp.
The other half looked on in despair as their allies were destroyed. Using the distraction, Li Wei disappeared from their sight.
"Damn it, where did he go!?" One of the forces leaders shouted, his eyes scanning the scorched battlefield for their target.
Almost immediately, Li Yao descended like a blazing meteor, a sword forged from living flame in his hand, and he charged at the remaining mages.
His movements were fluid, almost dance-like, each strike precise and devastating. He weaved through the surviving mages, flames trailing his every motion, igniting the ground beneath their feet and scorching their defenses.
With every slash, the fiery blade cleaved through their enchanted armor and shattered their ancient weapons, leaving nothing but ashes in its wake.
In a matter of seconds, he wiped out the majority of the allied forces sent to take his head. All that was left, was the respective head of each clan's forces and some of their soldiers.
"You came to kill me with half-baked mages, what were you expecting them to do against the god of magic?"
The leaders of the allied forces gritted their teeth in dismay and, more than anything, in rage.
"How long do you plan on letting your subordinates die?"
"Shut up! You arrogant bastard!" One of the leaders snapped — and in an instant, he lunged toward Li Yao.
"Patience, one of the virtues you people fail to master, although I have you to thank for it, after all, patience was necessary to implement my revenge."
Once more, he unleashed the Imperial Star technique and a blazing streak of crimson fire tore through the heavens like an infernal comet, crashing down upon the remaining mages, burning them all to nothing but ashes.
With a quiet sigh, he returned to the edge of the cliff, his eyes fixed on the vast expanse of the sky. In his mind, the battle was over and the united forces had been wiped out.
Just as he thought it was all over, a figure tore through the flames, fast, precise, merciless.
"Li Yao!!"
As Li Yao turned to face the man, the sword was already there, driving through his mid-section. But even with the sharp, piercing pain tugging at his stomach, he didn't flinch.
The blessing and curse of nigh immortality.
"First order of the Pheonix Matron, your blade cannot kill me."
His midsection burned with the ferocity of a firestorm — but that only made the First Order smile.
"I know."
The flames that escaped his stomach swiftly circled around the sword, before engulfing the entire body of Li Yao.
"This artifact..." His eyes widened after seeing the complex runes on the sword, and his senses snapped into focus as he realized what had pierced him. "Is this the Heavenly Embodiment Seal?"
"What fools engage in a battle they know they cannot win? You ate the Heavenly Pearl and because of that we cannot kill you, however if we can't kill you..."
"I see, so you planned this all along despite the casualties you saw ahead, the Flameblood clan is as ruthless as ever."
The Heavenly Embodiment Seal was another relic of the Flameblood clan, what made it a special relic wasn't just it's ability to seal away it's target, but the target's spiritual essence.
"No matter who you are, no matter what you are, you cannot escape it."
As the seal took full effect, he felt his body becoming numb, and slowly, he descended into the abyss below as he lost consciousness.
But even with his end approaching swiftly each passing second, a smile still crept up the side of his face.
"Quick! Retrieve his body! We'll present it to the Patron and cut the pearl out of him!"
As he sank lower into the abyss, his eyes slowly closed, giving in to the seal's grip. With each passing second, he felt himself slipping away. "At long last.... I can finally rest."