# Chapter 1: Eight Hundred Years Later
"Chi Yao, I treated you as my beloved, why did you kill me?"
Zhang Ruochen roared loudly, lunged forward, pressing down on the gilded bed frame until it creaked, and abruptly sat up.
Realizing it was just a dream, Zhang Ruochen let out a long breath and wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve.
No!
That was not a dream!
How could everything that happened between him and Princess Chi Yao possibly be a dream?
Zhang Ruochen was originally the only son of "Ming Emperor," one of the Nine Great Emperors of the Kunlun Realm. At just sixteen years old, with his heaven-defying constitution, he had already cultivated to the Great Perfection of the Heavenly Extreme Realm.
But just as he was becoming the number one figure among the younger generation of the Kunlun Realm, he died at the hands of his childhood betrothed, Princess Chi Yao.
Princess Chi Yao was the daughter of "Qing Emperor," another of the Nine Great Emperors.
Ming Emperor and Qing Emperor were the closest of friends. Zhang Ruochen and Princess Chi Yao had been betrothed since birth, growing up and cultivating together. One was heroic and spirited, the other breathtakingly beautiful—they were considered a perfect match, a golden couple that could have become a celebrated tale in the cultivation world.
Zhang Ruochen never expected that Princess Chi Yao would actually strike against him!
After dying at Princess Chi Yao's hands, when Zhang Ruochen woke up again, he found himself eight hundred years in the future.
The former Princess Chi Yao had pacified the chaos of the Nine Emperors, unified the nine kingdoms, established the First Central Empire, and become the ruler of the entire Kunlun Realm—Empress Chi Yao.
Eight hundred years ago, the Nine Emperors who had dominated the Kunlun Realm had completely become things of the past, disappearing into the long river of history.
The Nine Emperors were dead, and the Empress had taken the throne.
In this era, there was only one sovereign—Empress Chi Yao, ruling over all under heaven, her might reaching in all directions.
"Why did she kill me? How could her heart be so ruthless? Or is it that all women's hearts are this cruel?"
Zhang Ruochen's gaze was sharp, his heart as heavy as iron, filled with countless questions. But there was no one who could answer them for him.
Eight hundred years had passed. The seas had turned to mulberry fields, and things had changed beyond recognition. Except for Empress Chi Yao, whose peerless cultivation kept her eternally young and immortal, all the old acquaintances had long since turned to yellow earth and white bones.
Even the Nine Emperors, who had once been so majestic and awe-inspiring, had all vanished from the world, leaving behind only glorious stories passed down through generations.
"Creak!"
A frail, beautiful woman in palace attire pushed open the door from outside. Looking at Zhang Ruochen sitting on the bed, she spoke with concern in her eyes, "Chen'er, did you have another nightmare?"
This beautiful woman was the consort of the Yunwu Commandery Prince and also Zhang Ruochen's mother, Consort Lin.
The original owner of this body had been frail and sickly, dying in bed three days ago.
After being killed by Princess Chi Yao, when Zhang Ruochen woke up again, he had appeared in this body, bringing the dying youth back to life. By an even greater coincidence, the original owner of this body was also named Zhang Ruochen.
When Zhang Ruochen first woke up, he was still resistant to Consort Lin. After all, in Zhang Ruochen's eyes, Consort Lin was just a stranger.
But after three days of contact, Zhang Ruochen gradually discovered that Consort Lin truly cared for him deeply, with meticulous attention. Seeing Zhang Ruochen frightened awake by a nightmare, she immediately rushed to his room despite the freezing cold.
In his previous life, Zhang Ruochen had never seen his birth mother. It was said that she had passed away when he was born. He never expected that after being killed by Princess Chi Yao and being reborn in this body, he would gain a mother and experience the warmth of maternal love.
"Perhaps she still doesn't know that her Chen'er died of illness three days ago."
If he told her the truth, she might not be able to bear the shock of such news.
Zhang Ruochen looked at the beautiful woman before him, his gaze softening as he smiled slightly: "Mother, don't worry about me. It was just a dream."
Consort Lin, wearing a maroon hooded mink cloak over her thin frame, sat by Zhang Ruochen's bed and stroked his forehead, speaking worriedly: "It's been three nights now. You keep being frightened awake by nightmares, and every time you call out 'Chi Yao's' name. Who exactly is she?"
Consort Lin naturally could not connect the name "Chi Yao" to the Empress of the First Central Empire.
Moreover, after Empress Chi Yao unified the Kunlun Realm and established the First Central Empire, she was called the "Great Virtuous Holy Empress." Normally, no one dared to mention the name "Chi Yao." It would be taboo.
Zhang Ruochen said, "It's nothing, Mother. You misheard."
Consort Lin sighed and said, "Never directly say the name 'Chi Yao' again, not even in dreams. That is the Empress's personal name. Directly calling the Empress's name is a great disrespect. If someone with ill intent hears it, you could be executed."
Zhang Ruochen nodded, tightly clenching his fingers, and said with profound meaning, "I definitely won't anymore. From now on..."
From now on, I will be her nightmare.
Consort Lin looked at Zhang Ruochen's thin, pale face and sighed softly, her heart filled with bitterness.
Although he was born into a Commandery Prince's household, he had been frail and sickly since childhood. At sixteen, he could still only lie in bed all year round. He would probably be like this for the rest of his life.
Outside, the sound of chaotic footsteps arose.
"What are you doing? This is Yushu Palace. Who gave you the audacity to barge in?" A beautiful maidservant tried to block the Eighth Prince from entering, but he lightly pushed her, sending her flying more than ten meters away.
The Eighth Prince was a martial artist, having reached the later stage of the Yellow Extreme Realm. With a single palm strike, he could send a three-hundred-pound stone disc flying ten zhang. What was a maidservant weighing only a hundred or so pounds?
With a flick of his finger, he could send her flying.
The maidservant screamed and crashed heavily to the ground, her left arm broken from the fall.
The Eighth Prince wore a suit of gold-threaded clothes, a jade belt around his waist. His body was robust, his arms long, his steps steady as he walked into Yushu Palace. He coldly glanced at the maidservant, "A mere servant dares to block this prince's path. Truly seeking death."
Behind the Eighth Prince followed six guards in scale armor, tall and broad-shouldered, clearly powerful martial artists and palace guards.
Hearing the commotion outside, Consort Lin calmed Zhang Ruochen's emotions, then closed the door and went out.
She stared at the Eighth Prince standing outside, slightly furrowing her brow, "Eighth Prince, this is Yushu Palace. Even if you are a prince, you cannot just barge in here."
The Eighth Prince, Zhang Ji, raised his head and stared at Consort Lin, speaking loudly, "The Queen has decreed that Consort Lin and the Ninth Prince's residence is to be moved to 'Ziyi Side Hall.' From now on, the master of Yushu Palace will be this prince's birth mother, Consort Xiao."
Consort Lin's face changed slightly. She had long expected this day to come, but not so soon.
Consort Lin smiled bitterly, "Is the Queen in such a hurry to drive us mother and son out of Yushu Palace? Fine. Tomorrow, Chen'er and I will move to the side hall."
The Eighth Prince said, "I'm sorry. My mother said she wants to move into Yushu Palace tonight. Please move to the side hall now, Consort Lin."
Knowing that Zhang Ruochen was frail and could not withstand the disturbance, Consort Lin spoke with a pleading tone, "Eighth Prince, you know your Ninth Brother is weak and sickly. The night is already deep, the weather is cold, what if..."
The Eighth Prince sneered coldly, showing no courtesy at all, "Consort Lin, there are plenty of pitiful people in this world, but not everyone deserves pity. Since the Ninth Brother is so weak and sickly, why does he even bother living?"
"He is your Ninth Brother!"
Consort Lin wanted to say more, but suddenly the door behind her was pushed open.
Zhang Ruochen's body was weak. He could barely stand by supporting himself against the door pillar, staring at the Eighth Prince not far away. His seemingly frail body seemed to contain an unyielding will, "Don't beg them. We'll move now."
"Chen'er, why did you get out of bed? The weather outside is cold. Go back inside quickly." Consort Lin hurried forward to support Zhang Ruochen, afraid he might catch a chill.
Zhang Ruochen stubbornly shook his head, "Mother, we don't need to beg anyone. One day... we will return here."
Consort Lin looked at Zhang Ruochen's determined eyes, seemingly infected by his emotions, and nodded with tears streaming down her face.
Consort Lin supported Zhang Ruochen as they walked step by step out of Yushu Palace. Except for the maidservant whose arm had been broken by the Eighth Prince's palm strike, none of the other servants followed them out of Yushu Palace.
Everyone could see that Consort Lin and the Ninth Prince had completely lost their standing. There was no longer any place for them in the Commandery Prince's residence.
They had originally been servants of Yushu Palace, so now they wisely chose to stay and curry favor with the Eighth Prince, their new master.
Ziyi Side Hall was generally where disfavored consorts lived. It was very remote, covered in fallen leaves, as if no one had lived there for a long time.
The night was deep, and the cold wind was bleak.
Sitting on a cold stone stool, Zhang Ruochen wrapped his thin body in an outer garment but still felt the cold.
"This physical body is too weak. I must cultivate martial arts to gradually strengthen it. Otherwise, even as a Commandery Prince's son, I will still be pushed around," Zhang Ruochen thought to himself.
Eight hundred years had passed. Zhang Ruochen didn't know where he could go now. Since heaven had arranged for him to be reborn in this body, whether to take revenge on Empress Chi Yao in the future or for the mother who cared for him so meticulously, he had to become strong.
The humiliation and cold treatment he suffered today were entirely because he was too weak, unable to resist, unable to control his own fate, and even the place where he lived had been taken by others.
To gain others' respect and obtain a warm and comfortable living environment, he had to become a martial artist and prove his ability.
In the Kunlun Realm, to become a martial artist, one must first awaken the "Divine Martial Mark."
The so-called "Divine Martial Mark" is the qualification bestowed by the gods for humans to cultivate martial arts. Those who have not awakened the "Divine Martial Mark" can never cultivate true qi and cannot become powerful beings in the world.
Zhang Ruochen was already sixteen and still had not awakened the "Divine Martial Mark."
After sixteen, one misses the optimal age for martial cultivation. Even if one awakens the "Divine Martial Mark," they cannot achieve much.
Both were sons of the Yunwu Commandery Prince, so why could the Eighth Prince be superior? Why could he drive Zhang Ruochen and Consort Lin out of Yushu Palace?
It was because the Eighth Prince had awakened the "Divine Martial Mark" at the age of ten and was now a young martial artist at the later stage of the Yellow Extreme Realm.
"If I can just awaken the 'Divine Martial Mark,' I can cultivate the 'Nine Heavens Bright Emperor Scripture.' With the profundity of the 'Nine Heavens Bright Emperor Scripture,' even if I've missed the optimal cultivation age, I can still catch up to other geniuses and become a martial arts powerhouse again."
The "Nine Heavens Bright Emperor Scripture" was the supreme treasure that Ming Emperor cultivated. Apart from Ming Emperor himself, only Zhang Ruochen knew the complete cultivation method of the "Nine Heavens Bright Emperor Scripture."
"Tomorrow is the sacrificial ceremony. I hope to receive the gods' recognition and awaken the 'Divine Martial Mark.'" Zhang Ruochen clenched his fists, filled with longing to awaken the "Divine Martial Mark."
After Consort Lin finished tidying up the room, she came over to support Zhang Ruochen, "Chen'er, get some rest early. You still have to attend the sacrificial ceremony tomorrow."
"Don't worry, Mother. I will definitely awaken the 'Divine Martial Mark' tomorrow!" Zhang Ruochen said.
"Mm. Mother believes in you!"
Consort Lin looked deeply at Zhang Ruochen and sighed softly in her heart.
In truth, she held no hope at all that Zhang Ruochen would awaken the "Divine Martial Mark." After all, he was already sixteen. Past sixteen, it was almost impossible to awaken the Divine Martial Mark.
But as a mother, she had to encourage her child and give him confidence.