Chapter 1: The Wedding
Chapter 1: The Wedding
Shiyang Town at the southwestern border of Tianyang Empire was bustling with excitement. The streets were decked with lanterns and banners for the Cheng family’s grand wedding.
Though Shiyang Town only had a few thousand residents, the Cheng family dominated the region for a hundred miles, unmatched in power and prestige.
Today marked the wedding of the third young master, Cheng Zhaolong. The Cheng estate overflowed with guests and relatives offering blessings to the couple.
Amid the celebration, emotions ran high – joy, jealousy, and sorrow mingled in the air.
“Third Brother really scored big, snagging the town’s top beauty.”
“Talent and strength won the old ancestor’s favor. None of us would’ve had such luck.”
“Luck alone doesn’t cut it. You need ruthlessness. Look at Seventh Brother – I couldn’t stomach his methods.”
In a shadowed corner, a youth of sixteen stared at the crimson-clad bride. The red veil hid her face, but the wedding dress clung to her delicate curves.
This was Cheng Lingyu, seventh in the Cheng family’s third generation.
“Not ruthless enough – just too slow. The seventh’s worthless except for book-munching. At least his childhood sweetheart becoming Third Brother’s bride counts as his family contribution.”
Cousins watched the couple with envious eyes, sneering at Cheng Lingyu’s misfortune.
At noon, the ceremony began.
Twenty-year-old Cheng Zhaolong stood radiant in red, confidence radiating from his handsome features.
“Bow to heaven and earth… Bow to ancestors…”
Cheng Lingyu’s nails bit his palms. The bride had been his sweetheart until Cheng Zhaolong stole her a month prior.
Her stiff movements betrayed unwillingness, yet she couldn’t resist.
Seventeen-year-old Cheng Lingyu burned with fury. In this cultivation-focused clan, his failed potential made him worthless.
Before age ten, he’d strained to cultivate like others. Normal constitution, zero progress – baffling family experts found no cause.
At ten, he’d entered Yiyun Academy, meeting the teacher’s daughter Ruo Xue.
Mocked by cousins, he’d withdrawn until Ruo Xue patiently drew him out. Their pure affection blossomed.
First love’s sweet promise had kindled dreams.
Ruo Xue’s beauty and grace crowned her Shiyang Town’s jewel. Her heart belonged wholly to Cheng Lingyu – until Cheng Zhaolong returned from training, saw her, and claimed her.
“Couple’s bow…”
The booming announcement shattered Cheng Lingyu’s memories. He lunged forward, roaring: “Cheng Zhaolong! You scheming cur–”
Chaos erupted. Confused guests murmured as Cheng relatives swarmed to stop him.
“Outrageous! Remove him!”
Family head Cheng Feng rose like thunder. His crushing aura blasted Cheng Lingyu across the courtyard, where the youth lay motionless.
None disrupted the wedding of the family head’s favored son.
“Father, don’t be angry. Seventh Brother has always harbored feelings for Ruo Xue. His envious reaction is only natural,” Cheng Zhaolong said magnanimously, his demeanor calm.
Cheng Feng snorted. “Today is our Cheng family’s joyous occasion. His disgraceful behavior demands punishment, or our rules mean nothing!”
Cheng Zhaolong replied, “Since it’s a celebration, show mercy. Seventh Brother is your prized student. Consider this a gesture to honor you.”
“For your father-in-law’s sake, I’ll spare him this once. Guards! Throw him into the back mountain’s Sinkhole for a day without food.”
Cheng Lingyu collapsed, his body aching as if shattered. Yet the deeper agony came from watching helplessly as his beloved Ruo Xue married a vile man.
Despair and corrosive hatred gnawed at his soul.
…
The Sinkhole behind the Cheng estate wasn’t a well, but a massive cavity in a barren stone mountain. Two weathered stone tablets stood nearby—the outer engraved with “Extreme,” the inner with “Forbidden.”
Countless experts had studied this lifeless pit over the years, finding nothing. The Cheng family, rulers of Shiyang Town for a century, eventually used it to discipline wayward disciples by sealing their cultivation.
Though Cheng Lingyu knew of this place, he’d never been imprisoned here until now. At eighty zhang deep, escape was impossible without cultivation. His furious shouts bounced off the stone walls as he cursed his powerlessness.
…
In the bridal chamber, Cheng Zhaolong lifted Ruo Xue’s veil, revealing her flushed cheeks. “I’m sparing that worthless Seventh Brother for your sake. Don’t disappoint me.”
“Hypocrite!” Ruo Xue spat.
Cheng Zhaolong smirked. “This world bows to strength. Keep resisting, and his punishment worsens.”
She bit her lip, swallowing curses to protect Cheng Lingyu.
“Please me tonight, and I’ll free him tomorrow. Otherwise…” Cheng Zhaolong left with a mocking laugh.
Alone, Ruo Xue wept. “If true love could revive, it would shine brighter than any star. If Souls reincarnate, I’ll wait beneath the starry sky next Life.”
Her whispered vow hung in the air as tears fell and blood stained the sheets. The light faded from her eyes, her Life’s flame guttering out.
A steadfast love, a heart-carved bond—at the moment of separation, Ruo Xue inscribed love’s loyalty with her unrepentant youth, defending her choice through her precious life.
…
Within the sinkhole, Cheng Lingyu’s shouts gradually faded, despair etching his face.
He couldn’t alter reality nor bend space and time, powerless as he was.
This world worshipped strength. The Cheng family ruled Shiyang Town not through virtue or prestige, but sheer might.
Since childhood, Cheng Lingyu had endured disdain and mockery. Books were his solace, Ruo Xue his only treasure.
Losing her now meant losing his entire world. He plummeted from light into darkness, vitality decaying into numbness—his life crumbling.
Amidst grief, Cheng Lingyu recalled his father Cheng Yun, the sole other person he cherished.
Family head Cheng Feng ranked third among the Cheng clan’s second generation, while Cheng Yun stood fifth.
Cheng Lingyu remembered his father’s words: when his mother carried him, she too had been punished in this sinkhole for half a month.
She died during his birth, leaving Cheng Yun shattered.
Growing up father-reliant, Cheng Lingyu held no status in the clan. Cheng Yun’s grave injuries had eroded his power, stripping their standing.
Nightfall draped Cheng Manor’s celebrations under Ruo Xue’s death-shadow. Cheng Zhaolong nearly demolished the bridal chamber in fury.
Ruo Xue’s father almost collapsed upon hearing of her demise, the joyous wedding twisting into bitter mockery.
Unaware, Cheng Lingyu lay unconscious—overwhelmed by emotional turmoil and injuries from being hurled against walls.
Cheng Manor clamored while the sinkhole kept water-still silence.
Cheng Lingyu sank into darkness, his existence now lightless. Even dreams drowned in blackness.
This endless dark pulsed with eerie rhythm.
Despairing, he fell deeper into the abyss, consumed by shadow.
The darkness devoured all, smothering even soul-whispers.
Cheng Lingyu entered corpse-like stillness, thoughts frozen.
The day after Ruo Xue’s death, Cheng Zhaolong abandoned the Cheng clan for his sect, dumping matters on his father.
Though causing stir, the Cheng family’s dominance ensured Yiyun Calligraphy Academy’s protests died within two days.
Cheng Lingyu awoke after three days’ slumber, immediately facing Cheng Yun.
At forty, Cheng Yun appeared ancient—hair half-white, face creviced, prematurely aged.
“Father… I—”
Guilt choked Cheng Lingyu. His wedding outburst had ignored consequences for his parent.
“Ruo Xue’s dead. Poisoned herself.”
Cheng Yun’s sighing tone understood how these words would shatter his son.
“No! Lies! You’re lying!”
The seventeen-year-old’s face contorted madly, screams tearing from his throat as tears fell.
The blow shattered his already broken spirit, mind unraveling.
Cheng Yun watched painfully, recognizing this agony—he’d reacted identically when childbirth stole his wife.
Cheng Lingyu fled to Cheng Manor, then raced to Yiyun Calligraphy Academy upon learning Ruo Xue’s corpse rested there. Seeing her coffin-sleep, he collapsed anew.
Darkness reclaimed him—lightless, soundless.
Like his worthless life.
Though emotions raged, the eerie darkness froze them mid-storm—a stillborn painting.
Cheng Lingyu felt bound by unseen chains, thoughts paralyzed despite struggles.
Ruo Xue’s death ignited his soul. He fought the binding force desperately, will burning to ash until—*crack*—a faint ripple stirred.
Darkness lingered. He slept until dawn.
Yiyun Calligraphy Academy had completed funeral rites. Cheng Lingyu stood before Ruo Xue’s tombstone for three lightless days.
“Cheng Zhaolong! You killed her! I’ll never forgive this!”
Turning stone-faced, the gaunt youth aged years in that instant. Pale features hardening with cold hatred, he departed bearing lifelong regrets.
He’d avenge Ruo Xue. Clear this grievance. However faint the hope—never surrendering.