[Place:??]

“Tabdheb*#%*djhd ” , A voice that couldn't be heard clearly rang out in a black vast place. No matter where one looked, it was like a dark empty abyss filled with several small shining stars.

Only a person was floating in this eternal dark space. The person's body was covered in a black mist and his long black hair was disheveled. A dark light was coming from him which was clearly visible in the pitch black abyss. The voice caused Ling to open his eyes slowly. He stared at the dark world fill with star like objects that was revealed in front of him. He could only see a giant closed door that radiated a strange crimson dark light. It looked like the gate of hell.

‘…Did I die?… Is it how it feels to die? ’

‘… Is that the gateway to heavens? Or hell?’

‘What was that weird voice earlier?…..sigh…. So this is how it all ends huh. Well at least I am free now…from all that suffering and pain.’ Ling thought.

Then Ling tried to move his body but was unable to do so. 

‘I…can't move!! ’ as he was unable to do anything, he tried to shout out to see if there was anyone in this empty void. But he couldn't utter a single word.

Understanding that he could do nothing, he started closing his eyes again.

‘So this is how it is to die. ’ as he thought to himself, again another weird voice came to his ears, “jahdjdhfjd*#@% .”

He opened his eyes again and tried to find the source of this voice. But he couldn't even move his head. He only stared at the large door in front. But soon a blurry figure appeared in front of the door. When Ling saw the figure, he squinted his eyes to make out if this was a person or not. But he still wasn't able to do so. The figure was blurry and dark. But the pair of eyes of that figure were blood red.... It looked like they were filled with a cold and gloomy darkness. The figure's eyes shone with pure malice and bone piercing hatred. Even though the silhouette was hazy those blood red eyes were incredibly clear and glowed with an unnatural darkness that seemed like it had come from the deepest depths of hell. 

When Ling looked at those eyes, it seemed like his soul would be crushed at that instant. An indescribable fear started swirling in his heart even though he knew that he had already died. He felt an incredible urge to bow down before that dreadful and mighty existence.

‘Is that….a devil god?……has it come to take me to hell? ’ Ling thought. The foggy figure's eyes flashed once. Soon Ling's eyes closed and he fainted again.

—————————

[Place: Sistine Continent, Riverwood forest]

At night, inside the depths of the forest, two people were residing in a cave.

A beautiful girl who looked to be around sixteen was sitting beside a bonfire. She was extremely pretty…her skin was like flawless white jade. Her face was delicate and beautiful like an angel's. Her eyes were mysterious azure blue in color. Her lips were like delicate petals and her curves and features were perfect. She wore a violet fairy like dress on which there were several patterns made with beautiful light blue colored shining stones. It looked like she was making soup with herbal plants as they were piled up beside her.

On the other side of the fire, Ling was lying on a rugged cloth that was spread on the ground. His entire body was covered in bandages. 

Some time later, Ling slowly opened his eyes. He stared at the ceiling of the cave for some time before turning his head towards the girl. He was stunned when he first saw her. He thought that was a goddess from the Heavens. Seeing that, the girl said, “Oh! You are finally awake! ”

Ling was stupefied. 

‘…Wait.. didn't I die? ’ Ling thought. He was silent for a few breaths as he stared at the girl. 

 Then he said in a weak voice, “....where ….is this ….place? Heavens?…or is it…hell?”

The girl replied indifferently, “It seems like you really wanted to die. But no…it's neither of them. You are still alive. Though you were unconscious for five days. ” 

When Ling heard those words, he was stunned. ‘Wait…..what…I am…still alive? ’. Then he looked up again and closed his eyes .

 ‘It looks like….heavens still want me to suffer. ’ Ling thought sorrowfully.

He then looked at the girl again and said feebly, “I….tha... ” but before he could even finish, the girl cut him off as she said, “You don't need to say anything unnecessary right now. ” Then she poured a bowl of soup and picked it up. She stood up and came near Ling. Then she crouched down and said, “Eat this first. ” She placed the bowl of soup right beside Ling.  

“About this….I don't think I can eat it by myself. ” Ling said softly. He didn't even try to get up because he thought it would be pointless to do so. But the girl didn't say anything instead she coldly glared at him. When Ling saw that, he said in a scared voice , “gulp….Or maybe…I can. ” As he said this, he tried to get up. But he was thinking it would be impossible for him to do so.

But then the impossible happened. Ling was stupefied. ‘But…wasn't I gravely injured? ’ Ling thought while being surprised.

The girl said coldly, “This pri….I mean I have healed you about forty percent. So just sitting won't hurt much. Though don't try to get up on your feet and move around. ” as the girl said, she slowly stood up and moved towards the exit of the cave from where a bright moon light was coming.

“After you have finished that, take a good rest. We can talk about things tomorrow. ” the girl said as she left Ling's sight. When the girl came outside the cave, she cast a defensive barrier around the entrance of the cave and swiftly disappeared.

Ling was stunned for a moment. But then he ate the soup and lied down again. As soon as he lied, he fell asleep in an instant. He was really too weak right now.

…………. 

Next day, Ling finally woke up again in the afternoon. The girl was sitting right beside him on the rugged cloth. There was a strange white stone in her hands that was faintly glowing with a golden light. Ling slowly got up and looked at her. Seeing that, the girl said, “How are you feeling now? ”

This time Ling finally saw the girl clearly. He was stunned again by her beauty. It took him a few moments before he regained his senses and said , “I am feeling better than before.…. I thank se…senior for saving me. Oh! pardon my manners, This junior here is called Ling with the second name Lieyan. May I ask senior for her name? ” Ling didn't really know what to call that girl. That's why stuttered when he said ‘senior’. It was clear that she was about the same age as him. But still….she was the one who saved him. He couldn't just call her anything.

Hearing that she nodded and said, “ You can call me Vanisha. And I am not a senior..so don't call me that. ”

“Okay then….miss Vanisha...if you don't mind….can you tell me where we are? ” Ling asked.

Vanisha thought for a moment before saying, “I don't know myself. I have come from a distant place.”

“Oh! Then...miss Vanisha..are you an independent Martial artist?…. I mean you are exploring these wild forests and residing in a cave like this instead of going to a city. ”

Vanisha hesitated only for a moment before saying, “That's right!! I am an independent Martial artist. Anyway enough about me…. Tell me…how did you end up like that? When I was travelling…I found you all bloodied near a river. You would have died a long time ago if I haven't found you at that time. ” 

When Ling heard the question, all the memories of that night swiftly replayed itself in his mind. He was silent for a while. But finally he started saying everything that happened that night. He told her that he never had a shred of Heavenly energy so he was unable to do anything. He was a servant of one of the young mistress of his sect. This was only a training for the upcoming Moon Tournament. But he was tricked and plotted against by the two young masters and everything else. He told her that they probably tried to  kill him to obtain young mistress who seemed to care a bit much for him but he never mentioned the forbidden ancient art as the other reason. Finally he said in a painful voice, “ heh! I thought Heavens have already done playing with me…so they wanted to take me out of this game. But it seems my fate still isn't satisfied enough. ”

Listening to all this, Vanisha didn't react much at first. But when she heard that he was ‘betrayed’ , a cold light flashed in her eyes. 

She said, “I see. That's…. really..” but before she finished, she suddenly realized something and abruptly said, “Wait!!… Did you just say you never had any Heavenly energy since you were born? ”

Ling was startled by her sudden change and said, “Yeah! That's right! ”

“Then…would you mind if I check something?” Vanisha asked him hurriedly and before he could even answer she extended her right arm and touched his forehead with one of her fingers. A red light flashed on her finger that touched Ling's forehead. Then she retreated her hand and opened her eyes slowly. A light but meaningful smile appeared on her beautiful face.

“Say Lieyan Ling, do you want to become strong? ” Vanisha asked. Ling was briefly surprised when he heard it and said with a self disdainful chuckle, “Hehehe! Well...that is of course!!! I have wanted power my entire life and I have searched for ways to get stronger. But due to the constitution of my body. I am not suited to become a Heavenly Cultivator or Heavenly Beast Cultivator or even Body Cultivator. So getting powerful is nothing but a extravagant dream for me. ”

Vanisha listened to him and it looked like she was satisfied by his answer. Then she said softly, “Then…what if I tell you….that the dream you think is impossible to achieve…is not that hard for you?”

This time Ling's eyes widened as he looked at Vanisha and said, “What do you mean by that? ”

Vanisha replied unhurriedly, “You see…in this current era…. although Primal energy has almost become extinct.... The universe is still filled with Heavenly energy as the mortals who were blessed by the gods survived till today. So in this era…it is almost impossible to be born without any Heavenly energy or whatsoever. But you actually don't have a shred of Heavenly energy inside you…..and that's what makes you different from other Cultivators. ”

Ling said in a confused, “…I really don't get what you mean. ”

Vanisha said, “In the ancient era of true gods, mortals were not blessed with Heavenly energy back then. So how do you think the mortals survived that era? How do you think they survived from the after effects of the legendary battle that happened between the gods and the devils? ”

Ling was even more confused now. ‘What the heck is she saying? Gods? Devils? Ancient era? Battle? ’ he thought.  Looking at Ling's face, Vanisha gave a sigh and said, “In short, few clans of mortals of those times had a different power inside them. And to cultivate that power….one must need mortal veins and one must be a descendant of those people. For some reason, You fulfill both the conditions perfectly…so it is possible to awaken the power….that is lying dormant in you. ”

Ling didn't understand much but he realized that there is a hidden power inside him. He became excited and said, “So….can you awaken it? ”

 Venisha gave a chuckle and said, “Of course…I can!”

Ling's face brightened and he said hurriedly, “You mean….you mean I can finally become a Heavenly Cultivator? ”

But Vanisha shook her head and said, “No! You can never become a Heavenly Cultivator.…this power that lies in you….it is called ‘Void Cultivation’. ”