Chapter One Section One Prologue I am but a cloud.

“God said: First there were gods, and then there was everything else!”

“I am but a cloud, born in the highest dimension of space—the Primal Chaos of Creation! Alongside me, one hundred and twenty-seven chaotic entities were born, commonly called the Primal Chaos of Creation…”

No sooner had Wu Yun finished speaking than laughter erupted all around, the loudest coming from the lead inner disciple.

In the Luoshui Realm, the Sword Mountain Sect held first place among the ten great cultivation sects. Atop each of its peaks, numerous inner disciples sat cross-legged—not to cultivate, but to listen to a demon cloud brag!

“Cloud of Insight, as the guardian creature captured by the sect master, spare us your illustrious history; I’ve heard it a hundred times already!”

The Sword Mountain Sect boasted nine sword peaks, each representing a peak master. Of these, eight were vice-masters, also serving as grand elders.

The speaker was none other than Yue Luohua, the closest disciple to the sect master on the main peak—known as the Ethereal Sword, the first among the inner disciples.

Such a title was not granted lightly. Yue Luohua had earned it through countless battles and trials, forging his name throughout the Luoshui Realm.

“Little Yue, you’re getting impatient. When your master first caught me and nurtured me into a demon cloud, you were especially earnest—listening to my stories, gossiping about the prettiest female disciples on each peak. Why, it was I who personally helped you win your fiancée…”

Wu Yun’s words were cut short again. Yue Luohua, now out of patience, muttered a few words and left the others to continue their idle chatter, returning to the Sacred Sword Peak to report.

His name was already well known in the Luoshui Realm. Once the centennial tournament concluded, he was sure to become an inner elder. Yet in the mouth of this demon cloud, he was still but a child.

“I’m nearly three thousand years old, almost ready for dual cultivation and marriage, yet my master still has me chatting with this demon cloud!” After Yue Luohua had left, a sincere-looking inner disciple whispered, “Senior brothers, why does the demon cloud always make the eldest brother storm off whenever he mentions his fiancée?”

Only those recently promoted from the outer sect would dare ask such a question.

No sooner had Tong Lu finished speaking than Wu Yun, catching the words, perked up. The white clouds swirling overhead contracted into a seven-colored mass and floated over to Tong Lu’s peak, delightedly announcing, “Their story is a long one. But it all started when your eldest brother asked his seventh junior sister why she wore two pairs of underpants…”

Wu Yun had barely begun when, from among the nine peaks, within the protective formation that locked heaven and earth, a gigantic sword floated forth. With a gentle sweep, Wu Yun’s condensed form was instantly scattered, diffusing like ink in water.

“Eldest brother is angry. The new disciple is in for trouble.”

…

Though split into countless fragments, Wu Yun did not disappear. As a cloud, he was impervious to any physical attack!

“When will I ever leave this dimensional space?” Wu Yun sighed. Ever since he had been captured and sealed by the founding sect master, Sheng Ba, everything in his life had changed.

Within the entire dimensional space, wherever there were clouds, water vapor, or air, Wu Yun could transfer himself every few thousand or ten thousand years, experiencing new lives.

But this time, he had stumbled. He arrived in this realm, still digesting his experiences from a higher dimension, when he was caught off guard and sealed within this strange formation. And Sheng Ba had even forced him to condense, forming a demon!

Such a thing had never happened before!

In the chaos dimension, not even the future creator gods could enable his cultivation. After wandering countless worlds and dimensions, and failing every attempt at cultivation, he had all but given up.

Yet Sheng Ba possessed the power to gradually mold him!

It could not be mere coincidence!

Wu Yun was both delighted and alarmed—delighted that his form was evolving toward a true entity, alarmed that his ability to slip between dimensions in his sleep was slowly disappearing.

A great tribulation was at hand! Perhaps eons of wandering countless dimensions had led to this day? Or was it that the vast multiverse faced a coming catastrophe?

Trapped, Wu Yun was powerless. Though he could alter the fate of a universe or a dimension, he could not change his own fate!

But this time, the moment to change his own destiny had arrived!

When Wu Yun next reformed, he found himself inside a massive, transparent bottle. This was Sheng Ba’s unique treasure—a world within a vessel, capable of containing heaven, earth, sun, and moon!

From within, Wu Yun could see clearly. On the main hall outside, the chiefs of all the other eight peaks had gathered: Tyrant Peak, Valor Peak, Fierce Peak, Destiny Peak, Necessary Peak, Medicine Peak, Achievement Peak, and Assault Peak.

Sheng Ba’s expression was grave as he spoke: “After over ten thousand years, I have reached the pinnacle of cultivation and dominated the Luoshui Realm for countless years. It is time to break through the Qianluo space and reach the world beyond.”

“Today, after completing one last task, I shall depart! When the time comes for the sect tournament, Qian Jianji of Tyrant Peak shall succeed me!”

Sheng Ba’s words rang with authority, for the other eight sword peaks had all been seized by his might!

With a wave, the peak masters departed, leaving only Yue Luohua, the foremost inner disciple, standing meekly behind him.

Sheng Ba’s presence was overwhelming; his every breath stirred the flow of heaven and earth.

“You have followed me for three thousand years. Naturally, you shall leave with me!”

“Master, at least wait until I marry my fiancée before you go!” Though suffocated by Sheng Ba’s aura, Yue Luohua still dared to talk back—perhaps the very reason Sheng Ba had chosen him as his sole disciple.

A heavy silence fell. Sheng Ba said nothing, and at that crucial moment, Yue Luohua added, “Or perhaps, Master, you could just leave on your own?”

“Out!”

Yue Luohua rolled out of the hall!

It wasn’t that he had to roll, but Sheng Ba’s word was law. He had no choice but to obey—resisting would only cause him to cough blood, injure his cultivation, and still leave him rolling away.

Wu Yun laughed; even inside the bottle, the trembling of the clouds echoed with his mirth. “Sheng Ba, your arrival is shrouded in mystery. But I still advise you not to set your sights on me.”

“So you’re just a chaos cloud, hmph! Tomorrow you’ll crawl before and behind me like a dog!” Sheng Ba’s tone was grave, and every time he looked at Wu Yun, a deep light glinted in his eyes.

It was a gaze that could pierce to the heart of the world, read thoughts, even invade souls—a supreme technique!

Yet when his gaze swept over Wu Yun, it was as if Wu Yun did not exist at all!

When Wu Yun next regained consciousness after being scattered in the bottle, he found himself in another place—inside Sheng Ba’s sacred artifact. Here, countless potions, metals, all kinds of biological remains, bones, hair, even rare minerals and forbidden items, were arrayed in profusion.

After a long while, Sheng Ba finally spoke: “Tell me what you know, and your death may be delayed!”

“Haha, from ancient times till now, you’re the first to jest with me in this way!” Wu Yun teased, gathering his form and saying enviously, “How I wish I had flesh and blood, to live as a true being in this world!”

“Enough words. You know as well as I, words are wasted—I am Sheng Ba!”

With that, Sheng Ba began tossing one item after another into the bottle. Some belonged to this world, but most came from other dimensional spaces.

“Incredible! Even the Western Avian Elixir?”

“Oh? It seems to glow, but it’s really just immortal aura from a spirit stone. So this is the so-called Immortal Realm, a high-dimensional space—and you possess it too?”