Fierce Memories

At the age of eight, Gu Yan obtained a dagger named "Night."

It was exactly as he had imagined.

The overwhelming might of the Power of Night ensnared the young Gu Yan in an instant.

As time passed,

On the surface, Gu Yan was the crown prince of the Great Qian Dynasty.

But in the shadows,

He was the "Night King," using the Power of Night to devour prodigies under the cover of darkness.

His prey ranged from nobles of the imperial court to disciples of sects, and even gifted commoners.

Once marked by the Night King, none were spared—each reduced to a withered husk.

In the blink of an eye, fear spread like wildfire across the realm.

While reliving these memories,

Gu Yan also noticed certain cultivation systems in this world that mirrored those of reality.

For instance, the energy cultivated by its inhabitants was also called "true qi."

Moreover,

They began as Third-rate Martial Artists, but upon breaking through to Grand Master, they entered a new realm—

The Immortal Stage!

Beyond Grand Master lay five more tiers:

Post-grade, Earth-grade, Heaven-grade, Immortal-grade, and... Divine-grade!

Yet, since ancient times, no one had ever reached Divine-grade.

The highest recorded was Emperor Qian of the Great Qian Dynasty, who stood at the seventh tier of Immortal-grade.

The dagger's power was terrifying, and Gu Yan believed that with it, he could ascend to the Divine-grade—a realm untouched by any before him.

However... his unnaturally rapid progress could not escape Emperor Qian's notice.

One night,

The emperor saw through the Power of Night shrouding Gu Yan and uncovered the atrocities he had committed under the dagger's influence.

In an instant, Emperor Qian's wrath erupted. He not only sealed the dagger with his Immortal-grade power but also confined Gu Yan to the palace, forbidding him from ever stepping outside.

Still, Gu Yan was his flesh and blood, so the truth—that the dreaded Night King was none other than the crown prince—remained a secret.

Yet, the Power of Night's corruption lingered within Gu Yan.

Day and night, he endured torment akin to hellfire, struggling to retain his sanity while resisting the dagger's insidious urge to feast on souls.

Left with no choice, Emperor Qian secretly summoned the legendary Dao Ancestor—a figure said to purify all evil in the world.

And from that moment, everything changed.

......

......

Time flowed swiftly, and ten years passed in a blur.

Inside Gu Yan's secluded residence,

"Brother Gu Yan, what’s the point of staying cooped up in this big courtyard all the time?"

A girl with eyes like shimmering stars rested her chin on her hands, gazing at him.

"I’ve been coming here with my master since I was little... Has it really been almost ten years already?"

A decade of reflection and the Dao Ancestor's power had nearly purged the Power of Night from Gu Yan.

Hearing the girl’s words, he chuckled softly and shook his head. "Qingqiu, I cannot defy Father Emperor’s decree."

"Besides, the Qingzhu Residence is serene and beautiful. Living here is a blessing in itself."

Indeed,

Ten years ago,

The Dao Ancestor had arrived with a young girl in tow—her name was Leng Qingqiu.

She was the next heir to the Dao Ancestor’s legacy, destined to save the world and purify all evil.

Truly... his memories were peculiar.

Every possible twist of fate seemed woven into them.

Gu Yan sighed inwardly.

This particular memory was exceptionally long, spanning from his birth to the present—eighteen years in total.

He had lived through every moment.

From prodigy to being ensnared by the dagger, then resisting its control.

The experience... was both torment and fascination.

Leng Qingqiu, a few years his junior, had now blossomed into a graceful young woman. She pouted in dissatisfaction.

"Hmph! Emperor Qian is just a big meanie, planning to keep you locked up here forever!"

"Brother Gu Yan, don’t worry. Once I become the Dao Ancestor, I’ll definitely rescue you!"

Amused, Gu Yan took a sip of tea.

This side of Qingqiu was undeniably adorable.

He teased her further. "Oh? And what will you do after rescuing me?"

At this,

Leng Qingqiu stiffened.

She glanced at Gu Yan, whose knowing smile sent her heart into a fluttering frenzy.

Unable to bear it, she lowered her head, cheeks burning. "Um... ⁄(⁄⁄•⁄ω⁄•⁄⁄)⁄"

After a pause, she mumbled, her voice laced with embarrassment, "I just... want to be with you..."

"Hmm? What was that?"

Gu Yan leaned closer, feigning ignorance.

A Qingqiu like this existed only in his memories—how could he resist teasing her?

Naturally, such a topic was far too mortifying for a young maiden.

Especially one destined to inherit the Dao Ancestor’s mantle.

Flustered, Leng Qingqiu shoved Gu Yan away and sprang to her feet. "Nothing!"

"Brother Gu Yan, you’re always bullying me! You... You know exactly how I feel!"

Whoosh—

She dashed off in a huff.

Watching her retreating figure, Gu Yan shook his head with a quiet laugh.

"Eh, this memory... could it be... a happy ending?"

However.

The memories that followed soon made Gu Yan realize he was wrong—terribly wrong.

Time passed.

One year, two years, three years...

Leng Qingqiu visited Gu Yan every day to chat, and their bond grew deeper.

Until... the fifth year.

Leng Qingqiu arrived with a grave expression, her voice trembling as she said, "Gu Yan... my master... is dead."

"Dead?"

The Dao Ancestor... dead?

Gu Yan was stunned. The Dao Ancestor was a celestial-tier powerhouse—how could he die?

Leng Qingqiu lowered her head, fists clenched tightly, her voice shaking. "The Great World has been invaded by the Outer Realm Demons."

"All immortals were slaughtered like livestock."

"The Dao Ancestor fell in battle... the Human Ancestor fell..."

"Both of humanity’s celestial-tier powerhouses perished at the hands of the demons."

"Gu Yan..."

She raised her head, her eyes red and brimming with tears. "I must go to the frontlines. With my master gone, I must succeed him as the Dao Ancestor."

"After this... I don’t know if I’ll ever see you again."

"Goodbye, Gu Yan."

How could this be?

Outer Realm Demons?

What even were they?

In the memory, Gu Yan wanted to stop Leng Qingqiu, but there was nothing he could do.

She could have chosen to hide here, but the world could not be left without a Dao Ancestor.

A month later, Emperor Qian arrived.

Pale and weak, he announced that Gu Yan’s confinement was being lifted.

Truthfully, it should have ended long ago, but with the emergence of the Outer Realm Demons, Emperor Qian had kept it secret to protect Gu Yan.

But now...

The frontlines had collapsed, and Emperor Qian himself was severely wounded. There was no choice but to call upon Gu Yan.

Every ounce of strength was needed for humanity’s survival.

After over a decade of cultivation, Gu Yan’s power had long reached the peak of the celestial tier.

He was already peerless—the dagger’s power had only accelerated his growth.

Not long after, Emperor Qian perished, and Gu Yan ascended as the new emperor of the Great Qian Dynasty.

From then on, the tides of fate shifted once more.

Time flowed on.

Another year, two years, three years...

The might of a peak celestial-tier expert was not to be underestimated.

Gu Yan gradually became humanity’s supreme leader, leading them to victory after victory against the Outer Realm Demons.

In his memories, Gu Yan had already discerned the true nature of these demons...

They were...

The Nether Clan!

But in these memories, the Nether Clan was far more powerful.

To them, anyone below the celestial tier was nothing more than an ant.

Five more years passed.

With Gu Yan as their strongest warrior, humanity fought relentlessly, clinging to a sliver of hope. They believed they could endure.

But the war had already claimed too many lives.

Humanity’s numbers had dwindled by ninety percent.

Another year.

The demons’ assault weakened.

Yet...

Just as everyone thought humanity was on the verge of victory...

A never-before-seen Outer Realm Demon appeared.

Its body blotted out the sky, so vast it enveloped half of the Great World.

Every living being in the Great World could feel its suffocating, oppressive aura.

With a single finger—

Yes.

Just one finger.

The demon slowly extended it toward the ground of the Great World.

In an instant, half of humanity’s remaining forces vanished without a trace.

Not only that, but the Great World itself shattered into countless fragments.

Humanity’s living space shrank even further.

In a flash, the tides of war turned.

A month later.

The frontlines collapsed, and the demons accelerated their invasion.

Humanity was driven back to their last safe haven—the Great Qian Dynasty.

Protected by the dynasty’s fortune, they could temporarily resist the demons’ advance.

Of course, the main reason was that the terrifying demon from before had not reappeared.

...

...

What to do? What could be done?

The prolonged immersion in these memories left Gu Yan unable to distinguish reality from illusion.

Too many had died before his eyes.

People of flesh and blood.

Yet... they were all gone.

In the Qingzhu Residence of the Great Qian Dynasty, Gu Yan’s face was haggard with exhaustion.

He was now humanity’s strongest warrior.

And yet... he was still less than one percent as powerful as that demon from back then.

The future of humanity, their hopes—all rested on his shoulders.

The pressure was driving Gu Yan to the brink of madness.

But... the divine-tier realm remained just out of reach.

The demons outside, the last remnants of humanity inside.

Gu Yan had no idea how to break this deadlock.

Then...

"Use me..."

"Use me..."

A sinister voice whispered into Gu Yan’s ears.

!!

He jolted awake, and in a daze, he seemed to see that dagger from long ago materializing in his grasp.

The same dagger that had once made him invincible against all evil.

"Use me..."

The seduction of the night was relentless. The remnants of the Power of Night that had never fully dissipated from Gu Yan’s body...

It actually... resurfaced again.

["Use the Power of Night... You can... save the world..."]

!!

Thump! Thump! Thump!!

Gu Yan's heart was pounding wildly.

He knew where the sealed dagger was hidden—if he could just retrieve it...

"Gu Yan!"

!!

A panicked voice rang in his ears.

Gu Yan jolted awake, lifting his head.

Leng Qingqiu was staring at him with deep concern, and as he glanced around...

He was... lying in bed?

"Gu Yan, are you alright?"

Leng Qingqiu steadied him, her voice laced with worry. "You collapsed at Qingzhu Residence... Have you been pushing yourself too hard lately?"

Her tone was tender—Gu Yan was now the leader of humanity's faction, and the weight of that responsibility was unimaginable.

"I'm sorry... Even though I'm the Dao Ancestor... I can't do anything to help you."

Leng Qingqiu's voice trembled as she spoke, gripping his arm as tears welled up. "Gu Yan... Let it go... We can't win this. Let's just run away..."

"If you keep going like this... the pressure will crush you sooner or later..."

"Let’s just live however long we can... In these last days, I want to be with you—"

But...

"Qingqiu... I'm sorry..."

"I can't do that."

Gu Yan shook his head, reaching out to tousle her hair with a faint smile. "Right now, I'm humanity's last hope. If I flee... the human race will perish."

"So... I can't."

"But—"

"It's alright. Leave everything to me."