1 The Real Culprit

Bruno clenched his fists tightly, radiating boundless hatred. He didn't just feel anger; he embodied the very essence of fury as if he were entwined with it. Just a few steps in front of him, he observed a young man fallen in a dark cave, the boy's face still reflecting the disbelief of his final moments of life.

Life had drained away, extinguished by his own blood... murdered by his parents and family. With every passing moment, Bruno sank deeper into the depths of his memories, fixating on the lifeless countenance that was also his reflection, his identity, now inert.

Bruno Wube was born as the only child of the leader of an influential and ancient organization of the world. This entity manipulated vast global resources, managing a fortune so colossal that it exceeded the GDP of nearly all countries in the world except for the United States and China. It played a central role in asset acquisition and the issuance of an unprecedented amount of money. Its influence extended to practically all major corporations in every corner of the globe, possessing an immeasurable power of influence.

His father resembled a modern-day emperor, a hidden commander who ruled the entire planet. His words and orders echoed throughout the world, while his true identity remained shrouded in mystery. His efforts to maintain his dominion and shape the global trajectory claimed hundreds of countries. Those few capable of perceiving inconsistencies in the media were promptly marginalized or silenced permanently.

Despite this, Bruno possessed a sensitive heart and a deep revulsion for the cruel and brutal actions promoted by his family. As he entered adulthood, he began to question the deeds of his relatives and challenge his father's authority. He aligned himself with a group of activists resisting the shadowy organization and sought allies to break the cycle of violence, emerging as an active voice against his own lineage.

However, his father was not willing to allow his power to be contested. He deemed Bruno's actions as unacceptable betrayal and a direct threat. During a high-society event, the patriarch poisoned Bruno's drink, condemning him to death.

His body was transported into the depths of an ancestral family cave, destined to be erased from the world's existence. With a simple paternal order, no one would remember his name or presence, not even his mother would escape this ruthless obliteration.

In that somber tomb, now his place of eternal rest, the absence of sound and breeze was conspicuous. The cave had belonged to the lineage for ages, dating back to times that predated the oldest records of ancestors. There, Bruno's soul lingered, contemplating his past story, until an inexplicable light emerged from the void, enveloping everything.

In the blink of an eye, the luminosity completely surrounded the cave, awakening Bruno from his memories. Something supernatural and extraordinary was happening. Before he could reflect on it, his consciousness was engulfed by the deepest darkness.

***

Alm's dark eyes slowly opened, and ancient reminiscences reverberated within them, like echoes resurfacing from the distant past.

As he rose, he found himself immersed in the vast vacuum of space, an infinite expanse devoid of light, warmth, twinkling stars, or any sign of life. Nothing but him filled the universe. Countless black holes of unimaginable proportions ceaselessly devoured in every direction, alongside a few small dead planets floating solitary. They were the last remnants of a completely inert cosmos.

A malevolent smile formed on Alm's lips as he witnessed all of that. "I have succeeded..."

In that universe, the hero and his group were no more than distant memories. He had eliminated them all in an apocalyptic conflict that had stretched on for years.

His vengeance was accomplished, the oppressive presence that had shaped his existence, his right to live, and even his destiny, all had been extinguished forever.

His demonic Qi, now limitless, extended to every corner of the universe, probing and exploring every nook. Alm could hardly believe that he had finally achieved his goal. However, as time passed, the truth became undeniable.

Yes, he had indeed succeeded... at the cost of all life in the universe! He had unleashed a power capable of subduing the hero and his sacred sword.

A grim laughter echoed in all infinite directions. Even the black holes seemed to freeze before the boundless power that accompanied his demonic voice.

He embodied the supreme apex of the entire universe, a transcendental entity capable of devouring all forms of existence, a dark lord reigning solitary over the cosmic void.

***

Time flowed like an ephemeral and unchanging river as he advanced slowly. Millennia passed by. At the core of that dead and infinite universe, a solitary existence remained. It floated in a serene posture, eyes closed.

As he half-opened his eyes, the black and infinite abyss no longer surrounded him. The dream of his past life on Earth had haunted Alm for a long time, leading him to forsake sleep. But during his solitary and endless seclusion, immersing in memories became his only option.

Bruno was a human on Earth who lived for thirty-five years and then reincarnated in a distinct universe after being killed by his own father.

Alm... that was Bruno's name in this new Universe. His first memory was the sunlight invading his eyes after his birth. Since day one, he remembered everything, living in awe as he explored and learned about that new world.

It was a realm of fantasy, much like the tales read on Earth. Energy permeated the world, allowing people to cultivate and live for millennia. Flight, magic, fantastical creatures, diverse races... it was a real fairy tale.

At the age of fifteen, the beginning of his cultivation journey unfolded. Full of innocence, he brimmed with excitement at the adventures he envisioned, yearning to soar the skies and control fire and air like an unyielding mage.

However, he was nothing more than a youth from a humble village in the countryside...

Resources, along with everything in this world, were steeped in unequal and brutal competition, where any misstep would result in death...

Avoiding mistakes wasn't enough; it was sufficient for someone more powerful to not sympathize with him, for any reason, to seal his fatal fate...

Staying out of the crosshairs of deadly desires wasn't enough; taking a step outside his home could see him engulfed and devoured by beasts of incredible power...

Resigned, Alm embraced the harsh reality surrounding him. Over the course of a few years, he found contentment in the prospect of maybe living two hundred years, dedicating himself to cultivation in safety. After all, this extended lifespan was almost three times longer than Alm... or Bruno... could hope for on Earth. Soon, he returned to his village in the countryside and sealed his fate by marrying a childhood friend, laying the foundation for a peaceful home.

His wife, a simple and mortal woman, was unable to cultivate due to a gestational problem. After a year of marriage, when she finally became pregnant, Alm felt he could finally live his new life in happiness.

However, the cruel laws of this world exceeded the limits of his imagination...

On a sunny and serene day, when she turned twenty, Alm witnessed her eyes lose all their brightness as if some malevolent force had taken hold of her body.

Slowly, she headed towards the cliff, attempting suicide. Alm tried his utmost to stop her, but even after tying her up, it seemed as if the heavens themselves desired tragedy.

After a period of agony, he felt as if a divine hammer had crushed his chest, the sky darkened, and a celestial punishment rained down upon him, destroying everything around him. In the final moment, he could clearly see the tears in her vacant eyes as she continued her tragic trajectory. And on that day, his wife and the unborn child, who had yet to see the light of day, met their deaths.

With unwavering conviction, Alm realized that some sinister force in the universe had driven the woman he loved to suicide, and he soon understood that this was the cruel law of the universe. Anyone who could not dedicate themselves to cultivation wouldn't survive beyond twenty years. The pain of loss, the betrayal of fate, and the brutality of cosmic rules intertwined to forge a reality that would consume him entirely.

On that fateful day, the agony of witnessing his wife and child's death plunged Alm into an abyss of despair. The brutal celestial laws, manipulators of all destinies, stirred deep hatred, reigniting memories of his past life.

Once again, he found himself without control over his own existence, subjugated to the will of a higher force.

The purity and sensitivity that once inhabited his heart distorted and transformed into malice and hatred. The pure Yang turned into deep Yin, and he emerged as the most ruthless and bloodthirsty of demons.

Rising as a transformed being, Alm was no longer the peaceful man he had once been. Now, he exuded an aura of terrible and overwhelming power. His hatred transcended known limits, feeding on the merciless will to demolish everything the universe upheld.

However, his thirst was not limited to revenge; destruction was his true aim. He decided he didn't just want to avenge his family's loss but also exterminate the universe and the world that had birthed this ruthless law.

In the abysses of the world's shadows and darkness, he patiently cultivated his fury. Through countless near-deaths, he bathed in the blood and essence of others' lives, becoming a presence more fearsome than any demon.

Navigating the darkness, he finally achieved his revenge.

But now...

He was alone with the immeasurable and infinite void...

As centuries passed in reflection, a greater understanding and clarity struck him. And the Yin aspect of the coin seemed to flip back to Yang once more. Unbeknownst to him, the bloodthirsty demon breathed life again into the young Bruno, who had only kindness in his heart.

Yet, it was already too late...

***

Thirty thousand long and torturous years passed by.

An elderly figure floated in the infinite void amidst the immense black holes that had long had nothing left to devour.

Wearing a gray robe that had lost its color due to the passing of millennia, the figure displayed a sickly complexion and an eerie paleness. It seemed malnourished, like someone who had faced a harsh and arduous life.

His long graying hair and beard floated slowly, in tune with the countless primordial runes around him.

Suddenly, the elderly figure coughed deeply, his body emitting the final breath of life. Black blood stained his lips, the last remnants of his existence. Death by old age was finally claiming him.

However, as his eyes opened slowly, with the unfolding of his eyelids, the very laws of the universe seemed to bow before him.

In a completely lifeless cosmos, an entire galaxy of celestial runes pulsed and danced around this figure.

*BOOM!*

An explosion of cosmic proportions, followed by an intensely dazzling glow, burst forth from within his being. The world trembled. Fissures cracked in the direction of his gaze as if the entire universe could not bear the weight of that simple existence.

Upon reaching the Celestial Fusion Realm, cultivators often felt unified with the world. However, the pollution and turmoil brought by life forms obscured the true celestial laws. Throughout countless infinite years, Alm explored every corner of the universe, deciphering the lingering laws and intricate details of the celestial foundations.

He felt he had reached an understanding impossible for any mortal being. And now, as his cultivation reached its pinnacle and the Laws reached their apex, these two unattainable summits intertwined. The chains that kept cultivators in worldly ephemerality were shattered. He had transcended the limits of mortality, becoming a divine entity, a True God.

Alm took a deep breath, feeling every fiber of his being rejuvenated, radiating a power that transcended understanding itself. He felt he could now live twice the years and he would still remain healthy.

Nothing could escape his senses; the universe, in its entirety, seemed little more than specks of dust before his gaze.

However, something within led him to focus on a distant point. Understanding quickly took hold of Alm, revealing the reason behind the attraction to that specific location. It was his home planet, where his reincarnation had taken place. It was nothing more than a lifeless rock now, but he could still identify it.

A faint smile formed on his lips as he realized why his consciousness instinctively turned there. That place evoked a feeling of longing and nostalgia, something he didn't even know still resided within him. For all these years, he had avoided casting his gaze to that point, fleeing from the young man he had once been and from the only brief and happy memories he held of his still-living wife.

However, at that moment, nothing else mattered. He allowed his mind to traverse that empty rock floating in the void. And then, his senses fixed on something familiar.

With a single thought, space opened before him, and a black and broken blade emerged into his field of view. He recognized it instantly; that planet had been the first to be consumed by his thirst for destruction. He had refined all forms of life into a lethal saber, bathing in blood as he eradicated all life from his own planet and solar system.

However, his skills were still lacking at the time, and the weapon didn't last long, leading him to abandon it right there.

With a single look, the black blade disintegrated into a tangle of infinite particles. With a thought, a bloody glow surged in all these particles, and the essence of the lives of billions of beings that had been refined there revived. It was a divine restoration, an impossibility for any mortal being, it occurred. The life force that had previously been consumed was completely reconstituted in a complete and sacred rebirth.

Alm exhaled gently. Life and death were no longer anything to him. If he wished, he could even recreate the bodies of all those who were lost. However, these would be mere empty shells devoid of souls.

He remained there, observing the luminous points that had been his only companions for thousands of years. Suddenly, a strange sensation stirred his mind.

With a gesture, a particle trembled, and the cosmos lit up with the purest power of creation. A young body emerged with a beating heart and pulsating blood. However, this being's eyes never opened, as Alm lacked the power to bring souls back.

Despite this, the body was a perfect copy of the moment before its death. Alm focused his senses on the meridians of that being, then on its memories, searching slowly. However, the strange sensation persisted.

Then, his senses trembled...

He clearly felt a pair of golden eyes open toward him...

The entire universe trembled under his command. The eyes quickly closed again, but they couldn't escape his senses. With a movement, he reached it, and the reconstituted body instantly exploded into a bloody mist.

But before Alm, only a single golden rune remained, which he held tightly.

His infinite power converged on that rune, and a tremendous shockwave crossed his mind. The consciousness from the eyes he had sensed was no longer there.

Suddenly, he snorted, and the light of creation enveloped the entire area. Billions of bodies were reconstructed in the blink of an eye. The next moment, he made a movement that transcended time and space. Golden runes emerged from all directions.

"This... is not from this universe..."

Alm closed his eyes. All the laws of the universe converged and resonated in response to his command. The golden runes slowly rotated as if engaged in a senseless battle against Alm.

Suddenly, Alm opened his eyes. An apocalyptic wave of destruction erupted from his body, the golden runes exploded, and everything shattered... the entire space broke apart under his fury.

"These runes... the laws... the people... no, everything... everything was being controlled?"

"These eyes... yes, I can feel it... the celestial laws were manipulated. A being from another universe was controlling all life forms and laws of this world..." 

Realization took over Alm's mind. He finally understood that it was not the universe itself the one responsible for that law of death. It was not the universe that forced his wife to suicide while still carrying his child. "No... This universe that I destroyed myself... had nothing to do with it. The celestial laws were not supposed to be like this... It was the owner of those golden eyes!"

A sinister smile, seeming to surpass any demonic being that has ever existed, sprouted on Alm's face. The hatred that almost disappeared after countless years of floating aimlessly in the void... instantly resurfaced! "But now, finally, I found the culprit."