Prologue [3] - Eternal Hell

There was no sound; everything appeared to come to a halt for a few seconds, so much that Liang Long felt time had suddenly stopped until he saw a dazzling light, as if someone had switched on the flash of a camera at the brightness of the sun, and then...

*BOOOOOOOM*

Two massive blows collided, and a great eruption of divine qi rang throughout space, annihilating stars, and the neighboring galaxies, assumed to be light years away, began to twist in the face of the explosion, threatening to collapse at any moment.

Purple lightning with a golden tinge ringed the whole middle section of the gigantic ball of half darkness and half light, sending tremendous energy gusts in all directions. Electrical sounds could be heard, becoming louder with each second and sounding more and more like lightning striking the earth.

Wu Han clenched his teeth as he took the blow head-on, with little time to prepare his defenses.

He had no idea Zhou Yuan was capable of unleashing such a tremendous strike. His palms were already numb from the enormous amount of power that the brush in his opponent's hold sent down to his spear, despite the fact that they weren't even touching due to the insane amount of divine qi leaking from them.

The latter had a difficult time as well. His eyes were bloodshot, and he gritted his teeth as he moved forward to finish this struggle. The two had reached a deadlock.

Zhou Yuan's facial characteristics began to alter at this point. His teeth grew wider and sharper, his eyes shone with a blazing brilliance, and the scales on his body began to look more real than before. His head was adorned with large dragon horns that now reached to the ends of his head, giving the impression that he was wearing a one-of-a-kind crown. A big and massive golden dragon tail was waving vigorously behind him.

Wu Han's face was filled with disbelief and terror after witnessing Zhou Yuan's appearance. His skin was so pale that if you looked closely, you'd assume he'd seen a ghost.

"No, it can't be! Your ancestral creature, impossible! Don't tell me it was the creature that created your world?!" Wu Han said, with a terrified expression. He couldn't believe what he was seeing at this moment.

'Those types of creatures are considered to be the top existences that the heavenly way has given birth to just by chance. They're so powerful that no one in the whole world they created could rival them in terms of power! What the hell happened in his world that such an ancestral being perished?!' He was so astonished and frightened that he unconsciously remembered the pain of his previous wound in his stomach, which caused him to loosen up his grip.

Zhou Yuan didn't hesitate when he saw a good opportunity and began driving deeper into his opponent's defense.

"Old dog, this time it is over!" A majestic voice rang out in the vacuum of space, and it was none other than Zhou Yuan in his ancestral dragon human transformation..

*Crack*

Wu Han gazed at his spear in despair as he detected a visible crack in it. It spread quickly until his divine weapon had had enough and began to crumble down into tiny dust particles.

"How?! This can't be happening!" Wu Han roared to the heavens, overwhelmed by the horror of imminent death.

The thick curtain of darkness fell as the colossal shape of the purple-black lion became transparent again, and under such strain, it began to disintegrate, leaving an elderly man barely holding on to his feet.

Wu Han began to bleed from every pore, as if he couldn't take the huge dragon pressure coursing through his body. And it was then that Zhou Yuan's pitch-black brush made contact with his skin after blowing his torso clothes away, showing his top, which was now all bloodied as a consequence of the strike, coughing up an enormous amount of blood.

However, this was not the end of the story. Zhou Yuan kept pressing ahead since his momentum didn't seem to have stopped there. He poured all of his power into the thrust of his Heavenly Yuan Brush, letting forth a loud dragon roar.

"Cough! Z-Zhou Yuan! If you kill me now, I won't be able to stop my forces from surrounding your wife! Spare my life and everything will be resolved!" Wu Han promised as he was about to lose consciousness and potentially die. He could only plead for his life at this point, believing that if he just let this person go, he would never have to deal with him again.

"As I said before, you don't have to worry about that, as your sect will no longer stand on its feet anymore." Zhou Yuan said slowly, his sharp and chilly dragon eyes fixed on Wu Han.

"YOU! DON'T THINK YOU WILL HAVE A EASY TIME OUT THERE!" Wu Han yelled as he noticed that he wouldn't be living past today, looking at Zhou Yuan with deep hatred and anger, but with a tinge of remorse.

"In all of my years of life, I never had it easy." With a solemn look, Zhou Yuan reflected on the many difficulties he had overcome on his journey to the peak of his own world.

Zhou Yuan released his divine qi uncontrollably with one final powerful push, sending Wu Han flying in a straight line across the space in front of him.

"ZHOOOU YUUANNNN!" The severely injured old man roared, his body bleeding from every available spot as he was propelled, like a rocket, into the vacuum of space.

As a result of his futile struggle, Wu Han was no longer visible in the young man's field of view. Never to be seen again.

'Even if he survives a little longer, he won't live long enough to return to this region,' Zhou Yuan thought, finally exhaling a sigh of relief.

The battle had come to an end.

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'AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH IT HURTS.' Liang Long was nearing a mental breakdown. The massive explosion that nearly obliterated countless galaxies caused him excruciating suffering. It was like prodding every area of his body with tiny little needles all the way to his bones. By the time the shockwaves swept through his soul, that sense was becoming abundantly evident.

'Fuck! What is going on with me? How come I'm so unlucky?!' While suffering the thrashing devastation his soul was presently through, he grimaced and cursed his own luck. However, he was slowly adjusting to it after a short time and was unaware of it.

Time passed, and everything returned to normality. When Liang Long looked into the distance to see how the fight was progressing, all he saw was a blurry shadow coming straight at him.

'Ugh, the hell is that?' He pondered since he couldn't figure out what it was, but after a few seconds, he looked at it with bewilderment because the shadow was not an object, but a person!

*Whooosh*

'AH! Jesus, that almost hit me!' As Wu Han's bloodied body went straight by his side, leaving a trail of purple smoke and a lot of blood, Liang Long was taken aback. He can't move right now, so if the old man smashed into him, he'd probably disperse in white light and die.

'That would put an end to my suffering though.' He sighed, reflecting on his predicament.

Liang Long had been through a great deal. Unfortunately, the final explosion had a significant impact on him. When he felt the crushing pressure and shockwaves, he thought he was going to die. His soul started to accumulate pain after pain, and he felt as if he was being crushed and pulverized by two giant rocks rubbing against his nonexistent exposed skin while needles were slowly penetrating it all around.

'Damn it, this hurts so much! Why is this happening to me?' Liang Long groaned. He couldn't understand how he was suffering so much from some energy gazes going through him.

'This must be because I'm a soul with no type of protection over myself. As I had suspected, I am now far too sensitive for anything. If someone tried to cut me, it would feel like millions of needles were puncturing me. My soul is most likely being damaged and deteriorating.' He tried to come up with an explanation for his condition, but he wasn't sure whether it was truly related to it.

'Huh, wait a minute.'

He suddenly remembered something that had been bothering him even after today's confrontation. Previously, Liang Long felt tired while floating in space. It made him believe that every now and then he would "sleep" and then wake up again.

'I don't know how long I lose consciousness when I get that kind of feeling, but it always feels like I'm growing weaker and weaker. If this pattern continues, I'm afraid it will really be the end.'

'In fact, I may have reached my limit.' Liang Long thought as he pondered what was happening with himself.

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'Huff, huff, this really did a number on me.' Zhou Yuan could be seen groaning and struggling to breathe properly, since his last attack had depleted most of his strength. He had only barely advanced to a new phase of cultivation. He didn't get the chance to establish his newfound realm, so he became unused to his own power, which allowed him to use far more divine qi than was required.

'At the very least, I can still return safely. However, as soon as I arrive, Wu Han's hidden force would certainly target Yaoyao. However, they should be anticipating a lengthy confrontation, so I have some to recover. I can only hope that the corridor remains steady for an extended period of time.' He intended to stay in this place and replenish his strength so that there would be no issues when he returned to fetch Yaoyao and move out of there.

'But not before pummeling that sect to the ground.' For a short second, a vague murderous intent emanated from him. As a result, he swiftly activated his divine qi and began to cure his superficial injuries while repairing and cleaning his clothes.

Zhou Yuan was planning to go back to the void crack, but as he turned around, he noticed a white light that was continually flickering and seemed to be fading.

'Hm? This presence is not a star... How is this even possible?' Zhou Yuan had a thoughtful expression on his face, but he quickly became bewildered and continued to stare at his front with surprise.

He sensed the presence of a person from afar! No, it wasn't like that. It appears to be...

'An actual soul wandering around this space?! What exactly is going on? How did it get here?' Zhou Yuan rushed forward, his eyes wide with curiosity.

He wondered if he was hallucinating or if there was someone else in the Star Sea.

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'Huh?' Liang Long couldn't conclude his thoughts because he spotted something rapidly approaching him. He squinted his "eyes" to see what it was, but as it got closer, he felt it again, a familiar aura of suppression.

'Is he coming here?!' He panicked because he anticipated Zhou Yuan to just exit from the passageway after dealing with the elderly man. But Liang Long couldn't do anything since he was merely a soul with no way of protecting himself from the dangers that lurked around this place.

'No, I need to relax.' I am not a cultivator and certainly do not pose a threat to anyone. He will have no motive to hurt me or be aware of my presence. I have nothing to worry if I play my cards correctly.' Liang Long reflected on his own circumstances and realized he was correct. There was nothing to be terrified of; for a person like Zhou Yuan, his existence was equal to that of an ant. As a result, he may not make things difficult for Liang Long.

Zhou Yuan was moving closer and closer to him while he considered what to do. He'd come to a halt in front of him, his clear white right hand resting on his chin.

After a few seconds, he nodded to himself and formed several seals with his fingers, pouring divine qi and wrapping Liang Long in it.

'W-what is he up to?' With a scared look, the latter pondered if Zhou Yuan was actually going to injure him.

"Hello, can you hear me? I believe you can now speak." Liang Long didn't say anything for a while since he was still processing what he had just heard.

It was the voice of Zhou Yuan. He was able to hear him!

"H-huh? Did you just say something to me?" Liang Long responded, still perplexed that he could now talk.

"As long as another soul is floating around here, I'm positive I did." Zhou Yuan laughed. He thought the small soul's astonished tone humorous, so he had an intriguing smile pasted on his face.

"Right..." Liang Long was embarrassed as he realized the stupidity of his remark. 'He'll think I'm some kind of mentally ill person... Soul?'

'Bruh'.

"That is to be expected. I don't detect any cultivation from you, therefore it's natural that you'd be heavily influenced by the surroundings of this location. Especially after a fight between people in the *%!@!#& realm." Zhou Yuan spoke out as he observed a hint of confusion in the soul's actions.

"Oh, you're not capable of comprehending this, therefore it seemed perplexing to you. To put it simply, you are far too weak to sustain these power fluctuations. Anyway, you're probably wondering where you are."

"This is the Primordial Chaos Origin Star Sea, a chaotic space with unstable laws where everything appears old and lonesome."

Liang Long understood why he couldn't hear Zhou Yuan's final words, but when he tried, his soul began to exhibit indications of being bound by something, as if there were ethereal shackles all around it, preventing him from probing deeper.

"Yes, but whenever I feel this resonance, I can't help but strive to solve these mysteries. I'm not sure why I'm feeling this way or how to express it in words." Liang Long spoke up what was inside his mind.

He was well aware that he was unable of grasping Zhou Yuan's brief and simple statement, since he had evidently just referred of his own power. But he had a sense it would be more beneficial to him than anything else.

"I see. Perhaps it's due to your lack of cultivation or another factor. I'm not sure, but you appear to be capable of adaptability. Normal humans, no, cultivators three realms below mine, would not be able to withstand anything like that." Zhou Yuan pondered, as if he had discovered someone very intriguing, even if it was merely a random wandering mortal soul in a vast, seemingly unending world.

"I've been floating around in this space for quite some time. I'm not sure how long, but I'm beginning to feel exhausted." Liang Long said. He'd tried not to seem fatigued, but he couldn't pull it off any longer.

"Well, your soul strength is far too little to even stand up to this place's ever-changing laws."

"There would be no issues if you had a way of soul nurturing." With a little smile, Zhou Yuan remarked.

"Right, considering how strangely decent but not powerful your soul is, you may survive for a little longer, but you will eventually reach your limit. And, to be honest, it's partly my responsibility that you're in this damaged state because of my fight with Wu Han." He felt slightly guilty that his conflict had damaged an innocent bystander, but he also thought this abandoned soul's luck was incredibly good.

To be able to appear mysteriously at the Primordial Chaos Origin Star Sea and experience the turbulence of this place's powerful yet chaotic laws, let alone witness a battle between two higher beings and gain some sort of enlightenment, allowing him to adapt to the harsh conditions of this space, is truly a blessing for someone like him who appears to lack cultivation.

Zhou Yuan was considering what course of action to follow.

It is not easy to come across situations like these, and such occasions necessitate accurate approaches.

That is how cultivators pave their pathways to the pinnacle of martial prowess! Accepting the unexpected and turning it into an opportunity, similar to how building a bridge of rocks to reach the sky may break apart, but if built properly, it will become a new route to pursue regardless of how unstable it is. As a result, Zhou Yuan made the decision to embark on a new path, not as a cultivator seeking great strength, but as someone who understands that kindness, when exhibited and given to the correct individual, will always be rewarded with compassion.

Just like how he had received from others.

"What is your name, little one?" Zhou Yuan asked.

"I was given the name Lich by my parents, but I am now Liang Long." Even if he despised his given name, it had been one selected by his parents. He doesn't accept it, but that doesn't imply he'll neglect or despise his own parents. They were his entire world. Proper education, personality, awareness of the good and bad, and many other factors are involved. He would not be who he is now if it weren't for his parents.

Family is something that, no matter what, cannot be replaced. They raised him to be a good man, able to be satisfied with his life, have friends that cared for him, and, most importantly, to express affection to others.

"Good name. I won't pry about how you even managed to get yourself here, everyone has their secrets after all. All I know for sure is that you're from a different world." The former spoke.

"I understand how it feels to be separated from family. At the very least, we have pleasant memories of them. Although they are no longer with us, that warm sensation in our hearts will always wash away the bitterness of life's difficulties, encouraging us to strive higher." Zhou Yuan murmured, closing his eyes, with a heartfelt and mournful look, remembering the faces of his own parents bidding their farewell to him when he left his world.

"Enough of that, I'm having a nostalgic sensation. I recall being asked the same question once. I'd want to hear yours now." He said this while returning his bright stare to Liang Long with a piercing glance.

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"Liang Long, do you wish to become my disciple?" The latter spoke again, this time with a solemn tone that made the former's soul blink for a brief second.

The little soul was perplexed. When he heard that sentence, his eyes nearly fell out of their sockets, but it instantly calmed down and answered.

"The world I once knew is no longer within my reach. if I am to live, I must grow stronger."

"My parents would not want me to sit idle and do nothing as my life faded away. I accept your teaching because it will lead me along this path!" Liang Long replied with a serious tone laced with joy when he thought of his own destiny as a cultivator.

He was about to face the tribulations of a difficult and arduous journey, exactly as he had dreamed before. Liang Long didn't care whether he were pushing himself to the breaking point.

Of course, his fear of death remained, and there would be times when he hesitates to continue. He was, after all, simply a human being.

No one, no matter how strong they are, is immune to stress.

'I think I've found a good one.' As his lips lifted into a warm smile, Zhou Yuan thought.

"Good! Then you're my first official disciple from now on. Unfortunately, I won't be able to provide you with a body since it would take too long."

"And that is something I no longer have." He muttered this as he cast a serious look behind him.

Yes, the corridor leading to the exit of this place is shrinking and will vanish in a matter of minutes. The once-gaseous substance has ceased flowing out of it, and the length of its crack has been substantially decreased to appear to be only a few thousand kilometers, and it is gradually stopping to produce humming sounds.

Zhou Yuan wanted to regain his strength, but it appears that this is no longer feasible.

"Can't I follow you?" Liang Long inquired. It made sense; now that Zhou Yuan was his master, he could go basically wherever he pleased.

"This is a little tricky. Your soul is strong for someone who does not cultivate, yet you will be unable to survive the turmoil of space laws caused by the void crack. Even before you entered, you'd be pulverized to starlight dust." Zhou Yuan sighed heavily, deeply saddened by his disciple's misfortune.

It is not impossible for him to offer a helping hand and protect Liang Long from the voyage, but enveloping him in his divine qi will be harmful to his soul.

Because the previous shockwaves were dispelling qi blasts, there was no direct concentration of pure qi in those. If Zhou Yuan utilizes his qi in this manner, he will gravely damage Liang Long's soul and hinder his growth.

He did link his mind to his own in order to communicate with him, but the quantity of divine qi he utilized was exceedingly minimal.

"So... I'm imprisoned in here for all eternity? Without any means to be able to leave? I am unable to determine my own fate. This is even more horrific than death." With a sad tone, Liang Long said.

'I cannot believe it. I can continue to live, but at what cost? Even if I live for a long period only attempting to improve my soul, isn't it pointless if I can't do anything else?' His whole world appeared to be slowly shattering.

Liang Long finally had a chance of leaving but couldn't because he was too weak. This greatly infuriated him and he naturally blamed his predicament on whoever sent him here.

Zhou Yuan's expression was complicated and awkward as he glanced at his first disciple. He naturally recognized what he was experiencing since he had suffered the same thing previously, when his meridians were blocked due to a terrifying poison and he couldn't cultivate. Seeing Liang Long in this state reminded him of the day he met his master and had his meridians opened, allowing him to pursue the path of cultivation.

'I guess it can't be avoided. Perhaps this is his fate. He will suffer, but the struggle is what drives us to endure and push our boundaries farther.'

Life is unjust. There's no gain without pain, and only death could end someone's suffering.

And Zhou Yuan could feel that his new and young disciple would never give up on his own life.

"Don't worry, I've got this covered." He reached out his arm and pointed his finger towards Liang Long's forehead. He could clearly discern his figure as a higher entity.

Every astral projection has its own characteristics, and Liang Long was no different.

If Liang Long could see his current appearance, he would be startled since he isn't the same person he was back on Earth. However, because he lacks a body to connect his soul to, this would take a long time.

Soon after, a bright blue light flashed and ignited a bluish flame on Liang Long's forehead. Shining with a pure blue luster, it appeared to be growing, as it began to look very small at first, but was now developing to a fair size flame until it stopped.

Liang Long's mind seemed to have been split open, leading him to experience a disturbing headache, similar to how someone would feel after hitting their skull with a bat. The blue glow faded, and Zhou Yuan removed his finger.

"I have passed on part of my own understanding of soul cultivation to you to serve as a foundation as you progress and a few surprises."

"I also gave you a soul-cultivating secret art called Primordial Chaos Divine Grindstone Visualisation, or so it was originally named, but I implemented and altered it to reach a level comparable to my previous realm. So I now call it Great Ancestral Grindstone Visualisation."

"This is a secret technique that both my wife named Yaoyao and I studied while adventuring around."

"As our power kept on increasing, we needed a better way of cultivating our souls. Her soul is way more powerful than mine, so it was actually her that made the greatest contribution to it." Zhou Yuan scratched the back of his head as he thought about how much of a monster his wife is when it came to soul cultivating.

Liang Long was gobsmacked. The knowledge Zhou Yuan had bestowed on to him would allow him to roam around while steadily growing his soul. His speed of travel would be increased according to his soul strength and capacity to move at quicker rates than previously with each significant increase. Not to mention that, thanks to the technique his master implanted in his soul mindscape, he now possessed a practical way of soul cultivation.

"Master... Thank you very much. I, Liang Long, will do my best not to embarrass master and will cultivate hard while attempting to discover an exit from this hellhole!" Liang Long spoke loudly and solemnly. He had received the greatest fortune he would ever get at a place like this.

Zhou Yuan chuckled slightly before nodding his head with satisfaction. Suddenly, he realized he had almost done a major sin against his disciple and had almost showed a weird look, but he quickly composed himself.

"A little late, but let me introduce myself, my name is Zhou Yuan. I came from a faraway place, another world such as you. It's known as the Heaven Genesis World."

"I am now traveling to what appears to be the outer world, beyond my own. I'm still not sure what I want, but I'm confident I'll find it. I'm seeking answers to help me achieve an unknown goal. It may take some time, but I'm convinced it will be worth it."

"Conflicted thoughts may lead one to not accomplish anything, thus I believe it is necessary to have just a single desire that you wish to achieve in life. Perhaps I want to become the strongest, the wealthiest, or maybe even simply be loved by the people I consider precious to me."

"It is fine as well to have many wishes in life, as long as you're capable of achieving them. And remember this well."

"Do not give up on yourself, no matter how difficult it may be. It's a miracle you didn't die after everything that occurred. You had the opportunity to meet me and become my first formal disciple. This, I suppose, is a sign that you will not perish here."

"I am your master, your teacher, and you are now one of the few individuals I consider a friend and care about. My time with you was brief, but I am confident that we shall meet again." He talked with a warm and sympathetic expression while looking at Liang Long's face. He turned away from him with a final smile, rising skyward as he prepared to go.

But then he abruptly turned to face Liang Long one last time. He was looking down at him with his piercing golden eyes, and his hair was drifting to the side, giving him the appearance of a tall and unshakeable mountain.

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"However, you may also refer to me as..."

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"Venerable Yuan." Zhou Yuan spoke softly, but Liang Long obviously heard him. He was staring into the former's eyes with a variety of emotions, but something piqued his curiosity. He had no idea what. He merely had a feeling that something else was looking back at him.

He saw his master soar toward the fracture in the vast starry sky, and when he finally entered it, the surrounding space began to shake. The gaping, visible fissure began to heal itself and closed with a loud popping sound. The region where the corridor emerged was now covered in small pitch-black swirls. They emitted terrifying and hazardous power fluctuations.

Something that Liang Long didn't want to get close to.

He attempted to shift his nonexistent body to make a small bow towards the area his master came from. He was on the edge of tears, knowing that something like this never tends to happen to anyone.

Liang Long had been blaming his own luck the entire time, and his efforts to bear everything that had happened to him had finally paid off.

"Life goes on." Liang Long had finally gained control of his own soul. After being able to talk to Zhou Yuan he could now pronounce words with a little effort. His astral form had a fresh gleam of brightness about it, and his eyes were sharper than before.

Without wasting any more of his now limited time, he started to move in a random direction, traveling towards the vast space.

In search of a way out.

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[4906 words] - Extra thicc chapter

At first, I decided to split this chapter, it came to have almost 5k words (counting the after-chapter words, it actually has) and most part of it is just dialogue.

I believe that might be way too much for a chapter to have, although I have read chapters that had more than 8k words.

However, splitting it would make the next chapter be filled with only dialogues, which I don't feel like doing.

I enjoy adding scenery to the chapter where you can imagine the place where the character is while reading, it is for this very reason that I decided to stay with this lengthy ass chapter.

Moreover, the next two chapters will be shorter and mark the end of the prologue!