Cultivation Start with Being the Creator of the World

In the heart of the forbidden wilds, a place whispered about in both fear and awe, a terrifying scene unfolded.

"Whoosh! Whoosh!" The air crackled with the sound of frantic footsteps as hundreds of soldiers fled through the shadowy forest, their hearts pounding in their chests. Behind them, the ground trembled with the relentless pursuit of tens of thousands of troops, each armed with weaponry forged by the infernal arts of gunpowder and arrows. At the forefront of this desperate retreat stood Li Xiao, the Prince of the Tang Dynasty, his heart heavy with the weight of fate.

"Your Royal Highness, ahead lies the forbidden land of the gods," a guard's voice quivered, filled with dread and apprehension. "An abyss where no mortal dares tread."

The words hung in the air, heavy as lead. All around, the guards exchanged uneasy glances. They had heard the legends—the forbidden land was a place of cursed power, where the gods themselves had perished, leaving only the echoes of their doom. No one returned once they entered, for the land was said to be alive with ancient, destructive forces.

Li Xiao's gaze hardened, his determination unwavering. "We have no choice. Chen Guo's vanguard grows ever closer, and if we do not seek refuge within the forbidden land, we will be trapped. Their pursuit is not for honor, but for a world-altering artifact. I swear to the heavens, they shall never claim it."

His words were a vow, a promise to himself and to those few loyal enough to follow him. The rage of years spent under the shadow of war surged within him—Chen Guo had already razed his homeland, capturing his father, Emperor Chen, and leaving naught but destruction in its wake. Li Xiao had escaped the chaos, now leading a ragtag group of soldiers against the overwhelming might of his enemies. He would not bow.

"Your Highness," a general spoke, his voice laced with hesitation, "the forbidden land is a perilous place. Even if we seek shelter, it may be our doom."

Li Xiao's eyes blazed with steely resolve. "The forbidden land is wrapped in legend, its dangers amplified by fear. Perhaps we are fortunate enough to find the outskirts, where the darkness is weaker. But we have no other path to take."

His voice cut through the tension like a sword through flesh. There was no other option. The weight of his words carried the suffocating certainty of fate. Forward they would go, or face certain death.

"If this is His Royal Highness's command, we follow you, to the very ends of the earth," the guards affirmed, their voices firm with unwavering loyalty. Though the peril was immense, their faith in Li Xiao, their prince, was boundless. They would follow him into the abyss, no matter the cost.

Just as the prince prepared to lead his men deeper into the wilds, a shriek pierced the air—a guard, eyes wide with terror, pointed toward the distant horizon, his body shaking with fear. "What... what is that?"

The general's heart leaped into his throat. "What is it? Is it the enemy? How far?"

And then they all saw it.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The earth shook beneath their feet, as if the very foundations of the world were being torn asunder. The trees trembled, their ancient boughs quaking with each thunderous strike. The sound reverberated like the footfalls of a titan, each vibration shaking the air with power and dread.

And from the mist, a colossal figure emerged, towering over the forest. It was no mere creature, but something far older, something beyond mortal comprehension. Its form, shadowed by the thick fog, seemed to stretch for thousands of meters, dwarfing even the tallest trees and mountains.

The guards could only stare in horrified awe. "By the gods… What is this? How can something be so vast?" one whispered in disbelief.

"No… this is no mere beast," another murmured, voice trembling with a mixture of fear and reverence. "This is a god… An ancient god."

"It is the forbidden land of the gods," a third voice gasped, realization dawning with chilling clarity. "An ancient god has awakened."

The air seemed to freeze. Even the bravest warriors, those who had stared down death countless times on the battlefield, felt their courage falter in the face of this unimaginable presence. It was not merely the awe of witnessing a god's form, but the existential terror of standing before a force that could erase them from existence with a single thought.

The towering figure loomed over them, its form so vast it was impossible to fully comprehend. It was an ancient, primal force—a god long dormant, now awakened by some unknown will. And now, it gazed down upon them as if to judge their very souls.

Panic rippled through the ranks. Many soldiers, unable to bear the weight of such divine presence, fell to their knees, their heads bowing instinctively, offering prayers to this overwhelming power. It was as if the very air had turned to lead, pressing upon them until their strength seemed to drain away.

Li Xiao, too, stood frozen. His legs felt weak, his heart pounding in his chest. He dared not move, dared not breathe too loudly, for fear of provoking the wrath of this ancient being. The world seemed to hold its breath, caught in the tension between the mortal realm and the divine.

Suddenly, the distant sound of marching feet reached their ears, growing louder with every passing moment. A force of 100,000 troops, led by the fearsome Chen Guo general, swept toward them. Mounted on wild wolves and armed with weapons of war that could bring down entire cities, they charged forward, their resolve unyielding. The elite forces of Chen Guo, relentless and brutal, pressed on without mercy.