Chapter 0: The Sacrifice

In the vast expanse of Eternal Heaven, where countless realms existed, each with its own rich history and powerful cultivators, a battle of epic proportions was about to unfold. The realm in question was known as the Celestial Tempest Realm, a prosperous land ruled by a wise and benevolent emperor. However, the true power behind the throne was his daughter, Princess Yun Xue, a Monarch Peak Stage cultivator who possessed one of the four Eternal Relics, the Eternal Bracelet.

The Eternal Bracelet, a masterpiece of craftsmanship, was adorned with countless precious gems and intricate engravings that seemed to dance in the light. It was said that the bracelet had the power to enhance its wearer's cultivation, granting them unimaginable strength and abilities. Princess Yun Xue, already a formidable cultivator in her own right, had become even more powerful with the Eternal Bracelet in her possession.

On the other side of the battlefield stood a lone figure, a cultivator known as Xuan Tian. He was an Early Stage Monarch, a level of cultivation that was already considered to be among the highest in the Mortal Domain. However, what set Xuan Tian apart from other cultivators was the fact that he possessed another one of the Eternal Relics, the Eternal Amulet.

The Eternal Amulet was a small, unassuming piece of jewelry that hung around Xuan Tian's neck. It was a simple pendant, made of a strange, iridescent metal that seemed to shimmer and change color depending on the angle from which it was viewed. Despite its humble appearance, the Eternal Amulet was said to possess immense power, capable of amplifying its wearer's cultivation to unimaginable levels.

Xuan Tian had been on the run for months, ever since Princess Yun Xue had learned of his possession of the Eternal Amulet. She had sent her most trusted subordinates, a group of elite cultivators known as the Celestial Jade Guardians, to hunt him down and retrieve the amulet. Xuan Tian had managed to evade them for a time, but now, it seemed, his luck had run out.

Xuan Tian found himself encircled by the Celestial Jade Guardians, a formidable assembly of 1,000 cultivators from across the Mortal Domain. Their auras pulsed with raw power, a testament to their exceptional martial prowess. The group was a spectrum of diverse talents, with the majority having attained the esteemed peaks of Core Formation and Soul Formation. Their cultivation cores thrummed within their bodies, while their nascent souls hovered above them like celestial beacons. Among their number, a select few stood out as Nascent Soul Realm cultivators, their souls having transcended to a tangible form that exuded an awe-inspiring spiritual presence. Together, this elite force radiated an overwhelming aura that filled the air with a palpable sense of might.

In comparison, Xuan Tian stood alone, an Early Stage Monarch, a solitary mountain amidst a sea of lesser peaks. His cultivation was as the sun, radiant and all-encompassing, while the Celestial Jade Guardians were mere candles, flickering in the face of his brilliance. The power differential between them was akin to the vast expanse between heaven and earth, a chasm that could not be bridged by numbers alone.

Xuan Tian was determined not to let the Eternal Amulet fall into Princess Yun Xue's hands. With the ancient artifact's power coursing through his veins, he was confident in his ability to hold his own against the Celestial Jade Guardians.

"Surrender the Eternal Amulet, and we will spare your life," one of the Celestial Jade Guardians called out, his voice ringing with authority. He was a Soul Formation Realm cultivator, his soul form a shimmering, translucent dragon that coiled around his body.

Xuan Tian laughed, a bitter, humorless sound. "You know as well as I do that Princess Yun Xue has no intention of sparing my life," he said, his voice steady despite the gravity of the situation. "She wants the Eternal Amulet, and she will stop at nothing to get it."

The Soul Formation Realm cultivator narrowed his eyes, his soul form flickering with barely contained power. "Then you leave us no choice," he said, his voice cold and unyielding. "We will take the Eternal Amulet by force."

With those words, the battle began. The Celestial Jade Guardians surged forward, their auras flaring with power. Xuan Tian met them head-on, his own aura blazing with the might of the Eternal Amulet. The air crackled with energy as the two sides clashed, their techniques and abilities colliding in a dazzling display of martial prowess.

Xuan Tian fought with the fury of a thousand suns, his every move imbued with the power of the Eternal Amulet. The Core Formation Realm and Soul Formation Realm cultivators fell before him like leaves in an autumn gale, their bodies and nascent souls shattered by the overwhelming force of his blows. The Nascent Soul Realm cultivators, though more formidable, were but grains of sand before the unyielding tide of Xuan Tian's might.

As the battle raged on, it became increasingly clear that the difference in cultivation realms was an insurmountable advantage for Xuan Tian. His Monarch aura, amplified by the Eternal Amulet, was a force of nature, an unstoppable torrent that swept aside all who dared stand in his way. The Celestial Jade Guardians, for all their numbers and skill, were powerless against the sheer magnitude of Xuan Tian's cultivation.

In the end, the outcome was inevitable. Xuan Tian stood unmatched, the Celestial Jade Guardians scattered and wavering. The power differential between a Monarch and those of lesser realms had been made abundantly clear, a testament to the vast gulfs that separated the echelons of cultivation.

As if on cue, a figure appeared on the horizon, her aura blazing with the power of a Monarch Peak Stage cultivator. It was Princess Yun Xue, her beauty as radiant as the sun, her jewelry glinting in the light. She was a vision of elegance and grace, but beneath that facade lay a heart as cold and cruel as the darkest depths of the abyss.

"Xuan Tian," she called out, her voice as sweet as honey, but with an undertone of malice that sent shivers down Xuan Tian's spine. "You have fought well, but it is time to surrender the Eternal Amulet. You cannot hope to stand against me."

Xuan Tian knew that she was right. Even with the power of the Eternal Amulet, he was no match for a Monarch Peak Stage cultivator. However, he was not about to give up without a fight. He channeled his aura into the Eternal Amulet, feeling its power surge through his body like a raging torrent.

"I will never surrender the Eternal Amulet to you, Princess Yun Xue," he said, his voice ringing with conviction. "You may be powerful, but you are not worthy of its power. The Eternal Relics were created to maintain balance in the universe, not to be used for personal gain."

Princess Yun Xue laughed, a sound that was as beautiful as it was terrifying. "You fool," she said, her voice dripping with disdain. "The Eternal Relics are meant to be wielded by those who have the strength and the will to use them. I am the only one who is worthy of their power."

With those words, she launched herself at Xuan Tian, her aura flaring with the might of a Monarch Peak Stage cultivator. Xuan Tian met her head-on, his own aura blazing with the power of the Eternal Amulet. The two clashed in a battle that shook the very foundations of the realm, their techniques and abilities colliding in a dazzling display of martial prowess.

However, it soon became clear that Xuan Tian was outmatched. As Xuan Tian fought against the relentless onslaught of Princess Yun Xue's subordinates, he realized the true extent of her power and influence. For every cultivator he managed to defeat, a dozen more would take their place, their numbers seemingly endless. The princess watched from the sidelines, a cruel smile playing across her lips as she observed him struggling against the tide of her minions, waiting for the perfect moment to strike when his movements began to slow and his energy started to wane.

In a brief moment of respite between waves of attacks, Xuan Tian called out to the princess, his voice tinged with a mixture of anger and sadness. "Princess Yun Xue, what would your father, the emperor, think of this act? Pursuing an old friend to the ends of the earth for the sake of power and ambition?"

Princess Yun Xue's eyes narrowed, her smile fading into a cold, hard line. "My father is a senile old fool, clinging to outdated notions of honor and friendship. He lacks the vision to see what true power can achieve. This is my empire now, and I will stop at nothing to claim what is rightfully mine."

Xuan Tian shook his head, a bitter laugh escaping his lips. "You've changed, Yun Xue. The girl I once knew would never have stooped to such depths. Has your lust for power truly consumed you so completely?"

The princess's face twisted into a snarl, her aura flaring with barely contained rage. "You know nothing of my desires or my motivations, Xuan Tian. I am destined for greatness, and the Eternal Amulet is the key to achieving my goals. I will have it, one way or another."

With those words, she motioned for her subordinates to resume their attack, the horde of cultivators surging forward once more in a tidal wave of power and fury. Xuan Tian braced himself for the impact, his mind racing as he tried to find a way out of this impossible situation.

As the battle raged on, he could feel his strength beginning to fade, his injuries taking their toll on his body and mind. He knew that he couldn't hold out forever, but he refused to give up, refused to let the princess win.

Finally, overwhelmed by the sheer number of opponents and the severity of his wounds, Xuan Tian fell to his knees, his body battered and broken. Princess Yun Xue approached him, her eyes gleaming with triumph as she savored her victory.

"How pathetic," she sneered, circling around the fallen Monarch like a predator toying with its prey. "To think that you once held such promise, Xuan Tian. But in the end, you were no match for my power."

With the last of his strength, Xuan Tian summoned the Eternal Amulet to his hand, its power thrumming through his veins. In a final, desperate gamble, he channeled all of his remaining energy into the ancient artifact, causing it to glow with a blinding, radiant light.

"If I cannot keep the Eternal Amulet from you," he whispered, his voice ragged with pain, "then I will ensure that no one can claim its power."

With a roar of defiance, Xuan Tian hurled the Eternal Amulet into the air, sending it flying far away from the battlefield and into the vast expanse of the Mortal Domain. As the amulet soared through the sky, it released a massive burst of energy, consuming the remaining cultivators in a blinding flash of light that tore the very fabric of the realm asunder.

Only Princess Yun Xue remained unscathed, protected by the power of her own Eternal Relic, the Eternal Bracelet. She watched in shocked disbelief as the amulet disappeared into the distance, her dreams of ultimate power vanishing along with it.

Xuan Tian smiled weakly, his life force fading rapidly. "The Eternal Amulet belongs to the Mortal Domain," he whispered, his words barely audible over the howling winds. "It will find its way to a worthy successor, someone who will use its power for the greater good, not for their own selfish ambitions."

With those final words, Xuan Tian closed his eyes and embraced the darkness, his spirit passing on to the next world, leaving behind a legacy of courage and sacrifice that would echo through the ages. The Eternal Amulet had been lost, thrown into the vastness of the Mortal Domain, waiting for the day when a new hero would rise to claim it and restore balance to the realm.