00. Prologue

15 years ago...

"DAMNIT!"

Ethereal winds whipped through a man's long black hair as he descended rapidly from the sky. The man was adorned in a sky-blue robe, with a set of piercing grey eyes. He was a handsome young man with a kind personality.

On this day however, his features were mired with annoyance and bewilderment.

The man landed at a set of gates that a set of guards were patrolling. "Big brother Wen Lin! You're back from your mission!", one of the guards exclaimed.

Wen Lin glanced coldly at the youth, saying nothing. Taking two steps forward, he took a moment to inspect the area. Seemingly satisfied, he knocked on the gates three times, the sounds echoing out for miles despite the soft blows.

"So, you're back", a voice boomed out.

A middle aged man in black robes shimmered into existence on the other side of the gates. Upon hearing these words, Wen Lin dropped to his knees and started kowtowing. "Conclave disciple Wen Lin extends greetings towards master." The man, named Lang Kun, looked on and responded "Come, tell me of you're travels and conquests." Elder Lang Kun waved a hand, opening the gates while disappearing from sight. "Many thanks, Master!" Wen Lin bowed low and flew deeper into the Pavilion.

"Disciple, when were you going to tell me you have a person inside your bag of holding?"

"Um.. Master, I don't know what you're-"

"Empty it. Now."

The young man sighed as he violently smacked his bag of holding, depositing a few bundles of high grade spirit gems, a few magical treasures, medicinal pills and the small form of a infant wrapped in grey cloth.

Lang Kun sighed and make a few complex and flowing hand gestures and began to asses the boy for a long time. Lang Kun glanced up at Wen Lin put the look of surprised that morphed into awe, horror and finally rage as he looked at a point in the air between the two.

"...Y-You..!"

Lang Kun started to tremble with red-hot rage; the veins on his neck beginning to bulge out with vigor. Small pebbles on the dirt surrounding the pathway levitated in tune with the incensed Elder. When he shouted, he caused all the levitating pebbles mercilessly pelt Wen Lin with the sound wave generated by the shout. Unfortunately for Wen Lin, he was the only one to hear it.

"YOU USELESS IMBECILE! HAVE I TAUGHT YOU NOTHING?!"

*CRA-ACK-THWACK!!*

Lang Kun appeared next to Wen Lin with a seemingly normal cane that he subsequently clubbed Wen Lin over the head with a few times.

The sounds of Wen Lin's bones breaking from the multiple pebble impacts echoed throughout the narrow pathway, however Wen Lin's face only frowned slightly as multiple parts of his body swelled up.

"Master, I don't understa--"

Lang Kun squinted at Wen Lin in an icy glare while declaring "If you don't understand, dear disciple of mine, then consider shutting that flytrap you call a mouth!"

Wen Lin, feeling slightly irritated, cleared his throat before speaking softly. "Master, this infant cannot cultivate, so why should I care for it if the thing will die in a few days? This infant will only hinder my time for cultivation."

The infant in question was staring at the bloodied rocks behind Wen Lin in wonder.

Lang Kun smiled coldly at Wen Lin, then preformed a few hand signs that blurred together. "Yet there the lad was... Inside your bag of holding. I'm taking you to the Divine Court for trial."

An invisible force picked up the broken body of Wen Lin and roughly deposited him outside the marble doors of the Divine Court. Lang Kun then turned to the infant with an indifferent look that changed to surprise. The infant was giggling waving his arms around, but the surprising part was the air and earth around the child fluctuated into liquid and gaseous states.

"What clan could have produced such a terrifying monster?"

The child stopped giggling and looked at Lang Kun. The instant the two locked eyes, Lang Kun experienced an intense piercing pain in-between his eyes. Lang Kun slightly moved, appearing behind the child and bent down to pick up the child.

The instant before his hands made contact, the childs form cracked and turned into the pebbles used by Lang Kun to discipline Wen Lin. A small chuckle was heard a distance away much to the annoyance of Lang Kun.

"I have to actually use a bit of qi to suppress this little flea. How embarrassing!"

Lang Kun tapped his side, bringing out a glowing jade brush. Black and white runes flowed along the body, with a pair of runes floated towards the brush tip. The brush hairs took on a grey luster and the air around the tip began to solidify.

"Purgatory Shackle Art," a soft voice murmured.

The brush then flew out of Lang Kun's hand as if having a life of its own, vibrating while the outline of a chain swiftly took shape.

The chain had a tarnished grey look, while exuding a pressure that slightly distorted the air around it.

SHLINK!

The chain moved towards the child in an instant, wrapping around it. The infants laughter was cut short at that moment, with Lang Kun narrowing his eyes in suspicion. He walked over and picked up the child while scrutinizing over it's appearance.

"Play time is over, child. You're coming with me now so my Life & Death Pavilion can decide your fate."

The baby gazed at him with a thoughtful expression before sticking his tongue out at him.

PPFT!

Lang Kun sighed softly before waving hand and stepping forward to appear outside the Divine Court 200 miles away.

Wen Lin was seated in a meditative position against one of the many pillars beside the doors that were bathed in light, his broken bones being slowly mended before the naked eye.

"Wen Lin, get up your late!"

Wen Lin opened his eyes and smirked, "How can I be late if there's no court time set?"

Lang Kun's eyes narrowed before speaking "That means you should get in there before you have to be carried in there."

Zhang Lin raised his hands in surrender before getting up and knocking on the doors. The sound echoed for a few seconds before the door opened.

"Enter!"

Zhang Lin pushed the hair out of his eyes before walking into a open room with the starry sky as a ceiling. The 9 Imperial Judges, each having a stern and cold look on their faces, were assembled in a half circle pattern in front of two wooden desks with 2 chairs at each desk.