The clash between Baili Yunfeng and the Sword Sovereign scaled all upto holy land. Blades of pure intent tore through void, each strike laced with enough power to destroy ten lower realm. But despite his desperation, Yunfeng knew the truth—he was losing.
His breaths became ragged, his grip on his sword tightening as blood dripped from countless wounds. The Sword Sovereign stood before him, radiating immense killing intent.
"This is the end, Baili Yunfeng," the Sword Sovereign sneered, raising his sword for the final strike.
Now Yunfeng simply didn't care about his life, as he was nearing its end. He coughed a mouthful of blood, wiped and laughed madly: "Hehehe.... hahahaha....ha... ha."
Finally, he stopped laughing and shot a glare: "Sword sovereign, Do you truly think this is ov- *Cough Cough*."
He slowly exhaled, sighed and thought What a pity, I couldn't reach sovereign stage in this lifetime.
Yunfeng's mind raced. He had exhausted all his techniques, all his strength. There was only one option left—one that had never succeeded. A technique he dared not perform in its incomplete stage.
"Emperor's art: chapter 9." He slowly exhaled and continued: "Infernal Time's Reversal."
(Chapter 9 "Infernal Time Reversal" : A demonic technique amongst the emperor's art created to deceive Heaven and regress on one's past. It can only be used at sovereign stage or may have the severe consequences and be unable to attain Dao in his/her life.)
Before Sword sovereign could land a hit, Yunfeng's body erupted a terrifying dark red and black glow as the very fabric of law trembled. The reality of past and future overlapped in his body.
His body began to crack into pieces because of the incomplete technique and was unable to move from his spot. Just as he was slowly given up the hope to regress back at the past.
Pain surged through his body, his bones cracked, soul stretched to its limit. Heavenly tribulation cracked all over the sky, ready to strike. He gritted the unbearable pain and endured. He looked at the sky and murmured: "Am I destined to die here."
As if responding to his desperate struggle, the incomplete technique miraculously began to take its effect and the time began to reverse at the alarming rate.
The battle, the Sword Sovereign, the heavens, everything vanished in a blinding flash.
His soul slowly drifted towards eerily silent void.
....
Tianyu Empire Boarder,
Baili Yunfeng eyes snapped open, his heart pounding vigorously. He was no longer standing in the ruined battlefield but had returned at the beginning of his journey, at the depth of forest, a place he hadn't seen in ages.
"Looks like luck is in my side." spoke Baili Yunfeng, his voice low but filled with rage: "Hehe... Just you wait, Sword sovereign, you will pay dearly for messing with me."
He looked at his, now frail body devoid of muscle, which had been tampered through countless battle, from previous state. He slowly sat cross legged and began searching for his lifelong devouring flame in the depth of his soul.
As his consciousness approached it, a sudden eruption of dark red aura surged from his body, pulsating with raw energy. The temperature around him skyrocketed from the sheer force of his flame.
His eyes snapped open, glowing with a fierce crimson light. The devouring flame was slowly responding his call. In his second life, he had only discovered it at upper realm as there was no one to guide him. Therefore, he truly regretted having not found it at the early stage of his journey.
A smirk formed on his lips. This time, he would not search for it with the help of others. It was already his. All he needed to was awaken it.
"People of the Sword Marquise Abode should arrive in a few moments." He spoke briefly before dismissing the devouring fire.
From his memories, he remembered one of the guard of Sword Marquise had picked him up at this very right place in his second life.
"Looks like once again, I had to rely on them to continue my path." He spoke while immersing in his nostalgic memories. He was truly grateful for them for helping him in his lowest point. Thus, he decided to fully repay their kindness in this life.
"Ugh.. I need to check my internal injuries." He groaned and began to accumulate Qi in his body to slowly stabilize his injuries. He had momentarily forgotten his injuries while being distracted. He had been hunted from the central plane to all the way to Tianyu empire. His cousin, Baili Yuyu had helped him along the way to eliminate the Baili enforcer by the guise of hunting him.
He naively believed that by taking Baili sword technique and running would help him from the pursuit of Baili clan in his previous life. And that was the reason he was hunted down all the way to Tianyu empire, a insignificant empire compared to Sword star empire.
He slowly exhaled and spoke softly: "Emperor's art: Chapter 1." He adjusted his position and continued: "Absorption Of The Heavenless Qi"
(Chapter 1 "Absorption of the heavenless qi" : A technique to absorb the qi, unrelated to DAO itself."
Just as he spoke, a powerful suction emanated from the Yunfeng, greedily absorbing the Fateless qi of heaven, his injuries began to heal at a alarming pace. He slowly exhaled and began to stretch and adapt at his small body.
"Now, I can cultivate the alternate system." he spoke while fully memorizing the process of alternate system.
(Those who don't understand "alternate system" , it means he has different stage than other cultivators, such as mortal realm or normally known as foundation stage or qi gathering realm.)
He didn't had the chance to cultivate alternate system in his previous life, because before he could cultivate it, he had already reached the peak of Saint realm. And he had to cripple himself to cultivate.
He truly couldn't bear to cripple himself after reaching the peak of Saint realm. If he had obtained the supreme inheritance at the beginning of his journey in his previous life, he might have tried but unfortunately he didn't had until the later part of his journey.
He sat cross legged and whispered: "Flame art: Heavenless qi devourer."
(Flame art "Heavenless qi devourer": combined with the emperor's art chapter 1 with the devouring flame to absorb Fateless qi at an alarming rate. Proximately 5x)
.....
So, if any of ya'll had read this chapter despite my warning. I suggest you to add it to your library as it will not be released daily other than my lookism fic. And this fic is in its initial phase, so be warned)