Starting with being handed over to the Imperial Concubine, building a family with a thousand-year hi

The eight fundamental sources of the universe each govern a region of the Great Dao, and at this moment, within the Heavenly Ladder Trial, two ultimate fundamental forces are being nurtured simultaneously—the Wood Source, which is ever-renewing and extends for thousands of years, and the Destruction Source, which overturns all things and destroys everything!

One is born and one dies; one withers and one flourishes.

The two fundamental sources are in extreme opposition and mutually restraining, transforming this trial realm into a place of both danger and supreme opportunity.

The dark, murky destructive energy filled the surroundings, carrying extremely strong corrosive and destructive properties. Once it touched the flesh, it would frantically gnaw at the muscles like a bone-eating venomous insect, dissolve the foundation of spiritual power, and destroy the flesh and bones. Its destructive power was domineering and unparalleled.

But following the destructive force was a vast, pure, and inexhaustible aura of the wood's essence. The ever-renewing laws of wood flowed throughout the body, rapidly repairing all the damage caused by the destructive energy, tempering the physique, cleansing the bones and muscles, and nourishing the meridians with ultimate vitality.

Destruction forges the body, ruin creates strength.

Under the alternating influence, checks and balances, and cyclical tempering of the two fundamental forces, Su Mu's physical foundation improved rapidly at a visible pace. The shackles of his body loosened layer by layer, his tendons, bones, skin, and flesh became increasingly solid and powerful, and his fundamental foundation steadily increased by leaps and bounds.

This perilous and terrifying trial ground, which everyone feared, became his supreme realm of creation, where he honed his physical body and comprehended the dual fundamental laws!

Su Mu was filled with astonishment, never expecting that the secret passage he had casually chosen was actually an unparalleled opportunity that Yu Sheng had secretly paved for him—the most mysterious and unpredictable, and also the most dangerous and deadly, passage to the origin of reincarnation among the eight great cosmic origins.

The dark and deep corridor stretched endlessly, sinking into boundless darkness. A wisp of ethereal, formless, and untraceable power of reincarnation quietly lingered around him, and a seductive whisper echoed in the darkness, repeatedly stirring his thoughts and urging him to stop and look back on the ups and downs of his past life.

But Su Mu's mind was clear, his eyes were like a mirror, and his Dao heart was as firm as a rock, never wavering in the slightest. His gaze remained steadfast and unwavering, fixed on the deep darkness ahead, without the slightest hesitation or lingering attachment.

Why look back on the road we've already traveled?

Half a lifetime of ups and downs, rights and wrongs, gains and losses, are all just ordinary memories.

No cultivator in this world can have a smooth and perfect path from beginning to end. Even if the road ahead is full of detours and countless hardships, as long as one's original heart remains steadfast and one's Daoist resolve remains unchanged, one can break through the fog and reach the other shore of the Great Dao that one's heart desires. There is no distinction between high and low, superior and inferior paths; what truly determines a cultivator's future path is always the original Daoist resolve that one firmly upholds in one's heart.

"Reincarnation..."

Su Mu murmured softly, then raised his head and laughed loudly. The clear and unrestrained laughter exploded out, echoing throughout the long, silent, and dark corridor, slightly dispelling the oppressive and gloomy darkness around him.

"Hahaha! Even after countless lifetimes of reincarnation and countless hardships, I, Su Mu, am still Su Mu!"

The moment the bold words fell, the surrounding dark corridor suddenly changed. The heavy darkness in the sky dissipated like the receding tide, and dazzling, holy white light poured down, enveloping Su Mu completely.

The light and shadow shifted in an instant, and the surrounding scenery completely transformed.

Su Mu looked up and gazed into the distance, his eyes instantly filled with intense astonishment and disbelief.

"Tianyuan Star, the main hall of the Imperial Palace in the Great Qian Dynasty?"

The magnificent palace stands before you, with twelve jade pillars coiled with dragons reaching straight to the top. The gilded roof tiles gleam, and the carved beams and painted rafters are exquisitely crafted. Every detail exudes supreme royal majesty, and a grand and luxurious atmosphere is overwhelming.

This was his homeland where he had spent over forty years in seclusion; every brick and tile was etched into his very bones and etched into his heart. But back then, he was of humble status and faced immense hardship; even though he was in the heart of the imperial city, he had no chance to step into this grand hall that symbolized the supreme power of the Great Qian Dynasty. He gazed intently around for a long time before finally confirming the reality of the scene before him.

Why have I returned to this place?

Before the doubts in my heart could be cleared up, a delicate and unforgettable fragrance quietly wafted from behind and entered my nose.

Upon smelling that extremely familiar scent, Su Mu's tense mind suddenly relaxed, and a gentle smile involuntarily curved his lips as he softly murmured, "Madam..."

Just as he was about to turn around and look back, an extreme pain that pierced through his bones and tore through his internal organs suddenly erupted from his back!

A sharp, piercing pain swept through his limbs and bones, causing Su Mu's body to suddenly stiffen, his face turning deathly pale, devoid of any color.

He slowly lowered his head in disbelief, only to see a cold longsword piercing through his body, its sharp tip stained with scarlet blood, emerging from his chest in a shocking display of crimson.

A deadly crisis suddenly descended. Before Su Mu could think, relying on his battle instincts honed through countless battles and unyielding through the ages, he turned around and unleashed a powerful palm strike!

A powerful and majestic spiritual force, accompanied by an incomparably domineering palm strike, hurtled through the air and slammed into the attacker from behind.

Bang-!

A dull thud echoed throughout the entire hall as a slender, graceful figure was blasted dozens of feet away by the violent force, crashing heavily onto the cold, hard floor tiles of the hall.

In the bright glow of the gilded lamps in the hall, the moment Su Mu saw the person's face clearly, his pupils suddenly contracted violently, a huge wave surged in his heart, and his blood and qi almost froze.

Xiao Yunshang!

Her unique and elegant fragrance, and her unparalleled beauty that could topple kingdoms and heavens, were the love he had devoted his life to, cherished, and protected with all his might. Her love was etched into his soul and ingrained in his very being, leaving no possibility of him ever admitting his mistake.

But the scene before him was so absurd and bizarre that it defied all reason and deeply shook his mind.

Why would his wife, with whom he had shared a deep and loving relationship, act so ruthlessly and without hesitation, trying to kill him?

"No...this isn't real." Su Mu shook his head violently, his expression panicked, desperately denying everything before him.

In an instant, his mind sharpened, and he instantly regained his senses: "I understand! I'm in the secret realm of reincarnation's origin passage; this is all an illusion conjured by my inner demons, a mere illusion!"

He immediately closed his eyes, concentrated his mind, and mobilized his vast and powerful spiritual energy, trying to tear apart the illusion, break free from the shackles of his inner demons, and dispel the confusion before him.

The excruciating pain piercing through my back was real and piercing, and the chilling feeling of my life force rapidly draining away swept over my entire body. Every inch of pain and every bit of weakness was incredibly real, without a trace of falsehood.

The extreme, real pain constantly assaulted and crushed his barely stabilized reason and Dao heart.

With his eyes tightly closed, Su Mu's emotions were completely turbulent and out of control. His brows were furrowed, his eyes were blank, his lips were taut, his face was pale, and fine beads of cold sweat kept seeping from his forehead, instantly soaking the strands of hair at his temples.

"Even though I can clearly see through it as an illusion, why can't I break free...?"

The most extreme despair in the world is not an unsolvable, certain death crisis, but the torment of knowing full well that it is all an illusion, yet being powerless to break free and helpless.

The line of defense of his Dao heart, which he had been so desperately guarding, was on the verge of collapse and shattering.

Just as his mind was about to completely succumb, Xiao Yunshang's cold, indifferent, and emotionless voice slowly rang out, each word piercing his heart like a sharp blade: "Su Mu, do you know how long I have endured, bided my time, and plotted for this moment today?"

Su Mu suddenly opened his eyes, his crimson eyes fixed on the woman in front of him. He could clearly see the extreme disgust, the deep-seated hatred, and the overwhelming, chilling killing intent in her eyes.

"Heh..." Xiao Yunshang stared directly into his eyes, letting out a series of cold laughs, her tone filled with extreme resentment and contempt. "Back then, when I returned to Tianyuan Star, I witnessed the complete decline and fall of the Xiao family. And you, a lowly eunuch, actually rose to become the Xiao family's supreme ruler, wielding immense power and enjoying boundless glory! From that moment on, only one thought remained in my heart—to kill you and completely erase this humiliating past of the Xiao family!"

The chilling words, like a thousand icy blades, pierced Su Mu's heart and soul.

He repeatedly warned himself that everything before him was an illusion, a delusion born of inner demons, and desperately clung to the last shred of clarity and reason.

But Xiao Yunshang's words of piercing the heart did not stop, tearing open the most hidden and untouchable scars in his heart again and again: "Back then, when the Tianyuan Star Gui Clan invaded and war broke out, the Xiao family was in turmoil and on the verge of collapse. I had no choice but to deliberately befriend you and pretend to be friendly with you."

"In order to win you over to serve the Xiao family, to give the family a glimmer of hope, and to seize cultivation resources from you and consolidate the family's foundation, I have suppressed the endless disgust and resistance in my heart and am willing to marry you and become your wife in name only!"

"shut up!"

Su Mu finally couldn't suppress the surging emotions within him, and almost roared as he retorted, his eyes bloodshot: "I was never a eunuch! When I married you, I was already a healthy, flawless, and dignified man!"

A cultivator may live a life undaunted by the slaughter of the heavens, the encirclement of myriad races, or the oppressive power of the Heavenly Dao, his pride unyielding and unyielding. Yet, his humble past of enduring humiliation and hiding in the imperial city in his youth remains his most secret and most untouchable weakness.

He could calmly accept the ridicule and mockery of others, and laugh it off. But the one who trampled on his dignity and tore open his wounds at this moment was his wife, whom he had given his whole heart to, trusted completely, and regarded as the only love of his life.

Everyone knows that the sharpest blade in the world always comes from the closest and most trusted person. Because that knife that pierces the heart is the very thing you handed over and completely entrusted with your confidence.

Su Mu's steadfast Dao heart completely crumbled, and his emotions were on the verge of total collapse. A glint of extreme pleasure flashed in Xiao Yunshang's eyes, her words becoming increasingly harsh and cold, each one piercing to the heart: "You did indeed regain your full health when you married, but your humble origins and crippled past can never be erased!"

"Do you know how disgusted and repulsed I felt every time we were intimate? Countless nights, with you by my side, I've had countless thoughts of killing you, wanting only to end this humiliating entanglement!"

"But at that time, the Xiao family needed you, and Tianyuan Star needed you, so I could only suppress my disgust and endure it until now!"

"But now, you are utterly useless!"

"The Xiao family has risen to power and firmly established itself as the number one force in the Langya Star System! Your personally trained adopted sons and daughters guard the four directions, making the Xiao family's foundation as solid as a rock, with no further hidden dangers!"

"When you die and your life is extinguished, I will allow the Changsheng you adopted to change his surname to Xiao! From this day forward, Tianyuan Star will only have the Xiao royal family; the Su family's retired emperor will no longer exist in this world!"

Each cold and harsh word repeatedly tore at and pierced Su Mu's soul and mind.

"No...no way..."

Su Mu shook his head desperately, trying to deny all of this as an illusion, but the sorrow and despair surging in his heart had completely spiraled out of control, spreading wildly like a bottomless black hole, devouring all the remaining rationality in him.

Overwhelmed by extreme grief, and amidst the violent upheaval of his mind, Su Mu suddenly felt a surge of metallic sweetness in his throat.

puff--!

A mouthful of scalding, scarlet blood suddenly gushed from his mouth!