Reverend Insanitys Biography of Qitiab

June The Arrival of Summer

Unnoticed, the breath of summer had quietly settled in.

The sun ascended high into the sky, unveiling the curtain of the new season.

Under the azure expanse, clouds drifted like cotton.

Towering trees lined both sides of the road, their straight trunks casting patches of cooling shade under the sun's radiance.

Before the grand walls of Shang Clan City, the crowd surged.

Draped in long robes and wide-brimmed hats that concealed their faces, demonic path Gu Masters mingled among wandering vagrants, mortal commoners, and sweat-drenched laborers unloading goods for merchant caravans.

Shang Clan City remained as prosperous as ever, the epitome of a great southern faction—an aspiration for countless Gu Masters in the region.

> "Time changes all, and the years show no mercy. Even a flourishing clan like the Shang was not spared from decline after the great upheaval in the Southern Border."

Qi Tian sighed as he gazed at the bustling city one last time.

"No clan remains powerful forever—only personal strength is eternal!"

His gaze hardened with conviction.

Activating his Gu worms, three pairs of eagle wings sprouted from his back. With a powerful flap, he soared into the sky, disappearing into the horizon within moments.

---

Meanwhile, in the Inner City

In a secluded study, swirling multicolored smoke coiled and rose before Shang Yanfei, revealing a real-time vision of Qi Tian's departure.

"Wei Yang, what do you think of Qi Tian?"

Shang Yanfei, seated behind his desk, tested the judgment of the trusted retainer standing beside him.

Wei Yang pondered before answering:

"My lord, Qi Tian has reached the fourth rank at such a young age, without any guidance—his talent is extraordinary.

His personality is straightforward and proud, with the ruthless edge typical of demonic path Gu Masters."

Shang Yanfei nodded.

"Not a bad assessment. You've befriended him, so you must understand him well. What do you make of his departure from Shang Clan City?"

Wei Yang analyzed:

"When we last spoke, he mentioned heading to Central Continent to fulfill a long-cherished wish.

From our investigations, he inherited the legacy of an esteemed Refinement Dao master. Over the past year, he frequently purchased refinement materials—his skill in the field must be considerable.

I suspect he is preparing for the Refinement Gu Grand Assembly six years from now."

Hearing this, Shang Yanfei lost interest and dismissed the smoke projection.

Qi Tian was undoubtedly talented—but so what?

How many geniuses ever truly reach the peak?

Even at fourth-rank, traveling alone to Central Continent was fraught with peril. Shang Yanfei had little faith in Qi Tian's journey.

With a wave, he dismissed Wei Yang, then turned to the towering stack of documents on his desk. Taking the topmost report, he resumed his daily work.

Despite being burdened with clan affairs, he had still cultivated to the peak of the fifth rank—a testament to his astonishing talent.

---

Qi Tian's Journey

Unaware of the discussions about him, Qi Tian pressed on.

His three eagle-wing Gu, though only third-rank, granted him speed nearly on par with fourth-rank flying Gu. More importantly, they conserved primeval essence and spirit stones.

From Shang Clan City to Central Continent, the journey wasn't excessively long. A fourth-rank Gu Master flying at full speed could reach the border within a few months.

Even Heavenly Crane Elder had returned to Immortal Crane Sect from Qing Mao Mountain in under that time—though, of course, he had a formidable mount.

Qi Tian, too, desired an avian mount, but his soul foundation was too weak. Even if he possessed a fourth-rank beast-taming Gu, he wouldn't be able to control a powerful flying beast. Even for a Thousand Beast King, it would be troublesome.

Instead, he relied on his own means of travel.

Reaching into his storage, he retrieved a peculiar Gu worm.

It was a small bone sphere, the size of a quail's egg, with black and white zebra-like stripes.

This was a No-Foot Bird Gu—one of Qi Tian's most prized acquisitions from exploring inheritances before coming to Shang Clan City.

While he had sold most of the unsuitable Gu worms he obtained, he had kept a handful of key treasures, this one included.

Though only third-rank, the No-Foot Bird Gu could travel ten thousand miles a day—one of the finest mobility Gu below the fifth rank.

But it had a fatal flaw—it could only fly once.

The moment it landed, it would perish.

Still, that single flight would last for days, surpassing his own speed over seven days of travel.

---

Half a Year Later – Shang Clan City

A chaotic scene unfolded.

At a street stall, a handsome man clad in a blood-stained black robe held an unconscious woman in one arm, while gripping a maidservant's wrist with his other.

With a flash of crimson flames, all three vanished on the spot.

Left behind was a battalion of city guards, trembling on their knees.

---

At the City Gates

In the long line of travelers, two unassuming figures blended in.

One wore a straw hat, his posture slightly tense.

The other had a burn-scarred face, a fearsome sight. Yet, he remained composed as he calmly dealt with the city guards.

---

Southern Central Continent – Misty Valley

A place eternally shrouded in mist, Misty Valley was home to many wild Cloud Path Gu and beasts.

Gu Masters often ventured to the valley's edges to capture Cloud Path Gu, but none dared to venture deep inside for within the mist lay countless unknown dangers.

Yet today, one Gu Master had boldly entered the valley's depths.

More astonishingly, he moved through the treacherous terrain with uncanny precision, as though he knew the safest path in advance.

At last, he halted.

> "This should be the place. Though it looks quite different from how it will appear in a hundred years."

In Qi Tian's past life, Misty Valley had undergone a cataclysmic transformation eighty years from now—dispersing much of the mist and altering the landscape dramatically.

However, Qi Tian had acquired a secret route from an ancestor of the Qi family, a Gu Immortal who had once explored this valley long ago.

Decades after the great change, the valley's mist would periodically dissipate for half a year, attracting numerous Gu Masters.

Then, twenty years later, a Gu Immortal inheritance would emerge, sparking a massive conflict—even drawing the attention of actual Gu Immortals.

Standing at the designated spot, Qi Tian released dozens of Gu worms, scattering them through the fog in a meticulous pattern.

Once arranged, he poured his primeval essence into them, activating them in sequence. A soft glow radiated outward, forming an intricate pattern—a simple yet effective Gu formation.

At its center, Qi Tian retrieved a jade pendant—his lifelong possession.

The flawless jade shimmered, bearing the ancient "Qi" character, bold and powerful like a soaring dragon, exuding an aura of boundless ambition.

This was the Qi family's ancestral inheritance token.

With practiced ease, Qi Tian sliced open his wrist, unfazed by the pain.

Crimson blood trickled onto the pendant, and it greedily absorbed the offering, its glow intensifying.

For a full fifteen minutes, it continued to drink his blood, until at last, it ceased.

Qi Tian's pale face betrayed his exhaustion, yet beneath it, undeniable excitement flickered in his eyes.

Finally, the pendant's light merged with the Gu formation, erupting in a blinding brilliance.

From within the radiance, a gateway materialized.

Before Qi Tian could react, his vision blurred and in the next instant, he was gone.