C1 Immortal Venerable Returned

After days of relentless downpours, the sky remained dark at noon. Foreboding clouds shrouded the city, and the incessant rumble of thunder set hearts racing, as if heralding the apocalypse.

"Boom!" A massive lightning bolt cleaved the heavens, striking the churning river below, its fierce wind-whipped waves briefly illuminated by a stark white light. In an instant, the city was plunged back into darkness.

"Ah, the power's out!" People cried out, startled by the abrupt blackout, their panic palpable.

"Am I really back?" Amidst the enveloping darkness and chaos, a distinct voice emerged.

The young man, Chu Yang, gazed around in a haze, sensing the faint pulse of his spiritual seed within, like a mighty beast sealed in an abyss, its formidable powers momentarily inaccessible.

"So, I've returned to Earth, to the final year of my life," Chu Yang mused. He was one of the rare Immortal Venerables with a spiritual seed, and uniquely, he had mastered the fusion of Yin and Yang, granting him potent spells and indomitable strength.

Yet, in his past life, Chu Yang was merely an ordinary Earthling. At twenty, he and his sister Chu Yu were tormented by a thug and met their demise in the river—the very place to which he had just returned.

"Four elders, you've plotted and toiled, even resorting to the Ancient Yin Scripture, sowing discord in the realm of cultivators."

"Hmph," Chu Yang scoffed, a glint of icy resolve in his eyes. "I should thank you for sending me back. How else could I seek vengeance for my family?"

Once, Chu Yang and Chu Yu's souls dwelled together in that river, aligning with the Seven Stars Reincarnation, opening a conduit between the cultivation world and Earth. That day, much like today, a lightning strike fused their souls into one, drawing them through the passageway.

After lifetimes of cultivation, Chu Yang mastered both Yin and Yang spells, achieving transcendent prowess. Thus, the cultivation world witnessed the rise of an unparalleled Yin Yang Immortal Venerable, who effortlessly overpowered the four Grand Emperor elders. Even their combined might barely matched Chu Yang's. Little did he anticipate their ruthlessness—to annihilate him, they dared unleash the forbidden Ancient Yin Scripture.

"Forget it," Chu Yang muttered, his brow furrowed, a faint pain throbbing in his heart—a human emotion he hadn't felt in ages. Yet, it seemed to herald an ominous premonition.

Suddenly, with a snap, the city's lights flickered back to life. Streets, buildings, and storefronts were all illuminated once more. The brief blackout had been just that—temporary. People had attributed it to the lightning's might, not realizing it was actually Chu Yang's overwhelming Qi.

"It's too late!" Panic washed over Chu Yang as sweat beaded on his forehead and tears threatened to spill from his eyes. Without hesitation, he flagged down a passing car with urgency. "Hurry, to the downtown hospital!" He could no longer contain the anxiety surging within him.

As the car sped away, the trees lining the road became a blur. Chu Yang gazed out at the familiar streets and shops, a single scalding tear escaping his eye. Centuries had passed since he last cried. Yet, returning to this place of deep-seated hatred and sorrow, his mortal heart stirred once more.

"We've arrived!" The moment the car halted, Chu Yang bolted out, racing toward the third-floor operating room like a shooting star.

But he was too late. Greeting him were the lifeless forms of his parents, draped in white shrouds.

Chu Yang collapsed to his knees with a thud, tears swirling in his eyes. Within his fiery red pupils, two mighty dragons seemed to roar amidst the blazing flames—flames fueled by Chu Yang's rage.

"Zhang Tianhua, I, Chu Yang, am back. You will pay for all you've done." His voice echoed with a resounding crash as a crack split the hospital's tiled floor, his unscathed fist the epicenter.

Before long, the extraordinary lightning storm, a phenomenon not seen in a century, dominated headlines. Its sheer force had momentarily crippled Jincheng's power grid. The government scrambled to dispatch repair crews, and normalcy was swiftly restored, but the fleeting outage had cost companies millions in lost orders and data.

As dusk settled, the intoxicating strains of jazz filled the Drunken Bar. Bathed in a deep blue hue, a slender, pale-skinned girl sat forlornly at the bar, her eyes as tender and clear as the blush of a Pink Mary cocktail nestled in her glass.

"Damn it, what a stroke of bad luck! I spent over half a month on a solid business deal, and it all went to hell in the time it took for a power outage!" The once romantic and elegant ambiance was shattered by the crude voice of a young man nearby.

A trio of young men clustered around him, their flashy attire and defiant demeanor screaming 'rich second generation' without saying a word.

"Chill out, Young Master Hua. It's just bad luck, nothing we can do about it. Let's just kick back and enjoy the night," a tattooed, blond young man said to Zhang Tianhua, nodding towards the barmaid with a sinister grin.

For most young people, the night was just getting started at ten o'clock. But Chu Yang was far from in the mood. The benevolent faces of his parents and the pure, innocent image of his sister Chu Yu haunted his thoughts.

"Chu Yu... She's only 19, and those monsters..." Chu Yang's head tilted skyward as he fought back tears, his inner fury raging like a torrential flood, though he struggled to keep it at bay.

Then, a familiar sign caught his eye. Wasn't this...

Despite his heavy heart, Chu Yang found himself drawn into the bar named "Intoxication." The moment he stepped inside, he was greeted by a sight that set him off.

There was Zhang Tianhua, with his cronies in tow, sliding a drink across the bar to a young woman with a deceitful smile.

"That son of a bitch is out causing trouble again. I was just wondering where I could find you!" Chu Yang's pent-up rage and resentment burst forth like an erupting volcano, fierce and unstoppable.

"Take your filthy hands off her!" A resounding voice boomed like heavy steel striking the ground. As the words hung in the air, a swift hand motion followed, and with a sharp slap, Zhang Tianhua and his wine glass were sent flying two meters away, ending with the crisp shatter of glass.

Zhang Tianhua clumsily scrambled to his feet, mouth opening to unleash a tirade, but stopped short when he saw who had struck him. Terror rooted him to the spot.

"You... You're Chu Yang. Aren't you supposed to be dead? How..."

Before Zhang Tianhua could finish, his throat was seized in a vice-like grip, his body hoisted half a meter off the ground. Despite weighing over 180 kilograms, Zhang Tianhua was effortlessly lifted by the slender Chu Yang as if he were no more than a grasshopper. Onlookers stared in disbelief, too shocked to approach.

"Remember this—I, Chu Yang, have returned. The pain my sister endured will be repaid a thousandfold by you."

A resounding crash echoed as someone was flung across the room, slamming into a corner several meters away. The young man in white cradled the fainting girl in his arms and strode out of the bar, vanishing into the vast night without a backward glance.