Deep in the Beihu forest, adjacent to the Hanjie village, around a camp fire sat a an old man and boy. The old man tended to the fire while the boy watched. It would have been a beautiful scene if not for the boars surrounding them. Yet they dared not to approach.
"What are we doing here, Uncle?"
"I can tell, you know."
'You can tell what? What is he trying to say?'
"That you're not what you say you are."
A surprised look appeared on Lucas' before it faded into a simple smile. The childish look vanished and the child wore an expression one would never see on a child. A look only people who have experienced the darkness could wear.
'To think I was the one was being led by the nose. Ha.' A small laugh escaped his mouth.
"I feel like a bit of a fool now."
"Do not misunderstand me, all I meant was that you chose the wrong opponent."
"Indeed, trying to fool the Absolute Sword was always going to be impossible."
"You know me despite the fact that you came from another world."
"Please. You could already tell that I knew you."
"Well, I did live for more than 500 years for a reason,"
"Tru... huh, what now? 500 years. But you were not more than 70 years old when the Blood Moon Era ended and the current year should be..."
"The 337th year of the Sleeping Dragon Era." said Wang Weisheng as he watched the confused expression on Lucas' face.
"Isn't your real age around 400?"
"It should be, but I am precisely 503 years old."
"How is that possible? What nonsense."
"What if I was someone like you?"
"Someone like me? What in Gods name are you saying?"
"What if I was a Regressor?"
Lucas heard what Wang Weisheng said and paused. A blank look adorned his face. His brain could analyze what had just been said. He pinched himself a few times just to make sure.
'Do Regressors grow on trees, nowadays?'
"Sigh."
"Did you perhaps think you were special?" Wang Weisheng enjoyed the look Lucas' face. His look spoke volumes of what he thought. He had given up on reality.
"Do not be so disappointed. We might be the only one's in the Universe."
'Fuck, man. There's Lee Sung-In on Earth! It's such a pathetic situation.'
"That look tells me that there are more Regressors from where you came from. Quite an unbelievable situation if I might say so myself."
"Sigh."
'What is with your 'I have experienced too much sadness' face. Lucas' constant sighing was starting to get on Wang Weisheng's nerves.
"You should be glad that you met a veteran regressor, kid. My experiences will be extremely useful for you."
"So... you have agreed to guide me."
'This kid. Was he aiming for this? Let's see if you have what it takes, shall we?'
The surroundings suddenly got colder. The air got heavier. Lucas could barely breath. His skin tingled. It was almost though every inch of his body was covered by innumerable swords that could kill him at any moment.
"Are you worthy?"
Each word spoken brought undeniable pressure on Lucas. The incomparable sharpness that filled the air signified that pinnacle of the sword path.
'Fucking monster! This isn't the power of an ordinary Paragon. He has long surpassed the Paragon Realm. But the world itself shackles him. Standing before him was an existence that the world could barely suppress, the Absolute Sword, Wang Weisheng.'
Wang Weisheng looked at the pale child with a shred a emotion.
'He really intends to kill me if I don't pass his test. Lunatic!'
Fear clouded Lucas' mind.
'Can you handle the weight of the sword I hold, Otherworlder. Can you possibly reach the heights that I have reached in the path of the sword? Can I entrust you with what I hold more dear than life itself? Can you surpass me and honour my name after my death?'
"Do you dare to call me master?"
The air was vibrating. The flame threatened to blow out under the pressure unleashed. Lucas has long been unable to stand under the pressure. Gravity seemed to be constantly growing. Yet he wasn't completely flat on the ground yet. He was resisting and adapting to the growing pressure.
"Do you dare to stand upright and break the shackles of the world?"
'Stand up and prove to me that you have what it takes to inherit my legacy.'
"Do you dare to stand up to against the most invincible with only your sword?"
Images of his loss to Baal resurfaced in his mind. What he felt as he could only silently watch Baal rip apart his world. Not sadness but an insuppressible rage. Fear was replaced by rage. And rage clouded his mind. He couldn't feel anything other than a fearsome rage as he slowly stood up despite the pain his action caused. His bones creaked and groaned as the pressure pilled on him. His eyes turns bloody as he stared straight at Wang Weisheng.
"Can your sword annihilate anything that stands in your path be it the Gods themselves?"
"Foolish question. None can stand in the path of my sword not even the Gods." replied Wang Weisheng with a strangely crazed grin on his face.
Lucas' slowly lost his consciousness as the pressure disappeared.
'He was actually able to stand up against my aura in a child's body. An impressive feat. I can't wait to see what kind of monster he will become in the future.'
He picked up the fallen child and slowly walked back to the village.
***********
In the Chenhan province under the Overlord Body sect, stood the largest Buddhist monastery in Azure. The sound of bells adorned the environment. Buddhism was the chief religion in the Chenhan province. In fact, the Overlord Body sect was also known as the Krillin Temple signifying their Buddhist roots. Most of the disciples of the Overlord Body sec were monks.
A monk swiftly ran passed several corridors heading the the Head monk's prayer room.
Once he arrived, he stopped outside the door and waited for the head monk to notice him despite the urgency of the situation. He didn't dare disturb the head monk's prayers.
"Amitabha, fellow brother, what bring you in such a hurry?" asked the head monk as he opened the door.
"Head monk, the seer has something he wishes to tell you."
"Amitabha, how disrespectful of me to keep the honourable seer waiting. Let us meet him immediately."
Both monks walked hurriedly to the waiting hall. They entered the waiting hall to an extremely old monk reciting prayer in earnest. He looked pale and frightened as though he had seen a ghost. When he saw the head monk enter and sit down besides him, he put down the prayer beads and greeted the head monk.
"Amitabha, head monk."
"Amitabha, honourable seer. What have you summoned this humble one for?"
"Fate has taken a big turn, head monk."
"Buddha bless our souls, is this peaceful age going to end so soon, honourable seer?"
"I cannot be certain. All I can do is inform you of the birth of a new star."
"A new star born! Impossible! It has barely been 500 years since the birth of the last one. Is it a bad omen, honourable seer?"
"This one's humble skills cannot determine the destiny of the star. All I know is it name and colour."
The head monk trusted the seer's skills more than anyone. None could read fate as well as the seer. It was an innate skill and a blessing from buddha.
"The newborn star was named as the only one of it kind, an otherworldly star whose destiny is shrouded in dark purple. The Star of Destruction."
The news about the birth of a new star spread throughout Azure resulting in a large unrest among the martial artists. The ominous star of destruction whose path no one could determine. Fate itself had no hold over it.
**********
In the small cottage ,located in the Hanjie village, stood an robust old man watching over a small child who appeared to be sleeping.
"To think this world acknowledged your presence. The newborn Star of Destruction, huh. Interesting."