The storm had been raging for hours, an unstoppable force of nature that seemed to have no end. Thunder roared above, its deafening booms echoing through the heavens as lightning streaked across the sky like the vengeful claws of a celestial dragon. The wind howled and lashed at everything in its path, tearing at trees and reducing them to mere splinters. Raindrops fell like a barrage of arrows, drenching the earth and turning it into a treacherous quagmire.
In the midst of it all, a figure appeared, seemingly materializing out of the very air itself. His hair, a wild mop of golden blonde, was tossed and tousled by the relentless gusts of wind. Each strand of hair danced to the chaotic symphony of the storm. He stood tall and unwavering, his piercing eyes gazing intently at his surroundings. This was Yue Fei, an inner disciple of the notorious Black Lotus Cult. He was garbed in a dark, flowing robe that bore the sinister emblem of the cult, a black lotus flower. His hands were wrapped tightly around a long, elegant spear, which he held at the ready.
Before him stood a man, shrouded in shadows, the darkness clinging to him like a second skin. Yue Fei recognized him as the rouge core disciple, a man who had chosen to leave the Black Lotus Cult, and Yue Fei had been tasked with bringing him back. As the wind blew the man's cloak aside, Yue Fei noticed the remnants of the black lotus emblem on his torn robes, an indelible mark of his past.
Yue Fei pointed his spear at the rogue disciple, the sharp tip gleaming menacingly in the flickering light of the lightning. The man merely chuckled, a low, sinister sound that sent shivers down Yue Fei's spine. "Ah, didn't think I would be found so easily," he said with a sly, crooked smile that sent a chill down Yue Fei's spine. "Yue Fei, was it? Looks like I am going to need your face."
With a sudden flash of blue fire that seemed to defy the downpour, the man's face transformed into an exact replica of Yue Fei's. The shock of it left Yue Fei momentarily stunned, but he quickly regained his composure. With a roar like that of a lion, he charged towards his opponent, his spear poised to strike a fatal blow.
But just as Yue Fei was about to taste victory, a spiral of ethereal blue flames engulfed him, leaving him badly burnt and writhing on the ground in agony. The sound of his screams was drowned out by the cacophony of the storm. The rogue disciple spared his life, and as Yue Fei lay there, gasping for air, he choked out a warning.
"Y-Y-You will not succeed, run ... run all you want, the Black Lotus Cult will chase you down until the ends of this world."
"Ah, my dear friend, I am well aware," the man replied nonchalantly. "Yet, I cannot resign myself to being hunted like a mere animal. No mortal, not you, nor I, nor even the deities themselves have ever claimed the seat of power in the heavens. But that emptiness shall be filled no longer. From this day forward, I shall ascend to the pinnacle and sit on the throne of heaven."
"Y-Y-You're delusional, Sun Wu Kong," Yue Fei scoffed, despite the pain that racked his body.
The man merely shrugged, seemingly unfazed. "I really should have picked up a better name. What was wrong with Alexander?" he mused aloud,
....
Yue Fei found himself floating through a vast, black void, his mind consumed by memories of the past. He was suspended in darkness, a solitary figure adrift in the cold emptiness of space. The silence was deafening, a suffocating weight that threatened to crush him.
Suddenly, a small light appeared in the distance, like a lonely star shimmering in the night sky. At first, it seemed insignificant, a mere speck in the endless void, but it began to grow brighter and brighter until it consumed him in a raging inferno of blinding white flames.
"Ahhhhhhh!" Yue Fei screamed, the sound tearing through the silence as he jolted awake. His body was drenched in sweat, the sheets of his bed clinging to his damp skin. His heart pounded wildly in his chest, the echoes of the nightmare still haunting him.
Screams of pain and anguish reverberated through the chamber, as Yue Fei's body convulsed, wracked by the phantom agony of the burning flames. His eyes, wide with fear, were locked on the face of the man who had ruined his life. He had lost everything because of him - his pride, his position, his strength, and his status.
He desperately wanted to know why, but the pain was too much, and all he could manage was a hoarse whisper, "Why?"
Gasping for air, Yue Fei collapsed into a nearby chair, his body slick with sweat. The room was dimly lit, the flickering light of a single candle casting eerie shadows on the cold stone walls. He tried to calm his breathing, but his chest heaved with each ragged breath.
"That shitty-ass dream again," he muttered to himself, his voice hoarse and strained. He rubbed his temples, trying to chase away the remnants of the nightmare. "How many years has it been since that night? A hundred or two hundred?"
His attire, a simple white sleeping robe, was soaked through, sticking to his body like a second skin. The air in the room was heavy, filled with the lingering scent of fear and desperation. The silence that enveloped him was a stark contrast to the cacophony of sounds that had filled his nightmare, and it did little to ease his troubled mind.
Yue Fei couldn't help but wonder what had happened to the man who had caused him so much pain. Was he still out there, seeking the power he so desperately craved? Or had the Black Lotus Cult finally caught up to him? He didn't know, and the uncertainty gnawed at him like a ravenous beast.
But one thing was certain - as long as that man still breathed, the nightmare would never truly end.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door, the sound echoing through the dimly lit chamber like the tolling of a distant bell. Yue Fei wiped his brow with the back of his hand and straightened his clothes, attempting to regain some semblance of composure before calling out, "You may come in."
The door creaked open, its rusty hinges groaning in protest. Framed by the doorway, Xu Wen'an appeared. The flickering candlelight illuminated the lines of age etched into her face, a testament to her years of service and wisdom. Behind her, several servants filed into the room, all bowing low in deference to their lord.
Xu Wen'an spoke up, her voice steady and clear despite the heavy atmosphere that weighed down the room. "My Lord, are the blessed children waiting outside ready for their audience with you?"
"Blessed children, huh..." Yue Fei snorted with derision, his contempt for the situation thinly veiled. "What a nice way to describe this batch of victims."
The servants, all dressed in simple, unadorned garb, lined up behind Xu Wen'an like a row of silent shadows. Their faces were solemn, their eyes cast downward in deference to the powerful cultivator who sat before them.
Yue Fei sighed, rubbing his temples once more as he attempted to banish the lingering traces of his nightmare. He knew that these so-called 'blessed children' were nothing more than pawns in a game that had been set in motion long before any of them had been born. It was a cruel fate, one that he could not help but resent.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
I stood there, gazing upon the lush green bamboo forest that surrounded me like the walls of a birdcage. The rustling of leaves and the gentle swaying of the bamboo stalks filled the air, creating a soothing melody. The sun peeked through the canopy, casting dappled shadows on the forest floor. It was a tranquil and serene place, far removed from the chaos and turmoil of the world outside.
I couldn't help but sigh, my thoughts drifting back to the past. It was hard to believe that just a year ago, I was begging in front of schools, hoping to gain sympathy from parents who could see their own children in me. My days were filled with hunger, desperation, and despair. But now, I was here, in this unknown place, training to become something beyond human. Life truly was unpredictable.
As I stood there lost in thought, I heard a soft voice calling out to me. It was Lee Min, whom I had some interesting confrontations with. With proper nutrition and rest, the children who were once frail and malnourished were now healthy, happy, and standing alongside each other like normal children. Lee Min narrowed her eyes and looked at me, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. Of course, how could anyone resist my handsomeness?
While my thoughts were mostly focused on boosting my ego, Lee Min seemed to be fixated on two things - my eyes and my crimson red hair. She stared at my eyes, and I could sense a hint of curiosity and fascination. My pupils, with their hollow eyelids above them, were tinted with a soft Sapphire hue from the light.
"Was it always like that?" Lee Min asked, interrupting my thoughts.
"What do you mean?" I asked, my eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
"Your purple eyes," she clarified.
"Oh, that," I said, feeling a bit disappointed. "Yes, I've always had them. Why, is it something unusual?"
Lee Min reached out and touched my face, and I was so immersed in my thoughts that I was unaware of her touch. I couldn't help but wonder why people were so fixated on my eyes.
Being different from others was never a good thing, especially in a place like this. The children here were traumatized and accustomed to instinctively detecting and rejecting beings that were different from themselves. I had seen this firsthand while begging on the streets. Most of the children I had encountered were like that.
Fortunately, I could squint and hide them.
" What are you thinking so hard about?" Lee Min asked, her voice soft and curious.
With a shrug I replied "Just… this and that."
"You're different from other children," Lee Min said, tilting her head.
"How so?" I asked, looking at her.
"While we are all enjoying ourselves in this new life, you're not," Lee Min said, gesturing around at the others who were laughing in joy.
[ Haha, what an idiot ? ]
I frowned as I heard that voice echo in my head as I took a deep breath as I tried to ignore the voice that had formed inside my head inside that prison.
[ Don't ignore me, you know well; how this place is going to turn out ]
I smiled wryly as I answered Lee Min. "Sorry, I just never had any friends. I don't think people would like to associate with a beggar like me."
Lee Min frowned at this. "Would you like me to be your friend?" she asked.
I hesitated for a moment before snuffing down his desire.
[ Good, a friend in this place is just an opportunity to let someone stab you in the back. ]
"No, it's fine," I said, forcing a smile. "I'm used to being alone."
Just then, Chun Jiao and Xie Dongyi approached them. "What are you two doing over there?" Chun Jiao asked.
"Just talking," Lee Min replied, her voice cheerful.
"Talking?" Xie Dongyi said, looking at the boy with a puzzled expression.
[ Just wear the mask. ]
The voice in my head began to echo out.
"So, what do you guys think we're going to learn today?" Lee Min asked, her voice lighthearted.
"Don't be disappointed, but I don't think cream is involved," I replied with a chuckle as my joke seemed to have flew over Lee Min's head while Chun Jiao rolled her eyes as Xie Dongyi blushed.
"What?" Lee Min asked, furrowing her brow in confusion.
But before anyone could respond, a heavy pressure descended on everyone, causing the once-loud and proud crowd of children to fall into a dead silence.
With a sudden, powerful gust of wind, a large figure descended from the sky, landing with a resounding thud that sent tremors through the ground. The dust cleared to reveal a giant of a man, his golden hair flowing and his pale azure eyes piercing the crowd. A large burn scar marred the left side of his face, adding to his fearsome appearance.
"You shitlings! Welcome to your personal hell!" he bellowed, his deep, menacing voice silencing any murmurs among the onlookers.
Straightening up from his landing, the man continued, a cruel smile playing on his lips. "I'll introduce myself. I am Yue Fei. You may call me whatever you want, but I assure you that after I am done with you, you'll call me the biggest asshole this side of the world."