The night was unusually cold. The air was thick with a faint humidity, seeping through the windows of the houses, making everyone seek warmth.
But for Liu Chen, the cold was not a bother. In fact, his mind was occupied with more complex and deeper matters than just feeling cold.
Liu Chen sat in his small room, which contained nothing but a simple bed and a wooden desk on which lay the ancient book he had inherited from his father.
The book was open to a page he had not yet read, but it had been waiting for him for days.
"True spiritual power is not derived from training alone, but from the ability to control souls and manipulate the weak-hearted." These words gleamed before him as if opening new doors in his mind.
His eyes slowly scanned the lines, as if reading a roadmap to discover something yet unrevealed.
The deep understanding he gained from the book fueled his ambition, making him more aware of what he needed to do.
The path to power was not a straight one. It was filled with curves and deceptions.
"Control over souls... the weak-hearted..." he muttered to himself, rereading the words.
He knew that this sentence held more than just instructions.
He wondered: how could he apply this concept to his real life? Not just to souls, but to the people around him as well.
Zang Ming... he was the first person that came to mind. Liu was no fool; he had known from the start that Zang was merely a pawn,
someone he could exploit for more resources. But now, the idea was becoming clearer: why should Zang remain just a tool, when he could become a means to enhance his own power?
If he could control him completely, he could exploit him more effectively.
But how? He needed to think of a deeper plan.
Liu decided to meet with Zang again. The meeting was planned to take place in one of the abandoned areas outside the village, far from prying eyes.
Liu knew that Zang might have started to suspect his intentions, but there was only one way to win Zang over completely, to demonstrate power.
When Liu arrived at the site, he found Zang already waiting, standing between the tangled trees, nervously scanning the surroundings.
The atmosphere was tense, and Zang's features betrayed his suspicions.
"Liu, what do you want this time?" Zang asked cautiously.
Liu smiled slowly, gesturing for Zang to relax. "No need to worry, Zang. I've come to talk about new opportunities... and the power you can achieve."
Zang hesitated for a moment but listened intently.
"What kind of opportunities are you talking about?"
Liu took a step toward Zang and said in a low voice,
"You've been a good friend to me, Zang. And now it's time for you to benefit from this partnership. I have a plan... one that will grant us power beyond anything we've ever imagined."
Zang was no fool, but he couldn't hide the greed that flashed in his eyes.
"And what do you want from me?"
Liu smiled a small, knowing smile, one that held many meanings.
"I want you to trust me, Zang. To stand by my side when the time comes. There will be hard work, and sacrifices, but in the end, the rewards will be unimaginable."
Zang felt a wave of unease creep into his heart, but he was drawn to the idea of power and the opportunities that might come with aligning with Liu.
"What do I have to do?"
Liu's plan was simple, but fraught with risks. He knew Zang wouldn't fully understand the details now, but the time would come when he would realize the truth of what Liu was aiming to achieve.
The primary goal was to reach the souls of powerful creatures hidden deep within the forest, creatures with immense spiritual energy.
"I'll explain things gradually," Liu said calmly,
"but you must be ready for full commitment. This journey will not be easy, but I promise you, Zang, if you're with me, we will reach levels no one has ever reached before."
Zang, still unsure, saw no other alternative.
He knew that Liu had a sharp intelligence and a strategic mind that no one else in the village possessed.
"I'll be with you... but I want to see results."
Liu nodded slowly.
"You will, Zang. Very soon."
In the days that followed, Liu began planning for the journey into the deep forest.
He knew that there were forbidden zones no one had dared to approach before.
The creatures that inhabited those areas were more powerful and dangerous, but their power was exactly what he sought.
He needed to be prepared. Preparing for this journey was no simple task, requiring more than just spiritual training.
Liu knew he needed tools, and perhaps even additional allies. But the problem lay in who he could trust, or rather, who he could exploit.
One night as he prepared for sleep, Liu thought about the future.
He was ready to do anything to get what he wanted, even if it meant allying with untrustworthy people or sacrificing them later.
Everything was a game to him, and the only one controlling its course was himself.
"In the end, everything will be under my control." These words echoed in his mind as he closed his eyes, embracing those dark thoughts.
The next morning, Liu and Zang set off into the forest. The air was cold, and the trees were dense, forming a natural canopy that blocked the light from filtering through easily.
The atmosphere was heavy, as if the forest itself was warning them not to venture further.
Zang walked behind Liu, watching every step he took, while Liu moved forward with steady strides toward his goal.
In those moments, Liu's thoughts were focused on one thing, finding the powerful souls that could grant him strength.
As the hours passed, the forest became more mysterious and quieter. There were no bird calls, no animal movements, only the deafening silence.
This silence made Zang uneasy, but he was too afraid to express his fears to Liu.
"We're close," Liu suddenly said, looking around.
He could feel the spiritual energy rising in the air, as if something was drawing near.
Zang didn't know how to respond, but he trusted Liu's intuition.
"What exactly are we looking for?"
Liu answered in a calm voice,
"Something that ordinary cultivators can't comprehend. An ancient energy, stronger than anything we've faced before."
At that moment, Liu stopped abruptly. Ahead of them, there was a small opening between the trees, leading to an area Zang had never seen before.
The place appeared to be enveloped in an unnatural darkness, as if light no longer existed there.
"This is the place," Liu said with a hidden smile.
"Here, we will find what we're looking for."
…