A black fog stretched before Yu Han, dense and foreboding. He stood frozen, lost and disoriented, unable to speak, forced to merely observe the suffocating void around him.
After what felt like an eternity, the thick fog began to dissipate, unveiling a shadowy silhouette in the distance. The figure became clearer—a man, wholly unlike Yu Han. His jet-black hair cascaded down to his chest, but his torso bore a grotesque wound, a gaping hole in the center, revealing the emptiness within. Blood trickled steadily from his mouth, falling soundlessly into the abyss below.
His eyes, a cold and piercing violet, reflected no emotion, only an unnatural stillness. Two horns jutted from his skull, though one was completely shattered and the other cracked, barely intact. He sat slumped on the ground, clad in a battle-worn tunic of black and gray, clearly designed for close combat. The most striking feature, however, was behind him: two massive black wings, one tattered and shredded, the other bleeding profusely.
Yu Han was paralyzed, both in body and mind. The sight before him was overwhelming, yet he could neither speak nor move.
Moments later, the figure slowly raised his gaze to meet Yu Han's, his hollow, violet eyes locking onto his. He extended a trembling hand, and from his bloodied lips came faint, rasping words, barely audible:
"Massacre… them… all… until none remain."
"Massacre who—?"
"Brother… Yu Han…"
Yu Han awoke with a start, drenched in sweat, his breathing ragged. He scanned his surroundings, his heart pounding in his chest. Tien Mei stood by his bedside, her small figure illuminated by the faint pre-dawn light.
"T-Tien Mei? What's wrong?" he asked, his voice shaky.
"I can't sleep," she admitted softly.
"You want to sleep here with your brother?" he guessed, his tone softening.
She nodded, and Yu Han shifted to make space for her. Climbing into the bed, she nestled beside him and quickly drifted off to sleep. Yu Han, however, lay awake, staring at the ceiling, his mind consumed by the dream.
"Since the day I woke up in this body, I've been having dreams like this," he muttered to himself. Raising his hand toward the ceiling, he opened it wide, as if reaching for something intangible.
"Massacre them…" The words echoed relentlessly in his mind.
"Who am I supposed to massacre?" he whispered into the darkness.
The first rays of sunlight finally broke the horizon. Yu Han hadn't slept a wink, the dream still haunting him. Rising from bed, he muttered to himself, "YooXiang Jun said I didn't need to train on the stairs anymore and suggested I take a break before progressing further. Still, a bit of meditation couldn't hurt."
That afternoon, after the morning training session concluded for the other students, Yu Han sat beneath the blossoming cherry tree, assuming the proper posture for meditation. The tranquility of the setting seemed ideal.
Hours passed, but his efforts bore no fruit. Frustrated, Yu Han opened his eyes, rubbing his temples in exasperation. "Four hours, and nothing to show for it. If anything, I feel more drained than usual."
Wary, he decided to inspect his soul core. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes, focusing all his energy inward. At first, everything seemed normal—until he noticed something unusual. A tiny black flame flickered near his heart, its malevolent presence spreading like a parasite, consuming fragments of his soul core one by one.
"What… what is this?" Panic gripped him as he realized the danger. The flame's corruption was accelerating, sapping his strength with every passing second. "If this continues, I'll lose consciousness… no, worse—my soul fragments could vanish completely! Without them, I'll never uncover the true nature of my soul!"
Acting swiftly, Yu Han placed a trembling hand over his chest, directly above his heart. Remembering YooXiang Jun's teachings from when he had treated Tien Mei, he whispered, "I have to contain it… seize it… suffocate it."
Repeating the steps in his mind, he clutched at the flame, attempting to grasp its essence. Though his execution was imperfect, he managed to halt its advance.
"Not perfect, but it'll do for now," he muttered, gasping for breath. Exhausted, he leaned against the tree, gathering his thoughts.
"This phenomenon isn't normal… not in alchemy or anything I've studied. No text has ever mentioned a black aura like this. It's almost as if—"
"—it's demonic art," interrupted a calm voice.
Startled, Yu Han spun around, his gaze falling on a young man with golden hair and radiant green eyes. The stranger's expression was unreadable, his presence unnervingly composed.
"I… spoke out loud?" Yu Han stammered.
"You did."
"Damn it… if word gets out about demonic arts, I could be executed—or worse!" Yu Han's mind raced. "Listen, I—"
"Relax," the young man interjected with a faint smile. "I'm not going to tell anyone."
"Wait, what?"
"You heard me. I won't say a word."
"That's a—"
"Promise," the stranger finished, his smile widening.
"Stop that."
"Stop what?"
"Cutting me—"
"Off?" The stranger's playful tone grated on Yu Han's nerves.
Grinding his teeth, Yu Han snapped, "Who are you?"
The golden-haired boy chuckled, brushing off the question. "That's not important. What's important is what I want in return for my silence."
Yu Han narrowed his eyes. "What do you want?"
The boy's demeanor shifted, his green eyes darkening as a sinister smile crept onto his lips. "I want to know how a second-rate noble like you became acquainted with YuXiang Jun."
"What?" Yu Han froze. "Who even are you to know that?"
"Doesn't matter. What does matter is how the domain would react if they knew a slacker like you was dabbling in demonic arts."
A chill ran down Yu Han's spine. "Damn it…"
"Thought so." The boy patted Yu Han on the shoulder, his grin turning smug. "Now, tell me—how did you do it?"
Sighing in defeat, Yu Han muttered, "He's not really a friend. He just… teaches me martial arts."
The boy stared, momentarily stunned, before turning on his heel and walking away, muttering to himself. Yu Han watched him disappear, muttering, "Who the hell was that?"
Shaking his head, Yu Han turned back to the cherry tree. "Time to start researching this so-called demonic art…"
---
Meanwhile, the golden-haired boy wandered through the grand hallways, his thoughts swirling. "YooXiang Jun teaching martial arts? To a second-rate noble dabbling in demonic arts? No… it doesn't add up. The same man who humiliated me five years ago… teaching someone like him?"