Chapter 10: Like a tree
As Damon stepped into the inn, he immediately drew the attention of every woman present. Yet, a palpable, sinister aura surrounded him, deterring any of them from approaching. Just then, a burly passerby called out, "Hey, pretty boy!" Damon scoffed and shook his head, intent on finding a moment of peace rather than provoking conflict. The muscular man, feeling insulted by Damon's indifference, reached out to seize his shoulder, attempting to turn him around. But Damon stood firm, a mountain of resolve, causing sweat to bead on the man's brow as his efforts crumbled in embarrassment.
With a swift, decisive motion, Damon grasped the man's fingers and severed them with his Avalonian axe, eliciting a chorus of screams. "That's the limit of my mercy," Damon declared, tossing the severed digits into the trash. The onlookers, silent witnesses to the brutal display, silently thanked their stars for not being in the man's position.
"Who is that heavenly Genius? He is so ruthless," whispered a knowledgeable observer, realizing that Damon had sealed the man's energy, rendering him powerless to retaliate. A smile spread across the expert's face as he recognized the opportunity for a worthy challenge in his own cultivation journey. They all watched as Damon strode toward his inn, seeking solace in a hot bath.
As he sank into the warm water, he delved into his spiritual consciousness, where the Void Dragon Ancestor and the Asura bowed before him beneath the shade of a willow tree. Once defeated, they now served him faithfully.
"Damon, your presence has drawn the attention of your enemies from your previous life ; they are already at our doorstep," the willow tree of imagination.
"Really? Took them long enough," Damon chuckled, though urgency began to swell in his heart. He understood he needed strength.
"There's no need to worry. We are now connected; you are like a tree," she explained, revealing her skills.
"Regrowth" would allow him to regenerate, even from the most fatal wounds, while "Virus Soldiers" could create an army from living creatures, turning them into tree-like beings. "Ah, why didn't you tell me this sooner?" Damon lamented, a hint of sadness in his voice.
Suddenly, he was jolted from his spirit sea as he opened his eyes and spotted an assassin perched on his roof. This one lacked hands, wielding energy claws like a mantis as he descended, slashing downward with a smug grin beheading Damon. "That was so easy!" he boasted.
Somewhere in the Void, the willow tree of imagination , "Why didn't you dodge?" It scolded Damon as it felt it's master will make it wither before it's time.
Emerging from the roots, Damon splashed his hair, nectar cascading to the floor as he laughed. "It really works," he exclaimed, reveling in his newfound abilities.
The assassin, feeling he had achieved a lifelong goal, sank into a chair, tears streaming down his face. "Oh, don't cry," Damon said, materializing from the void and gripping the assassin's face from behind. A chill ran through the assassin as he unleashed a torrent of energy in panic. The body of his enemy lay motionless on the floor, yet the same figure now stood before him, speaking. "Ha ha, it's you! What was your name again? Ah, yes—Lin Feng, the useless."
Lin Feng screamed, scrambling backward and inadvertently soaking himself in Damon's blood, praying the fallen body would not rise again.
"Is that how you treat old friends?" Damon scoffed, amusement dancing in his eyes as he pulled Lin Feng into his void space. "This is just the beginning of your nightmare."
Lin Feng screamed, cried, and begged as he was dragged in, recalling the first time he had encountered this demon, when his life spiraled out of control. "Why did I have to remember his face? Why couldn't I let him be?" he lamented, but it was too late.
For ten days, he endured torment in the void, which felt like a month. Special nectar healed his wounds, yet the torture continued, whether at Damon's hands or from a gruesome little girl who feasted on his flesh from time to time.
"You are free; leave," Damon finally declared, opening the void space. Lin Feng, believing it was a cruel trick, was unceremoniously thrown out. He curled up, sobbing as he made his way back to the Lin family, vowing revenge. His family resided on the continent of Lymhrst, and rage coursed through him. "I will get my revenge, even if it costs me my soul," Lin Feng swore, his eyes ablaze with fury, unaware that none of his schemes had escaped Damon's watchful gaze.
"Haha, did you see his face?" Damon exclaimed, shaking off thoughts of Lin Feng as he settled by the window, cradling his calabash filled with alcohol. "When was the last time I enjoyed good wine?".