Chapter 7: Shadows of the Past, Monsters of the Present
The air around Liang Zhen carried an aura of quiet destruction. In the depths of Monster's Forest, where even the bravest cultivators from neighboring sects dared not tread, a presence reigned supreme—a presence feared by both men and beasts alike.
The scars on Liang Zhen's body were not mere marks of past battles; they were the silent witnesses to the toll of countless confrontations, each more harrowing than the last. For three years, he had fought and survived, pushing his body and cultivation to unimaginable limits. From the weakest first-rank beasts to those at the Essence Awakening stage, and beyond, nothing had managed to halt his relentless march forward. His journey was one marked by suffering, by moments when his own body had screamed in protest, yet each trial had only made him stronger. His Eternal Body Cultivation was a merciless path, a path that demanded everything and left only suffering, until the promise of more came into view.
But it was the battle against a peak-level Elemental Mastery monster that marked the true turning point, the defining moment of his transformation.
The monster was unlike any Liang Zhen had ever encountered. A towering creature, wreathed in violent lightning and searing fire, it seemed as if the very elements themselves had been made flesh. Its raw, elemental power crackled in the air, igniting the forest with every thunderous step it took. This beast had reigned as the undisputed king of its domain for years, its power unmatched and its presence intimidating even to the most seasoned human cultivators.
And yet, Liang Zhen faced it with the same cold indifference he had shown to every other challenge. His white, unseeing eyes betrayed no hint of fear or hesitation, his expression as lifeless as ever. For him, this was just another battle, another step on his endless journey.
The fight raged for days. The earth itself trembled under their clashes, trees shattered, and the air pulsed with the destructive force of their struggle. The monster's elemental attacks tore through the landscape, turning everything in their path to ash. Even the wind seemed to recoil from the violence, as if the very elements were afraid to stand in the way of the two forces. Liang Zhen, despite his overwhelming combat prowess, was pushed to the brink. His body was torn, his flesh shredded, his bones broken. The Essence Awakening monster's onslaught was relentless, and for a brief moment, it seemed certain that Liang Zhen would fall.
But then something shifted. Something inside Liang Zhen's broken body—something born of the Eternal Body Cultivation—flickered back to life. The path of this cultivation demanded everything, pushing its practitioners to the very edge of death. It was in those moments, those fleeting seconds when death was certain, that the transformation occurred. His blood boiled, his muscles contorted, his bones cracked and reshaped themselves.
He broke through.
The Iron Frame stage gave way to the Bone Engraving stage, the next level of the Eternal Body. His skeletal structure, once a foundation of raw power, was now enhanced with intricate, engraved patterns, making it nigh unbreakable. With this new power, his strikes became a blur. Each blow struck harder, faster, his attacks tearing through the monster's defenses like paper.
Finally, after what seemed an eternity of blood and violence, the beast faltered. It fell. Its elemental energy dissipated into the air, and the once-mighty creature lay defeated. Liang Zhen stood over it, drenched in blood, his body broken, but his spirit unyielding.
From that moment, everything in the forest changed. The beasts, once ferocious and unrelenting, grew silent in his presence. Even the most fearsome among them avoided him, their instincts screaming that this predator was not like any other. The forest, once a place of endless challenges, had become a hollow battleground—empty of purpose. Liang Zhen had defeated every beast, from the weakest to the strongest. He had no equals here, no challengers.
And yet, this victory, like all the others, meant nothing. There was no pride in it, no satisfaction. He simply continued, a man walking a dark, unfeeling path. What drove him forward was not ambition or desire, but the cold certainty that this was the only way.
The Scarlet Flame Forest, infamous throughout the Scarlet Flame Empire, was more than just a dangerous place—it was a legend in itself. A place where sects, large and small, converged in search of glory, wealth, and power. Even the imperial capital, from which few ventured, had its eyes set on the forest's mysteries. But the heart of the forest was ruled by monsters—beasts of all kinds, some ancient, others newly risen to power. Only the truly reckless dared enter, and few who did ever returned to tell the tale.
On the outskirts of this deadly expanse, a group of five young cultivators tread carefully. They hailed from the Azure Valley Sect, a minor sect within the Scarlet Flame Empire. Though young and relatively inexperienced, they had come seeking fame and fortune, much like the many others who had come before them.
The group consisted of three boys—Jin Wei, Tao Lin, and Li Da—and two girls, Ming Yue and Lian Hua. They were filled with a mixture of nervous excitement and youthful bravado as they ventured deeper into the forest, their conversations a blend of eager chatter and quiet apprehension.
But Lian Hua, the quietest of them all, was troubled. Her gaze flickered toward the shadows of the trees, where something—no, someone—seemed to be watching them. There was an odd familiarity to that presence, something haunting in its stillness. She frowned, a cold shiver crawling down her spine.
Suddenly, from the trees, a figure emerged—a young man, blind, his body covered in scars, his clothes torn and bloodied. His presence was oppressive, as if the forest itself had bent to his will. He was the very embodiment of the forest's dark heart, its stillness, its power. His eyes, empty and milky-white, seemed to stare right through them.
Jin Wei was the first to break the silence, his voice tinged with mockery. "Look at this wild man. Blind and scarred, yet he dares to walk here like he owns the place. What's wrong, did the monsters get to you?"
Tao Lin nervously chuckled. "Maybe they've already had their fill. Look at him—he's barely human."
But Liang Zhen didn't move, his expression frozen in place. He seemed to take no notice of their words, his presence chilling the very air around him.
Lian Hua felt her heart tighten, her breath catching in her throat. There was something about him—something that pulled at the edges of her memories. She couldn't place it, but the recognition came with a feeling of dread.
"Maybe he's deaf too," Jin Wei continued, sneering. "Hey, wild man! Lost your way, or just too stupid to—"
His words were cut short. In the blink of an eye, Liang Zhen moved. His body blurred with speed so terrifying that none of them saw what happened. When he stopped, he was standing exactly where he had been before, his hand holding something wet and pulsing.
Jin Wei staggered back, his hands clutching his chest. Blood poured from his fingers as his knees buckled beneath him. "M-My heart…" he gasped, his voice a broken whisper.
Liang Zhen raised the heart, his face as cold and emotionless as ever. With deliberate slowness, he crushed it in his hand, the blood splattering on the ground as Jin Wei crumpled to the earth, lifeless.
A heavy silence descended over the group.
Tao Lin, now trembling uncontrollably, sank to his knees. "He's... a demon…" he whispered, the words soaked in terror. His fear was palpable, his body soaked in sweat.
Li Da's face drained of color as he stumbled backward, his eyes wide with panic.
"We... we need to run… we need to..." he babbled, but no words came.
Ming Yue, her hand clutching a trembling dagger, found her voice, though it was barely a whisper. "Who… who are you?" she asked, the fear in her voice almost suffocating.
Lian Hua, her body frozen in place, stepped forward, her lips trembling as she struggled to speak. But the words caught in her throat. What could she say to him now? Was there anything left of the boy she once knew?
Liang Zhen's cold, empty voice finally broke the silence. "What is this place?" His tone was distant, hollow, carrying none of the emotion it once had. It was the voice of someone who had long abandoned all ties to humanity.
Meilin, barely able to speak, stammered out the answer. "Th-this is... the Scarlet Flame Forest... the gathering ground for... the sects of the empire."
Liang Zhen didn't respond. With a final glance at them, he turned and walked away, his steps eerily silent as he disappeared into the depths of the forest.
Lian Hua stood frozen, her mind spinning with confusion, fear, and disbelief. Her companions were too terrified to speak, but her heart ached.