Yan Ming ran with all his might to the village. Even though he understood the Coachman's good intention, he couldn't care anymore.
This was his parent! His only family in the world.
Even if he died, he wouldn't regret it.
He sprinted with every ounce of strength he had.
Yan Ming pushed his body to the limit, every muscle burning with effort. Desperation drove him forward as he ran with all his might.
Then finally...he saw it.
Where the serene village once stood, only a charred ruin remained.
The village was named Lotus Village partly because, according to legend, an Immortal once traveled through these plains. With a single lotus seed, they planted it as a symbol of harmony and peace.
Lotuses flourished in the lakes, and the villagers revered them as sacred. Families treated the lotus as a divine gift, even offering prayers for safety beneath a statue of an Immortal riding atop a lotus.
However now?
The smoke filled the air, ash and dust blew across the wind, the heat from the fires still remained.
With each step Yan Ming took, a vision passed him by. Bandits slashed at the villagers, burning their houses, and massacring non-stop.
He got closer and closer to his home until he was right in front of his front door..
The door, was broken in pieces, shattered and split apart by a slash.
The roof lay in splinters, and the furniture was reduced to ruins.
Yan Ming walked to his room where the bed once was and sat on the floor with emotionless eyes.
"Mother, Father... I'm home." He wiped away his tears with trembling arms. "I'm so sorry. I regret ever leaving!"
After only 3 months...he had become a orphan. His parents couldn't even be buried. All at once, a twister of emotions and regret hit him like typhoon.
Why did I have to be so delusional!
Why did I go!?
I should have stayed and protect my parents!
Its all my fault!
ITS ALL MY FAULT!!!
-Do you really think that it's your fault?
Yan Ming looked up hearing a faint voice speak out. It was seductive and had a playful tone to every intonation.
"Who are you!"
-Even if you had stayed, you would have been burnt along with your parents.
The voice giggled with a slight mock.
-You blame yourself, you blame the world, you blame cultivators, you blame everything.
-But have you ever blamed your weakness?
"My weakness?"
Out of thin air, red smoke rose from the ground. They created a storm of a tornado with Yan Ming as the center. Yan Ming opened his eyes and saw a pitch black world with a red river. The red river led to a lake.
In that lake, was a lotus flower; however, the petals were completely black, and the seeds were completely red.
The voice could be heard from the Lotus.
-Do you want to know why all these villagers died?
Yan Ming staggered to the ground as he saw scenes play out on the reflection of the lake. Innocent villagers were slain without mercy. His neighbor–Zhao Lin was tortured before dying as he begged the bandits to spare his life.
And finally.
"Mother! Father!"
The scene played out in the lake.
"The 3 days are over! Talk! Where is it?" A giant with a scar on his face, a enormous axe asked with a mighty roar.
"I-immortals, we really don't know what you're talking about! If we did, we would have given you the treasure already!" His father, begging on his knees. This was the first time Yan Ming had ever seen his strong father with his knees to the floor.
Tears fell from his cheeks.
"Ah~ I see. Then...I guess I'll let you go."
"R-really?"
The bandit with a scar on his face smiled.
"HAhaha! I was just lying to you, you thought I was serious!?"
With one slash, their heads were cut cleanly off.
2 bandits talked to one another.
"What a waste of time. Seems like the treasure really isn't here..." The bandit with a scar said.
The black cloaked bandit spoke, "The young master has ordered, the treasure was divined by the great Ye Jianjun. This information can't be wrong."
"Then where is the treasure!? We've searched everywhere!"
"..." The black cloaked man brought out a jade slip with the symbol, Tang.
"The young master has said to retreat. The local sect is coming."
"What!? Lets fight with them! I'm not scared!"
"You moron! Starting any conflict with the nearby sect will lead to the large sects to become involved!"
"...then Shadow Dagger, what do with the bodies?"
"Burn them. Leave no witnesses."
He look at the jade slip again and laughed.
"What are you laughing about!?"
"It's nothing. Young master was just telling me about a trash who lived here. A mortal dreaming about becoming a immortal, if that's not laughable, I don't know what is. Hahaha!"
The scene fades. Yan Ming eyes could hardly stay focused.
"Tang...." He struggled to keep his calm. "Why is it the Tang family again!?"
-What will you do? Are you going to let the murders of your parents, your family, die a unjust death? With no coffin for them to lie in?
-That's right, forget about this and live a good life. Your parents won't blame you, they won't say that you were unfilliel, they will simply say that you did what you could!
-Forget about this and live a peaceful life!
-Forget it!
-Forget it!
-Forget it!
The voices echoed in every direction around him. The more he listened, the more angry he was getting, the more the regret pressured him.
"No...No! I refuse! I'll kill them! I'll kill them all!"
The Lotus flower moved a bit.
It then transformed, its shape shifting and twisting with an almost mesmerizing fluidity, until it morphed into the figure of a beautiful woman. Her presence exuded an otherworldly grace, as if she had stepped out of a dream.
Black silken hair cascaded down her back and her red eyes sparkled with an enchanting brilliance.
Her gown seemed woven from the very fabric of the heavens, glowing faintly with hues of pitch blood red. Detailed with thin threads, were several lotuses. Every movement she made was deliberate, almost hypnotic, as though the world itself paused to marvel at her beauty."
-Good, Very good.
Yan Ming looked at her. Just by seeing her, his mind felt like it was being stretched from all directions. Yet, he couldn't take his eyes off of her.
-I, am the treasure that those you hate wanted to possess. Tell me, do you hate me?
"No!"
-Hoh~ Why not? It was because of me that they killed all of your loved ones, including your parents
"My parents died because of the Tang family! Their greed, their desires, they were the ones that killed my family!"
-Do you want revenge?
"...." He gritted his teeth and punched the ground. "I want revenge!"
The woman smiled.
-I can help you, just take my hand.
-But I'll warn you, that this is a one way road. There is no going back.
-This world is far darker, far bleaker, and much more dirtier than a little Tang family. You've only seen the tip of the iceberg. You still have a chance to turn back.
Without any hesitation he held her hand. His eyes only thirsted for vengeance.
Maybe it won't bring back his family.
But someone needs to take on this pain! This vengeance!
-Good. I wasn't wrong, you really are the one I've been waiting for.
She pulled Yan Ming closer and hugged him.
-Let us reign chaos upon this world, Yan Ming.
Threads of blood from the lack bursted out. The pierced through Yan ming and the woman as it cocooned them.
"GAGH!" He screamed out in agony. His whole body felt like they were being teared to bits over and over again.
-Remember this hatred. Remember this pain.
-I am the flower of vengeance. You can call me Hong Lianhua.
-Those who have wronged you, those who will wrong you, make them suffer, make them wish for death.
-As you kill more and more, so will our powers grow.
The cocoon of bloody threads finally wrapped around the two melding them together. They became inseparable, two beings in one.
crack!
The cocoon started to form cracks like a egg waiting to be hatched.
Boom!
The whole place was filled with smoke and his original home was now turned to dust.
Out stepped only a monster thirsting for revenge.
Yan Ming stood outside with his eyes closed.
His red eyes stood out in the night with black robes flowing against the wind. A pitch black lotus insignia placed right on the center of his forehead.
He breathed in and out calmly, but his eyes showed no hint of mortality any more.
-Right now, you can be considered...
-A Nascent Realm expert.