Feng Rui eagerly prepared to continue the Legacy trial. He knew that if he passed it, his strength would take a great leap, securing him a flower path in his new life. However, just as the system seemed to confirm the start of the next stage, everything came to a halt.
Ding!
[User configuration error: NPC detected.]
[Access restricted to the next phase of the Legacy.]
[Expelling user…]
'What? Seriously?!'
Feng Rui felt an invisible force grab him by the throat and rip him out of the hidden realm. His body was engulfed in a whirlwind of energy, and in the blink of an eye, he was back inside the coffin.
The stench of old wood and dampness immediately hit him. His entire body ached as if it had been shattered and pieced back together. His head throbbed so intensely that he thought it might split in two. Cursing under his breath, he tried to move carefully, but his body barely responded.
The regret was absolute.
He had already felt like the rightful owner of the Legacy.
He ran a hand over his forehead and tried to probe his state to assess the changes in his body. Just as he was about to concentrate, a deafening explosion shook the crypt, causing dust and fragments of stone to fall from the ceiling.
The sound of shouting and surges of energy alerted him. Were they under attack?
Forcing himself to stand, he stumbled out of the coffin. Each step sent pain coursing through his body, but he had no time to worry about that. He hurried out of the crypt, and what he saw left him frozen.
In the courtyard, the guards and servants were engaged in battle with his grandfather, who, in his demonic form, roared in fury. The fight was intense. The exorcists chanted spells and hurled glowing talismans that struck the elder's blackened skin. His figure, enveloped in malignant energy, moved with inhuman agility, tearing through the air with his deformed claws. However, for every attack he dodged, two more landed squarely on him, burning his flesh with purifying seals.
The guards coordinated their lethal strikes with precision, gradually closing in on him.
Feng Rui hesitated.
His grandfather had likely ended up in this state because he had helped him escape from the servants and guards.
Besides, couldn't his grandfather also revive like he did? Even the servants had returned… so why not him? Though… his memory could be a problem. Now, he was a powerful piece that could be useful to him...
Ugh.
'So, did that mean I could keep reviving too? Right?'
He stood paralyzed with indecision until he saw one of the exorcists chanting a particularly powerful incantation. A golden talisman floated into the air and expanded like a seal, heading straight for his grandfather. The energy within it was terrifying.
It was a finishing move. One that would erase even his grandfather's soul.
Before his mind could fully process it, his body had already moved.
Feng Rui lunged forward, throwing himself between the attack.
The impact was immediate.
A scorching force surged through his body, tearing apart every fiber of his being. A searing pain consumed him as his consciousness plunged into darkness.
The courtyard fell into stunned silence.
The demon let out an earth-shattering roar of rage and, taking advantage of the chaos, managed to escape. But at that moment, no one cared about his flight.
The young master had died.
The cries of the servants and guards filled the air. In the midst of the commotion, his lifeless body was hastily carried into the residence as they called for a doctor.
As a ghost, Feng Rui saw everything:
His corpse being carried away by servants.
The panic on the guards' faces.
The doctor being summoned immediately.
The general storming into the room, his expression dark and tense.
A sense of déjà vu struck him.
The good news was that he could indeed revive. And there didn't seem to be any side effects from the World Tree Seed.
The same elixirs were poured into his mouth, and another crystal was brought out, and this time, Feng Rui made sure to examine it closely.
He grimaced. It was indeed a pure ghost energy crystal—the same type that would be awarded as a reward in that ridiculous Phantom Gu ritual mission. If he absorbed it… he might just advance to the next phase of his cultivation.
After the Realm of Corrupt Energy came the Demonic Spirit Realm. If he remembered correctly, in the game, a cultivator at this stage could make contact with malevolent spirits and demons from the underworld, allowing them to summon and control dark entities. And as synchronization with these beings increased…
'Why did this sound so damn familiar again?'
Had he actually been a corrupt cultivator this whole time? Did the original Feng Rui not even know what he was and was always destined to follow this path?
Moreover, the next stage was the Immortal Death Realm, where a cultivator sought immortality through dark means, manipulating life and death, becoming a master of the dead, capable of using their energies for eternal power…
And… shit.
Would it be too crazy to assume he was the reincarnation of the Celestial Demon or something? Maybe he had been shaped this way by his family as if he were a human experiment, or maybe he was just too influenced by his previous trial, but…
How could he explain his affinity with ghosts and dark energy, his ability to speak with spirits when no "human" should be able to, or the fact that every time he nearly died, they fed him these rare and valuable crystals like they were common supplements?
What if this entire matrix had been designed for him? To cultivate in a "small world," a perfect ecosystem for his growth? And what if his memories weren't even real?
Maybe that's why his grandfather didn't want him to leave…
But then why did he try to devour him?
No—too many things didn't add up.
His theories were interrupted by that now-familiar pull. Unlike before, this time, he wasn't afraid and let himself be taken.
Feng Rui gasped as he felt the cold ground beneath his skin. He was alive again.
A shiver ran down his spine.
Ding!
[The World Tree Seed is deeply moved by your sacrifice.]
[Current Status: Sealed (1% Unlocked)]
[The Seed requests more energy from the host.]
'Damn, do I have to die and revive to unlock its seal? Or will the crystals be enough? Both options sound ridiculous.'
When his father entered the room to check on him, Feng Rui greeted him with a calm expression.
"Father, I wanted to see you."
General Han observed him with suspicion. "They say you lost consciousness in the courtyard. Do you remember anything?"
'"Lost consciousness" and not "died"?' Feng Rui resisted the urge to grimace and instead lowered his gaze.
"I… I just remember wanting to see you and asking the servants to call for you, but they ignored me."
He wasn't sure if this would earn him any sympathy from the General, but it was better than nothing.
The General narrowed his eyes. "Why did you want to see me?"
Feng Rui bowed slightly, assuming the posture of a respectful son. "I wish to go to the Ancestral Hall."
His father didn't respond immediately.
"For what?"
"To pray," Feng Rui answered without hesitation. "For my grandfather's soul."
The General's expression darkened. For a moment, Feng Rui feared he would refuse, but after a long silence, his father finally nodded.
"Very well. But you will be accompanied."
Feng Rui smiled.
"Let's go together, Father. I had a dream about Grandfather, and I'm worried."
He preferred this a thousand times over the Kraken being released.
The lingering fear from their previous encounter was still fresh in his mind.