Zhao Rui returned to Blackstone Village as the first rays of dawn pierced the sky. The village was quiet, the meager homes of cracked stone and warped wood bathed in pale morning light. But his steps were no longer hesitant, his eyes no longer downcast.
He had spent the night wandering the forest, testing the power coursing through his veins. The Abyssal Seed whispered secrets to him, teaching him how to harness the energy it had infused into his body. He could feel life force—weak flickers in the plants and animals around him. With a thought, he could draw it in, feeding the Abyssal Seed.
As he approached the village square, memories of humiliation clawed at his mind. The jeering faces, the stones thrown at him, the beatings. He remembered Elder Han, the village chief, calling him a curse on their land and decreeing he should be cast out.
His fists clenched. Today would be different.
The villagers began to stir, emerging from their homes. They froze when they saw him, their expressions shifting from confusion to fear.
"You… you're back," a man stammered, his voice tinged with disbelief. "Elder Han said—"
"Elder Han was wrong," Zhao Rui interrupted, his voice cold and steady.
The man's eyes darted to Zhao Rui's face, and he stepped back. The boy he once knew—the weak, starving orphan—was gone. In his place stood someone different. His posture was straight, his eyes glowed faintly crimson, and a chilling aura radiated from him.
"Zhao Rui!"
Elder Han's voice boomed as he emerged from his home, flanked by two burly men armed with crude spears. The elder's face twisted in anger. "I told you never to return! You've brought enough misfortune upon us already!"
Zhao Rui tilted his head slightly, his expression unreadable. "Misfortune? No, Elder Han. I'm here to repay the kindness this village has shown me."
Elder Han scoffed. "Kindness? You're deluded, boy. Leave now, before I have my men drive you out again."
The two guards stepped forward, gripping their spears. Zhao Rui didn't flinch. Instead, he raised a hand and snapped his fingers.
The air seemed to tremble. One of the guards suddenly dropped his spear, clutching his chest. His face twisted in pain as his life force drained from him, the faint glow of energy spiraling into Zhao Rui's outstretched hand. The man collapsed to the ground, motionless.
The villagers screamed, backing away in terror.
"What… what have you done?" Elder Han shouted, his voice shaking.
Zhao Rui looked down at his hand, watching the faint tendrils of energy dissipate into his body. The Abyssal Seed pulsed with satisfaction.
"I've taken what I needed," he said, his voice calm. "He was weak. His life force was wasted on him."
"You… monster!" Elder Han roared, pointing at him. "Kill him!"
The remaining guard hesitated, his hands trembling as he raised his spear. Zhao Rui's eyes locked onto him, crimson light flaring.
"You don't want to do that," Zhao Rui said softly, his voice carrying an unnatural weight.
The guard froze, his grip faltering. For a moment, his body was his own, but then his movements became sluggish, his eyes glazing over. He dropped the spear and turned it on himself, plunging it into his chest with a sickening crunch.
The villagers screamed again, scattering in all directions.
Elder Han staggered back, his face pale. "W-what are you?"
Zhao Rui stepped closer, each footfall deliberate. "You called me cursed. A bringer of misfortune. You weren't wrong." He stopped a few feet from the elder, his gaze cold. "But you should have killed me when you had the chance."
"Please…" Elder Han fell to his knees, trembling. "We only did what we had to. The village… we were scared. You—"
"Silence." Zhao Rui raised his hand, and the elder's words caught in his throat as an invisible force gripped him.
The Abyssal Seed spoke in Zhao Rui's mind.
"Take his life. Feed me. Show the world your resolve."
For a moment, Zhao Rui hesitated. The man before him was broken, helpless. But then the memories surged back—the stones, the jeers, the years of suffering.
He tightened his fist.
Elder Han's body convulsed as his life force was ripped from him, flowing into Zhao Rui in crimson tendrils. The elder collapsed, his lifeless eyes staring at nothing.
The village square was silent.
Zhao Rui turned, his crimson gaze sweeping over the terrified faces peeking from behind doors and windows.
"From this day forward," he said, his voice echoing through the square, "Blackstone Village serves me. You will provide me with resources—food, shelter, and anything I demand. Refuse, and you will meet the same fate as your elder."
No one dared to respond.
Zhao Rui smirked faintly, the Abyssal Seed pulsing with approval. He walked away, leaving the villagers to their fear and despair.
As he left the square, the voice whispered in his mind again.
"Well done. But this is only the beginning. To reshape the heavens, you must first conquer the earth. Are you ready for what lies ahead?"
Zhao Rui didn't answer. His path was clear, his resolve unshakable. The boy who had once been weak and scorned was gone. In his place stood the beginning of a calamity.
The Abyssal Path had begun.
The Trial of Entry
The sect's outer gates loomed before him, a massive structure of blood-red stone adorned with black iron spikes. Two guards stood watch, their cultivation barely in the Spirit Tempering stage. They sneered as Zhao Rui approached.
"Another beggar seeking entry?" one guard mocked, his hand resting on the hilt of his blade. "You look half-dead already."
The other laughed. "The Crimson Shadow Sect has no use for weaklings. Go crawl back to whatever hole you came from."
Zhao Rui met their gaze, his crimson eyes gleaming faintly. "I'm here to join your sect. Open the gates."
The first guard scowled, stepping closer. "You think we just let anyone waltz in? Prove yourself, or I'll throw you down the mountain myself."
Zhao Rui's lips curved into a cold smile. "Prove myself? Very well."
In a blur, Zhao Rui moved. Before the guards could react, he grabbed the first one by the throat, lifting him off the ground as if he weighed nothing. The guard's eyes bulged as Zhao Rui's grip tightened, dark energy coursing through his fingers.
The second guard hesitated, his hand reaching for his blade. "W-wait! Stop—"
With a flick of his wrist, Zhao Rui hurled the first guard into the second, sending them both crashing into the gate. Dust and splinters filled the air as they groaned in pain.
Zhao Rui stepped forward, his voice icy. "Consider that my proof."
The commotion drew the attention of the sect's disciples. From the gatehouse and surrounding buildings, figures emerged—young men and women clad in dark robes, their faces twisted with curiosity and disdain.
One disciple, taller and more imposing than the rest, stepped forward. He exuded the aura of a Foundation Establishment cultivator, a sharp leap above the common rabble. He studied Zhao Rui with a faint smirk.
"Interesting," the disciple said. "You've got some skill, but arrogance alone won't keep you alive here. I'm Lei Feng, overseer of new recruits. If you want to join the Crimson Shadow Sect, you'll need to survive the Trial of Blood."
Zhao Rui raised an eyebrow. "The Trial of Blood?"
Lei Feng's smirk widened. "A simple test. We throw all new recruits into the Blood Pit, and only those who survive emerge as disciples. Of course, we'll be watching from above. If you can fight, you'll live. If not, your body will feed the beasts below."
The gathered disciples laughed cruelly, their eyes gleaming with bloodlust.
Zhao Rui's gaze remained calm. "Very well. Show me this Blood Pit."
The Blood Pit
The Blood Pit was a vast, circular arena carved into the mountain, its walls slick with dried blood. The stench of death lingered in the air. Below, the ground was littered with bones and shattered weapons.
Disciples stood along the edges of the pit, their cheers and taunts echoing through the arena. Lei Feng gestured for Zhao Rui to step forward.
"Good luck," he said mockingly. "Try not to die too quickly. We enjoy a good show."
Without hesitation, Zhao Rui jumped into the pit, landing with a soft thud. He scanned the area, his senses on high alert.
The gates at the far end of the pit creaked open, and a monstrous beast emerged. It was a Crimson Fang Wolf, its fur bristling with spikes and its fangs dripping with venom. Its blood-red eyes locked onto Zhao Rui, and it let out a guttural snarl.
Above, Lei Feng chuckled. "A Spirit Tempering beast. Let's see how long he lasts."
The wolf lunged, its speed almost too fast to track. Zhao Rui sidestepped, narrowly avoiding its snapping jaws. He retaliated with a punch, dark energy coiling around his fist. The blow landed on the wolf's flank, sending it skidding across the arena.
The disciples above gasped.
The wolf rose, snarling, its rage intensifying. It charged again, this time feinting to the side before lunging at Zhao Rui's neck.
But Zhao Rui was ready.
Channeling the Abyssal Seed, he unleashed a burst of energy. Tendrils of darkness erupted from his body, wrapping around the wolf and pinning it mid-air. The beast thrashed and howled, but the tendrils tightened, draining its life force.
The wolf's cries grew weaker until it collapsed, its body shriveled and lifeless. The dark energy flowed back into Zhao Rui, who stood amidst the carnage, unscathed.
Above, the disciples were silent, their mocking grins replaced with shock and unease.
Lei Feng leaned over the edge of the pit, his smirk faltering. "What… what kind of technique was that?"
Zhao Rui met his gaze, his crimson eyes glowing. "Does it matter? I passed your trial."
Lei Feng forced a smile, though unease flickered in his eyes. "Indeed, you did. Welcome to the Crimson Shadow Sect… Zhao Rui."
The disciples began to murmur among themselves, a mixture of fear and respect in their voices. Zhao Rui climbed out of the pit, his expression calm, though his heart burned with satisfaction.
The Abyssal Seed whispered in his mind.
"This sect is weak, ruled by fools and cowards. You will bend them to your will. Crush them, consume them, and make their strength yours."
Zhao Rui smirked faintly.
The Crimson Shadow Sect would soon learn that they had let a wolf into their den.