That night, in Wei City, the atmosphere seemed calm, but Shen Yuxian's footsteps, who had just returned after a long absence, shattered the silence. His appearance radiated a mysterious aura that caught the attention of many. His black hair flowed long and soft under the thin moonlight. Each step he took felt calm, despite the turmoil in his heart.
As Yuxian walked deeper into the city, several merchants and residents on the streets whispered to each other. "That man... he's Shen Yuxian, the son of the Shen Clan," said a merchant hesitantly, gazing at Yuxian from afar. "Isn't he the one who's been away for a long time?" asked another merchant, confused by the changes that had occurred.
"Maybe he's back to find out what happened after the attack," said the first merchant, eyeing Yuxian with curiosity. "But the Shen Clan has been destroyed, right? Can he contain his anger after hearing about his father's death?" asked the second merchant, worried.
They continued to whisper, but Yuxian ignored them, walking calmly with his eyes hidden behind a black cloth. The voices only quickened his heartbeat, but he continued on his journey. His steps grew deeper into the city, passing through narrow alleys filled with residents' homes. However, the closer he got to the Shen Clan's residence, the more he sensed that something was amiss. A foul aura polluted the air. Something disturbing and suffocating.
When Yuxian finally arrived at the Shen Clan's residence, his heart seemed to stop. The once-grand house now lay in ruins. The walls that once stood strong now crumbled into rubble. The floor that once shone brightly was now covered in frozen blood, with corpses scattered everywhere. The faces he once knew were now frozen in death. The stench of blood pierced his nostrils, reminding him of the tragedy that had just occurred.
Among the corpses, Yuxian saw several bodies of Shen Clan members he knew. Some were dismembered, covered in blood, indicating that the attack had been far more brutal than a ordinary battle. Everyone he knew, who once lived and thrived, now only left death behind. However, what was even more horrifying were the two heads hanging from the main hall's pillars. His father's head, Shen Tianhong, and his mother's head, Shen Lianhua, hung with distorted faces, bearing witness to the cruelty they had endured.
Shen Tianhong's head hung with his eyes wide open, as if defying the world that had destroyed him. His once-neat hair now flowed wildly, while blood dripped from his severed head. The same went for Shen Lianhua's head, his mother. Her once-beautiful face now looked pale, lifeless. Her eyes, once full of love, were now empty, only leaving deep sorrow. Her long hair, once neatly tied, now flowed wildly, soaked in fresh blood.
The sight made Yuxian almost unable to breathe. His heart felt shattered. Everyone he knew and loved had been lost, brutally slaughtered. The stench of blood grew stronger, making him almost lose his mind. However, from within his heart, an unimaginable hatred began to burn. Everything that had been done for him, everything that had protected him with all their soul, was now destroyed just like that. What remained was only a promise etched in his heart. Nothing would stop him anymore.
"HAHAHAHA!" A terrifying laughter echoed through the desolate night. Shen Yuxian stood amidst the unimaginable carnage, his clan's destroyed bodies scattered around him. Each drop of blood spilled on the ground seemed to symbolize a life that had passed, a world that had been destroyed, and a hatred that now began to grow within him, burning like a fire that consumed everything.
His heart pounded hard, each beat echoing in the thick darkness. He laughed uncontrollably, looking up at the sky that showed no empathy, not even a little. In his heart, pain and vengeance flowed like an unstoppable river, and with emotions overflowing, he raised his voice.
"Very good!" he said with a laughter that echoed, his voice full of hatred and despair. "Whoever was involved in this massacre, just wait! I'll make you feel a pain worse than this! I'll destroy you all, you'll know how cruel this world is when I start walking!"
The laughter stopped for a moment, replacing the previous madness with silence. Yuxian lowered his gaze and looked at the blood spilled on the ground. Each drop of blood scattered around him was a symbol of his shattered life. His eyes began to blur with tears that fell, but they were not signs of weakness. Those tears were like sharp stones that burned his heart even deeper, pushing him toward a darker path.
"Now..." he whispered, his hands trembling but his determination un, "I won't stop until everyone involved in this suffers even more. If I'm called a demon, then call me a demon! I won't care about anyone else anymore. This world... is mine now." With emotions overflowing, Yuxian's trembling hands reached for the ancient scroll hidden within his robes. The scroll felt heavy, as if it contained the weight of the world within it. So much dark aura was contained within it, as if the voices of the past, filled with suffering, spoke through every word written upon it.
Sitting amidst the blood-filled room, Yuxian unrolled the scroll, and slowly, word by word, he read it with a trembling voice filled with determination. "To gain true power, you must sacrifice more than just blood. The blood flowing through the veins of living beings is the source of true power. However, blood alone is not enough. You must absorb the essence of life from every living being. Each drop of blood flowing carries life, and by absorbing it, you will be able to purify yourself and unlock greater power. This path is not for the weak, and those who choose it must be prepared to face the consequences."
Every word Yuxian read seemed to bind his soul deeper to the path he had chosen. The essence of life—this was the price he had to pay to avenge everything he had lost. There was no turning back. The burning vengeance in his heart moved every nerve in his body, guiding him into the growing dark power.
With eyes filled with hatred, Yuxian began to walk towards the center of the hall, where the blood of his family, friends, and betrayers mixed together. The hall was now a silent witness to the tragedy that had occurred. The place that was once filled with joy was now filled with destruction, with blood pooling on the floor. It was there that Yuxian decided to meditate.
With a deep breath, Yuxian sat cross-legged in the blood-filled hall. The room felt heavier, the atmosphere oppressive and menacing. The blood soaking his body began to form an invisible pattern. With extraordinary concentration, Yuxian closed his eyes and began to circulate energy throughout his body. The energy flowed like a rapid river, utilizing every drop of blood around his body.
Each drop of blood absorbed had a profound impact on his body. He felt it—every drop of blood sucked in gave him extraordinary strength. His body grew hotter, feeling something crawling from within him. The essence of life in the blood began to flow into his body, filling the emptiness, granting him greater power.
As the blood from the bodies around him was absorbed, Yuxian's body began to radiate an extraordinary aura. Unbeknownst to him, his long hair began to change color, becoming pitch black like the night, and along with it, ancient writings began to appear on his skin. The writings shone brightly, as if they became symbols of the transformation occurring within him.
The power within him began to surge. From Qi Condensation level 18, Yuxian's body began to move towards Foundation Establishment Early-stage. The change was so great, so rapid, that it seemed the world trembled because of it. The aura emanating from him became extremely overwhelming, feeling like a cold gust of wind coming from the depths of the world, an aura that enveloped his surroundings with unimaginable darkness.
However, despite this power coming at a tremendous cost, Yuxian didn't feel afraid. Instead, a sense of pride grew within his heart. Perhaps, he had indeed become a true demon—but it was a choice he made with his own awareness. In this world, only the strong could survive. And he, Yuxian, would become the strongest.
With an aura now shrouded in darkness, Yuxian opened his eyes. A red glow flashed within them, as if this world would only have two choices for him—those in front of him would become his prey, or they would experience a death more painful than they had ever imagined.
With a transformation so striking, Yuxian was now stronger than before. Not only did his physical strength increase, but also his mental strength, which was now connected to the ancient power hidden within the blood and life he had absorbed. He stood with full confidence, his eyes burning with an unshakable determination.
"This is just the beginning," Yuxian whispered in a deep voice, as if shaking the entire space around him. "One day, I'll take back what was taken from me."
With the first step filled with the aura of an ancient demon, Yuxian began to walk out of the blood-filled hall. The outside world awaited, and he was ready to start a new journey filled with darkness and unimaginable power.