The wind howled through the abandoned ruins. The Underground Abyss had served its purpose. Asher Damien was reborn.
His body pulsed with abyssal Qi, shadows curling around him like living armor. His Shadow Rebirth Art had reshaped his entire cultivation foundation.
He didn't just gain power—he became power.
Now?
It was time to test it.
The First Hunt
Ironcrest City had been on high alert since the auction house raid.
Guards patrolled the streets. Sect disciples combed through the slums. Bounty hunters whispered Asher's name like it was a curse.
And yet, despite their efforts—
None of them saw him coming.
He moved through the city like a phantom. His Phantom Eclipse Step allowed him to slip between shadows, existing outside of perception for brief moments.
It wasn't invisibility.
It was erasure.
The first target?
A Silver Moon Sect outpost.
A small safe house hidden within the market district. Inside, sect disciples gathered, discussing their next move.
They never saw the darkness creeping toward them.
A disciple turned, frowning. "Did the lights flicker?"
Then—
SHHK.
A blade of pure shadow pierced through his chest.
The others barely had time to react before—
BOOM!
The room collapsed into darkness.
Abyssal Dominion had activated.
Within it, their Qi was suppressed. Their bodies felt heavy. Slow.
Only one figure moved freely.
Asher Damien.
His Devouring Night Blade carved through the first disciple, their screams swallowed by the abyss.
The second tried to run—but his own shadow grabbed his legs.
Asher whispered. "You're already dead."
And then—silence.
The room was empty. Only the flickering torches remained.
The sect would come looking. But by the time they arrived?
He would already be gone.
The Crimson Blade Retaliation
The moment the Silver Moon Sect outpost fell, the Crimson Blade Pavilion struck back.
Asher barely had time to recover before they found him.
Four elite enforcers. Qi Gathering experts. Armed with spirit-forged weapons, their bodies reinforced with Crimson Iron Qi.
The leader stepped forward, his blade glowing with red-hot energy.
"You've gone too far, brat."
Asher cracked his neck. "Not far enough."
The enforcer snarled. "Kill him."
The first one lunged.
Asher moved.
He vanished into the void.
And reappeared above them.
His shadow erupted downward, forming a hundred piercing tendrils.
"Abyssal Spears!"
The ground shattered as the attack struck.
But these weren't ordinary enemies.
The enforcer raised his blade—
"Crimson Iron Wall!"
A barrier of molten steel formed around them, blocking the attack.
Asher landed smoothly, his smirk widening. Good. They could actually fight.
He charged forward.
The first enforcer swung his axe—but Asher phased through him.
His body flickered like a mirage, stepping between shadows.
He reappeared behind him—
And drove his blade into his back.
The man screamed, falling forward as Asher's Devouring Night Blade drank his Qi.
The remaining three backed up, their formation shifting.
The leader's eyes narrowed.
"…You're no normal rogue cultivator."
Asher chuckled. "No. I'm worse."
The shadows roared behind him.
Struggle Against the Crimson Wrath
The enforcers attacked as one.
Their movements were flawless, trained through years of battle. Their Qi techniques seared through the air.
"Crimson Sun Strike!"
A massive blade of burning Qi descended toward Asher.
Too fast to dodge.
Too strong to block.
But Asher didn't do either.
Instead—he reached for it.
The moment the attack connected—
His shadow wrapped around his arm, absorbing the impact.
The enforcer's eyes widened. "What—"
Asher grinned.
"Devour."
The attack collapsed inward.
The burning Qi was consumed.
And Asher absorbed it.
His body shook. His veins burned. His Qi pathways cracked under the pressure.
This was too much.
But he didn't care.
He forced himself to endure.
Crimson Qi mixed with abyssal Qi.
And in that moment—something inside him broke.
The Breaking Point – A Forced Breakthrough
Pain.
His Qi spiraled out of control.
His body couldn't handle it.
The Crimson Qi he absorbed fought against the abyss inside him.
He was tearing apart.
Kaede's voice echoed in his mind.
"You're insane! This isn't how cultivation works!"
Maybe she was right.
Maybe this wasn't how cultivation was supposed to work.
But he wasn't normal.
He gritted his teeth.
If his body couldn't handle it—
Then he would force it to.
BOOM!
The cavern shook.
A wave of abyssal energy erupted outward, consuming the battlefield.
His Qi foundation collapsed.
And then—reformed.
Qi Gathering Realm → Abyssal Foundation Realm – Early Stage.
His eyes snapped open.
And the enforcers took a step back.
Because the man standing before them was no longer the same.
His shadow was no longer just a shadow.
It was alive.
And it wanted blood.
The Slaughter Begins
The enforcers hesitated.
They felt it.
The presence before them was different.
Asher tilted his head. "Still want to fight?"
The leader gritted his teeth. "Die, monster!"
They attacked together.
Swords and axes glowed with Qi, slashing toward him.
But this time—they never reached him.
His shadow moved faster.
Before their blades could touch him, the abyss consumed them.
Their own attacks turned into nothingness.
And then—
Asher moved.
Faster than before.
Stronger than before.
More ruthless than before.
His Devouring Night Blade severed through the first enforcer's throat.
The second was swallowed by the abyss.
The third never had time to scream.
Only the leader remained.
He fell to his knees, his sword shaking in his hands.
"…What are you?" he whispered.
Asher looked down at him.
His shadow loomed over them both.
His voice was quiet. Cold. Absolute.
"I am the abyss."
Then—he swung his blade.
And the Crimson Blade Pavilion lost another warrior.