The Shadow Pill sat in Asher's palm, its dark surface pulsing with abyssal energy.
He had created it. Refined it. Mastered it.
Now, it was time to use it.
Kaede watched from across the room, arms crossed. "Are you sure about this?"
He smirked. "What's the worst that could happen?"
"…You explode?"
"…Fair."
Still, he swallowed the pill.
Immediately, his Qi surged.
The abyss roared inside him. His meridians burned as power flooded his body.
This was it.
The breakthrough to Abyssal Foundation – Mid Stage.
The abyss opened before him.
He reached for it—
And then—
Everything collapsed.
His body rejected the change.
The energy imploded, tearing through his veins.
Pain shot through him like a thousand blades.
His vision blurred.
Then—darkness.
Failure.
He woke up hours later, Kaede kneeling beside him, her face filled with concern.
She sighed in relief. "You're not dead."
He groaned, sitting up. "That was… unpleasant."
Kaede frowned. "You forced it too fast. Your foundation isn't ready."
He clenched his fists. "Then I'll make it ready."
He tried again.
And failed again.
Then again.
Then again.
Days turned into weeks.
Each time, the Shadow Pill pushed his power higher.
Each time, the abyss resisted.
He was missing something.
Something fundamental.
And if he didn't find it…
He would never advance.
A Month Later.
Asher sat alone in a sealed formation chamber, surrounded by six Shadow Pill variants.
Each one was a refinement—stronger, purer, more controlled.
He had failed countless times.
This was his last attempt.
He swallowed the final Shadow Pill.
His Qi ignited.
The abyss pulled at him, demanding more.
This time, instead of forcing it, he guided it.
The abyss wasn't an enemy.
It was his path.
He let it consume him.
And then—
BOOM!
His Qi foundation shattered—then reformed.
Power surged through his body, faster, stronger, deeper.
The darkness around him solidified.
His shadow expanded, covering the walls, the ceiling, the floor.
His body absorbed everything.
And when he opened his eyes—
They glowed with abyssal fire.
Abyssal Foundation – Mid Stage.
He had done it.
After his breakthrough, the market changed.
The Shadow Pill was no longer just an experiment.
It was a legend.
Word spread across the Undercity and beyond.
"A single pill, and my cultivation surged!"
"It doesn't just restore Qi—it transforms it!"
"Who is this shadow alchemist?"
Merchants, rogue cultivators, even sect disciples disguised as buyers all wanted the pill.
And only Asher Damien could refine it.
His name echoed in the underworld.
But with fame came danger.
Asher knew the sect spies were watching.
Too many people were asking questions.
Too many powerful cultivators were looking for him.
Kaede noticed his tension. "You're getting too much attention."
He nodded. "I need to stay ahead of them."
That meant—more training.
More alchemy.
More formations.
And, for the first time in his life…
Something more personal.
That night, Asher didn't train.
For the first time in months, he allowed himself to stop.
Kaede sat beside him on their rooftop, watching the flickering lights of the Undercity below.
"…What are you thinking about?" she asked softly.
He exhaled. "Everything. You. Us."
She glanced at him, amusement flickering in her eyes. "Oh? Do tell."
He smirked. "I've been fighting, running, training… but I never stopped to appreciate what's in front of me."
She tilted her head. "And what's in front of you?"
He turned to her. "You."
Kaede's breath hitched.
Then, she smiled.
Soft. Real.
She reached out, intertwining her fingers with his.
"You idiot," she whispered. "I've been waiting for you to say that."
He chuckled. "You always call me an idiot."
She leaned closer. "Because you are."
Then—she kissed him.
And this time, there was no hesitation.
No battle waiting for them. No sects hunting them.
Just them.
For one night—they weren't warriors.
They were just Asher and Kaede.
And the abyss had never felt so warm.
The next morning, Asher woke before dawn.
Kaede was still asleep, her breathing steady, her body curled against his.
He brushed a strand of hair from her face.
And then, silently, he got up.
He walked to the center of the room, placing his hand on the floor.
His shadow expanded, weaving into the walls, the door, the windows.
A silent, living formation.
A shadow ward.
No one would harm her while he was away.
His voice was quiet.
"…Protect her."
The shadows obeyed.
And with that, he turned, stepping into the darkness once more.
His next battle awaited.