Chapter: Enlightenment of Darkness
Amidst the cawing of ravens and a suffocating atmosphere, Xu Jian's body lay on a warm bed, attended to silently by a woman. Her eyes were fixed on his frail form, which hadn't moved since he fell in the battlefield.
Alyss, with a desperate tone and a whisper mixed with her trembling breath: "How did you end up like this, you fool... Xu Jian?"
Li Wei, laughing with bitter sarcasm: "Hahaha! Do you think he'll wake up crying over his severed leg? No, he'll wake up laughing, happy that he lived through such a crazy battle with all his heart."
Shock overtook the children. Their older brother, their role model, Xu Jian... his face was scarred by the explosion, his jaw exposed, and his right eye completely missing. A man they no longer recognized.
In that moment, the storm intensified, and the sky screamed with unrelenting thunder. Li Wei lifted his head, asking with concern: "What's happening? The weather turned suddenly..."
Before he could finish, the ceiling above Xu Jian's room cracked open, and a colossal bolt of lightning struck the center of the room. A great phantom appeared, with no body, but its presence exuded enough fear to make mountains bow.
The Sacred Emperor, with a voice that shook the soul: "You seek to fulfill your wish, but if you fail to carry out my request... I will drown you in your own blood. Take this, if you are worthy."
The lightning struck Xu Jian's heart, causing his body to tremble, and an immense aura erupted from him. His body began to burn with golden and black light, and his severed leg began to regenerate, crafted from pure gold.
Li Wei, stepping back: "What the hell is happening? Xu Jian, do you need help?"
But the voice that emerged wasn't Xu Jian's. It was a mixture of human and divine, between death and resurrection.
Xu Jian, opening his only remaining eye, which seemed to split the sky: "Stop... I'm about to break free from my human chains! Hahahahaha!"
A mad scream split the room, followed by a golden-black beam that shot from his mouth, causing everything to disappear for a moment.
Then... Xu Jian stood up.
His leg had returned, his face was restored except for that eye... which he no longer needed.
Li Wei, astonished: "What just happened?!"
Xu Jian, his tone dancing between pride and madness: "The remnants of the great emperor and the gold of the sky have merged with my body... I am something else now."
Li Wei: "You mean that colossal being? Impossible... And that eye of yours?"
Xu Jian, smiling manically: "Hahaha! Who needs two eyes? One is enough... to see what you cannot."
Alyss, trembling: "You're insane..."
Li Wei, laughing loudly: "Hahahahaha! Xu Jian, you've reached the peak of enlightenment, haven't you?"
Xu Jian, turning to him with a rare gaze: "You're the only one who understands me, Li Wei... It seems your solitude was a blessing."
Li Wei: "Really, my friend... But tell me, how did you reach this clarity... this wisdom?"
Xu Jian, laughing with a sound like thunder: "I caught the dragon... and dragged it into hell."
Xu Jian: "I seized the dragon by its neck, killed its heart and conscience; I isolated myself for three days, and I'm not lying, it was hell for me."
Mohammed: "Why? What did you discover?"
Xu Jian: "I discovered that heroes are the lowest of humans. They become arrogant, indulging in worldly pleasures, and they never reach what is truly human. The villain is a fool, so I chose to become the devil. I won't immerse myself in the worldly, I will crush the worldly, and if I have to, I will step over humanity's limits. I won't feed on desires, but on my ambition, and I will do this even if I have to reach the heavens themselves."
They laugh hysterically, and Alyss recoils in disgust, while the children, especially the eldest son, are afraid.
Xu Jian looks at him, laughing: "Do you like what I say, our prince?"
Alyss: "No, he doesn't like your nonsense and garbage, because you see human life as a waste, like ants to you."
Xu Jian, with a grating voice and a terrifying aura, glancing at Mohammed with contempt directed at Alyss:
Xu Jian: "Since when do women determine what's in a man's heart? Women think that by the length of their hair, they are wise. The woman is behind the man, always behind, bearing children and serving. The great ruler is harsh, kills, and walks over people like a majestic lion. Anyone who threatens his rule, he kills, even if it's his own siblings. Do you understand? He remains above the ants, like kings soaring high."
His speech was harsh, pushing Alyss to slap Xu Jian, a tear slipping down her cheek.
Alyss: "Is this the speech of a sane person? You advise killing siblings?"
Xu Jian: "And what if your brother rebels against you? He will plot to kill you. I want to leave this family on good terms. I don't care about this, I'll leave, having fulfilled your wishes and brought you to your peak. Perhaps someone worthy will appear."
And he bursts into maniacal laughter.
Xu Jian: "I realized that heroes are the lowest of men, for they become arrogant and immerse themselves in worldly desires, never reaching what is truly human. The wicked are fools. That's why I chose to become the devil. I won't indulge in the worldly, and I will crush what is worldly. I will rise to the peak of humanity, even if I must step over others to do so. I will feed not on desire but on my ambition. I will do this even if I must reach the heavens."
They both laugh hysterically.
Alyssa shudders, and the children recoil, terrified of what their older brother might do to them one day. They begin to entertain the idea of survival.
Li Wei: "So what's your goal now? What will you do?"
Xu Jian: "Before anything, I have something I need to do. I will go to the Cardinal's lair; I have business there. You, take some men with you—don't go alone, as we must avoid raising suspicion. As for our great strength, we need something no one must know about. Put that thing in a box and place it in my traveling cart. The days ahead will be filled with... pleasure. Hahaha!"
Xu Jian and Li Wei laugh.
---
Three days later:
A young man with cowardly features stands before the Cardinal's lair, his anxiety evident. He faces the guards.
Guard 1: "Who are you? Stop there."
Young man: "Greetings, Sirs. I am Ferdinand from one of the families under your protection. I have something of importance to share with your esteemed leaders. I have information on how to kill Xu Jian."
The guards open the door and allow him to enter the large hall.
The esteemed Trokhan: "What do you want, boy?"
Ferdinand: "Esteemed ones, I advise you to attack Xu Jian's stronghold. It is now undefended. I recommend going and crushing him completely."
The esteemed Aurelius: "Let's go, brothers, and strike as one."
Trokhan: "Yes, my brother, let's go quickly. Vincent's son has shown he hides a terrifying power and martial arts, and the kinds of elixirs we truly need."
Ferdinand: "Hahaha! Well said, Sirs! Let's go to them and kill them."
A month later, preparations are made for the attack on the Vincent family, and in no time, they reach the gates of Vincent's stronghold.
Youngest son: "Sister, we're being attacked! What should we do? A massive army of warriors stands before the gate. What should we do?"
Alyssa: "What? Where is Xu Jian? Tell him."
Eldest son: "Xu Jian disappeared a month ago."
A loud, high-pitched scream fills the air.
One of the brothers: "Sister, please, what do we do? They've killed our younger sister, and they're coming for us!"
Ferdinand steps forward with a steady pace.
He kicks the door open.
Ferdinand, with a wicked smile, holding the head of the little girl and speaking with a terrifying tone:
Ferdinand: "What do you think of this?" He calls out to someone who enters the room. The children scream in shock, crying hysterically, while Alyssa remains frozen, unsure of why her mother is with the one who killed their younger sister.
Mother Joanna: "Oh, my dear children, but your demise is destined for today."
Alyssa, in shock, finds her legs unable to move.
A devilish aura rises, intense and red.
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Chapter: The Path of Immortality
The eldest son: "So it turns out you are Xu Jian, but how can you not fear my death? You've accepted it, but what drove you to all of this?"
Joanna: "Naturally, what drove him is knowledge—the waters of great knowledge and immortality."
Xu Jian removes his mask, laughing maniacally: "Hahahahahaha! Ah, children, but what should I do with you? Should I waste years of my life protecting your backsides? Apologies, but this revered one has more important matters, hahaha."
The eldest son: "You whore! You're not my mother! At least, if I'm going to die, I'll take you with me."
In an instant, the eldest son's head falls, and the children are left in shock. Alyssa loses consciousness, feeling numb to everything, wandering aimlessly without knowing what to do. The children huddle around their sister, terrified.
Xu Jian looks at them, then turns to their mother, starting to provoke her to see their reaction.
The children become enraged and begin crying violently, their voices rising in anguish.
The youngest son, Jowi: "I swear I'll kill you!"
The mother's hand moves, and the eldest son's head falls. She speaks coldly:
"Let us end their lives, and return to discuss the topic of immortal blessings."
Xu Jian smiles at the children, promising them that it will be quick.
For perhaps the first time, he may actually keep his promise to the children—his death will be swift. He exits the palace, and the revered ones see that the task is done, as they were isolated and didn't recognize his appearance.
Days later, after returning...
Chapter: The Curse and the Path of Power
Xu Jian couldn't sleep. He felt as though something was on his mind, but he couldn't pinpoint whether it was guilt or something else. He never felt guilt when he first began killing them, so what was this feeling? Was he questioning if his actions were right or wrong? Was he questioning if he would reach his goal or if he had betrayed his principles for nothing?
He wondered, "Will humans ever be like me?" His thoughts churned.
Xu Jian's perspective: "Is any of this worth it?"
A faint voice echoed in his mind:
"Of course, you did what was right. You killed them. That's the truth. The children would have taken much of your strength. Why bother with what's right or wrong? You are a demon, and demons don't think. Just listen. Kill whoever you want and do whatever you please. Remember, you are the master, and the master does whatever they want. The ends justify the means. You desire everything—greatness. Walk over the corpses of humans to reach what you want."
A bright light shone from Xu Jian's forehead, covered in darkness.
It cracked the palace roof, and Xu Jian laughed:
"Hahahahaha! It seems I've reached enlightenment."
He felt the power boiling in his body, ready to release. What was this? The blind eye? Even though he could only see darkness through it, it began to show him images of Vincent's children. It seemed to be a curse. Xu Jian felt guilt but didn't want to acknowledge it.
"Stay away from me, you damned Vincent ones!" he shouted.
Xu Jian moved down the hallway, killing anyone in his path. "Stay away from me, I don't want you. Go away, you damned ones!"
With each strike, he killed numerous guards. His intent was clear—kill them all. Weak-hearted souls fell unconscious as the chaos unfolded. Everyone in the castle woke up to witness Xu Jian, limping with his left leg, his left eye filled with darkness. He walked, muttering: "Stay away, damn you. Aghhh..." Xu Jian began crying. Why had this curse befallen him?
A voice from behind him: Aurelius: "What is happening to him?"
Joanna: "It's a curse. The curse has been placed upon him."
Aurelius: "But how, my lady?"
Joanna: "It is said that the wishes of the dead affect the living. It seems they wished something against Xu Jian, and now he's suffering the consequences."
Aurelius: "What should we do?"
Xu Jian moved towards them, his face blank. He had entered complete isolation in his room, lost in his thoughts.
Time felt distorted—seconds stretched to hours, hours to days, days to months. Xu Jian was tormented by visions of the children. First, he saw them in good health, then he saw their severed heads after he'd killed them. Xu Jian was wracked with extreme internal turmoil.
"Damn all of this!" Xu Jian yelled in anger. "I am the esteemed king. I declare that this curse will vanish, and I will become a soulless creature."
A huge circle formed around Xu Jian. Several powerful swords pierced his heart, binding him with chains. His eye turned an even darker black as chains covered his arms.
He laughed madly, "Hahahahaha... Finally, the disturbing visions are gone. Now, I am the perfect beast. Hahahaha! All human emotions are dead."
Xu Jian grabbed his hair, now a deep, dark black, and his eye, even darker. He walked toward Joanna, saying, "You whore, tell me where the sacred water is so I can begin my great plan."
Aurelius: "How dare you?"
With a single punch, Xu Jian drove his fist through Aurelius' chest, saying, "From your eyes, like a lawyer."
Joanna stared in shock and said, "I know where it is, but it's located in the empire of the ghouls. Only the devil emperor knows the way in."
Xu Jian: "Who is the devil emperor? I've never met him. Who could it be?"
Joanna: "No one knows. Even the five devil emperors themselves don't know what he looks like. The highest minister is the only one who knows."
Xu Jian: "Send a message to all the families allied with us. The contents should say: 'The eagle doesn't descend to the level of the common folk, and the mountain doesn't carry two tigers on its back. The eagle drinks the blood of the mighty.'"
Joanna: "What does this mean?"
With one dark eye, Xu Jian responded, "Send it, woman. Don't ask too many questions, or I'll take your head right here."
---
November 2026, Sunday
Two weeks after sending the messages, Xu Jian sat alone in his room, dressed in Chinese robes, sipping green tea, looking at the dark sky. He observed the people, the common folk, the scum of humanity, as they scurried in the streets. "Indeed, as the great sage said, 'Hardships strengthen resolve.'"
The sight of humans and their shallow thoughts, walking in a doomed circle, made him reflect. The noble and the sheep—one killed, the other lived a grand life. But that wasn't an excuse. Even if he were poor or from a lowly place, he would break that reality and reach the pinnacle of existence in this world.
A message arrived for Xu Jian, delivered to his apartment's balcony. He read its contents:
"The clergy awaits their lord and guide to inform them about the next step of the plan. The red carpet is ready for you to walk upon."
Xu Jian laughed hysterically. He knew things were moving according to plan. "Hahahahahaha!"
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To be continued...