The silence in the cavern was broken by the eerie voice reverberating through the air, laced with mockery and malice.
"Ohh, a demon monster, you've finally succeeded, my lord."
Hua Lianxin froze, his blood running cold. The voice struck a chord deep within him—familiar yet warped, like the echo of a distant nightmare. Beside him, Lin Changsheng stiffened, her gaze snapping to the figure emerging from the shadows.
The man stepped forward into the dim light, his presence suffocating. Draped in the verdant robes of the Verdant Wood Sect, his every step carried the weight of authority. Hua Lianxin's eyes widened as recognition set in—a name, a face burned into his memory.
"Elder Feng Zhaoyang."
Lin Changsheng, too, was stunned, but for a different reason. The Verdant Wood Sect robes triggered a flood of warnings she'd often heard about their infamous reputation. But as her gaze locked with Feng Zhaoyang's, it was the unspeakable malice in his eyes that sent a shiver down her spine.
"Why? Why are you here?" Hua Lianxin's voice was barely a whisper, his fists trembling with rage. Memories of the elder's dignified presence at the sect flashed before him—his commanding voice, his influence, his supposed righteousness. Yet, here he stood, immersed in darkness, commanding a cult that reveled in death.
Feng Zhaoyang offered a sardonic smile. "The naivety of children never ceases to amuse me," he said mockingly. "Do you truly think power comes without cost? This world bows to those willing to do what others cannot."
His words felt like blades, twisting in Hua Lianxin's mind. "The sacrifices… the betrayal…" It all began to make horrifying sense. The rumors, the disappearances, the whispered fears within the Verdant Wood Sect—this man had been feeding the cult. Feeding it with innocent lives.
"You've betrayed everything the sect stands for!" Hua Lianxin growled, his voice cracking under the weight of his fury. But his anger was met with a chilling laugh.
"The sect? The sect thrives because of me. The leader might hold the title, but without my alliances, my influence, my sacrifices, it would be nothing but a weak, dying husk," Feng Zhaoyang replied, his voice dripping with arrogance.
Lin Changsheng, usually calm and composed, clenched her fists as well, her rage mirroring Hua Lianxin's. But before either could act, a figure in cultist robes emerged from the shadows beside Feng Zhaoyang. His aura was suffocating, his cultivation level unmistakable—"Peak-Stage Saint Lord". The cult's leader stood tall, a smirk playing on his lips as he addressed Feng Zhaoyang.
"Your new prisoners will make fine offerings, Elder Feng," he sneered. "Let us hope they last longer than the others."
The words sent a jolt through Hua Lianxin and Lin Changsheng. Their eyes darted to each other, unspoken anger and desperation shared in a single glance. But before they could retreat, the faint sound of a rock tumbling echoed through the cavern.
All eyes turned toward them.
"Intruders," the cult leader hissed, his gaze locking onto Hua Lianxin and Lin Changsheng. In an instant, the air grew heavy with murderous intent.
"Run!" Lin Changsheng shouted, her voice cutting through the tension. The two of them bolted, their movements swift and desperate. But the cultists were faster, their numbers overwhelming. Just as Hua Lianxin was preparing to counterattack, he felt a sharp push from behind.
"Go!" Lin Changsheng's voice was firm, her hand shoving him forward. He stumbled, catching a fleeting glimpse of her defiant face as she turned to face their pursuers.
"No!" Hua Lianxin screamed, but it was too late. A formation sprang to life beneath Lin Changsheng's feet— the Four Pillar Capturing Spell. She was trapped, her figure encased in a glowing cage. Desperation clawed at Hua Lianxin's chest as he darted through the shadows, barely evading the spell that nearly ensnared him as well.
"Take her alive," Feng Zhaoyang ordered coldly. "Find the boy."
---
Hua Lianxin's chest burned as he ran, his heart pounding with both exertion and fury. He darted into a small, unassuming cave, pressing himself against the stone wall as footsteps echoed in the distance. His breaths came in shallow gasps, his mind racing. "They won't kill her… not yet. They'll use her to lure me out."
But that knowledge brought him no comfort. How was he supposed to save her? How could he face nearly forty Nascent Soul cultivators and two Peak-Stage Saint Lords when he barely stood equal with a single Nascent Soul expert? He slammed his fist against the cave wall, frustration bubbling over.
It was then that his gaze fell on the object he had taken during his escape—a fruit, its surface glowing with an ominous red light. It pulsed faintly, radiating an aura so oppressive it sent shivers down his spine. He had recognized it immediately when he found it: a Demon Fruit, a treasure of both immense power and catastrophic risk.
Hua Lianxin's hands trembled as he held the fruit. He knew the dangers. Consuming it could cost him his sanity, his life… or worse. Yet the thought of Lin Changsheng, imprisoned and alone, gnawed at his resolve.
"I don't have a choice," he whispered, his voice breaking. Tears streamed down his face as he raised the fruit to his lips. The pungent, almost metallic scent stung his senses as he took a bite. A wave of energy erupted within him, scorching through his body like wildfire.
The pain was unbearable. He fell to the ground, convulsing as his veins lit with crimson energy, his screams echoing through the cave. The power was overwhelming, threatening to tear him apart. But through the agony, one thought persisted in his mind—"I will save her. No matter the cost."
And with that, the chapter ends.