The searing pain coursing through Hua Lianxin's body was beyond anything he could have imagined. His screams reverberated like the roar of a feral beast, each cry dripping with agony and defiance. The air in the cavern crackled with the oppressive energy radiating from his trembling body, his veins pulsing with the chaotic power of the Demon Fruit. His muscles spasmed violently, his bones quaking under the weight of the transformation tearing through him. It felt as though his very soul was being unraveled, thread by thread.
"No... this... isn't the end!" Hua Lianxin's voice broke into the air, a desperate growl tinged with pain.
The cavern floor beneath him cracked from the sheer pressure of his fluctuating aura before his body finally collapsed, lifeless and still. The once-overwhelming glow of his energy dimmed, leaving only silence and darkness.
---
Within the void of unconsciousness, vivid memories surged forth like unrelenting tides, crashing against Hua Lianxin's fragile mind. They weren't just memories—they were wounds, deep and bleeding, forcing him to relive the horrors that had defined his past.
In the swirling darkness, he saw his father standing tall, his blade shimmering under the pale moonlight as he faced an endless tide of enemies. "Run, Lianxin!" Hua Tianfeng's voice roared through the chaos, even as his body trembled from exhaustion. Blood drenched his once-pristine robes, his breaths shallow and ragged. But he fought on, his eyes burning with the determination of a man who would die before allowing harm to befall his family.
"Father!" young Lianxin's cry echoed as he saw his mother, Hua Meiyu, take her final stand. Her fragile frame moved with the grace of a seasoned cultivator, her body acting as a shield for her children. Yet her love could not defy fate. He watched in helpless horror as blades pierced her chest, her blood painting the wooden floor crimson.
And then came the image that haunted him most—his sister, Hua Yuelin, her vibrant laughter replaced by a look of pure terror as the cult's leader approached her. Lianxin saw her collapse once again, her lifeless eyes staring into nothingness as her murderer's cruel laughter echoed in the distance.
"NO! STOP!" Hua Lianxin screamed into the void, clutching at his chest as though trying to pull the memories from his heart.
But the darkness did not relent. It twisted, warped, and shifted until it became something else entirely—a reflection of him. The silhouette that emerged from the abyss was monstrous. Its red eyes glowed menacingly, its sharp claws dripping with blood, and its voice was a low growl filled with malice.
"Give in," the shadow taunted, its presence suffocating, "Let me consume you. With me, you'll have power—power to destroy, to take revenge, to crush anyone who dares stand before you!"
Hua Lianxin froze, his chest heaving as he stared at the creature before him. Its words were tempting, yet he felt the chains of hatred tightening around him.
"Power?" Hua Lianxin muttered, his voice shaking. "At what cost?"
The shadow chuckled darkly. "What more do you have to lose? You've already lost everything."
---
Amidst the swirling chaos, a faint light pierced through the darkness. It was warm and serene, carrying with it a familiar presence. The silhouettes of his family emerged, their faces radiant with love. His father's steady voice echoed gently, *"Lianxin... do not let this hatred consume you. Your heart is your strength. Do not trade it for darkness."*
His mother's soft whisper followed, "Revenge is a blade that cuts both ways, my son. Let it go."
And then, Yuelin's voice broke through, trembling but resolute: *"Lingxin , promise me... promise me you'll live. That you'll save others. That you'll be better than them."*
Tears streamed down Hua Lianxin's face, his fists trembling at his sides. "I... I promise," he murmured, his voice breaking. He turned back toward the monstrous shadow that loomed over him, its red eyes narrowing in fury.
"I won't give in to you," Hua Lianxin said, his voice now firm. "I may fall, but I'll rise again. I'll protect what's left. I'll fight—not for vengeance, but for justice."
The shadow roared in defiance, its figure beginning to dissolve under the light of Hua Lianxin's resolve. The monstrous aura within him receded, leaving only the boy's weary yet determined heart intact. He took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling steadily as his body began to stabilize.
---
Outside the cave, chaos stirred. The murderous aura that had erupted from Hua Lianxin did not go unnoticed. Cult members clad in ominous robes gathered at the entrance, their weapons drawn and their leader's presence looming behind them.
"What was that energy?" one cultist whispered, fear lacing his voice.
"Something... something monstrous has awakened," another muttered.
At the heart of the cavern, Hua Lianxin stirred. His eyes snapped open, glowing faintly as his strength surged. The oppressive aura emanating from him intensified, forcing the cultists at the cave's entrance to falter.
Slowly, Hua Lianxin rose to his feet, his breathing steady. His cultivation had surged uncontrollably, shattering through limits he hadn't dared to imagine. From Peak Nascent Soul, his power soared, breaking through the Soul King realm and settling at Mid-Stage Saint Lord. The spiritual waves radiating from him were suffocating, shaking the very foundation of the cavern.
The cultists froze as Hua Lianxin's piercing gaze fell upon them. His voice cut through the air like a blade. "You came here to kill me?" A faint smile curved his lips, though it did not reach his eyes. "Fools. It's my turn."
In a blur of motion, Hua Lianxin struck. His blade glinted in the dim light as it danced through the air, cutting down 25 Late-Stage Nascent Soul cultivators in mere seconds. Blood soaked the ground, but his expression remained cold, his resolve unshaken.
---
As the last cultist fell, the sky darkened above the battlefield. Thunder rumbled ominously, and clouds swirled like an angry maelstrom. The heavens themselves seemed to roar in fury.
From the swirling chaos, a voice thundered, reverberating across the land: *"Hua Lianxin! You dare use forbidden methods to rise in power, slaughtering without restraint. Prepare to face judgment!"*
The first heavenly thunderbolt descended with blinding speed, striking Hua Lianxin's body. The pain was unbearable, every nerve in his body alight with searing agony. The second strike came, its force doubling. Then the third, then the fourth—each one pushing him further to the brink.
"Is this it?" Hua Lianxin gasped, his knees buckling under the weight of the tribulation. "No. I refuse to fall!"
He remembered his family's words. He remembered Lin Changsheng's face, her unwavering trust in him. Summoning every ounce of strength, Hua Lianxin forced himself to his feet, his body battered but unyielding.
By the seventh strike, blood poured from his mouth, his vision blurred. And then, as the eighth bolt struck, something extraordinary happened. The Demon Fruit awakened fully, repairing his body with a divine yet ominous energy. His transformation reached Body Transformation Level 3, his skin hardening into an unbreakable defense.
As the ninth, most catastrophic bolt descended, Hua Lianxin did the unthinkable. He caught it with his bare hands. The energy surged into his body, merging with the void-like space created by the Demon Fruit.
Hua Lianxin smiled grimly, his voice low but steady. "Come again, if you dare."
---
And thus, the chapter ends.