A gray dawn blanketed the silent ravine nestled among wild mountains. A thin mist drifted between jagged rocks, forming dark shadows like bottomless graves. Sunlight crept slowly through cracks in the stone, touching the face of a miserable young man lying in pain and cold sweat. His face was deathly pale, his bloodshot eyes slowly opening, as if awakening from a nightmare filled with blood, death, and the screams of torn creatures.
"Hngh... Looks like I'm still breathing," Mo Fan muttered hoarsely, his voice rasping and bitter. "But why does my body feel like it was stabbed fifteen times by an ex-girlfriend and then thrown into a vat of acid?"
Before he could complain further, a voice thundered in his mind—deep and booming like a lightning strike splitting the heavens.
"Shut up and rise, foolish brat! Today you begin your path of slaughter!" barked the Demon God, cold and merciless.
With a sluggish motion, Mo Fan rolled off the rocky ground, spitting to the side as he grumbled, "I've always wanted to learn a killer technique... at least enough to butcher some wild beasts."
"The first offensive technique you will learn is the Black Slaughter Claw. It is a legacy of the eternal dark dragon. It contains hatred, cruelty, and death. A black claw will emerge from your hand, channeling the power of the Devourer—drainer of blood and soul. Every life you take will fuse into your body," the Demon God lectured, like a teacher to his student.
Mo Fan listened with narrowed eyes, a twisted smile slowly spreading on his filthy face—like a bloodthirsty demon.
"Perfect... I want to know what it feels like to rip open a creature's guts with my bare hands," Mo Fan said, deeply aroused by the Demon God's explanation.
But that excitement vanished the moment the training began. He tried channeling dark energy into his dantian, but instead, a searing pain coursed through him. His skin blistered, blood gushed from his nose, ears, and even his left eye. He screamed in agony.
"ARGHH…!!" Mo Fan roared in pain.
"This isn't a technique—it's a torture method from the demon realm! It feels like licking the floor of hell while being whipped by iron-robed demons!" he groaned, his body trembling.
This technique was a superior low-rank skill, and if an ordinary person tried it, they'd die without a doubt.
Normally, someone at Mo Fan's cultivation level could only use high-grade basic techniques—and even then, only geniuses could manage them.
"Focus, you damn fool!" the Demon God's voice boomed again. "Feel the flow of that energy! You are no longer human! You are now a quarter-demon, quarter-dragon! Imagine your suffering, your rage, your thirst for revenge and bloodshed!" It was as if the Demon God intended to turn Mo Fan into a psychopath.
Mo Fan's body trembled, straining with pain and fury. He clenched his teeth so hard it cracked.
CRACK..! CRACK... CRACK..!
His eyes darkened entirely, like an abyss filled with centuries of hatred and vengeance.
As his body calmed, Mo Fan suddenly remembered why he had been sent here in the first place.
"I still remember those bastard muggers' faces… If I ever return to Earth... I'll spill their guts in front of me!"
Suddenly, from his bloodied hand, a purplish-black claw emerged—terrifying, sharp, and seemingly alive. It resembled a dragon's claw, and its dark aura chilled the air around it.
"Huh? My claw… why does it look like a dragon's?" he asked, staring at his hand in confusion.
The Demon God sighed heavily. "Because everything you've learned, everything flowing in your blood now… comes from the lineage of the dark demon dragon—my bloodline."
"Ehh… You're serious… all this came from—?!" Mo Fan was stunned by what he had experienced since arriving in this cultivation world.
Before he could finish, the Demon God spoke again, seriously, "Of course… I will take you as my disciple. But on one condition—you must help me rebuild my shattered body."
Upon hearing that, Mo Fan lit up with joy. "You're serious about making me your disciple?!"
Of course, he was thrilled. From the beginning, he'd been on the verge of despair, thinking he wouldn't get a cheat system like in the novels he read back on Earth.
"Yes, with that condition," said the Demon God. "But if you refuse… I'll take over your body myself."
Hearing this, Mo Fan shivered—he didn't want to die a second time before getting his revenge. Trembling, he stammered, "O-of course, Master. Whatever you desire, I'll do it… I'm ready to cross seas of fire and climb thorny mountains for your wishes…"
"Oi... You idiot, can you shut up? My ears hurt listening to your nonsense," the Demon God muttered, already tired of his first disciple.
"Y-yes, Master," Mo Fan nodded.
Then he grinned wickedly. "Hehehe… Finally. Now it's time to play… with blood and death!"
He stepped out of the cave's mouth, but was quickly met with a disappointing sight.
"Hah?! I'm still at the bottom of the ravine?! I thought I climbed up last night!" Mo Fan exclaimed.
The towering cliff before him looked like the wall of hell. He sighed in frustration.
"This… this is the cruelest plot twist in transmigration history!"
"Use your claw, you dumb donkey," the Demon God grumbled impatiently.
"Drunken lizard claw, come forth!" Mo Fan shouted, jamming his claw into the stone wall.
The Demon God could only sigh. The technique passed down from his noble dragon clan had just been renamed in an instant. "Huh… what a stupid disciple."
Every grip was torment. Stone crumbled, blood dripped, nails broke. But he kept climbing.
"ARGH!! This hurts like hell… but for power… for the beautiful women waiting for me… HAAAAARGHH!!" Mo Fan screamed halfway up the cliff.
After some time, he finally reached the top, gasping for breath and collapsed like a corpse.
"If anyone ever tells me to climb again… I'll curse them to be reborn as a rock!" he groaned in pain.
After resting, he walked into the silent forest. The wind whispered softly, as if the world held its breath, awaiting bloodshed. From the bushes, a steel wolf emerged. Its fangs dripped saliva, and its eyes burned red.
"Perfect for a warm-up. Come here, metal mutt!"
The wolf lunged. Mo Fan dodged, but stumbled into the bushes.
"HEY! At least let me stretch first!" he shouted at the beast.
A black claw erupted. He channeled his energy.
"BLACK SLAUGHTER CLAW!!"
The claw slashed the wolf's neck. Black blood sprayed. At that moment, the Devourer's power activated. He felt the wolf's heartbeat slow, its soul absorbed into him.
"Blood… power… life… It's intoxicating… THIS FEELS INSANE!!"
But his ecstasy ended abruptly. In front of him, shimmering purple leaves gleamed temptingly.
"Violet Qi Leaf… Jackpot!"
Just as he was about to step forward, three figures emerged from the bushes. They wore black robes with twin sword emblems on their chests.
Luo Jian—Qi Refining level 1—with sharp eyes full of hatred.
Duan Lin—Qi Refining level 2—with fiery red hair, grinning like an executioner.
Bai Xun—Qi Refining level 2—big-bodied, covered in scars.
"Leave the herb, or I'll turn your guts into a belt," threatened Luo Jian, sword raised.
Mo Fan grinned, "This is a forest, not your mom's kitchen!"
"DIE!" Duan Lin charged.
Battle exploded like a storm. Mo Fan leapt to dodge, but got hit by a Shadow Needle. The needle stuck—blood spurted.
"ARGH! I'm not some voodoo doll, assholes!"
He jumped into a tree, then dove with his claw.
"BLACK SLAUGHTER CLAW!!"
The claw pierced Luo Jian's chest. Blood sprayed. His body dried up—his soul consumed.
"WHIRLING FLAME!!" Duan Lin attacked. Fire burned Mo Fan's arm. He screamed.
"This hurts… like being rejected with a fake diamond ring!"
But he didn't stop. He slashed Duan Lin's stomach. Blood and organs spilled.
Bai Xun roared, releasing black mist.
"WOLF MIST CLAW!!"
Illusory claws struck from all directions. Mo Fan's body was torn.
"I… I won't die here!" Bai Xun screamed, his face twisted in panic.
"BLACK SLAUGHTER CLAW!"
Demonic energy surged. The claw pierced Bai Xun's chest. His body vanished into nothingness.
Mo Fan collapsed, trembling. Demonic energy raged inside him.
"Ugh… almost… at Qi Refining level two…"
Blood dripped from his nose and mouth. But his eyes… gleamed with madness.
"More… I want more blood!"
His laughter echoed, slicing through the eerie silence of the forest.
"HEHEHEHEH… THIS IS JUST THE WARM-UP!"