《Tower: Rebirth of the Absolute Demon》


 Ch 1: Betrayal on a Night of Roses

    In what seemed like the most extravagant of bedchambers, everything was drenched in an air of opulence and romance.


    The soft glow of candles bathed the room in a warm, flickering light, their delicate flames swaying gently with the draft.


    The floor was a sea of rose petals, spread so thickly it seemed as though they acted as a cushion beneath one''s feet, creating a path of softness that led toward a grand, majestic bed at the center of the room.


    Draped in silks of red and gold, the bed looked more like a throne than a place for slumber. Its posts were intricately carved, twining together like vines, and were adorned with strands of shimmering gold thread.


    Crimson roses covered every inch, their petals soft and fragrant, their scent thick in the air, filling the chamber with an intoxicating sweetness.


    It was unmistakably a wedding night.


    The double doors of the chamber swung open, revealing the bride and groom stepping inside together, their hands intertwined.


    Their figures, bathed in the warm glow of candlelight, looked ethereal. Both were dressed in traditional Chinese wedding attire, robes of deep crimson embroidered with gold, shimmering faintly with every movement.


    The groom, Ye Tian, stood tall, exuding an aura of unearthly grace and beauty. His long black hair cascaded down his back like a dark river, framing a face that was both sharp and elegant.


    His features were flawless, free of any imperfection, with smooth pale skin that seemed to glow in the candlelight.


    His crimson-red eyes gleamed with warmth, their depths holding a power that could make even the heavens tremble.


    Despite appearing no older than twenty-five, there was a sense of timelessness about him... an ageless strength that belied his youthful appearance.


    A kind smile played on his lips as he gazed at his bride.


    Beside him, Qing Yue, his beloved, walked with a nervous grace, her hands clutching his arm as though to steady herself.


    Her face was hidden beneath a traditional red veil, her figure cloaked in layers of fine silk.


    Yet, even through the heavy fabrics, it was clear that her body was nothing short of perfection... a figure that could make any man''s heart race.


    Her slender frame moved with delicate steps, betraying a mixture of excitement and nerves.


    As they reached the bed, Ye Tian led her gently to sit beside him. With slow, deliberate care, he reached up to lift the veil that concealed her face.


    His hand trembled ever so slightly, betraying a rare moment of emotion in the otherwise composed man.


    The veil fell away, revealing Qing Yue''s breathtaking beauty.


    Her skin was as pale as moonlight, flawless and radiant like the finest jade. Her cerulean-blue eyes shimmered, catching the soft glow of the candles, framed by long, dark lashes.


    Her hair, a silvery-white, cascaded down her back in smooth, flowing waves, like strands of silk spun by the gods themselves. Her lips, soft and full, trembled slightly, her breath catching as her gaze met Ye Tian''s.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    For a moment, they simply stared at each other, the room filled with a thick, palpable silence, as if the universe itself was holding its breath.


    Ye Tian''s smile deepened, his voice rich and soft as he finally broke the stillness.


    "Yue''er" he whispered, her name rolling off his tongue like the sweetest melody.


    "Who would have thought that such a day would come¡­ when even my heart could be captivated by a woman?"


    His words, soft as they were, carried a weight that seemed to echo through the chamber, resonating with the walls themselves. The power behind his voice was unmistakable, yet there was a tenderness that made Qing Yue''s heart flutter.


    She blushed furiously, her cheeks turning a deep crimson as she averted her gaze for a moment.


    "Ye Tian" she whispered, her voice shy and filled with emotion.


    "You always say such things¡­" A nervous laugh escaped her lips.


    "I still can''t believe it. Someone as powerful as you, loving someone like me¡­"


    He chuckled softly, his hand lifting to gently stroke her cheek, his touch tender.


    "Power means little when compared to you, Yue''er" he murmured, his crimson eyes softening.


    "I''ve seen worlds rise and fall, fought battles against gods, demons, and mortals alike¡­ But none of it, none of it compares to this moment."


    Her heart swelled at his words, her body trembling slightly as she leaned against him, her head resting on his shoulder.


    "You always say such sweet things" she whispered, her fingers tracing light circles on his arm.


    "How could I not love you when you speak to me like that?"


    Ye Tian smiled, his arm wrapping around her, pulling her close.


    "Love is a strange thing, Yue''er" he mused, his voice low and rich, like velvet.


    "I never thought I would care for anyone in this way. But here we are. You, sitting beside me¡­ my wife."


    Her cheeks flushed even deeper, and she turned her head, pressing her face against his chest.


    "I never thought I could be this lucky" she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion.


    "To have you¡­ to be by your side¡­"


    He leaned down, his lips brushing the top of her head, a soft chuckle escaping his throat.


    "Now that you''ve become mine, Yue''er" he said, his voice deep and affectionate...


    "you look even more beautiful than ever."


    She looked up at him, her cerulean eyes shining with unshed tears of joy.


    "Ye Tian, you''ve given me everything. Every moment with you feels like a dream¡­ how could I ever repay you for all that you''ve done for me?"


    His lips curled into a teasing smile, his crimson eyes gleaming with mischief.


    "You are mine, Yue''er" he whispered, his voice laced with possessive warmth.


    "That is all the repayment I need."


    She giggled softly, her hand resting on his chest.


    "Even the heavens must be envious of me, having such a perfect man for a husband" she teased, her eyes sparkling.


    Ye Tian smirked, his fingers running through her soft hair.


    "I''m sure the heavens are quite jealous" he murmured, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly, a strange glint flashing through his crimson gaze.


    "But I wonder¡­"


    Qing Yue blinked, her smile faltering as she felt his body tense slightly beneath her touch.


    "Ye Tian?" she asked, her voice soft, a flicker of confusion crossing her face.


    "I wonder" Ye Tian continued, his voice taking on a colder edge, though his smile remained in place,


    "What could have made my beloved wife act in such a way¡­"


    Before she could process his words, before she could respond, a cold, sharp pain pierced through Ye Tian''s back.


    His body jerked forward slightly, his crimson eyes widening... not in shock or fear, but in realization. Slowly, he glanced down, seeing the blade''s tip protruding from his chest, the deep crimson of his own blood staining his robes.


    Behind him, Qing Yue''s once-affectionate smile twisted into something darker... something cold and calculating. Her delicate hand gripped the hilt of the short sword, trembling slightly as her lips curved into a cruel grin.


    The silence in the chamber was deafening.


    Ye Tian''s lips parted, not in anger, but in a grim smile, as if he had expected this all along.


    "Ah," he murmured, his voice eerily calm despite the blade embedded in his body. His eyes, those same blood-red eyes, flickered with a strange mixture of amusement and sadness as he met her gaze.


    "So that''s how it is¡­ Yue''er."


    Qing Yue''s grin widened, her cerulean eyes gleaming with satisfaction as she leaned in close to his ear, her voice dripping with venom.


    "I''ve waited long enough for this moment, Ye Tian..." she whispered, her tone dark and triumphant.

 Ch 2: The Demon Awakens

    Blood dripped steadily from the blade, thick and crimson, staining the silken sheets beneath them.


    The once-pristine bed, adorned with roses and symbols of love, was now soaked in the deep red of Ye Tian''s blood, creating a chilling contrast to the sweet fragrance that still lingered in the air.


    The metallic scent of blood mingled with the overpowering aroma of roses, filling the bedchamber with an unsettling, suffocating sweetness.


    Qing Yue stood over him, her eyes fixed on the blade protruding from his back, watching with wide-eyed fascination as his life''s essence slowly drained from him.


    A twisted smile curled on her lips... no, not a smile, a manic grin... one that barely concealed the madness lurking beneath.


    Her heart raced, pounding against her chest in exhilaration. She had done it. After all these years of planning, waiting, and pretending, she had done the impossible.


    "Heh¡­ hehehe¡­" she began to giggle, almost hesitantly at first, as though she couldn''t quite believe what she had just achieved.


    But as the seconds ticked by and reality sank in, that giggle turned into a louder, more unhinged laugh.


    It started softly but grew louder with every breath, until it became a wild, maniacal cackle that echoed off the chamber walls.


    She clutched her sides, doubling over, her laughter spiraling into hysteria.


    Her eyes gleamed with satisfaction, and her body trembled with excitement as the realization fully hit her.. Ye Tian, the Absolute Demon, the most powerful being in the cosmos, was at her mercy.


    "You''re dead, Ye Tian!" she shrieked between bouts of crazed laughter.


    "I''ve done it! I''ve finally killed you!"


    Ye Tian, still seated, made no move, no sound. His body remained upright, though the blade protruding from his back should have paralyzed him, should have ended him.


    His crimson blood continued to drip, pooling beneath him, but his face was expressionless, unreadable.


    His blood-red eyes, half-lidded, watched Qing Yue with a calm detachment, as though he were observing a passing storm... one that could not touch him.


    But Qing Yue was too far gone to notice. Her victory had consumed her, and she reveled in it. She took a step forward, standing directly in front of him, towering over the man who had once ruled the cosmos. She looked down at him, her manic grin widening.


    "You¡­" She bent down, her face inches from his, her breath warm against his skin. She placed her hand gently on his cheek, stroking it as if to mock him.


    "You never thought this day would come, did you?"


    She leaned in closer, her lips brushing his ear as she whispered, her voice thick with mockery.


    "All those years, pretending to love you¡­ All those years, acting like your devoted wife, like your obedient little Yue''er¡­ You were so blind, Ye Tian. So blind to my true intentions."


    Her fingers slid down his face, tracing the outline of his jaw, trying to seduce him even in this moment of triumph. She moved closer still, pressing her body against his, her lips hovering near his.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "Now, now, dear husband," she cooed, her voice sweet but filled with venom.


    "I''ve finally made it. I''ve finally killed the greatest obstacle in my path to becoming the strongest."


    She paused, pulling back slightly to look into his eyes, her own glistening with madness.


    "I bet you don''t mind, right? After all, every husband has to make sacrifices for his beloved wife."


    Her hand slid down his chest, leaving a trail of blood from her fingers, the blade still embedded in his back. Her eyes darkened, her smile turning even more deranged.


    "In return, when I ascend the throne of the cosmos, I''ll make sure your body doesn''t go to waste. I''ll turn you into a jiangshi. You''ll walk by my side, an undead servant bound to me for eternity." Her voice dropped to a whisper, dripping with twisted affection.


    "Isn''t that what you always wanted, Ye Tian? To be by my side¡­ forever?"


    She let out a giggle, the sound high-pitched and full of glee, as though the very thought filled her with ecstasy.


    "And of course¡­" she continued, her lips curving into a wicked grin...


    "I''ll bear your child. Yours and only yours." Her breath quickened as she said the words, her eyes gleaming with lust and insanity.


    "Won''t that be beautiful? An heir¡­ to the Demon Emperor¡­ born from me."


    She was no longer just speaking to him... she was speaking to herself, lost in her own delusional fantasy. Her mind had clearly unraveled, her sanity frayed and broken.


    She stood up straight, looking down at him with a mix of triumph and desire.


    "But before that, since it''s our wedding night¡­" she purred, leaning in close again, her breath hot against his skin.


    "We should enjoy ourselves, shouldn''t we?"


    Her lips hovered just inches away from his, her eyes half-lidded with lust as she leaned in for a kiss, ready to claim her prize.


    But just before her lips could touch his, a voice... cold, mocking, and filled with disdain... cut through the air like a blade.


    "What a horny bitch."


    Her entire body froze. Her lips stopped just before they could meet his. The room seemed to plunge into silence, the sound of her heartbeat deafening in her ears. She pulled back, blinking rapidly, as if she hadn''t heard him correctly.


    "What¡­?" she whispered, her voice barely audible, her eyes wide with disbelief.


    She stared at him, her mind racing, trying to comprehend what she had just heard.


    "What did you say¡­?"


    Ye Tian remained seated, his face as calm and unreadable as ever. His voice had been quiet, almost bored, yet each word dripped with scorn and authority, cutting through her like a knife.


    "No¡­ no, no, no¡­" Qing Yue shook her head frantically, her heart pounding in her chest.


    "You¡­ you should be paralyzed by now! The poison¡­" Her eyes darted to the wound on his back, where the blade still protruded. Her mind raced, trying to make sense of it all.


    "The Nine Heavens Annihilating Poison¡­ it¡­ it should have destroyed your soul by now¡­ There''s no way¡­"


    Her voice trailed off, her breathing quick and shallow. She took a step back, her legs shaking as the reality of the situation slowly dawned on her.


    "I¡­ I must be dreaming¡­ There''s no way the poison didn''t work¡­"


    She was speaking to herself now, trying desperately to convince herself that what was happening wasn''t real. The poison was legendary... said to be able to annihilate even the souls of Supremes. There was no way anyone could survive it.


    And yet¡­ here he was.


    Suddenly, a voice... calm, authoritative, and carrying a chilling weight... echoed through the chamber once again, shaking her to her core.


    "Is that so?"


    The moment the words left his lips, the air in the room seemed to shift. A suffocating pressure descended upon her, making it hard to breathe. Her entire body stiffened, and a wave of cold fear washed over her.


    Slowly, almost unwillingly, she turned her gaze back to Ye Tian. He hadn''t moved, but there was something different... something terrifyingly wrong.


    His eyes, once crimson red, were now swirling with dark energy. A black aura pulsed through his irises, coiling like serpents, consuming the vibrant red and leaving behind a void of malevolent power.


    His pupils had changed, becoming thin and elongated, resembling those of a demon.


    A shiver ran down Qing Yue''s spine. Her hands trembled as she took another step back, her legs threatening to give out beneath her.


    "N-No¡­" she whispered, her voice barely above a breath.


    "This¡­ this can''t be happening¡­"


    Her heart pounded in her chest, each beat loud and painful. She tried to look away, tried to escape the suffocating grip of his gaze, but her body refused to move. It was as if she were paralyzed... not by the poison, but by sheer terror.


    "Y-You¡­" she stammered, her voice trembling.


    "You''re supposed to be dead¡­!"

 Ch 3: Forgotten Promise

    The night was draped in beauty, as though the stars themselves had descended to bless the city with their light.


    It was a city straight out of the immortal realms... where splendor reigned, and every inch of it glowed with ethereal charm.


    The buildings shimmered under the moonlight, their walls adorned with precious stones and intricate carvings, each more magnificent than the last.


    Lanterns of different colors floated above, casting soft glows over the streets, creating a dream-like atmosphere.


    Despite the late hour, the streets were bustling with life. Laughter and chatter filled the air, accompanied by the sweet melodies of flutes and strings, as though the city itself had joined in celebration.


    From every corner of the city, lights flickered and danced, the entire place alive with a festival-like energy.


    At the heart of this grand city stood a towering structure, the most extravagant of them all. Its golden rooftops reached toward the heavens, its walls glittering with gemstones, as though the entire building had been crafted from stardust.


    It was a palace... a monument to the king who ruled these lands.


    This dark night was no ordinary one. The whole city was decorated like never before.


    Every street, every alley, every corner had been draped in flowers, and the roads themselves, where people walked, were lined with petals. It was as if the entire city had been bathed in the essence of spring.


    On one of the main roads leading to the grand palace, the streets were lined with vendors, their stalls full of wares... silks, foods, and toys for the children.


    Laughter echoed as families wandered from stall to stall, and the sweet aroma of roasted meats, candied fruits, and warm bread filled the air.


    Near one of these food stalls, sitting on a wooden bench, was an elderly man.


    His back was hunched, and his frail body shook slightly with each breath. He looked as though a gentle breeze might carry him away at any moment.


    His skin was wrinkled, his eyes sunken, and he had only three wispy strands of hair left on his head. Despite his appearance, he wore an elegant robe, and there was a calm, contented smile on his face.


    In his hand was a walking stick... weathered and worn from years of use. Beside him sat two small children, no older than five... a boy and a girl.


    The boy wore a bright blue outfit, while the girl was dressed in a soft pink robe.


    They both held large, colorful candies in their hands, eating them with innocent delight. Their giggles and the way they licked their treats in unison painted a picture of pure joy.


    The old man watched them with gentle eyes, his smile growing as he listened to their laughter.


    The boy, with a gleam of curiosity in his eyes, turned to the old man and asked...


    "Grandpa, why is the city so decorated today?"


    The old man chuckled, a deep, raspy sound, and patted the boy''s head gently. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    "It''s because of our king''s marriage."


    The boy''s eyes widened in awe, and the girl looked up, her candy forgotten for a moment.


    "Whoa!" they both exclaimed, excitement lighting up their faces.


    The boy, unable to contain himself, leaned forward eagerly.


    "Grandpa, is it the same mighty king you always told us about? The one in your stories?"


    The old man smiled and nodded.


    "Yes, yes. The very same," he said softly.


    "Our king¡­ our god."


    The girl, her curiosity piqued, tilted her head.


    "But wasn''t he a demon?" she asked, her voice innocent but laced with confusion.


    "You said he was a demon before."


    The old man chuckled again, a sad but affectionate sound, as though recalling bittersweet memories.


    "Not just any demon," he said, his voice tinged with nostalgia.


    "He was the Absolute Demon... the strongest of the demon kind. The most ruthless, the most feared. A being who could destroy worlds with a flick of his hand."


    The children stared at him, wide-eyed, their imaginations running wild.


    "Then why are we celebrating his marriage?" the boy asked, puzzled.


    "Wasn''t he bad?"


    The old man sighed, shaking his head with a gentle smile.


    "Because, children, there was no one kinder than him."


    The boy furrowed his brow in confusion.


    "But you just said he was the most ruthless¡­"


    The old man''s eyes softened, filled with distant memories as he gazed toward the grand palace in the distance.


    "The world labeled him as the worst demon, yes. He was feared by everyone. But to us, to his people¡­ he was the most kind-hearted god."


    The girl tugged at the old man''s sleeve, her curiosity still not satisfied.


    "What do you mean, Grandpa? How can a demon be kind?"


    The old man chuckled once more, his wrinkled face lighting up as he recalled the past.


    "He was so kind, little one, that he did something no one expected. For our sake, for the sake of all his people, he gave away all of his powers. He gave up the cultivation he worked for millions of eons to obtain, just so we could live in peace."


    He paused, his voice trembling with emotion.


    "There is no one more benevolent than him."


    The children exchanged glances, a mixture of awe and admiration in their young eyes. The boy''s chest swelled with pride as he stood up on the bench.


    "I want to be just like him!" he declared with a wide grin, his hands clenched into tiny fists.


    His sister, who had seemed hesitant at first, now nodded eagerly, clearly influenced by her brother''s enthusiasm.


    "Me too!" she chimed in, her voice soft but determined.


    The old man chuckled, his heart warmed by their innocence. But then, his expression darkened, and a deep frown creased his weathered face. He leaned forward slightly, his voice lowering into a more somber tone.


    "But¡­ I truly hope he never regains those powers," he said quietly, his eyes distant and shadowed with old fears.


    The children looked up at him, their excitement fading as they sensed the change in his mood.


    "Why, Grandpa?" the boy asked, tilting his head in confusion.


    The old man closed his eyes for a brief moment, remembering words that had haunted him for years... the words spoken by the king himself, on the day he gave away his powers.


    The old man''s voice trembled as he spoke, recalling that momentous day.


    "He said this¡­ on the day he gave up his cultivation¡­"


    He swallowed hard, his throat dry as he remembered the voice... Ye Tian''s voice, filled with power and finality.


    It was a voice that sounded heavenly, yet it shook the souls of all who heard it. He repeated the words that had been etched into his mind ever since...


    "Today¡­ on this day¡­ I give away all of my powers, my cultivation, and the millions of eons of hard work, so that I may see my people live in peace."


    The old man paused, the weight of the memory pressing down on him. The children watched him with wide, anxious eyes, waiting for him to continue.


    "But," the old man whispered, his voice barely above a breath...


    "If for any reason, I must wield these powers again¡­ know this... on that day¡­ this world will cease to exist."


    The words hung in the air, heavy and cold, sending a chill down the children''s spines. They looked at their grandfather, their innocent faces now filled with fear and uncertainty.


    The old man, too, was struck with an old fear. His hands trembled slightly as he gripped his walking stick. He could still hear Ye Tian''s voice in his mind, could still feel the weight of those words.


    But then, with a deep sigh, the old man shook his head, trying to calm himself.


    "There''s no way anything like that will happen," he muttered to himself, forcing a small smile.


    "Our king is at peace¡­ and so are we."


    Just as the old man relaxed, something caught his attention out of the corner of his eye. He squinted, his smile fading as he saw people further down the street running... running toward the grand palace, their faces filled with fear.

 Ch 4: Night before the Disaster

    The streets were alive with chaos, filled with the frantic, desperate cries of the innocent. The old man stood in stunned silence, his body frozen as the world unraveled around him.


    At first, as he saw people rushing through the streets, he thought it was part of the festival... a surge of excitement, perhaps... but the reality was far more grim.


    It was fear. Raw, primal fear. The kind that makes people run as if their lives depend on it. And for these people, it did.


    Men, women, and children alike darted past the old man, their eyes wide, mouths agape in terror. Their feet pounded against the cobblestones, carrying them forward, away from whatever nightmare had begun.


    He could see it in their faces... the fear was like fuel, pushing them to run faster, harder, in the desperate hope of surviving whatever horror lurked behind them.


    The old man''s heart sank. His pulse quickened as the atmosphere around him turned darker by the second. His face, once calm and content, grew pale, his wrinkles deepening as worry etched itself across his skin.


    His eyes widened, no longer clouded by age, but sharp with sudden clarity, as he tried to make sense of what was happening.


    And then he saw it.


    Just down the street, a group of soldiers emerged from the shadows, their faces twisted with cruel delight.


    They wore identical yellow uniforms, each marked with the emblem of the Qingchen Sect''s Justice Army. Their hands gripped weapons stained with fresh blood. The soldiers moved with terrifying precision, cutting down anyone who crossed their path.


    The old man''s breath hitched in his throat, his legs shaking beneath him. The sight before him was like something out of a nightmare.


    These weren''t bandits or thugs... they were an organized, military force, hunting down innocent people like prey.


    The old man could see their weapons flashing in the dim light as they struck, tearing through the terrified townspeople with merciless efficiency.


    His stomach churned as he watched a soldier chase down a woman, her screams echoing through the streets as she stumbled and fell.


    The soldier''s blade came down swiftly, ending her life in an instant, and the soldier''s twisted grin only widened.


    The streets, once filled with laughter and joy, were now soaked with blood.


    "Grandpa... what''s happening...?" the boy whimpered, his voice trembling, his wide eyes reflecting the terror unfolding before them.


    The old man tore his gaze away from the carnage, looking down at his grandchildren. The little boy''s candy had fallen from his hands, forgotten in the midst of the chaos, while the girl''s small fingers clutched her grandfather''s robe, her eyes brimming with tears.


    "Don''t look..." the old man whispered, his voice shaky but soft as he crouched down beside them.


    "Don''t be afraid, I''m here... I''ll protect you."


    But even as he said the words, he knew the bitter truth. His frail, aging body was no match for the soldiers who were tearing through the streets.


    His heart raced, fear twisting in his chest, but he couldn''t let the children see how scared he was.


    They were too young to understand the horror around them... too young to face death.


    The old man''s thoughts raced as his eyes darted around, searching for any possible escape. But it was no use.


    The street was flooded with panic, people running in every direction, and the soldiers... those ruthless soldiers... were cutting them down one by one, laughing as they did it.


    There was no escape.


    The old man''s grip on his walking stick tightened, his knuckles turning white as desperation filled his chest. He had to act. He had to do something.


    Without a second thought, he threw his stick aside and pulled his grandchildren into his arms, holding them tightly against his chest.


    The girl let out a small, scared whimper as she buried her face into his robes, and the boy clung to his grandfather, his little hands shaking.


    "Hold on to me, children" the old man groaned, his voice thick with emotion.


    "I''ll keep you safe... I won''t let anything happen to you..."


    But just as he took a step forward, his entire body jerked violently as a searing pain ripped through his back.


    He gasped, his breath catching in his throat as two blades pierced his flesh, cutting deep into his old, frail body. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    His knees buckled, his vision blurring as the pain overtook him. Blood poured from the wounds, soaking through his robes, dripping down onto the cobblestone street.


    For a moment, the world seemed to tilt. The sounds of chaos around him dulled as a ringing filled his ears.


    His legs shook beneath him, threatening to give way, but somehow, he managed to stay upright, clutching the children even tighter, shielding them from the violence. His breath came in ragged gasps, each one a struggle.


    Behind him, the man who had struck him stood tall, his lips curling into a satisfied grin. The soldier was dressed in the unmistakable yellow uniform of the Qingchen Sect''s Justice Army, his hands still gripping the hilts of the swords buried deep in the old man''s back.


    "Oye, old man!" the soldier sneered, twisting the blades slightly as the old man groaned in pain.


    "Why are you trying so hard to die? You should''ve just run when I went for those little beans instead of you. Now look at you... pathetic."


    The old man''s breath came in shallow bursts, his mind spinning from the pain. But he forced himself to stay conscious, to stay standing for the sake of the children.


    They couldn''t see this... they couldn''t understand what was happening. His grip on them tightened as if that could somehow protect them from the nightmare unraveling around them.


    He swallowed hard, gasping through the pain.


    "Why... why is the Qingchen Sect''s army attacking us?" he rasped, his voice trembling.


    "Why are you attacking our lord''s people... when your princess has married our king?"


    The soldier''s grin only widened. He pulled the swords free from the old man''s back with a sickening squelch, letting the blood drip freely from the blades.


    "Isn''t it obvious?" he said, his voice thick with mockery.


    "That''s exactly why we''re doing this, you demon-loving fool."


    The old man''s eyes widened in shock, his heart pounding in his chest. His breath hitched, and a cold dread crept into his bones.


    "D-Demon...?" he whispered, barely able to get the words out.


    The soldier laughed... a loud, cruel sound that echoed off the bloodstained walls of the street.


    "Yes, demon. We are the Qingchen Sect''s Justice Army... the only true justice in this world. And our purpose is simple: to purge the filth of the demonic kind, to rid the world of your tainted bloodlines and your disgusting ways. Your lord is nothing more than a demon. A self-proclaimed ''Absolute Demon,'' no less."


    The old man''s heart thudded painfully in his chest. The soldiers... the massacre... it was all connected to him. To their king.


    The soldier wiped the blood from his blades, his smile growing darker.


    "We are here to liberate this world, to rid it of your kind once and for all. Your princess? The rightful heir to the Qingchen Sect? She''s probably killed that demon by now. By the time we''re done here, this city will be free of filth, and soon, the entire world will follow."


    The old man staggered forward, the pain from his wounds overwhelming, but the need to protect his grandchildren pushed him on. He held them close, feeling their little bodies tremble against his, knowing that they were scared beyond words.


    "Do you think our lord will allow this?" the old man groaned through clenched teeth, his voice weak but defiant.


    "Do you think he''ll stand by and let you do this to his people?"


    The soldier''s eyes gleamed with hatred.


    "Your lord? That pompous demon who thinks he can rule? He''s nothing. A fool who played god for far too long."


    He raised his blade, the metal gleaming with blood.


    "He should be dead by now. And if he isn''t, he will be soon. You''re all going to die here, old man. You and your precious demon king."


    Behind the soldier, more of the Justice Army soldiers stormed through the streets, cutting down anyone who crossed their path.


    Their crazed laughter filled the night, echoing off the buildings, mixing with the screams of the dying. The once-celebratory atmosphere had turned into a nightmare, the streets slick with blood and littered with bodies.


    The old man''s heart broke. Tears welled in his eyes as he held the children tighter, feeling their unconscious bodies growing limp in his arms.


    The joy they had felt just moments ago... celebrating their king''s wedding... was now gone, replaced by fear, despair, and the looming shadow of death.


    He could feel the darkness closing in, but the only thing keeping him tethered to the world was the thought of the children.


    Their little bodies, unconscious in his arms, felt so fragile... innocent lives that had no part in this senseless violence. The old man''s heart ached, not for himself, but for them. They didn''t deserve to face this horror.


    The soldier grinned wickedly, raising his blade once more.


    "It''s time to send you off, old man. You and those little demons with you."


    The old man, trembling and barely able to stand, closed his eyes. He could feel the blood seeping from his back, the warmth draining from his body.


    His vision blurred, and the sounds of chaos seemed to grow distant. This was it... his end.


    He opened his eyes one last time, gazing down at his grandchildren.


    "If only..." he thought, his tears falling freely now.


    "If only I could have lived to see them grow. If only I could have served you a little longer, my lord..."


    The blade began to descend, and the soldier''s laughter rang in his ears, growing louder, more sadistic. The old man braced himself for the end, his entire body trembling with fear and grief.


    But then... everything stopped.


    Suddenly, the soldier''s laughter ceased. The sound of clashing weapons, of screams, of running footsteps... all of it disappeared, as if the world had been muted by some unseen force. The silence was deafening, heavy, unnatural.


    The old man''s eyes snapped open, his breath catching in his throat. The soldier before him was frozen in place, his blade just inches away from striking. His mouth was still twisted in a cruel grin, but his body had gone rigid, as if paralyzed.


    Around them, the entire city seemed to have come to a standstill. The soldiers of the Justice Army stood motionless, their weapons mid-swing, their expressions locked in various states of madness and violence.


    The innocent townspeople, who had been running for their lives, were frozen as well, their faces twisted in terror.


    Everything had stopped.


    The old man, though weak and bleeding, felt a strange, overpowering sensation wash over him. It was as if the very air around him had grown dense, pressing down on his chest, making it difficult to breathe.


    His heart pounded in his ears, and a sense of dread unlike anything he had ever felt gripped his soul.


    He looked up, his eyes wide with disbelief, and then he felt it... the presence. It was ancient, overwhelming, and filled with unimaginable power.


    It was a force that seemed to stretch beyond the mortal realm, beyond life and death, beyond anything that could be described in mere words.


    The very ground beneath his feet seemed to tremble in response to it, as though the earth itself was bowing to this presence.


    The old man''s lips trembled as realization struck him.


    "No..." he whispered, his voice barely audible.


    "It... it can''t be..."


    But deep down, he knew. There was no mistaking this power.


    The Absolute Demon... was back.

 Ch 5: True Demon

    In the same extravagant room, where blood had stained the once immaculate silken sheets and roses lay scattered like forgotten remnants of love...


    Qing Yue stood frozen, her eyes wide with disbelief. Her heart pounded in her chest as she stared at the man sitting before her... the man who should have been dead.


    Ye Tian sat still, his expression as cold and emotionless as the void itself. His crimson-red eyes, once filled with warmth, were now swirling with dark, demonic energy.


    His pupils had become sharp, slitted like those of a beast, glowing faintly with black and red hues. Shadows seemed to dance in the room, cast by the swirling aura that surrounded him.


    "N-No..." Qing Yue stammered, her voice cracking as panic gripped her. She took a shaky step back, her mind struggling to process the impossible.


    "This... this can''t be real. You should have died!"


    Her heart raced as she clutched her chest, the weight of the moment crashing down on her like a tidal wave.


    Ye Tian... the man who had given up his cultivation, who had become mortal for the sake of his people... was supposed to be powerless now.


    He was supposed to die from the poison she had so carefully prepared, the Nine Heavens Annihilating Poison, a toxin so deadly it was said to eradicate even the souls of immortals.


    Her breath quickened, her mind grasping for an explanation. But the truth before her was undeniable. Ye Tian was still alive, and not just alive... he was awakening.


    "Don''t tell me..." she whispered, her voice trembling, her wide eyes reflecting her growing fear.


    "Don''t tell me that those stories were true..."


    She had heard the legends, of course... stories passed down from the ancient realms, whispered by cultivators and immortal beings alike.


    Tales of the Absolute Demon, a being so powerful that even the heavens trembled at his name. But those were just stories. Weren''t they?


    "No way..." Qing Yue shook her head violently, denying the reality in front of her.


    "You gave up your cultivation! You should be nothing more than a mortal now, a man with a few more years than the average life span..."


    Her voice faltered as she stared into Ye Tian''s soulless eyes. His gaze was cold, unblinking, and completely devoid of any human emotion.


    It was as if the man she had once known... the man she had plotted to kill... had ceased to exist.


    The energy surrounding him was unlike anything she had ever felt before. It was ancient, terrifying, and boundless.


    "Yeah..." she muttered to herself, trying desperately to hold on to her crumbling sense of reality.


    "You''re just using the last bits of your energy. I know it. You''re dying... right?"


    Her words were filled with false confidence as she clung to the hope that she was right... that this was just the final flicker of a dying flame.


    But Ye Tian remained silent. His eyes... those dark, soul-piercing eyes... were locked onto her, emotionless. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    He was unmoved by her words, by her desperation. He was something far beyond what he once was.


    Then, slowly, sounds began to seep into his awareness. The distant screams, the cries of his people, the clashing of weapons. Chaos reigned outside... his people were being slaughtered.


    Qing Yue smiled... a sick, twisted grin. Her lips curled in satisfaction, her eyes gleaming with something bordering on pleasure.


    She tilted her head back and let out a soft, unsettling laugh that echoed through the room.


    "Hah... They''re dying, Ye Tian. Your people..." she said with a voice dripping in mockery.


    "Doesn''t it fill you with regret? Knowing that you gave up your powers for them, and now they''re being wiped out? What a pitiful king you are."


    Her face twisted with pleasure as she closed her eyes, savoring the sounds of the massacre outside.


    "How does it feel, dear husband? To know that your sacrifice meant nothing?"


    But even as she reveled in the carnage, a growing sense of discomfort crept up her spine. The room felt colder, darker.


    The air itself seemed to thicken with the weight of an unimaginable power. Slowly, she opened her eyes and looked at him again.


    Ye Tian was still watching her, his gaze unbroken, his expression utterly blank. But there was something else... something terrifying. His aura had changed. It was darker, heavier, as if death itself had entered the room.


    Qing Yue shivered, a cold sweat breaking out across her skin. It felt as if her very soul was being pierced by those unfeeling eyes.


    She couldn''t take it anymore.


    Her hand shot up, trembling, but driven by a surge of fury.


    "You motherfucker!" she screamed, her voice cracking as she swung her hand toward him, intent on slapping his face. She needed to hurt him, to satisfy her wounded ego.


    But just as her hand was mere inches from his face, it stopped.


    Her wrist froze mid-air, as if an invisible force had seized it, holding her in place. Her muscles tensed, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn''t move. It was as if her body had betrayed her, refusing to strike him.


    Her eyes widened in panic. She pulled at her arm, but it wouldn''t budge. Sweat dripped from her brow as the room grew colder, darker. The air was suffocating.


    Then, a voice... cold and devoid of emotion... filled the room.


    "You shouldn''t have done that."


    The words sent a chill down her spine, her heart stopping for a moment as an overwhelming, oppressive power washed over her.


    It wasn''t just the room... it felt as though the entire city, the entire world, had been swallowed by this terrifying energy.


    Qing Yue''s breath hitched. Cold sweat drenched her skin, her heart pounding erratically as her knees threatened to buckle beneath her.


    She stared at Ye Tian, whose body began to glow with a faint blackish-red hue, bits of light flickering around him like embers from a dying fire. The power emanating from him was terrifying.


    "Just because I haven''t used my powers in a long time..." his voice was low, dark, and filled with an ancient authority.


    "...doesn''t mean I''ve forsaken my cultivation."


    The energy surrounding him intensified, swirling like a storm. The very air seemed to vibrate with his power as his aura expanded, darkening the room even further.


    His clothes, once the elegant robes he had worn for their wedding, withered away, disintegrating into dust. In their place, black robes materialized, their edges swirling with dark energy.


    His long hair, which had been tied neatly for the wedding, loosened and floated in the air, untamed, as if carried by an invisible wind.


    The blade that had been buried in his back disintegrated, vanishing into the void as if it had never existed.


    Qing Yue could barely breathe, her chest rising and falling in quick, shallow gasps. She wanted to run, to flee, but her body wouldn''t respond.


    The power radiating from Ye Tian was too much... far too overwhelming. It felt like the very essence of death was weighing down on her.


    Slowly, Ye Tian lifted his hand, his movements calm, deliberate. His fingers brushed against her cheek, cold and unforgiving as he gripped her face, forcing her to look into his eyes.


    "Now..." his voice was barely above a whisper, but it carried a weight that made her blood run cold.


    "Let me show you what true despair looks like."


    Qing Yue''s heart raced, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she stared into the abyss of his eyes. She could see nothing but endless darkness in them, a void that threatened to consume her entire existence.


    "I dare you to laugh..." he continued, his grip tightening,


    "as this world crumbles to pieces."


    He stood up slowly, his presence towering over her, casting an enormous shadow that seemed to swallow the entire room. His voice rose, a declaration that seemed to shake the heavens themselves.


    "Rejoice, world... for I am back."


    The very ground beneath them trembled as his words echoed throughout the heavens and the earth, carried on the winds of his awakening.


    The room, the palace, the city, the world... all of it seemed to quake beneath the weight of the Absolute Demon''s return.

 Ch 6: The Wrath Unleashed

    Ye Tian''s grip on Qing Yue''s jaw tightened, his fingers pressing into her skin with unrelenting force.


    It felt like her bones might shatter at any moment under the crushing strength of his grasp.


    His face was as cold and emotionless as a statue carved from stone, his eyes glowing with an ominous light.


    The room seemed to shrink around them, suffocating her beneath the growing weight of his aura.


    The aura... the terrifying energy that surrounded him... continued to swell, pulsing like a living entity, consuming the air, the space, the very fabric of reality.


    It grew thicker, darker, more oppressive with every passing second, as if it were feeding off his rage, expanding with the full weight of his awakening.


    The room trembled under its sheer power, the walls groaning as the energy pressed outward, pushing against the stone and the very air itself.


    "Now," he said, his voice low and rumbling, like the growl of a beast that had been awakened from the depths of an eternal slumber...


    "I dare you to pray. Pray to every ancestor, every god, every Dao, and even the forces of nature themselves. Ask them if they can protect you now."


    His voice was cold, filled with a venomous disdain that struck her like a physical blow.


    Each word was a shard of ice that stabbed into her already fragile resolve.


    Her eyes widened in horror, her heart pounding in her chest as the truth behind his words settled deep into her bones.


    There would be no protection for her now, no salvation.


    Every god, every spirit, every force of nature had abandoned her in the face of this absolute power.


    Ye Tian no longer saw her as human... she was nothing more than prey.


    In one swift, effortless motion, he lifted her off the ground, his grip on her jaw tightening even further, and hurled her toward the wall.


    The sheer force of his throw sent her careening through the air, the world around her blurring as she flew at an unimaginable speed.


    Her body collided with the first wall, the stone shattering on impact, sending debris flying in every direction.


    But her momentum didn''t stop. Her body blasted through the first wall and continued, flying through the room as if she were nothing more than a rag doll.


    She crashed into the second wall with a bone-shattering force, her back slamming against the stone with such velocity that the entire structure seemed to shudder.


    The wall caved in around her, crumbling under the weight of the impact, forming a deep crater that spread outward like a spiderweb of cracks.


    For a moment, everything went black.


    She lay there, broken and bloodied, her mind swimming in a haze of pain and confusion. Blood filled her mouth, dripping from her lips and pooling on the ground beneath her.


    The sharp, metallic taste of it flooded her senses, mixing with the blinding pain that radiated through her entire body. She gasped for breath, each inhale sending searing agony through her chest.


    Was this death?


    For a second, she thought it was. The pain, the crushing force... it was all too much. She felt the edges of her consciousness fraying, pulling her into the darkness. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Her body felt too heavy to move, her limbs too shattered to respond. The world around her was fading, slipping into a cold, numbing void.


    But then, she felt it... a dark energy, wrapping around her like tendrils of shadow, seeping into her broken body.


    The energy was cold, suffocating, yet it held her in place, refusing to let her sink into unconsciousness. It bound her soul to her body, keeping her tethered to the mortal world, forcing her to endure the agony.


    Her eyes snapped open, wide with horror as she realized the truth.


    Ye Tian''s energy wasn''t just meant to destroy her... it was meant to make her suffer.


    The blackish-red hue of his demonic aura clung to her like a curse, preventing her from escaping into death''s sweet embrace.


    Her soul was trapped in her shattered body, forced to experience every moment of the unbearable pain.


    Her dantian... the core of her cultivation... had shattered. The energy within her, once powerful, was gone, dissipated into nothingness.


    Her meridians, the channels through which her power once flowed, had collapsed. Her limbs were twisted and broken, bent at unnatural angles that made her skin crawl with terror.


    She was no longer a cultivator... no longer even human.


    Her body had become a vessel of suffering.


    Tears welled up in her eyes, spilling down her cheeks as the full weight of the agony crushed her.


    She could feel everything... the burning pain in her broken bones, the sharp ache in her chest, the dull throb of her shattered core.


    But no sound came from her lips. She couldn''t even scream. Her throat was tight, her voice silenced by the sheer horror of what had happened to her.


    She lay there, trembling, her body convulsing with pain, but all she could do was cry in silence.


    Through her blurred vision, she saw him... Ye Tian. He stood at the center of the room, bathed in a dark, swirling aura that made the air itself tremble with fear.


    The energy around him was alive, taking on the form of a demonic figure... its long, twisted horns curling upward from his head like the embodiment of an ancient nightmare.


    His hands were no longer human. The black energy that surrounded them had morphed into something monstrous, clawed and grotesque, like the hands of a demon that had crawled up from the depths of the underworld.


    His eyes glowed with a murderous intensity, more filled with killing intent than she had ever seen before.


    There was no mercy in them, no humanity, only a deep, unquenchable thirst for blood.


    His smirk twisted into something darker, something cruel and unforgiving, as if her suffering brought him a sick sense of satisfaction.


    The weight of his presence pressed down on her like an avalanche, suffocating her beneath its sheer magnitude.


    She had once thought herself powerful, but now, in the presence of this being, she felt smaller than an insect. She had awakened the apex predator, and there was no escape.


    Ye Tian took a single step forward, the sound of his footfall echoing like a thunderclap through the remnants of the shattered room.


    The moment his foot touched the ground, a shockwave of energy surged outward, rippling through the floor and the walls.


    The entire building groaned under the force, the stones cracking as the foundations trembled.


    Then, the ground beneath them began to shift.


    A pulse of dark energy radiated from Ye Tian''s body, spreading out like a wave.


    The walls cracked and crumbled under the pressure, the ceiling groaning as the immense force bore down on it.


    The ornate columns that once supported the room shattered into dust, the roof above them collapsing inward.


    The entire building began to collapse.


    The walls fell first, crumbling like brittle sand, followed by the roof, which disintegrated into nothing but debris and dust.


    The ground shook violently as the shockwave expanded further, the earth itself trembling beneath Ye Tian''s feet.


    It was as if the very fabric of the world was tearing apart, unable to withstand the weight of his awakening.


    The shockwave didn''t stop at the building. It surged outward, consuming everything in its path.


    The once vibrant and festive palace grounds were reduced to rubble, the surrounding structures falling into ruin as the energy tore through them.


    The force was relentless, unstoppable, like a storm of annihilation that left nothing in its wake.


    When the dust finally settled, the once majestic palace was gone... reduced to nothing more than a massive crater in the ground.


    The walls, the floors, the decorations... everything had been erased, wiped from existence by the sheer force of Ye Tian''s power.


    In the center of the destruction, only a small part of the building remained untouched.


    A single piece of stone flooring, barely large enough to fit a person, stood amidst the ruins.


    And on that piece of stone, Qing Yue lay, paralyzed, her broken body trembling in silent agony.


    Her eyes, wide with horror, stared blankly ahead, unable to comprehend the destruction that had unfolded before her.


    She had been left alive... forced to witness the end of the world with her own two eyes.


    The sky above her seemed darker now, the clouds swirling in response to Ye Tian''s energy, as if the heavens themselves had turned against the world.


    The air was thick with dust and smoke, the remnants of a city that had once thrived now reduced to nothing more than a wasteland.

 Ch 7: Act of Mercy

    Ye Tian hovered above the shattered remains of the city, his figure framed by an aura of darkness that swirled and crackled with power.


    Below him, the city lay painted in splashes of red, as if death itself had taken a brush and swept it across every street, every building, every corner.


    Civilians ran in every direction, their screams filling the air, their faces twisted in terror as they clambered over each other to escape the horror that had befallen their world.


    From his vantage point, Ye Tian could see it all... the innocent scrambling to flee, the Justice Army soldiers cutting down any who stood in their way, and the blood that stained the streets like rivers of crimson.


    The sight stirred something deep within him, a potent rage that simmered just below the surface, but even that fury was tempered by something darker, something older.


    A strange sense of exhilaration, a thrill he hadn''t felt in eons, crept into his being.


    The chaos, the fear, the scent of blood... it was as though the air itself was thick with the essence of destruction.


    Yet his face remained impassive, his eyes cold, detached.


    Below, the Justice Army continued its relentless advance, soldiers clad in yellow armor flooding through the streets.


    The laughter of the soldiers was cruel, hollow, as they swung their weapons with sadistic delight, their eyes gleaming with twisted pleasure as they tore through Ye Tian''s people.


    The streets were choked with bodies, and the ground itself seemed to bleed as the soldiers'' blades cut down innocent after innocent.


    But now, something had changed.


    The city had fallen silent, as if the very air had frozen, held captive by a force beyond mortal comprehension.


    In the heart of the chaos, the old man who had once served Ye Tian sat on the ground, clutching his unconscious grandchildren to his chest.


    Though his face was pale, and his body weakened, there was a glimmer of something else in his eyes... a flicker of satisfaction, of long-awaited justice.


    He knew that Ye Tian had awakened.


    He could feel the raw power radiating through the city, pressing down on every living thing.


    And as much as he mourned for the young lives he held in his arms, he also felt a grim satisfaction.


    Those who had betrayed his king, those who had brought ruin upon his people... they would suffer.


    Then, a deep, reverberating sound echoed across the city, cutting through the air like a blade.


    It was a low, haunting hum that seemed to vibrate through every stone, every wall, every bone in the city.


    The Justice Army soldiers froze, their laughter dying in their throats as they looked up, their faces filled with confusion that quickly turned to dread.


    High above the tallest building in the city, a dark aura began to form, swirling in a circle of pure, malevolent energy.


    It was black as night, pulsing with a force that felt ancient, untamed, as if it were the very embodiment of wrath.


    The air grew cold, and a suffocating pressure settled over the city, pressing down on the soldiers, on the civilians, on every living soul.


    The darkness thickened, coiling like a serpent around the building, casting long, ominous shadows that stretched across the city.


    And then, from within the circle of darkness, a figure began to emerge, descending slowly through the thick veil of shadows.


    The old man''s heart pounded as he looked up, his eyes widening with recognition.


    He knew that form, that silhouette... it was a figure he had once followed, once worshipped, a being he had believed lost to time.


    The dust settled, and there, in the center of the city, Ye Tian appeared, his figure cloaked in a swirling, black aura.


    He hovered above the ground, his eyes gleaming with a cold, unyielding light that cut through the darkness like twin stars.


    His aura crackled with power, filling the air with a tension so thick it was suffocating.


    The soldiers of the Justice Army, who had moments before marched through the city with arrogant confidence, now stood rooted to the ground, their faces drained of all color. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    Their breaths came in short, shallow gasps as they looked up at the figure before them, their bodies trembling with a fear they could neither understand nor control.


    Ye Tian''s descent was slow, deliberate, as if he were savoring each second, each beat of terror that pulsed through the hearts of those who watched.


    When he finally touched the ground, he paused, his gaze sweeping over the ruined city, the trembling soldiers, the broken civilians who lay in the shadows, their bodies bruised and bloodied.


    But he said nothing.


    Without a word, he began to walk.


    The silence was as thick as the tension that filled the air, wrapping around the city like a shroud.


    The civilians, huddled in corners and alleyways, their faces pale and tear-streaked, looked on with a glimmer of hope in their eyes.


    Their lord had returned.


    The Absolute Demon, the one they had worshipped and waited for, was here to save them.


    For a brief, beautiful moment, that hope burned bright within them.


    But that hope was short-lived.


    Ye Tian reached the first civilian in his path... a young man with wide, hopeful eyes.


    The man opened his mouth to speak, to cry out in relief, but before he could utter a sound, Ye Tian''s hand shot out, wrapping around his neck with a grip that was as cold as death.


    There was no hesitation, no mercy in his gaze as his fingers tightened, crushing the man''s throat.


    With a swift motion, he twisted, snapping the man''s neck with a sickening crunch.


    The man''s body crumpled to the ground, lifeless.


    A collective gasp echoed through the crowd as the reality set in. The horror that filled their eyes was beyond words as they realized what was happening.


    Ye Tian was not here to save them.


    In silence, Ye Tian moved to the next person... a young mother holding her child close to her chest.


    Her eyes filled with terror as she held her child tighter, her lips trembling as she looked up at him, her voice lost in her throat.


    But Ye Tian''s expression remained impassive as he reached for her, his hand moving with deadly precision.


    With a single, brutal motion, he tore her head from her shoulders, her body collapsing to the ground in a spray of blood as the child''s cries echoed through the air.


    One by one, he walked down the street, his hands slick with blood, his face blank as he tore through the crowd.


    It didn''t matter who they were... man or woman, young or old, noble or poor.


    Each life was taken with the same cold efficiency, each body discarded without a second thought.


    The civilians'' cries turned to shrieks, their voices filled with desperation as they scrambled to get away, to escape the nightmare that had become their reality.


    But there was no escape. The Absolute Demon was awake, and in his path, there would be no salvation.


    But as he moved, ripping through the innocent with merciless intent, there was something strange... he had not touched a single soldier of the Justice Army.


    The soldiers, who had moments before reveled in their slaughter, now stood paralyzed, their breaths shallow, their bodies trembling as they watched him pass by.


    It was as if his very presence had rooted them to the ground, as if even breathing too loudly might draw his attention.


    He walked past them without so much as a glance, his steps slow and deliberate, as though they were nothing more than ghosts in his path.


    Finally, he reached the old man, who knelt on the ground, his hands wrapped protectively around his grandchildren.


    The old man''s face was pale, his body weakened, but his eyes shone with a fierce loyalty, a devotion that had never faded, even in the darkest of times.


    Ye Tian stopped, his gaze falling on the old man, a faint glimmer of recognition flickering in his crimson eyes.


    He looked at him for a long moment, as if searching through memories long buried. Then, a small, almost imperceptible smile curved his lips.


    "Ah... Who would have thought you were still alive, old friend?" he said, his voice soft, edged with a strange mix of nostalgia and respect.


    "The valiant, ruthless demon of the battlefield... the Fist Demon."


    The old man''s heart pounded at the sound of his lord''s voice, his body trembling with a mixture of pride and reverence.


    Once, he had fought by Ye Tian''s side, had shared in his lord''s triumphs and conquests.


    But now, he was nothing more than a shadow of what he had once been, his power sacrificed in loyalty to Ye Tian''s dream of peace.


    With great effort, he lowered his head, his voice thick with emotion as he greeted his king.


    "My lord..." he whispered, his voice choked with gratitude.


    "You have returned."


    Ye Tian looked down at him, his gaze softening, if only for a moment.


    "You have always been loyal. Tell me, old friend... what do you wish for?"


    The old man''s hands shook as he held his grandchildren close, his voice filled with a sorrowful pride.


    "Please... save these children, my king," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.


    "Let them live."


    Ye Tian regarded the children, his face unreadable. Then, in a motion so swift it was almost gentle, he raised his hand.


    Dark energy swirled at his fingertips, a soft, ominous glow that cast shadows across the old man''s weary face.


    The old man watched with bated breath, his heart pounding as he placed the last of his hope in his king. But in an instant, his heart sank as the truth became clear.


    The dark energy enveloped the children, and, without a moment''s pause, their bodies began to dissolve, their small forms disintegrating into fine particles of dust.


    They crumbled away, their forms vanishing until nothing remained but the faintest wisp of ash carried off on the wind.


    The old man''s eyes glistened with unshed tears, his heart heavy with the weight of what he had just witnessed.


    But beneath that sorrow, there was acceptance. He was grateful, grateful that his king had spared them the horrors of this world.


    His lord''s mercy was a swift end.


    Slowly, he lifted his gaze to meet Ye Tian''s eyes, his voice choked with gratitude as he forced the words past the lump in his throat.


    "Thank you... my king..." he whispered, his voice barely audible.


    Ye Tian''s gaze softened, almost imperceptibly, as he regarded the old man who had once fought beside him, had once pledged his very soul to his cause. His hand reached out, resting atop the old man''s head, a gesture of farewell.


    "I hope to see you again... on the other side, old friend."


    With those words, Ye Tian''s fingers curled slightly, his hand shifting with a smooth, lethal grace. And then, with a swift motion, he beheaded the old man, granting him the final peace he had long awaited.


    The old man''s head fell forward, his face serene, as his body crumpled to the ground beside the traces of ash left by his grandchildren.


    Around them, the soldiers of the Justice Army watched in silent horror, paralyzed by the scene before them.


    They could not move, could not scream.


    The terror that filled their hearts was suffocating, a crushing fear that coiled around their souls, leaving them feeling both ignored and utterly insignificant in the presence of this being they had once dared to defy.


    Ye Tian, the Absolute Demon, now turned his gaze upon them, his crimson eyes gleaming with a deadly light.

 Ch 8: The Power That Commands Heaven

    Ye Tian''s gaze fell upon the ranks of the Justice Army soldiers, their yellow uniforms smeared with the blood of his people, their faces pale with dread as they felt the crushing weight of his presence settle over them.


    His eyes, cold and unfeeling, seemed to strip away the last of their courage, leaving them defenseless before him.


    He took a slow, deliberate step forward, a faint smirk curling on his lips as he surveyed the so-called


    ''Justice'' that had dared to stand against him.


    "Mere Golden Immortals and True Essence Immortals¡­" he murmured, his voice a low, mocking tone that carried through the air like a ghostly echo.


    "And they think they are competent enough to stand against me." His smirk widened as he continued, his voice laced with a scornful amusement.


    "I''ve been playing low for too long, it guess."


    One of the soldiers flinched, his knees threatening to buckle beneath him as he waited, paralyzed, for the death he was sure was coming.


    The fear in his eyes was mirrored in the faces of the other soldiers around him, each of them frozen, trapped under the gaze of the Absolute Demon.


    But to the soldier''s astonishment, Ye Tian simply walked past him, his expression unreadable as he moved deeper into the broken city.


    The soldier''s breath hitched in his throat as he watched the demon''s dark figure pass him by, sparing him a fate he had believed inevitable.


    Ye Tian''s gaze shifted to the broken civilians scattered across the city.


    Without a flicker of emotion, he continued his march, moving through the streets as he reached out with cold precision, ending each life in silence. It didn''t matter if they were young or old, strong or weak.


    His hands worked with mechanical efficiency, each movement devoid of hesitation as he took life after life


    The soldiers watched, paralyzed by horror and helpless to intervene as he drained the city of life.


    With each death, the streets grew quieter, the cries faded into silence, and the flicker of resistance dimmed to nothing.


    At first, his lips held a faint smirk, a satisfaction born from the carnage, but as he moved through the masses, that smirk began to fade.


    His eyes grew distant, his face an impassive mask as he returned to the very point from where he had begun the massacre.


    Finally, there was silence. He stood alone at the city''s heart, surrounded by a sea of the dead, his expression unreadable as he lifted his gaze to the darkened sky.


    And then, slowly, he raised his hands to the heavens, the gesture filled with an almost ritualistic solemnity as he closed his eyes.


    His body began to levitate, rising off the blood-stained ground until he hovered in the center of the broken city, a dark silhouette against the night sky.


    The air around him grew thick, dense, as his aura expanded, an unending well of power that seemed to darken the very fabric of reality. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Black energy swirled around him, a shadowy miasma that clung to his form, twisting and spiraling into a dense mass that blocked out the light.


    The atmosphere grew heavy, suffocating, as if the weight of the cosmos itself pressed down on the world.


    As his aura deepened, thickened, the very sky seemed to respond to his power, turning darker still.


    The clouds began to churn, twisting and roiling as if they, too, feared the presence of the being that now floated beneath them.


    And then, out of the darkness, ethereal forms began to appear.


    They gathered slowly, shimmering as they emerged, forming a circle around Ye Tian as they knelt before him, their ghostly figures flickering like flames.


    It was the souls of the very civilians he had just killed.


    Though he had been the one to take their lives, they showed no anger, no resentment.


    Instead, there was a calm acceptance, a deep, reverent gratitude that shone in their ethereal eyes as they looked upon him.


    The soldiers watched, their horror mounting as they took in the sight. The souls of the dead were kneeling before the one who had killed them, their faces filled with gratitude rather than fear or hate.


    Hovering in the midst of the kneeling souls, Ye Tian''s eyes softened, his cold gaze shifting to one of quiet compassion.


    He regarded the souls with a gentleness that seemed at odds with the blood that still stained his hands, and, in that moment, he looked less like a demon and more like a sage, a being who bore the weight of the world''s suffering.


    "You have borne the burden of my name, the title of demon, in a world that sought to break you..." he said, his voice filled with a somber grace.


    "I wish for you to know peace now, to know a life without that weight, to become one with nature itself. Though it grieves me to part with you, I wish you all¡­ Nirvana."


    As his words filled the air, a strange silence fell over the city, a silence so profound it seemed to echo through the heavens themselves.


    Then, the heavens began to tremble.


    The sky shuddered, as if recoiling from the power that filled the air. It was a power it recognized, a power it had once feared, and even now, it quaked under the force of that memory.


    For a moment, the heavens seemed to hesitate, as if wrestling with the knowledge that Ye Tian had returned.


    To deny his words, to ignore his command, would mean risking destruction on a scale that even the heavens themselves feared.


    And so, it had no choice but to answer.


    The clouds above began to part, swirling as a golden energy emerged from the heart of the sky, radiating with a divine brilliance that bathed the world in light.


    Rays of golden light fell from the sky, pure and radiant, casting a glow over the city below.


    The Justice Army soldiers stumbled back, shielding their eyes from the overwhelming brightness.


    But Ye Tian and the souls remained, bathed in the holy light as they waited.


    The golden light descended upon the spirits of the civilians, illuminating them with a gentle warmth.


    The sins and burdens they had carried in life faded away in that moment, washed clean by the divine light, until all that remained were souls of pure, untainted energy.


    The spirits began to shimmer, their forms breaking apart as they dissolved into the light.


    One by one, they ascended, leaving the mortal world behind, achieving nirvana with nothing but a sentence from the man who had taken their lives.


    As they faded, their voices filled the air, their final words echoing like a solemn vow:


    "If we ever have a chance to live once more, to serve again, we would gladly offer our lives to the Absolute Demon."


    Ye Tian''s lips curved into a faint smile, a shadow of the warmth he had once felt for those who followed him.


    He watched as they crumbled into nothingness, his eyes lingering on the last wisps of light until they, too, disappeared.


    The Justice Army soldiers stood paralyzed, their minds spinning, their bodies trembling as they tried to process the reality before them.


    This was no ordinary cultivator, no mere demon.


    This was a being whose very words had summoned the heavens, a being powerful enough to command salvation for the souls he had taken.


    And in that moment, the soldiers felt their arrogance, their confidence, crumble to ash. They were nothing more than insects before him, barely worthy of his notice, yet helpless to escape his shadow.


    They realized, with a chilling certainty, that they had underestimated the Absolute Demon, that they had dared to challenge a power far beyond their comprehension.


    For the first time, they understood the depth of their mistake, the weight of their folly.


    Their ruler, the one they had believed held ultimate power, was nothing more than a servant, a lackey of the heavens. And here before them was a being who had defied those same heavens with nothing more than his will.


    One thought consumed them, filling their minds as they stared into the abyss of Ye Tian''s power...


    They were fucked...

 Ch 9: The Chaos Flame of Origin

    Ye Tian stood among the remains of the Justice Army, his gaze fixed upon them, his eyes burning with a silent, simmering rage.


    His presence alone seemed to suck the warmth from the air, and the remaining soldiers trembled before him, feeling the unyielding weight of his power.


    But the man who had nearly taken the old man''s life was right at the front, his body shaking uncontrollably as he found himself under Ye Tian''s deadly stare.


    As Ye Tian''s eyes met his, the soldier''s knees buckled, and he collapsed, his face twisted in terror as he lost control, his entire body betraying him.


    A dark stain spread across the front of his uniform as he whimpered, helpless.


    A look of disgust crossed Ye Tian''s face, and he smirked.


    "You nasty little bastard," he muttered, his voice dripping with disdain as he took a step back, lifting off the ground.


    He began to rise slowly, his form levitating above the ruins of the city, the dark energy swirling around him like a storm.


    With each passing second, the aura grew denser, thicker, like a living force that pulsed with his heartbeat.


    It was as though his body, which had been drained of power for so long, was now refilling with an unending stream of qi, the dormant energy within him roaring back to life.


    The Justice Army soldiers looked up, their faces pale with horror as they watched him ascend.


    His figure was framed by the storm clouds gathering above, the dark sky casting shadows that flickered across his face.


    The dark energy surrounding him solidified, forming into a spectral armor that clung to him like shadows, two horns of swirling black flame curling up from his head, giving him the unmistakable appearance of a demon.


    Ye Tian looked down, his hand resting thoughtfully on his chin as he surveyed the terrified faces of his enemies, a look of pure, casual indifference on his face.


    "Now then," he mused aloud, his voice a low, rumbling purr that sent shivers down their spines.


    "How should I kill all of you?"


    He tilted his head, considering them with a look of almost childlike curiosity.


    "Shall I crush you all in one blow, wipe you out with this city? But that would be far too quick."


    The soldiers flinched, their bodies stiffening as his gaze moved across them.


    "Or perhaps," he continued thoughtfully...


    "one by one, letting each of you feel it in turn... but no, that would take too long."


    Then, his expression brightened, a gleam of twisted excitement sparking in his eyes as a wicked smile curved his lips.


    "Ah, I know. A quick death that feels like an eternity of suffering."


    The soldiers'' faces turned ashen as they felt the pressure of his power intensify, pressing down on them like the weight of a thousand mountains.


    Ye Tian raised his hand, his fingers curling as he summoned the energy that lay dormant within him, the air around him crackling with anticipation.


    His voice cut through the silence, commanding and cold, as he spoke the words that would summon the oldest and most terrifying power in existence.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    "Origin Flame of Chaos, I call forth your existence. Heed my call."


    The words reverberated through the air, carried on a surge of dark energy that shook the heavens themselves.


    The clouds above swirled and thickened, gathering from every corner of the sky... not just above him, but stretching across the entire world, an unending mass of storm clouds that loomed like a harbinger of death.


    Lightning crackled within the clouds, illuminating the darkness with bursts of blinding light, the thunder so loud it shook the very earth.


    It was a storm unlike any other, a storm that could only come from the depths of chaos itself, from the very origin of existence.


    And then, a cold, ancient voice echoed from within the storm, a voice as old as the universe, filled with a power that made even the bravest mortals tremble.


    "Who dares to utter my name? Who is arrogant enough to call upon his death so openly?"


    The voice was filled with disdain, its tone haughty and thunderous as lightning surged through the clouds, illuminating the world in flashes of blinding white.


    Every being across the land... mortal, immortal, and hidden... felt the weight of the entity''s presence.


    Even the most powerful cultivators in the deepest, most hidden corners of the realm felt a chill of pure fear ripple down their spines.


    For the Origin Flame of Chaos was not merely a force. It was the first power, the origin of creation itself, the entity from which all existence flowed.


    Long before the principles of yin and yang, long before time and space, there had been only chaos... the void from which this entity had emerged.


    Above, lightning struck the earth with furious abandon, the very heavens trembling under the wrath of the Origin Flame.


    It roared with fury, its voice echoing across the world like the call of an avenging god.


    Ye Tian''s gaze never wavered, his lips twitching with a faint, amused smile as he looked up at the sky.


    A vein pulsed on his forehead as his eyes narrowed, his expression hardening.


    "It''s me, you arrogant bastard... " he muttered, his voice laced with both anger and excitement.


    The Origin Flame seemed to recoil at his words, the lightning intensifying, each strike more violent than the last. Its voice rose, thick with anger as the storm swelled in response.


    "Who dares to use such filthy words toward me? Whose demise shall be swift and unforgiving¡ª"


    Before it could finish, Ye Tian''s voice cut through the storm, calm and unbothered.


    "Ye Tian. That''s the name of the one who dared."


    Silence followed, a stillness so profound it seemed to stop time itself.


    The thunder ceased, the lightning held back, and the swirling clouds paused mid-motion, as though the universe itself had frozen in shock.


    For a moment, all was quiet.


    Then, a hesitant, almost bewildered sound filled the sky, as if the entity were struggling to comprehend what it had just heard.


    "Eh¡­?" the voice uttered, a hint of disbelief coloring its tone.


    There was a pause, followed by a nervous laugh, as if the entity couldn''t quite believe the audacity of the mortal before it.


    "No¡­ no way. That monster''s dead! You''re not really¡­ are you? What is this nonsense?! How dare a filthy mortal joke about such things!"


    The voice, now laced with a mixture of anger and bewilderment, thundered across the heavens.


    "Do you truly have a death wish? Show yourself, if you dare, so that I may end your pathetic existence!"


    The storm clouds gathered even tighter, twisting and contorting as a massive eye began to take shape, forming from the very essence of the storm itself.


    It was an eye vast as the sky, its surface swirling with a purple hue, ringed by a golden, divine light that radiated an intimidating, otherworldly power.


    The eye opened, scanning the earth below, its gaze filled with an ancient malevolence as it searched for the impudent mortal who had summoned it.


    But then, as it finally found Ye Tian, its movement stilled, the light within it flickering with a glint of recognition.


    The black aura surrounding him, the demonic horns that curled from his head, the spectral armor of darkness... it was unmistakable.


    The Origin Flame fell silent, its presence faltering as realization dawned.


    Ye Tian''s lips twitched, a faint smile breaking through his anger as he raised his arm higher, his fingers outstretched.


    His voice was calm, almost mocking, as he addressed the ancient entity before him.


    "Well? How about it, you ancient sack of ash? Care to come down here yourself, or do you need me to make it easy for you?"


    The Origin Flame''s reaction was instant. The intimidating, thunderous voice that had once filled the sky was replaced by a high-pitched scream, an unmistakably feminine shriek that echoed through the heavens in a tone of pure, unadulterated fear.


    "K-Kyaaaaargh!!!" the scream pierced the silence, a sound that sent a shockwave through the storm as the eye recoiled, the golden light dimming in a panicked retreat.


    The Justice Army soldiers stared in utter disbelief, their minds struggling to process what they had just witnessed.


    The very embodiment of chaos, an entity as old as existence itself, had been reduced to a state of pure terror at the sight of one man.


    And that man was Ye Tian.

 Ch 10: The Fire Show Begins! -1

    The vast, swirling Origin Flame of Chaos stared down at the man who had summoned it, its single eye wide with disbelief, the fear in its gaze unmistakable.


    To it, the man standing below was supposed to be nothing more than a legend, a nightmare long extinguished.


    Yet here he was, defying death and staring it down with that same unsettling calm, as though he had never truly been gone.


    Without a second''s hesitation, a torrent of flames descended from the heavens.


    They poured down in a rain of purple fire, each stream illuminating the night sky as it spiraled toward Ye Tian''s outstretched hand.


    The flames swirled and converged, uniting above his palm in a single, powerful sphere... a dark, undying fire that radiated an intensity beyond mortal comprehension.


    It hovered just above his hand, crackling as it recognized the will of its master.


    And then, from deep within the flames, came a voice, soft yet filled with an ancient reverence.


    "This servant... greets its eternal master."


    The words echoed through the air, carrying a tone of solemn loyalty that was impossible to ignore.


    In an instant, the aura of chaos... the flame of creation itself... had willingly submitted, reducing itself to the role of a humble servant before Ye Tian.


    The Justice Army soldiers, along with every soul who could sense the exchange, stood paralyzed. Shock painted their faces as they processed the unthinkable.


    The Origin Flame of Chaos, the primordial force that had once created the universe, had lowered itself to the role of a servant.


    It was as though every belief they held, every ounce of faith in the strength of creation itself, had shattered.


    The hope they had harbored, the belief that they were on the side of righteous power, flickered and died.


    All that remained in their eyes now was a dark resignation... a cold, endless wait for the end that now felt inevitable.


    Ye Tian''s lips curled into a sneer, his eyes narrowing with contempt as he regarded the flame.


    "Hoh? Weren''t you just calling me a puny mortal a second ago?" His voice was filled with scorn, each word dripping with the weight of his rage.


    "I swear, if you weren''t the only tool I have to annihilate this cosmos while making them suffer, I''d extinguish you myself."


    A flicker of terror rippled through the flame, the great Origin Flame trembling under the force of his gaze.


    It gave a hesitant apology, the voice of chaos itself sounding pitiful as it tried to appease him.


    But Ye Tian dismissed it with a cold, unyielding glare, his expression radiating a killing intent so pure and overwhelming that even the flame... chaos incarnate... shrank back in fear.


    For he was Ye Tian, the Absolute Demon, the one being feared by gods and mortals alike, the one who bent chaos itself to his will.


    Without sparing the flame another glance, he lowered his hand, his gaze drifting over the Justice Army soldiers scattered below.


    The dark energy around him surged, wrapping him in a vortex of shadows as his power swelled, filling every inch of space. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    He raised his head to the heavens, his voice resonant, filled with an authority that echoed across worlds.


    "Now then!" he shouted, his voice booming across the land, the sky, the very fabric of the cosmos.


    "The fire show begins!"


    With those words, Ye Tian released the full force of his powers.


    His aura erupted outward, expanding in a tidal wave of darkness that swept across the universe like a storm, filling every corner of existence with its oppressive weight.


    A dense, black energy blanketed the world, descending like a shroud of death, pressing down on everything it touched.


    The mortals on the ground felt their lungs constrict, as if the very air had turned solid, each breath an impossible feat under the crushing weight of his presence.


    Hidden cultivators, those who had believed themselves powerful, felt their spirits tremble, their very souls weakening under the force of his will.


    They could do nothing but bow, their bodies collapsing to the ground as they struggled to breathe.


    The aura spread further, reaching out beyond the world, its influence stretching into realms both mortal and divine.


    Across the cosmos, hidden sects, celestial palaces, and unseen lands felt the impact as Ye Tian''s energy washed over them, choking the life from the stars themselves.


    Even the highest beings, entities long hidden from mortal view, shivered under the force that now permeated existence.


    And within the heavens, at the very pinnacle of creation, sat Qing Xuan, the one known as the Supreme Creator.


    His name was feared across the realms, his power unmatched as he ruled from his throne, the master of the Qingchen Sect and father of Qing Yue.


    For centuries, he had considered himself untouchable, the true god of creation.


    But now, as Ye Tian''s power descended upon the world, even he felt his soul tremble.


    Qing Xuan had believed himself secure in his conquest, certain that Ye Tian was nothing more than a memory, a defeated enemy.


    Just moments before, he had been celebrating what he believed was the end of the Absolute Demon.


    The grand hall had been filled with laughter, the toasts of powerful beings... celestial immortals and the seven other creators, each one raising a glass in honor of what they thought was their ultimate triumph.


    But then, he heard it.


    A voice that carried through the heavens and earth alike, a voice filled with a darkness that shook him to his core. Ye Tian''s voice.


    "Now then! The fire show begins!"


    Qing Xuan froze, his wine glass slipping from his fingers, shattering as it hit the marble floor.


    His mind raced, panic setting in as he tried to comprehend the impossible.


    Ye Tian¡­ alive? No, it couldn''t be. They had seen to his end personally, had made certain he was eliminated for good.


    And yet, here he was, his power filling the universe, his voice echoing across creation.


    A suffocating force pressed down on Qing Xuan, the weight of Ye Tian''s power bearing down upon him like an iron shroud.


    His body stiffened, his breath catching in his throat as he felt the crushing energy settle over him, making it impossible to move.


    The gods, the creators... all of them felt the same suffocating pressure, an invisible hand holding them in place as Ye Tian''s power consumed them.


    The Supreme Creator''s hands shook as he struggled to maintain his composure, his face pale as the realization settled in.


    His mind raced, replaying the betrayal, the careful manipulation, the endless plotting that had gone into eliminating Ye Tian.


    He had thought himself victorious, had believed he had eradicated the one threat to his power.


    But now, that very threat had returned, and his retribution was more terrifying than anything Qing Xuan could have imagined.


    With a shudder, he felt Ye Tian''s power surge once more, pressing down on him with the weight of a thousand mountains, each ounce of pressure a reminder of the power he had once tried to contain.


    Qing Xuan could barely breathe, each breath a struggle as he fought against the force that threatened to crush him.


    In the depths of his soul, Qing Xuan felt something he had not felt in eons... a bone-deep terror, the fear of true, impending death.


    Around him, the other creators and immortal beings, beings who had once regarded themselves as supreme, crumbled under the same oppressive energy.


    Some fell to their knees, their bodies shaking as they fought to remain conscious.


    Others clutched at their chests, gasping for air as they felt their power slipping away, swallowed by the darkness that now enveloped the cosmos.


    The Supreme Creator''s lips trembled as he tried to speak, to rally his followers, but his voice came out in a whisper, barely audible over the crushing silence that had filled the hall.


    "This... can''t be..." he stammered, his eyes wide with terror.


    "We... we were victorious. He... he was supposed to be dead!"


    But there was no answer, only the deafening silence that followed as Ye Tian''s voice faded, leaving the cosmos in a state of frozen dread.


    Across realms, worlds, and dimensions, every living being, from the most insignificant mortal to the highest of immortals, felt the weight of Ye Tian''s wrath.


    His presence was a storm, a consuming force that filled every inch of space, smothering the light from the stars themselves.


    And within that crushing darkness, a single truth became clear to every soul in the cosmos...


    The Absolute Demon had returned.

 Ch 11: The Fire Show Begins! -2

    Ye Tian lowered his hand, his fingers curling as he clenched his fist, containing the flames of the Origin Flame of Chaos within his grasp.


    The power flickered between his fingers, its violet light casting eerie shadows across his face as if the fire itself were alive, waiting with reverent patience for its master''s command.


    The Justice Army soldiers and any remaining beings who dared to look upon him in those final moments stood paralyzed, their faces twisted with a despair beyond words, knowing that their fate rested within that single, glowing fist.


    For one brief, impossible moment, they clung to hope.


    Hope that perhaps he would release them, that he might relent, that somehow, they might be spared from the wrath of the demon who now controlled creation itself.


    But hope was fleeting, and in this cosmos, it was only an illusion.


    Ye Tian''s lips curled into a smile... dark, knowing, and edged with the cold amusement of a predator savoring its prey.


    Slowly, the violet light began to pulse, brighter, fiercer, as though in anticipation of the destruction it was about to unleash.


    From between the cracks of his clenched fist, streams of violet fire burst forth, spilling over his knuckles and winding up his arms in chaotic spirals that slithered around his form like serpents made of pure destruction.


    The flames coursed through him, spreading along his shoulders, across his chest, down his spine, winding around him like a living, writhing armor that pulsed with a life of its own.


    The power seeped into his being, merging with him, amplifying every cell, every fiber of his existence, until he was no longer just a man, but a being of absolute power... a force that embodied destruction itself.


    And then, with one smooth, sudden motion, Ye Tian raised his arms and clapped his hands together.


    The sound that followed was unlike anything the universe had ever heard.


    It was a sound that defied comprehension, a noise so loud, so deep, that it transcended physical limitations, ripping through dimensions, warping reality itself.


    The sheer force of the clap shattered the barrier between life and death, sending shockwaves across galaxies, bending space, and distorting time.


    Those unfortunate enough to be close to the sound had no time to react.


    Their eardrums ruptured instantly, their minds overwhelmed by the deafening thunder that drowned out all thought, and in some cases, their brains ceased to function entirely, obliterated by the sheer intensity of the sound.


    They dropped to the ground in droves, lifeless, their bodies crumbling as if struck by the hand of a god.


    The shockwave rippled outward, traveling far beyond the immediate surroundings, carrying with it the final sound they would ever hear... the sound of their deaths.


    In its wake, the flames burst from his body, unleashing a torrent of chaotic energy that expanded in every direction, surging across the cosmos like a tidal wave of fire.


    The flames washed over everything they touched, an all-consuming blaze that did not discriminate, that did not relent.


    Worlds were reduced to ash, entire civilizations burned to nothing, and the flames showed no sign of slowing.


    Screams filled the void as countless beings cried out in terror, their voices mingling in a desperate symphony of anguish.


    They pleaded, begged for mercy, reaching for gods, for deities, for any force that could save them. But there was no one to answer.


    No god, no savior, no protector could withstand the flame of chaos, the primordial force that had been unleashed upon them.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    The flames devoured planets and suns, each celestial body vanishing in moments as the fire surged forward, spreading like an infection that knew no bounds.


    In mere seconds, entire galaxies were extinguished, their light snuffed out as if they had never existed.


    The Origin Flame spared nothing, its appetite endless, insatiable, erasing all that had ever been.


    Ye Tian stood at the center of the inferno, his face serene, his eyes half-closed as he felt the power wash through him, filling every corner of the universe with his will.


    The flames continued to spread, devouring everything in their path, yet he felt no remorse, no hesitation.


    To him, this was not destruction... it was a cleansing, a return to the void from which all things had come.


    His laughter filled the silence, a sound so haunting it seemed to seep into the very essence of the universe, echoing through the burning remains of creation.


    It was a laugh filled with joy, with satisfaction, as if he were savoring every moment of the annihilation unfolding before him.


    This was his victory, his triumph over a cosmos that had once defied him, and he reveled in it.


    The Justice Army was the first to fall, their bodies disintegrating in the flames, their souls devoured by the very fire they had believed they could control.


    Their screams died quickly, leaving only the faintest whispers as the flames erased their existence, leaving no trace behind.


    Next was Qing Yue. She, too, was swept up in the blaze, her form reduced to nothing in moments as the flames consumed her.


    The woman who had once been his wife, his betrayer, vanished in an instant, her soul scattered into the nothingness she had so foolishly courted.


    Ye Tian did not flinch, did not spare her a second glance. Her end was a fitting conclusion, her existence erased like dust in the wind.


    And still, the flames did not stop.


    They spread further, consuming world after world, leaving behind only ash and silence.


    His own world, with its seven billion souls, its cities, its history... everything that had once been part of his dominion... was reduced to dust, its legacy swept away like a mere afterthought.


    The scale of his annihilation defied understanding, for he had not merely destroyed cities or civilizations; he had erased all of creation.


    Every being, every life, every whisper of existence was devoured.


    The Supreme Creator himself, Qing Xuan, felt the flames approach, his once-mighty form crumbling as the Origin Flame reached him.


    The entity who had once believed himself a god, a ruler of worlds, was left helpless before Ye Tian''s wrath, his final moments consumed in silent horror as he vanished without a trace.


    The flames moved without mercy, sparing not a single realm, not a single hidden sanctuary.


    Higher realms, hidden dimensions, the secrets of the ancient... everything fell to the flames, turned to ash in the unyielding inferno that was Ye Tian''s will.


    The cosmos, once vast, endless, and filled with life, was now a silent, dark expanse, a void where not a single star remained.


    And in the end, nothing was left.


    Ye Tian''s laughter faded, leaving a silence so complete, so absolute, that it seemed as though even the echoes of sound had been devoured.


    He stood alone in the center of the void, the only presence, the only light, in a realm where everything else had been erased.


    The universe, once teeming with life, was now an empty canvas, a void stretching endlessly, filled with nothing but darkness and quiet.


    Satisfied, Ye Tian raised his hand once more, summoning the flames that had obeyed his every command.


    The flames responded instantly, condensing above his palm, forming a single, searing orb of light that hovered in the air.


    Within it, tiny flecks of light flickered, remnants of the souls he had consumed, the echoes of lives he had erased.


    He gazed upon the orb, his eyes softening as he regarded the lights within.


    To him, they were not merely lives, not simply souls... they were his people, those who had once served him, worshiped him, trusted him.


    For a moment, a faint shadow of something almost tender crossed his face, a glimmer of something long buried.


    Lifting the orb, he addressed the flame with quiet authority, his voice carrying through the silence with a solemn resonance.


    "These are my people..." he said, his voice soft yet filled with an undeniable command.


    "Guide them to the cycle of life and death."


    The Origin Flame pulsed, as though acknowledging his command with reverence, and with a faint glow, it vanished, taking the orb of souls with it.


    The lights within the orb faded as they were carried beyond this realm, into the unknown, to begin anew in a cycle of rebirth, to live again free from the burden of his name.


    And at last, Ye Tian was alone.


    He lowered his hand, his gaze sweeping over the infinite darkness that surrounded him, an endless void that stretched in every direction.


    There was no sound, no movement, no life... only the quiet, profound emptiness of a universe returned to its origins.


    He closed his eyes, breathing in the silence, feeling the weight of his actions settle over him.


    There was no remorse, no regret... only a sense of completion, a strange, quiet peace that filled him as he stood amidst the ruins of creation.


    This was what he had sought, what he had fought for, and now, it was his.


    In the vast silence, Ye Tian stood alone, his presence the only remaining light in an expanse that had once been filled with stars.


    A faint smile crossed his face, a smile filled with satisfaction, with finality, as he embraced the void he had created.


    The universe had begun with chaos, and he had returned it to chaos.


    He was, and would forever be, the Absolute Demon.

 Ch 12: The Weight of Solitude

    In the endless silence of a world now void of life, Ye Tian drifted alone.


    He floated through the empty cosmos, his form suspended as though he were resting on an invisible sea.


    His arms lay crossed behind his head, one leg resting lazily over the other, his eyes closed.


    His breath was steady, calm, yet behind that exterior lay a depth of silence that no soul could fathom.


    There was no light in this realm.


    With no stars, no suns, no worlds, and no life, all that existed was the faint, almost ghostly glow that seemed to linger around him... a shadow of the power he had once wielded.


    The celestial energy that had once flowed through realms and heavens had vanished.


    Without mortals to sustain belief and faith, the heavenly daos had ceased to exist.


    Every divine law, every rule that once governed the universe, had withered into nothingness, leaving only the Absolute Demon adrift in an endless, quiet void.


    As he drifted, he couldn''t shake the gnawing emptiness that grew within him.


    Only moments ago, he had stood within a bustling city filled with life, a place celebrating his marriage.


    He could still hear the faint echoes of laughter, the scent of flowers that had once filled the air, the warm light of candles that had bathed the streets.


    The memory was bittersweet. He had always known it would end this way... had even foreseen it.


    And yet, some quiet part of him had hoped that, just maybe, things would be different.


    In the solitude of the void, his memories became his only company, flickering to life with a clarity that felt almost tangible.


    And in the depths of his loneliness, he began to speak, his voice low, carrying words that emerged unbidden from the emptiness inside him.


    "In silence, I stand, the lone light in the night,


    A shadow adrift in a world without sight.


    Once boundless and brimming, a cosmos alive,


    Now dust in my hands, no soul left to thrive."


    His words hung in the air, absorbed by the endless dark. There was no one to hear him, no reply to give comfort or understanding.


    But for Ye Tian, the words held a weight, as if they were his only means to fill the silence.


    He continued, his voice softer now, almost a whisper.


    "I have taken it all; the stars bow to none,


    For I am the end, the unsparing one.


    Yet here in the stillness, the dark, the unknown,


    I feel the weight of a throne made of stone."


    The words seemed to resonate through him, his memories flickering with every verse. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    His mind wandered back to the faces of those he had ruled, the ones who had looked to him with fear, awe, and devotion.


    Once, he had been everything to them... a god, a king, a conqueror who wielded absolute power.


    He had claimed victory after victory, his strength unmatched, his legend immortal.


    Yet here he was, with nothing left to conquer, no worlds left to subdue, no one left to praise or curse his name.


    His lips twisted into a faint, bitter smile as he continued, a note of irony creeping into his voice.


    "They called me a god, a demon, a king,


    With whispers and screams that I made them sing.


    But now there is quiet... no plea, no breath...


    Only echoes of power, of life turned to death."


    The faint glow around him seemed to pulse, flickering as though it too mourned the emptiness around them.


    His mind, unbidden, began to replay memories of his ascent... the brutal battles, the foes he had crushed, the worlds he had claimed.


    He could still see their faces, the fleeting looks of admiration, fear, and hatred.


    Once, they had filled him with pride, with a sense of purpose. Now, they felt like ghosts, haunting him in the silence.


    He breathed out, feeling the vast emptiness press against him from all sides. His voice grew softer, a note of sorrow lacing his words.


    "I wielded the flames that chaos had sown,


    Watched galaxies flicker and fade, overthrown.


    A king without subjects, a conqueror''s curse,


    To rule over nothing, for better or worse."


    The silence thickened, his words swallowed by the void, leaving only the heavy quiet that settled back into place.


    He had done it.


    He had destroyed everything, reduced the universe to ashes, and now stood at the peak with no one beside him, no one to share in his triumph... or his fall.


    "O stars that I shattered, O worlds I unmade,


    In seeking dominion, what price have I paid?


    Is this my reward, this hollow expanse,


    An endless abyss, devoid of all chance?"


    For a moment, he closed his eyes, and the memories of his journey flashed through him... every victory, every betrayal, every soul he had taken.


    He saw the faces of his most loyal servants, the ones who had followed him without question, who had stood beside him until the very end.


    He saw the faces of his enemies, the rivals who had fallen at his hands, each one a step toward his ultimate goal.


    Yet none of it felt real anymore... it was as if he had spent a lifetime climbing a mountain only to find emptiness at the summit.


    "In chaos, I''m born; to chaos, I bend,


    But what is a journey that finds no end?


    For power has weight, and glory a cost,


    In ruling the void, was it I who was lost?"


    The question lingered in his mind, reverberating through the empty space around him.


    He had sacrificed everything to reach this point.


    Yet, in the silence, he couldn''t escape the nagging thought that perhaps it was not the worlds he had destroyed, but himself.


    He sighed, his eyes opening to the endless black expanse around him.


    The memories continued to flicker in his mind, clearer than they had ever been.


    He remembered the first moments of his journey... how he had once been nothing more than a mortal, a simple soul on Earth who had been cast into a world of gods and monsters.


    "That day..." he murmured, his voice softer, lost in memory.


    "The day I was cast into the unknown. I was nothing, just a mortal, and yet... fate twisted."


    His mind wandered further back, to the days when he had clawed his way to power, each victory a stepping stone to the next.


    He had made allies and enemies, had risen above all, and attained the title of Absolute Demon.


    Through blood, betrayal, and darkness, he had become a force so mighty that even the heavens had bowed to him.


    And yet, here he was, alone in the void he had created.


    "Is this all there was meant to be? A void born from the chaos I wielded?" he whispered, his voice swallowed by the silence.


    The memory of his final moments on Earth flickered through his mind, the life he had left behind, the innocence he had sacrificed.


    He could still remember it clearly... the world of mortals, the mundane lives, the simplicity of existence that he had once taken for granted.


    In a way, he wondered if that simple life, so ordinary, so full of limitations, might have held more meaning than this infinite emptiness he had crafted for himself.


    For a moment, the faintest hint of regret crossed his mind... a quiet thought buried beneath layers of power and pride.


    But just as quickly, it vanished, leaving only the quiet determination that had always driven him.


    "I chose this path. I became what no one else could, what no one else dared to be. And if this is the end, so be it. I am Ye Tian, the Absolute Demon, the conqueror of existence."


    Yet even as he spoke the words, they rang hollow in the silence, the void pressing in on him like an endless night that held no dawn.


    And so, he drifted onward, alone in the darkness, a king with no kingdom, a god with no believers, a demon with no more lives to take.


    He was an emperor of nothingness, a solitary figure adrift in a sea of his own making.


    As he floated through the void, his memories his only companion, the words he had spoken continued to echo in his mind, lingering in the silence, reminding him of what he had once been, and of the endless, eternal nothingness that now lay before him.

 Ch 13: The Day I Left Earth

    Ye Tian drifted alone, his eyes closed, letting the vast silence pull him deep into a memory he had long hidden away.


    The endless darkness around him was quiet, yet his mind was anything but.


    He was in the void he had created, and yet, in this quiet emptiness, memories of a distant past began to surface... a life on Earth, a world that had once felt so ordinary.


    "Earth¡­" he murmured to himself, as if the word itself held a fragile, precious power.


    It had been a place so different from the cosmos he now ruled... a world where the people worshiped science and knew nothing of qi or spiritual cultivation.


    In his mind''s eye, he saw it again, the crowded cities, the quiet forests, the endless rows of buildings that blocked out the sky.


    On Earth, demons were nothing more than myths, the talk of stories and movies.


    Powers like his, realms like these, had been only a dream. He let the memories settle around him, as vivid as the day he had left.


    And he remembered the date.


    "I remember it well¡­ January 13, 2024. My sixteenth birthday."


    The memory was bright, sharp as glass.


    He could see himself, just a boy walking the streets after school, his backpack slung over one shoulder, walking beside his one and only friend.


    She had been the only person who''d understood him in those days, the only one he had ever truly felt comfortable with. Li Na.


    He could still picture her... soft brown hair that framed her face, a quiet but kind smile that always seemed to put him at ease.


    They had been friends since childhood, both of them shy and reserved, both content to keep to themselves.


    Li Na had been the only person he could talk to, the one who shared his silence, the one who could fill it with just a simple smile.


    "Li Na," he whispered, the name lingering on his tongue like a ghost, a memory so faint he was afraid to let it go.


    She had been his one companion, his one true friend.


    He could still see her looking at him with a small smile, her eyes soft, her voice gentle.


    She had been the only person who''d made him feel like he belonged somewhere.


    They had been walking home from school that day, the cold winter air crisp against their cheeks, talking about little things, nothing that seemed to matter.


    He couldn''t remember the words they had exchanged, but he remembered her laugh... a light, soft sound that had always managed to break through the quiet, making him feel, for a moment, that the world wasn''t so overwhelming.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    For a long time, Earth had been all he knew. A place with no grand destinies, no gods or demons, only the everyday struggles of life.


    And Li Na had been his anchor, his one source of light in a world that often felt so loud and confusing.


    Then, he remembered how it had all changed in an instant.


    The tremors had come suddenly, an earthquake that shook the ground, sending shockwaves through the streets.


    He had looked around in shock, his feet frozen in place as the world began to crack and tremble.


    People were running, shouting, the ground splitting open beneath their feet.


    And there he was, standing under a towering building that swayed like a leaf, its frame buckling as pieces of concrete and glass shattered around them.


    For a moment, he had been paralyzed, too stunned to move, too shocked to understand what was happening.


    But when he looked beside him, he saw Li Na... her eyes wide with fear, her hand reaching out to him. Her voice, soft but urgent, calling his name.


    "Ye Tian¡­ come on, we have to get out of here!"


    Her voice broke through his panic, and he remembered the desperate look in her eyes.


    In that split second, he felt a surge of strength he hadn''t known he possessed.


    Ignoring his own fear, he turned to her, his hands reaching out, and with all the force he could muster, he pushed her away, shoving her just beyond the building''s collapsing shadow.


    She stumbled, falling out of harm''s way, her face filled with shock and confusion as she looked back at him.


    But for him, there was no escape.


    He could still remember the sound, the deafening roar as the building came crashing down, the crushing weight bearing down on him.


    And then¡­ there was only darkness.


    "That''s all I remember..." he said quietly, his voice little more than a whisper.


    "After that¡­ I felt like I was floating, drifting through an endless void. And then¡­ I opened my eyes, and I was someone else."


    It had been a moment that changed everything.


    He had awakened in a different world, a strange place where power ruled, where gods and demons clashed, where he had been reborn in a body that looked just like his own.


    The same face, the same voice, the same name¡­ but the world was unlike anything he had ever seen.


    At first, he had thought it was a dream, a strange illusion.


    But as time passed, he had accepted the reality of his new life, burying his past, becoming something far greater than he could have imagined.


    And now, here he was, alone in a void of his own making, with only memories to keep him company.


    "It''s been so many years..." he murmured, his voice carrying a faint hint of sorrow.


    "I don''t even know if Earth still exists. I spent years searching¡­ looking through realms, through dimensions, trying to find it. But it was as if it had disappeared, as if it was nothing more than a memory."


    He had searched tirelessly, hoping for even the faintest trace of his old world.


    But in all the realms he had traversed, in all the heavens and hells he had conquered, he had found nothing.


    And so, he had finally given up, accepting that Earth was lost to him.


    But here, in the quiet, in the emptiness, he couldn''t shake the longing that lingered, faint but unyielding.


    "My one wish that remains..." he said softly...


    "is to see Earth again. To go back, just once."


    The memory of Li Na''s face came to him again, her soft smile, her laughter.


    He could almost hear her voice now, clear and gentle, calling his name.


    It was as if she were right beside him, her presence as vivid as the day he had left her behind.


    "Ye Tian¡­"


    The sound of her voice echoed in his mind, delicate and sweet, as if reaching out to him from across the void.


    He closed his eyes, letting the memory wash over him, clinging to the warmth of her presence.


    For a moment, it felt as though he were back there, standing by her side, hearing her call his name, seeing her smile.


    "Ye Tian¡­"


    The voice lingered, wrapping around him like a comforting embrace. And then, like a breath on the wind, it faded away, leaving him once more in silence.


    For a brief moment, he allowed himself to believe it had been real, that she had somehow reached him across time and space.

 Ch 14: Strange Events

    Ye Tian¡­


    ''Hm?'' The voice pierced through the boundless silence, sharp and sudden, like a stone thrown into still water.


    Ye Tian¡­


    ''Why can I still hear her voice in my head?''


    The thought rippled through him, disrupting the heavy stillness that had been his only companion. The voice resonated again, louder and more insistent, as if trying to claw its way into reality.


    Ye Tian¡­


    ''What the¡ª?'' He strained to open his eyes, fighting against the oppressive weight that held them shut.


    The effort was monumental, like trying to lift a mountain. Panic, a foreign and unwelcome guest, spread through his chest.


    ''What is this? Why can''t I open my eyes? Why can''t I move?''


    He pushed harder, trying to lift an arm, shift a finger, anything.


    But his body remained motionless, unresponsive, as though it had been carved from stone.


    The sensation was unfamiliar and deeply unsettling, making him feel like a prisoner within himself.


    The voice surged, louder than before, drowning out even his thoughts.


    YE TIAN!


    ''Stop! Stop!'' He wanted to shout, to silence the voice that bore down on him like thunder.


    But his lips wouldn''t move, and his body wouldn''t obey.


    For the first time since ascending to true deityhood, since becoming the Absolute Demon feared across realms, he felt trapped, powerless.


    It was an irony too sharp to ignore... a being who had razed worlds to ashes, now held captive by a voice. And not just any voice, but one he had longed to hear in the silent echoes of his memory.


    The voice grew unbearable, louder and sharper, drilling into his mind until it threatened to shatter his sanity.


    It was relentless, pushing, pounding, until the noise transformed into something else. A tremor. A sob. The sound of someone breaking apart, not from rage but from grief.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ''Why does it sound like she''s crying?'' The realization sent a shiver through him, a sensation that felt foreign after so long spent in the void.


    The deafening noise softened, the sharp edges fading away, leaving behind a sound so raw, so full of sorrow, that it ached within him.


    It was no longer just a voice. It was her voice, trembling and real, as if she were right beside him.


    The weight on his body began to shift, the stone-like paralysis loosening its grip.


    A warmth spread across the back of his left hand, gentle and trembling.


    It was the sensation of fingers intertwined with his, a touch so familiar that it almost shattered the barrier between reality and memory.


    ''This warmth¡­ it''s real. But how?''


    Sensation returned in slow, aching waves, spreading through his limbs, tingling as it went.


    He focused, willing his body to respond, pushing through the numbness.


    His eyelids felt impossibly heavy, but he summoned every ounce of willpower to move them.


    The effort left him breathless, but finally, they cracked open, letting in a flood of white light.


    The brightness stung, erasing the dark void he had known for so long.


    The world around him was blurred, bathed in a stark, luminous glow. It wasn''t the emptiness of the void; it was something else... something alive.


    ''This isn''t where I was¡­''


    The voice came again, soft and choked with emotion.


    "Ye Tian¡­ I wish you were awake. If only it wasn''t for me that day¡­ You might''ve been celebrating your 19th birthday today."


    The words pierced through him, bringing with them a flood of memories. Recognition coursed through his veins, sharp and painful.


    ''Li Na¡­''


    The name resonated through him, a name he hadn''t allowed himself to think for eons.


    His vision remained foggy, shapes swimming in the bright light, but he could sense someone close.


    The warmth on his left hand tightened, and he felt the trembling fingers of someone clinging to him as though he were the last thread keeping them from falling apart.


    ''Is this real? Or am I caught in some cruel illusion?''


    He pushed against the fog in his mind, straining to move, to respond. His body felt sluggish, bound by the heaviness of sleep that wouldn''t fully let go.


    Yet, he managed the smallest of movements, a slight tightening of his fingers around the hand that held his.


    A sharp intake of breath followed, and the trembling stopped momentarily. The hand clutching his squeezed back, tentative and disbelieving.


    "Huh?" The voice trembled, carrying a note of fragile hope.


    "Wait¡­ Ye Tian?" The name, spoken hesitantly, held so much emotion it was as if she feared saying it would shatter whatever miracle she believed she was witnessing.


    He tried to move his head, but the effort left him exhausted.


    His vision remained a blur, but the silhouette that hovered above him began to take form.


    He could see the gentle curve of a face, hair that fell in dark waves, and eyes that shone with unshed tears.


    Li Na


    The sight of her brought a rush of memories, a flood of warmth and pain intertwined.


    She was older than he remembered, her features touched by the passing of years, but her eyes... those eyes that had once looked at him with unguarded affection... were the same.


    ''How is this happening? How did I get here?''


    His thoughts were a whirlwind, questions colliding and breaking apart, but none of it mattered in that moment.


    The only thing that did was the hand that held his, grounding him, pulling him back from the abyss.


    He could hear her uneven breathing, the way she fought to hold back sobs that threatened to spill over.


    The room... or whatever this bright space was... seemed to hold its breath alongside her.


    "Ye Tian¡­ please, don''t let this be a dream," she whispered, her voice cracking under the weight of her emotion.


    ''Li Na, I''m here¡­ I''m really here.'' He wanted to say it, to reach out and touch her face, to wipe away the tears that fell so freely.


    His heart ached with the need to reassure her, but his voice still lay trapped, tangled in the thorns of disbelief and shock.


    The warmth of her hand tightened again, stronger this time, as if she could pull him fully back to the world by sheer will alone.


    He pushed harder, fighting the heaviness that held him down.


    The light around them seemed to shimmer, softening, and the outline of her face grew clearer, the tears that streaked her cheeks glistening in the glow.


    The stillness shattered as she leaned closer, her voice louder, infused with urgent hope.


    "DOCTOR! THE PATIENT''S AWAKE!"


    The echo of her shout filled the space, and suddenly, there were new sounds... hurried footsteps, the rustling of fabric, sharp commands shouted by unfamiliar voices.


    The chaos of the moment swirled around them, but all Ye Tian could focus on was her face, her eyes wide with shock and hope.


    For the first time in centuries, he felt something other than emptiness. He felt alive.

 Ch 15: Paralyzed Body

    As Li Na called for the doctor, her voice echoed in the sterile, too-bright room, the urgency slicing through the silence.


    Ye Tian''s mind roiled with confusion, a storm of thoughts and fragmented memories crashing against each other.


    His body felt bound, like it was wrapped tightly in unseen chains, immobilizing him.


    No matter how hard he tried, he couldn''t move, and with every passing second, the restlessness grew more intense.


    ''Is this real, or is it just some elaborate illusion?''


    The thought spun in his mind, relentless and taunting.


    If this was an illusion, he needed to break free and see her face... Li Na''s face... unmarred by the distance of memories and dreams.


    But if this was real, he was left wondering who or what could have had the power to pull him into such a state.


    ''Who would dare to bend time, space, and fate so effortlessly? Who could cage me, the Absolute Demon, without a ripple?''


    The thought bristled in his mind, sparking indignation and confusion in equal measure.


    As he strained to see through the fog of his vision, the hazy shape of Li Na standing in the doorway burned into his consciousness.


    Her voice carried traces of fear and hope, intertwining as she called for help.


    The sound was so familiar, so achingly close, that it spurred him into action.


    ''Move. I need to move.''


    He summoned every ounce of strength left in him, channeling it into a desperate attempt to lift his arms or twist his body.


    The effort was met with a sudden surge of energy that coursed through him, sharp and electrifying.


    His muscles tensed, responding with violent spasms, as if he had triggered a dormant current within himself.


    A sudden, excruciating pain shot through his stomach and coiled up his spine, sending shockwaves through his nervous system.


    It felt as though a blade of pure agony had been driven into him, splitting him apart from the inside out.


    His vision, already blurred, darkened at the edges as a wet cough forced blood up his throat.


    He gasped, the metallic taste filling his mouth, and with one last shudder, his consciousness slipped away.


    Li Na turned, eyes wide as she saw him collapse back onto the bed, the crimson stain on his lips sending a chill through her entire body.


    For a moment, time seemed to stop as she took in the sight of him, his body limp, face pale.


    The sound of her own heartbeat roared in her ears, drowning out everything else.


    "Ye Tian!" she cried, rushing to his side.


    Her hands hovered above him, unsure where to touch, how to help, as tears welled up and spilled over.


    "Please, just hold on. Don''t leave me¡­ not again."


    Her voice cracked, the desperation in it raw and unfathomable.


    The tears fell freely now, dampening her cheeks as she looked at him, willing him to move, to respond, to breathe.


    *****


    The moments that followed felt endless, a stretch of silence filled with nothing but the sound of her own ragged breaths and the distant, rhythmic ticking of the clock on the wall.


    Footsteps echoed in the hallway, growing louder as medical personnel rushed in, their hurried voices blurring into a buzz of urgency.


    But Ye Tian was already submerged, lost to the world around him.


    In the darkness, the pain dulled to an ache, distant and insubstantial, as if it belonged to someone else.


    But there, tethering him to reality, was a warmth... a small, steady touch on his left hand. It grounded him, a lifeline in a storm of shadow and silence.


    *****


    He woke with a low groan, the sound rumbling from deep in his chest.


    Awareness returned slowly, piece by painful piece, as the throbbing ache in his muscles pulsed with each heartbeat.


    The sterile brightness of the room pressed against his senses, overwhelming after the quiet dark of unconsciousness.


    He blinked, eyes adjusting to the light that seemed to seep into everything.


    ''This is different...'' he thought, moving his fingers experimentally.


    The ropes that had bound him, the weight that had pinned him down, were gone.


    In their place was a soreness that was oddly reassuring.


    He flexed his fingers again, feeling the subtle tension in his tendons and the slight pull of his muscles.


    And then he felt it... the warmth still cradling his left hand.


    It was soft, familiar, a sensation that sent a shiver of recognition through him.


    It was the touch of someone who had held on through fear, through pain, refusing to let go.


    He turned his head, the effort making him dizzy, and the room around him began to sharpen.


    The outlines of machines, a small table crowded with medical instruments, and the steady glow of a monitor came into focus.


    But none of that mattered. His gaze fell on the figure slumped over the bed beside him, her head resting on the mattress, strands of hair cascading over her face.


    Li Na, asleep but clutching his hand as if it was her only anchor.


    The sight sent a flood of memories crashing through him, vivid and overwhelming.


    Her laughter, the way her eyes sparkled with mischief, the soft way she said his name.


    And here she was, with the same hand that had reached for him that day, now holding on like she never wanted to let go.


    ''Li Na¡­ you''re really here.'' The realization settled in his chest, heavy and bittersweet, awakening emotions he thought he had buried.


    He raised his free hand with effort, fingers trembling from the strain, and hovered just above her hair.


    He hesitated, afraid that touching her would break whatever spell had brought her to him.


    But the warmth of her presence was undeniable, the quiet rhythm of her breathing a balm to his turbulent mind.


    A tear slipped down his face, warm and unexpected, leaving a wet trail as it fell.


    It had been centuries since he''d allowed himself to feel, to let the weight of mortality touch him.


    He tightened his grip on her hand, a small squeeze that sent a jolt of recognition through her.


    She shifted, eyes fluttering as sleep released its hold. Her breathing changed, a sharp intake of breath as she woke and lifted her head.


    Her eyes met his, wide and disbelieving, as if the world had just shifted on its axis.


    "Ye Tian?" she whispered, the word escaping her lips like a prayer, fragile and filled with hope.

 Ch 16: Reunion and Revelations

    Li Na was awake, her wide eyes shimmering with disbelief and joy as she gazed at Ye Tian, who was now sitting upright on the hospital bed.


    The sterile white walls of the room seemed to melt away as tears welled up, rolling down her cheeks and catching the pale light of the room.


    Her lips quivered into a smile, radiant yet fragile, as if the weight of waiting had finally been lifted.


    "I''ve been waiting for you for a long time..." her expression spoke, laden with emotions too deep for words.


    Ye Tian took in her face, his heart twisting with recognition and an unfamiliar ache that he hadn''t felt for countless eons.


    Her black eyes, deep and profound, reflected a subtle hue that seemed to hold unspoken stories.


    Her long, dark hair framed a face that seemed untouched by time, yet marked by trials.


    To him, her beauty was beyond any heavenly splendor he had seen in the realms he had conquered.


    But what moved him most was the unwavering spirit in her gaze... the purity that had survived the chaos of their separation.


    Tears continued to slip down her face, her body trembling with the effort of holding herself together.


    Ye Tian managed a small, strained smile, and with immense effort, words stumbled out of his mouth, heavy with longing and pain.


    "Long... time... Li... Na..."


    The sound of her name left him breathless, as though each syllable bore the weight of millennia.


    Li Na couldn''t contain herself any longer. She lunged forward, wrapping her arms around him and burying her face into his shoulder, her body shaking with sobs.


    The black hoodie she wore wrinkled as she pressed closer, holding him with a ferocity that spoke of years spent wishing for this moment.


    The warmth of her tears soaked into the thin fabric of Ye Tian''s hospital gown, but he welcomed it.


    He felt each droplet, tangible proof that this was real. Ignoring the burning pain that flared through his body, he raised one trembling arm and laid his hand gently on her head, his fingers threading through her hair in a soothing motion.


    "It''s... okay, Li Na," he rasped, his voice hoarse and barely more than a whisper. The sound carried the weight of everything he wanted to say but couldn''t.


    "I''m here now."


    She sobbed harder at that, her body pressing even closer as if afraid that if she let go, he would slip away like a dream.


    The room, once silent and clinical, pulsed with the shared heartbeat of their reunion.


    The muffled beeping of the monitors faded into the background, drowned out by the quiet strength of the moment.


    Minutes passed as she calmed, her breathing slowing until it evened out, though her arms remained locked around him. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    Ye Tian shifted slightly, enough to tilt his head and look down at her, still nestled against him.


    The tension in her muscles had eased, but the remnants of fear lingered in her hold.


    A low chuckle escaped his lips, surprising him with its ease.


    "Li Na, would you at least tell me... what happened? All this time?"


    Her grip loosened just a bit, enough for her to lean back and meet his eyes. They were red-rimmed and wet, but they held a fierce determination as she nodded.


    "Mm..."


    *****


    Between shaky breaths and halting pauses, Li Na told him everything.


    She spoke of the day he disappeared, the chaos that followed, and the world that seemed to shatter with it.


    She described how she had found him, barely alive, broken and bleeding as the ground trembled beneath them.


    Something inside her had snapped, a force that burst forth and awakened powers she hadn''t known existed within her.


    Her voice wavered as she recounted the first emergence of the gates.


    Portals that seemed to tear through the fabric of reality itself, appearing in cities, forests, even in the oceans.


    Dark swirling masses that led to realms of nightmares... worlds filled with monsters that should only have existed in myths and legends.


    The world had turned into a battlefield overnight, and humanity, unprepared, faced an abyss with barely any hope of survival.


    Ye Tian listened, his eyes growing darker with every detail she revealed.


    ''Portals, gates... realms filled with creatures? It''s as if Earth became an echo of the cultivation world, but without its knowledge, without its strength.''


    She described the early days, how the world scrambled for answers while the gates released their horrors.


    Ye Tian could almost hear the screams, feel the chaos that must have gripped the planet as monsters poured out, consuming everything in their path.


    Entire neighborhoods were swallowed whole, skyscrapers crumbled like sand, and the night was filled with roars and cries of the fallen.


    "And then..." she continued, her voice dropping to a whisper...


    "the awakened began to emerge." Her gaze grew distant as if seeing those early battles play out in front of her eyes.


    "People discovered abilities that defied science and reason. Some could wield fire, others moved with speed that blurred the eye, and a few could manipulate the very air itself. But the awakening was rare. Only one in a thousand..."


    He could picture it... those who awakened fighting desperately, many without training, trying to close the gates before the monstrous tides overwhelmed them.


    The battles must have been brutal, frantic, and unforgiving.


    "One-third of the world''s population..." she said, her voice breaking.


    "Gone. Entire cities... just gone."


    A cold rage simmered under Ye Tian''s skin, his eyes narrowing as her words painted a picture of suffering.


    ''All that death, all that chaos... while I was conquering realms and challenging gods. While I was...'' His thoughts cut off, guilt clawing at him with iron teeth.


    "Li Na," he whispered, his eyes softening as he met hers.


    "You survived through all of this."


    A bittersweet smile touched her lips, the corners trembling.


    "I had to, Ye Tian. I couldn''t let myself be weak... not when I knew you were out there, somewhere. I had to believe you''d come back."


    Her words were a lifeline, binding him to this reality.


    Ye Tian felt the pride and sorrow mingle within him, knowing that this girl... no, this warrior... had carried him in her heart through the storm of an unraveling world.


    "And you... became one of them?" he asked softly, although he already knew the answer.


    "Yes..." she said, nodding.


    "An S-rank hunter. One of the few in the world." Her eyes, still shadowed with exhaustion, met his with a light that spoke of battles fought and victories won at great cost.


    "Only seven of us... have reached this level."


    Ye Tian took a breath, letting the gravity of her words settle over him.


    While he had traversed other worlds, burning with ambition and wrath, she had become a guardian of their shattered Earth, wielding power that few could comprehend.


    The contrast filled him with admiration and regret.


    The silence between them was heavy, but it wasn''t empty. It carried the weight of unspoken words, memories, and the years they had lost.


    When he looked down again, Li Na''s eyes had drifted shut, her body finally succumbing to exhaustion.


    Even asleep, she held onto him, her fingers still entwined with his, as if reassuring herself that he was truly there.


    Gently, Ye Tian shifted her, easing her back onto the bed and tucking the blanket around her shoulders.


    She murmured something in her sleep, a soft sound that made his heart clench, before settling into deeper slumber.


    He stood slowly, ignoring the ache that flared in his weakened muscles as he made his way to the mirror on the wall.


    His reflection stared back at him: a man draped in the pale-blue gown of a hospital patient, his body thin and fragile, a shadow of the being who once struck fear into the hearts of gods.


    His eyes, however, still glimmered with the fire of the Absolute Demon, the conqueror of realms.


    ''But no matter how I think about it, none of this makes sense...'' he thought, his gaze turning steely as he considered the timeline.


    ''My soul left this world, and almost immediately, these gates appeared. The timing is too precise... too deliberate.''


    He turned back toward Li Na, her form lit softly by the muted glow of the room.


    A tender expression flickered across his face before hardening again, determination setting in his jaw.


    ''Someone orchestrated this...'' he realized, his thoughts sharp and cutting.


    ''Whoever or whatever set this into motion, their game ends now. And I will find them. They will answer to me.''


    **********


    ? Author Note:-


    Sup y''all? Its the most shameless author here :>


    Welp welp today im here to beg :> kek


    Being straightforward is always fun as hell ngl.


    But oh well, the book''s almost contracted so be ready to spend ur wallets on me.


    Atleast do that on ye tian, if not me ;-;


    Oh and do leave some reviews about ur views on the book since that actually gives tons of motivation :0..


    Themks :3 u can leave ur wallets here if u want. I wont mind :3

 Ch 17: New Dawn, Same Demon

    Li Na was asleep, curled up like a child who had finally reclaimed a long-lost, beloved teddy bear.


    Her breathing was deep and even, her face softened by the deep rest that had eluded her for years.


    Ye Tian stood by, watching her, feeling a surge of emotion he hadn''t known in centuries.


    He smiled faintly, a rare expression on a face that had long forgotten how.


    Letting out a slow, steady sigh, he turned his gaze from her peaceful form.


    His eyes fell to the right, noticing the tangle of clear IV tubes still attached to his arm, the needles embedded beneath his skin.


    These lifelines had kept his body nourished for three long years while his soul wandered far from this world.


    Without hesitation, he gripped the tubes and yanked them out.


    The slight sting that followed was hardly worth noting.


    Drops of liquid dripped from the disconnected ends, landing in small, glistening pools on the tile floor.


    He flexed his fingers, feeling the ache and weakness that had settled into his muscles, an unwelcome reminder of the body''s long dormancy.


    He took tentative steps toward the mirror, each movement stiff and strained, his legs trembling under his weight.


    Beside the mirror, a tattered calendar hung on the wall, its pages yellowed and marked.


    The date glared back at him, cold and undeniable: January 12, 2027.


    ''Three years...'' he thought, the weight of it pressing down on him like a lead blanket.


    He glanced around the room, his eyes landing on the old clock perched on a small stand by the bed.


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    The hands moved with their relentless ticking, carving out the seconds that would soon lead to midnight. 10:30 PM.


    An hour and a half left before he turned 19.


    His gaze returned to Li Na, who remained asleep, the moonlight casting a gentle glow on her features.


    She looked younger, almost like the girl he had first met all those years ago.


    But there were new lines around her eyes, shadows that spoke of sleepless nights and worry.


    ''Three years she spent by my side...'' he reflected.


    ''Looking after an unconscious shell with no guarantee I''d ever wake. And she did it in a world turned upside down, where survival was anything but certain.''


    A warmth stirred in his chest, mingled with guilt and gratitude.


    ''Even through eons and countless battles, I''ve never met anyone like you, Li Na. Someone who would wait, who would fight for a glimmer of hope. You deserve more than this world could ever offer.''


    A small, bittersweet smile broke across his face.


    ''No one will ever touch a single strand of your hair again. That, I swear.''


    His eyes shifted to the mirror. He paused, the dim light reflecting back an image that almost seemed foreign.


    With a measured breath, Ye Tian reached up and pulled the loose, blue hospital gown from his shoulders, letting it slip to the floor in a silent heap.


    The sight that greeted him was a stark reminder of the time that had passed.


    The man staring back at him from the glass was gaunt and thin, the sharp ridges of bone pressing against pale, almost translucent skin.


    His long black hair fell in disheveled waves, the unkempt result of years without a blade to cut it.


    The eyes, however, were the same... dark, pure black orbs that seemed to pierce through the very essence of what they gazed upon.


    Eyes that held stories, power, and now, an unfamiliar vulnerability.


    ''Pathetic...'' he thought, lips curling in a half-snarl at the sight.


    The Absolute Demon, reduced to this.


    The hollowness of his cheeks, the frailty of his limbs... it was an insult to the being who had once made entire realms tremble.


    "Tch..." he muttered, disgust seeping into the single sound before he tore his eyes away from the reflection.


    He turned to the window, the cool night air seeping through the cracks and brushing against his skin.


    The city outside was a sea of light, neon signs flickering, and skyscrapers reaching for the heavens.


    Shadows played across the pavement as the occasional car moved through the streets, their headlights slicing through the darkness.


    ''Welp, welp...'' he thought, the corners of his lips quirking up in a wry smile.


    ''I''m curious to see how powerful this world has become while I''ve been gone. But first... I need to fix this frail, creaky body.''


    With practiced ease, he lowered himself to the floor, his muscles protesting the movement.


    He crossed his legs into a lotus position, aligning his spine as he settled down with his back to the window.


    The moonlight painted his outline in a silver glow, casting long, dark shadows across the room.


    He let out a slow breath, closing his eyes, and began to regulate his breathing, each inhale drawing the air deep into his chest, each exhale steady and measured.


    He reached inward, searching for that familiar pulse of energy, the flow of qi that had once been as natural to him as breathing.


    His mind expanded, probing the space around him for the smallest trace, the tiniest flicker of power.


    The seconds stretched, turning into minutes as his senses sharpened, stretching further than the confines of the room and into the world beyond.


    Suddenly, a realization hit him like a lightning strike, and his eyes flew open, wide with disbelief and confusion.


    "What the...?" he whispered, the sound almost drowned by the pounding of his own heart.


    His mind reeled as the truth settled in, cold and unyielding.


    There was nothing.


    Not a speck, not even the faintest whisper of qi in the atmosphere.


    The energy that once infused the air, the ground, the very fabric of existence, was absent.


    ''This place doesn''t have even a single speck of qi...'' he thought, the revelation gnawing at him.


    A world without qi was more than strange... it was unfathomable.


    Even in the most desolate realms, there was always some trace of energy, some connection to the flow of power that sustained life and growth.

 Ch 18: The Void of Qi

    Not a single speck of qi.


    The realization sent a cold, biting shiver down Ye Tian''s spine.


    The weight of it settled like an iron cage around his chest, pressing down with suffocating finality.


    A world without qi was like a bird stripped of its wings, a place robbed of its lifeblood.


    It was an impossibility that defied everything he knew, everything he had spent lifetimes mastering.


    "No qi¡­" he whispered, the disbelief curling in his voice.


    His dark eyes, once capable of seeing through worlds, now stared blankly at the sterile hospital walls.


    The muted beeping of medical monitors and the faint glow of moonlight filtering through the window only seemed to mock him, accentuating the silence where qi should have pulsed and thrived.


    He clenched his fists, feeling the weakness in them... a hollow echo of the strength he once commanded. How far he had fallen.


    The Absolute Demon, who once shook the heavens and made entire realms bow, now stood powerless, reduced to a shadow of his former self.


    His body trembled with frustration, each limb weighed down by a profound sense of betrayal.


    But there was that moment... when he embraced Li Na.


    He could still feel the warmth of her presence and the subtle thrum of energy within her, buried but real.


    It was a flicker compared to the inferno he had once wielded, but it was there.


    For an S-class, the power she held was considerable in this world, but in the grand scale of cultivation, it barely rivaled the Qi Condensation Realm.


    Qi Condensation Realm.


    The thought ignited old memories, a map of ascension that had been etched into his very being through centuries of blood and bone.


    It was just one of countless realms, each a step that separated mortals from the divine.


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    Each one a testament to pain, sacrifice, and unyielding will.


    -----


    Ye Tian''s eyes turned distant, clouded with the ghosts of his past as he retraced the long and arduous path he had once taken.


    It was a path filled with triumphs and battles that defined the essence of who he was:


    Bone Strengthening Realm (9 minor realms)


    The first step on the journey where a cultivator infused their bones with qi, rebuilding them to withstand unimaginable power. Each minor breakthrough felt like being broken apart and forged anew. Few had the resolve to make it past the seventh minor realm, where the pain became unbearable and the line between life and death blurred.


    "Most never dared to push beyond the limits," Ye Tian whispered, recalling the cries of those who faltered beside him.


    Body Forging Realm (9 minor realms)


    This realm went beyond bone, strengthening muscle, sinew, and blood to craft a vessel capable of withstanding the torrent of energy to come. It was where bodies were torn and rebuilt through countless trials, forged into something far beyond human.


    Governing Vessel Blockage


    The critical checkpoint where a cultivator''s path was either solidified or shattered. The process of unblocking the lower, middle, and upper dantians was not just painful; it was a test of whether one''s soul could handle the true burden of cultivation.


    Qi Sensing Realm (9 minor realms)


    The stage where a cultivator first reached out to the world and drew in the energy around them. The first real connection to the boundless flow of life. It was here that many tasted power for the first time and lost themselves in the intoxication of it.


    "Now, not even a whisper of it remains," he muttered, the bitterness in his voice resonating in the silent room.


    Qi Condensation Realm (9 minor realms)


    The realm where qi was gathered, shaped, and condensed within the body. It was the first true test of control, of one''s ability to bend energy to their will and harness it.


    His expression darkened as his gaze wandered to the moonlit cityscape outside.


    Neon lights flickered and pulsed in the distance, their glow dancing across his gaunt reflection.


    The world beyond the window hummed with life, so ordinary and detached from the chaos brewing in his soul.


    The memories continued to pour in, unstoppable...


    Foundation Realm (9 minor realms)


    A realm of crucial importance. It was here that the nine meridians were unlocked, establishing a circuit through which qi flowed freely. The lower dantian became the cultivator''s personal reservoir, a pool of power that fueled every battle.


    Core Formation Realm (9 minor realms)


    The formation of the golden core, a symbol of a cultivator''s commitment to ascend beyond the mortal shell. It was the embodiment of a cultivator''s potential and determination.


    Qi Consciousness Realm (9 minor realms)


    The golden core opened, allowing the consciousness to roam its vast expanse, understanding the true nature of qi and learning to wield it with precision.


    Soul Condensation Realm (9 minor realms)


    The essence of the soul gathered and solidified in the upper dantian. This realm shaped the cultivator''s true self, preparing them for the trials to come.


    Nascent Soul Realm (9 minor realms)


    A realm where the soul gained independence from the body. Even death could not claim a soul that had reached this level; as long as a fragment survived, rebirth was within reach.


    Body-Soul Unity (9 minor realms)


    The merging of body and soul, binding them into a unified entity. This realm awakened the ancient bloodlines hidden within, unlocking potential unknown even to the cultivator.


    Body Tribulation Realm (9 minor realms)


    Heaven''s true test. Thunderous trials and elemental fury descended to judge the worthy. Those who survived proved their resolve and prepared for greater challenges.


    Void Amalgamation Realm (9 minor realms) Strengthening body and soul to survive in the void''s nothingness, an unforgiving realm of isolation and chaos.


    Grand Tribulation Realm (9 minor realms)


    The convergence of mind, body, and soul under immense pressure. Only those who conquered this realm earned the right to seek the path beyond mortal understanding.


    Dao Establishment Realm (9 minor realms)


    Aligning with the Dao, becoming one with the fundamental truths of the universe. Here, a cultivator prepared to step into the immortal path, becoming more than mortal.


    Mahayana Realm (9 minor realms)


    The pinnacle, where one stood at the threshold of the immortal realms, ready to transcend and challenge the seat of the supreme.


    -----


    Ye Tian''s fists tightened, nails biting into his palms. The countless eons of trials, victories, and losses... all of it felt hollow now.


    The air around him seemed colder, the silence mocking.


    "All of that, every sacrifice, every battle..." he said through gritted teeth...


    "useless now."


    The reflection in the glass was a stranger... a man who had once defied gods, now staring at a world that had forgotten qi.


    The weight of powerlessness was a suffocating cloak around his shoulders.


    But beneath it, a fire kindled, slow but relentless.