《The Last Disciple》


 The Demons Legacy

    The mountain was silent.


    A lone boy knelt in the snow, his ragged clothes barely shielding him from the cold. His dark eyes, sharp and defiant, glared at the man before him. The man was old, draped in tattered robes, his long white hair unkempt, and his crimson eyes gleaming with something between amusement and madness.


    Jiang Feng did not know this man''s name. Not yet.


    "Boy," the old man rasped, his voice like grinding steel. "Do you fear death?"


    Jiang Feng scoffed. "What''s there to fear? I''d rather die fighting than grovel."


    The old man grinned, revealing yellowed teeth. "Good. I hate cowards."


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    With a flick of his finger, the old man sent a wave of sword intent crashing toward Jiang Feng. The boy barely had time to move before the ground behind him split apart, a deep trench forming where he once stood.


    His heart pounded. That wasn''t a sword¡ªthere was no weapon, no blade. Just intent. Pure, unrestrained killing intent shaped like a blade.


    The old man laughed. "You''re not completely useless."


    Jiang Feng clenched his fists, ignoring the chill in his bones. "Who the hell are you?"


    "I am the Sword Demon," the man said, stepping forward. "And you are my last disciple."


    Jiang Feng''s breath hitched. The Sword Demon. A name spoken in whispers. A warrior who once stood at the peak of the martial world before vanishing without a trace. The man before him was a legend¡ªand a demon.


    A sudden thought crossed Jiang Feng''s mind. "Why me?"


    The Sword Demon''s grin widened. "Because I see the same hunger in you." His crimson eyes gleamed. "You enjoy the fight, don''t you? The rush of battle. The moment when your opponent''s life is at your mercy."


    Jiang Feng was silent.


    He did enjoy it. The thrill of combat. The feeling of overwhelming an enemy. The helplessness in their eyes before the final blow.


    The Sword Demon chuckled. "Good. Then I will teach you everything." He turned, walking toward the edge of the cliff. "Follow, or die here."


    Jiang Feng hesitated only for a moment before stepping forward.


    The last disciple of the Sword Demon had been chosen.


    And the world would soon tremble once more.

 Baptism of Blood

    Jiang Feng followed the Sword Demon deep into the mountains. They walked for hours in silence, the old man''s tattered robes fluttering in the wind. Eventually, they reached a clearing surrounded by jagged cliffs. The snow here was stained with dried blood.


    The Sword Demon turned to face him. "Your training begins now."


    Jiang Feng smirked. "Finally."


    The old man''s grin was savage. "You''re eager to suffer? Good."


    Without warning, the Sword Demon flicked his finger. A blade of air shot toward Jiang Feng''s face. He barely dodged, feeling the sting of wind cutting his cheek.


    He didn''t get a chance to recover. A second slash came. Then a third. Jiang Feng twisted, ducked, rolled¡ªuntil one finally struck his shoulder, sending him tumbling into the snow.


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    Pain flared. But he grinned through gritted teeth.


    "That all you got, old man?"


    The Sword Demon''s laughter echoed. "You think this is a game?" He raised a finger again. But this time, the air around them trembled.


    Jiang Feng''s instincts screamed.


    A dozen slashes rained down.


    There was no dodging.


    Blood sprayed across the snow.


    Jiang Feng collapsed, panting, his body covered in fresh cuts. The world spun, his vision blurred¡ªbut his grin never faded.


    The Sword Demon loomed over him. "You''re still smiling?"


    Jiang Feng coughed up blood and chuckled. "That was fun."


    The old man''s gaze sharpened. Then, he let out a deep, satisfied laugh. "You''re insane, boy." He knelt beside Jiang Feng and pressed a finger to his chest. "Hold still."


    A surge of heat rushed through Jiang Feng''s body. His wounds burned, but the pain faded. His strength returned.


    "What was that?"


    The Sword Demon grinned. "A technique you''ll learn in time. But first, you must prove yourself."


    Jiang Feng''s grin widened. "What do I kill?"


    The Sword Demon''s eyes gleamed. He pointed to the forest beyond the cliffs. "A group of bandits camp there. They are weak, but they outnumber you. If you survive, your training continues. If not¡­" He shrugged.


    Jiang Feng rose to his feet, blood still dripping from his wounds. He turned toward the forest, excitement surging through his veins.


    "No torture, no screaming, no fun¡­ That would suck."


    And with that, he vanished into the trees.