With his eyes wide open and dark pupils fixed on the window, he watches the sun quietly ascend, his gaze resting on the serene, unmoving green mountains.
He grimaced at the sight of his still-broken left arm, propped himself up, and realized his mother was missing, before catching sight of a letter resting on the wooden drawer.
Revealing its contents.
*Apologies, Zhung, but Mom needs to head to the capital of Gue early. I'll be gathering some new seeds for the garden and expect to return in about four days. Make sure to behave while I'm gone!*
As he read the letter, his cold, icy eyes softened with warmth. Rising to his feet, he donned fresh clothes and stepped outside, where his gaze quickly chilled once more.
His grace flowed with the wind, and then he noticed a chicken laying an egg in a nest beside the small hut. He swiftly grabbed the egg and proceeded to cook and eat it.
Once he finished, he turned his gaze toward the road ahead. His movements became stiff, his eyes remained cold and lifeless, yet a flicker of determination sparkled within them. Undeterred, he pressed on with unwavering steps.
As he arrives in Black Water Village, he strides forward while the locals murmur about some residents who have gone missing since the nearby tavern opened by the cultivators.
As Zhung continued walking, a smirk crept across his face, tarnishing the reputation of the cultivators in the village.
As he navigated through the forest towards the cave to check on the snow moon-tailed fox, Zhung overheard voices raised in argument among the trees.
The voice resonated in his memory, bringing to mind the arrogant man in white robes. He frowned and halted his steps, redirecting himself toward the source of the voice.
Tracing the source of the voice, Zhung soon reached its origin, spotting the familiar white-robed man yelling at a girl whose expression remained one of indifference.
You impertinent buffoon! Is it so difficult for you to respect my wishes? Eliminate my older brother, and I will rightfully claim my position as the true heir of the Hang family! Do you understand that?The arrogant man shouted directly at her, his face contorting in disgust.
Zhung listened in silence, his own revulsion growing as he overheard the Hang family once again. He ground his teeth; the Hangs had always been selfish and consumed by greed, just as they had been in his past life.
*The Hang bloodline has been tainted from the very beginning, but thankfully, I am no longer one of them.*
Zhung surveyed the situation with disdain. After the man in the white robe departed, the girl found herself alone. He stole a glance at her face, captivated by her striking beauty and ethereal grace.
He instinctively clenched his right hand, his nails biting sharply into his palm. In an instant, his expression hardened, and his eyes darkened. He then slipped away silently.
As the young woman emerged from the area, she glanced at the tree concealing Zhung, her expression hardening.
Approaching the cave, memories stirred within him: haunting red eyes and a familiar presence that lingered at the thought of her.
Xain Xe, a name he had buried deep in his heart, haunted him—a poignant reminder of the genuine love he had convinced himself was merely a substitute for her and her puppet. He frowned.
As he looked at the familiar cave, his gaze remained steely while he stepped into the shadowy depths. After surveying his surroundings, he lit a torch and turned his attention to a deep hole, a sudden unease quaking in his dark eyes.
Oblivious to the beast lurking below, Zhung carelessly peered down. In an instant, the precipice he stood upon crumbled, and time stretched into haunting stillness.
Like an autumn leaf drifting downward, he too journeyed toward his conclusion.
The impending darkness enveloped the scene as the sun dipped quietly below the horizon, the clouds gathering ominously overhead, and the first drops of rain began to fall.
The soothing patter of rain created a calming atmosphere while the cold stones absorbed the chill of the steady downpour.
As an autumn leaf rested on the earthy ground, a surge of water swept it toward a mountain, guiding its slow descent. Undeterred, the leaf resolutely continued its journey.
Zhung's dark eyes fluttered open briefly to catch a glimpse of a blurred figure resembling a woman—her red hair and white eyes etched into his memory. She pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead, causing Zhung's eyes to close once more; soon, only the sound of the rain remained.
It was a bright autumn day, with leaves drifting gracefully to the ground. The arena buzzed with anticipation as the host energetically announced the names of the two contenders.
"Before us stand two remarkable prodigies: one is a pupil of Grandmaster Shin Luo, while the other's mentor remains a mystery!"
The host exuberantly declares,
"These two brilliant minds will compete to determine who truly holds the treasure known as the Azure Dragon Pearl!"
He shouts with excitement.
"Next, we come across Zhung, his striking blue eyes mesmerizing and his black hair gently swaying in the breeze. Beside him stands a girl with enchanting red eyes and flowing brown hair."
Suddenly, Zhung's expression darkens; his blue eyes shift to a cold, indifferent hue as his black hair transforms to brown.
His gaze locks onto the old man, who unexpectedly coughs up blood, and then shifts to the woman as the world begins to warp around them.
Her hair shimmers white and her eyes glow a deep crimson as she morphs into the heavenly demon.
With a chill in his voice, Zhung mutters, fixing his intense gaze on her,
"Xain Xe."..." He muttered in disgust before his eyes flew open, exposing the harsh stone ceiling overhead. A wave of agony surged through his left arm, causing his dark eyes to quiver. He sensed the sting from where he had bitten his lip, and soon, blood began to trickle.
Steadying himself, he surveyed his surroundings until his gaze fixed on the beast. Their eyes met, and with a menacing howl, the creature lunged, pinning Zhung to the unforgiving stone floor.
Believing that his time was up, the beast refrained from tearing him apart. Instead, it focused on Zhung's injured left arm, licking the blood that trickled down with surprising gentleness.
Zhung, trying to be composed, suppressed his fear forcefully.
His eyes were fixed on the beast's vacant stare. The creature halted its licking and turned its gaze toward Zhung, then let out a chilling howl before retreating to a distance, where it settled quietly.
Seeing the gentle beast that posed no threat, Zhung breathed a sigh of relief. As he observed the creature resting peacefully, his eyes wandered around, taking in the numerous human bones scattered nearby.
He frowned and turned his gaze towards the fox, watching as a third tail began to emerge. Zhung's eyes widened in surprise.
At last, the Snow Moon-tailed Fox has achieved its third stage, enabling it to cultivate, as the beast's demonic blood has finally been unleashed. But how could it possibly slay such a creature?
The beast had powers now, but he was a simple mortal with no tools, just powerless.
The beast, aware of Zhung's unwavering stare, let out a yawn. Upon glimpsing its razor-sharp teeth, Zhung abandoned any thought of harvesting its demonic blood.
After some time, Zhung, ever vigilant, couldn't fight off his drowsiness any longer; then, he suddenly heard the soothing voice of a gentle woman.
"Hey."
Zhung scanned his surroundings, finding himself alone with the beast, which was fixated on him, its gaze piercing through the silence.
Then Zhung muttered,
"Ahh... Hey."
The beast gazed at Zhung, its surprise palpable, and then it communicated without moving its mouth. Suddenly, Zhung heard a voice in his mind—it was telepathy.
*Greetings, mortal. Can you hear my voice?*
Zhung's icy gaze fixed on the beast before he spoke.
"Perhaps not, or perhaps..."
His voice was cold and detached as he addressed the beast, all the while the rain quietly fell in the outside.
"Why didn't you end my life?"
He murmured, his voice still icy, and heard the response echoing in his mind.
*Why would I terminate the very thing that enables my success?*
Their eyes locked, and Zhung was the first to introduce himself, followed by the creature.
"I'm Zhung, and it's a pleasure to meet you."
*My name is Chibang Po, and it's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Zhung.*
They exchanged a brief nod before turning away. Zhung, unusually fatigued, felt his eyes growing hazy as his vision began to blur.
Then his body went limp, and just before he closed his eyes, he caught sight of the blurred figure once more, her red hair framing a gaze that pierced through with white intensity.
A gentle warmth brushed against his lips before he slipped into unconsciousness, plunging him back into darkness.
As he drifted in the depths of darkness, he pondered how fate was toying with him, once more feeling like a jester at the whims of destiny and the heavens.
His dark eyes fluttered open, taking in the serene forest around him. The rain had finally ceased. As he scanned his surroundings, he rose slowly, his body protesting with aches. Then, he glanced at his left arm, now healed and moving with newfound strength.
He gazed at the cave before him, peering into the hollow where the beast had not been. A frown creased his brow; it was yet another failed attempt to attain his cultivation.
As the sun begins to set, he strolls alone toward Black Water Village, leaving the forest behind. He heads to the tavern and places his meal order.
As he ate, another altercation erupted. He spotted the white-robed figure causing chaos again, this time confronting a burly man. The white robe lifted a hand, sending the burly man stumbling, though he resolutely held his ground.
Zhung watched as the burly man's skin began to harden into iron, causing the white-robed man to panic and cry out for help. In that moment, the burly man lifted his iron fist.
With a thud, the burly man collapsed onto the wooden floor, bloodied and vulnerable, as the wind howled fiercely outside. In stark contrast, a woman stood nearby, her crimson eyes cold and indifferent, her expression unfazed.
Her stunning black hair danced with the fierce wind, infusing the tavern with her exquisite elegance.
As he gazed at her, his face contorted with disgust, masking his resentment behind a veneer of calm, emotionless composure.
*Why do I find myself thinking about her? It's inconceivable if her soul has been reborn here.*
Zhung, however, was astonished to discover that he had been reborn in this world, realizing he was not the only extraordinary being.
"You foolish servant, what possessed you to do that right now?"
The man in the white robe contemptuously spat at the burly figure, then grinned as he brought his foot crashing down on the man's head, obliterating it like a watermelon and sending blood splattering in all directions.
Even the strangers felt irritation, but they refrained from expressing it, as the young man belonged to the esteemed Hang bloodline, being the son of a military general from the Hang family.
Zhung, his face betraying no emotion about the situation, continued to savor his meal. As the man in the white robe departed, the atmosphere shifted, and he instructed his servant to tidy up.
"Clean this up you foolish servant."
Soon, the tavern emptied quickly as the strangers departed, leaving Zhung alone with the girl after he finished his meal.
As Zhung prepared to leave, an unexpected force propelled him from his seat. The girl approached, her eyes a striking crimson, and Zhung noticed her hand was raised.
Zhung was rooted to his seat, unable to look away as the girl approached. She settled beside him, her piercing red eyes fixed on him with an unsettling intensity.
"Can you remind me, do we know each other? You have an uncanny resemblance to someone I'm familiar with."
Zhung sensed his eyes flutter as his body tensed, a wave of fear washing over him once more.
Their eyes locked in a tense gaze; her crimson irises met Zhung's once-vibrant blue, now hollow and lifeless black depths. A frown creased his brow.
**End of Chapter 9**