**The Gue Empire in the Capital**
The sky unveiled its brilliance, with a canvas of blue overhead, drifting clouds, a gentle breeze, and the sun shining warmly from above.
Zheng Han finally smiled as she received the seeds she needed, a warm expression rare for her visits to the capital, as she envisioned the joyful face of her son.
However, she could hear the vibrant streets bustling with a crowd, many of whom were chanting for the emperor's long-awaited return to the capital after eight years.
Her eyes widen as she sees the emperor and his two sons in the parade. Upon spotting the familiar face and observing his calm indifference, her gaze became fixated on him. Then, as his eyes roamed, an unexpected silence enveloped them when their gazes finally collided.
Their gazes locked; the world faded into silence, and the voices of the crowd vanished.
Sunlight bathed the majestic emperor and the humble woman, their eyes meeting in a shared gaze that awakened the long-buried longing and love between them.
**Back to Black Water Village**
"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.
"Excuse me, miss, but you might be confusing me with someone else."
Zhung responded calmly.
Thunder rumbled ominously as rain began to fall, soaking the vibrant autumn leaves. The mood in the room turned somber, and an unsettling sense of dissatisfaction lingered in the air.
"Your presence is precisely what I've been searching for."
She answered bitterly.
"Then tell me, who are you really?*
Zhung inquired with calmness, yet his mind raced, pondering whether this girl was Xain Xe. Her striking red eyes seemed familiar, but something felt amiss.
*If this girl truly is Xain Xe, then the Chi world must be real.*
In an instant, Zhung's hand curled into a fist, his nails digging into his palm. His dark eyes flickered at the sound of her name.
"I'm Xain Fe."
The mere sound of the answer caused Zhung's entire body to stiffen; his gaze faltered momentarily, but he swiftly regained his composure.
"Pleasure to meet you, Ms. Fe; I'm Zhung."
Zhung smiled as he answered, feeling warmth spread through his palm despite the blood oozing from it. He quickly stood up and exited the tavern, pausing to glance back at her one last time.
Watching her expression shift from nostalgia to anger, and finally to a look of deep pity, he noticed a rift opening behind her. She turned to Zhung, her deep crimson eyes locking onto his with intensity.
"Bye, Mr. Zhung. Hope we meet again."
She stepped into the rift and vanished, leaving Zhung alone to gaze at the empty tavern. His hands were bleeding, now mingling with the rainwater that fell from the sky.
As he trudged along the muddy path, a sudden fracture resonated within him. The name Xain Xe ignited a spark in his hollow gaze, shifting from rage to a twisted sense of joy and relief.
Gazing up at the sky, he laughed heartily, but then his legs buckled beneath him. Staggering, he pressed his bleeding hands to his face, bursting into a maniacal laugh amidst the muddy road. In an instant, his laughter turned to tears.
"Why torment me? Just, why?"
In a rare moment of vulnerability, his humanity surfaced, but he quickly masked it with a bitter smile as he stood up. His eyes briefly transformed to a vivid blue before fading back into the empty void.
"The past is irrelevant and never truly existed; how could you deceive me into believing it was just a dream?"
With a sudden thunderclap, the sky turned ominous, and the rain poured down in torrents, as if the heavens themselves were mocking the clown in the mud who had just unearthed the truth of his second life.
Zhung now found himself perplexed, grappling with the realization that he had always viewed his second life as nothing more than a dream—an imaginary realm crafted in his mind—where heaven and fate conspired to entertain themselves with his existence.
"Being deceived is a mark of foolishness; thus, I admit I am that fool."
Zhung speaks while gazing at the ominous sky as rain pours down.
"Therefore, I must press on and attempt to delineate the concepts of heaven and fate."
As the rain intensified into a storm, Zhung sat at the table in the hut, writing a letter. He then glanced out the window, awaiting the dawn for the storm to finally subside.
His thoughts drifted to his past lives, where a flicker of light existed in each existence, yet fate always seemed to snuff it out.
As the storm subsided, he opened the door, cradling a large bundle. Peering into the hut, he spotted the letter on the table, a smile spreading across his face as he closed the door behind him.
*Enough is enough. I refuse to dim my light any longer. I must make an effort; I must redefine the rules. I will transform my identity from a mere clown into an unstoppable force.*
Zhung's thoughts turned icy as his expression hardened; he cast a final, chilly glance back at the hut before departing.
The figure faded into the trees, and as the rain fell softly and steadily, the soothing water left a frozen soul undisturbed.
After following Zhung back to Black Water Village, he returned with a gaze as cold as steel, his eyes now reflecting the relentless pursuit of an unattainable goal.
As his gaze fell upon a shadowy alleyway, Zhung observed a strange woman exuding an unmistakable aura of intent, yet he remained eerily calm as she carried out a murder before his eyes.
As passersby went about their day, the woman—with a tantalizing allure accentuated by a streak of blood on her face—approached Zhung, only to have her menacing presence dissipate in an instant.
"Hello there, young man; you seem a bit lost."
She spoke in a sultry tone, her copper eyes radiating intense desire.
Zhung remained silent, his gaze as unyielding as steel, his dark eyes fixed only on her. Then, without warning, the ground trembled beneath them.
Suddenly, a thunderous roar resounded through the forest, transforming the gentle rain into a torrential storm. Curiosity drew the townspeople outside to witness the unfolding spectacle as rainwater pooled on the muddy road.
The forest trembled as the ground quaked under the fury of the storm. Among the towering trees, a massive wolf, as large as a small cottage, emerged. Its sleek, wet white fur gleamed, and its eyes glowed a vivid crimson red.
Then it let out a haunting, gut-wrenching howl.
The mortals, including Zhung, clutched their ears in agony, yet the woman remained unfazed. With a smile, she revealed her true nature as a cultivator looking at the beast it was a Albino Mountain Wolf, infused with demonic blood.
The patrons of the tavern emerged to witness the commotion, their faces revealing a subtle glimmer of greed as they smiled.
The woman sprang forward to confront the beast, rallying other cultivators to join the fray. Onlookers fled in panic, leaving only Zhung, who stood quietly observing. A grin spread across his face as his dark eyes remained fixed on the creature.
"Demonic Blood!"
As the cultivators shouted wildly.
Zhung darted into an alleyway, concealing himself as he awaited the opportune moment to seize the demonic blood. Suddenly, a beast's howl cut through the air, and a pack of blood wolves surged from the forest, plunging the scene into chaos.
One cultivator was bitten on the head, while another was torn to shreds by the blood wolves, plunging the scene into chaos.
Cultivators fell one by one, the muddy earth drenched in blood. Zhung remained on standby when a blood wolf caught sight of him and charged forward.
With calm precision, he drew a knife from the bundle just as the beast lunged at Zhung. He drove the blade into its eye, then swiftly plunged it into its neck, splattering Zhung's clothes and face with blood. Zhung hurriedly surveyed the scene.
"Everyone this is too much retreat!"
He was abruptly struck by the powerful paw of the Albino Mountain Wolf, sending him crashing into a wooden house, where he shattered on impact.
As the cultivators fled in panic, they realized the Albino Mountain Wolf was far more formidable than anticipated. In a frenzied rampage, the beast demolished each wooden house with terrifying ease. Meanwhile, Zhung remained concealed, brainstorming his next move.
Witnessing the once-majestic beast whimper, its once pristine white fur now stained with blood, it was an opportunity now the beast was weak.
*This creature appears to be already weakened; however, the real issue lies with the blood wolves—only six remain.*
Zhung paused for a moment, frowning, before he silently approached the tavern. Noticing an open window, he swiftly and quietly slipped inside the wooden establishment.
He ascended the stairs quietly, each creaky step echoing on the wooden boards. Upon reaching the second floor, he spotted a bow resting in a room, accompanied by a collection of arrows. A grin spread across Zhung's face as he eagerly gathered them all.
He heard a noise from below the first floor but remained calm, free of panic. As the three beasts howled beneath him, he swiftly readied himself and rushed down the stairs.
Aligning the arrow's trajectory with the focus in the beast's gaze.
He released the arrow, striking the first beast in the eye; it howled in agony before falling silent. As the two remaining beasts charged towards Zhung, he swiftly repositioned himself, darting up to the second floor of the building.
Drawing another arrow, he aimed his bow and focused, anticipating the beast's movements. Suddenly, it leapt onto the stairs, and Zhung quickly released his shot, striking its neck. The creature collapsed, thrashing violently, and he swiftly extracted the arrow from its wound.
Blood poured from the creature, causing it to choke on its own life force. Zhung, gripping the blood-stained arrow, swiftly ducked as another beast lunged at him. Before he could respond, the creature was already in mid-air, barreling toward him.
Brandishing his knife, Zhung deflected the beast's jaws, but it retaliated by hurling him onto the wooden floor, damaging the blade in the process. Sensing the urgency of his predicament, he swiftly drew his blood-stained arrow and plunged it into the beast's neck.
But the beast endured continuing to destroy the blade it's bone crushing jaw break the blade then it jaw open to bite Zhungs face then he quickly Dodge then Zhung also open his jaw.
He sank his teeth into the beast's neck, his jaw penetrating deep into its flesh, causing it to howl in agony. Still clinging to his grip, Zhung charged at the creature, disrupting its concentration. In that moment, he yanked the arrow embedded in its neck free.
With a swift motion, he plunged the arrow into its eyes, driving it deep into its brain. He stood still, watching as life faded from the creature's body.
Breathing heavily, he panted, his mouth and clothes stained with blood as he fixed his gaze on something.
*That was quite risky, considering only three remain.*
He paused to think, then gazed out the window before reaching for the bow and arrow resting on the wooden floor.
He then opened the window and climbed onto the tavern's rooftop, where he spotted the Albino Mountain Wolf wreaking havoc in Black Water Village.
Zhung's dark eyes fixate on the massive creature as he spots three blood wolves nearby. He steadies his aim, and the arrow is unleashed, striking the beast in the head. It collapses lifelessly, leaving the two remaining wolves aware of their companion's demise.
The two beasts turned their gaze toward the rooftop, spotting a figure perched there. Without warning, another arrow whistled through the air, striking one of them in the leg and rendering it immobile. The remaining beast attempted to howl, but collapsed lifelessly, a knife lodged deep in its skull.
Zhung hurled his last knife into the darkness, leaving him weaponless. Without hesitation, he leapt from the rooftop, landing deftly on the muddy road below. Bow in hand but devoid of arrows, he advanced calmly toward the whimpering creature.
The beast, gripped by fear, attempted to rise but collapsed instead. The storm raged fiercely, yet its gaze remained fixed on Zhung as he approached. Panic surged within the creature, prompting a desperate howl, but the Albino Mountain Wolf was oblivious to its cries, drowned out by the roaring tempest.
Zhung smiled at the beast sprawled on the muddy ground before swiftly extracting the arrow lodged in its leg. The creature howled in pain as blood gushed from the wound. Without hesitation, Zhung drove the arrow into its other leg, and it let out a desperate wail.
The beast remained motionless, its gaze fixed on Zhung as he departed, only to reappear moments later inside the tavern and other nearby structures. Its vision began to distort while it observed Zhung meticulously preparing something; finally, its eyes zeroed in on his dark, calm, and expressionless face.
Then the vision of the beast went dark.
**End of Chapter 10**