Moonlight could not pierce the dense forest canopy. The night air carried the scent of damp earth and a faint whiff of blood, but to Chen Mo, it was the aroma of freedom.
Mei walked beside him, her body stiff, her gaze vacant, like a puppet whose strings were held by another's will. Little Hu's sacrifice had shattered Mei's soul, yet in her dead eyes, Chen Mo saw a flicker of deep hatred—something he could nurture.
Yuan De led the way, his steps slow yet efficient, his dark robe blurring his tracks. A faint aura of 'Sloth' emanated from him, a peculiar, lethal laziness.
"We're almost there," Yuan De murmured, without turning his head. "The 'Six Curses' stronghold lies underground, hidden from the major sects. There, power is forged from dark ambitions, from forbidden desires."
Chen Mo's thin sneer barely touched his lips. "That sounds like home to me."
Mei flinched slightly beside him, as if Chen Mo's words pierced through her fog of ruin. Yuan De simply chuckled. "We've seen your uniqueness, Chen Mo. Beast core energy unbound by the Dantian. A fascinating Art."
"Art is the path to supremacy," Chen Mo replied, his voice flat, yet filled with absolute conviction. "Rules are for the weak. I've never bowed to them. I crush them."
They arrived at a seemingly ordinary cliff, hidden behind thick bushes. Yuan De raised a hand, and massive rocks slowly shifted, revealing a narrow crevice leading into the darkness below. Cold, damp air wafted out, carrying the smell of earth, moss, and something more... rotten. The stench of corrupt power.
"Welcome, Chen Mo," Yuan De said, stepping into the dark tunnel. "Welcome to the Nest of Demon."
Chen Mo entered without hesitation, dragging the reluctant Mei with him. A dark, steep path stretched before him, and in that gloom, he felt the chaotic yet potent pulsation of energy, energy born from Tan Lan, Ji Du, Fen Nu, Yin Yu, Tan Shi, and Yuan De themselves.
This is it. Chen Mo mused. A new game. Bigger. More pawns. More cores to devour.
Chen Mo stepped in, his eyes sweeping the room. There, the Six Curses sat in their places, their gazes sharp and intimidating, looking at Chen Mo as if he were dirt.
Inside Chen Mo, a cruel gear began to turn. They are strong; their cultivation might be higher than mine. I'll provoke them. The one who snaps first is the weakest, hehe.
"Listen, all of you!" Chen Mo roared, his eyes narrowed in a cold sneer. "If you think you can surpass me, then come! I'll grind your pride into dust!"
Ji Du, one of the Six Curses, hearing Chen Mo's arrogant words, immediately stood. A cruel grin twisted his face. "A new kid, huh! Arrogant, indeed. You're worthy of being my plaything. Let's see how fast you break." He fixed Chen Mo with a challenging glare.
Thump! Thump!
JI Du's heavy footsteps echoed as he walked towards Chen Mo. They now stood face-to-face, tension filling the air, like a bowstring drawn taut to breaking point.
The other Curses remained seated, watching with hidden interest, while Yuan De leaned back in his seat and dozed off, his apathetic aura undisturbed. Inside their minds, various thoughts churned:
It's showtime! Is he worth destroying, haha? The inner voice of Fen Nu.
He's not bad-looking, but I like his nerve. It'll be more fun if he screams. The inner voice of Yin Yu.
Tch, perhaps interesting, just a little. I'm not that intrigued. If he's weak, no need to bother killing him. I'll torment him first, slowly absorbing his beast core. The inner voice of Tan Shi.
Tan Lan merely glanced at Chen Mo with one eye, then closed it, as if dismissing him as a pebble in his path.
"Before you die, tell me your name. I'll carve it into your soul, a mark of your destruction," Chen Mo said. His stare narrowed further, radiating coldness.
Ji Du replied arrogantly, "My name is Ji Du. Why? Is it even worth mentioning my name before a corpse that might die soon, or even worse, become a spectacle?"
"Hahahah, worthy indeed!" Chen Mo unleashed his aura, focusing it on his sword. It was not merely an aura, but the invisible pressure of an apex predator, ready to cleave Ji Du.
Mei recoiled, whispering to herself, Will this fight be life or death? If Chen Mo struggles, maybe I can help him, even if I'm weak. Fear mixed with a fragile sliver of hope.
Ji Du's response was casual; Chen Mo's aura did not affect him. He sneered, "Is this all your aura amounts to? Maybe enough to kill a low-level beast, haha! Let me show you what a true aura is! HAH!!"
Whoosh! Boom!
Chen Mo was sent flying. Despite this, a low laugh escaped his dust-laden lips. "Strong! So strong! This is what I seek!" Chen Mo lunged, slashing at Ji Du, but Ji Du parried effortlessly, as if swatting a fly.
"Hmm, is that all? Here, let me teach you the Level 1 Soul Qi initiation! Open!"
Whoosh! Qi seemed to converge in Ji Du's hand, striking Chen Mo and sending him brutally slamming into the cave wall.
Ughh!! Splat! Crack!
Chen Mo's body slammed against the cave wall, cracks spreading in the rock behind him. Fresh blood spurted from his mouth, staining his tattered robe.
Chen Mo thought to himself, Is this the power of the Six Curses? So strong. Have I only been killing the weak so far? But why did Yan Jing say he lived for 500 years and wasn't this strong? Does this power come from the curses themselves? If so, this is good. I predicted this might happen.
Blood dripped from Chen Mo's lips, soaking his robe. His body felt shattered after the violent impact against the cave wall. Yet, in his narrowed eyes, there was no pain or despair, only flashes of calculation and a growing, fervent interest. He felt every throbbing bone, every tearing muscle, and it was... exhilarating.
Ji Du stood tall before him, his Level 1 Soul Qi still raging, exuding pressure. An arrogant sneer was etched on his face, as if he had just taught a child a lesson. "How's that, arrogant brat? Do you know your place now? Or do you want more lessons in destruction?"
Chen Mo slowly rose, each movement a stabbing pain, but he forced himself to stand straight. He wiped the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand, a thin, barely visible smile spreading across his lips—the smile of a predator who had just found far more interesting prey. "Fascinating. Very fascinating. You... are quite entertaining."
Fen Nu's inner voice snorted, He still has nerve after that hit? Interesting. It'll be even more exciting if he fights back and is slowly crushed.
Yin Yu licked his lips, How tenacious. It will be more thrilling if he resists, then I can watch him break in a more... pleasurable way.
Tan Shi began to feel curious, Should I claim him after this? His core might be delicious, after all this suffering.
Tan Lan opened his eyes slightly, revealing a flash of sharpness that wasn't there before, as if finally seeing something of value.
Yuan De, who had been dozing in his chair, now opened one eye, looking at Chen Mo with an unreadable expression, though a hint of appreciation flickered within it. "Enough, Ji Du," he murmured, his voice soft yet filled with undeniable authority. "He is our guest. We don't want to break new toys too quickly. Unless you want him to shatter before he can be played with."
Ji Du snorted, the aura around him slowly subsiding. "Be satisfied, brat. You're lucky Yuan De is in a good mood. Next time, you won't be so fortunate."
Chen Mo ignored Ji Du. His eyes swept over all the members of the Six Curses again, analyzing them one by one. He had seen the power of Ji Du's Level 1 Soul Qi, which was likely only a fraction of his true strength. That power far surpassed Yan Jing, even exceeding everything he had encountered in the Ancient Shadow Forest so far.
So this is the secret, Chen Mo thought. Not just normal cultivation, but something tied to their nature, to the Curses themselves. If they can Soul Qi from their emotions or sins, and this generates a soul aura... then there's a pattern here. A new way to grow, to surpass, to become even more savage.
He realized this was no longer just about absorbing beast cores. This was about understanding a higher power system—the "Soul Qi" they possessed in every person/beast sitting before him. This was the key to unlocking the next level, to opening the path to absolute power. And Chen Mo, with his boundless resolve, felt he could crack it. Even if it meant tearing apart every Curse before him.
Chen Mo stepped into the center of the room, his gaze sweeping across the face of each Curse member, as if he were sizing up his next prey. "I'm not interested in your petty games," he said, his voice, though weak, radiating a strange, cold, and challenging authority. "I'm not here to be a puppet. I'm here to take everything you possess. Knowledge, power, even the Curses themselves. And if you stand in my way, I will shatter you one by one."
Yuan De, the Lan Duo, rose from his seat with a movement too languid for the implied threat in his aura. "Chen Mo, take that empty seat." His voice drifted, but carried an undeniable command. "I have something to discuss. The rest of you, don't interfere. This concerns us all, so listen carefully."
He looked at Chen Mo, who now stood tall again despite the dried blood at the corner of his lips. "I possess several techniques and insights into power, Chen Mo. If you wish to learn them, I will provide them. However, I have one condition: join us. What do you say, agreed?"
Chen Mo stepped forward, not sitting, but merely leaning against the back of the empty chair, his eyes fixed on Yuan De. "If it benefits me," Chen Mo replied, his tone flat, devoid of emotion. "Nothing is free, is it? You seem to be hiding something bigger."
A thin, cunning smile spread across Yuan De's lips. "Haha. It's indeed hard to hide ambition. That's why I've gathered and recruited these members to conquer the Beast Realm. Do you wish to help us achieve that goal, Chen Mo?"
Inside Chen Mo's mind, the cruel gears spun faster.
Interesting. I will help him. After that, I will kill all of you. Only I will stand. None will be higher than me. You are merely the dirt I will step on.
"Very well," Chen Mo nodded, his gaze sharp as a dagger. "I will join you. But don't forget your promise to provide those technique books and insights. I will return in... seven days. After that, I will come back here. I'll make you witness my progress. Perhaps there will be a second round." Chen Mo glanced at Ji Du, a thin smile gracing his blood-stained face. "Especially for you, Ji Du."
Ji Du snorted, his harsh laugh echoing through the cave. "HAHAHA! A dog can only bark. Alright, I'll wait seven days, brat. I want to see how far this little dog can crawl."
Chen Mo merely smiled thinly, the smile of a killer. Yuan De nodded in agreement. "I will remember your words, Chen Mo. Some of the books you desire are here." Yuan De waved his hand towards a pile of scrolls in the corner of the cave. "To the west, there's a vast land. You can rest there with... your wife."
One by one, the Curses dispersed, their shadows vanishing into the gloom. Chen Mo pulled Mei, who was still like a doll, following him out of the Den of Demon. They walked through the pitch-black forest. When they reached an empty clearing under the moon, Chen Mo looked around, his eyes burning.
"It's time," Chen Mo murmured, a low, bloodthirsty laugh escaping his throat. "Hahahahaha!"
The sun set, painting the sky blood-red. Chen Mo and Mei spent the rest of the night building a flimsy shack from the decaying wood around them. Beneath the starlight, in that precarious dwelling, Chen Mo felt the power within him surging, ready to explode. This was no longer about survival. This was about devouring.