Then Ming sat cross-legged in front of Greed and said,
"I am going to imbue my Death Qi into you now. You'll feel pain worse than death itself."
Greed clenched his fists and replied,
"I won't let you down."
The others watched nervously, unsure what would happen once Ming began.
Ming placed his palm on Greed's back and pushed his Death Qi inside him. At the same time, Greed started absorbing the death energy around him using Ming's breathing technique.
At first, nothing happened.
Then the agony hit.
A sharp, electric pain tore through Greed's body. Ming guided the Qi through Greed's meridians, trying to force them open. Greed struggled to maintain control, but the pain grew so fierce that it felt like he was dying.
Blood leaked from all five of his orifices.
His body shook violently.
He was on the edge of collapsing… but he refused to give up.
With Ming's steady support, Greed pushed through the pain and continued forcing the meridians open.
After what felt like an eternity, Greed's eyes snapped open.
Everyone held their breath.
Greed slowly raised his hand, feeling the flow inside him, and thought to himself:
"I can sense Qi again… even if the gathering speed is slow… I can finally walk the martial path again."
He looked at the others and said, voice trembling with relief,
"It worked."
Everyone stared at him in shock — and then pure, overwhelming joy.
And now, Greed became the first human in history to use Death Qi without having abyssal blood… and without turning into a half-abyssal like Ming.
If Ming hadn't created that breathing technique, no one—not even the most talented martial artists—would've been able to wield Death Qi.
After that, Ming grew confident and began opening the meridians of the others as well.
Pride, Envy, Gluttony, and Wrath — one by one, all of them had their meridians unlocked.
Because they already knew martial arts, each of them had their own techniques :
Greed: Bodist TechniqueEnvy: Healing and Heavenly Needle ArtsGluttony: Green Dragon Crescent Blade ArtWrath: Ice ArtsPride: Sky Tyrant Fist — a regal, overwhelming fist-style said to crush anything beneath its aura.
Now, all of them could finally walk the path of martial arts again.
Looking at all of them, Ming thought to himself,
"Now that I finally have people… maybe I can try Master's Formless Art."
He turned toward Greed.
"Greed," Ming said calmly, "if you don't mind… show me a bit of your technique."
Greed froze for a moment.
He barely had any qi. But if showing even a small part could impress Ming, he was willing.
"Yes, my lord," he replied, determination tightening his voice.
Greed brought his palms together and activated the First Hand of Bodha.
Black qi wrapped around his body, swirling like smoke… and behind him, the faint avatar of a ten-foot Buddha began forming.
It flickered.
And then—
Nothing. The image collapsed instantly.
Greed's eyes widened.
"I clearly have qi now… so why couldn't I form the technique?"
He stood there confused, frustrated, trying to understand what went wrong.
Then he looked up.
And his heart nearly stopped.
Ming was standing exactly the same way as him — palms together, same stance, same motion.
Greed blinked.
"No… no way. He… he can't possibly be trying to…"
Martial artists trained for years to even understand a technique.
Even heaven-defying geniuses still needed time to resonate with a martial form.
But Ming?
He simply looked once…
…and copied it.
A deep hum filled the air as death qi rushed around Ming.
Behind him, a massive avatar formed — not a Buddha of mercy, but a Demonic Bodha, towering, sinister, radiating pure death.
Just looking at it made Greed's heart almost leap out of his chest.
Greed, who earlier thought Ming was delusional…
…now stood speechless, trembling, unable to find words for what he was witnessing.
And he wasn't alone.
Pride, Envy, Wrath, Gluttony — all of them were frozen with their mouths open, staring at Ming like he was something beyond human. When Ming stopped, Greed was the first one who practically ran to him.
"My lord—how did you do that!?" Greed shouted, breathless, eyes wide.
Ming looked at him calmly.
"You showed me," he said. "So I copied you."
The answer was simple.
Too simple.
And for everyone who heard it… it felt like someone had slapped their years of martial training and effort straight into the mud.
Greed stood there, stunned, trying to process it.
Then Ming added, voice steady:
"I noticed something, Greed. You were directing death qi into the same meridian path meant for vitality qi. That's why your technique collapsed."
Greed's eyes widened in realization.
Pride suddenly stepped forward, nodding sharply.
"So that was the reason I couldn't use my old techniques either…"
Ming looked at all of them — Pride, Envy, Gluttony, Wrath, and Greed.
"From now on," he said, "all of you will focus on changing your martial techniques so they can function with death qi. Combine them with the breathing technique I taught you. Once you adjust your paths, your arts will work again."
One by one, they all dropped into a deep bow.
"We will not fail you, my lord."
In that moment, their respect for Ming wasn't just loyalty anymore.
It was something deeper — the kind of reverence a person gives to a once-in-a-millennium genius.
A man who opened their meridians, taught them how to walk the martial path again, and became the only reason they had even a sliver of hope to escape this damned place.
They didn't just follow Ming now…
They believed in him.
In just three days, all five of them were able to use their techniques again — not perfectly, but well enough that their martial arts finally breathed again.
Meanwhile, Ming had secretly learned five new techniques from watching them, using his Formless Art.
Of course, he never told them that he could copy techniques just by observing.
And he definitely didn't show them his half‑abyssal form.
To them, Ming was simply a human with monster-level talent.
Within a month, they had all transformed their old martial techniques into death‑qi versions.
Their breathing technique grew smoother, fiercer, more refined.
Finally, all of them stood before Ming.
Ming looked at them one by one and said:
"I know you've mastered your old techniques again. And I know you're hungry to get out of here… to take revenge."
At those words—
Envy lowered his head.
Greed clenched his fists.
Gluttony and Wrath both looked down.
Pride folded his arms, jaw tight.
Ming continued, voice firm:
"But let me ask you one thing… do you truly believe you're capable of fighting them now?"
Their eyes widened.
Even though they had regained martial arts, even though they were improving fast… they weren't strong enough. Not yet.
Ming read the truth on their faces and nodded.
"I see you understand. So here is my decision."
His voice echoed through the cave.
"We are staying here for ten years. We will train until you are unshakable. After that… I will personally lead you out of this place. Because I know the way."
All of them reacted differently.
Wrath thought, Ten whole years…
Envy clenched his teeth, Too long… but this place is perfect for training.
Gluttony whispered internally, He… he said he knows the way out?
Greed clenched his jaw, In ten years, my enemies might already be dead…
Pride's eyes narrowed, He knows the exit? Truly?
Their minds were a storm of thoughts — fear, hope, doubt, determination.
But in the end, they all stepped forward and spoke in unison:
"We will follow your orders, my lord."
They were no longer just prisoners, no longer wandering souls.
They were Ming's subordinates.
And with that choice…
Ming laid the foundation for the future Demonic Cult.