The bloodshed and chaos unleashed by Xiao Wuchen in Qing Shi Town had barely subsided when the 'Purge Order' from the Righteous Path of the Eastern Wilderness breached the boundary and descended upon the Great Qian Imperial City, aided by a mysterious array.
In the eyes of the high-ranking envoys, Xiao Wuchen was not only a 'defective product' but also a 'monstrous offspring' who dared to kill immortals. In order to eliminate this threat completely, they issued a decree declaring that anyone associated with Xiao Wuchen was impure and needed to undergo 'purification'. Outside the Meridian Gate of the Great Qian capital,
Those civil and military officials who had once feared Xiao Wuchen now wore expressions of pity and compassion. Meanwhile, the emperor was burning incense and praying in the Golden Palace, denouncing Xiao Wuchen as a 'demon who wreaks havoc on the nation's destiny' and ordering the imprisonment of all the eunuchs of the Directorate of Ceremonial and the Black-Clad Guards.
'To quell the wrath of the immortals and ensure lasting peace for the Great Qian dynasty, Xiao Wuchen must die!'
Many defected from the imperial court and the righteous sects of the martial world, who had once been intimidated by Xiao Wuchen's martial prowess. They used the banner of 'slaying demons and eliminating evil' to hunt down Xiao Wuchen's remaining followers in the streets and alleys. Xiao Wuchen's afterimage finally arrived at his former secret office in the Directorate of Ceremonial.
But instead of a welcome, he saw hell.
Having forcibly severed the Heavenly Gate, the righteous envoys unleashed their fury on his followers. Thousands of loyal Xuanyi Guards were nailed to execution pillars by a celestial spell called the 'Holy Fire Purification Curse'. This flame did not burn flesh, but scorched souls, turning them to nothingness in an extreme state of lucidity.
'Palm imprint... run...'
Xiao Guizi's face, which was usually adorned with a fawning smile, was now twisted beyond recognition in the centre of the execution pillar. His lower body had already dissipated in the golden flames, and the only hand he had left gripped the pillar tightly while a hissing sound escaped his throat.
'Those immortals said that we rootless people don't even have the right to reincarnate. They want to purify this world...' Xiao Guizi spat out a mouthful of golden blood mixed with fragments of his soul.
'Stop!'
Xiao Wuchen let out a cry like a wild beast. The Life and Death Sword erupted with a torrent of dark, demonic energy, cleaving through the leader of the Righteous Martial Arts Alliance and the Imperial Guards who had surrounded him.
However, the martial arts heroes, who had previously revered him as a saint and received his favours, now went berserk. Chanting the scriptures of their immortal sects, they charged forward recklessly.
'Xiao Wuchen! The Immortal Master said that by killing you, we can attain immortality!' 'You monster! How dare you cause the suffering of the entire city's people! How dare you return!'
Looking at the formerly obsequious faces now filled with hypocritical righteousness, Xiao Wuchen felt something within him shatter completely. He had once wanted to save the world, but now, under the decree of an immortal, the world was eager to devour his flesh and blood.
'This is what you call the "righteous path"?'
Xiao Wuchen rushed to Xiao Guizi, attempting to extinguish the golden flames with demonic energy. However, sensing the demonic energy, the flames burned even more fiercely.
'No—!'
Xiao Guizi's eyes lost all light and his entire body transformed into a wisp of green smoke, dissipating into the swirling snow under Xiao Wuchen's gaze. Even in his dying moments, Xiao Guizi clung tightly to the golden token representing the power of the Directorate of Ceremonial.
At the same time, the guide's cold laughter echoed from mid-air: 'Xiao Wuchen, how does it feel to witness these ants being purified? This is the price of defying the heavens. What you cherish, what you protect, is all filth in my eyes.' Xiao Wuchen slowly stood up, his silver hair now completely black with a deep crimson tinge that suggested destructive power.
[Ding!] [Faith Value System Completely Collapsed]
[Host's emotional value has exceeded the critical point: Extreme Madness, Extreme Loneliness, Extreme Hatred'.
[System automatic upgrade: divine demon golden core (true demonisation)]
[Current status: Betrayed by all, the lonely king has descended to Earth; the host has severed all human ties.
'You want to purify, right?'
Xiao Wuchen suddenly looked up. The purple light in his left eye intertwined with the red light in his right to form a chilling demonic pattern. The Life and Death Sword in his hand let out a mournful roar and the black demonic energy on its blade instantly enveloped the entire Forbidden City.
'Since this mortal realm cannot accept me, then I will send this mortal realm... to sink together!'
Xiao Wuchen stood on top of the ruins of the Imperial Household Department. The gold token that had belonged to Xiao Guizi was now crushed to dust in his arms and scattering in the wind. His heart was a desolate wasteland; the last vestige of his humanity vanished with a wisp of smoke.
'Since you desire immortality, then I will grant your wish.' Xiao Wuchen suddenly plunged the Life and Death Sword into the ground.
'System, activate the "Divine Demon Blood Transformation Array", using the blood of the capital's countless hypocrites to sacrifice my demonic golden core!'
[Ding! Command confirmed.]
[Warning: This action will completely sever the host's human destiny, transforming it into a 'World-Destroying Demon Fruit'.' [The array is activated, covering an area of one hundred miles.]
In an instant, countless dark red demonic runes spread rapidly along the streets and alleys of the capital like a giant spider's web, enveloping the entire imperial city. Those 'righteous people' charging towards Xiao Wuchen with weapons in hand, the civil and military officials cheering from the city walls and even the ordinary people mending clothes at home all let out piercing screams.
The demonic runes beneath the ground forcibly stripped away their life force, transforming it into dark red torrents that surged towards Xiao Wuchen in the centre of the Forbidden City.
"Xiao Wuchen! You heartless demon!'
A renowned martial arts master and half-step Foundation Establishment practitioner charged forward, clad in the Sacred Fire Armour bestowed by the Immortal Sect and wielding his sword. Xiao Wuchen didn't even raise his head, merely flicking his fingers.
'Five Forms of Divine Demons — Heartless Slash!'
There was no sword energy, only an invisible intent sweeping across. The master didn't even have time to feel pain before his body split in two in mid-air. His Sacred Fire Armour was instantly devoured by demonic energy.
The former awe vanished, replaced by pure, mechanical reaping.
Xiao Wuchen slowly walked towards the Golden Palace. With each step he took, the people around him collapsed, turning into withered bones. His black hair danced wildly in the blood-red wind and his eyes had become two flickering black flames.
The guide in mid-air finally revealed a look of terror.
"Stop! You wretched creature, how dare you refine a living soul in public!"
He summoned an ancient bronze lamp that emitted a dazzling golden light in an attempt to suppress the great formation.
"Golden light? In my eyes, it's nothing more than the best firewood!'
Xiao Wuchen raised his head to look at the sky. The red light that had gathered the life force of the entire city suddenly contracted, triggering a true 'Divine Demonic Thunder Tribulation' above the clouds.
Purple-black lightning struck wildly, shattering not only the golden light of the ancient bronze lamp, but also striking Xiao Wuchen's body directly. Amidst the lightning and fire, his mangled body was constantly being reassembled, shattered, and then reassembled again.
[Ding!] Blood Sacrifice Progress: 100%
Pseudo-Golden Core Shattered, True Divine Demon Inner Core Successfully Formed.
Realm Breakthrough: Mid-Golden Core Stage (Perfected Rank).
[System notification: The host has completely transformed into the 'Progenitor of the Demonic Path' form. They have severed karmic ties in the mortal realm and are no longer bound by worldly rules.
Xiao Wuchen stood in mid-air, his bare feet suspended in the void.
He looked at the panicked guide, a cruel smile playing on his lips. 'Guardian, you said that we defective beings are unworthy of entering the Immortal Sect. Now, do you still enjoy this hell on earth?"
Before he had finished speaking, Xiao Wuchen had teleported in front of the guide, his right hand like an iron hook, and had plunged it into the guide's chest, tearing out the golden spiritual root.
'No…spare me…'
Go to hell and beg my brothers for mercy.'
Xiao Wuchen's fingers suddenly tightened, crushing the spiritual root into countless fireflies. With a casual inhale, he absorbed all of the guide's remaining cultivation.
'Since this world judges me for my incompleteness, I will use this sin to burn away the heavens' falsehoods.'
Xiao Wuchen roared inwardly as he deliberately collided his divine sense with the red light. All the 'evil deed points' accumulated within the system were instantly wiped out and transformed into an indescribable black torrent that washed over every part of his body.
[Ding! Warning: host is detonating the system's core energy.]
[Extreme destructive will detected. System officially enters Redline Mode.]
[Host's physical body severely damaged, faith collapsed; conditions for destruction and rebirth met.]
System Reconstruction: Hatred Conversion Module.
The gentle system notification sound has disappeared, replaced by a cold electronic sound, like the friction of a sharp blade.
'System architecture restructuring begins.'
[Merit/Righteousness Module: Permanently Closed]
Hatred Conversion Module: Opened.
(Note: The pain suffered by the host, the hatred of the world and the fear of all beings will no longer be converted into points. Instead, they will be directly purified into 'Asura Demonic Qi'.) [Path matching in progress...]
Unique path successfully matched: Asura Sword Immortal. Core logic: Rootless and without ancestry; I and the sword alone; a crippled body mending the flaws of the Heavenly Dao; slaying the heads of immortals and Buddhas.
Xiao Wuchen's body hovered in mid-air, the plundered blood and qi of the entire city forming a massive blood cocoon on his skin.
Within the blood cocoon, his bones crackled as they were reconstructed by the system into jet-black spiritual bones. His meridians were forcibly widened to contain his raging hatred, and the part of him that was originally considered 'crippled' condensed into a 'demonic vortex' emitting a dark glow under the red light.
This vortex was not a dantian or a spiritual root, but a black hole tailor-made for him by the system and capable of devouring everything.
'Crack... crack!'
The blood cocoon shattered.
Xiao Wuchen landed slowly. His dark hair was suspended in mid-air, faint cracks swallowing light at the ends. His eyes were empty and profound. Just one glance at him seemed to freeze one's soul.
'The Demonic Sword Immortal...'
He raised his hand. Sensing its master's transformation, the Life and Death Sword peeled away in large patches to reveal a blade as smooth and warm as black jade yet as deep and unfathomable as an abyss.
[Ding! Reconstruction complete.]
Current Realm: Half-Step Nascent Soul (Demonic Path Rank).
Current talent: 'Enemy of All Beings' (when fighting righteous cultivators, attacks have a 50% chance to inflict Soul Tear).
In the distant sky, several surviving guides were desperately fleeing towards the Eastern Wilderness, trying to bring back news of the 'birth of the Demon Lord'.
Xiao Wuchen watched the direction in which they fled, a cruel smile playing on his lips. He didn't rush to give chase, for with every step he took, the earth cracked beneath the weight of his hatred.
'Don't rush.'
With a casual flick of his wrist, the Life and Death Sword unleashed a black aura, tearing open a permanent rift in mid-air that led to the Eastern Wilderness.
'I will go to the Heavenly Gang Sect and personally rip out your spines to make my sword sheaths.'
The moment he set foot in the Eastern Wilderness, the land's spiritual energy seemed to sense his impurity, transforming into countless tiny wind blades that cut at his skin in an attempt to expel him.
[Ding! Hatred Conversion Module Activated! Dimensional suppression and the malice of heaven and earth detected; conversion rate 200%! Asura Demonic Qi +5000, +5000."
'Does it hurt?' Xiao Wuchen let the wind blades slash his cheeks; dark purple demonic blood flowed from the wounds. He laughed wildly; each pang of pain caused the demonic energy vortex within his dantian to spin faster.
This abnormal amplification method allowed his aura to advance steadily from the half-step Nascent Soul stage to the early Nascent Soul stage in just a few breaths after his arrival.
The Qingyang Sect was located on a celestial mountain on the edge of the Chaotic Star Plains.
Half a month ago, an inner disciple of the Qingyang Sect had mocked Xiao Wuchen at the boundary wall, calling him a 'rootless cripple'. Now, at the gates of the Qingyang Sect, two disciples were idly discussing the spiritual herbs sacrificed from the lower realms.
There was a deafening crash as a mangled corpse shattered the white marble archway inscribed with the four characters 'Righteous Spirit'.
Xiao Wuchen stepped onto a long, jet-black sword radiating an aura of despair and slowly ascended the stone steps, his dark hair whipping wildly behind him. With each step, the white marble beneath his feet was scorched black by demonic energy.
'Qingyang Sect, I've come to collect my debt.'
'You audacious demon!'
With several angry shouts, hundreds of Qingyang Sect disciples took to the air on their swords and formed the 'Qingyang Demon-Slaying Formation', unleashing a hail of azure sword lights.
Xiao Wuchen did not dodge or evade, but spread his arms and allowed the flying swords to pierce his protective demonic energy. He even deliberately let several swords pierce his shoulders.
[Ding! Severely injured by 'Righteous Path Sword Qi', Hatred Value off the charts! Red Light Mode activated. Please use 'Asura Instant Hell Slash'!
"Is this your full strength?"
Xiao Wuchen suddenly opened his eyes, revealing a red light in his pupils. The Life and Death Sword instantly transformed into hundreds of black afterimages and exploded in the air.
There were no screams, only the dull thud of sharp blades slicing through flesh and soul. The souls of the self-proclaimed righteous disciples were torn apart by the 'Hatred Module' the moment they came into contact with the demonic sword, providing nourishment for Xiao Wuchen.
The Qingyang Sect Master, an elderly man in the early Nascent Soul stage, hastily emerged from seclusion to find the mountainside littered with corpses and rivers of blood. His heart broke with rage.
'You... who are you? We have no mortal enmity!'
'No mortal enmity?' Xiao Wuchen held an elder's head in one hand and casually crushed it. 'When your disciples humiliated me, did you ever consider it a "mortal enmity"? When the Tiangang Sect deemed me defective, your Qingyang Sect rejoiced. Did you ever consider that to be a 'mortal enmity' then?"
Xiao Wuchen appeared behind the Sect Master like a ghost, pressing the Life and Death Sword against the man's spine.
'I am the embodiment of the hatred of all "defective products" in this world. Now, Sect Master, ascend to heaven!'
There was a flash of black light and the mountain gate collapsed.