"One last soul. You belong to the King. Your essence is mine."
The sinister whispers of the demonic smoke slithered closer to Lei Ze.
Lei Ze did not flinch, did not try to flee, and did not resist. He simply let go. All he wanted was to remain kneeling by his mother's side, embracing the stillness of death.
Suddenly, a brilliant column of golden light erupted behind him, slamming into the shadowy mass and instantly blocking its advance.
Lei Ze slowly turned his head through the dust and rain that billowed violently around him.
A figure, a monk, stood firm, already prepared to defend him. The monk held one palm outward toward the smoke, his other hand raised vertically against his chest in a defensive, spiritual salute.
The demonic smoke seemed to recoil, emitting a hissing sigh as it drifted back slightly. Within the smoke, the desperate breaths of countless stolen souls sounded like a collective, terrified gust.
The monk launched himself forward, deciding instantly that if this creature were allowed to roam, no one would be safe.
"Buddha's Shadow Clone," the monk spoke, his voice deep and resonant.
His fingers executed a series of flawless, rapid gestures, and four golden, spectral copies of himself appeared, surrounding the shadow mass.
"By the power of the Saha realm, Extract!"
Thin, luminous beams of golden light shot from the palms of the monk and his four clones, striking the smoke mass directly. It screamed a horrifying sound composed of myriad whispers of pain, hatred, grief, and fury.
The monk and his projections pushed the spiritual light harder, attempting to incinerate the entity, but their efforts were not enough.
With a sudden, violent surge, the demonic smoke exploded outward, releasing a thick, violet-tinged, poisonous gas that instantly saturated the entire village atmosphere.
"This is poison?" the monk realized, his eyes narrowing. He and his clones quickly repositioned, tightening the circle around the unstable energy.
They reformed their spiritual formation. The golden light burst forth again, striking the core of the smoke. With a final, explosive shudder, the mass detonated into nothing but silent purple vapor, which quickly dissolved into the rainy air, leaving behind only the lingering, defeated whispers.
The monk descended calmly, and the four golden clones faded away. Holding a flickering talisman, he slowly approached Lei Ze, who now lay prone on the ground.
The toxic gas released by the shadow creature had done its work; the boy had inhaled the poison, and his chance of survival was dangerously low.
The monk gently lifted the boy, then walked toward the quiet edge of the ruined village where a small, surviving temple stood. He placed Lei Ze carefully beneath a tall tree and knelt beside him.
"This child holds a future filled with disaster, hatred, and deep sorrow," the monk murmured, gazing at the boy's fevered face.
"Dark energies have already taken root inside him."
He placed two fingers gently on Lei Ze's forehead, imparting a small surge of stabilizing spiritual Qi energy.
"The outcome of the path ahead will decide his end. I truly fear he will choose to become the darker man."
The monk then retrieved a small, dark object. It was a Relic Bead, woven from the inner bones of a high-tier spiritual beast and blessed with the accumulated merit of a thousand monks. It was a sacred artifact meant to guide and suppress negative energy. He carefully slipped the bead into Lei Ze's mouth.
The moment the artifact made contact, Lei Ze's unconscious body burst with a powerful, outward rush of pure yellow light, like a violent wind. His hair seemed to glow, blazing momentarily with the yellow energy, yet he remained motionless.
"Anger, revenge," the monk finished, his voice heavy with finality. He stood and walked away toward the temple, leaving Lei Ze alone beneath the rain-soaked tree.
The town was utterly silent. Not a cricket chirped, not a bird cried out only the quiet sound of dripping rain in a place where only death remained.
"Amitabha."
The sun finally peeked over the horizon the next morning. Lei Ze was the only living person remaining, lying under the tree, still unconscious.
"Hahaha, you are mine! You possess a dark energy," a voice echoed in his mind, dark and seductive. "Whatever you do, try to choose the bad path, because the good paths always follow the slow consequence of Karma."
The voice faded, and the terrifying nightmare immediately settled over him again.
He saw himself standing in the center of the village, surrounded by the strewn corpses. His mother lay on the ground, and he knelt beside her in endless grief.
Then, the scene shifted. A fierce-looking man wielding an ancient, powerful staff not just ordinary wood, but an artifact of immense power stood atop a shadowed cliff, his expression grim.
Next, the vision hurtled toward a landscape of utter chaos, where countless beasts attacked helpless mortals, all led by a serene, calm man who had trained for millennia. This leader stood quietly upon the back of a colossal, grotesque beast, laughing silently.
The chaotic vision dissolved. Lei Ze woke with a gasp, the only word he could utter belonging to his mother.
"Mom!"
He scrambled to his feet, still overwhelmed by sorrow and now completely orphaned. He ran back toward the village, scanning the ground wildly. The bodies slaughtered in the night had vanished only dark bloodstains marred the dirt.
"Mom... Mom..." Lei Ze cried out softly, his voice trembling before his confidence utterly collapsed. "Why did you leave me?"
He dropped to his knees on the stained earth, sobbing loudly when a gentle hand touched his shoulder from behind.
"Young one, it is alright," a calm voice said.
"In this life, you will become someone great when you lose the one you love, provided you choose the right path."
Lei Ze shot up, his body immediately tense. He had forgotten the monk. In his grief, the boy instantly suspected the stranger had murdered his mother. He clenched his fists, glaring at the man with bitter suspicion.
"Who are you?" Lei Ze demanded.
"My name is Jìng Xū."
Lei Ze's jaw tightened, and his fists clenched harder. "You killed my mother!"
The Monk Jìng Xū remained undisturbed, moving the talisman slowly in his fingers as he walked toward the north side of the mountain. He paused, looking back over his shoulder.
"Follow me."
Lei Ze trailed the Monk Jìng Xū, his steps grudgingly obedient but his heart still boiling with accusatory rage. He was certain this quiet stranger was the killer.
"Why did you slaughter all the villagers, and take my mother?" Lei Ze's voice was tight, betraying the immense effort it took not to scream the words.
Jìng Xū paused calmly, tilting his gaze upward at the bright morning sun, his expression serene. "Young man, I did not kill your mother."
Lei Ze studied the monk's face, searching for any flicker of deceit, but saw only a strange, distant sadness as if Jìng Xū himself were grieving.
"And why should I ever believe you?"
Jìng Xū continued walking, leading the way toward a subtle, neatly carved cave entrance hidden within the massive mountain rock. "I do not require your belief, Lei Ze. I only require your attention."
Lei Ze silently followed. Though he had lived in this village for seven years, he had never before realized the entrance existed among these peaks.
"What is this place?"
They stood before a dozen lit spiritual candles flickering within the carved cave. Jìng Xū pressed his palms together, entering a posture of prayer.
"This is where I dwell, young one."
Lei Ze looked around the small, immaculate chamber, his mind reeling as he tried to fathom the concept of living hidden here for so long.
"Elder Jìng Xū," Lei Ze began, using the title to mask his hostility, "I am Lei Ze. If I may ask, how long have you been living here?"
Jìng Xū extended two fingers toward a small, glowing fire. With a silent release of pure Qi energy, he guided the flame to light the remaining candles without physically touching them.
"For roughly a thousand years."
Lei Ze was speechless. The notion that a human being could exist on earth for a millennium felt entirely fictional.
Jìng Xū then released a wave of powerful Qi energy and gracefully crossed his legs, settling into a deep meditative cultivation pose.
The sheer spiritual force subtly rattled Lei Ze, nearly knocking the boy off balance.
"How did you do that?"
"I have refined my body over these countless years," Jìng Xū replied, his eyes closed, his breathing slow and measured, "by committing myself to the path of the Dao."
Lei Ze rushed to his side, bending down to meet the monk's face. "What exactly is this Dao?"
Jìng Xū spoke without opening his eyes, his words smooth and clear. "Cultivation takes many forms and follows many principles. The Dao is the Way, the fundamental law that governs all existence, the source from which all energy, spiritual and physical, flows. To follow the Dao is to harmonize your inner self with the eternal truth of the universe."
A desperate longing for strength surged through Lei Ze. "Can I also cultivate? Can I become a powerful cultivator like you?"
Jìng Xū inhaled deeply, then offered a cryptic lesson with every calm exhale.
"You seek power through many forms: through the Heavens, the Earth, the Shadow, and the Hand. Know this, young one: The strongest foundation in a house with many rooms is not the wood, nor the stone, but the empty space within."
"Cultivation is not about gaining strength, but the necessary act of shedding weakness. Every stream of Qi, whether it is the golden light of the heavens or the chilling shadow of the abyss, must first pass through a vessel that is pure."
"Your true strength will be measured not by the force of your physical strike, but by the unwavering stillness of your heart when the world around you collapses into chaos."
Lei Ze, mesmerized despite his fear, sat down and crossed his legs, facing Jìng Xū.
"You are capable of mastering many paths, but the choice of the correct one is determined by fate, by Karma. The path stretching ahead of you will be profoundly challenging."
Lei Ze remained silent, his small body tense, listening intently. He had dreamed of becoming strong for years, but now, he finally had a chance, even if the opportunity came from someone he suspected.
"Elder Jìng Xū," Lei Ze pleaded, "please, guide me in the Dao paths too."
Jìng Xū gently shook his head, offering a doubtful glance. "I cannot instruct you."
"But Elder, please..."
"But I know exactly where you must train."
A spark of raw excitement lit Lei Ze's eyes.
"Thank you, Elder Jìng Xū!"
Jìng Xū extended one palm, directing Lei Ze to do the same. Lei Ze obeyed, mimicking the monk's position.
A soft golden light began to circle them both.
"Feel the Qi around you, saturating the very air," Jìng Xū instructed.
"Absorb it slowly and silently. Sink into a deep meditation. You will then see your inner Core and your Seal."
Lei Ze closed his eyes, instantly falling into a meditative state. He felt as if he were standing atop a vast, endless sea of water, somehow buoyant and safe. High above this water, a single bright golden bead, the Relic Bead Jìng Xū gave him was shining like a small, brilliant sun.
"Absorb," the monk's voice echoed in his mind.
Lei Ze extended his spiritual hand toward the golden bead, drawing its spiritual Qi inward to circulate through his body's veins and meridians.
As he successfully passed through this initial Body Refinement Stage, he felt an overwhelming transformation, emerging from the meditation with the awareness of a completely renewed body.