The incense burned low.
Mo Tianxíng sat on his black throne, eyes calm and sharp, like blades in the dark. For years, he had ruled without hesitation. Every soul in the palace knew his whims, his punishments.
He was a selfish tyrant who only used people for his gains and pleasure. Never to fully trust anyone
Two years ago, he had purchased a boy from the streets. golden haired, white eyed, small and silent. The boy had only appeared when summoned for punishment, whipped for the emperor's amusement, made to kneel beneath his gaze. He never cried nor resisted. He only obeyed.
And who knew? That that very child would be the cause of his brutal and painful death, how ironic.
Tonight, Mo Tianxing closed his eyes. He performed the Heavenly Bone Divination, the forbidden ritual that tore fragments from life to glimpse the future.
The vision struck like lightning.
A man. Golden hair flowing like molten sun. White eyes framed by golden lashes. terrifying! Even through the vision, Mo Tianxíng felt his chest tighten something he had never felt before.. fear
In the vision, Mo Tianxing's sharp eyes caught it immediately.
On the boy's forehead, faint beneath his golden hair, burned a red spiral mark, a demonic seal. It pulsed slowly, alive, as if it had a heartbeat of its own. The crimson glow was quiet, almost serene, yet it radiated hunger, power, and inevitability.
this appearance and familiar presence, although he never much engaged with this young man...
Mo Tianxing's chest tightened. That single red seal- hidden all these years- screamed louder than any sword, any army, any cruelty he had wielded.
The man moved like a storm contained in silk. And the emperor saw himself broken, defeated, his crown shattered, he was pierced by numerous blades. Absurd! He was like a porkchop being served to that same very child he had taken in!
Mo Tianxíng opened his eyes. The throne room seemed smaller now, the shadows heavier. The vision still clung to him.. the grown boy, golden hair, white eyes, crimson seal burning on his forehead, standing over him, he shook his head
He thought for a moment
if fate gives him the power to kill me… then I will be the one to end him first.
He rose, and left the throne room. The palace was quiet, too quiet. Well, he did turn away the servants not wanting anyone to interrupt the process. He needed air and he needed thought.
The garden sprawled beyond the eastern pavilion, moonlight glinting off carved stone bridges, pools reflecting the pale light like shattered mirrors. He strolled among the white peonies and black cypresses, each step precise and elegant.
He barely noticed the breeze, but it carried the faint scent of burning incense from the inner halls- and beneath it, the tang of blood from his palace punishments.
"Your Majesty."
Immediately turning around mo tianxing saw the favored general kneeling before him, ah right. General Huo Zhen was known throughout Tianyuan as unyielding and precise, a cultivator whose skill with both sword and strategy had turned countless battles. He had never failed the emperor..
But seeing his fate in the future, this bastard had probably failed him, truly how miserable and unfortunate.
"stand up and speak." Said mo tianxing
"I come with news from the border provinces."
Huo Zhen straightened, hands clasped behind his back. "A delegation from the Crimson Demon Sect has arrived near the eastern passes. They request negotiation, claiming they wish to discuss a truce over disputed territories and cultivation resources."
The emperor's lips curved faintly. "A demon sect approaching the imperial borders… to negotiate?" He let the words hang. "Do they understand the meaning of courtesy, or only weakness?"
"They come cloaked in civility." Huo Zhen said, "but reports from our scouts suggest they are skilled in poison and subtle attack techniques. I advise caution. Should their intentions fail, they will strike without hesitation."
Mo Tianxing's gaze swept the moonlit garden, lingering on the koi in the pond and the petals drifting from the black cypresses.
"Prepare my cultivators." he said softly, "and ready the defensive wards along the eastern pass. If they seek deception… we will give them no mercy."
Well it's not like he plans on agreeing with the negotiation. He just wants to spill blood from the fate he saw, he was furious that such a lowlife scoundrel would trample over him in the future. He needed something to release his anger out on
The general's eyes flicked briefly to the emperor's face, noting the cold precision in his expression. "And… if they resist?" he asked.
Mo Tianxing did not answer immediately. He walked a few steps further, letting the moonlight trace the angles of his sharp features. Then, finally
"Then we strike first, with the full force of Tianyuan. Let them learn that the emperor does not bargain with demons who think themselves cleverer than the world itself."
Huo Zhen bowed again, stepping back into the shadows of the garden, he thinks the emperor is wise, although.. a bit of a loose cannon..
***
The plateau of Bloodstone Gorge was silent under the moonlight, red-streaked stones catching faint glimmers. Mist coiled along the floor, thick and restless, as if the land itself sensed what was to come.
Mo Tianxing stood slightly apart from the edge, his black and gold robes brushing the stone. Behind him, his cultivators gathered, All of them knew the stakes.
"report." His impatient voice shot
General Huo Zhen stepped forward. "Your Majesty, the Crimson Demon Sect approaches cautiously. Their formation is tight, yet subtle. Their cultivators are skilled in red qi, illusions, and poison. The scouts report they are watching for any sign of weakness."
A girl stepped forward, barely sixteen, yet her posture was composed, every movement precise. Her dark hair was tied neatly, eyes sharp and calculating, glowing faintly in the moonlight. Lian Yue. her name was known to few, but all sensed her potential.
Even now, standing among seasoned warriors and generals, she radiated the quiet authority of someone who could one day lead.
"They come cloaked in civility," she said, voice soft but confident. "But their intention is clear. the Crimson Demon Sect tests, observes, and plans their strike carefully. Any misstep on our part will be costly."
Mo Tianxing's golden ringed eyes swept the plateau. Then they flicked, unexpectedly- to the crowd of his lower-ranking cultivators, scouts, and attendants gathered behind the main formation.
A small, pale figure knelt near the edge, golden hair catching the moonlight, white eyes downcast. Han Liuyan.
The emperor's chest tightened. He blinked once, sharply. "Who… brought him here?" His voice, calm and measured as ever, carried an undercurrent of surprise.
Huo Zhen's brow lifted. "It appears… Your Majesty, your juniors and seniors assigned him to accompany the formation. It seems they took him without consulting anyone higher."
idiotic brats, who brings the child in charge of food and labor here? he has yet to even learn any sword practices!
Mo Tianxing's gaze lingered on the boy, noting the delicate poise despite the humiliation of being placed there. Kneeling, small, obedient-looking… yet even now, there was a quiet tension in the way he held himself, as if he belonged nowhere but could withstand everything.
hold on.. this is great, i don't have to get my hands dirty when he can just die here by the hands of these demons..! His very own race, perfect.
He shifted his gaze back to the distant fog, tracing the path where the Crimson Demon Sect would appear.
"we do not wait for provocation. "Prepare the wards along the cliff edges. Let the archers and cultivators assume positions. If they reveal hostility, we strike decisively. If they feign peace… we let them speak, but we remain in control. Every word they utter is a test. Every step they take must be measured against their death."
Huo Zhen nodded, eyes flicking to the emperor's face. "Understood, Your Majesty. Orders will be executed immediately."
Mo Tianxíng turned slowly, golden eyes catching the moonlight. "Do not forget" he said, almost to himself. "the first strike belongs to those who plan, not those who react. Tonight, Tianyuan's strength will be shown… and none shall mistake it."
The cultivators fell into formation, the soft rustle of robes and whispered incantations blending with the mist. the air has gotten heavy.. he had appeared.
Yan Shiluo stood at the forefront of the Crimson Demon Sect, hands folded loosely behind his back, posture relaxed to the point of insolence.
His robes were a deep wine-red, threaded with black sigils that shifted faintly like breathing veins. His face was handsome in a dangerous, misleading way- refined features, a lazy smile curved at the corner of his lips, as though the world amused him endlessly. But his eyes were sharp, far too sharp, glinting with calculation and quiet cruelty.
A man who spoke lightly because he already knew how things would end.
"Your Imperial Majesty" Yan Shiluo said, inclining his head just enough to be insulting. "Allow me to properly introduce myself. I am Yan Shiluo, sect master of the Crimson Demon Sect. We have come, as stated, to negotiate."
Mo Tianxing did not return the gesture.
Golden eyes studied Yan Shiluo as if weighing how much blood he would spill once courtesy expired. "A demon sect crossing imperial borders under the guise of peace.." he said coolly. "You expect me to believe such sincerity?"
Yan Shiluo smiled wider. "Belief is unnecessary. Understanding will suffice."
The air between them tightened.
Behind Mo Tianxing, the imperial cultivators held formation, qi restrained but coiled, waiting for a single word. Across the gorge, demon cultivators mirrored them, casual stances, hidden killing intent, fingers brushing probably poisoned needles.
Yan Shiluo's gaze drifted, unhurried, as if merely admiring the scenery. It passed over General Huo Zhen, lingered briefly on Lian Yue-
Then stopped.
On the kneeling boy.
Golden hair caught the moonlight, pale as frost. White eyes lowered, lashes trembling ever so slightly. Han Liuyan knelt at the rear of the imperial formation, small, silent, easily overlooked.
Yan Shiluo's pupils contracted.
Ah.
So that was it.
Yan Shiluo's smile did not fade- but it thinned, sharpened, as if he had tasted something unexpected.
"How curious.." he murmured, almost to himself.
His gaze remained fixed on the kneeling boy, eyes narrowing slightly, no longer amused but intent. "Among so many human cultivators… there is a scent that does not belong."
Mo Tianxing's expression hardened instantly. "You overstep."
"Do I?" Yan Shiluo replied lightly, though his eyes never left Han Liuyan. "Blood remembers what the mind forgets. Some things cannot be hidden, no matter how deeply they are buried."
The plateau grew unnervingly quiet.
seriously, this bitch should just stop speaking in riddles, how annoying! Mo Tianxing thought.
Mo Tianxing let out a slow breath through his nose.
He did not look at Han Liuyan again.
Instead, he turned his gaze fully back to Yan Shiluo, the golden light in his eyes hardening into something cold and imperial.
"Your curiosity is misplaced" the emperor said flatly. "If you came to speak in riddles, then spare me the performance. State your reason for crossing Tianyuan's borders."
Yan Shiluo blinked once- then laughed softly, as if genuinely amused.
"As you wish." He straightened slightly, the mockery in his posture easing into something resembling sincerity. "The Crimson Demon Sect seeks stability. The eastern territories have grown… turbulent. Skirmishes over cultivation veins, spiritual beasts crossing boundaries, disciples dying for land that yields little profit."
He spread his hands. "Blood spilled without purpose is wasteful. Surely an emperor as wise as you understands that."
Mo Tianxing's lips curved faintly.
"You speak of waste," he said, "yet demons thrive on chaos. Convince me why I should believe this sudden fondness for order."
Yan Shíluò tilted his head, eyes gleaming. "Because chaos is useful only when one controls its flow. At present, the turbulence benefits neither of us."
He paused, letting the silence stretch just long enough to feel deliberate.
"We propose a temporary truce" Yan Shiluo continued smoothly. "Clear borders. Defined territories. Shared access to three disputed spirit veins near the eastern pass. In return, the Crimson Demon Sect will withdraw its forces and cease interference with Tianyuan's expansion."
Lian Yue's brows knit almost imperceptibly and Huo Zhen's hand tightened at his side.
Mo Tianxíng remained unmoved.
"A demon sect offering restraint..." he said. "How generous."
Yan Shiluo smiled. "Generosity is merely foresight."
The emperor stepped forward, the pressure of his qi surging just enough to make the air shudder. "You speak as though Tianyuan needs your cooperation."
Yan Shiluo met his gaze evenly. "I speak as though unnecessary war benefits no one."
That was true.
And that, Mo Tianxing knew, was precisely why it was dangerous.
"You may speak." the emperor said coolly. "But do not mistake patience for trust. Every word you utter is weighed."
Yan Shiluo inclined his head, perfectly composed.
"Of course."
Yet beneath the surface, his thoughts moved swiftly.
So the emperor does not sense it yet, Yan Shíluò mused. Or perhaps he does and refuses to acknowledge it.
His gaze flickered once more, brief enough that none but Mo Tianxing noticed.
The young boy still knelt.
how pitiful he looks...
Still suppressing something that tugged faintly, instinctively, at Yan Shiluo's own blood.
Not awakened, he thought. But not human either.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Yan Shiluo continued aloud, voice unhurried. "This truce would last five years. Enough time for both sides to strengthen themselves… and avoid needless losses."
Enough time, he added silently, to confirm what you are.
Mo Tianxing listened, expression unreadable, yet his mind raced.
Five years.
Plenty of time for schemes.
Plenty of time for fate to twist itself tighter.
End of Chapter 1 - Author's Notes
Heavenly Bone Divination (天骨占)-
An ancient fate-reading technique. By sensing the "bone of destiny" within a person, the user can glimpse fragments of their future. However, each use consumes the practitioner's lifespan and may invite heavenly backlash.
Cultivator (修士)-
A human who refines body and spirit through absorbing spiritual energy, surpassing mortal limits.
Spiritual Qi (灵气)-
Natural energy of the world used by cultivators to strengthen themselves or cast techniques.
Red Qi (魔气)-
A corrupted form of spiritual energy infused with demonic essence. Unstable and dangerous, it can twist both body and mind.
Demonic Seal (魔印)-
A mark linked to demonic bloodlines or contracts. Some seals suppress power, while others indicate hidden identity or fate.
Ward/Barrier (结界)-
A formed boundary of condensed spiritual force. It repels intrusion, conceals presence, or traps what lies within. High-level cultivators may cast one with a mere gesture.
Demonic Sect (魔宗)-
A faction that cultivates corrupted paths. They refine red qi, trade in blood and souls, and reject heavenly order. Though powerful, their way invites calamity.
Tianyun (天云)-
The imperial kingdom said to rest beneath the favor of the heavens. Its capital is built upon ancient dragon veins, where spiritual qi gathers thickly. For centuries, Tianyun has stood as the central power among cultivation realms, ruled by an emperor believed to possess heavenly mandate.
Bloodstone Gorge (血石峡)-
A canyon carved by ancient battles between cultivators and demons. Its rocks are stained red, said to be fused with the blood of fallen warriors. Demonic qi lingers heavily here, making it a forbidden land where demon sects often gather in secret.
𝖈𝖍𝖆𝖗𝖆𝖈𝖙𝖊𝖗𝖘 [人物] :
Mo Tianxíng (莫天行) - Emperor of Tianyuan
Appearance: Black hair, piercing golden eyes, tall and commanding. Wears black-and-gold imperial robes.
Personality: Tyrant, feared by all or most people in his kingdom that is, Saw the future and plots to change it.
Abilities: Supreme cultivator of spiritual energy, master of strategy, Heavenly Bone Divination practitioner. And???
Notes: His vision of the future reveals a terrifying figure (Han Liuyan), and his death
Han Liuyan (韩流炎)- the slave taken in by Mo tianxing (his future killer)
Age: 13
Appearance: Golden hair and lashes, white eyes, pale skin. He looks like a wind can sweep him away with how delicate he is
Personality: Obedient, quiet, and clever. respects authority outwardly but thinks critically of the emperor in secret.
Abilities: Currently no visible demonic powers; his demon lineage is sealed and dormant. Appears as an ordinary human child.
Notes: Potential for incredible power lies hidden, a future vision shows him as terrifying, but no trace of that exists in the present.
Lian Yue (莲月) - Young Strategist/Cultivator one of the emperor's trusted people
Age: 16
Appearance: Dark hair tied neatly in a ponytail, sharp calculating eyes, composed posture.
Personality: Precocious, strategic, natural leadership talent. Calm under pressure.
Abilities: Skilled in formation strategy, battlefield observation, and quick decision-making.
Notes: Recognized as a future leader by senior cultivators, commands respect despite youth.
Huo Zhen (霍震) - General/Imperial Commander
Age: 32
Appearance: Tall, muscular, stern expression, traditional robes. He wears a high ponytail and has green eyes along with brownish hair. Despite being a muscular man he has decent looks
Personality: Loyal, disciplined, decisive. Obeys emperor's orders without question.
Abilities: Combat master, battlefield strategist, expert in conventional and spiritual warfare.
Notes: Reports directly to Mo Tianxing the emperor, responsible for managing troops during encounters with demon sects.
Yan Shiluo (晏世洛) - Leader of the Crimson Demon Sect
Age: Appears ~30
Appearance: Long loose black hair with crimson streaks, sharp crimson eyes, Wears a black robe with white and red patterns, one of his eye is blind with a scar.
Personality: Cunning, intelligent, and ruthlessly strategic. Speaks with charm and subtle menace, drawing others into his schemes before they realize it. Exudes a villainous aura that commands attention without effort.
Abilities: Master of red qi / demonic energy, illusions, and poison techniques. A tactician who can manipulate both battlefield and mind.
Notes: Arrives at Bloodstone Gorge to negotiate with thw emperor- although...