Chapter 41: Chaotic Qi
In ancient times, the Age of Calamity, it was said that the world was ten times more powerful than it is today. Compared to that era, the Eastern Continent had many more divine races that eventually took the name of Ancestral Families. But not all of them survived the passage of time. This era was one of much more violent warfare, with mortals dying by the millions every day, and it was then that the first Devourer appeared, consuming mortals as well as gods. Many, like the giant Ymir of the Northern Continent, died at his hands. Among these divine races, one did not survive: the Qilin.
They were a powerful race, considered pure. More peaceful and pacific, with their attribute of light, they had nothing to envy from the other races. But in that era, being peaceful meant being devoured by others. Their empire was destroyed overnight. Of course, some survived, but they lost all their power, their lineage tainted and diluted. They were reduced to slaves of the Cloud Dynasty.
Hu Fei was one of the descendants. Not just any descendant, but the descendant of the Yellow Qilin. Just as dragons have the Azure Dragon, Hu Fei was the descendant of the Yellow Qilin. And even though his lineage was diluted, the Tao had a destiny unlike any other for him: to free the Qilin from the hands of the Jade Emperor and purify the lineage.
Hu Fei knew nothing. From a young age, he barely remembered his life. He only recalled being an orphan taken in by an elder of the White Tiger Ancestral Family. Few objects remained from his past. Only a storage ring, inside which was a talisman. He grew up cultivating, paying no attention to his heritage, but during his sleep, he had nightmares—nightmares of the ancient era.
The soul of the Yellow Unicorn contacted him. He was the savior of the race. She explained that he would have to go to the Lake of Golden Jade. Only this elixir could purify the lineage. But he had realized he wasn’t powerful enough to bypass all the obstacles.
So, he had given the information to the assassins. He would use them to approach his goal: purify his lineage, become the young master of the Hu family, make allies, and destroy the Cloud Dynasty to free his kin. It was a risky plan, but he was ready to do anything to achieve his goal. Every night, nightmares haunted him, reminding him of his people’s suffering and the weight of his destiny.
He had finally managed to purify his lineage and was just one step away from the Ashkharsh level. More than that, the lake wasn’t even one percent of what his heritage contained. It was just a bonus. In reality, it was a passage to meet his ancestor. He felt the power of the Qilin invading him, every cell of his body vibrating with divine energy. He already saw himself at the head of an army, crushing his enemies and freeing his people.
Unfortunately, the person of least value, the one he hadn’t even considered a threat, was actually the devourer. And the bastard who was torturing him. BaiShe. Hu Fei tasted blood in his mouth, the warm, metallic liquid spreading over his tongue.
"Swear you’ll help us, and I’ll give you my ring. You’ll be able to cross the Lake and find treasures and more," he said with difficulty, trying to hide his pain. He knew it might be his last asset.
BaiShe narrowed his eyes, a cruel smile forming on his lips. "Your story is interesting, but I can’t swear to a dead man."
Without hesitation, BaiShe plunged his hand into Hu Fei’s chest, his fingers closing around his heart. The pain was indescribable, pure agony that overwhelmed him. He felt his body drain of warmth, his vision blurring.
BaiShe tore out his heart. He bit into it avidly, sucking his blood with an euphoric expression. Drool spilled from the corners of his mouth, while his eyes gleamed with an unhealthy light. He savored every moment, the pulsating flesh between his teeth.
"I’m not done with you yet!" BaiShe announced with a cackle.
He took out the blood pearls he had collected along the way. They pulsed with dark, chaotic energy. He made a small cut on his forehead, the black blood dripping from his Omega symbol mixing with the pearls.
’I hope this works,’ he thought. He had never tried using Qi to create Wendigos, but he hoped that with an Ashkharsh level, he could transform it into his familiar. The unhealthy blood swirled, entering Hu Fei’s lifeless body.
"Kuh-" Hu Fei gasped, his chest rising weakly. The pain was still there, but a strange force seemed to keep him alive.
"Damn! It’s energy-consuming. I’m not at that level yet," BaiShe growled. He felt his Qi leaving him at an alarming rate. Sweat beaded on his forehead.
He increased his chaotic Qi, pushing his limits beyond reason. He knew he would suffer Qi exhaustion, but he was willing to take the risk. The prospect of having such a powerful slave motivated him.
...
"I- I did it!" BaiShe smiled, though he was breathless. He had just obtained his first blood slave. Who would make his future plans easier.
At the same time, lightning began to crackle. A sinister light illuminated the sky, the ground trembling beneath their feet.
"What the-" BaiShe stopped abruptly, his face frozen in confusion.
He looked up at the sky, seeing it change, fill with black lightning. Dark, swirling clouds obscured the sun, plunging the area into an ominous darkness. BaiShe instinctively began to tremble; he didn’t know what was happening, but his soul felt an intrinsic fear.
It was as if a divine and wrathful presence had manifested, judging his actions and finding him guilty. The power emanating from these black lightning bolts was far beyond anything he had ever known. He felt his very existence threatened, that he was about to be annihilated by a force he could neither understand nor control.
"Fool!"