Deep underground, Li An pushed herself up from the center of the inheritance chamber. Her body felt stronger, buzzing with newfound energy, even though she was now missing an arm. Just being in this place had bumped her cultivation up to the fourth stage of the Foundation realm without her even trying. Pretty neat perk, considering the circumstances.

"Now, what am I going to do with all these pills?" Li An placed her hand on her chin. "I don't believe Xuan Yu would not give his inheritor a way to carry these around."

As she searched the room, something shiny caught her eye—a small ring half-buried in the piles of pill containers. Curious, she picked it up and examined it. The ring was simple, made of a dark metal, but there was a faint glow around it. "A three-dimensional ring," she realized. She was familiar with these from her past life, where similar rings existed thanks to science. They were incredibly useful for storing things, and this one was no different.

"Nice find," she muttered to herself, slipping the ring onto her finger. She could feel its storage capacity as if there was a connection between them. "Around 10 cubic meters of space. Not bad."

Without wasting any time, she started gathering up all the pills scattered around the chamber. Each bottle and jar of rare and powerful pills went into the ring, safe from any prying hands.

Once she'd cleared the room of its valuable contents, she looked around one last time.

This room was a treasure itself. The amount of spiritual energy inside was incalculable. Anyone would feel greedy about it; Li An was no exception.

That's why she summoned a small flame in her palm and set the room ablaze. The fire spread quickly, fueled by the dense spiritual energy.

While being enshrouded by the smoke rising from the flames, Li An's gaze was as dark as always.

"What I cannot have, my enemies can forget about having."

She turned and headed for the membrane. Two days ago, she'd explored the underground labyrinth and figured out the layout, so she knew the direction she had to go in order to reach the exit.

"This should be the right way."

As Li An moved through the only unexplored dark tunnel, the changes were obvious. The walls now had a faint black-and-red glow from a strange source of energy. It made her feel slightly threatened, so she didn't try to touch or interact with it.

The path ahead was turning brighter and brighter. As she approached the tunnel's end, she noticed the difference immediately. Instead of a membrane, there was an open path leading outside. No more barriers.

A faint smile touched her lips.

"The audience should be arriving. I better run away as soon as possible."

Li An stumbled out of the tunnel and into a clearing that made her heart lurch. The fog that had been her constant companion was gone, replaced by an eerie silence that felt like it could swallow her whole. In the center of this ghostly stage stood something both terrifying and captivating: a rusty, black scythe.

Li An felt a strange sense of nostalgia wash over her. Her teacher had been known as the Reaper in the Universe, and the flag of his planet was also a black scythe.

This scythe in front of her wasn't just big; it was colossal, towering over at three meters tall. The pole was twisted and gnarled, like the sinewy arm of a forbidden lover, beckoning her closer with a sinister allure. The blade was ancient and jagged, as if it were the sharp, crooked teeth of a predatory smile, crusted with old, dried blood. Even in its decrepit state, it radiated a raw, malevolent power that seemed to hum in the still air, a whisper of a long-forgotten caress.

Around the scythe, the ground was dead and decaying, a stark contrast to the lively greenery that surrounded the clearing. Crimson veins spread out from its base, pulsating and weaving a creepy web through the lifeless earth.

Li An's breath hitched, her eyes widening. She could feel the scythe's dark energy thumping in sync with her heartbeat, calling to her, stirring a greed so intense it bordered on insanity.

It was a dance of two akin souls, a meeting of two destined partners. A desire that ravaged all other emotions.

The mere idea of wielding it sent an electric thrill through her. The scythe was speaking to her; it was starved for freedom.

It was alive.

"I have to have it," Li An murmured, her voice shaking with raw need.

She moved forward, every step slow and deliberate, until she stood at the edge of the dead zone. The scythe's pull was stronger now, almost physical, a primal need clawing at her to claim it, to make its power hers.

Towards the person who strongly yearned for freedom as much as themselves.

Towards the person who understood as much as it did on what true freedom was.

Desperation clouded Li An's thoughts. She had to anchor herself, to snap out of the scythe's thrall, even if just for a moment. With a swift motion, she drew her dagger and stabbed it into her toe.

Pain shot through her foot, momentarily anchoring her in reality. She gasped, sweat trickling down her forehead as the sharp pain cleared her mind.

However, just as she was about to retreat as fast as possible, chains of purple, dark flames shot out from the ground, wrapping around her limbs. She barely had time to react before they yanked her off her feet, hurling her across the clearing.

Li An crashed into a monolith a few meters away, the impact knocking the wind out of her. The chains held her fast, their fiery grip searing into her skin.

She furrowed her brow but did not attempt to struggle meaninglessly. "Spiritual energy doesn't work against these chains."

"Amusing! Truly amusing! Even in this dire predicament, you exhibit neither fear nor panic. I am curious to see how long such bravery will endure."

Li An's gaze drifted upward to meet the eyes of a half-transparent man. His long hair flowed like silk, and though his expression was kind, his smile was distorted, as if unfamiliar with the simple concept of smiling. Li An found it disgraceful; how could one lie without a convincing smile?

"So you are a soul? That's why you couldn't act directly," Li An remarked calmly.

The man burst out laughing.

"Alas, my soul has been imprisoned within this fog by the meddling Sword Saint Yu. These so-called righteous cultivators are all alike; forever prattling about the greater good while coveting my possessions."

He then raised an eyebrow at her. "But you, my dear, intrigue me. A mere girl of fifteen at the Foundation realm, resisting my Soul Control and dispatching my cherished pet."

"If I were not so perceptive, I might suspect there is some hidden secret within you." The word 'within' dripped with venom, as if he were eager to open her up and see what was inside.

Li An had no doubts that the figure in front of her was a powerful demonic cultivator, the one who had gone against Xuan Yu in ancient times.

"I presume you are the one who spread rumors of a treasure deep within the northern forest," Li An spoke slowly. "After all, the only one who benefits from cultivators gathering here is you."

"Well thought," he nodded twice, a gesture of mock approval. "I used the brainless disciples who ventured into the fog to disseminate the tale of the scythe among the other sects. It was a slow process, given their frequent deaths, but eventually, those little insects managed to serve their purpose."

He reached out, grasping Li An's cheek with a spectral hand. She felt nothing but an eerie coldness, like a winter's breath.

"Are you not afraid that I might kill you? A delicate creature like yourself could be crushed with merely a pinch of my fingers."

Li An sneered inwardly, though her expression remained unchanged. "If you truly wished for my death, I doubt I would even have a corpse by now."

"Indeed," he conceded with a sinister smile. "I plan to possess the body of that Battle Elder and search your soul. I have a feeling it will not disappoint."

"I wouldn't know. I do not consider myself to be the most fascinating person in this world, but I also do not see myself as dull. If I had to describe my life experience in one word, perhaps 'entertaining' would suffice."

Both Li An and the man laughed together, a chilling sound devoid of anger or annoyance. They were akin to ancient demons; to them, life and death were mere games.

"'Entertaining,' you say? Ha! It's peculiar. Your body may be that of a young girl, but your words betray the indifference of a seasoned demonic cultivator. It will be a rare pleasure to kill you in the most excruciating way imaginable."

Li An remained silent. The situation was dire—no, miserable was a better word. Yet, a confrontation between righteous and demonic forces loomed. "Perhaps I can use that to my advantage," she mused.

"Oh, contemplating escape once the battle starts, are we?" he remarked, tilting his head in a disturbingly whimsical manner. "Do not fret; I would not be so careless as to leave a child unattended. Just stay put and enjoy the spectacle."

Li An clenched her teeth and lowered her head. No one knew what thoughts were going on inside her mind.

· · ────── ·𖥸· ────── · ·

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

As the Battle Elder, Elder Jiang, Ning Bing, Tong Zi, and Bai Shen stepped into the fog-free clearing, they stopped in their tracks, eyes wide with shock. An imposing, rusty black scythe stood in the center of the area.

"T-this is... Dementia!"

Tong Zi's eyes lit up with raw greed. The war scythe was the reason behind their betrayal against the Gentle Sword sect. In the legends of the Antiquity Era, it was said that Dementia belonged to a cultivator nicknamed as the Celestial Demon. This was the figure who massacred three entire righteous sects because they tried to kill him. He could almost feel the power of the scythe in his hands.

Even Ning Bing and Elder Jiang could not hide their longing gazes. It was hard to resist the allure that the weapon held.

The Battle Elder, though, was more perceptive. His eyes darted around until they landed on a half-transparent man near the scythe. There was something deeply unsettling about him.

"Who are you?" the Battle Elder demanded, his voice steady but edged with caution.

The half-transparent man smiled, a charming yet twisted grin. "Ah, introductions are in order, I suppose. I am Lord Mao, an unfortunate soul trapped by the noble Sword Saint Yu. And who might you be, to disturb my solitude?"

"I am the Battle Elder of the Gentle Sword sect, here with my disciples. We want that scythe."

"Ah, straightforward and to the point. Admirable," Lord Mao replied, his voice dripping with false admiration. "If only the world worked that way. I want this, I want that; everyone wants something. However, I must disappoint you. You see, I have use for your corpses."

The Battle Elder's eyes narrowed, but before he could respond, Lord Mao continued. "You must understand, I have been here for so long, yearning for a fresh company, and you all seem like perfect candidates—for fresh corpses, I mean."

At that moment, the group noticed Li An, chained to a monolith and missing an arm. Her presence should have been shocking, but the scythe's dark pull was too strong for them to focus on anything else.

Before they could react, the ground started to tremble. From the decayed earth, ten black dog beasts emerged, each at the peak stage of Essence Condensation realm. Their eyes glowed with a murderous light.

The Battle Elder's face turned pale. "Tong Zi, get behind me!" he shouted, drawing his weapon. "Elder Jiang, prepare for battle."

Lord Mao laughed, a chilling sound that echoed in the clearing. "Ah, the bravado of the righteous. How delightfully predictable. Now, let us see how you fare against my loyal pets."

As the battle kicked off, the clearing turned into a war zone. The Battle Elder and Elder Jiang squared off against the ten black dog beasts, which were teeming with demonic energy.

Elder Jiang moved like a flash between the beasts. Her sword qi moved so fast it was almost a blur, worthy of the best assassin of the sect.

The Battle Elder, however, wielded his sword with raw, powerful force. His sword qi was thick and heavy, like a sledgehammer smashing down. Each swing of his weapon sent shockwaves through the ground, leaving craters and cracks in its wake.

The black dog beasts weren't backing down. Their claws and teeth clashed against the sword qi with savage intensity. One beast lunged at Elder Jiang, but she dodged easily, her sword qi slicing off its front leg in one swift move. Another beast attacked from behind, but the Battle Elder's thick sword qi slammed into it, sending it flying.

However, despite their skills, the sheer number and ferocity of the beasts were overwhelming.

Elder Jiang was surrounded, her fast sword qi barely holding the beasts off. The Battle Elder's powerful strikes were effective but left him vulnerable between swings. The battle was tearing up the environment around them, with trees splintering and rocks shattering. Any stray explosion could easily kill a Spirit realm cultivator.

Watching from the sidelines, Lord Mao wore a mocking smile. He turned his attention to Li An, who was still chained to the monolith.

"Do you see, child?" Lord Mao's voice was smooth, dripping with condescension. "The hope of escape is truly pathetic. Look at them, struggling like ants. It is amusing, is it not?"

Li An didn't answer, but he noticed her nails digging into her palm.

Lord Mao chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Such faith. Yet so misplaced. They are outnumbered and outmatched. My pets will tear them apart, and you will remain here, watching while you wait for your miserable end."

The fight raged on, the air buzzing with spiritual and demonic energy. Elder Jiang managed to cut down another beast, but more took its place, their growls filling the clearing. The Battle Elder's sword qi smashed into two beasts, but they bounced back quickly, circling him like predators.

"Your struggles are pointless," Lord Mao continued, his tone almost sympathetic. "It is the fate of the weak to be crushed by the strong. Such is the way of this world."

The beasts kept pressing their attack, pushing the Battle Elder and Elder Jiang to their limits. Even with their formidable sword qi, they were being overwhelmed. The ground was a mess of debris, and the clearing was now a wasteland.

With a final, desperate burst, Elder Jiang unleashed a torrent of fast sword qi, decapitating one more beast. But the effort left her drained, and she staggered back, gasping for breath. The Battle Elder swung his sword in a wide arc and his heavy qi smashed into three beasts, sending them sprawling. But even he was starting to tire, his movements slowing.

Lord Mao's laughter rang out, a cold and cruel cackle. "It is over. Surrender to your fate."

As Elder Jiang and the Battle Elder were on the brink of being overwhelmed, Bai Shen stepped forward with a determined look in his eyes. He pulled out a small piece of paper from his robes, covered in intricate runes drawn with ink and spiritual energy. The paper glowed faintly, pulsating with a white holy light.

Bai Shen didn't waste any time. He flung the paper towards the war scythe, hoping to complete the mission his teacher gave him.

Lord Mao's mocking smile vanished, replaced by a look of genuine concern. His eyes gradually narrowed as he realized the nature of the object.

"A talisman... No, that doesn't make sense," he muttered, his tone serious and urgent. "Dogs, intercept that talisman at once!"

The black dog beasts leaped into action, throwing themselves in front of the talisman. Simultaneously, Lord Mao summoned his demonic energy, creating chains of dark energy to shield the scythe. The chains snaked through the air, forming a barrier around the weapon.

However, the talisman had reached its target. A blinding flash erupted as it released the Evil Extinguishing Light, a personal attack from the abbot of the White Temple. The light was pure and domineering, annihilating everything in its path. The beasts and chains disintegrated instantly, unable to withstand the talisman's power.

Lord Mao sighed in relief when he saw the scythe intact. He was visibly shaken.

"How... how did you acquire such a talisman? This power should not exist outside the mainland," he demanded, his voice faltering slightly with shock.

Bai Shen didn't reply, just staring back at Lord Mao with a dumbfounded look. He could not understand how the attack failed. That talisman should have been enough to destroy any demonic weapon. Who exactly were they going against?

"No matter," Lord Mao said, regaining his composure. "I should have taken this seriously from the beginning."

With his remaining demonic energy, he summoned twenty more black dog beasts from the decayed earth. The ground trembled as the new wave of beasts emerged, each one growling and ready to attack. The Battle Elder and Elder Jiang readied themselves, though their exhaustion was evident.

"We shall end this now," Lord Mao declared.

One by one, they were all forced to the ground, pinned by the monstrous black dogs. Lord Mao stepped forward, his half-transparent form looking more solid and menacing in the eerie light of the clearing. With a wave of his hand, he commanded the beasts to make them lie down in front of Li An.

"Ah, what a beautiful sight," he began. "It makes me nostalgic. To see my prey brought to their knees, it is wonderful. Even anomalies like the little girl or the talisman only caused little problems."

He looked down at them. "You see, my dear, hope is but a fragile illusion. Your resistance was admirable, but ultimately futile. From the moment you entered this fog, your fate was sealed."

Bai Shen managed to lift his head despite being bloodied and beaten.

"You monster," he spat, his voice filled with venom. "You'll pay for this."

Lord Mao raised an eyebrow, his expression one of mild amusement. "Such defiance. But you see, my dear boy, payment has already been rendered—by you."

With a flick of his hand, one of the black dogs pressed its massive paw down on Bai Shen.

"NOOOO-"

Blood splattered as Bai Shen's body was crushed, his scream cut short.

Lord Mao turned his gaze back to Li An. "And now, back to you, my little anomaly. How does it feel to be utterly powerless? To see that hope for freedom slip between your fingers?"

Li An kept her head down and said nothing.

"Ah, the silent treatment." He stepped closer to her, his face inches from hers. "Wait until I play with your body and teach you proper manners."

Li went completely silent.

With her head bent downwards, her shoulders trembled.

And then.

"...Ha."

Her shoulders shook a bit more violently.

"Ha... haha, hahahaha- Hahaha geheheh-eheuh, KAHAH! KUHAHAHA! AHAHAHAHA!"

What started as uncontrollable laughter spiraled into uncontrollable laughter of derangement.

Li An shook her entire body as she laughed. The sound stretched throughout the dry, gray sky, making the dogs whine in pure horror.

She snapped her head back up. Her lips had smoothly curled up into a smile.

That smoothness made Lord Mao's soul freeze. Because her eyes were pitch black, voids that swallowed light.

The darkness pulled him in, deeper. His heart pounded, echoing in his ears, and the surroundings faded away. Only her eyes remained.

Endless.

Devouring.

He felt himself slipping, lost to the abyss inside her gaze.

The laughter abruptly stopped.

"Lord Mao, I am a person who does not enjoy violence. I firmly believe that language wields the power to resolve conflicts, distinguishing us from the wild beasts of the forest," Li An's smile broadened. "Thus, language serves as a bridge of understanding among allies and a display of power among enemies."

"What do you mean by that?"

Li An shook her head as if lecturing a child. "Let us begin with your claim of being trapped within the fog. This is an evident lie."

Lord Mao's composure cracked, fury flashing in his eyes. "How dare you—"

"There's no point in maintaining this charade," she cut him off. "In Xuan Yu's inheritance, he made no mention of you, showing he believed you were dead. The fog was designed to prevent cultivators from seizing the scythe for evil purposes. And your panic when the talisman neared the weapon? It reveals that your main soul is locked inside, does it not?"

Li An chuckled softly. "Besides, all of your 'cherished' pets emerged from the dead area surrounding the scythe; your attempts at discretion were rather lacking."

Lord Mao's rage had completely vanished and he was now staring seriously at the girl in front of him. "Perhaps you're right, but that does not change the fact that I can end your life with ease."

"Lord Mao, I thought we agreed to be honest to each other. Let us stop insulting my intelligence. It is clear that you expended your remaining energy to summon those mutts in a panic, fearing another 'little problem' like the talisman. Even if you wanted to kill me, you would not be able to do so with only these chains and no demonic energy."

"Of course, you could use the beasts," she paused for a bit to let her words sink in. "But do you truly wish to risk one of the elders igniting their meridians and cultivation in a desperate attempt to escape and destroy your main soul? I have just informed them of its location, after all."

"I fail to see your point," Lord Mao's voice was thick with murderous intent.

"It is quite simple. Release me now, and I shall overlook any grievances between us. That is the extent of my generosity," Li An said with a serious expression.

Silence.

Not only Lord Mao, but also Elder Jiang, Battle Elder and the others had difficulties processing her words. Why was she acting as if she had the advantage?

"KUKAKAKA! Li An, isn't it? I will admit that you are clever, that your head may spin better than even mine." Lord Mao sneered. "But so what? You seem to be misunderstanding something. It will just take me a few minutes to possess one of their bodies. After I am done, I can kill you many times over."

Li An grinned.

Her smile was so wide that it felt like the corners of her mouth would rip.

His words were not false by any means; indeed, Li An was pleased with the civilized nature their conversation had taken. But there was a tiny, foolish miscalculation.

"You're only half right, and the rest is wrong."

For Li An was not one to perish twice from the same mistake.

Although Lord Mao insisted that she was misunderstanding something, on the contrary, that was something she wanted to say to him.

Not just Lord Mao, but all the other parties involved seemed to be firmly misunderstanding a single thing. Similar to how the sects seemed to believe that this was an opportunity for them to rise, Lord Mao seemed to fancy himself as the director of a grand play.

"Unfortunately, they are both wrong. From start to finish, this show was mine."

There was a need to make them realize this.

"..."

Elder Jiang looked up at the inhuman grin on Li An's face and felt the fear from that night. It was a deception secretly seeped into inaction, and inaction boldly nestled within deception. Whenever she looked at Li An, she was reminded of a poisonous spider laying its body on spiderweb and sleeping leisurely.

The entire world was like a web to her, therefore, inaction meant that she was hunting.

"You know, Lord Mao, there is a specific sentence of yours that I find strangely accurate." Li An's voice felt like it was being whispered directly into the ears of everyone listening, and pulled them in.

"It is the fate of the weak to be crushed by the strong."

Her smile melted away, revealing a face utterly devoid of emotion.

"Be crushed."

The earth quaked with fury... and then it crumbled into the abyss below.