Trust.
A word so often uttered, yet so rarely understood. It is a currency more precious than gold, yet more fragile than glass.
Li An desired loyalty, but she would not ask for another's trust. Not the Warden's. Not You Mei's. Not even her teacher's.
Trust is not something to be begged for, nor something to be demanded. It is not a token to be handed over like alms to the needy. Those who plead for trust reveal their own unworthiness, for in their plea lies the admission that they are undeserving.
Staring down at the defeated Warden, Li An grasped better than most the true nature of the cultivator's society.
Those who are willing to climb, those who possess the strength, the vision, and the resolve, need not lower themselves to the act of asking. For trust, like all things in this world, gravitates naturally to those who rise above.
Do you think the lion asks the herd for their trust? Do you think the eagle seeks the approval of the lesser birds?
No, they simply exist in their natural state of dominance, and trust comes to them as naturally as breath. It is the weak who grovel for trust, hoping that by doing so, they might mask their own inadequacies.
Li An held such people in contempt. If anyone sought to betray her, then let them do so! They would meet the same fate as the former colonels of her unit.
"You fought well," she said, not even bothering to look at him. "But now, I must ensure your loyalty."
The Warden didn't complain when Li An crouched down next to him and touched his forehead gently with the tip of her fingers.
She smiled, sending shivers down the Warden's back. "I am placing an object inside your head meridians. If I will it, you die. If I die, you die as well. Work hard."
He stared at her, slightly confused. He hadn't felt anything, but he didn't want to annoy his new master with questions.
"You haven't left the jail," she murmured softly, her fingers trailing along the scar etched into his jawline. "But let us enjoy the time we have together, Warden. Do you understand?"
His resistance melted away, replaced by a strange, almost pleasurable compulsion to obey.
"Yes, my mistress," he whispered with flushed cheeks.
Li An raised an eyebrow. "Is he a masochist or something?" She threw the nasty thoughts out of her head. "Whatever."
"Good. Now, rise. We have work to do." She stood and gestured at him to follow her.
As they left the cell, they saw Lieutenant Wong waiting for his new boss. His eyes widened slightly at the sight of the Warden, who was acting like a docile puppy in front of the Young Demon.
The Warden threw him a glance and he flinched, expecting violence. However, the Warden only rolled his eyes without any hints of annoyance.
"Relax," Li An placed a hand of comfort on his shoulder. "He is one of my men."
Wong nodded, trying to hide his unease. "Yes, my lady."
"And you are a precious chess piece, mister traitor," Li An sneered inwards. She had realized that perhaps this enemy soldier was more valuable than she initially thought.
They moved methodically from cell to cell, and for every prisoner, Li An would place a hexanode inside their head meridians before releasing them. She didn't bother explaining her actions this time, since they were not as valuable to her as the Warden.
The latter watched her curiously as she touched their foreheads with the tips of two fingers before freeing them. If he focused a lot, he could faintly sense the movement of spiritual energy from her body. Yet, what truly astonished him was the effortless way in which she controlled her energy, so refined and precise that it was nearly imperceptible.
A total of fifty-four prisoners. Among them, four were Core Formation experts, while the rest were at various stages within the Spirit realm. This distribution was expected, as Foundation realm cultivators held little worth and even Spirit cultivators were often relegated to the role of expendable pawns in larger battles.
Once all of them were freed, Li An gathered them in the center of the catacombs. Her eyes studied them indifferently.
"I will keep it short. I am the Young Demon of the Black Lotus Cult," she announced. "And I have killed everyone in this fort in order to save your loser asses."
The prisoners murmured among themselves, and it was clear there were mostly negative comments coming out of their mouths.
"Demonic cultivators are always the same. This is why I prefer to communicate with righteous forces," Li An sighed.
One man stepped forward, his face twisted in a sneer.
"You? A Young Demon?" he scoffed. "Don't lie to us, my cousin is the true Young Demon of the cult. He is a peak Core Formation expert. Your cultivation realm is too low for you to steal the title from him."
Even the Warden, despite his newfound loyalty, looked doubtful. He trusted Li An's strength, but her claims seemed impossible, both being the Young Demon and killing everyone in Fort Blackthorn.
However, the girl just yawned and narrowed her eyes as if she was looking at a clown. "So who are you, dear friend?"
The tall, skinny man pushed through the front of the crowd, and everyone gave him space.
"I am the descendant of a greater elder of the Black Lotus Cult," he declared, his tone dripping with condescension. "Do not act arrogant. I am your senior."
He placed his hand on her shoulder, intending to chastise her like a superior would a junior. "You-"
Thunk
His right arm fell to the ground with a wet thud.
"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"
The man's scream was the only sound that could be heard as the room fell into a stunned silence. Blood sprayed from the stump of his arm, pooling at his feet as he crumpled to the ground.
Her sandals were soaked in the crimson liquid, but Li An seemed entirely at peace.
"Such a mess," she murmured to herself. Her voice carried a note of laziness, as if even the act of speaking was a chore.
She reached into her sleeve and pulled out a small cloth. With a few lazy swipes, she began to clean the dagger, wiping away the blood just like she had done many times before. Each movement was slow, as though she had all the time in the world.
Li An hummed a soft tune under her breath as she worked, her eyes half-lidded. It would be a pleasant sight if it wasn't for the screams of the so-called descendant of the greater elder.
The blood on the blade smeared and streaked under the cloth, but she seemed in no hurry to finish the task, savoring the slow, methodical process.
"Ah, I can feel it..."
Like a serpent uncoiling in the dark, slithering its way into the deepest recesses of their hearts.
Fear.
It is as tangible to Li An as the breath one draws, as the blood that courses through one's veins.
It is an old friend, one whose arrival she anticipates with a twisted kind of pleasure, for she knows its dance well.
They try to hide it, of course. They arm themselves with the brittle steel of resolve and convince themselves they are strong, that they are unshakeable.
But fear is a cunning creature, one that knows the cracks in even the most fortified hearts. It seeps through the tiniest fissures, wrapping itself around one's soul like a vine, tightening with each beat of their pulse.
Li An can see it in the way their eyes dart, searching for something, anything, to anchor themselves against the tide that rises within them. She can feel it in the tremor that quivers just beneath the surface of their calm.
The man on the ground writhed in pain, his screams reduced to pitiful whimpers, but Li An paid him no mind. She was sure that if she had shown any fear or weakness when severing his arm, these soldiers would not be quivering in their spots but would have their weapons and fists pointed towards her.
Once Li An was satisfied with the dagger's cleanliness, she inspected the blade one final time, holding it up to the light and tilting it this way and that. A small, contented smile played on her lips, as if she had just completed a leisurely task.
"There," she said softly, almost like a purr. "Much better."
She tucked the dagger away with a graceful flick of her wrist, then turned her gaze back to the assembled prisoners with a calm smirk.
"Shall we continue?"
The spell was broken and everyone was free to breathe again. Lieutenant Wong, standing at the edge of the room, realized with a start that his dagger was no longer at his belt. Except for the Warden, no one had noticed the sequence of events from Li An stealing his dagger to slashing apart the man's limb.
Naturally, she had once again used her Magnetic Rail movement technique to shock the soldiers and the Warden, who had thought Li An had already revealed the full extent of her speed during their previous battle.
"You... you think you can get away with this?"
Li An gazed down at the armless man, seeing him glare at her as he spat blood on the ground.
"My ancestor is a greater elder of the Black Lotus Cult! If you value your life, you'll kneel down and beg for a tolerable punishment before you're killed!"
Li An narrowed her eyes. "Is that so?"
She walked among the soldiers with a casual, almost dismissive air, as if the man's threats were nothing more than the buzzing of an insignificant insect. Her fingers trailed lazily along the hilts of torture weapons as she passed by, and her gaze flicked briefly to the soldiers, then away.
Her voice, when she spoke, cut through the tension in the room like a blade.
"How ridiculous it is," her words were laced with icy contempt, "to think that any of you have rights, or that you are even allowed to be considered people with wills of your own."
She paused mid-stride, turning her head slightly, a faint smirk curling her lips.
The demonic cultivators exchanged uneasy glances. Except for the Warden, no one understood what she meant, and some of them didn't look too pleased.
Li An stopped in front of one of the soldiers, her eyes narrowing slightly as she studied him, then let out a light, derisive chuckle.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
"Most of you come from families with farms, so I might need to explain it in a way that your simple minds can understand," she said with a grin, her teeth flashing in a brief, predatory smile. She took a step back and spread her arms wide, as if encompassing the room.
"I am sure you have seen a withered vine clinging to the earth without purpose," she continued. "It consumes the soil's richness, drinks in the rain, yet yields nothing in return—no fruit, no flower, not even a shadow of its former self. It is a drain, a parasite, leeching away the very life it is meant to nurture."
She paused, letting her words sink in, and slowly turned to face the soldiers again, her expression hardening.
"A slave who holds no value is much like that vine. They are a burden, a weight that drags down all who would carry them. To keep such a creature is to allow decay to fester."
She inched closer, eyes fixed on the man squirming below her.
"And what of the rotting fruit that clings to the vine?" A whisper that seemed to echo in the silence. "Does it not invite the swarm, the insects that feast upon its decay, spreading their filth to all that surrounds it? A slave with no value is no different. They taint the air with their uselessness, sour the very atmosphere of progress, and infect others with their lethargy."
She looked down on the man and spit on him.
"In a farm, you prune the dead branches, cut away the rot, so that new growth may flourish."
Li An turned to face them fully, her dark eyes scanning the room.
"Look well at the man before you," she ordered, pointing lazily at the man writhing on the ground. "He is no descendant of a greater elder. He is a corpse—one that committed the fatal mistake of offending his master."
The man's earlier bravado began to crumble as the reality of his situation sank in.
"W-wait! We can reconcile! I can... I can forgive you if you just stop and apologize!" he stammered. "Please, we can work this out!"
Li An's gaze shifted slowly to him. It was cold.
"If a slave has no value to me," she said, placing emphasis on every word, "he might as well be dead."
The man's eyes widened in horror as he realized he was being made an example. He opened his mouth to scream, to beg for his life, but it was too late. Li An's glare intensified, and with just a thought, she activated the hexanode she had placed within him.
His head exploded.
The soldiers froze in their spots, not even daring to breathe such was their fear. There was no flow of spiritual energy, no technique, nothing.
A glance and he was dead.
Even Lieutenant Wong, who was more of an outsider to this whole conversation, felt a cold sweat trickle down his spine. He remembered how the Young Demon had touched everyone before releasing them and he had thought it was some kind of weird demonic prayer.
However, he now finally realized the motive behind it. His face paled when he remembered the way the Young Demon had touched his shoulder just some minutes ago to comfort him.
The Warden was the only one who looked more fascinated than scared, because he now had the confirmation that Li An was not lying about placing something inside his head.
"Oh, I forgot to ask his name," Li An mused. It wasn't an important detail, but she was curious about his cousin, the one who lost the title of Young Demon to her.
Li An wiped a stray drop of blood from her cheek and turned back to the soldiers again.
"This is your only warning."
· · ────── ·𖥸· ────── · ·
There was still time before it would be safe to venture outside. Li An sat down inside one of the cells, staring blankly at the back of Lieutenant Wong while she thought about her new soldiers.
"Right now, they obey me because they are afraid. But this is not a long-term solution." She narrowed her eyes. The man she respected the most had once told her that fear is a tempest that rages fiercely but quickly burns itself out.
Those were not light words.
Ruling by fear may bring her power over her unit in the short term, but it is a treacherous foundation upon which to build a personal army. Relying solely on it is like trying to grasp water with your fist—the tighter you squeeze, the more it slips through your fingers.
Those who follow her out of fear do so not because they believe in her, not because they see in her a leader who will guide them to greatness, but because they see no other choice.
"That is too dangerous," Li An thought, her brows knitting. Though she had conquered the fort, these demonic cultivators had not witnessed her prowess firsthand. And she knew all too well that human nature is such that people often need to see greatness with their own eyes to truly believe in it.
And she had to act quickly, lest their repressed emotions start coming to the surface. Fear breeds resentment, and resentment festers like a wound. It does not offer any loyalty.
The solution was simple and difficult at the same time. "Give them victories, give them prosperity, give them a vision of a future that they can believe in. Show them that under your rule, they will not only survive but thrive." Li An let out a small smile. She had learnt to enjoy challenges throughout her long life.
She stared more intently at the old man who had betrayed the righteous forces. "Sorry, what was your name again? I don't think I asked."
He turned around and scratched his head with a shy smile. "You can call me Wong, my lady."
"Wong... alright, I will be relying on you in the future." Before he could ask what she meant, Li An continued. "Bring me the Warden and the other three Core Formation experts. I need to talk to you all."
"As you will."
Li An didn't have to wait long. The sound of approaching footsteps echoed down the corridor, accompanied by the faint flicker of torchlight. One of the good parts about the Cultivation World was that everything was done at a faster pace due to the superior capabilities of the cultivators' bodies.
First was the Warden, his trademark grin on his lips as he stared deeply at his new master. Next to him was a woman with sharp, angular features and green eyes. Her long, white hair was tied back in a braid, emphasizing her high cheekbones and thin lips. Although her expression seemed cold, Li An could see there was only curiosity in her gaze.
Next to her was a thin, wiry man with a weathered face. His skin was tanned from years of exposure to the elements, and his eyes were a deep, unsettling shade of brown. His hair was cropped short, and a jagged scar ran down the left side of his face, from his temple to his jawline.
Li An could see how he tried to dive into the shadows of the cell silently, waiting for the opportunity to strike. "This thin bastard is a killer with experience."
The last of the four was around the same size as the Warden, but much uglier. The broad shoulders, thick beard and dark, brooding eyes reminded her of the space pirates from her past, who she frequently employed to steal the spaceships from the enemy galaxies.
His body was covered in tattoos that depicted various demonic beasts, each one detailed to the limit. Li An actually found it funny when the fat man checked her out right after entering the room. "He has exactly the same personality as the captain of the space pirates."
"Please, sit down," Li An said calmly. She gestured to the stone benches along the walls of the cell. "Introduce yourselves."
The four Core Formation experts exchanged glances before slowly taking their seats. The Warden, their previous leader, was the first to speak.
"You know me already," The low and grave voice was pleasant to everyone's ears. "I am the Warden, middle Core Formation realm."
The sole woman in the group spoke next. "I, Ji Hua of the Shadow Serpent Clan, greet the Young Demon. My cultivation is low Core Formation."
"Lei Chen," the lean man added. "Formerly of the Windbreak Sect."
He didn't mention his cultivation realm, but Li An could feel his goodwill when he made sure to reveal his aura of a low Core Formation expert.
The giant pirate-like man was the last to introduce himself, and he had a vicious smirk on his lips. "Zhao Min, known as the Iron Mountain in the cult. I am at the low Core Formation realm."
Li An saw that no one was talking and changed her gaze to Wong. The other demonic experts did the same, but the killing intent in their glares could almost shake the stone walls. For more than one year, they had been tortured by the man in front of them.
Wong, standing near the entrance, cleared his throat nervously.
"I... I am..." He gulped and placed a hand over his chest. "You can call me Wong. My cultivation is low Core Formation too, haha."
No one laughed.
"What do you want?" Zhao Min asked, his eyes locked on Li An's small chest. "Why have you summoned us here?"
Li An turned her gaze to Lieutenant Wong once again.
"Lieutenant Wong," she said smoothly, "this is your chance to show your value. Speak."
Wong straightened in a second.
"There's a large river between us and the next city, Green Blade City," he began, his voice gaining confidence as he continued. "The city was taken from our side..."
"Tch... you mean 'our' side?" Zhao Min sneered.
"...from your side at the start of the war. It's heavily fortified and serves as a key stronghold for the Skyshadow Sect, since the inheritance is located close by."
Li An leaned forward slightly. "Tell me more."
Wong nodded quickly. "Green Blade City is defended by approximately sixty thousand soldiers. Among them are at least one hundred Core Formation experts, two Essence Condensation experts, and a Nascent Soul leader. It's almost the entire southern front's garrison."
The atmosphere in the room grew heavier with each word. Ji Hua's brow furrowed, and Zhao Min let out a low whistle.
"That's practically a death sentence if we go in unprepared," Lei Chen murmured.
"It's suicide as we are now," Ji Hua agreed, her tone grim. "We'd be outnumbered and outmatched in every way."
Li An listened to their concerns, nodding thoughtfully.
"What other defenses does the city have? What about the terrain around it?" she asked.
Wong hesitated for a moment, then continued. "The terrain is mostly flat with the river acting as a natural barrier. The walls of the city are reinforced with the Immovable Protection Formation, making direct attacks nearly impossible. The Nascent Soul leader, Major General Cao Jianhong, is known for his mastery of water qi, which he uses to control the river and fortify the city's defenses."
Li An's expression remained neutral, but inside she was already formulating plans. "It seems we will have tough days ahead of us," she mused aloud. "But the city must be taken eventually. It's too important to be left in enemy hands."
The Core Formation experts exchanged glances, and the tension in the room began to ease slightly. They could see that Li An was not dismissing their opinions or mocking their concerns. Instead, she was listening, considering, and planning with their input in mind.
Besides, they knew she was right. Green Blade City was by far the most important checkpoint in the southern front of the war, because it was located extremely close to the small inheritance site of the Demon King of Secrets.
"Young Demon, this isn't something we can rush," Ji Hua said respectfully. "We need to find a way to even the odds."
"Perhaps there are extra units we can call upon, or resources we haven't yet tapped into," Lei Chen suggested.
Zhao Min stroked his beard thoughtfully. "It’s possible. And we should consider weakening the city's defenses over time. Guerilla tactics, sabotage—anything to make a direct assault more feasible."
Li An nodded approvingly. "Good. I am glad I have allies with a brain inside their skull."
She rose from her seat and beckoned them to follow her.
“Outside,” she said calmly. “Bring the soldiers with you.”
They obeyed without hesitation. There was no one inside the room who forgot about the power Li An had over their lives.
As they moved through the dark corridors of the catacombs, Ji Hua, who had been very active for most of the meeting, stepped up beside Li An.
Although she tried to hide her nervousness, Li An could see the slight tremble of her eyelids and the way her shoulders seemed a bit stiff.
“My lady,” Ji Hua looked solemn. “My father is an elder of the Black Lotus Cult, and though I come from an affiliated clan, I am a faithful follower of the Demon Dao. I wish to offer my loyalty to you, the next divine being of the cult.”
Li An turned her gaze to Ji Hua, raising her eyebrows slightly. "She doesn't show any signs of lying."
This didn't mean she was not lying, and Li An would obviously not let down her guard. However, there was no need to refuse something so precious when the odds appeared to be in her favor.
A small, almost affectionate chuckle escaped her lips.
“Loyalty is a valuable thing, Ji Hua,” she said warmly. “Especially when it comes from someone with a good head on her shoulders, like you. Your loyalty shall be answered with rewards in our upcoming victories.”
Ji Hua felt a flush on her cheeks. “You will not regret placing your trust in me, my lady.”
Li An sneered inwards. "I don't trust you, though."
“I’m sure I won’t,” she replied, her smile widening just a fraction.
She liked women like Ji Hua—intelligent, loyal, and easy to control. Although Xia was intelligent and easy to control due to her low cultivation, there were no religions or beliefs to prevent her betrayal.
The group emerged from the catacombs into the bleak, battle-scarred landscape of Fort Blackthorn. The bodies of the righteous cultivators had been devoured until the last bone by the beasts, but the collapsed buildings and the multiple stains of blood didn't lie about the catastrophe that had fallen upon the strategic location.
The soldiers followed their leaders in silence, their wary gazes fixed on the dark figure of Li An leading the way.
She knew what they were wondering. Who did this? Was what she said true? Why are there no other soldiers?
Li An had no plans of verbally confirming anything again. She told them once, and they would only hear it once.
A few insect beasts that hadn't left the feast came out from the shadows, drawn by the scent of fresh prey. Their grotesque legs skittered and crawled towards the group, their mandibles clicking with hunger.
Without breaking stride, Li An reached for her double-bladed scythe and swung it casually.
Ji Hua wished to help her, but before she could, a massive carnivorous beetle was cleaved in two. The blade struck its armored carapace and the creature’s body exploded into a shower of blood and viscera. Chunks of flesh and splintered exoskeleton scattered across the ground, painting the earth in dark crimson.
The second beast didn't fare any better.
A venomous wasp the size of a horse buzzed towards the group, but before it could reach them, Li An’s scythe met it in midair. The blade sheared through its abdomen, and the creature burst apart in a spray of toxic ichor. The soldiers behind Li An flinched as the remains of the wasp splattered against the ground, dissolving into a steaming puddle.
The final wave of swarming ants didn't even have the chance of approaching them, since each of them was turned into red mist when in contact with the scythe's worn blade.
The soldiers just watched in stunned silence. They didn’t have to lift a finger. Some of them were clearly more serious about the new Young Demon's strength; she was not a common ninth-stage Spirit cultivator.
But as they continued their march, the atmosphere began to change.
The soldiers started to grow tense. Something felt wrong, but none of them dared to voice it aloud. It wasn’t until the five Core Formation experts of the unit approached Li An, their expressions conflicted, that the unease found a voice.
Ji Hua stepped forward. “My lady,” she sounded a bit cautious, “are we certain this is the right direction? It feels… as if we’re going the wrong way.”
Li An didn’t pause, her gaze fixed ahead.
“The direction is correct,” she replied simply.
The Warden furrowed his brow. “If you’re heading to the demonic army encampment to collect your rewards for conquering Fort Blackthorn, then you are indeed going in the wrong direction.”
Li An stopped.
Perfectly still, as if she were listening to something only she could hear.
“Why,” she asked softly, “would you think I’m going back?”
Li An turned around slowly, half her small body covered by the shadow of a tilted tower. As she did, the five leaders of the unit felt a cold chill run down their spines.
The hollow gaze and the sinister grin on Li An’s face told them all they needed to know: there would be no turning back, no safe retreat to the demonic army encampment.
"There’s a city to destroy."