The crimson moonlight spilling through the broken cavern roof cast surreal shadows along the walls, illuminating the jagged edges of the ancient shrine they stood in. A low hum filled the air, a thrum of awakening power that pulsed with every heartbeat.
"Where are we?" Tianchen asked, scanning the surroundings.
"The forgotten shrine of the Asura King," the woman replied. "Buried beneath the Heavenly Cliff for over a millennium. It seems... fate brought you here."
[Fate? More like gravity, but sure.]
Tianchen rolled his eyes, but something about this place stirred him. The pain, the betrayal, the death, it felt like the prologue to something far greater.
He turned to the mysterious woman, her silver hair glinting like moonlight, her gaze sharp yet strangely gentle.
"You still haven't told me who you are."
She tilted her head, "I am Yue Lian, the last Saintess of the Moon Sect. Banished, betrayed, and sealed here for sin I do not regret."
[Ooh mysterious. I like her already.]
Li Tianchen frowned. "Sealed here for what?"
"For loving the wrong man," she said quietly, looking past him at something only she could see. "And for seeking freedom in a world that is ruled by chains."
The silence between them thickened. Then:
[Enough romantic brooding. Your meridians is still healing, but we got work to do. The qi in this cavern is corrupted, wild. Perfect for you]
"Perfect for me?"
[You are no longer a human, Tianchen. Not entirely. You have awakened the Asura Bloodline. And if you want to survive what is coming, you will need to cultivate like your life depends on it. Because it does.]
He sat cross-legged without being told, breathing in the dense energy. Immediately, pain Lance through his core. The qi wasn't just wild, it was angry, ancient, feral.
It resonated with him.
Yue Lian watched in silence, arms folded, as arcs of crimson lightning began to flicker across his body. His veins glowed. His eyes snapped open, and his muscles tensed as his dantian pulsed and cracked.
[Congratulations. Host has entered the Asura Foundation Realm. Pain threshold increased. Libido... tripled.]
Tianchen grunted. "Why is that even included?"
[Because your Bloodline specializes in... bonding. The more compatible partners you cultivate with, the stronger your foundation becomes. Dual cultivation is not just an option, it is your evolution path.]
Yue Lian's lips twisted. " He speaks the truth. The Asura were feared not only for their rage, but for their insatiable hunger for strength, for vengeance, and for pleasure.]
Tianchen's eyebrow twisted. "That... that doesn't sound like ominous at all."
[Speaking of hunger you will need to consume spirit essence soon or risk going berserk.]
A deep rumble echoed from the cavern walls.
Yue Lian tensed. "They are coming."
Tianchen stood. "Who?"
"Cultivators from the Crimson Cloud Sect. This shrine was hidden, but your awakening must have triggered old wards. We must leave. Now."
The System chimed in:
[One problem. You are underground. Exit's sealed by time. Unless... you destroyed something.]
Tianchen glanced around until his eyes landed on a massive obsidian statue of an armored demon, tall, horned, holding a crescent blade.
[Jackpot. That is the Asura King's statue. Channel you rage into it. Punch hard.]
Yue Lian's eyes widened. "Wait--!"
Too late. Tianchen roared and slammed his fist into the base of the statue. A shock wave blasted outward. The ground trembled. Red cracks spiderwebbed across the cavern ceiling.
A boom split the air, and a hole opened above them, moonlight and fresh air pouring through.
"Show off," Yue Lian muttered.
[Stylish entrance complete. Now RUN.]
They leapt through the opening as it crumbled behind them. Tianchen landed on a soft grass, his body aching but intact. Yue Lian followed with graceful ease, a stark contrast to his clumsy roll.
They had emerged atop a remote cliff overlooking the Endless Forest. The night wind was cool and peaceful.
"We are safe for now," Yue Lian said, scanning the horizon.
Tianchen sat up, wiping blood from his lips. "What now?"
She turned to him. "Now we find allies. Enemies. Cultivate power, and build your harem--"
"Excuse me?"
"--of loyal partners bond by fate. That is the path of Asura."
Tianchen stared. Then laughed bitterly. "Yesterday I was dying in flames. Today I was told to collect women, punch statues, and suck in angry qi."
[And that is just Tuesday.]
Yue Lian offered her hand. "This path is bloody. But I will walk it with you."
He took it. "Fine. But let us get one thing straight. I am not doing this for revenge alone."
She arched a brow. "Then what for?"
He grinned. "To live like I never could before. Free. Unbound. Desired. Feared."
[Attaboy. Now let's go raise some hell.]
--To Be Continued--