"Greetings, young master!" I nodded to the greeting from another unknown stranger I had met today.
This was the 458th time.
It was tiring, in a way, but for some reason, I felt as if I was on the top of the heavens, with such a kind of respect; it was rare to find, even though it was out of fear.
My hands were on my back, I walked calmly towards my residence, the sun was supernal and felt beautiful with the misty sky.
In front of me was a paifang made of ivory stones, connected by walls surrounding the palace.
Two guards were stationed at the point. They were in their mid-40s, and one of them had a burly beard while the other was clean-shaven; they had towering height, and they were martial artists.
Luo Han and Ren Ren. Those were their names, according to the memories of Chen Liang.
Both of them bowed to me and opened the passage leading to my home.
I passed through the gateway, but then I halted my steps, without looking back at the two of them. I said:
"Take some rest, you two always stay on duty most of the time, change your shift with someone else, and rest, this is an order."
My words were second in power after the chief; there was no way they could deny it.
"We heed the words of the young lord!" The two of them said in unison. I didn't give them any further attention and left them behind.
Walking ahead, I realised that there was a tinge of happiness and joy in their voices, faint, but it could be felt.
I wanted to laugh.
Joy. Hahahaha, they don't even know what's coming for them.
Many guards guarded the entrance of the palace; each one of them bowed to me one after the other; they were experienced, but fewer than the ones who were guarding the gates.
I entered the palace, and although I didn't show it, this place was extravagant, although the Qincheng village was one of the renowned villages, as it was a centre for trade.
This...this was something else.
I was overwhelmed by the remarkable beauty of this artistry; perhaps life wasn't as bad as it seemed. There were always things that could bring some happiness to the heart.
However, as much as I wanted to stay here as the son of Chen Rong, this wasn't what I came here for.
My main purpose was to steal everything from the treasury, and leave this place after...I kill everyone here and absorb them.
Morally, it was vile, but rationally, it was what I needed to do. My ideals aligned with the path of immortality, and ideals without power are worthless and shallow.
However, power without ideals is directionless and destructive. I want power, strength, respect, but I am not really obsessed with it.
If I can gain benefits while compromising my power or respect, I would do it without hesitation; life is about profit and loss, not victory or defeat.
"Welcome back, Young Master. Should I prepare the bath?" My personal maid, Shu Qinchi, asked.
Her face was slightly tinged with red.
Ah, she is the one who...hmm, well, there are many interesting things I have heard about me from her plump lips.
Shu Qinchi was not just a personal maid of Chen Liang, but also a personal entertainer of his, a plaything he was keeping in secret.
I smiled at her and then put a hand on her cheek, then I said in a sweet voice:
"Yes, prepare the bath, I will join you in a few moments." Her fair skin took on the colour of crimson red. I chuckled at her reaction.
Tugging her beautiful white hair behind her ear, I looked deeply at her black eyes.
This was the final touch, before she ran away immediately towards the direction of the bathhouse.
Just as she left, the smile on my face became a little more exaggerated.
I turned around and walked calmly towards my room, entering it. The first thing I did was open my wardrobe and take out a particular black box.
Opening it revealed some precious gems and three hundred gold taels. Looking at them, I smiled. This was going to be my secret stash.
Now, all I had to do was absorb them. I placed my hand on the black box.
"Black flames attack this!" I said aloud, however, nothing happened; perhaps I said it wrong, or maybe it was something else.
For a few moments, I tried several names to summon it, for example:
"People eating flames go!"
"Sin flames come forth!"
"Flame on!"
But nothing worked.
"How do I use it then, think... think, Chen Liang think..." I remembered the moment I was drowning in that chalice of black flames, it was...
Devouring me.
Taking a deep breath, I tried again.
"Come forth, Devourer..." As I muttered those words, I felt a cold feeling on my hand; it had worked.
I saw the black flames devouring the wooden box, and seeing it made me remember their screams when these flames hungrily ate on their flesh.
Although this time, these flames didn't seem that hungry, or it was as if they didn't like what they were eating.
It was truly strange.
"Don't worry, your hunger will soon be satisfied by the night." I said with a small chuckle.
The flames stirred slightly; excited if they could understand me. Completing their job, they retracted back to my hand, disappearing and leaving no ash behind as if it was never there.
"Now, let's take a bath, shall we?"
...
Inside the luxurious bathhouse, Ma Jin rested his bare body under the warm embrace of the hot water, his head resting on the marble platform.
His brown hair was spread out over the floor, damp from the hot water. He had closed his eyes, thinking deeply until something cast a shadow over his closed eyes.
"Young master...Can I sit next to you?" A sweet voice whispered in his ear, and the hotness of the breath made his skin shudder slightly.
Without opening his eyes, Ma Jin said:
"No, sit here..." He pointed at his thighs.
Soon, he felt the water stirring slightly before Shu Quinchi nestled herself on top of him.
Ma Jin straightened his neck and looked at her with open eyes. Her face was flushed, and her eyes were staring at his own with hunger.
A hunger no different from his black flames, though with a different cause.
She gently caressed his cheek and muttered his name with a sweet tone:
"Young master..."
Ma Jin smiled before grabbing her waist and pulling her even closer to him, so much that their faces were only inches apart.
"Chen Liang, that is my name, dear Shu. Now come on, let me envelop you in my warm embrace." Ma Jin stretched his arms, prompting her to come under.
Shu Quinchi bit on her lip slightly before she nuzzled herself on his chest, then what followed was her removing the piece of cloth covering her body.
Ma Jin felt her bare skin—it was hot, smooth, soft, and that elasticity made him a little crazy.
Shu Quinchi, who had melted into his embrace, had a sweet smile. Ma Jin had wrapped his arms around her, then she muttered, her voice muffled by his skin:
"Chen, c-" But before she could continue, the sound of flesh getting ripped was heard in the bathhouse.
She felt a sharp pain in her neck. Shu Quinchi touched her neck and felt a metallic coldness. She touched the area around it and looked at her left hand, which was painted in crimson blood.
No words could escape from her mouth. When she looked upwards, her eyes widened in horror.
The face of her young master was long gone, replaced by Ma Jin's own, the very person her master didn't liked and the one she hated with her soul.
Ma Jin looked at her, then he grinned viciously and said:
"Surprise..." He took a pause and then completed his words, "Come forth, Devourer." Before letting her fall into the hot water, as her body lit up in black flames.