"The Gates Of Shadows…. HUNDUN!"
Feng Haoran's hands formed the FIRST symbol, signifying the opening of the initial gate to the depraved path of the demon.
The gate of the darkness path swung wide. It took the shape of a monstrous, terrifying maw with long fangs, adorned with dark lanterns and situated in the middle of a river of bones.
Feng Haoran finally stepped onto the path of darkness, a road with no return to the way of truth. It was a journey where his own soul would lose itself, slowly consumed by eternal darkness forever.
"It is perfect," Deng Rao whispered to himself from a distance, a satisfied smirk on his face.
Feng Haoran remained deep in cultivation, his eyes tightly shut and his brow furrowed in concentration.
"Damn it," Feng Haoran spat out blood as if a fire was incinerating his fragile soul.
"This energy... it's too powerful and dangerous," he whispered to himself, but Deng Rao caught the words.
"It is not that it's too powerful, Your Majesty," Deng Rao called out.
"Deng Rao? You... why are you still here?"
"I only wish to assist you. Allow me to explain, Your Majesty. The Gates Of Shadows is a different kind of cultivation path." Deng Rao stepped forward slowly, hands folded behind his back, before glancing over his shoulder.
"I already know that!" Feng Haoran snapped, though confusion was etched clearly across his face. Deng Rao's smile widened.
"No, Your Majesty. The Gates of Shadows is not merely a path of darkness... it is the total surrender of the soul to the darkness itself." Deng Rao stopped, tilting his head as he watched Feng Haoran with a look of absolute, twisted satisfaction.
"You didn't tell me this before, old man! Are you trying to trap me?" Feng Haoran roared in anger, but Deng Rao only replied with a calm, terrifying smile.
"Your Majesty, how could a lowly old man like me dare to deceive you? I only wish to help you break through your current realm. That is why I am here."
"Listen, old man... if you dare play tricks, I will blow your head into a mist of blood!"
"Calm yourself, Your Majesty... stay calm and let me explain."
At exactly midnight in the Red Lilies Garden, the full moon finally emerged, illuminating the field of red lilies. It was beautiful, yet profoundly bleak.
"Explain it quickly, old man. I must return to my duties soon. If I don't, they will grow suspicious. My reputation in the eyes of my precious subjects must be maintained," Feng Haoran said.
"Very well, Your Majesty," Deng Rao replied, his expression turning serious, the smile finally fading.
"To truly enter the gate of shadows and walk the path of heresy, you must do more than just absorb the spirits or atmas of the ritual sacrifices, Your Majesty..."
"Are you ready to receive true enlightenment, O Great Emperor Feng?"
The voice of a sect elder cut through Deng Rao's words. He wore silver robes lined with subtle gold accents. His beard hung long, his white hair tied back neatly, and he carried a scripture in his hand. He radiated the aura of a holy monk.
"Well done, Deng Rao. This enlightenment has finally reached the right person."
"Tianze?" Feng Haoran was stunned by his sudden appearance.
"Greetings to the Elder of the Heavenly Lotus Sect! May you always bring us the enlightenment of the ancestors!" Deng Rao shouted, bowing respectfully to the old man.
"Leave us, Deng Rao," Tianze commanded.
"As you wish, Ancestor," Deng Rao answered firmly.
A strange yet seemingly sincere smile played on Tianze's face.
Meanwhile, in the Prison of Eternal Darkness, RuiXue was still screaming in confusion, calling out for her husband.
"My husband! My husband! My husband!"
"Why is it so dark? My eyes... my eyes feel like they're burning! I can't see!"
RuiXue groaned in agony, clutching her legs that felt as if they were being bitten by a dozen dogs. Her face felt as though it was being licked by dry, foul-smelling tongues.
"Is this path... truly right?" Feng Haoran began to doubt his decision.
"Your doubt is useless, Your Majesty. It is already too late. There is no way out," Tianze said, smiling at him.
"Who said anything about going back?" Feng Haoran countered.
"Let me give you a little enlightenment, Great Emperor Feng. Darkness is the only honest path amidst the theater of 'goodness.' Through the dark path, you will understand the darkest sides of humanity, including your own. By understanding that..." Tianze took four steps forward.
"...Only then can you recognize your true self. You will realize that sending the lives of others to Nirvana is the highest form of kindness itself. You are walking the right path. For that, you must doubt no longer."
"Sending them to Nirvana is a kindness? I don't care about that."
"Precisely, Your Majesty. You don't need to care. In fact, that indifference will make the enlightenment for them even more meaningful. They will thank you from Nirvana later."
Tianze smiled and turned around. He then handed a dark jade tablet to Feng Haoran.
"Give a drop of your blood to this Tablet of Purity and chant the mantra within. With this, you will not fail to breach the gate of Hundun, Your Majesty."
"Purity? Yes, that's right... PURITY!"
Feng Haoran tore the skin of his finger and let the blood drip onto the dark tablet. Instantly, the tablet shifted into two colors: half red and half black. One represented the Yin of the demon side, and the other represented life. Suddenly, the full moon turned a solid, opaque white, signifying that the human side of Feng Haoran had vanished. All that remained was a black tablet radiating a scorching aura.
Feng Haoran immediately began the chant, absorbing the energy and the soul of RuiXue as she writhed in pain. The energy flowed into the black tablet. He chanted harder until finally... the Gates of Shadows, the first realm of HUNDUN, swung wide. Feng Haoran's body was enveloped in dark energy that felt like thorns piercing through his internal organs and bones.
"BREAKTHROUGH! I am breaking through!" His voice shattered the horizon. Leaves fell instantly as his demonic laughter rang out. Rivers turned pitch black and murky for a moment, and pure jades lost their luster. The moon refused to shine on the Red Lilies Garden because the place now held a sin too heavy to bear. Hundun had awakened!
As dawn arrived, Tianze vanished as if swallowed by the shadows. Feng Haoran rose from his seat, his eyes glistening. Using his newfound manipulative power, he restored the lilies that had withered from the Hundun energy. He made the Red Lilies Garden look beautiful again, even more stunning than before, as if the garden had been touched by the hand of a god descending from the heavens.
The theater had only just begun.
His golden robes billowed like the holy light of a grand deity. The sound of the jewelry on his robes clinked like the pure waters of the 9th Heaven as Feng Haoran emerged from the Red Lilies Garden.
He walked alone, head bowed, appearing devastated. Villagers along the way began to whisper.
"What is wrong with the Emperor? Why does he look so despondent?" a villager asked. Feng Haoran ignored them, continuing his walk with a heavy gaze.
"Hush, don't be impudent! Surely something terrible has happened to make our Emperor look so broken."
Feng Haoran walked toward the capital, passing a river decorated with pure jade stones. Beautiful flowers seemed to bloom wherever he stepped, and the lotuses in the holy river seemed to greet him. He didn't stop, continuing on foot even though his new power could have brought him to the palace in the blink of an eye.
When he reached the gates of the Golden Lotus Kingdom...
"Salute the Emperor!" Guang commanded everyone, from the jade beauties to the commoners.
"May Your Majesty live for hundreds, even millions of years!"
They all cheered, welcoming back their Emperor who bore the face of a grieving god.
Suddenly, tears fell, seemingly sincere and uncontrollable. Feng Haoran grabbed Guang's shoulder with a sense of utter despair.
"What is it, Your Majesty?" Guang asked.
"Guang... my wife... my wife... my wife... my wife!"
Feng Haoran sobbed uncontrollably. Guang looked confused, as did the people.
"Four times?" Guang thought to himself.
"What happened, Your Majesty? Tell me, where is the Empress? What has truly happened... wait, what is this smell? Lotuses? No... bones!"
Feng Haoran stopped crying for a second, casting a sharp, piercing gaze toward Guang.
"Your... Your Majesty?" Guang's voice carried a hint of hidden fear.
Feng Haoran ignored him. After staring Guang down, he took a single step and reached the main altar of the Golden Lotus.
"My people, whom I love so dearly," his voice was raspy from crying, yet it resonated with the authority and aura of an angel.
"I feel such sorrow... I feel as though I deserve to die!" Feng Haoran wailed at the main altar.
"Don't say that, Your Majesty! You make our souls feel your grief!" the people cried out.
Guang narrowed his eyes.
"What is the matter, Your Majesty?" Guang asked again, his tone growing more suspicious.
"My wife... she has been called... to the 9th Heaven by the nine Eternal Emperors. To Nirvana. She sacrificed herself for the safety and prosperity of the Golden Lotus Kingdom!"
Feng Haoran's voice was hoarse as he wept. Tears that looked entirely genuine flowed down his cheeks. The people were instantly struck with grief, their own tears falling in response. The cries of the subjects shattered the luxury and peace of the kingdom.
"Your Majesty! Our Queen! Do not leave us!"
"Emperor Feng..." Guang watched him from a distance.
From the main altar, Feng Haoran stared back at Guang.
"Guang... you're getting interesting."