Chapter 1
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/Chirp!/
/Chirp!/
What a beautiful day it was! Flowers were blooming, birds were singing, the sky was clear, and the sun shone brightly over the bountiful white clouds above…
But amidst the sunny rays of golden beauty… there was a looming feeling of despair…
"This is your last chance to reconsider... Are you ready?"
"I am."
In the middle of the mountains stood a stone pagoda carved from the walls of an enormous boulder, hidden deep within a bamboo forest at its foot.
The pagoda was extremely lifelike, decorated with thousands of runes, and enveloped by hundreds of paper seals tied together with ropes and nails.
Chains bound the pagoda to the mountains, and decorated stones and small shrines stood around it with intricate seals, forming an unusual symbol from high above the mountain.
"Hum... Very well."
Before the pagoda, an old man sat on a wooden chair, resting silently. He was keeping watch of its entrance, as he had been tasked with long ago. His hair was long, but his face was clad in shadows, hidden by his wide straw hat… so old was the straw pieces of it fell whenever the old man moved around.
Speaking to him was a young man who stood proudly before the pagoda, a dozen items in his hands as his eyes narrowed at the fate that awaited him.
Books and scrolls filled a small bag on his back, so bloated that it seemed ready to burst.
/Push…/
The old man got up, pushing the heavy stone doors open, revealing a stairway leading to an engulfing darkness…
/Shuaaa…/
A faint icy breeze blew onto them, sending shivers down the young man's back. But he did not step back. He had been waiting for today; it was his last chance to accomplish his dreams, and he couldn't stop now.
"Follow right behind me."
"Understood."
/Step…/
/CLOSE!/
They began their descent, and soon after, the doors behind them closed, echoing throughout the stairway.
From here on out… It was the realm of demons.
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/Lit…/
At the end of the staircase, dozens of meters beneath the ground, was a small room with a simple layout. Two long benches on each side, and a few piles of boxes near the ends of each bench.
A few supplies were scattered throughout the place, full of dust and likely far too spoiled to be of any use…
There was another stone door opposite the stairway's end leading deeper into the underground complex. Different from the first door, this one was covered in ancient seals and strange wax symbols.
"From here on, you'll tread the rest of the way alone." The elder spoke as he lit a small red candle and recited a quiet prayer
"A few rules… and a word of advice. Stay on the first floor; never descend."
He gave the young man a stack of papers with strange runes on them, but he did not explain what they were… both knew what they signified.
"If your talismans burn out too quickly, go to this room and seal shut the door behind you. No matter what you hear or see, don't leave the benches; wait for me to fetch you."
"… I'll open the doors every day in the morning and the night. You'll hear it if you pay attention. You are to leave once I do so."
"Inside these boxes are enough nutritional supplies to last you a while. Once you're inside, bring them with you."
"There is a bathroom at the very end of the corridor on the right. There are large ampules outside and inside your room. Once the ampule turns and its red side rises, if you aren't inside your room, rush inside and close the doors… and pray."
"If you didn't get my meaning, you are to seal yourself inside your room before every night. Preferably, you can study in your room. It's not large, but there is enough space for you to remain there."
"If you see anyone inside, ignore them. They are the Bookkeepers, and they can be recognized by their large red hats… Never approach one as they're transcribing a book, and do not interrupt one either."
"Only approach them if you cross by them in the hall or if they're searching for books on the shelves. They'll help you find whatever you need if you give them a proper description of what you're after."
"If you see anything else, it's not real. You're the only ordinary person inside and shall be the only one until your return."
He took a deep breath, "… Always keep a candle lit inside your room. The Keepers keep the rest. Each lasts exactly a day, but they can burn faster; there are more than enough candles for you to use. Always burn them inside their corresponding receptacles so that you may return them to the keepers once they're burned."
"You'll know where to leave them by a small silvery plate outside your room. If you realize the candle extinguished while you were away, ring the small bell outside your room. Don't risk entering it and step away from it."
"If you see any patch of darkness, don't cross it; all corners should always be illuminated… darkness is not supposed to form and should be reported to the Keepers. Always remain within the candles at any given moment."
"Remember this above all else: the Keepers aren't your friends. They're scarier than the hallucinations, so if you hear or see things, proceed to this room and remain quiet, lighting one talisman for extra protection."
He put his arms behind his back, getting ready to leave as he grabbed a candle holder on the side before giving it to him.
"If you wish to cultivate, you are to proceed to the isolated room in the far left at the end of the corridor, you may only use it from 6 Am to 12 Pm, there is a smaller ampule inside the room telling you the time, a Keeper will open and close the room during those times, don't get locked inside."
"If you do, try knocking on the door. If they open the door again, you're lucky; if not… Try to resist until the next morning. And keep knocking on the door every hour. Knock only once, or it may attract their attention."
"That's all. There are more rules inside written on the walls, but take my advice and focus solely on what I said, the rest is far too technical, and you only have so much to memorize with the little time you have."
"That's all."
With that, the old man turned around, leaving the young man with only a small red candle burning within a silvery holder.
Once he noticed he was alone, he breathed deeply, "... Phew… I'm here. No turning back now."
'If I can't make use of this opportunity, I'll be trapped in a life of mediocrity… This is my only chance to alter my fate.'
/Push…/
The young man pushed the heavy and dusty door open, crossing into the darkness.
/CLACK!/
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/CLACK!/
The doors closing behind him; he took another deep breath, studying his surroundings as he tried not to cough due to the heavy dust and thick smell of mold.
A stone crossroads stood before him, strange symbols and talismans imprinted all over the place, and candles and bones decorated every crevice.
To his left and right were two corridors, and before him, a red curtain covering the passage onward… He could feel a gaze from beyond; he didn't linger, immediately going to the right.
He eventually took another right, reaching a large, somewhat well-lit library with dozens of shelves and tables full of books.
"I'm finally here… The Demonic Vault." He mumbled to himself as he looked around
'It took me years but… I finally got an admission opportunity.'
'The Demonic Vault was the name of the storage facility charged with storing all the demonic techniques and principles within the Heaven Cross Mountains. It is a place clad in secrets and mysteries, where legends are kept sealed to be forgotten…'
'Or so is the case for the TRUE Demonic Vault… This place is merely a copy made for the lower sect… but… It's the best I can get.'
The young man raised his head, looking at the red light shining from the red stained-glass window on the ceiling. And as he did so, he remembered his past…
'Around fifteen years ago, I was but a child… far too young to even understand anything… I lost my parents, servants of another's land, and with that was admitted into the Lower Sect due to my parents' low ranking.'
'On the same event that took them from me, my Spiritual Root awakened, and with it, I recalled the memories of my past life… and vowed to live a better, more dignified life.'
'Who I was… mattered little, a man who tried his best and died like any other, I regret what I couldn't accomplish, what I couldn't reach, and the people I used to converse with… but I already left that world behind… for memories won't feed me… nor lead me to a new future.'
'I vowed to be better… to not be a pawn in someone else's life. A slave to the culture and social norms. I was going to be the one to make the rules… yet fate is cruel.'
'Cultivation… This is the goal of this world, its lifeblood, the goal of every being with enough prospects to challenge the heavenly order.'
'When I was but three years old, almost four, my Spiritual Root, a special organ at the base of the brain, was awakened under the stimulation of two Foundation Level Cultivators fighting on the streets near my home.'
'Their incredible fight gave me much to ponder, opening my eyes to a brand new world… But it also took my parent's lives…'
'I would say it was because of luck, but it obviously was due to my awakened root… a cultivator from the Heaven Cross Mountains quelled the chaos, but it was too late. Too much death and destruction had already ensued.'
'My hometown had been destroyed, this life I had just awakened too… gone.'
'But amidst despair, hope was born… this same cultivator saw my talent and took me under his wing, saying righteous things about doing what was right for my parents who were done wrong… Pathetic, empty words...'
'My parents were commoners in this world, individuals at the wrong place and at the wrong time, merely taking their son on a stroll before dying horribly at the hands of two drunken cultivators.'
'No one cried for them; the cultivators were punished, but what little they received compared to my kin's death was negligible… not only them but everyone around us.'
'I didn't even have a name then, as it's the norm for parents not to give their children names until they turn six… all due to a belief it raises the chance of them reaching their teenage years.'
'So I had to give myself a name… Names carry power, or so they say… So I thought of a really grandiose name to give myself, one that could represent the height of my ambition and the twisted fate that had been bestowed upon me.'
'From one lifetime to the next, I named myself Sun Xiaoei Ma. Sun was a world from my first world, representing the ever-powerful sun, a source of life, hope, and much more… the most brilliant and most powerful force in the heavens.'
'Xiaomei was a mix of this world and my previous one's words; it roughly means "Fated to achieve", but so far, that hasn't been true… Putting everything together, my name is meant to signify that I'm meant to reach the apex…'
'Some would say I'm being pretentious… others might even harm me for it… the belief that names have power is strong, so if someone with such a name appeared, a mortal no less, others might not take it kindly…'
'Finally, Ma was my mother's surname, as I'm unaware of my father's, maybe he didn't even have one.'
'Most peasants have none anyway; it's seen as an honor to have one, so most peasants don't even create them. Most of them have titles for their jobs. Like William Woodcutter or Jamy Potter…'
'Surnames are for nobility and cultivators, although most cultivators will adopt Dao names once they begin cultivating, which is usually given to them by their master or a cultivator of considerable seniority.'
'My master gave me one, but as I grew, I abandoned that name as it brings me no joy or pride… It never did. It was but a reminder of what I couldn't be.'
'Well... I entered the Heaven Cross Mountains at five and "ascended" to Cultivation… At first it was easy, I was seen as talented. I could memorize, listen, and study well. Essential things for a child who was beginning cultivation.'
'I learned the breathing exercises, trained my energy channels, and by the time I turned ten, began cultivating…'
'In this world, cultivation is a lengthy process… it's about accumulation; techniques are there to guide you and enhance your body, but overall, everyone's cultivation is the same process.'
'There is no such thing as someone being stronger than another because they cultivated ten different techniques and forms while the other only cultivated one supreme almighty art…'
'But it was true that techniques could affect cultivation, albeit not directly like that. It was a complicated matter, and truthly speaking, I am far too ignorant of the truth to opine on such…'
'In my case, my foundation was solid, but my talent was severely lacking. In comparison, even the most talented of the bunch may fail to go through the first, and simplest stage of human transformation, the first major realm, the ten steps of Qi Refinement before they turn twenty.'
'I tried my best, practicing every day and even spent many nights awake. I meditated, focusing solely on myself, throwing away personal connections, living a life of seclusion, dedicating my all to the pursuit of this art…'
'I rarely used elixirs to supplement my cultivation… I never resorted to dark arts or underhanded means and shortcuts… Yet even after ten years of constant struggle, with me putting over five times more effort than most peers my age… My Cultivation remained stuck at the second stage of Qi Refinement.'
'Even though the most talented cannot advance through all ten steps before their twenties. Two steps is still far too little… Had it been three or four, I might've been less desperate…'
'But with this talent, forget taking revenge on those Foundation Establishment cultivators; I may not even surpass the fifth stage of Qi Refinement within my lifetime.'
'How far you can go before your twenties tells a lot of how far you'll go in life… and this was me in my most natural state without reliance on anything… How am I supposed to continue knowing this was the most I could do?'
'Unfortunately, this was the norm… I was but the son of peasants, not the son of supreme cultivators. It had never been a matter of comprehension. It was a mere matter of physical quality.'
'At least… there's no way to tell if I have poor comprehension. Such issues only become important once one reaches the second major realm and begins learning Cultivator Arts and Techniques. That's when a cultivator's power truly shines… and a realm I once believed attainable… But here are my dreams, shattered to pieces.'
'The people who once supported me turned their backs on me; the people who once brought me here also left, leaving me to fend for myself. I'm a child no more, but being alone… hurts.'
'From a life of abundance to a life of scarcity, this is what I was given… How disappointing.'
'It isn't unfair… but reality is far too painful to admit… So in my desperation, I turned to the Demonic Arts at the bright age of… Fourteen… No, Thirteen…'
'In just that long ever since I began to cultivate. I realized that I had no future… It's a shame to say considering what I admitted before, but I had to do something… I had to make up for it! I didn't want to be abandoned so soon!'
'So I began with Dark Arts, how to reanimate insects, cultivate Gu Poison, and create simple puppets and marionettes… Once I became 15, I began diving fully into the Dark Arts, secretly becoming a demonic practitioner.'
'One may think I was but digging a grave for myself, but that isn't true. Demonic Arts do not bring forth one's demise as it may seem…'
'Demonic Arts mostly refer to Arts and Techniques that bring self-harm to the body and also violate the natural laws of the heavens too much, but still barely remain within what one may consider ethical. They stand in the middle between all sides, maybe stepping into each zone a little but never too far… The morally gray area.'
'The thought of severing one phallus to amplify their Yang energy is considered a form of Demonic Art. And so are the techniques that aim to sever all emotion from their practitioners.'
'Dark Arts are considered the lower version of Demonic Arts… Little tricks children and non-cultivators may make use of thinking it was the real deal, but they're the basics. At least that's how I see it; other cultivators may disagree.'
'Now… what about truly despicable things?… Devilish Arts… that's what one may consider morally evil.'
'To butcher thousands to suck their True Qi dry, to copulate with women and men to drain their Yin and Yang Qi and supplement one's lacking robustness… To dry the blood of virgins and bathe in it to achieve a Shura Body, to manipulate children into killing their parents to turn them into Devils. To murder pregnant women… and so on…'
'To defile the very heavens!! This is what Devilish Arts are about.'
'Of course, I never dabbled in it as I know full well how easy it is for one to be corrupted by said path… But Demonic and Devilish Arts go hand in hand. If I study one, it doesn't take much to convert to the other side… More often than not, what separates both is merely the purpose and mentality of the cultivator.'
'Is it Devilish to slaughter pigs? What about humans, then? But isn't it the same approach? To humans… it isn't, but for the Heavens… who knows? There are people who say that people make the Heavens, so what constitutes the heavenly law is nothing but the morals of its inhabitants.'
'Maybe to the heavens, a cultivator hunting pig is but the norm of nature… the law of the jungle. But still…'
'I don't wish to stain my karma anymore than I already have. I have no intention of converting. But I don't have the luxury of remaining too pure either.'
'Once I began dabbling in the demonic arts, I realized something quite shocking… I always believed that I had high comprehension, that I could understand things well and memorize them fairly efficiently.'
'… I always believed it was because I loved Cultivation, to seek the truth about the world and longevity… But then I touched the Dark Arts and realized…'
'What being a genius meant.'
'Two books of equal difficulty, one of Immortal Arts, the other of Demonic Arts…'
'Immortal Arts are what most cultivators practice, arts that can lead one to become an Immortal and not a Demon, even though both are essentially the same… It's a pure, overbearing yet light force, to form the Dao heart, full of righteousness and conviction… Or so they say.'
'If I'm given both books, more often than not, it would take me weeks to finish and incorporate the Immortal practices into my mind… While it would take me a mere few hours to incorporate the other.'
'I was born for the Demonic Path, that was something I was quick to figure out. Yet regardless of my affinity, my constitution remained the same. Qi, be it Immortal or Demonic, circulated within the Meridians. If my body was trash… it didn't matter how I shaped it.'
'My Mental Enlightenment is likely already in the later stages of the Formation Establishment Realm, yet here I am, a mere Level 2 scrub.'
'That leads me here… The Demonic Vault.'
'After years of study, hiding away my studies of the Demonic Path, I figured out that the only solution was to overcome my body in Demonic Arts. There was no other solution I could think of.'
'But the Heaven Cross Mountains are a Righteous sect, as such, they look down on Demonic Arts… On the surface that is…'
'Deep down, the Heaven Cross Mountains takes inspiration from demonic practitioners as they believe there is much to learn from the path that opposes yours, hence they built the Demonic and Immortal Vaults, each representing the two sides of the cultivation world.'
'After many years gathering merits and working my ass off as I licked the boots of those Elders and Senior disciples, I got a chance to enter the Lower Sect's Demonic Vault… for three months.'
'The Heaven Cross Mountains are divided into the Lower and Higher sects, located in different parts of the Heaven Cross Mountain range, pretty self-explanatory.'
'The higher sect is where the Elders and Inner Disciples remain as the Qi there is too thick and toxic for the common man and cultivator. The primary cultivation necessary to step beyond their gates is Foundation Establishment… if you aren't up to par, you may suffocate in but a few hours.'
'Not to say the merits one needs to gather… Conditions atop conditions, rules upon rules, the usual way of the orthodox, making a mountain out of a molehill for every action so they can sustain their over-inflated ego.'
'My objective is simple: to supplement my Demonic Arts knowledge with whatever I can find here and build a foundation to become a Higher Level Cultivator. Once I do so, I can gather more merit and redo this process… until I become a Foundation Cultivator.'
'In the long history of the Sect, someone has to have thought of doing the same thing as me, even if their motivation was another…'
'I'm dreaming big, but it's who I am, always dreaming, always trying… These books on my back will serve as my lifeline, as although I can't bring anything outside, I can still bring whatever I copy with me.'
'I can't copy techniques directly, but if I can copy my enlightenments and understandings, I can refer to them as I train, especially if I study the resolutions others achieved.'
'Even if everything here is a mere copy of the real deal in the True Demonic Vault, they should at least be somewhat similar, right?'
"Let's begin."
Once an ordinary man, now Sun Xiaoei Ma… He took a step forward, raising his hand towards a nearby shelf.
Thus began his research into the Demonic.
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Notes
Chapter 2
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/Around a month later…/
/Scribble…/
Within a five-by-five-meter wide room, Sun was sitting on a wooden chair as he continuously wrote something on a long scroll.
Lengthy formulas and engrams spread across the parchment, forming a complex structure. Hundreds of unique symbols and sigils converged into complex patterns, all drawing towards the center of the scroll.
"... No, this isn't it."
After an entire month in this place, Sun had already absorbed a dozen books full of complex Demonic ideas he never thought of, advancing his foundation far more than he had ever imagined.
If it was debatable where his mental cultivation truly was, now it wasn't as shaky as before… If he had the talent, maybe Sun would indeed rapidly advance to Foundation Establishment!
"Urg… Something's missing… I can't put this together."
'Well… not like this is my first time… I can see it soon enough, I'll complete it… My first Demonic Art.'
'At first, I thought I couldn't practice here, but… The Demonic Qi in the air is so thick my body absorbs it automatically, fueling my Martial Arts without me needing to do anything.'
'Just a few days ago, I successfully broke through the Third Stage of Qi Refinement! Maybe that's why people choose to enter these Vaults, not for the books but for the immense Qi within…'
'If with the remaining two months I were to focus solely on cultivation, I might be able to break through the Fourth Stage… But that would be it.'
'I can't rely solely on that… A simple achievement like that would amount to nothing. I need a sturdier foundation… And for that I need time.'
'So I had an idea… I have around three months here, but the time doesn't come from a pre-established timer; it comes from the talismans I was given.'
On his waist a long talisman had been tied to his robes, its tip seemed to be burning, if ever slowly. 'I have three talismans. Once they all burn, it's over for me. I'll be consumed by the Demonic Qi and whatever is lurking in the dark and go berserk.'
'But if I can increase my Mental Fortitude to the point, I can naturally resist this place… then I can remain here indefinitely… or until the Elder outside grows bored with me and comes inside to drag me out.'
'This place is mostly kept by the Bookkeepers, anyway. As long as I don't bother them, no one will come here to take me away. This place is essentially an isolated area from the Sect's rules.'
'Per my calculations, if I scarcely use the talismans and take care of them, I should be able to remain here for an extra three or so months. That's double the expected time!'
'But that's not due to that solely… After a month here, I realized that my natural disposition for Demonic Arts has greatly helped me resist the mental corruption within these halls… and if I can finish this technique on time, I should be able to raise my time from that to… an entire year, if not two!'
'In two years, I can definitely do everything I want! And while I'm absorbing the Demonic Qi in the environment to fuel my Cultivation!'
'My idea is simple. Demonic Qi infects the user's mind and corrupts it, so if i build a defense around it following the principle of the talismans… I can remain here longer.'
'Thus I came up with this idea, I call it… The Smoke Lung Art.'
'Just like smog slowly accumulating in the lungs as you smoke, this art makes it so that as Demonic Qi travels through your head, it'll deposit on your skull and form a thick protection, isolating your brain from further corruption as the Qi is filtrated of impurities.'
'As long as you can resist a little corruption, it should be fine!'
'There is a catch, of course… Sealing my mind like this can make future breakthroughs harder for me, but can a beggar be a chooser? It's either this or nothing!'
"But I'm a little stumped… This is hard. The theory itself is cracking my skull in half…"
'Yet… It's fun!'
Sun had never had so much fun as he was having now, and to think it would come from playing around with a pen and a parchment… He focused. He would succeed.
He had to.
…
/Another month later…/
"Haaahaha..."
'Success.'
After two months of research, he succeeded in shielding his mind from the Demon Corruption. The proof of it came from his waist, for the talisman no longer burned, remaining still like any ordinary piece of paper.
"There's only one thing left…"
/Tie…/
Sun made a small hair tie at the back of his mind using the slightly burned talisman, letting it curve above his head before touching his forehead.
It was a little uncomfortable, but it was for the best.
'With the talisman around my mind, if any strong wave of Demonic Power reaches my head, it'll first be weakened by the talisman before being blocked by the technique.'
'I have already succeeded, and there is no need to strengthen the barrier around my mind. It'll naturally do so as it's the technique's very own principle. Eventually, I won't even need the talisman.'
He had an idea at the back of his mind… "Although… if it grows thicker, I should be able to dive even deeper..."
But he shook his head, 'Not yet, there's still much to study, and if I can progress enough… I should be able to ask one of the Keepers to grab me a book from a lower floor, but it's unlikely.'
'Books can't be brought between floors without proper authorization, and they won't concede to me. It's obvious.'
'So I should instead focus on myself. I'll find a way to strengthen myself so I can resist the corruption… that's when I'll dive deeper.'
…
/Another month later…/
"..."
/Shine…/
/Breakthrough!/
"Huff… Huff… I… I did it!"
'Fourth Stage of Qi refinement!... To think I would ever progress this quickly!'
'Not only is my mind flowing faster, I also feel so more… alive! It was as if my body had been waiting for this moment!'
'Well… It's likely an effect of my rising cultivation, but it's a good one. These three months have already paid for themselves. It wouldn't take long for me to accumulate the achievements needed to reenter this place… maybe in a year or two if I take my time.'
'My cultivation doubled, and my knowledge has exploded. With this alone, I can leave happy… But why should I?'
'I'll remain for as long as I can… or until someone takes me away.'
'First, get used to my cultivation; once that's done, I'll resume my studies. It's not like I need to do much to cultivate since it rises on its own.'
Ever since his first day, Sun had focused solely on the basics of Demonic and Mental Cultivation, but he was reaching a wall.
Not that he had read everything… It was that he felt he was about to cross a point of considerable complexity. Maybe it would be best to focus on other aspects first before moving on; that was what his brain told him.
As such… He maintained his rhythm, living with the keepers silently, cultivating, and studying as he ate nutrition bars and other tasteless foods. All the while avoiding any dangers that might arise from the dark halls…
Time passed… and no one came to check up on him.
…
/Three months later…/
"... The body's center… if I invert the True Qi for only a moment. I can potentially change my affinity and turn this body into a Demonic Vessel…"
'True Qi, Vital Qi… similar terms for the energies present within one's body. Vital Qi is the natal energy one was born with. It represented one's virulence, their potential, robustness, and mostly lifespan.'
'The basics of Demonic Cultivation were to burn this Qi in pursuit of short-term success, believing that by burning ten years of True Qi, one could ascend beyond their limits and gain a hundred years of Vital Qi. The energy of life.'
'But such thoughts are narrow-minded. Those who think like that do not understand the essence of bringing forth their True Qi. I figured out that if I unlock my True Qi and reverse it with my Demonic Qi, I may be able to change the nature of my body, cleanse it from all impurities and eventually push it towards that of the Demonic Path.'
'In short, to conduct my body towards the Demonic Path.'
'This would maximize the little talent I have in a single direction, maybe giving me the chance to break through the Foundation Establishment realm naturally. But robbing me of the chance to practice Immortal Arts as they would damage my body instead.'
'But I have no choice.'
"To perform this ritual, if everything I think is correct, I'll need some preparations, but first, I must gather ten liters of my own blood… Thankfully I've already done that over the months."
'I don't have much ink, you see… My blood is the only thing I have. But as long as I practice the Great Red Sun Art, replenishing my blood reserves is simple enough.'
'The Great Red Sun Art is a technique I found here… It's the most suitable cultivation method I found, and it came to replace my old one, a traditional method from the Sect… Maybe one of the reasons my progress was so slow was because I was stuck with an Immortal Cultivation method when my disposition was for the Demonic Path.'
"Now… I only need to break through to the Sixth Stage of Qi refinement, once I do so, I can abolish my Cultivation and use the gathered energy to reverse my blood flow and temporarily open my Vessel, giving me the chance to reshape my body into something far more suitable to the Demonic path!"
"From there, I only need to resist, the longer I resist, the stronger my Demonic Vessel will be."
'The Demonic Qi will enter my body and be spread by the Great Sun imprint. Strengthening my Vessel.'
'What is the Great Sun Imprint? It's an Immortal formation technique I found during my time training under my master… It comes from another set of techniques similar to the Great Red Sun Art.'
'Shockingly, I found out that the set of techniques was most likely devised from the Great Red Sun Art! This would mean that my original belief that the Heaven Cross Mountains make use of Demonic Arts to boost their techniques was true! Albeit it was far deeper than I could've imagined… if this simple technique is already "tainted" by demonic arts, what about the rest?'
"It doesn't concern me…" He said out loud as he shook his head
'In any case, I've modified the Great Sun Imprint to fit my body. Over the last few months, I've used my Inner Qi, the energy I've accumulated half of my life, to slowly change my meridians into its shape, and now… I'm ready.'
'It's not something permanent, so if I fail, I can revert the meridians to how they were, although if I lose track of how they were before, this could mean my end… The end of how I was before.'
'I won't give up.'
That very same day, Sun abolished his Cultivation after breaking through once more.
Back at the beginning, he was mortal once more.
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Notes
Chapter 3
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—
/Six months later…/
"... It's been quite a while since I last saw the old man…"
'A few weeks ago, the old man passed by the entrance room and replenished the area with a dozen boxes full of new and fresh nutritional boxes and other supplies, such as normal Ink! He completely replaced everything!'
'He was even so graceful as to give me a full box of books and parchments, hundreds of them… Just how great can he be? I've finally had a decent meal that tastes like ordinary chestnuts since forever…'
'But since then… I haven't seen or heard him. I'm even growing a bit concerned. Could it be… he died of old age? Nah… He's strong, very strong… Beyond Foundation, maybe even beyond Golden Core… He's likely a Nascent Soul master if not above that.'
'Only someone that strong would be left behind to protect this hellhole… But why do I care, anyway? I have my resources for the next few years or so, so I'm fine… but…'
'It's been six months since I abolished my Cultivation and even now, I don't feel much pressure. Maybe it's time for me to descend to the second floor.'
"There's still much left to study here, but how long would it take to go through it all?… I need to get my hands on something more conclusive. Something that has already been studied and has a solid foundation."
Sun got up from his seat, making way to the red curtain blocking his path to the next section of the Vault.
This time, he felt nothing as he looked at it…
/Step…/
Without hesitation, he got inside.
/Burn…/
He looked at his talisman, it began to burn, albeit slowly.
'So my timer ticks again… Tsk. Looks like I'll have to be fast. The rules say I can't bring a book, so I'll have to read things there, so I'll focus on memorizing before passing my knowledge to a parchment on the first floor.'
'My goal should be to figure out a way to increase my resistance to the corruption so I can stay there for an undetermined amount of time.'
'Well, one thing at a time.'
Sun resumed his research.
…
/Around a year later…/
/Flip… Flip… Clap!/
"Phew… It's been… How long has it been again?"
'Two years? Maybe more…'
Sun got up from his seat, taking a look around.
"It's been rather silent as well; I haven't seen any of the Keepers in a while."
What is a Keeper? A Keeper is a Cultivator who has wholeheartedly delved into the Demonic. They keep track of the books, study, and research them. Developing new theories, formulas, and techniques over time.
The Heaven Cross Mountains is an orthodox sect that allows for Demonic Cultivation as long as it's kept under cover, so it's no wonder they would put such emphasis on it.
Some of the Keepers are so far gone they might as well be considered spirits than living beings… living, moving parts of this accursed vault.
"Last time I saw one was like… a few months ago? They entered the red curtain going to the third floor and vanished… Weird."
'The Keepers are like Immortal monsters, people who have descended so far down the Demonic Path that they've achieved tremendous physical transformations. It's crazy to even imagine what they have learned.'
'In just two years, I have successfully begun the refinement of the Demonic Vessel and have attained enough enlightenment and understanding of Cultivation that I may be able to reach the 7th Stage of Qi refinement within half a year if I leave the Vault now… Even so, these monsters have been here for decades… Centuries. Maybe even longer.'
'The Heaven Cross Mountains is a Sect that's been around for two thousand years, and if we add the time, they were something else, maybe even three thousand.'
'Their heritage goes far and wide. And it's thanks to this heritage, reputation, and their strength as one of the three Heavenly Sects of the Guamo Continent, they're able to practice Demonic Arts "publicly".'
'With that in mind, just how far have the Keepers cultivated? Just what kind of insights have they reached?!… Well… There's at least one good thing about that, and it's the fact the Keepers always record everything they learn. So even if they can't teach me, I can just study everything they've done.'
"Hum… Maybe it's just an impression, but I feel like the Demonic Qi around me is… thinning out..."
'Did… Did something happen outside? Have the formations begun to leak the energy outside? This could be bad… for me, that is.'
"If the Sect is in trouble, then it's likely that the Lower Sect may have been abandoned or sealed, with the disciples and personnel brought to the Upper Sect; that's the first and second signs of a lockdown."
"A Sect like the Heaven Cross Mountains would only enter a lockdown if something like the Patriarch were to die… Did he actually die though?!"
"If that happened… then the Vaults would be abandoned for a while, hidden away so thieves wouldn't find them. But this may lead to the destabilization of the formations that maintain them."
"Hum… Something definitely happened as the Elder also vanished. After he left the renewed supplies, he never returned. Not even to open the doors… And the Keepers are nowhere to be seen…"
'I don't mind the supplies; every floor has its own storage room full of items the Keepers used to maintain the place, I can go for years if not decades with those alone.'
'Food is a problem though. Even if the dried food here is very nutritious and can last a while, it cannot resist the Demonic Corruption for long… I can resist it, but if I ingest corrupted food…'
"I would get quite the stomachache… but not for long, I wager. After all, I'm building a Demonic Vessel, and ingesting Qi will only strengthen it. The only essential part is my mind. I must keep it stable, else I may truly go crazy… or end up with a deviant personality."
'I'd rather not eat spoiled food though…'
"That's why I wrote a diary, to help me remember who I was… But I often look at it with strangeness. I'm already slowly losing myself…"
'As for water, an underground river feeds several scattered wells, so I'll never have an issue with that. But the same issue as before rises.'
'Cleaning myself is not an issue, although I don't bathe frequently, I wash myself once every week… or a few weeks… The smell here isn't pleasant already, anyway. So no one would notice if I smelled bad.'
'The Keepers themselves already smell like dust and mold left behind for decades…'
He had a curious thought, "... Does this mean that… I'm all alone now?..."
'I spent many years of this life either meditating or studying, so I eventually got used to being by myself… But this doesn't mean I'm okay with being like this.'
'The Keepers walking around gave me a false sense of companionship, but now, even they are alone. Leaving me with these demons lurking in the shadows…'
"I got used to this smelly place… But if I wouldn't mind staying alone, even I would prefer having a well-lit office by a sunny window…"
"... I quite miss the sun."
'Still… At the same time… This could be a chance. A chance for me to go even further. If the Elder isn't here anymore and neither are the Keepers… Maybe I can begin… creating my own rules.'
'I already have a decent understanding of Demonic Qi and the talismans, and although I have no intention of changing the layout of things and risking messing the inner formations of this place… I can at least play around to make things better and more convenient for me.'
'And above all…'
"Now that the Keepers aren't here, all the floors have gone dark."
'I hadn't noticed this because I got into the habit of lighting up candles on my path, but everywhere else I haven't entered in a while is… dark and gloomy.'
"Yet nothing's happening… If the Demonic Qi has thinned out this much, then it means there's no risk for me anymore… I originally thought my talisman stopped burning because I had grown resistent, but the truth may might simply be that the energy grew weak instead."
"... I'll check it out right now."
Sun moved outside the library, moving to the red curtain separating the second and third floors.
/Push/
He pushed it aside, descending to the third floor.
…
His steps echoed on the dark stairs, as the strong silence let him hear his heart thumping from his chest.
"… According to the Sect's separation, the first floor involves books concerning the First Major Realm of Cultivation: Qi Refinement."
"The second floor would be for the Second Major Realm: Foundation Establishment."
"The third floor would be for the Third Major Realm: Golden Core."
"The fourth floor would be for the fourth Major Realm: Nascent Soul… and so on."
"I think there are seven or so floors here, which is quite massive."
"In the Guamo Continent, the Realm of the Nascent Soul was already catastrophically high, with the Supreme Elders and Patriarch being all of this realm. So the idea of seven floors seems… exaggerated."
"Of course, there are realms beyond Nascent Soul, but it's just… ridiculous to even think about. How many centuries would one need to cultivate to reach it? It's no wonder most Sect Lords stay in position for a few decades before moving on after having a disciple take their place."
"One would often imagine that sects would have immortal leaders leading them for centuries, but it's not true; they often retire after a few decades. Few remain for longer."
"Now… stepping onto the third floor without any cultivation would've killed me instantly due to the Demonic Qi, and I bet the talisman would've been burning intensely now…"
/Cinder…/
"But it's barely even lit… Something's out of place."
'It's true my understanding of the Demonic Path has increased resistance to its traits, but I think it's also true what I noticed before, that the Demonic Qi in the Vault is dispersing.'
"It's likely a combination of both… and maybe that's the reason why the Keepers left."
"They're Demonic monsters and need a lot of Demonic Qi to sustain themselves, so if the Qi in the Vault is receding… They must've needed to go further down to sustain themselves."
"The Vault is also a prison, trapping these Demonic Masters so they won't return to the surface. And if they do… they would die soon after even if they slaughtered thousands."
"Their Demonic Cultivation is far too unruly for them to bring it outside; like a candle, they would burn out in seconds… I believe most of them are attempting to correct their flaws, but what they just end doing is digging a deeper hole down this mound."
'That is the trap of the Demonic Path… You can never fully escape from it.'
"So… this means… I'm free to do as I wish."
Sun smiled devilishly. As long as he could study on the first floor, not only would he be able to reduce the Demonic influence on him over time, but he would also be able to relax more.
Thus, after a few tests, Sun began experimenting with the rules, seeing how far he could break them. For the sake of his safety, he still maintained certain basic rules such as the candles lighting up the hallways. But with no one to stop him, he could not study anywhere and bring books from one floor to the other… maybe even copy them while keeping the most precious records sealed away at the depths of each library with him.
With such thoughts, the month passed… and another, and another… and another…
The world circled the sun multiple times as the seasons came and went… Before long, years passed.
…
But before that… For the next few months, Sun focused on testing the rules.
Half a year after he realized he was alone and free to do as he was fit, Sun sorted through the books on the third floor, using their knowledge to supplement his research and speed it up once more.
At the end of this year, Sun reached another roadblock, so he descended even further rather than sticking around… With that, he stepped into the fourth floor.
Each floor was about equal in size to the other, but the facilities and number rooms within diminished while the library expanded.
Despite that, the numbers of books in each floor kept reducing, aside from the second floor where the number of records was larger than the first, and the third floor which had as many records as the second.
He could tell that most of the knowledge within them were the basics which the Keepers had spent centuries if not millennia deciphering and formulating… from there on, it was the refined, advanced knowledge kept away from the prying eyes of the unworthy.
Thus, he soon found out that the fourth floor had less than a fifth of the third floor.
Still, books were books, and Sun did not discriminate. The complexity within each tome was immeasurable, their thickness considerable… more than enough to make up for the loss in quantity. In pure contents alone, the fourth floor might have more than all previous floors combined!
With each book being its own contained research, something that likely took decades if not centuries to be formulated, they contained each a thesis so complex it dwarfed everything Sun had done so far.
He could see his reflection in them… maybe if he were given decades here, he too would eventually make a document like this… but despite that, he kept gazing beyond… he wished to see the world beyond this realm.
As such, Sun displayed his talent for the Demonic Path by slowly decrypted them, line by line… A single scroll may look small, but its contents were often cryptic, written in ways only higher cultivators or those with a deep understanding of the demonic would understand.
To cross this gap as a mortal, Sun had to find creative ways to read them, using Demonic Arts fueled by the ambient Qi to make sense of what he read.
Thus… it had been three years since he locked himself inside the Demonic Vault.
Time passed with Sun spending all of his time moving between the first and third floors… and by the end of his sixth year, Sun reached another wall, this time, it took him longer because the books on the fourth floor were immeasurably enlightening and comprehensive.
Also, Sun still had much to research; his primary focus was talent and affinity for cultivation, not the techniques themselves, so if he wanted to, he could effortlessly just turn back and start researching something else.
He had read many, many books of course, but his focus had always been changing his physique so he could practice like any other person.
And when he said that, he meant the elite ones…
That day, Sun delved into the fifth floor… And was disappointed by what he saw. There was barely anything in the fifth's floor library, only a single shelf with a few books and scrolls. A few hundred, but nothing compared to what he had seen before.
Above all, his talisman was burning rather fast.
"It seems the Demonic Qi here is still rather dense… Even if weak, its quality is far from what my body can bear. Even if little, a powerful venom can still take down a bull."
Knowing this, with haste. He collected the few documents around and moved on. From those alone, it took him even longer to comprehend, even if faintly, everything he had gathered.
The knowledge within those was staggering. He felt he could completely shake the world of cultivation if he were to be allowed to refine them further!
He also took this time to refine his own knowledge with documents he hadn't read before. He had to given how sublime the scrolls he found were.
Thus, it was only four years later that he ascended to the sixth floor, marking the closure of his first decade underground!
That, however, was short-lived, as he had long cast aside such emotions… Still, from time to time, they came out of his lips, like when he entered the sixth floor.
Immense disappointment… for there, he found only a single document:
"... Kalamal-Ghar Xingru Lox biography?... What is this even doing here?"
'Kalamal-Ghar was one of the apex Demonic practitioners of the Ancient Times. He pioneered much of what the Demonic Path is today and was considered one of the fathers of all demonology…'
'A few of his techniques were found on the previous floors, but his biography? What's the point of this?... Unless… It's the original copy? If it's here, it means it has considerable value as a reference… being able to retrace the actions os such an enlightened being…'
"Before that though... I need to leave; my talisman is about to run out."
'The first of my original six talismans… I still have many more though, I found a ton of them scattered around the place… but I have no intention of using them. They're almost like souvenirs at this point.'
"It doesn't seem like I'll last long on the seventh floor with my current methods, so I'll focus on mastering everything I can before going."
'The stronger I am, the better I'll do… it's not like I am in a hurry, anyway. My lifespan as a mortal may be short, but once I begin cultivating, with the knowledge I have amassed, I'll easily be able to recover my youth and climb to the apex of talents!'
'Patience… I must be patient. There's still much to learn. I can still further refine my knowledge… I'm just thirty years old anyway… tsk…'
Although he frowned at the biography, at the time, Sun barely understood what he had gotten his hands on…
He soon returned to the first floor and began reading the biography as he continued his research, and not long after, he was fully immersed in its contents.
Many months passed… As he promised, Sun further refined everything he had learned, improving all aspects of his body and techniques, having read much of the documents within the Demonic Vault.
It was only ten years later that he finished his research. Or rather, he was forced to stop due to his food having run out… That fact took him out of his trance, a trance that lasted a whole decade.
It was only when he realized what was going on that, for the first time in a long time… he felt fear. He realized that had it not been for such an inconspicuous factor, he might've spent his whole lifespan doing nothing but studying these ancient archives.
That wasn't the kind of life he wanted!!
Thus, after sharpening his senses, Sun prepared to move on with his life. To take another step in his otherwise quiet and lonely journey.
…
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Notes
Chapter 4
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—
"... It's time." Sun said out loud as he remained before the curtains leading to the seventh floor
He could feel the enormous Demonic Qi exuding from within, but he felt no fear. He had long since grown numb to it. Now, after all his research, he saw the Demonic not as the realm of demons but merely as an aspect of reality… a form of raw power that could be manipulated if one understood what they were doing.
And while he felt he did understand… he knew deep down he was just beginning to walk upon this path.
"It's been too long…"
Sun still wore the same old clothes he had brought with him when he first entered the Demonic Vault. They were worn out and somewhat dusty, but he took care of them as much as he could.
Sun also carried one massive scroll on his back… It was the only thing he carried around with him aside from his items he planned to take with him, which he had left all the way on the first floor where it was the safest.
The scroll itself was something he found in the sixth floor's supply room. It was made of precious leather from a Nascent Soul beast, and he used it to write his revelations and enlightenment regarding the Demonic Path.
Actually… half of the scroll had already been filled with insights so complex even Sun had difficulty making sense of them. Not solely due to their intricacy but from how they were written, as if their maker was half mad.
Without much thought, he understood who that scroll belonged to… The head of all Keepers, the highest authority within these halls. A legend he had only heard of the legend long before he entered the vault.
His life outside the vaults now felt alien to him, but he knew it had to belong to him. An ancient being centuries old. Only such an expert would be able to formulate such a scroll.
When he first realized it, Sun let his thoughts escape his mind:
"… It seems he never finished it… Such a shame… Had it been complete, the Sect might've received the first complete document on the Demonic Path that surpassed Nascent Soul."
'There were a few complete documents of that on the fifth floor, but this document was beyond that… It goes beyond the realm beyond Nascent Soul… This is already the stuff of legends… But now the mind behind it is gone.'
'Truly a loss of a millennium… To leave this behind, I can only wonder what happened… Well then, I guess it's not my turn to complete it! '
It was stashed somewhere anyway, and the keepers were long gone; for all he knew, everything here was his.
So, he unceremoniously used the scroll to record his insights… It now contained everything he needed for the future; everything necessary and unnecessary had been transcribed onto it.
It was almost a copy of everything major in this library. Thus, there was no need to remain here any further.
It was a compilation of over two decades of insights, and thousands of years of trial and error from thousands of deranged souls that had fallen onto the demonic path…
/Inhale…/
/Exhale…/
'I have mastered everything I could from this place and written all of it within this scroll. It's the very essence of my path…'
"And as I studied, I realized something… the need to maintain balance. Demonic Qi is but a variation of Immortal Qi, which is but a variation of something else."
'The source of it all…'
"All Qi comes from the Heavens and returns to Earth before returning to the Heavens again; this is the Eternal Cycle."
"All energies can be converted, everything can be transmuted, and as such, even Demonic Qi can be converted into Immortal Qi and vice versa."
'Albeit the method of such has long been lost… if it has ever existed. But I doubt such a concept wasn't achieved during the age of myth.'
"Technically speaking, the most perfect of bodies would be the one that can hold the most pure Qi, the one from which all originate and from which all return to."
"Possessing this body is what I believe a true immortal must do, as an Immortal controls the laws of Heaven; he must understand and manipulate this 'Grand Principle'… or whatever that is."
"I have no idea what this Qi would look like, but I can start somewhere. I'll achieve a balance between the Demonic and Immortal Paths. And for that… I'll enter the Immortal Vault."
"If the Sect is on lockdown, no one will care about my disappearance… In fact, they likely don't even remember I exist."
"I can use this opportunity to sneak inside and make everything within mine, to reach a higher stage of enlightenment and form the Immortal Vessel."
"Once I fuse both… That'll be when I'll finally be able to step onto the road of Cultivation!"
'With the combination of my enlightenment and a body fit for cultivation, nothing will stand in my way!'
"... Anyhow, all that excitement aside…"
/Step…/
/BURN!/
Sun delved into the darkness, and his talismans immediately flared like the sun!
A flaming ball on his waist wouldn't last long.
"Shit… Huff…"
'What could be sealed this far down to cause such a reaction?... In the first place, just where does all of this Demonic Qi come from? It can't be solely from the documents…'
…
/Step… Splash…/
"Hm? Water?... No. This is…"
/Splash…/
'Blood!'
The seventh floor comprised only one room, with an altar in the middle and a single box atop it.
That said, one strange thing could be noticed… the entire floor was covered in a thin layer of blood…
"Haaa… I see now what happened to the Keepers…"
Surrounding the altar were dozens of Keepers sitting in a lotus position, all completely still, 'This is… The Preservation Sutra Art combined with… The Boiling Pot Technique? And something else… A few things, in fact.'
"I think I understand the gist of it. They put themselves into deep hibernation to preserve themselves, and this blood must be from the weaker ones who died too soon. They're being used to nourish the others."
At first, Sun had fear, but now… He was utterly fearless. In this state, they wouldn't notice him even if he were to piss on them.
'I'll grab the box and leave… No, what am I even thinking? Do I even need the box?'
"..."
'I'll… I'll just check what's inside. If it isn't anything important, I'll leave.'
Sun approached the altar while avoiding the Elders. While they were in deep sleep… if even alive… it wouldn't take much to just step aside, right?
'Hum…'
The box was sealed with dozens of small talismans, but they weren't suppressive.
'Stange… This box isn't sealed. It's more like it's hidden… being protected.'
'Interesting! If this is so valuable, why hide it here and not in the Upper Sect?'
Sun looked interested as he looked at the box. If he didn't open it now, the thought would linger in his mind and affect his thinking process in the future, so it had to be done now.
Why allow himself to form an inner demon over something so trivial? He had lived so long in peace and quiet, so why break that now?
/Crack…/
He broke the seals and opened the box, and what appeared before him was…
"What?..."
'Some sort of plate? But it's broken, it's missing half of it, and… There seem to be slots for gems. They seem familiar.'
/Close/
Sun closed the box and reapplied as many talismans as he could on its lid before leaving. There was nothing here for him anymore… and he searched the place… even the elders sitting around the altar.
He looked back one last time at the Keepers before sighing.
'So many masters… If only they had ever spared the time to teach me…'
'Rot in Hell!! All of you fuckers!!'
They were nothing but puppets of the Demonic Path; if any of them were still somewhat conscious, then what awaited them was nothing but a slow and agonizing death.
If he could, he would have stayed here to extract their souls or maybe even their blood. Their Souls contained their immeasurable knowledge, while their bodies contained the deep Demonic Qi they harnessed throughout their life.
However, not knowing the state of things outside and lacking materials and cultivation, Sun thought it better to leave and determine the state of things before making a decision… He wouldn't want to clash with the powers of the Sect and dying before even starting his journey.
…
/Step… Step…/
/Crunk…/
"Hooo… Finally, I'm here again."
Sun looked up as he pushed the stone doors to the waiting room of the Pagoda.
Before him were the stairs he had taken twenty years ago; now, it was finally time to resurface.
'With my current knowledge and physicality, I can become a Foundation Establishment Cultivator and, with time, a Golden Core Master.'
'This should take me no less than ten years. A horrendously fast speed compared to others… even considering my age.'
'Nascent Soul, however… Maybe twenty years?… It'll depend on how many opportunities for me to use Demonic Arts will appear in the future.'
'Otherwise… maybe I could become one within ten years.'
"To reach Nascent Soul before my fifties… I would be crushing those fools who once looked down on me… A talent to be revered."
'At the same time, if I can complete the Immortal Vessel and fuse both… I would be able to practice both Immortal and Demonic Cultivation at the same time. This achievement alone would be enough for me to create my own sect and maybe enough for me to go even further towards the next stage!'
"Soul Formation… This is the realm the Patriarch was at, right? First Stage of Soul Formation or something like that… That's why I thought strange he had died."
The current sect master of the Heaven Cross Mountains was a genius like none other, having achieved Nascent Soul in his early 30s and Soul Formation in his 60s. He's currently 65 and is said to be on the cusp of breaking through again.
Some affirm he may reach the high stages of Soul Formation before he's 100, but that is but an estimation… The realm beyond Soul Formation was something that only appeared every few centuries or few thousand years.
The age of Myth where such cultivators were common, was long gone… If anyone can reach it, then they're truly blessed by the heavens.
"If my theories about the perfect vessel were even just half as effective as they are on paper… How would I compare to the Sect Master? The greatest talent in the last thousand years of the Heaven Cross Sect?"
Sun shook his head, "It doesn't matter."
'Just do my own thing and I'll go far… If I'm going to live centuries if not longer, what matters taking a few decades older anyway?'
/Climb… PUSH!/
/CREAK…/
/Sha sha sha…/
Sun reached the end of the staircase and pushed the large stone doors aside, letting light shine onto his face for the first time in half a decade.
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Notes