Jeff was still gasping for air. The invasion into Fan Ling's consciousness had nearly killed him. His lungs burned, his body felt heavy, and the last remnants of that chaotic energy still clung to him like black smoke that refused to fade.
He coughed, his hand trembling. "That… that wasn't just an affinity. That was something else entirely…"
Before he could finish his thought, Fan Ling fell to his knees. His body began to tremble violently, veins pulsing beneath his skin, glowing faintly like lines of molten fire.
"Ling!" Jeff shouted, staggering toward him.
But the main character was already screaming.
It wasn't a normal scream—it was raw, agonizing, almost inhuman. His voice echoed through the valley, shaking the trees and sending flocks of birds flying into the night. His eyes widened, turning crimson, and waves of dark energy began to pour out of his body like liquid lightning.
The ground cracked. The air shimmered with unbearable heat.
"Damn it! His energy's destabilizing!" Jeff shouted, forming a series of glowing runes in the air. "Hold it together, Ling! Just breathe—focus on your heartbeat!"
But it was too late.
A burst of chaotic mana erupted from Fan Ling's chest, a blinding surge that shot straight into the sky like a pillar of fire. The entire mountain trembled. Dark clouds gathered above, swirling violently as thunder cracked across the heavens.
Within seconds, the entire valley was covered in shadow.
Jeff threw up multiple barriers around himself, layer upon layer of shimmering magic circles. But even that wasn't enough—Fan Ling's energy exploded outward again, a single pulse that shattered three of Jeff's barriers instantly and sent him flying back.
"Wha—!?" he grunted, spitting blood. "That power… It's not human anymore!"
Fan Ling stood there, trembling, eyes glowing red like burning coals. From his temples, two curved horns of pure mana began to emerge, twisting upward like the crown of a devil. His breathing was ragged, his expression blank, but the air around him vibrated with killing intent so strong it made the earth itself scream.
Jeff raised his arm to shield his face. "No, no, no—this is bad! If he explodes again, this mountain's done for!"
Then—
BOOM!
Fan Ling moved. A single punch hit the ground, and the entire back mountain disintegrated. The explosion sent shockwaves echoing across the valley.
Miles away, in the Ling family estate, Uncle Shen Ling lifted his head sharply from meditation. His sharp eyes gleamed like lightning.
"That energy…" he whispered. "It can't be…"
Without hesitation, he rose into the air, his robes fluttering. The pressure of a true cultivator radiated from him as he soared toward the mountain like a comet of light.
When he arrived, the scene was chaos—literally. The land was torn apart, trees uprooted, rocks floating in midair from the energy distortion. Jeff was on his knees, coughing up blood, barely holding onto his consciousness.
And in the center stood Fan Ling—his hair wild, horns burning with red flame, surrounded by an aura of living darkness.
Uncle Shen's face hardened. "Stop there, you vile demon!"
But the entity within Fan Ling turned its gaze toward him and smirked.
"Oh… you again," it said in a deep, distorted voice. "The one who chained my soul."
Jeff looked up weakly. "D-Demon…? What… what are you talking about…?"
Uncle Shen's aura flared, forming a circle of golden seals that surrounded Fan Ling. "What did you do to him, outsider?!" he shouted at Jeff.
Jeff raised his trembling hands defensively. "I—I didn't do anything! We were just trying to awaken his element!"
"Lies!" Shen roared.
Before either could speak again, the demon laughed—low, mocking, ancient.
"Chains, seals, curses—you humans never change. Always trying to bind what you fear."
It raised its hand, and from the swirling energy around it, a weapon began to form—a sword made of pure chaos, black and red, humming with unholy power.
"Oh, my old nemesis," the demon sneered, gripping the blade. "How long has it been since you tried to seal me?"
Uncle Shen's eyes narrowed. "I will seal you again, even if it costs my life!"
Fan Ling's body moved on its own, lunging forward with terrifying speed, the chaotic sword slicing through the air.
But Shen was faster. In a single motion, he disappeared from sight and reappeared behind Fan Ling, slamming his palm into his back.
"Heaven's Seal: Golden Binding Formation!"
Dozens of glowing symbols erupted across the ground, climbing up Fan Ling's body like chains of light. The demon inside him screamed, its laughter turning manic.
"Ha… hahahaha! You use this trick again?" it roared. "I'll play along, old man. But remember my words—I will return."
The chaotic energy exploded once more, shaking the valley to its core, then began to fade. The red light in Fan Ling's eyes flickered, then vanished.
He collapsed forward, unconscious.
Jeff, barely holding on, stumbled toward him. "Ling!"
But his vision blurred before he could reach him, and he fainted as well.
Above them, Uncle Shen slowly lowered his hand, breathing heavily. His robes were tattered, his face pale, but the sky was clear again. The dark clouds receded. The valley fell silent.
He looked at his nephew's unconscious body and muttered, "Why… why did the seal break? That demon shouldn't exist anymore…"
Then he turned his eyes toward the horizon, his expression grim. "If the Demon of Chaos has awakened again… then this world may not survive a second time."
Inside Fan Ling's consciousness—
He floated in darkness, as if drowning in deep, endless water. He couldn't move. Couldn't breathe.
Above him, faint whispers echoed—voices overlapping, old and full of malice.
And from the darkness below, two crimson eyes opened again.
> "You think chains can hold chaos forever…?"
> "Sleep well, my vessel. Because when you wake… I'll be waiting."