A searing pain exploded in Lin Feng's skull. He clutched his head, his whole body trembling as he collapsed to his knees. He fought to slow his ragged breathing, to master the panic rising in his throat. Just as he thought he might gain control—
Hahahahaha… HAHAHAHAHAHA!
Echoing, cruel laughter filled the room, freezing the very air. A sphere of pure darkness and smoke burst into existence, swirling with malice. The shadows on the walls twisted into unnatural, terrifying shapes.
A burning sensation ignited on Lin Feng's forehead. His fingers touched a raised, pulsing mark that glowed with an eerie black light.
No…. his mind screamed, horrified. This can't be real… demons… they were only myths… right?
His hands shook and his lips quivered, but a stubborn spark of defiance made him clench his fists. He refused to fall completely.
"W-What…" he stammered, his voice cracking with fear, but his tone firm. "What are you?"
The smoke coiled into a nightmarish shape—a dismembered humanoid figure, faceless but radiating immense arrogance. Its voice boomed, ancient and proud.
"I am no mere spirit, boy. Across realms, they whisper my names in terror. I am one of the Seven Great Demons—unmatched, unchallenged. You may call me… whatever your pitiful tongue can manage." Dark energy crackled around it.
The demon leaned closer, its mocking tone clear. "This trembling mortal... carries my mark? HAH-HAH-HAH! How pathetic!"
Lin Feng stumbled backward, gasping. "S-stay back!" he growled, fear and anger mixing. "I... I don't want this!"
The demon's smoky presence choked the air. "You don't get to choose, boy."
An invisible force slammed into Lin Feng's chest, driving him fully to the ground. Helplessness washed over him.
"Give me your body, boy," the demon's voice turned into a persuasive, venomous whisper. "...and I'll give you power beyond gods. Resist, and you'll break apart." The dark smoke lunged for him, intent on invasion.
---
Lin Feng gasped, the demonic mark on his forehead burning like fire. He screamed, a raw sound of pure refusal.
"No... I won't... kneel to you!"
In that fleeting instant, a memory from his past life surged through him-the whispered words of an ancient incantation, long forgotten but never lost. Lin Feng's eyes blazed, his hand trembling.
Then, something incredible happened. His lips moved on their own, and an ancient, powerful chant poured from his mouth. Glowing runes materialized in the air around him, spinning in a protective circle. A beautiful aura of silver and blue light rose from his body.
The runes lashed out like chains of pure energy, wrapping around the demon.
"Nghhh!" the demon hissed, writhing in sudden pain and shock. "T-This… this incantation…! Impossible! It belongs to the Ancient Immortal Clan! How… how do you know this?!"
Lin Feng, clutching the floor, felt a surge of strength. "I don't care what you are," he said through gritted teeth. "You will not have me!"
The demon recoiled, its form flickering weakly. For the first time, its voice held a thread of genuine fear.
"Wait! Stop this infernal chant!" it begged, though pride still tinged its words. "Spare me, and in return, I shall grant you everything you desire. Power. Wealth. Women. Immortality!"
"I want none of that," Lin Feng snapped, the chant fading on his lips. He panted, exhausted but unbroken.
The demon was stunned into silence. Lin Feng pressed his advantage. "Serve me? Why should I trust you?"
"Because I... I know forgotten magic," the demon's voice cracked with desperation. "Ancient arts. Forbidden methods. Let me live, and all of it... is yours!"
A new resolve hardened in Lin Feng's heart. This monster was a repository of power. "Then prove your worth," he commanded. "Teach me cultivation."
---
Lin Feng sat cross-legged. The demon, now a faint, trembling wisp of smoke, hovered nearby.
"Before you cultivate, know this," the demon began, its voice low. "The world holds three thousand paths to power. Daoism, sorcery, sword arts… each has nine realms of power."
"Which path must I walk?" Lin Feng asked, his eyes wide.
The demon's voice turned cruel and eager. "You will not walk. You will devour. Steal their qi, their mana, their very breath-make their strength your own. This is the Devouring Path"
"How do I begin?" Lin Feng asked, impatient.
"Feel the mana in the air," the demon instructed. "Draw it in. Gather it and form your core—the seed of all power."
Lin Feng closed his eyes. His breathing steadied. He focused, and soon, he felt it—a trembling in the air. Threads of blue and violet energy drifted towards him, swirling around his body before being drawn inside. The energy gathered in his hands, forming a fragile, shimmering orb of light. A pure, bell-like hum filled the room.
He was doing it. He was forming a core.
Suddenly, the demon's voice cut through his concentration. "Enough."
The energy shattered, vanishing instantly. Lin Feng's eyes flew open, frustrated and confused.
"Why did it vanish?" he demanded.
"You moved too fast. A weak heart makes a weak core," the demon said, its tone mocking again. "To advance faster, you need more than will. You need resources. Pills. Spirit herbs. You need money."
Lin Feng's eyes widen, realization dawning. He comes from a humble, middle-class family. Money is scarce. Opportunities are rare
He looked at his empty hands, then clenched them into determined fists. The Devouring Path didn't ask for money; it took what it needed.
Lin Feng's eyes gleamed with an idea, his voice firm as he faced the impossible. He said... but there is a way.