Chapter 1
18 years later.
In a remote and mysterious mountain cliff, deep within the gloom of a forest, lay a deep and secluded cave.
"Ha... ya... hua!"
On a wide stone platform within, several young men dressed in black and blue were practicing their martial arts, drenched in sweat. The light of their swords flashed, and the wind from their palm strikes whistled. The crisp sounds of clashing weapons echoed through the cavern. Torches flickered around the platform, illuminating their agile figures.
One of the blue-robed youths was particularly conspicuous. He held a treasured sword, its light like a rainbow. He had a square, chiseled face, fair as jade, with sword-like eyebrows and star-like eyes, an aquiline nose, and wide lips. His posture was as straight as a pine tree, his facial contours exuding a domineering masculinity. The eyes beneath his sword-like brows were sharp and spirited. His swordplay was fierce yet methodical, his forehead full and his build robust. His footwork was solid, and his movements with the sword were natural and graceful. Sweat slid down his bare upper body, revealing tight, well-defined muscles, clearly marking him as someone who had practiced martial arts for a long time.
The blue-robed youth had a solemn expression, which seemed somewhat out of place in the gloomy atmosphere of the cave.
Deep within this cave was a world of its own. It had been excavated in layers, with pavilions and towers built within. People came and went, and it was brightly lit. The ceiling of the cave was adorned with man-made star patterns, making one feel as if they were under the open night sky when they looked up.
This strange and secluded cave was the headquarters of the secret demonic sect of the jianghu, the "Evil Moon Sect".
The Evil Moon Sect had a long history, but its members acted in great secrecy. The number of disciples in the sect had always been small, but every one of them was a master of extremely powerful martial arts. Their actions were unpredictable, and they were feared by all sects in the jianghu. Fortunately, the Evil Moon Sect rarely involved itself in the affairs of the mortal world. Although their methods were quite ruthless, the sect's members also followed the rules and principles of the jianghu. They often acted alone, and thus, they generally maintained a state of peace with the orthodox sects.
"Senior brother's Crescent Moon Sword Style has improved again. Truly, it's a cause for celebration. I, your junior brother, have benefited greatly from watching it. Thank you, senior brother!"
The blue-robed youth was practicing his sword on a platform in the cave, and a black-robed youth standing beside him spoke. This youth was very tall, with a delicate and somewhat feminine face, but he was also exceptionally handsome. His slender figure was over eight feet tall, but his eyes were deep and cold, and his expression was effeminate.
"It's alright. I just feel like I haven't been out to stretch my body lately. It's too stifling in this cave."
The blue-robed youth said as he put away his sword.
"Senior brother, I heard that the Holy Mother will summon us soon and will promote us to 'Patrol Guards.' We'll be able to be on duty outside all the time, which will be much freer than now. We won't have to be cooped up here for much longer."
The black-robed youth said with a grin. This youth's face was a bit pale and indifferent, and even his smile seemed like one without genuine joy, carrying a strange and sarcastic tone.
The blue-robed youth glanced at the black-robed youth and said blandly, "Once we're out, you're not going to go down the mountain to find those brothels and whorehouses, to fool around with those vulgar girls again, are you?"
The black-robed youth revealed a lewd and obscene smile: "Lust is a man's nature. I, your junior brother, just got an early start in this area. Next time, I'll take senior brother with me to have some fun, so you won't blame me for not sharing my good fortune with you, haha."
The black-robed youth laughed loudly. The blue-robed youth just smiled faintly and ignored him.
"Junior brother, why do you think Master raised us since we were young, making us practice martial arts so hard in this place where we never see the sun? Is it so that when the time comes, we can sacrifice ourselves like the other disciples to repay the sect for its great kindness?"
The blue-robed youth said thoughtfully to the black-robed youth.
The black-robed youth thought for a moment and said with a smile, "You have time to think about these things? As long as we're alive today, we enjoy today. If we can be free for a day, we can be happy for a day. That's my philosophy in life."
Seeing the blue-robed youth frown and remain silent, the black-robed youth sneered, "Heh, if you ask me, the happiest days in this world are spent fooling around with those beautiful women, tumbling with them in bed. Watching them reach the peak of ecstasy one by one under me... that feeling... hehehe..."
The black-robed youth licked his lips again, his face lewd, and whispered, "Speaking of which, when it comes to beautiful women, how can those women outside compare to our Holy Mother's heavenly beauty? That fiery figure... that soul-stealing face... tsk tsk tsk..."
When the blue-robed youth heard the black-robed youth mention the "Holy Mother" in such a lewd and disrespectful manner, his face immediately darkened with anger.
At that moment, a low, enchanting female voice drifted from the depths of the cavern: "Xing'er, come to the Evil Moon Hall now."
The blue-robed youth's heart jolted. He immediately put away his weapon, activated his qinggong (lightness skill), and with swift movements, ascended the stone stairs carved into the cavern's inner wall.
This blue-robed youth, known as Duan Xing, was originally named Mo Xingyun. He was the sole son of Mo Xiupo and Ning Xuefei, the young boy who had escaped the chaos of Wei Wuyuan's rebellion. On his way down the mountain, he was intercepted by a demonic cult leader known as "Elder Xie Mo" and brought back to the cult.
Elder Xie Mo was one of the most ancient elders of the "Evil Moon Cult." He seemed to have lived for countless ages. Even the other venerable elders of the cult didn't know how long he had lived. Although his seniority was extremely high and his demonic powers immense, making him one of the three top experts in the cult, he rarely interfered in cult affairs. Cold, arrogant, and with minimal contact with others, his whereabouts were a mystery, and he was held in the highest esteem.
Eighteen years ago, he brought back a boy from the outside world, named him "Duan Xing," and nominally took him as a disciple. However, he did not personally instruct him, instead leaving him in the care of the cult to be raised. The cult's top experts took turns teaching him profound martial arts and raising him to adulthood. Thanks to the Elder's seniority and prestige, Mo Xingyun, despite his youth, already held a considerable status within the cult.
Among them, the cult leader, the "Xuan Mei Demon Empress" Yin Luoyan, was particularly fond of him. From the time Mo Xingyun joined the cult at the age of five, she often kept him by her side, personally teaching him martial arts and secret techniques. The Empress's nature was bewitching and cruel. She was always majestic and intimidating to her followers, ruthless and vicious in her methods. Yet, towards Mo Xingyun, she was doting and affectionate, treating him as a confidant and often calling him "Xing'er" as a term of endearment. This made the other cult members both envious and fearful.
The "Xuan Mei Demon Empress," respectfully called the "Xuan Mei Holy Mother" by the cult members, was one of the top ten supreme experts on the Longyue Continent in the current era. Her martial arts were exceptionally powerful, and her mastery of the demonic sect's secret technique, the "Dark Charm Art," was divine. Her actions were unpredictable and she followed her own will. Her methods of killing were vicious, and she could bewitch minds and twist wills. She was often an enemy of the righteous sects, making her a demonic leader they were extremely wary of.
Mo Xingyun was exceptionally gifted with immense mental fortitude. Although he grew up in the demonic cult, constantly exposed to the strange, unorthodox, and evil ways of its members, the earnest teachings of his parents from his childhood were deeply ingrained in his heart. He strove to maintain his inner peace and tranquility. Besides practicing martial arts, he did not participate much in the cult's sinister affairs. The only exception was that he never dared to defy the Demon Empress's orders. In his heart, he revered her majesty while also harboring a complex set of feelings for her.
He didn't know why the demonic cult had saved his life. The Elder was his savior, but he rarely saw him. The Empress was, in a way, his foster mother, and his life growing up had been quite good. Yet, he always felt a sense of impermanence, as if he could not be sure of surviving the next day. The Elder had also specifically warned him that no one else knew of his true identity. Not even the Empress was fully aware and that he must keep this secret, or his life would be in peril. All these factors combined made his thoughts far more deeper than those of his peers.
Mo Xingyun took a deep breath, activated his qinggong, and swiftly ascended the stone stairs along the cavern wall, heading straight for the Evil Moon Hall. The interior of the cave-dwelling was excavated to be vast and open. Flickering torches illuminated the surroundings. Pavilions carved from black agarwood were integrated with the cavern's stone walls, engraved with sculptures of strange and ferocious beasts that filled one with dread.
He knew the way well. Upon reaching the top, he caught a whiff of a refreshing, heart-stirring floral fragrance that invigorated his spirit. Before his eyes stood a black building of moderate height, its exterior carved with elegant phoenix patterns, exuding an aura that was both refined, intricate, and mysterious. At the entrance, several brawny, bare-chested guards holding spears saw him arrive and said in unison, "Duan Xing, the Holy Mother has ordered you to enter the hall for an audience!"
He came and went here often, so he was naturally familiar with it. He nodded and leaped into the hall. Inside, the corridors were a mix of black and red, with open courtyards allowing light to pass through. The main hall had gilded walls and red carpets, with phoenix patterns carved all around, an elegance tinged with a sinister allure.
As he arrived at a place resembling an inner hall and his steps had just halted, he suddenly heard a piercing shriek from within. Immediately after, a slender, silver shadow darted out, hissing low, and lunged straight at him. A faint smile touched Mo Xingyun's lips, a familiar gleam in his eyes. In a flash, he circulated his inner energy, his body twisting to the side to easily dodge the silver dragon's attack. At the same time, he counterattacked with a palm strike. The wind from his palm was gentle but concealed a powerful force, aimed directly at the silver figure.
The silver dragon, however, was incredibly agile, its body shimmering with a dazzling light. Its slender form twisted slightly, nimbly evading the palm strike. It floated in mid-air, let out a few sharp hisses, shook its large head, revealing sharp fangs. It flapped its enormous ears on either side of its head, as if in provocation, or perhaps in play.
This little creature was entirely silver, its scales shining like stars. Its head was unlike that of ordinary snakes, and its giant mouth, as it opened and closed, looked ferocious. Its elegant, slender body floated in the silver light, resembling a legendary "dragon," only it was miniature-sized, giving it a rather cute appearance.
He chuckled softly and said in a low voice, "Little thing, here to play with me again?"
As if understanding his words, the silver dragon shrieked and pounced once more. Mo Xingyun remained unhurried, his figure shifting and dodging as he began to play with it. The one man and one creature tangled and sparred in the hall. Although the silver dragon was exceptionally quick, it never managed to touch the hem of his clothes. Mo Xingyun struck several times, with gentle sweeps of his palm or jabs of his fingertips, but he deliberately held back his strength, "missing" repeatedly, which made the silver dragon hiss in delight, endlessly entertained. As they played, the hall was filled with the interweaving of palm winds and silver light, an impasse for a time.
Before long, a woman's incomparably enchanting laugh came from the inner hall. It was coquettish to the bone, her voice soul-stirring and brimming with endless mature feminine charm. The woman's voice said in a syrupy tone, "That's enough, Silver Dragon. Stop playing with him and come back."