[Tianhen Forbidden Grounds]
The mountain peak was chaos. Screams filled the air as cultivators shouted in rage and desperation. Their voices echoed across the bloodstained cliffs, filled with anger and the promise of death.
"You demon! We have finally found you!"
"You seduced my sister and killed her. I will have your life for this!"
"Revenge for my poor disciple! I swear it!"
Fang Yuan stood at the peak of the mountain, his entire body covered in blood. His black robes billowed around him in the chaotic wind, and he was breathing heavily. Blood dripped from the tip of his sword, falling slowly to the ground below.
A voice came from the sky above him. When he turned around, he saw Qi Roxue descending gracefully. She was the Mountain Master of Golden Peak from the Holy Sect, and her white robes made her look majestic and untouchable as she flew toward him.
So this ends here, huh? I've lived a decent life for someone with bad spiritual roots. I took my sister's Dao Bone, killed my entire clan, and then I found out I was the reincarnation of the evil Dao master. Not a bad run for less than a hundred years.
"Demon, you have fallen to such a state. Do you regret your doings?" Roxue asked coldly.
"Hahahahahaha!"
Fang Yuan laughed, a deep and sinister sound that echoed across the mountains. His laughter seemed to come from the depths of hell itself, and it made even the most confident cultivators feel uneasy.
"Regret? I have cultivated for less than a hundred years, and look at me now. I'm as strong as you deities who have lived for thousands of years," he said, walking forward with his sword dragging behind him.
"Among my peers, who dares call themselves undefeatable? No one. My only problem was that time was merciless."
Roxue's expression turned cold and hard. She raised her hand and the air around her began to shimmer with power. Immediately, dozens of cultivators formed their dharma bodies, massive ethereal forms hundreds of meters high that blocked out the sky itself.
"If we had let you live even ten more years, this continent would be off the maps," Roxue said, "Charge. Do not let this demon live for even an hour!"
Everyone rushed toward him like a tide of death. Fang Yuan could feel the overwhelming power crushing down on him, but he smiled anyway. He waved his hand and formed a blood sign, and a diamond spark appeared on his forehead, glowing with otherworldly light.
My second life ends here. I hope I reincarnate back to Earth. I miss those phones and computers. Well, it's just wishful thinking now.
He couldn't form a proper dharma body because his spiritual roots were too weak. He was desperate, fighting against them with everything he had left. There was only one way out of this.
Fang Yuan used his own body as a catalyst for the forbidden technique.
BOOOOOM
The explosion consumed everything. Light erupted across the sky like a second sun, so bright that even Qi Roxue had to shield her eyes. When the dust finally settled, the mountain was completely gone. Only a massive crater remained where it used to be.
"That demon... he self-destructed?"
"Sigh. If only we had stopped him, he could have been one of the strongest cultivators humanity has ever known."
"What a terrible shame. What a pity."
The voices faded into the wind, carried away like the ashes of the Fang Yuan they once knew.
* * *
The Supreme Demon Sect had eighteen peaks. Four of them had Sage-level cultivators, and the other fourteen housed Low-Level Saints. The words "Holy" and "Demon" didn't mean good and bad. They were just different paths of the Dao, different ways of understanding cultivation.
It was a wedding day, and one of the peaks was alive with celebration. People hurried around, making sure everything was perfect. Important figures had arrived from across the continent. Sect masters, saints, nobles, and powerful cultivators filled the halls with their presence.
"The ceremony is about to begin! Everyone please come inside the halls!"
"Sir Zheng, it's good to see you!"
"Sir Mo, I see even Saint Ren has graced us with his presence!"
A young man leaned over to whisper to his companion, his eyes fixed on one of the arrivals. He looked confused and curious at the same time.
"That's Lin Xuyao, the Third Prince. I heard he's reached the Earth King Realm. Why is he here for a ceremony like this?"
Another man replied, his tone carrying an edge of disbelief and confusion. He shook his head slightly as he spoke.
"Because the bride is the Empress herself. She's a Saint at the Golden Peak of the Holy Sect, even though her family has a demon nature. But why would she marry someone like Fang Yuan? He's just a worker here with no spiritual roots. His parents died years ago, and he's extremely poor."
"Why did the Empress even take him as a disciple then?"
"That's what everyone is wondering. No one really knows. Some say it's because of his name. Ten years ago, there was a demon cultivator named Fang Yuan who terrorized the entire continent. But our Fang Yuan here is still in his twenties, while the Empress is eons old. It's clearly just a coincidence, but the Empress seemed interested in him for some reason."
The crowd continued whispering among themselves, completely unaware of the truth that lay hidden beneath the surface of this strange wedding.
[Close Disciple Palace]
Fang Yuan woke up with a grin spreading across his face. The first thing he noticed was the blue interface hovering before his eyes, glowing with ethereal light.
"I'm back. I'm actually back. Who knew that system message was real?"
He sat up slowly and got to his feet. His new body felt weak and fragile, but that didn't bother him. He had been stronger before, and he could be strong again.
"I was a top student at my university. I had three hundred backup plans if I ever died. I would have reincarnated in a thousand years anyway. But this? This is so much better than that."
He looked around the palace chamber. The architecture was distinctly Eastern, with carved wood beams and silk hangings everywhere. Everything about this place screamed "holy sect," which made the situation both ironic and perfect.
I'm in the holy grounds. Am I fated to be here? Hehehe, this is interesting.
A moment later, a system prompt appeared before him, glowing with golden text that seemed to pulse with power and energy.
[HOST REVIVAL DETECTED]
[EVIL GOD SYSTEM INTEGRATED]
[Host will grow stronger the more evil deeds you commit.]
[Acts like Dual Cultivation will grant more energy to Host rather than to partner.]
[Host can travel between realms with Evil Points.]
[Current Status: Weakened. Cultivation Base: Non-existent. Potential: LIMITLESS]
Fang Yuan's grin widened. This was perfect. Everything he needed was right here.
Being hated everywhere in his last life wasn't fun, but this time he could take a different approach. This time he would lay low, grow strong quietly, and then take over when the moment was right. He could become the Holy Son, surround himself with beautiful women, and reshape this entire sect in his image.
"Kekeke, this time I'll be more careful. No rushing. No arrogance. Just pure, calculated corruption from within."
"But what is this dual cultivation thing? How does it work? If it gives me energy instead of draining me, then I'm about to have some very interesting experiences ahead."
Then memories began flooding his mind. They weren't his memories, but those of the original Fang Yuan. They crashed into him like a massive wave, showing him fragments of a life he had just inherited.
"Wait... this Fang Yuan... he was being used as a furnace by the Empress. She took him as a disciple under the pretense of love and care, but she was just draining his cultivation base constantly. She didn't let him know what was happening. He thought she actually loved him. He even agreed to marry her, thinking it was a union born from true affection. And then she just... she just slowly killed him night after night, draining him until there was nothing left."
Fang Yuan felt a cold anger settle deep in his chest. It was one thing to accept cruelty as part of the grand game of life. It was something else entirely to be played for a fool like this.
"Ahh, what cruel fate is this," he muttered to himself, shaking his head slowly. "She even fucked the crap out of a guy with my name and drained him completely without a second thought."
He pulled up his status window, and what he saw made him whistle low. The information was grim.
[FANG YUAN - STATUS]
Cultivation Base: Negligible
Spiritual Roots: Poor
Qi Reserves: 5% (CRITICAL)
Lifespan: Estimated 30 days if drained further
Evil Points: 0
Techniques: None Unlocked
Weaker than a chicken. This guy must have had a fight with someone and lost badly. Then the Empress drained him even further.
"Who has sex after losing a fight? The poor bastard didn't even know his life was being sucked away with every single encounter."
But now that he was weak, he had to think smart. He couldn't just let the Empress continue draining him like before.
He needed to figure out how to turn the tables during dual cultivation. His old knowledge would help him, but first he needed to understand this new system better.
Don't worry, boy. Wherever you are now, know that I have hundreds of techniques. This woman won't know what hit her when I'm done with her.
Fang Yuan spent the next hour trying to cultivate using the old methods he remembered from his previous life, but nothing happened. His spiritual roots were completely blocked, rendered absolutely useless by years of mistreatment and constant draining.
"This body is way too useless," he muttered in frustration, running his hands through his hair.
Then came a knock on the door. Fang Yuan's senses immediately sharpened, and he recognized the aura approaching even before the door opened. It was her, The Empress. Qi Roxue.
Interesting. She came faster than expected. Did she sense something different about me? Or is this just her usual routine to check on her little furnace?
The door slid open gracefully, and Qi Roxue entered the chamber. Even in the dim light, her beauty was undeniable.
"You're awake," she said,
"Yeah," Fang Yuan replied simply.
"Let me be clear about something. This wedding is only for show. Your sole existence from this moment forward is to help me cultivate faster. Nothing more. Do you understand me?"
Man, now she's being upfront about it. Even this marriage is just a scam. I never thought my wedding would be like this. What a woman.
Fang Yuan was still studying the system interface, half-listening to her words while his mind was processing everything he was seeing.
"Did you hear me?" Roxue asked,
"Did you not hear what I said?" she repeated, getting more annoyed.
"Shut up, let me do my work," Fang Yuan said casually, not even looking at her.
Qi Roxue's face flushed with anger. In all her of existence, very few people dared to speak to her with such disrespect. Her hand tightened at her side, and the entire chamber seemed to grow colder around them.
"You filthy disciple! The only reason I even took a disciple was because everyone forced me to. If it was up to me, I would never have taken one!"
Shit, I'm fucked. Right now I'm just an ant compared to her. I need to play this smart and carefully.
Fang Yuan looked at his system interface, searching for something useful. Then he found it. His eyes narrowed slightly as he read the description.
Aura Suppression Card x5. I can suppress her aura too? Isn't she an empress? Let me try this and see what happens.
She seems to want something else from me besides just being a furnace, otherwise she would have chosen anyone stronger for dual cultivation. From these memories, this guy was her first too. That's interesting. That means she might have feelings for him, or at least something deeper than just using him.
Fang Yuan stood up slowly. His posture changed, and a different energy began radiating from him. The confused, weak look in his eyes disappeared.
"You seem to be forgetting something," Fang Yuan said,
"What?" Roxue asked surprised by the sudden change in his demeanor.
"I am the husband now."
"You filth, did you get on a high horse?"
"System, use aura suppression," Fang Yuan said in his mind, activating the card.
[AURA SUPPRESSION CARD x1 ACTIVATED]
All power and Qi suppressed. Duration: 30 minutes.
In an instant, all of Qi Roxue's power and cultivation base vanished into thin air. The overwhelming aura that had filled the room disappeared completely, leaving her as vulnerable as a mortal woman.
Her eyes widened in shock, and she tried to speak but couldn't find the words.
"What did you do?!" she shouted, her voice filled with panic and confusion.
Fang Yuan moved forward with purpose and confidence. He pushed her back against the wall, his hands capturing both of hers and pinning them above her head.
Her strength without her cultivation was nothing compared to his physical body.
"Let me show you how a real husband acts," he whispered against her ear.
He kissed her. It wasn't gentle or hesitant at all. His lips pressed against hers forcefully, tasting the shock and confusion that lingered there. She tried to pull away, but his grip was firm and unyielding.
Mmm...
Her muffled sound escaped as his kiss deepened, his free hand moving to her waist and pulling her closer against him.
She tried to resist, struggled against him, but without her cultivation, she was physically weaker than him. Her body betrayed her resistance, responding to the kiss despite herself and despite the situation.
Mmm... no... wait...
But her protests grew weaker with each passing moment, turning into breathless moans as he continued kissing her. His lips trailed from her mouth down to her neck, drawing soft sounds from her that she clearly didn't intend to make. Her breathing became ragged, her heart racing uncontrollably.
♡ Ahh...
Fang Yuan pulled back slightly, looking into her eyes. A smirk played across his lips as he looked at her flushed face.
Perfect. The system is already taking effect. I can feel it, her essence flowing into me with every second of contact. This is dual cultivation as I've never experienced it before.
"From now on," Fang Yuan whispered against her ear, "things are going to be very different, Master."