"Damn it! Damn it all!"

Inside a dark cave under a mountain, a middle-aged man sat meditating in a lotus position, though the meditation seemed ineffective as his bloody face showed frustration.

"What have you done to me, you evil witch?" The one-armed man caressed his face wound with his last functioning arm.

The man, Tian Longwei, no longer had the airs of superiority. His tattered and bloody clothes, plus his unrefined posture, made him look more of a common vagabond.

With a wave of his sleeve, a mirror appeared in his hand. Looking at it, Tian Longwei saw a flawless face, but monstrous dark veins stemming from the fresh-cut ruined it.

*Crack*

In a fit of anger, he crushed the mirror in his clenching hand and threw the dust away. His eyes burned with rage. His qi was erratic, and the environment was affected, dirt flying around and cut marks appearing on the rocks and walls.

Suddenly everything stopped as a thought crossed Tian Longwei's mind.

"Why am I so mad? I can change my appearance, right?"

As a man that loved all that was beautiful, Tian Longwei had no shortage of techniques that could beautify him or transform his face as a whole with him as the sculptor.

Calming down, he remembered the technique and immediately started to practice it. His breathing slowed and hurried in a pattern. His qi rushed to his face as a preferred face appeared in his mind. The process took a while and drained the tired Tian Longwei. Waking up, he didn't know how he had slept.

His hand reached for his face, but he hesitated. Fear of the technique not working ate his mind so much that he feared touching it would result in an unknown curse. Expending some effort, he stood. Curiosity and fear battled his interest won eventually. Another mirror appeared in his hands, and his worst fears were confirmed.

*NOOOOOOOOOOO*

A beastly cry emerged from the cave. All life forms made a run for their lives, wondering what monstrosity had appeared in their peaceful home.

Kneeling on the ground, Tian Longwei's hand reached towards his hair, intending to pull them out of frustration, but that too he couldn't do perfectly as one arm was missing.

Not willing to let his frustration outlet be taken from him, he used one arm and yanked his hair while the other half arm flailed. Creating a weird scene.

"Why me?... isn't my karma good enough?"

Tian Longwei cried hoarsely. As far as he knew, his positive karma should be enough to allow him to escape such negative tribulations he was experiencing given the number of ugly beings he had liberated from their suffering.

He stopped his yanking and reached out to his cut. The throbbing dark veins no longer let out blood, at least that was a positive. Looking at his injured arm, disgust grew in his face as an evil thought appeared in his mind.

Should I cut it?

Shaking his head, even he, thought that was a ridiculous and bad idea, he fished a mask out of his ring and wore it. He then took out a piece of cloth and wrapped it around his arm. 

The dark god should have a solution to this..the only problem is, is he willing to help? Especially after turning tails and leaving the rest to be massacred. No matter, I am more useful than those trash. The dark god should consider, especially in the coming war. And that witch, should we meet, that will be her end.

Tian Longwei thought to himself, his mind finally calming down as he considered a possible redemption out of his predicament. Though the last thought, deep down, he knew it was more of his body wishing for revenge.

As Tian Longwei headed to the dark church, the light warriors were finally arriving at their beloved church, oh how they wished to narrate their absolute success to their comrades over a cup of wine, but things didn't look quite right in their headquarters. It was deserted?

"Everyone, as vigilant as you can be," Cui Hong's voice broke the silence, and everyone became stiff as the thought of a possible fight crossed their mind.

Is this an ambush?

Cui Hong thought to herself, her sword on the ready for any sudden action.

*Swoosh*

Cui Hong's face turned as she heard something breaking the air and approaching her. She raised her hand and snatched the approaching object. Opening her hand, a green jade slip she was familiar with appeared.

"New headquarter..."

A voice she knew was Mu Lei's informed her of the changes in the headquarter, heaving a sigh of relief she ordered her men to head to the new location, even she knew staying at the current headquarters was a bad move as they would need to be constantly vigilant while the dark church could attack at their convenience.

*****************

"That was unexpected," Lin Feng said while stretching his body.

It turns out I can Still sleep...and this chair is surprisingly comfortable

Lin Feng thought to himself while getting off the seat, examining it. He was surprised by the softness it felt to the touch. Looking at the wood, he could tell it was of high quality, a part of him wanted to dismantle it and discover its secrets, but he passed the thought. He had more things to handle.

Patting the dog that was endlessly wagging its tail, he finally walked out of the house. Once outside, he breathed in the fresh earthy air.

"Nothing like the morning breeze to start off your day... right little dog," Lin Feng said while glancing at the little black dog that was more than willing to agree to anything that he said.

Stepping away from the door, Lin Feng started to search for a perfect place that he would be painting from. Just because he was away from his home didn't mean he forgot his hobbies.

"This should do."

Looking at the flat-raised land in front of him, he nodded. The place was flat enough that his painting gear could stand properly while it was raised enough just the way he liked it.

After setting up his gear, Lin Feng looked at the morning sun, hiding behind the clouds as if it was a shy maiden. Its yellow rays giving life and energy to plants and the earth, which greedily absorb the energy and feed it to the spiritual veins hidden deep inside the earth only to manufacture the coveted spiritual energy.

Lin Feng's brush moved so elegantly and beautifully that it was almost a dance. Slowly, a perfect replica of the sun manifested in his rice paper.

"Looks rather young... what do you think, little dog, the sun that is," Lin Feng said while looking at his painting. Comparing it to the one he used to draw, he had a feeling that the sun was young."

*WOOF**WOOF*

The dog barked in response to his master.

"Can't you talk?"

Lin Feng asked while thinking it was useless to talk to a dog. He needed to familiarize himself with more people to have a normal conversation.

"Speaking of which... we should familiarize ourselves with the surroundings, what do you think?"

*WOOF**WOOF*

"Just as I thought, let's go and inform the girls first," Lin Feng, shaking his head, walked back to the house.

Inside, he went straight to the big black door. He was about to push it open when something spectacular caught his vision. Thin threads barely visible elongated from the chess pieces and disappeared into the atmosphere. Lin Feng walked toward the board and examined the strings.

Finding no issue, he grabbed one and tugged it. His gaze followed the strings to determine their destination.

His gaze peered the void and followed the string. In just a short breath, he discovered the destination. The string connected to an old man, the old man, had rolled into a ball, and his body shivered while he said some incoherent words.

"Is this another vision?" Lin Feng thought to himself, after reading the book, he had a weird dream and now this? At least he was in the right direction. Reading the books was the key to more bizarre events and discovering who exactly he was.

Leaving the poor old man, he grabbed another string and followed it.

"Mei Lin?"

Inside the dark church, in a particular room, Mei Lin sat on a bed thinking of retaliation she could deliver. Suddenly, she felt a tagging then a familiar presence.

"Master!"

She exclaimed and shot to her feet, looking around excitedly, but alas, her powers didn't discover anyone.

Have I missed him this much? When we reunite, I must ask him to give me a good reward

 A smile appeared on her face, and she resolved herself to finish the battle soon.

"If that is Mei Lin, then what about this?"

Lin Feng thought while he grabbed another string connected to the white queen.

Just like I thought.

Peering at the string's destination, Lin Feng saw the beautiful Mu Lei. Just like Mei Lin, she looked around expectantly before resolving herself to something.

Has she gotten more beautiful?

Lin Feng thought she was more beautiful than the last time he had seen her.

What are they doing? Are they competing? I'll have to ask them once we meet again.

After observing the other strings and seeing unfamiliar faces, Lin Feng finally walked away from the board and headed towards the ominous black door.