raising a zombie army doesn’t count as a date
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The sun was setting in the demonic realm as Hua Fang led the Shadow down a red-stained gorge at the border between the realm of the mortals and the demons, even as they walked they heard the screams of restless spirits, countless victims who lay long dead their resentment darkening the air just as their blood had turned the sands at their feet black,
A woman killed by a jealous lover, a child drowned by hateful family, a boy scorned by his village prisoners thieves men of status who fell prey by wives whose greed far outweighed their loyalty, mortal and demon alike all had been tossed into the red valley and forgotten by the world.

"Interesting, did you cause all this?" the shadow asked

"This has been around far longer than I have," Hua fang said,

"Thousands of bitter spirits, their wills long lost; their vengeful souls will make a fine army," the shadow laughed

"What do you need an army for whether little Jingyi is all-powerful or not he's still just one man,"

"Of course you would think that," The shadow muttered, it cast a cold glare across the stained walls, walked past him
"I think that because you tell me nothing," Hua Fang hissed, "Is he as strong as you say?"
"Why waste precious breath, you've already witnessed one of his feats."

"Yes, I have..."

"It decimated your army, did it not? what more proof do you need of his strength,"

"Knowing one's enemy is not an aimless task, a swift victory is rooted in knowledge,"

The shadow scoffed a malicious gleam in his serpentine eyes, "Victory is rooted in power, I thought a Halfling like yourself would know that,"

"How does my blood tie into this?"

"How doesn't it?" the shadow smiled, "Weren't you the prized gem of your sect? Gifted in mind, grace and a core that blazed brighter than some immortals?"

"That was on my own merit."

"Was it? Is it really merit when the man is granted wings when the others are forced to crawl?"

The shadow smiled, "You were granted a boon, born the first son of the eighth lord of darkness Mei Fei Si Te, what a grand golden finger life granted you I only know of a few others gifted so generously, eight to be exact."

"Well seeing you now it couldn't have been all roses... ah, of course, others saw it and you beings were built to envy, hmph the whispers that trailed your feet everyday must have been difficult to bear,"
Hua Fang could not deny it, though his master never spoke

ill of him many were jealous of his strength, the whispers masked by false smiles, the scathing words that cut away at a young boys soul darkening the blazing light that shone in him, like a ball and chain he slowed down his growth as best as he could but brilliance shone through the mask, he could remember it well,

While the brightest in his sect were mastering their inborn cultivation and fine-tuning their sword art, he had already attained true flight and would soon master false reality, only his master Na Nuan knew of his prowess but remained silent at his disciples request, nevertheless, the others could indeed see just how far ahead he was, those with golden cores especially understood this some speculated he was at the Seventh stage soon to attain a Nascent soul but at such a young age?

Surely he used some sort of cheat if not why would he hide his true rank?" these words had been spoken by Jin Hu, a cultivator seven years his senior, though he was a master swordsman he still did not quite meet Hua Fang how could he when Hua Fang moved with a speed that could only be described as demonic Jin Hu's skill could never match Hua Fangs talent a truth that frustrated him and many like him.

A cultivator from no outstanding family surely could not have bested them on merit alone, if so then the heavens truly were not fair.
But there were some like Hai Jingyi who wanted to learn more from him,

Ever stone-faced he'd seek him out whenever he hit a stumbling block he found too difficult to resolve, the man was admirable in that aspect; willing to lay his fault bare for all to see, not heeding those that chided him listening to peoples advice though taking it with a grain of salt not being naive enough to believe everything at face value.

Hua Fang, he was never shy in sharing knowledge and watching his sect brother improve o his teachings did grant him a sense of pride yet it also filled him with dread, what if his brother surpassed him?

That wouldn't be a bad thing though, would it?

his cultivation had reached rank of Ancient demon and his fathers blood boiled as the seasons passed, there was little he could do now to hide his prowess, an eagle cannot hide among chickens forever, he stood out even his eyes glowed red with the power of his Nascent soul, so the boy embraced it seeing no point in hiding any longer he laid waste to any that opposed his sect capturing many spirit beasts even those with a demonic temperament all now knew he was leagues above them.

Surely with his strength perhaps he could match or even surpass the brothers of the jade sect, the people whispered, how lucky they were to have such s great disciple they said so diligent and talented to have reached the heavens so soon. Now they didn't dare speak against him, throwing themselves at his feet like frightened lambs yet his Master now looked at him with worry, why did he fear he would turn away from his teachings?
He would never, he had thought.

His fall came in autumn, as the Tallow trees turned red.

Their sect had quite a few secrets passed from the Sect lord to the most deserving disciple believed to be the brightest, many thought Hua Fang would receive this honour and so did he, he had been a diligent student despite his demonic blood he had never raised a hand against a sect member no matter how deserving they were of a sound beating, he had brought honour to his sect going as far as being ranked as one of the most formidable cultivators rivalling even Tai Qiang.
Receiving the sect's secrets, he believed it would be his master's seal of approval showing him that he truly was accepted, half-blood or not, that at last his labour had born fruit.
But his master chose his younger brother, though he would not question his master his heart still raged,

"Why not me?"

He was clearly the best in his sect, did his master doubt him was he truly unworthy?

Why?

He had done no wrong his only sin was being born a half-blood, was that such a terrible thing?
He disappeared soon after, and upon his return, his fathers blood fully awakened and an army of demons at his command he sought the sect's secrets at that point it was more so to soothe the itch in his heart than anything else if he couldn't get it on merit why not rely on force, he was the son of the Eighth Lord of the underworld with the knowledge of a cultivator and the power of a demon.

He really had been granted a boon...

Hua Fang growled, "You know so much about me,"
"I know of all," he turned his form dissolving to mist and smoke flowing down the valley's edge like a blackened stream,
"And yet you tell me nothing." Hua Fang sighed, he jumped gliding through the air with the grace of the noble crane,

The shadow sighed, "I've told you more than you deserve,"

"I have three questions,"

The shadow paused assessing him, the clear serpent's eyes gleaming with curiosity, "Ask."

"Your name."

"My creator has yet to give me one,"

Hua Fang rolled his eyes moving on to the next,

"What do you hope this will achieve?"

"I simply want my master to acknowledge me,"

"There are probably better ways to achieve that..."

"I don't want to hear that from the one who burned his brothers to ash just for the same," he went on," Worse, he is too infatuated with this world and the likes of you, it's unbecoming."
"And you hope to change that by facing my former brother with an army of Malicious spirits?"
"Yes,"
"That seems to be a very roundabout way of doing things..."

"Being my beneficiary, you should not judge the method to my madness,"
"If it's likely to lead me down a thorny path I will judge it as I see fit,"
"Well, then shall I raise your faith in me?"
He walked over to the centre of the valley, the core of all the blackened spirits around them, he could feel them calling to him wishing for freedom wishing for just a chance at it, The shadow smiled
"This will do nicely."

he slammed his hand into the earth a glowing red gash ripping through the surface, the air around them filled with agonizing screams as black veins spread from the valley towards the shadow

"What are you doing?!" Hua Fang demanded as the earth around them crackled in agony, the chilling wind grew too hot as it blew harder all while the shadow smiled at the world around him.

he cast an empty smile at the Demon-Lord his answer a wisp in the maddening screams

"Corruption,"

The gash widened with a harrowing scream as hands tore through the earth reaching, yearning for the bearer of the red light, not one nor two but hundreds going on thousands, giants, children men and women bodies wasted to bone and falling flesh crawling over each other much like crabs in a barrel, Hua Fang felt a chill in his core, he knew raising a malicious spirit was no easy task even for a heretic Cultivator on this scale, this many spirits drawing form from ones own core should have left the shadow an empty husk, destroyed his body till he was no better than the spirits he called, yet there he stood unfazed.

"Have I proved my worth to you Half-blood?"

hey guys its been a minute lol

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