Three days after the incident, Young Yu-jung was in the apartment he had rented upon his arrival in the city of Selzin.
Overcome with intense rage, he cast his gaze toward his hands, each bearing a tattoo: on his right hand, a shield-like emblem representing the "Jade Sage Gu," and on his left, a sleeping dragon symbolizing the "Lazy Dragon Gu." As a rank 6 intermediate-stage Gu Master—someone who had already embarked upon the path to immortality—he had nonetheless suffered defeat at the hands of Arcade Kethali. Though they were the same age (283 years old), Kethali was vastly superior, both in terms of rank and talent—a talent further bolstered by the blessing of that entity.
"Haaah! After all the effort I've poured in and the sacrifices I've made—even turning to the Demonic Path, casting aside all morality and law—I still lost! And yet, I have no regrets..."
"I do not regret the path I chose, nor do I regret what I have done or what I shall do in the future. Any sacrifice made in pursuit of my goal is of no consequence."
He let out a deep sigh, clearing his scattered thoughts:
"First, I must locate the 'Energy Master Gu' to raise the *qi* concentration within my Primeval Sea to perfection." "Secondly, I must acquire the Rank 5 'Black Phoenix Gu,' along with several other resources: a Sun-Sanctity Flower, the claws of a thousand-year-old dragon, 20 kilograms of gold from a forgotten kingdom, the blood of a two-hundred-year-old dwarf, and a Rank 5 'Luck Gu.'"
He jotted down everything he needed to collect on a piece of light-brown parchment, then rolled it up and tucked it into his satchel, a look of amused anticipation playing on his lips:
"The 'Divine Purity Gu' shall be mine—whether fate wills it or not!"
He then set out from the city of Silzin in search of what he sought. It was a long journey, spanning forty years (he was now 323 years old, yet he still retained his youthful appearance). Throughout this odyssey, he had grown both more powerful and more imposing; his hair, which once barely reached his neck, now cascaded down to his waist. Along the way, he mastered various disciplines—history, the deciphering of ancient inscriptions, the study of arrays, and every language, both ancient and modern. He also acquired complex knowledge regarding the crafting of potions and the intricate techniques for fusing Gu. Having reached the peak of the Rank 6 Gu Master stage, he had gathered all the necessary resources for the procedure. Yet, unwilling to take any unnecessary risks, he had raised a young female angel to perform the process in his stead, now that she had reached the age of 33.
"So, I must focus my consciousness and channel the resources toward the Gu being fused?" "Yes, that is correct."
The angel's name was Yong Zui Yu; this was her first time performing such a procedure. The reason was that Young Yu-jung did not want her to die or suffer any injuries before the time he would need her. A year prior, Young had allowed her to refine the "Lazy Dragon Gu," the "Black Phoenix Gu," and the "Luck Gu," so that she could grow accustomed to them—and they to her.
Zoe Yu possessed a soft, beautiful voice, brimming with innocence. Her kind was known for an unimaginable level of goodness and gentle nature, especially toward those who cared for them—and Zoe Yu was the perfect example. "Fusion!"
The Lazy Dragon Gu and the Black Phoenix Gu sprang forth from her palms. "Luck Gu!"
Qi surged from her primeval sea toward the Luck Gu, which took the form of a four-leaf clover carved from jade.
A luminous sphere began to take shape, composed of the deep black hue of the Lazy Dragon Gu and the soft, radiant red of the Black Phoenix Gu. Sweat poured from her body; she had to maintain her focus to prevent the fusion from collapsing, all while tossing in resources and enduring the constant, heavy drain from the Luck Gu, which was operating at its absolute limit.
First, she added a "Sun-Sanctity Flower"—resembling a sunflower—and the claws of a thousand-year-old dragon. Both were consumed with frantic speed, drawn into the swirling sphere of black and red energy. Finally, she added the last two essential components: twenty kilograms of gold from a forgotten kingdom, and the blood of a two-hundred-year-old dwarf. The sphere shrank until it was the size of a palm. She let out a deep sigh, sweat pouring profusely from her slender frame. Her body trembled slightly, yet she did not stop.
"Just a little more..." She began tossing in spirit stones—each glowing with a pale golden energy—one after another: 5... 10... 100... 400!
As she cast the 400th spirit stone, the sphere began to glow with a dark, crimson hue. It had shrunk further, now no larger than the fist of an infant, and ceased to contract any further.
A cold smile touched Young Yu-jung's lips as he gazed at the glowing sphere; the fusion process had clearly been a success.
Moments later, a Rank 6 Gu—'Divine Purity'—manifested. It resembled a tiny, ethereal sprite, appearing much like a luminous firefly, with milky-white skin, light green hair, and striking, vivid golden eyes.
Blood began to stream copiously from Zui Yu's eyes and mouth. Her complexion, once a milky white with cheeks as rosy and pinchable as ripe tomatoes, had turned deathly pale. She coughed up a great quantity of blood. "Cough... cough... cough... Is this normal, Father?" Her voice was faint, barely audible—her once beautiful, delicate tone had withered into something broken and frail. Her fair, alabaster skin had turned as pale as a mummy's, wrinkled and creased like that of an extremely elderly woman. She reached out toward Young Yu-jung—the man she had regarded as her father, her pillar of support, and her everything throughout a life that spanned only thirty-three years. (In a world where one who dies at three hundred is still considered a child, the death of a girl of just thirty-three was a cruel tragedy indeed.)
She rested her head against his chest, yearning for a father's warmth and affection, but found him cold and unyielding—as hard as flint. In that moment, she grasped a truth she had long refused to accept: the man she had once seen as a savior—the angel who had rescued her when she was but a five-year-old child—had, in reality, viewed her as nothing more than a tool to be used and then discarded.
"Father... you won't abandon me, will you? You still need me, don't you? I'm still useful... aren't I?" Her voice was barely a whisper, while tears streamed profusely from her green eyes—eyes that shone like precious, rare gems.
Yet, there was no reply. His expression remained cold; he did not even look her wayTo him, whether she lived or died no longer mattered. Utilizing the "Luck Gu" at full power consumed five years of a person's lifespan every single second. Since she had used it for over a quarter of an hour, she had lost more than 900 years of her life, leaving her with only a few hours left to live. (While the Luck Gu grants a massive boost to one's fortune, nothing in this world comes for free.)
"Just say something, please... please speak, answer me! Was I nothing more than a test subject for you to refine your Gu? Is that all I ever meant to you?" Her voice was incredibly faint—a weakness compounded by the anguish in her heart and the tears streaming profusely from her eyes. Her love for Yong Yu-jung—whom she had regarded as a father—was beyond description.
"Yes, that's right. Furthermore, I was the one responsible for your parents' deaths twenty-eight years ago. I knew full well that the Luck Gu drains the user's energy and lifespan—that is precisely why I made you use it."
Zoe Yu's expression shifted to one of utter shock. She stopped weeping and tried to pull away, only to collapse to the ground, sustaining a severe head injury. Her complexion turned deathly pale, and her skin grew deeply wrinkled. She withered from a strikingly beautiful young woman into a grotesque, skeletal figure; her bones protruded beneath skin that had lost its milky-white radiance, turning a dull, sallow brown. She could say nothing, as she lost consciousness shortly thereafter due to blood loss. (The Luck Gu had slipped from her grasp in an attempt to escape, but Young Yu-jung caught it and tucked it into his pocket; he then seized the "Divine Purity" Gu to begin refining it.)
The power of this Gu was immense—it could manipulate the very laws of life. It granted its refiner the ability to negate any harm directed toward their own life or lifespan. Consequently, it nullified the detrimental effects of the Luck Gu—which would otherwise drain the user's life force and longevity—while simultaneously granting the user the ability to absorb the life force of other living beings.
He then stepped out of the dilapidated hut. A man appeared, his long, white hair cascading down past his back. He wore loose, white robes that completely covered his limbs, and a simple, snow-white mask adorned with three phrases:
"Kill, and you shall be killed."
"Torment, and you shall be tormented."
"Show mercy, and you shall be shown mercy."
Each phrase was written in a different color: "Kill, and you shall be killed" was in red, symbolizing the blood spilled when a life is taken; "Torment, and you shall be tormented" was in violet, representing the fear, terror, and agony inherent in torture; and "Show mercy, and you shall be shown mercy" was in a pale, golden hue—signifying life, purity, forgiveness, and peace. (The gold represented the immense value of a human soul, while the white symbolized peace and a secure existence—hence the dual-toned coloring for the final phrase.) The young man—standing 1.85 meters tall and exuding both strength and an air of mystery—fixed his gaze upon Zoe Yu, who was on the verge of perishing:
"Kinship, friendship, partnership, love, clan, tribe, hatred, vengeance, and enmity—these are constructs devised by humans to escape solitude and isolation. Yet, much like tectonic plates, these relationships drift toward or away from one another, only to eventually collide—all under the guise of mutual interest or exploitation—before ultimately fracturing and spiraling toward oblivion."
His tone remained calm, indifferent to the flames that had begun to consume the room. He turned and walked away, leaving the space transformed into a blazing inferno.
Outside, Young Yu-jung watched the burning hut with a cold, emotionless expression.
Such was the law of the world: either you exploit, or you are exploited. There is no room for pure kindness here; only cruelty and strength endure.
Minutes later, the hut had been reduced to nothing but ash.
He approached the ruins, his blue eyes scanning the debris with careful precision. A faint glint caught his attention; he reached out, sweeping aside charred planks and charcoal that crumbled into dust. There, resting around the neck of a skeleton, lay a pendant—an ornate, egg-shaped locket crafted from white gold, designed to hold a photograph. He removed it without breaking any of the skeleton's bones. A flicker of doubt crossed his mind when he noticed that the bones were a few millimeters longer—a difference so slight it was barely perceptible—but he dismissed it, assuming he had simply misjudged Zui Yu's height. He then left the scene, showing no intention of ever returning.
Days and years passed; Yong Yu-jung reached the age of 350.
Over these years, he had perpetrated countless crimes and brought about numerous catastrophes, all fueled by the "Divine Purity" Gu—a creature that devoured the life force of beings from various races and species. He came to be known as the "Great Demonic Venerable."
He fought and killed numerous elites, consuming their life force to deepen his cultivation and elevate his rank. Over the span of 140 years, he committed a multitude of atrocities: he murdered, tortured, and conducted experiments on humans and other entities—elves, angels, demons, demi-humans—and even orcs and ogres were not spared from his reach.
By the age of 654, Yong Yu-jung had attained the strength of a late-stage Rank 7 Gu Master. His worldview had shifted drastically—not for the better, but for the worse. He began to see the world with stark clarity: the strong live, and the weak die—an immutable, absolute law. His crimes grew ever more savage; he incited wars that lasted for years, exploiting the chaos to harvest the life force of the masses without fear of retribution, all while conducting his experiments under the guise of "science." As Young Yu-jung wandered about, he crossed paths with a traveling warrior who possessed a powerful and imposing presence. With a robust physique, bleached-gold hair, and pale golden eyes, the man wore black—yet luxurious—mercenary attire. Two swords hung at his sides, and he fixed his gaze upon Young Yu-jung with eyes as sharp as sword blades. Beads of sweat broke out on Young Yu-jung's face as he stared back:
"So, there you are—Daniel de Molière, the so-called 'Demon Slayer'!" "Hahaha! Splendid! I was meaning to challenge you anyway."
Daniel's gaze remained piercing; his expression did not shift, even after the verbal provocation from Young Yu-jung. Instead, he unfastened the two swords from his waist—still in their scabbards—and tossed them aside onto the ground.
Young Yu-jung's features contorted with a mix of shock and rage. He understood exactly what Daniel's gesture meant: the man was belittling him to such an extent that he intended to fight him bare-handed—relying solely on his own body! "Do you Are you mocking me, you scoundrel?" Yong Yu-jung's face twisted with rage; in his eyes, Daniel's behavior was an affront to his pride and honor.
Daniel de Molière, however, remained indifferent to his fury. He assumed a combat stance: his right hand, clenched into a fist, positioned forward, while his left hand—also a fist—was held back. His legs were aligned with his hands, creating a solid, stable center of gravity.
A mocking expression crossed Yong Yu-jung's face as he looked at Daniel, fully confident of victory. Having obtained the 'Energy Master' Gu, his primeval essence—the *qi* within his primeval sea—had reached a perfect 100% saturation. Furthermore, he possessed the 'Divine Purity' Gu, which granted him the ability to absorb and manipulate life force to a limited extent, storing it for later use. Yong Yu-jung's physical strength far surpassed that of other Gu Masters at his own rank; he could easily defeat those at the late stage of Rank 8. While overcoming those at the peak of the rank would be difficult, and defeating a Rank 9 Gu Master would be virtually impossible—especially if they were among the elite who had received a 'blessing' (only two Gu Master clans—the Qiang clan and the Yao clan—had ever been blessed by a mysterious entity)—he remained formidable.
Yong Yu-jung channeled his primeval essence into the following:
The 'Luck' Gu (consuming 1% of his current primeval essence).
The 'Shadow Steps' Gu (also consuming 1%).
The 'Blue Moon' Gu (which took the form of a blue, two-winged butterfly). A Rank 5 Diamond-grade Gu, it fired off sharp blades akin to sword edges, consuming 1% [of energy] per use.
Daniel de Moliar's expression remained steady and indifferent to Young Yu-jung's actions: "Are you finished?" "That took a long time. Are you really a late-stage Level 7 Gu Master?" Daniel's tone was laced with boredom and indifference—a reaction that infuriated Young Yu-jung.
Young Yu-jung lunged forward at the speed of light, but Daniel was ready for him. With a slow, deliberate movement of his right arm, followed by his left...
A fist-shaped imprint appeared on the right side of Young Yu-jung's chest. Several ribs shattered, piercing toward his lungs and abdomen. A faint, hissing sound escaped as his left kidney—along with parts of his large and small intestines—were crushed. He collapsed instantly, a look of utter shock frozen on his face. Warm blood gushed from his mouth as he stammered, unintelligibly, "How... how did this happen?"
He lost consciousness, his lungs unable to draw in any more air.
Daniel de Moliar looked down at him—sprawled on the ground like a dead animal—with a cold, detached expression. He sheathed his two swords and turned to leave. Though Daniel harbored a deep hatred for Young Yu-jung due to his past actions, he still showed a measure of mercy; his strikes had been carefully aimed at non-vital areas (the right side of the chest and the waist).
Three hours later, a dark-red energy that had been enveloping Young Yu-jung's body began to fade, and he stirred back to consciousness.
He pulled himself up from the ground. He was a pathetic sight: his face smeared with dirt and blood, his hair matted with gore, grime, and stray twigs. ...through the trees, heading toward the city where he currently resides—leaving behind a pool of blood as a testament to his humiliating defeat. He stopped, cast his gaze toward the heavens, and let out a cry: "Aaaaaaaaaah!"
Yong Yu-jung's scream was filled with rage and malice. He had done everything, sacrificed everything, and employed every method—both moral and immoral—yet he had lost once again, ninety years after his crushing defeat at the hands of Arcade Kethali.
He staggered away, his body weakened. The "Divine Purity" Gu had drained more than 50% of the Qi from his Primeval Sea, and he had lost a significant amount of blood from his wounds. His velvet robe was stained with blood and dirt; he was a truly pathetic sight.
Upon arriving at the village where he was temporarily staying, all eyes turned toward him. Laughter and murmurs erupted throughout the settlement—news of his humiliating defeat at the hands of Daniel de Molière had spread like wildfire.
The sounds of mockery and derision reached his ears. Even though they whispered behind his back, he could hear every word. Yet, he was powerless to act; he was so exhausted that he couldn't even lift a finger, let alone fight—should anyone challenge him now, he would be in a dire situation. Nevertheless, he vowed to wipe out every single inhabitant of the village by noon the following day!