Li Feng stood alone within the silent halls of the Demon Realm, shadows coiling around his feet like living things. His obsidian mask hid his expression, but behind it, his eyes burned with cold intent.
"So… where should this revenge begin?" he murmured softly.
A faint chuckle escaped him, sharp and humorless.
"Mm… let's start with SuYan."
Far from the Demon Realm, Su Yan sat cross-legged in a secluded clearing, immersed in cultivation. Spiritual energy flowed gently around her, calm and familiar.
Then—
Everything changed.
A sudden wave of killing intent crashed down like a storm. Dark figures emerged from the forest, their auras twisted and violent.
"Enemies? Here?!" Su Yan gasped, leaping to her feet.
She fought back desperately, but she was outnumbered.
Just as despair began to creep in—
A sword flashed like falling starlight.
In a single breath, the attackers were driven back. One by one, they fell, unable to withstand the overwhelming elegance of the newcomer's strikes.
A young man stepped forward, dressed in pristine white robes, his face handsome and calm, his aura righteous and pure.
"Are you hurt?" he asked gently.
Su Yan stared at him, stunned. "I… I'm fine. Thank you for saving me."
He smiled faintly. "My name is Lin Chen. I'm a disciple of the Azure Dawn Sect."
(A name that never existed.)
Thus began the illusion.
Days passed.
Lin Chen appeared whenever Su Yan needed him—guiding her, protecting her, listening to her frustrations. He spoke ill of no one, yet subtly distanced her from her past.
"You shouldn't stay alone like this," he said one evening. "Why don't you come with me to my sect? You'll be safer there."
Su Yan hesitated… then nodded.
"I'd like that."
The "Azure Dawn Sect" welcomed her warmly. Elders smiled kindly. Disciples bowed respectfully. Everything felt perfect—too perfect.
What Su Yan didn't know was that every smile was worn by a demon.
Every building was shaped by illusion.
Every breath she took was within Li Feng's domain.
She lived there for days… then weeks.
Slowly, she began to feel weaker.
"Strange…" she whispered one night. "Why does my cultivation feel… thinner?"
Lin Chen supported her gently.
"You're just tired. Here—take this medicine. It will help."
She trusted him.
She drank poison, believing it was salvation.
The illusion shattered on the seventh night.
The sky cracked like broken glass. The sect dissolved into darkness. Screams echoed as false walls melted into demonic runes.
Su Yan collapsed, her body trembling, her cultivation nearly gone.
"W-what is this…?" she screamed.
Footsteps echoed.
Lin Chen stood before her—but he was changing.
White robes darkened into black. The righteous aura twisted into shadow. A familiar, terrifying presence crushed her soul.
The mask fell.
Su Yan's eyes widened in horror.
"L-Li… Feng…?!"
He looked down at her calmly.
"Did you enjoy the world I made for you?" he asked softly. "You liked it, didn't you? A place where you were cherished."
Her mind broke.
"No… no no no—this isn't real—YOU'RE DEAD—!"
Li Feng gestured around them. "This world was never real. Just like your loyalty."
She laughed. She cried. She screamed.
Madness consumed her.
As her life faded, the last thing she saw was Li Feng standing amid the shadows—untouched, emotionless.
"This," he said quietly, "is only the beginning."
Su Yan died smiling… crying… screaming—her mind shattered beyond repair.
And somewhere in the Demon Realm, the Shadow Emperor placed another name beneath Su Yan's.
Mei Lan.
Tian Hao.
The game had begun.