The Crimson Heart Sect infirmary reeked of bitter herbs and decay.
Shadowy sickbeds lined the damp stone walls. Steam curled lazily from clay pots bubbling on low flames.
I lay crumpled on the cold stone floor. Ribs throbbed like fire from the first brutal boot strike. Each breath sent lightning through my side.
What the actual f**k?
One second ago, I was slumped on my grimy couch back on Earth. Cracked phone screen glowed as I scrolled xianxia tropes. Cursing another "trash MC" cliché between bites of cold instant noodles after a soul-crushing night shift.
The next second?
My soul got ripped out—violent, nauseating, like being sucked through a straw. Slammed hard into this frail teen body. A glitch in reality itself.
Lian Xue. The sect's "cursed" heir.
Twenty fking years old. Zero qi sparks. Beatings every damn day from hypocrite pr*ks preaching "survival of the cruelest" while treating me like garbage.
Memories trickled in slow—heavy drops: born under a blood-red eclipse moon that "tainted" my bloodline. Labeled worthless since toddlerhood. Dawn's Demon Forge Trial loomed—my execution ticket. Fail? Soul furnace. Burned alive.
Huo Kai loomed above—crimson-robed jackass radiating Foundation realm aura. Smug confidence flickered around him. Pristine robes untouched by grime. Two cronies flanked him—sabers loose at hips, eyes gleaming with bully hunger.
"End this shame on the Crimson Heart Sect, you worthless cripple," Huo Kai spat. Venom dripped thick as herbal steam. "Not a single spark from that tainted dantian after twenty years. Elders purge you by dawn."
His heavy boot rose slow. Deliberate. Aimed for my skull.
Every muscle tensed. Heart hammered against cracked ribs.
Earth me? No black belt. Just alley scraps, YouTube parkour fails, and 500+ chapters of xianxia s**t burned into my brain.
I knew the script: play dead. Bait ego. Weaponize environment.
Breathe steady. Wait for wind-up.
Cronies chuckled low. Sabers twitched eager.
Boot descended.
I rolled hard sideways. Last instant.
Pain lanced my side like white-hot knife. His kick shattered tile instead. Stone chips sprayed my face.
Close. Too f**king close.
Fingers inched across floor cracks. Brushed something sharp.
Jagged jade shard—edge glistening with poison from failed elixir pots nearby.
F**king jackpot.
Huo Kai reared for finisher. Qi aura coiled arrogant around his leg—sloppy as hell.
"Elder on your left, dumbs!"
Lie shot sharp. Voice steady despite agony fog.
He spun like an idiot.
Back wide open. Guard down.
Now or never.
Both hands shoved the boiling cauldron. Every ounce of strength.
It teetered on edge...
Teetered...
Tipped over.
Thick poison sludge exploded—hissing green wave.
SPLASHHH!
Sizzle filled air. Ate through his fancy robes. Bubbled flesh off his back in graphic strips.
He staggered forward. Roaring raw. "You little sh** of a—"
[SOVEREIGN MALICE SYSTEM ACTIVATED]
Hate Meter: 65% (Elder's Rage Detected)
Malice Points : +50 Qi Despair Harvest
Current Stats: Strength +1, Agility +1
Cold blue interface flickered in my mind—glitching like busted game HUD.
The f**k?
Their hate quantified me. Malice Vortex spun wild in my dantian. Devoured contempt like XP.
First qi trickle hit—foul, dark, euphoric.
Meridians burned hot.
Ughhhhh damn painn
Spread from gut to limbs.
[Level 1 → Level 2]
Foundation Realm Unlocked.
Vision +10%, Reflexes +15%
Vision sharpened. Breaths steadied. Muscles twitched ready.
First crony lunged—saber whistling overhead like guillotine.
Duck low—like parkour clips.
Bent knees fast. Rolled under swing. Jade shard slashed thigh deep. Hot blood sprayed my arm.
CRITICAL HIT!
Despair Meter: 35% (Crony #1 Broken)
Malice points: +14 Qi
New Skill: Venom Slash.
He crumpled hard. Shriek pierced haze.
Muscles coiled tighter. Reflexes clicked.
Second crony froze—eyes wide shock—
[FEAR DETECTED: +8 Malice Points]
—bolted for door. Smart rat.
Huo Kai whirled through pain. Face demonic. Qi serpents lashed air.
"DIE, FILTHY RAT!"
Palm thrust blurred fast. Air cracked. Tiles rippled.
Sidestep. Twisted aside last heartbeat. Steam blinded him. Shard drove into knee—
CRUNCH! BONE SHATTER!
[DESPAIR DETECTED: +6 Malice Points]
[Hate Overflow: Level 3 Achieved]
All Stats Doubled
Bloodline Evolution: 12% Complete.
New Title: First Blood (+10% Malice Gain).
Bone snapped wet. He dropped to knee. Gurgling shock. Face paled as blood pooled.
Qi surged tenfold. Veins blackened fully.
This system feeds on suffering. Perfect.
He clawed stone floor—begging silent with eyes.
I stood taller. Chest heaved. Tasted copper victory.
Door creaked deliberate. Hinges groaned low. Silk swished soft.
Concubine,Lady Mei glided in. Sharp eyes. Blood-red lips. Cold smirk scanned carnage.
She paused amid steam and groans.
ARA ARA
"Survived the whelps, have you?"
"Dawn's Demon Forge Trial devours trash like you."
Fingers flicked casual. Paper scroll unfurled mid-air. Floated down to my feet.
Forbidden Devour Array—crimson lines glowing faint.
"Prove your worth... or fuel the forge."
[ITEM ACQUIRED: Epic Skill Scroll]
Malice Points: 78/100 → Level 4 Quest Available.
Huo Kai's fingers scraped toward her skirt. Final whimper bubbled, desiring for escape.
My heel rose slow.
Deliberate.
CRUNCH!!
[TO BE CONTINUED]