My lips scowled in disgust at my kowtowing self. What do I owe them? They are nothing but self-centric bastards who deserve not a single coin. They were provided everything since their birth. I worked hard for them to live a good life, and this is how they treat .
Before my thoughts got any further, I shook my head and smiled. So, this is what they call a heart demon? I see.
The reality of my life, the choices I made, and the paths I did not take all converged in this mont. The heavens were showing the what-ifs, the could-have-beens, and the alternate fates that lay just out of reach. They were testing my resolve, my understanding of my journey, and my acceptance of the life I had carved out for myself.
I took another step forward, feeling the weight of countless lifetis pressing down on . The golden gate lood closer, its intricate carvings shimring with an otherworldly light. Each step was a battle, each vision a reminder of the fragility of existence and the strength of the Soul.
The fourth step brought with it a new vision, one that struck at the very core of my being. I was in the sa world, but this ti, I was not a cultivator. I was a simple farr, toiling the land, living a life of quiet simplicity. My family was with , my children growing up strong and healthy, my wife smiling at from the doorway of our humble ho.
It was a life of peace, free from the struggles and conflicts of the path of cultivation.
But with this peace ca a different kind of struggle—a struggle to provide, to protect, and to endure the hardships of a mortal life. The vision showed the beauty of a simple existence, but also its limitations. It was a life without the power to change the world, without the ans to defend against the injustice of a cruel and rciless world.
It was a reminder that every path has its own challenges, and that even the simplest life is fraught with difficulties.
As the vision faded, I found myself back before the gate, my heart heavy with the weight of what I had seen. The heavens were relentless in their testing, pushing to confront every facet of my being, every possible path my life could have taken. But with each step, my resolve grew stronger.
I was not just a man of cultivation, but a man who had faced countless trials and erged stronger each ti.
I took another step, feeling the power of the heavens coursing through . The fifth vision was one of pure power, a glimpse of what I could beco if I fully embraced the path of the Devil cultivator. I saw myself standing atop a mountain of corpses, my power unmatched, my will unbreakable. The world trembled before , and the heavens themselves seed to crumble to my usurping might.
It was a vision of absolute dominance and devastation, of cruelty and destruction but also of loneliness and isolation. In this vision, I was feared and revered in my presence, but abhorred and hated in my absence. I was also alone, cut off from the bonds that make life aningful.
The vision was a stark reminder of the price of power, and as it faded, I felt a deep sense of clarity. Power without purpose, without connection, is a hollow victory. The true strength lies not just in overcoming others, but in understanding oneself and the world around us.
Even the Demonic Path shares similarities with the Devil Path, both seek power. Only the first achieves it with his own will and struggles, while the latter takes it from those around him.
With renewed determination, I took the final step toward the gate. The heavens thundered in response, their approval echoing in the depths of my soul. The gate began to open, revealing a path bathed in golden light. This was the path of the Demonic cultivator, a path that combined strength with wisdom, power with compassion, and ambition with humility.
All my dreams were within the palm of my hand, just for to grasp them. With the company of long and old friends, the future though unknown is still lit well and brightly enough to traverse and cross. Power without company is aningless, might without a loved one serves no purpose. And being an immortal by yourself is far crueler than the worst death.
As I stepped through the gate, I felt a sense of peace wash over . The trials had tested in ways I could never have imagined, but they had also revealed the depth of my character and the strength of my spirit.
The final booming of the Drum had been struck…
My entire body felt as if it was being hamred down by the hand of a mighty existence. Reshaped and rebuilt to extract from my cocoon. The drums that had stopped began beating once more, reverberating through my body. Echoing right into my lungs with enough force that blood splattered out of my mouth.
Then a wave of nausea hit as I wanted to throw up but I held in. There was a thin transparent wall in front of . And I had a feeling that I needed to step right through it.
And the mont I touched it, it broke and shattered like extrely fragile glass. And in that mont I had a feeling that I achieved sothing.
I didn't know what it was, but I knew it was important, especially since everything around began crumbling and breaking apart as if space itself could no longer withstand my own existence.
Reverberation after reverberation, thunderous booms in the high heavens echoed following one another. And finally, the gate itself which looked material blew apart in an explosive silence as it disappeared.
A powerful aura of might began surging from around and underneath . It felt as if the laws of the world were not able to sustain themselves as they made contact with , breaking and shattering upon contact. As if the world itself had no hold over my existence.
"Shattering the Void… I finally achieved it," I said as I clenched a fist which caused booming thunders to echo from around it.
Energy like no other bathed my body, it was the long overdue rewards of the heavens that I have never received.
After all, I made it all the way to the Void Stage as a mutant type of cultivator without ever having received heavenly Qi, and now that I am able to absorb it. The heavens has rewarded for all my trouble and so more.
There is a quite unique difference between the energy a cultivator absorbs from nature around him and what is given by the heavens.
A cultivator can only absorb a finite amount of Qi from nature, or spirit stones before they'll feel like they're bloating up or about to explode. However, the gift from the heavens was not under the sa rule.
If given, take, as you will never feel bloated from it, and took I did.
Absorbing the massive and copious amounts of heavenly Qi that was dousing from head to toe filling up without feeling full.
It penetrated through my skin, into my blood flesh and nerves. Every bit and part of my body was receiving a heavenly baptism to fuel my body further.
I couldn't understand how, but my already absurdly powerful body had beco leagues stronger. My muscles grew and even my size to accommodate the new increase in Qi capacity.
My Dantian which hosted my Sea of Consciousness no longer was a barren land. But now was a massive globe of water with several pieces of land in it. And my fortress which floated on water was now on the peak of the highest mountain.
I had an inner world in my Dantian, and in it was a planet, and… people.
Small, people, barely wearing anything and desperately praying and worshipping.
The Qi I was receiving from the heavenly gift was being transferred not only to feed my Dantian but also washed over these people, elevating their dirty and feeble status to that of strong n and won who began creating, carving, building, and living their own lives.
My small globe flew in a vast empty void, without any life but them.
This was the space that was holding my Dantian, my own universe where I could host and hold life. And now that I have shattered the void, I'm able to harness inner Qi from the worshipping of the creatures in it.
I opened my eyes, and found myself covered in a disgusting black sludge, with a snap, a powerful wind blew away all the grim and filth, and revealed my new self.
Not a huge change in physical appearance, but a great change in spiritual aptitude. My Qi was flowing better, and was of a higher quality, enough that I was probably able to understand Origin Qi, but not to the point of using it.
Still, with this amount of strength, I'm far from capable of doing a frontal assault on the Sea of Demons. But, it is just what I need for the sake of my plan.
I stood up, took a long breath and exhaled, then turned my head to the direction of the Sea of Demons.
By now, thanks to the ti deferential, the Automaton should be done making the massive-sized puppets.
All parts of the plan are now getting together. All I have to do is execute.
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