The dimly lit room smelled of sweat and perfume. Lewd paintings adorned wooden walls, their subjects seeming to leer at the large bed dominating the space—easily big enough for four. On it lay a handsome black-haired man tangled with two women, their nakedness concealed by a rumpled green blanket.
One woman rolled atop him, tracing his jawline with painted nails. "Can we start again?" the man asked, voice thick with anticipation. She answered with a predatory smile before diving beneath the blanket, pulling it completely over their forms.
The second woman stretched and moved to the window, still wearing her basic underclothes. As she pushed the pane open for fresh air, her eyes widened. Something's—
Her thought shattered as two figures came crashing through, sending all three bodies slamming into the far door.
The woman and man peeked out from under the blanket to see two strangers - though the man immediately recognized one of them. Rayen groaned as he pushed himself up, rubbing his sore back. "Fucking hell..." His complaint died in his throat when he finally got a proper look at the couple.
Pointing dramatically, he announced, "Ohhh, so this is the cheating bastard!" He turned to Lin Xiaolu with sparkling eyes, clearly proud of himself. "I'm amazing, right?"
But Lin Xiaolu wasn't listening. Her face had gone frighteningly dark as she stared at Chen Hao—the man who was supposed to be her boyfriend.
Chen Hao scrambled to explain, "Lin Xiaolu, i-it's not what you think! You're...you're—"
SLAP!
The sharp crack of her palm meeting his cheek echoed through the room. Chen Hao's face whipped to the side, his skin flushing red. Rayen's triumphant expression immediately fell.
Tears streamed down Lin Xiaolu's face as she finally spoke, her voice trembling with rage and hurt: "Why? When I first heard rumors about you coming here, I refused to believe them. I thought...my Chen Hao would never do something so disgusting when he has me." Her hands clenched into fists. "But now I see...you're not my Chen Hao. You're just some pathetic creep who gets off on cheap whores!"
Rayen's gaze flicked between the glaring prostitutes and Lin Xiaolu. Did you really need to insult them too? he thought, raising an eyebrow.
Lin Xiaolu's hands shook as she pulled a ring from her pocket. "I'm done with you!" She hurled it at Chen Hao's chest. "I reject you as my fiancé. I'll find someone who actually deserves me." Chen Hao caught the ring silently, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water.
Tears streaked Lin Xiaolu's face as she turned to Rayen. "Let's go. I can't stay here another second."
Rayen grinned, pleased with her decision—until an invisible force yanked him backward. The wall exploded as something dragged him violently through the debris. "Sir!" Lin Xiaolu's scream echoed as he disappeared into the distance. Without hesitation, she burst through the door and sprinted after him.
Rayen's body smashed through wall after wall, splintered wood and crumbling plaster tearing at his skin. Each impact sent fresh jolts of pain through his ribs, but resisting was pointless - that overwhelming Qi dragging him like a fishhook in his bones could only belong to one person.
Damn old man...couldn't even let me leave gracefully? He coughed blood as another collision rattled his teeth. The familiar energy pulsed around him, iron-clad and furious - Grandpa's signature restraint technique from their training sessions. Only now it wasn't holding back.
Rayen's body cratered into the slum's muddy ground. Through blurred vision, he saw the old man standing meters away—head lowered, cane tapping a slow, ominous rhythm against the earth.
Gritting his teeth, Rayen forced himself up as the Curse of Fate healed his wounds. "Grandpa," he whispered, voice barely audible over the gathering wind, "I'm sorr—"
WHOOSH
The old man appeared nose-to-nose with him before the apology could finish. A calloused hand drew back—
CRACK!
The slap sent Rayen sprawling, his cheek burning crimson. Distant lightning flashed as rain began pelting the dirt.
Before he could blink, the old man hauled him up by the collar, eyes blazing with centuries of fury. Another slap. Then another. The cane clattered to the ground as gnarled fists took over—a brutal punch shattered his nose.
Rayen barely registered being choked and slammed back down before boots started slamming into his ribs. His arms came up in feeble defense, but the old man's strikes carried the weight of mountains—each kick driving him deeper into the mud.
The old man hauled Rayen up by his bloodied collar. His face was a ruined mess - nose shattered, jaw hanging at a wrong angle, eyes swollen shut. The Curse of Fate worked sluggishly, bones knitting together with audible cracks.
"WHAT," the old man thundered, shaking him like a ragdoll, "DO YOU THINK A CULTIVATOR IS?"
Rayen's newly-healed jaw grated as he forced out words, "Someone...who grows stronger...to reach immortality." His vision swam with black spots, the old man's face just a blur of white beard and fury.
The grip on his collar tightened. "Immortality? By crawling through whorehouses?!" A violent shake rattled his teeth. "Divinehood demands divine conduct! Yet you—" Another shake, "—wallow in filth! Arrogant! Ignorant! Taking in every poison while spitting out wisdom!"
Spittle flew from the old man's lips as he roared: "You FAIL as my disciple! FAIL as a cultivator! This—" He slammed Rayen into the mud, "—is what you are!"
The old man's fist trembled mid-air when a small hand caught his wrist. He turned to see Lin Xiaolu, her entire body shaking but grip unyielding.
"Stop beating him!" she demanded.
His bloodshot eyes flicked between her and Rayen. "Who's this whore?"
"I'm Lin Xiaolu!" she shouted, stepping between them. "And who are you to nearly kill him? He helped me when no one else would—I won't let you touch him again!"
"This is between master and disciple," the old man growled. But Lin Xiaolu held firm, and centuries of honor prevented him from breaking a civilian's wrist.
Rayen's wounds finally sealed. He rose slowly, head bowed. "Grandpa...I failed you. Failed cultivation. While others pursued the Dao, I..." His voice cracked. "I don't deserve forgiveness, but—"
Clap. Clap. Clap.
All heads turned. The Boss leaned against a broken wall, slow applause echoing through the rain. "Bravo! Master and disciple reconciliation drama? And the love interest too?" He wiped imaginary tears. "I'm getting emotional."
The Boss took slow, deliberate steps forward, his expensive shoes kicking aside broken debris as he examined each person before him. His cold, calculating eyes moved from Lin Xiaolu to the old man before finally settling on Rayen.
"Let me ask," he said, his voice dripping with false politeness. "Which one of you goes by the name Omiosen Rayen?"
Hmm... The girl is clearly too young. This ancient relic is well past his prime. That leaves... His gaze locked onto Rayen with predatory interest. You'll confess soon enough.
Rayen, still wiping blood from his split lip, raised his hand defiantly. "I'm Omiosen Rayen. Now who the hell are you and how do you know my name?"
A cruel smirk twisted the Boss's face. "Ah, so you're the bold little IAR officer who dared enter my red-light district despite my explicit ban on your kind."
The old man's grip tightened on his cane, his face a mix of shock and disappointment. "Rayen... you not only visited that place but pretended to be an officer? How far have you fallen?"
The Boss's eyebrow arched sharply. "Pretended? Wait... you're telling me this brat isn't actually IAR?" His voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. "Then by what right did he threaten my men with that authority?"
Lin Xiaolu suddenly pushed forward, her small hands balled into fists. "Because those disgusting pigs of yours were attacking me! He was just—"
Her words died as the Boss's gaze slid over her body with lecherous appreciation, his tongue slowly wetting his lips. Now this... this is prime flesh. I could enjoy breaking her all night long.
The old man moved with surprising speed, shoving Lin Xiaolu protectively behind his back. "Try making one move toward this girl—"
"Or what, you old bastard?" the Boss sneered.
Rayen's entire body tensed. Black energy coalesced into a razor-sharp sword in his hand. "HOW DARE YOU CALL HIM—!"
Before Rayen could complete his charge, an invisible force blasted him backward. Five figures materialized in perfect formation—IAR officers in full regalia. Their cold, unfamiliar faces made one thing clear, these weren't the same officers from Rayen's childhood memories.
The old man's eyes bulged as the five officers materialized out of thin air. His wrinkled hands trembled slightly as he took an involuntary step back. Th-that's true invisibility! Not even potion-based concealment... And this oppressive spirit pressure... His throat went dry. "Rayen! Get away from them immediately! These are High-Silver rank cultivators!"
Rayen felt his blood turn to ice in his veins. High-Silver rank?! His shadow sword flickered unsteadily as the reality of the situation crashed down on him. I only just reached Low-Bronze rank after years of training... The difference between us is like a candle trying to outshine the sun!
---
[The Universal Cultivators Ranking System]
1. Bronze Rank Cultivators
- Low-Bronze
- Bronze
- High-Bronze
2. Silver Rank Cultivators
- Low-Silver
- Silver
- High-Silver
3. Gold Rank Cultivators
- Low-Gold
- Gold
- High-Gold
4. Upper Rank Cultivators
- Low-Upper
- Upper
- High-Upper
5. Saint Rank Cultivators
- Low-Saint
- Saint
- High-Saint
6. Divine Rank Cultivators
(Transcendent Beings)
[Note: Each minor stage represents a massive power difference. Advancing from Low-Bronze to Mid-Bronze could take decades. The gap between entire ranks? Most cultivators would rather face death than challenge someone a full rank above them.]