A chilling, dark hand, sharp claws extended, pierced through the ape without a moment to react. The area exploded in a bloody mess.
A beast's roar tore through the air.
"Ahhhhh…!"
Thud.
The ape's body hit the ground, lifeless, its vitality gone.
Meanwhile, Han Zheng bit his finger, conjuring a small, round shield. It wasn't enough. A stone struck him, sending him tumbling twice.
"Ahhh…" he cursed, blood spilling from his mouth.
The injury wasn't fatal, but the intense use of blood magic left him dizzy. He fought for control, his gaze flicking upward.
There, a young man, perhaps eighteen, hovered in the air. Dark robes flowed around him, his hair fluttering in an unseen wind.
Suddenly, the Sinful Tree within Han Zheng's soul stirred, igniting his emotions. The urge to kill surged, an overwhelming wave.
"Ahhh… why is this happening now? I have to control this!"
He clutched his heart, desperately trying to calm the rising feeling.
A sudden memory flashed in his mind.
He saw the same person, casually slaughtering people like ants. There had been a mistake in a village, a poisonous mist. Blood was everywhere, and a devilish smile stretched across the man's face.
People pleaded for mercy, but none was given.
"Please don't do this!" a cracking voice begged.
Han Zheng saw himself, a child, crying and pleading.
"Oh, a kid is alive, huh?"
The man smiled, but it only fueled the fear in Han Zheng's eyes, making his body tremble.
"Well, it doesn't matter. You're young; you could be good material, or waste."
His presence was like a beast eyeing its prey.
Crack! Something struck his neck.
---
Scene Shift
When he opened his eyes, he was deep within a forest, shrouded in darkness.
"What is this?" Han Zheng muttered, now fully awake in the real world.
He didn't understand the sudden shift, but a thought gnawed at him.
This must be because of him.
Is this a memory of this body's original owner? But why are they so vague?
Confusion swirled in his mind, yet he now had a rough idea of the past.
His heart began to calm, though his urge for blood remained, just as it had in his previous life after his first kill.
His facial expression shifted.
A smile, a sign of true horror, appeared on his face. But thanks to his mother's training, he quickly hid it.
"Huh?"
He heard a sudden exclamation.
The man who had been floating now descended towards him.
"Hey, kid, how did you survive?"
His surprise seemed genuine. He came closer, touching Han Zheng's chin.
Their eyes met, but this time, Han Zheng's were calm, devoid of their previous fear.
"You've changed, kid," he chuckled. "It seems my decision wasn't wrong."
He released Han Zheng, turning.
"Oh, it's good you four were able to survive."
He included Han Zheng, then tossed a pill to all four.
"Take this pill; it will heal your injuries."
The girl obediently took it, though her situation was dire. She struggled to swallow the pill, but her condition improved almost immediately.
The others did the same. Han Zheng was shocked by the pill's potent effect.
Despite the man's smile, Han Zheng's mind raced.
Is this person acting, or was the one I saw before not him?
He was filled with doubt, but he knew he had to stay alert.
"This time, the results were good," the person said, continuing.
"I assume you know what's happening, but let me remind you again. My name is Shen Xing. This was a trial for accepting a disciple of the Thousands Color Poison Sect."
"Now, whether you are here by will or not, it doesn't matter. The trial has ended. You will be accepted as an outer disciple."
"There are other details you will know later. You have a chance to join a faction if your talent is enough. But for your information, my faction is the Life and Death Arena. This is a place where people fight for their lives and it holds the second most power."
Everyone nodded, as if they already knew, except for Han Zheng.
Seeing their familiarity, he also nodded.
Shen Xing didn't seem to mind Han Zheng's initial lack of response.
"Now, if you understand everything, I'll give you ten minutes to rest. If you have any questions, you can ask me. Everyone gets one chance, so ask wisely."
One of the two surviving boys asked, "Can we leave this place?"
Shen Xing's face shifted, his expression turning cold. A chilling, dark aura emanated from him.
"I reminded you to ask wisely. Do you not understand?"
The boy's body froze.
"I'm sorry, I understand."
Shen Xing's expression twisted, his lips curling upwards as if nothing had happened. He reined in his aura.
"Okay, it's good you understand. Your chance is over."
This was a clear warning to the others not to ask meaningless questions.
The girl then asked, "Can we become as powerful as you?"
Shen Xing's lips curled. "Yes, you can, but it depends on your capabilities."
The next boy asked, "So, we can only use poison techniques?"
Shen Xing replied, "Yes, it's necessary. It's the sect's core technique, but you can use any weapon technique. You can exchange for them with your merits."
"Merits are a point-based system you will earn and spend for resources."
Then, Han Zheng asked, "Can we kill others inside the sect?"
Hearing his question, Shen Xing paused, a little shocked, as were the others.
He smiled chillingly, giving an eerie vibe as he replied, "Of course you can, but with some rules."
He paused, then added, "A piece of advice: don't get arrogant. Otherwise, you'll be the one killed first."
Han Zheng nodded. "Yes, Brother Shen, I will take your advice seriously."
But in his mind, he thought, This wasn't advice, but more like a threat. But it's good. Now I have a chance to suppress my tree's hunger.
He also smiled, quickly hiding it
Ten minutes later, "Okay, let's go," Shen Xing announced. "Time's over. Come here."
Everyone stood and gathered near Shen Xing, who made a gesture.
Mystically, a small flying boat appeared. This type of boat, commonly used in ancient times, was information Han Zheng had gleaned from ancestral memory.
The others seemed familiar with it.
Shen Xing made another gesture. "Come, get in the boat."
Everyone else boarded. This was a completely new experience for Han Zheng, very different from an airplane.
Without wasting any time, the boat began flying above the ground with astonishing speed.
After many twists and turns, they soon reached a gate.
This gate was immense, like something from ancient times, at least a hundred meters tall.
They weren't the only ones there; at least ten people, some young and a few elderly, shared a common trait: a chilling, eerie aura.
There were also children, like them, but in much larger numbers—at least a hundred.
When the others saw the boat approaching, their expressions showed they weren't exactly friendly, but there was no overt enmity.
"I really don't like him at all," someone muttered. "He does whatever he wants, unlike us."
"Haha, who can blame him? His family has influence in the sect. Just make sure he doesn't hear you, or you're dead," a beautiful lady chuckled seductively.
It seemed they didn't have a good relationship, as they began to quarrel.
"You both stop! We're here for assessment, not for judging others," an elder said, and both people quieted, maintaining their image with a huff.
A short while later, when the boat landed, Shen Xing jumped out.
"Hello everyone, you are already here," he greeted them with a smile, though there was no real respect in his voice.
Yet, all the other people greeted him back with respect.
The beautiful lady from before seductively remarked, "Brother Shen, your assessment was quite hard; only four survived." She glanced at Han Zheng and the others.
But Shen Xing dismissed her.
"Elder Hong, please don't do this ever again. You're very old; these things don't suit your age."
He brushed off her seductiveness. Hearing his words, Elder Hong's face turned red, but she swallowed her anger, forcing a smile.
"Yes, you are right."
Shen Xing smiled back.
The person who had been quarreling with her chuckled. "Hah…"
Han Zheng, observing this scene, now had a rough idea.
This Shen Xing must wield considerable power; otherwise, how could he reject this dangerous lady so directly?
"Okay, now everyone is here, let's move," the elder said, whose name was Elder Hong.
Elder Hong glanced at Shen Xing, who nodded.
Elder Hong then used a talisman paper, writing something. The scene looked mystical.
The paper turned to dust, and with a crack, the gate slowly opened.
The view outside the door was truly breathtaking, not something anyone expected.
Shen Xing's lips curled.
"Okay everyone, now from here, you will see the real hell."