Zhelan stood at the edge of the cliff of Mount Zuko as he stared at the Immortal Realm. He was just a stage away from attaining immortality and all he needed was to take to the last step. Just one last fight and he would become immortal too.

Zhelan’s lips arched up when he thought about his future. At the age of twenty, he had attained the powers which no one among his peers had even reached and soon, he would become the youngest cultivator to attain immortality. Just the thought of it brought a huge smile to Zhelan’s face and he pushed his robe back, his face brimming with arrogance.

‘Father, be prepared to be shocked. Your son had achieved something which no one has ever achieved before and no one will ever achieve in the future.’

Zhelan looked at the setting sun as it shone its rays on the Immortal Realm, lighting up the place brilliantly. It was a sight to behold and Zhelan watched the view in joy.

Just a few moments. In just a few moments, when the sun would set completely, he would achieve what he was waiting for days.

Slowly, darkness settled on the place and bright stars twinkled in the night sky, adorning it like jewels, while the half-moon illuminated the sky as well as Zhelan’s face. However, this spectacular sight did not last for long for dark clouds covered the moon and the stars vanished one by one.

“My time is here, finally.” He mumbled and his eyes glowed brighter than the stars. “Zhelan, it is time to show the world what you are capable of.”

Zhelan took a deep breath and closed his eyes. At first, nothing happened. But soon, the air around him changed and it turned cold all of a sudden. Resentful and dark energy surrounded him and Zhelan focused his entire attention on it, trying to increase it as much as possible. He channeled all the power in him and summoned the dark energy with ease, maneuvering it effortlessly. To him, this was a child’s play, one he had been doing for a long time.

Slowly, the power in him surged and he felt the surrounding temperature drop drastically. The winds picked up speed and far away, the branches and leaves of trees started to rustle. It seemed as though a storm would break out soon and the entire Immortal Realm would be destroyed by it.

A dark blue light started to emerge from Zhelan which gradually started to spread everywhere around him. Zhelan too felt it and he tried as hard as he could to increase it.

Previously, whenever he had tried this technique to increase his Qi, he had stopped the moment the dark blue light emerged from him. However, this time, he kept going until he heard the voice he was looking for in his mind.

“Why have you summoned us, Master Zhelan?” He heard the gruff, sinister voice he was all too familiar with and he smiled widely, applauding himself for his achievement.

“How many of you are here?” Zhelan enquired with his eyes closed and the voice replied to him immediately.

“Everyone whoever you summoned is here, Master Zhelan.”

Satisfied with the answer, Zhelan maintained his inner strength and focus and opened his eyes. And the moment he did so, the blue light dwindled. But it was only for an instant. Again, it darkened and started to spread at an unimaginable pace until it started to engulf everything around it.

Zhelan watched with joy the people he had summoned, the dead people to be precise standing in front of him with their heads lowered while they waited for his next orders. The ghosts had always been his servants, a powerful tool he used to gain power. Unlike other humans and cultivators, they never questioned him and did everything they were told.

Zhelan waited for a few more moments before he looked at the group in front of him. “You know why I have summoned you.” He started and the dead people listened to him attentively. “You will do the same thing you have been doing all these days for me. Only that, this time, it will not be just one or two humans but…”

Zhelan stopped and ran his eyes, watching everyone carefully before he stared at Immortal Realm which was just a leap away.

“I want the entire village of Maroi gone.” Zhelan’s lips arched up into a sinister smirk, his eyes flashing with an evil glint. “Not one person. I repeat, not one person must stay alive to see the sun tomorrow.”

None of the ghosts reacted on hearing his deadly plan. They stood still with their head lowered.

But Zhelan, who was controlling them, knew what was going through them.

They were as excited as he was. His slaves loved blood and Zhelan loved the power he got by sacrificing blood. While he planned the hunt, his slaves hunted for him and it gave immense pleasure to the ghosts as well as him.

“Today is my day. Now, go. Carry out my orders.” Zhelan shooed the ghosts as though he was shooing away mindless animals and waited for the change to happen. He sat cross-legged on the cliff and closed his eyes.

At first, nothing happened. But soon, he sensed the change in him. He felt the Qi in him increase as time passed. As every human his slaves killed, his Qi increased. All his meridians opened and he felt the intense energy gush through him like a flooded river.

This continued for quite some time and Zhelan waited with excitement when he sensed that only one person was left. The moment the woman breathed her last, he would attain immortality, a first for anyone of his age.

However, the effect he was desiring did not arrive even after waiting for a long time. The last remaining resident of Maroi was dead, he had sensed it the moment the woman was killed. Yet, he was still in his mortal phase.

Neither had he felt the change nor had he seen the white light in his mind as the other cultivators who had reached immortality had spoken about.

Instead, all he saw was darkness, absolute darkness. Zhelan could not even open his eyes and had to stay the way he was as he tried to decipher what was happening. But in futile, not until he heard a voice of a stranger in his mind.

“Xie Zhelan,” The deep voice was gravelly calm, yet authoritative. “Did you think that you could attain immortality by using such malignant means?”

Zhelan heard the voice scoff and he felt a chill run down his spine.

“Who are you?”

“That is not important for you. You do not deserve to know who I am.”

“But…”

“And you do not deserve to attain immortality either. To be honest, you do not even deserve to be alive.”

“What?” Zhelan attempted to open his eyes again. But in vain. It was as though some external force was weighing him, rendering him incapable of doing anything other than listening and speaking.

“So, with the power bestowed upon me, I condemn,”

“No, no, no. You cannot do it.” Zhelan shouted in anguish and desperation.

“Try me.” The man’s voice turned supercilious. “I condemn Xie Zhelan to death.”

“No,” Zhelan shouted but the voice did not respond to him. The next instant, he felt a strong burning sensation through his entire body as though he was engulfed in flames.

“Help me.” He yelled. For the first time in his life, Zhelan understood the meaning of fear. However, it was too late. He had done what he should not and now, was facing its consequences.

The suppressing pressure on him vanished and when he finally, managed to open his eyes, the burning sensation increased before his body exploded into smithereens.