Chapter no.17 Alexander's Journal

As I ventured deeper into the bamboo forest, I couldn't help but gulp as I stumbled upon a sight that sent a shiver down my spine. The bamboo stalks seemed to have twisted and contorted themselves into macabre shapes, resembling gnarled human hands reaching out for some unknown prey. Despite the unsettling atmosphere, I pressed on, determined to find any clue that might lead me to what Alexander had hidden here.

The forest seemed to have taken on a life of its own, the shadows dancing and shifting with every rustle of the wind through the leaves. I considered the possibility that Alexander's Lab must had been lost to the annals of time, buried beneath the ever-changing landscape of the forest. But as much as I doubted myself, I couldn't shake the feeling that there had to be something here, a clue or a hint that would guide me to the truth.

As I continued to search, I felt a sudden shift in the air, a gentle brush against my skin that seemed to come from nowhere. Instinctively, I reached for the jade amulet I carried with me, only to find it trembling and shaking with an unseen force. I turned back to my previous path, watching as the amulet's vibrations lessened before resuming once more when I faced forward.

A smile crept across my face as I followed the amulet's guidance, its insistent shaking leading me deeper into the heart of the forest. As I ventured further, I took care to mark my path by embedding small stones into the trunks of the bamboo, ensuring that I would not lose my way among the seemingly endless maze of greenery.

The sound of the wind whispering through the bamboo leaves accompanied my journey, creating an eerie sound that sent a cold chill down my spine. As I continued to follow the amulet's guidance, it seemed to take on a life of its own, the trembling and shaking becoming more forceful and insistent with each step.

Finally, the amulet seemed to reach its apex, pointing with an unwavering certainty towards the massive trunk of a particularly ancient bamboo tree. As I approached, the words etched into the jade amulet began to distort and shift, as a series of intricate symbols glowed on its surface.

Before my very eyes, the tree trunk seemed to shimmer and fade like a mirage, revealing a hidden staircase leading downwards into darkness.

The amulet, having seemingly expended its energy, fell still and lifeless in my hand. I lifted it to my lips and whispered, "Brother, does your vigor amount to just this much?"

As I descended the dark, winding staircase, the air around me grew cooler and more damp, hinting at the hidden depths of the chamber below. My footsteps echoed softly against the stone steps, and with each step, a feeling of anticipation grew stronger within me.

When I finally reached the bottom of the staircase, I was left breathless by the sight that awaited me. The chamber stretched out before me, illuminated by a dim, otherworldly glow that seemed to emanate from the very walls themselves. The room was filled with rows upon rows of ornate shelves, each one holding countless saw-glass vials containing a multitude of strange and wondrous specimens.

As I walked among the shelves, I couldn't help but marvel at the sheer variety of plants, animals, and equipment that had been preserved in this hidden sanctuary. It seemed as though Alexander had quite a lot collected specimens. My attention was particularly drawn to a vial containing a green liquid, within which a centipede was perfectly preserved, eerily similar to the one I had encountered within the prison.

With my curiosity piqued, I turned my gaze to the collection of books that adorned one wall of the chamber. The tomes were ancient, their leather bindings cracked and worn with age, but the knowledge contained within their pages was undoubtedly priceless. I carefully selected a volume that seemed to resemble a diary, my heart racing as I realized it might belong to Alexander himself.

The moment my fingers brushed against the cover of the diary, a jolt of excitement surged through me, as though the very essence of Alexander's spirit had been waiting for this moment. I could feel the weight of history and the secrets it held within the leather-bound pages, and as I gently opened the book.

[ Dear Diary,

If you were to tell me a while back that I would be penning down these lines, I'd have laughed you off as a lunatic. Yet, here I am, Alexander Jones, living the most absurd reality one could imagine.

The tale begins with my childhood, shrouded in the eccentricities of my mother. Father's demise had left us in her care, my sister and I, and dear mother had her heart set on following her Mayan traditions. She wove tales of imminent doom if I chose to stray from this path, filling my days with chants, poems, and bizarre rituals. It was a childhood sculpted by her beliefs and my growing defiance.

I was a rebel. I refused to be swayed by her dogma. My sanctuary was my studies, and I dived headfirst into it, eventually bagging a Ph.D. in biochemistry. Life seemed to be on an upward trajectory when destiny decided to play its cruel game. One day, I was a successful biochemist; the next, I was staring death in the face, courtesy of some ancient Mayan festival where Gods began to destroy my world. I could almost hear mother's ominous warnings echoing in my ears. Was this the catastrophic fate she had prophesied?

And then, the unimaginable happened. My universe - my home, my reality - was obliterated, shattered into a million cosmic fragments by a God's cruel betrayalwho promised to save me. The last thing I remember was the searing pain of his divine blade cleaving through my being.

But here's the thing about souls, they're stubborn, especially when fueled by vengeance and a sense of injustice. Mine refused to succumb, refused to be obliterated.

But destiny had yet another twist in store. Instead of a grim end, I was reincarnated.

I fled into the tree of life, chased by the echoes of betrayal, and ended up here, in this world, in this body.

But not just anywhere! I found myself trapped within the body of a deceased recruited member of the Black Lotus cult.

I sit here now, penning down my ludicrous tale, wondering what could possibly come next. So, dear diary, here's to a life that's been nothing short of a cosmic rollercoaster. Let's see where it takes us next.

Yours truly,

Alexander Jones ]

Now, as I held Alexander's diary in my hands, a shiver coursed through my body, an eerie sensation that intensified with each turn of the page.

....

The night had enshrouded the bamboo forest, casting an eerie calm over the twisted and ancient plants. As I cautiously moved through the darkness, a chilling sentence from Alexander's journal echoed relentlessly in my mind:

[This place isn't designed to be a training ground; rather, this place is a poison jar where children are trained to fight each other to the death, to create a weapon that is a cut above the rest and capable of manifesting Demonic Qi.]

My once peaceful walk was abruptly shattered as an overwhelming mountain of aura bore down upon me, forcing me to my knees. I struggled, attempting to rise, but the aura was so malicious and potent that my body had seemingly surrendered all resistance.

My eyes, desperate for something to focus on, locked onto small water droplets on the ground. In their distorted reflection, I could just make out the menacing image of a creature shrouded in shadows, bearing the colossal horns of a buck and possessing just a single, sinister eye.

A creeping sense of dread began to swell within my chest, threatening to consume me entirely. Was this how my story would end?

[ No ! Get Up ! ]

A voice screamed in my head as I pushed myself up every though the pressure on my shoulders was too strong.

Suddenly, a voice called out to me, "What are you doing here?" The pressure I felt was instantly gone. I looked up, only to see the tops of the bamboo forest swaying gently in the wind – no monster in sight.

"I asked you, what are you doing here?!" Turning to the voice, I saw Yue Fei standing over me, his eyes narrowed in suspicion. He wore a black robe, adorned with subtle patterns that gave off an aura of power and wisdom.

"I, I fell asleep while taking a stroll," I stammered.

"Is that right?" Yue Fei questioned, his voice dripping with skepticism.

I nodded back vigorously, doing my best to convince him of my innocence.

"Aren't you that kid who lasted the longest in ?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Hmm, just go back."

"Yes, Sir… can I ask you a question?"

" What is it ?"

" What was the pressure ?"

" I was testing you."

" So how did I do ?"

" Subpar."

I nodded and hurried away, my heart pounding in my chest.

As I retreated, Yue Fei took a deep breath and spoke to the darkness, "Kunlan, my apologies, I had to tell the child to leave."

The forest's shadows seemed to part, revealing a massive, mammalian creature with a body covered in silver fur. The creature wore a conical mask adorned with crimson markings, giving it a mysterious and unnerving appearance.

"Interesting Kid" Kunlan said, picking up a leaf from his head that glowed with intricate patterns. He revealed a decapitated human head concealed within the pattern, horrifying Yue Fei.

Kunlan devoured the head in a single bite, chuckling at Yue Fei's disgusted expression. "Oh, don't give me that look. I am just eating; if you want to be so judgmental, you should see the look that demon beasts give humans who feast on their flesh. It's just an order of nature."

Kunlan handed Yue Fei a spatial bag filled with chrysotile, crystals made up of Spiritual Qi.

"The Black Lotus Cult delivered over a thousand corpses of mortals with spiritual roots, and we get only this much in exchange?" Yue Fei questioned, his voice filled with disdain.

"What can I say? The Black Lotus Cult's offer isn't anything special with the rise of other sects," Kunlan replied nonchalantly, unfazed by Yue Fei's growing anger.

He tapped Yue Fei's shoulder, his tone becoming more serious. "Brother Fei, why are you so harsh on me? I am not the one who decided the rules; it was the Fairy King."

"Huff, calling you people fairies is just a mockery," Yue Fei grumbled, his frustration evident.

"Awe, my feelings are so hurt being compared to those tiny bugs you call fairies, kekeke," Kunlan laughed before clasping Yue Fei's shoulder and speaking in a stern voice, "But you know that the Rotancito tribe hates the fairy tribe, and I am warning you this time, brat, I may have known you for decades, but that doesn't mean I won't hesitate to kill you if you act up again. Am, I, clear?"

Gritting his teeth, Yue Fei responded, "Crystal."

"Good; I see that you have finally learned humility after losing everything, huh? To think there was a time when you had the potential to break through to the Soul Altar realm," Kunlan taunted, his voice dripping with mockery.

Yue Fei refused to let Kunlan's words get to him. He was used to being mocked by everyone.

"You might want to deal with that thing," Kunlan said, his voice low and foreboding. His razor-sharp claws tore through the illusion talisman that Yue Fei had placed, revealing a grotesque monstrosity standing only a short distance away from them.

It was a behemoth of a buck, its enormous antlers reaching for the moonlit sky. The creature's entire body was a nightmarish amalgamation of the faces of children, their expressions twisted in horror and pain. Its tree branch-like limbs stretched towards the heavens, and one could see the corpses of the unfortunate hanging from its antlers like macabre ornaments.

The Agonibuck's eerie third eye gazed upon Yue Fei, who unsheathed his sword, determination burning in his eyes. The blade glinted in the moonlight as orbs of flames began to glow around the hilt of his sword, floating in the air with a mesmerizing dance.

"Heavenly Judgment: World Trichiliocosm!" Yue Fei called out, his voice echoing through the darkness of the bamboo forest. In an instant, his sword, imbued with the power of his Spiritual Qi, tore through the Agonibuck's head with a thunderous crack.

The surrounding area seemed to shudder as the Agonibuck was transformed back into a colossal tree, its branches stretching out like grasping hands. The branches were covered with old, human face masks, each one twisted in a grotesque expression of agony, a grim testament to the horrors that once took place beneath its boughs.

Meanwhile, in the shadows, Kunlan's eyes were also on me, particularly the amulet I carried. 'Hmm, to think I would see the first item I sold to that silver-tongued bastard after so many decades. Should I give this bastard, Alexander's tab? Hmmm,' Kunlan pondered before vanishing into the darkness once more.

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[ Author Note : Agonibuck ]

[ Classification: Undead/Aberration ]

[ Description: The Agonibuck is a terrifying creature that is formed from the pain and anguish of the weak and the dead. It takes the form of a behemoth of a buck, with antlers made of branches that reach for the sky. It has three eyes and the corpses that hung from its antlers are Zombies. When the Agonibuck's zombies bite someone, the bitten individual feels the bitter trauma, pain, and anguish of the creature and relives them in the form of memories.]

[ Habitat: The Agonibuck is usually found in areas where death and suffering are common, such as battlefields and graveyards. It can also be summoned by dark rituals or other supernatural means. ]

[ Behavior: The Agonibuck is a relentless predator that seeks out the weak and the dead to add to its power. It is also known to be fiercely protective of its territory and will attack any who threaten it.

[ Abilities: The Agonibuck possesses powerful necromantic abilities that allow it to raise the dead and control them as zombies. Its antlers can also be used as weapons, and its three eyes give it enhanced perception and awareness. ]

[ Weaknesses: The Agonibuck is vulnerable to Yang and Fire Qi. It is also weakened by sunlight, which can cause it to fade away or even disintegrate. ]