9. whisper of the Nether Devil emperor
As his thoughts deepened, Ye Xian soon found himself drifting into sleep. The quiet darkness of the room seemed to envelop him, and the weight of the day melted away. But as his mind quieted, he was pulled into an unfamiliar state—a place between dreams and reality. His senses sharpened, and soon he felt the distinct sensation of a vast, swirling energy surrounding him.
His surroundings shifted. He was no longer in his simple room. Instead, he found himself standing at the center of a large, circular space. A soft jade glow filled the air, radiating from a massive, two-meter-wide formation beneath him. The formation was composed of two intertwining colors—one deep, obsidian black, the other a brilliant white. The two colors spiraled around each other, forming an intricate, ever-shifting yin-yang symbol, but with one critical difference: instead of the usual smooth transition between black and white, the colors seemed to clash and swirl violently, exuding an aura of chaotic, untapped power.
At the center of the formation, Ye Xian noticed the shimmering outlines of fish—one dark as the night, the other glowing white like moonlight. They swam around the edges of the jade circle, following the flow of energy. As their tails flicked, they seemed to distort the very space around them, pulling at the boundaries of the formation itself. The entire space felt alive with energy, as though it were breathing in rhythm with the fish's movements.
Ye Xian's heart raced as he felt a familiar tug of recognition. This formation… this power… It was the Reverse Taiji.
A flood of memories rushed through him. He had heard of it, in fragments, during his time as Adler. The Reverse Taiji, a legendary heavenly treasure, was said to have the ability to alter the very fabric of reality, manipulate the balance of law, and implant or transmute forbidden scriptures dating back to the primordial era. But its chaotic nature could easily consume those unprepared to handle it.
Ye Xian's hands trembled as he reached out instinctively toward the swirling formation. The energy in the air was intoxicating, overwhelming in its force. He could feel it calling to him, like a whisper from the depths of his very soul.
Then, without warning, a torrent of memories surged into his mind—memories not only of Adler but of a time long past.
---
A Thousand-Year Gap—The War Against the Ghoul Race
Ye Xian staggered as his consciousness expanded, flooded with two lifetimes' worth of recollections. He gasped, his mind reeling. A thousand years had passed.
In his own memory, the great Coalition War had occurred a thousand years ago, when humans and fiends allied to battle the ghoul race, pushing them into a grand seal. That war had shaped history. But in Adler's memories, no such war had ever taken place.
Realization struck like a thunderclap.
The war happened after Adler met the Nether Devil Emperor.
The betrayal, the suffering—everything Adler endured. It had occurred an entire millennium before the war that reshaped the world.
His breath came fast, his fists clenched. The betrayers… Were they still alive after all these centuries? Or had they perished, buried in time's cruel flow?
No answer came. The memories held no further clues.
But Ye Xian was no fool. He knew that powerful cultivators, those who had reached the pinnacle of their paths, could extend their lifespans for thousands of years. The chances of his betrayers still being alive were terrifyingly high.
He exhaled, forcing himself to calm down. This was not a matter of speculation—he would find out for himself. If they had perished, he would let their names be swallowed by time. But if they still lived…
His eyes darkened with resolve.
They had taken everything from him. His strength, his dignity, Fiona's life—all stolen, crushed beneath their greed. If they were still alive, he would not rest until he tore everything from them in return.
But even if they were long dead, their legacies might remain. Perhaps their descendants thrived, perhaps their clans still flourished, built on the foundation.
Either way, it didn't matter. He would not rest until justice was served. Slowly, he forced himself to calm down. Strength. He needed strength.
And then—
A voice. Sharp, urgent.
"You must find the high-quality elixirs of the soul before it's too late."
The words resonated deep in his bones, sending a shiver down his spine. He stiffened.
Who was speaking?
The connection between the Reverse Taiji and his consciousness wavered, shifting like turbulent waters. Could it be… the Nether Devil Emperor?
His heart pounded. What had happened to her?
The last memory he had of her was in the Abyss, where she had agreed to grant him power in exchange for his soul. She had mentioned being weakened, her true body lost… but where was she now?
Had she perished? Had she been sealed? Or was she still lingering somewhere, waiting for him?
The silence that followed was deafening. The voice did not return.
Ye Xian gritted his teeth. He would find her.
If she had truly granted him power, if she had set him on this path, then he owed it to himself to discover the truth. If she was still alive, he needed to know her fate.
---
He realized, in that moment, that the two identities—the man he had been, Adler, and the man he was becoming, Ye Xian—were not mutually exclusive. They were intertwined, each feeding into the other. Adler's memories, his strength, were still alive within him, pushing him to fight, to survive.
And now, Ye Xian had to accept both aspects of himself. The power of the Reverse Taiji had found its way into his soul, and there was no going back.
With a deep breath, Ye Xian stepped into the heart of the Reverse Taiji formation. The swirling energy surged around him, and as his consciousness fully embraced its power, he could feel the chaotic forces beginning to stabilize—the yin and yang finding a delicate balance within him.
He felt his cultivation stir. The Reverse Taiji was unlocking something deep within—something ancient, primal, and incredibly powerful. The energy surged through his body, merging with his Qi, flowing like liquid fire. The sensation was overwhelming, but Ye Xian didn't resist. Instead, he surrendered to it, allowing the power of the Reverse Taiji to infuse every fiber of his being.
Back then, outside the city, Ye Xian had once fought against brother Mu and a crescent shaped blade wielder. In that desperate battle, he had unleashed a sudden burst of strength, pushing his body beyond its normal limits. He had been stunned at the time, unable to comprehend how he had achieved such explosive power.
He had known it was a unique ability, something extraordinary, but he had no idea where it came from. But now, as the energy of the Reverse Taiji flowed through his body, he finally understood.
The treasure had granted him that power.
The Reverse Taiji's hidden ability—each of its seven seals, when unlocked, granted a unique technique or skill, with every subsequent seal unlocking greater power.
When Ye Xian was reborn, he had already reached the second stage of the Qi Refining Realm, and upon awakening, he unknowingly unlocked the first seal. This granted him the Limit Release ability, a power that began to manifest instinctively in battle. It allowed him to wield strength far beyond his apparent level, a mere glimpse of the potential locked within.
To unlock the remaining six seals, Ye Xian would need to continue advancing his cultivation. With each seal he opened, the Reverse Taiji's rotation would quicken, accelerating his cultivation speed and enhancing his abilities. Every breakthrough would not only increase his strength but also bring him closer to unlocking the true might of the Reverse Taiji, a force that could reshape his fate.
Now that he knew the truth, excitement stirred in his heart.
"If this is what the Reverse Taiji grants at the first seal…" Ye Xian clenched his fists, anticipation gleaming in his eyes.
What unimaginable abilities would it bestow upon him in the future?
And then—
It all faded.
The jade formation, the fish, the overwhelming energy—it all vanished, leaving Ye Xian alone in the quiet darkness of his room once again.
He awoke with a start, his body drenched in sweat, his heart pounding in his chest. Yet, there was something different—an unmistakable change coursing through him.
His ki felt denser, stronger, more refined.
Ye Xian abruptly sat up, eyes widening as he inspected his cultivation.He focused his spiritual perception to check his body, finding nothing unusual at first glance. But then, he made a startling discovery. His spiritual perception was significantly stronger—more than twice as potent as before.
Was it because the souls of Adler and Ye Xian had merged, or was it the power of the heavenly treasure that brought about this transformation? Ye Xian thought.
As his mind settled, Ye Xian lay back down, staring at the ceiling. The power that had just manifested within him was undeniable. The Reverse Taiji had fused with his being, and though he couldn't yet fully comprehend its potential, he could feel the shift in his power, the foundation for something extraordinary being built within him.
For now, he didn't know whether the Reverse Taiji would control him—or whether he could control it. But one thing was certain: his cultivation had taken a drastic leap, and with it, his potential had grown immeasurably.