Dong ZhenKang reread the scroll he had been given for the hundredth time. Making sure to go over everything multiple times. Even if it was as basic as Shao Yating's impressive introduction and listing his infamous spiritual weapon he had absorbed into his cultivation.

The reason such a young man had made it so far in rank and even married into the family of a Dark Gate Palace elders family.

Jade of the Black Ashened Dead.

An immortal legacy that had only been rumored about for the past centuries, before even Dong ZhenKang's time. A legacy of the demented. Of the cruel and wretched demonic monsters. The making of a figure of legend if given time.

Of its three last known owners, they were all Heavenly Demons. That was the power bestowed by such an innocuous piece of dark green and purple jade. Nothing special until someone unlocked it. It just had to be the worst person possible. Shao Yating.

What do I do? What do I say?

Dong ZhenKang ran out of Core Illusion Talismans and Pseudo Demonic Foundation Papers. Both of which he needed. Especially now that an Elder of the Dark Gate Palace was on their way to check him out. It wouldn't take more than a moment for the old coot to see right through his righteous foundation. Not even a second.

That was the case of Pinnacle Immortal monsters. None of them made sense. None of them could be understood with the simple minds of people like him and those lower or even stronger. They've touched upon ages so long, they might as well be immortal. Thousands of years. If not in the tens of thousands.

He got out of his seat and headed towards the window. Stepping onto the ledge and out of his massive manor into the wider world. The same one he had not been out to ever since the Hu girls' ancestor arrived in his little town.

It felt good to get a breath of fresh clean air. Let the sun kiss his skin.

The wind in his core roared to life, given freedom after being chained and imprisoned with him inside the manor. It cried in glee and joy. Enjoying the terror it brought the villagers below him when they heard his power roar to life.

The Hu ancestor and his girls had been gone for the past few days. Dong ZhenKang would take advantage of this moment and get a breather from the constant anxiety he had been facing. Sit in the sunlight. Lord over his people and bring them some traumatic moments to enjoy.

Kill a peasant or two. The refugees were getting a bit restless. Causing problems throughout the town without showing him any face. It would usually be new groups arriving and not understanding the power dynamics that make up this place. How weak they truly were. How helpless.

He found his first targets.

A group of refugees from a southern village. Larger than most. Their numbers and sturdy builds gave them irrational confidence. They attempted to lord over his people. Demand payments, tributes, and women for their protection.

They had been laughed off. Dong ZhenKang was willing to ignore them, let them posture and pose so other groups don't attempt anything.

But then they backed their words with action.

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Killing his villagers and sources of monthly, yearly, and some even daily income. His women. His soon to be soldiers.

Dong ZhenKang had been furious. Waiting for the moment he could bring his power to full force without the ancient monster taking offense. He did not care for being put down a peg. Rather he let this group of lost travelers act mighty for some time instead of being lost like the Black Widows.

Of course, Dong ZhenKang had his plans. Plots he had prepared ever since he learned Shao Yating was on his way over. Ideas to get the two forces to clash. Maybe even some misinformation to get the Hu ancestor to kill the Dark Gate Palace elder or vise versa.

Though he did have a preference.

Sects like the Dark Gate Palace were renowned for their lack of mercy. Enjoying torture. Enjoying making people break and give up all hope. A true demonic sect.

Dong ZhenKang arrived at his target's camp like a dragon. He did not speak. Nor did he announce his arrival. Only a raging wind that ripped men and women into pieces. Dong ZhenKang let his tainted Dao loose into the world around them. Killing as it pleased. Whomever it pleased among this group of refugees.

They attempted to fight back, warriors and large, powerful guardians rushing into the battle fray.

None of them knew what was good for them. He was a Immortal Peak Realm cultivator and they were nothing but insects before him. His Dao strong. Body as powerful as the hardiest metals. Qi filled his limbs. A liquid core with the weight of nearly a century of life. Heavy and domineering.

Dong ZhenKang raged among them, killing their leader and his cabal of demonic elders. Qi initiates all of them without an ounce of potential in their limbs. Worthless. Then waded through their beasts of burdens too. Leaving not a single mule or dog alive.

But he was no monster. Dong ZhenKang let their children off the hook. All under the age of fourteen. They would have anger in their chests, hatred filling their limbs. Dreams of killing him. Motivation to strive past their human boundaries and become something special he could forcefully enlist into his Silver Mountain Gang.

New recruits in the making.

Dong ZhenKang preened as a few of the children glared at him, tears dripping from their faces. He was covered in their blood. Purposefully allowing it to touch him and his robes. Set an image for the kids. What power looks like and what they would need to do if they wanted it.

"I am Dong ZhenKang," he announced his name to the refugee camps that surrounded this one and the kids. "The Red Wheat villagers insulted my name. Took advantage of my hospitality. Gave me no face. So I killed them all without mercy. Remember this. Lord over my domain, and expect me to slaughter everyone you've ever known—"

A figure appeared behind him. A lady wearing black light robes and a scarf covering her hair.

Dong ZhenKang turned to her. "Who might you be?"

He could feel her Immortal Peak Realm. Near a breakthrough for her own Gaseous core into the liquid realm. Almost as strong as he was. But not quite. He would outlast her in a battle if it came to it.

"Wu Xui, bounty hunter."

Dong ZhenKang frowned knowing exactly why she was here. It was too late for him to prevent it. The news had escaped the mouths that had held it quiet. Now a flood of bounty hunters would come. The Hu girls would either die to them, or the Dark Gate Palace would get them. Dead either way.

My poor Hu Jun. Dead before I could finally take her for myself.

The lady curtseyed. "Giving you ample warning and face. You know for whom I am here and what I intend to do on your land."

"I do."

"Then I will take my leave and keep a distance away from their Sentient Demonic Spirit Tree. It's eaten a few Juniors already."

Sentient Demonic Spirit Tree? Are we talking about the same people or are there more hunted individuals in my town? Where would they hide a demonic tree?

"Yes," he lied through his teeth. "That tree is an odd case. Be wary."

He couldn't let the world know he had no clue what she was talking about. It would not be a good look. This was his domain, within his massive and, quite frankly, powerful array. Only beings as strong as he was or stronger could enter without him knowing.

"Thank you." Wu Xui curtseyed once more, then turned and left.

Leaving Dong ZhenKang worried about a Demonic Tree infestation if it happened to be the right species. Some of them were quite invasive and tended to destroy entire ecological habitats and biospheres. He couldn't allow such mayhem to occur.

Dong ZhenKang was many things, but he wasn't a monster.

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