The Demonic Heart

I opened my eyes. In front of me, rock walls stretched out, and my body was in a lotus position. Confused, I looked around. What the hell was happening? A moment ago, I was reading my favorite novel, and suddenly I felt like I couldn't breathe. It wasn't sleep, it wasn't fatigue; it was simply that everything went dark. And now, here I was, in what seemed like a cave.

Fear and confusion began to engulf me, but I didn't have much time to analyze it. Suddenly, a stabbing pain pierced my head, as if a thousand needles were puncturing my brain at the same time. It lasted what seemed like fifteen endless minutes. However, when the pain ceased, something became clear: it wasn't just my mind. There were fragments of information that were not mine.

This world... was a world of cultivation. And I, somehow, had ended up in the body of a demonic cultivator.

With the information I now had, everything started to fall into place. This body was hidden in this cave because they were being pursued. The so-called sect of the Divine Judges had declared him an enemy. The previous owner of this body had committed more than one act that justified that persecution. The cult had tracked him down, had seriously injured him, and he had fled here.

Now I had to deal with the consequences.

The first thing was to get out of this cave and get as far away as possible. I checked my condition. The body was in very bad shape: wounds, bruises, and evident exhaustion. I tried to channel some of the spiritual energy—the qi—that this body had accumulated. Although the movements were clumsy and slow, at least the energy responded. There was a base, albeit weak. That gave me a slim chance.

The space in the cave was cramped, but I could make out two paths: one descended deeper into the darkness, and the other ascended. The fresh air came from the second, so I began to move forward carefully, leaning on the damp walls to avoid falling.

A subtle tremor beneath my feet stopped me. It was almost imperceptible at first, but then it turned into a roar. Distant voices echoed, and my chest tightened. The Divine Judges. They were already here.

I couldn't afford to panic. If they found me, I was finished. Among the memories of the former owner of this body, there was a concealment technique, the Veil of Shadows. It wasn't perfect, but it could erase my spiritual presence. With the little qi I had, maybe I could execute it.

I sat down again, closed my eyes, and began to concentrate. The flow of qi in my body was weak and disorganized, but I kept going. Little by little, I began to shape it. The air around me became heavier, and the oppressive feeling of demonic cultivation began to dissipate. The technique took shape, but the pressure on my mind and body was enormous. Finally, the aura surrounding me completely faded away.

I pressed myself against the wall and strained my ears.

"—He's here, said a firm voice." It was deep, laden with authority. —Search everything. He can't be far.

The footsteps echoed in the cave, getting closer. I knew that if they entered this passage, they would find me. I looked around, searching for something I could use. A few meters away, there was a loose rock. I picked it up and threw it towards a side tunnel. The noise caught their attention.

"Over there!" shouted another voice.

The footsteps diverted to the other side. I waited a few minutes until the sounds began to fade away. My body was at its limit, but I couldn't stay there. I relaxed the Shadow Veil technique and began to move again. Each step was an effort, but the need to survive was stronger.

The passage narrowed, and the ascent became steeper, but I finally saw light. The fresh air hit my face as I emerged from the cave. In front of me was a dense forest, with tall and thick trees. Without hesitation, I ventured into the vegetation, using the underbrush as cover. The sounds of the cave gradually faded behind me.

Despite the exhaustion, I kept moving forward. My enemies would soon notice that they had followed a false lead, and I needed to put as much distance as possible between us. This body was in terrible condition, and I couldn't face anyone in such a precarious state. The only thing I could do was disappear, find a safe place, and recover.

The forest was dense, and although it protected me, it also made it difficult to move quickly. The ground was full of roots and rocks, and my feet kept getting tangled. Each stumble reminded me of how weak I was. I had to find water, food, and a place to rest before my body completely collapsed.

After what felt like an eternity, I reached a clearing. A small stream ran through the center, its crystal-clear water reflecting the sunlight. I dropped to my knees and drank eagerly, not caring if anyone heard me. The cold water soothed my throat, but it also reminded me of how vulnerable I was.

If someone attacked me now, I wouldn't even have the strength to get up.

While I was drinking, something caught my attention. On the opposite bank of the stream, there were some marks on the ground. They seemed recent, as if someone had camped there not long ago. Remnants of a campfire and footprints confirmed that I wasn't as alone as I thought.

My instinct told me I had to move. If they were cultivators, even if they weren't enemies, any encounter in my current state would be dangerous. With effort, I got up and ventured back into the forest, determined to find a safer place before night fell.

The forest thickened as I advanced. The low branches and bushes scratched my skin, and the hidden roots made me stumble with every step. The body was not only exhausted; it was beginning to react to the prolonged effort with stabbing pains in the legs and chest. But stopping was not an option. The Divine Judges were methodical, and if they had followed me to the cave, it was only a matter of time before they expanded their search to the forest.

The memories of the previous owner of the body helped me stay alert. I didn't know this territory, but I knew that the outskirts of this kingdom were plagued with spiritual beasts. Most of them used to stay away from humans, but in my current state, even a low-level creature could mean my end. The forest was not a refuge; it was another trap, and I was delving deeper into it.

After walking for a while, I began to hear the sound of water. A river, perhaps. It was a good sign: I could follow the course to move even further away and, hopefully, find some small settlement. The key was to avoid major cities where the Divine Judges might have informants.

As I got closer, I noticed something strange in the environment. The air was colder than it should have been, and a faint bluish glow began to filter through the trees. I slammed the brakes. Something wasn't right. That light was not natural.

Instinctively, I crouched down and sought cover behind a fallen log. From my position, I observed the source of the light. About fifty meters away, the forest opened into a clearing. In the center, a small lake reflected the moonlight, but what caught my attention the most was the figure floating above it.

He was a man, or at least had a human shape. His body emanated a pale glow, and his garments seemed to move with a nonexistent wind. Although his face was covered by a mask, I could feel an intense spiritual pressure emanating from him.

My first instinct was to back away, but something in the memory of the previous owner of the body stopped me. That figure... was not unknown. The information came in fragments, but enough to recognize what it was: a wandering specter, the remnant of a cultivator who had died with bitterness in his heart. It was not an enemy I could face in my current state. However, there was also something strange. The specter didn't seem to have detected me, nor was it acting with the aggression usually attributed to this type of entity.

I observed in silence, holding my breath. The specter seemed to murmur something, although I couldn't understand the words. Then, it extended a hand towards the lake, and the water began to move. A sphere of crystal-clear liquid rose into the air, slowly spinning before solidifying into an object. From my position, it looked like a small gem.

That movement triggered a memory in my mind. The gem was not just any object; it was a Spectral Core, a rare resource that contained refined spiritual energy. For someone in my condition, a core like that could mean the difference between life and death. But getting it meant facing the specter, or at least risking entering its territory.

I stood still, weighing my options. I could try to sneak away and continue on my path, avoiding any confrontation. But I knew that, without something to restore my energy, I wouldn't get very far. If I managed to seize the core, I would at least have a chance to heal some of my internal wounds and regain enough strength to survive the following days.

I made a decision. Still crouched, I searched through the memories of the demonic cultivator for any technique that might be useful. There was one I remembered: a variant of Shadow Step, designed to move stealthily in low-light areas. It wasn't perfect, and my control over qi was limited, but it was all I had.

I took a deep breath and began to channel the little energy that remained in my body. The flow was irregular, like a river full of debris, but I managed to stabilize it enough. Carefully, I moved among the trees, approaching the specter. Each step was calculated, avoiding the dry branches and leaves that could betray me.

When I was close enough, I waited. The specter remained focused on the lake, seemingly unaware of my presence. The gem was still floating in the air, slowly spinning. I knew I would only have one chance. If I failed, I wouldn't have the strength to escape.

With a quick movement, I launched a qi projectile towards a point in the water, creating a distraction. At the same time, I lunged for the gem, closing my fingers around it before turning and running in the opposite direction.

The roar of the specter was deafening. I felt a wave of cold energy hit my back, but I didn't stop. Every fiber of my body screamed in pain as I ran, zigzagging between the trees. The blue glow behind me intensified.

The specter was following me, and its presence seemed enraged.

At the edge of my resistance, I saw a rock formation in front of me. Without thinking, I threw myself towards it, hiding in a crevice narrow enough that the specter couldn't follow me directly. Its roar echoed once more, but after a few moments, the forest returned to silence.

My body collapsed against the stone. The gem remained in my hand, emitting a faint warmth. I knew I had no time to waste. Although I was exhausted, I channeled my qi towards the core, absorbing its energy. The effect was immediate: a warm sensation spread through my body, healing some of the internal damage and restoring some of my strength.

It wasn't enough to face the Divine Judges, but at least I could keep moving. When I felt that I could stand again, I cautiously emerged from the crevice, making sure the specter was not nearby.

The forest was quiet, but I knew the calm wouldn't last. In the distance, I heard the howl of a beast, reminding me that this place was still dangerous. With the energy I had left, I began to walk again, determined to find shelter before dawn.