Chapter 24: Serken
What is death?
No one can truly explain it.
Only vague notions—perhaps it is pain, or perhaps release; the sorrow of loved ones or the joy of enemies.
At the moment consciousness is utterly severed, death becomes nothingness, an absolute darkness.
Like a speck of dust, adrift aimlessly in the boundless void.
And God said, Let there be light.
In the gloom, a light indeed flickered to life.
So intense it was, that in an instant, it dispelled all darkness.
The surroundings shifted abruptly. Liu Xiao found himself standing upon an endless battlefield.
His own body—was it now a monstrous, towering abomination? Three heads, six arms, several meters tall, its entire form drenched in crimson.
He had consciousness but no control over this beast, as if he were merely watching an immersive first-person VR film.
Creatures of different races slaughtered each other across the barren black earth. Bizarre, dazzling lights bloomed in the air and upon the ground. Beneath this body's feet lay a pool of blood, drawing in every drop spilled by the surrounding beings, gathering them into itself.
Countless arrows and spells struck this body, yet they only sent ripples across its bloody surface.
And this body—like an undying god of war—charged recklessly through enemy ranks, reaping lives, meeting no equal.
Until a human wielding twin blades emerged from the opposing forces. That human stood out, not just because he was the only one of his kind here, but because both sides retreated at his presence.
Even Liu Xiao could sense the towering monster's body trembling faintly.
This was a silent world, one of images alone. Liu Xiao, following the monster's gaze, stared fixedly at the human ahead.
The blood pool beneath its feet erupted, countless droplets transforming into arrows that shot toward the human.
At the same time, the human vanished—only to reappear right before it.
The vision shook. The monster looked down at the human, only for its body to be slashed a hundred times in an instant.
The perspective shifted abruptly to one of the side heads. The human had already retreated, pursued by blood arrows that shadowed his every move—yet with a mere wave of his hand, he effortlessly deflected them. A rectangular void gate unfolded before him, swallowing the blood arrows like a watery curtain, leaving no trace behind.
The monstrous body was badly wounded, blood surging toward its injuries.
One of its arms clenched violently—and every creature around the human exploded in an instant.
Yet the human vanished into thin air once more. The vision flickered between the three heads, but the human was nowhere to be seen.
In the distance, the battlefield stretched infinitely. On the ground, countless creatures twisted together like a raging tide. In the sky, light and shadow shimmered—dragons breathed fire through the clouds, swarms of black specks clashing with them.
A mere glance, then the vision wrenched backward—the human was now at the base of the three-headed neck.
That cold, handsome face was so close now. Those obsidian eyes, deep and indifferent. A single hand pressed against the monster's throat as the human's lips parted. Though Liu Xiao heard nothing, the shape of the words was unmistakable:
"Spirit Seal."
Darkness swallowed the world. The body began to crumble in an instant. Blood suspended in the air fell like rain. Vision blurred—the body was fleeing, uncontrollably, desperately.
But there was no escape. The human pursued like a clinging shadow, effortlessly dismantling its dying struggles.
Then, the vision locked onto the void gate—and the entire body hurtled through.
After a brief darkness, light returned.
Liu Xiao's consciousness followed the body as it plummeted from the sky, crashing uncontrollably toward the ground.
Now, what he saw was no longer through the body's eyes, but from a lingering spirit still attached to it. The sensation was surreal—he could perceive everything around him, no longer bound by sight alone.
In this silent world, the body struck a sea of flowers like a meteor. Dust billowed, the earth quaked, everything collapsing and churning.
Then, stillness. Time accelerated.
The body lay quietly in the wasteland, eroded by time, returning to dust.
Yet the spirit, still conscious, merged with a seed just before its own demise—a seed of a blood cherry tree.
...
[Pearl Spirit Body, Passively Activated]
[Absorbing from Spirit Body...]
[Absorption Complete]
...
Warm. Comfortable.
His eyes opened slowly.
Above him, the massive canopy of the blood cherry tree still burned in the sky.
He realized he was lying on his back.
Liu Xiao sat up slowly, examining himself—no wounds, not even a scratch.
Was it all just a dream?
He pinched his heavy head. Wasn't I trapped in that blood sphere? Killed by that blood shadow?
Then—
[Obtained Blood Origin Pearl. Pearl Spirit Body talent upgraded to Tier 1.]
[Sentient Being 87242-82231-25241-2241. Total Spirit Attributes reached: 21.]
[Sentient Being's Total Spirit Attributes reached 21. Please select a reward.]
[+2 Free Spirit Attribute Points]
[Random Auxiliary Item from Origin Point]
[Primary Ability: Night Owl]
[Sentient Being 87242-82231-25241-2241. Total Spirit Attributes reached: 101.]
[Sentient Being's Total Spirit Attributes reached 101. Please select a reward.]
[+5 Free Spirit Attribute Points]
[Intermediate Ability: Mind Focus]
[Intermediate Ability: Eagle Eye]
[Spirit Pool has reached maximum capacity.]
[Spirit Pool transforms into Spirit Lake.]
[Spirit Lake has reached maximum capacity.]
[Spirit Lake transforms into Spirit Sea.]
[Sentient Being 87242-82231-25241-2241. Please locate a Realm Beacon as soon as possible.]
[Sentient Being has acquired Primary Ability: Blood Guide. Please select a reward.]
[+1 Free Spirit Attribute Point]
[Random Accessory Item]
[Clue to a Faith]
[Detected: Milky Way Order Sentient Being has slain Origin Point Demon-Class Lifeform: Bloodfiend · Serken.]
[Milky Way Order Origin Point Merit Points +100,000.]
[Detected: Sentient Being has slain a higher-tier Sentient Being.]
[Reward for Slaying Higher-Tier Being: +1 Free Physical Attribute Point.]
[Detected: Sentient Being has slain Origin Point Demon-Class Lifeform: Bloodfiend · Serken.]
[Reward for Slaying Demon-Class Lifeform: +50 Free Physical Attribute Points (Realm Maximum).]
[Reward for Slaying Demon-Class Lifeform: None (This realm cannot provide rewards for Demon-Class Lifeforms).]
[Completion: Demon-Class Lifeform Slain. Title Acquired: Demon Slayer.]
[Title: Demon Slayer]
[Acquisition Condition: Slay a Demon-Class Lifeform.]
[Effect: Greatly increased damage against lifeforms with Dark or Forbidden Source Cores. Significantly increases reputation with native factions.]
[Detected: Sentient Being possesses Demon-Class Blood Source Core. Title Acquired: Bloodfiend.]
[Title: Bloodfiend]
[Acquisition Condition: Possess a Demon-Class Blood Source Core.]
[Effect: Greatly enhances the effects of Blood Source abilities when used by the holder.]
[Esteemed Human of the Milky Way Order, your strength has been acknowledged by the Laws of Origin Point. Please name yourself. This name will become your sole identifier within Origin Point and be permanently recorded in the Annals of Origin.]
Thud.
Liu Xiao fell straight back, lying flat once more.
Quietly—very quietly—he pulled up his status panel.
[Category] Organic Sentient Being
[Origin] Milky Way Order
[Race] Human
[Name] Pending
[Gender] Male
[Title] Demon Slayer
[Height] 1.76 meters (Planetary Measurement)
[Physical Attributes]
[Endurance] 50
[Fortitude] 8
[Strength] 12
[Agility] 25
[Burst] 5
[Spirit Attributes]
[Pearl I] (Hidden)
[Blood Origin Pearl] (Hidden)
[Blood Origin Core: Demon] (Hidden)
[Soul] 93
[Spirit Sea] 5121
[Senses]
[Vision] 3
[Proficiencies]
[Archery (Primary)]
[Appraisal (Primary)]
[Physical Techniques]
[Primary Precision] (Passive) Slightly increases ranged attack accuracy.
[Dynamic Archery] (Passive) Movement does not affect shooting precision.
[Abilities]
[Blood Guide] (Blood Source, Primary, Active) Controls inactive blood within range.
[Bloodforged Arms] (Blood Source, Primary, Active) Materializes blood into weapons.
[Blood Armor] (Blood Source, Intermediate, Active) Covers the body in blood-formed armor.
[Source Blood Constitution] (Source Core, Passive) If the spirit body is unharmed, blood regenerates endlessly.
[Blood Scent] (Blood Source, Primary, Passive) Gains target information through blood scent and detects nearby creatures.
Close. Open. Close again. Open again.
After countless confirmations—
Liu Xiao realized it was all real. Too real. So unreal it was absurd.
The spiritual energy crystals clattering to the ground no longer enticed him. The blood cherry blossoms drifting through the air no longer held beauty.
He stared blankly at the sky, his overloaded mind spinning.
Maybe if he just dreamed again, he'd wake up for real.