112 Your True Nature

Lucas had a skeptical look hearing such words from this demoness. He got off the bed and stepped away from her as he said coldly, "Don't try to beguile me with your lies. I am done being a fool and I will never let anyone make me one again."

The faces of Nadia and Celia flashed in his head as he said these words. Those two women had broken his heart and trust while he foolishly loved them for all this time.

He can't let anyone trick him again no matter how enticing they might try to make things look.

Azeria let out a soft sigh as she looked at Lucas with a sympathetic look, "I can only imagine how much pain you suffered to be like this. But I won't blame you since I would also have acted the same way. So how about I show you something and then you can decide whether you want to believe me or not? It's not like you have anything to lose, right?"

Lucas furrowed his brows as he took a deep breath and thought about it. However, he asked, "You are right. But what do you have to gain from someone who has nothing? I am a nobody."

Azeria slowly curved her lips into a knowing smile, "Do you truly understand the reason behind your dantian's qi blockage?" she inquired, her tone mysterious.

Lucas's gaze became distant as he replied, "I was born that way, and as far as I know, there is no cure."

Azeria shook her head, her expression softening, "You have been blind to the truth of who you really are," she said as she approached him, her eyes meeting his with an intensity that sent shivers down his spine, "Your dantian is, in fact, perfectly fine. The blockage you suffer from is a result of someone trying to alter the true nature of your qi."

Confusion clouded Lucas's eyes, "What do you mean by that?" he asked, his voice wavering slightly, "What is the true nature of my qi?"

Azeria locked her gaze with his, her voice filled with absolute certainty, "You are, in truth, a demon who can only contain demonic qi."

Lucas stumbled back, his eyes widening in disbelief, "Stop lying!" he cried, his voice filled with a mixture of fear and desperation, "I am not a demon like you, and I won't be brainwashed by your words."

Azeria's expression turned serious as she challenged him, "Will you believe me if I clear the blockage in your dantian?"

Lucas's heartbeat quickened. Even though he wanted to refute her, something within him urged him to hear her out. He had struggled with his qi blockage since childhood, and now someone confidently offered to remove it. However, he also knew that the outcome could change his life forever.

The possibility of gaining power ignited a fierce determination within him, and he stared into Azeria's eyes, steeling himself for the unknown, "I will decide whether to believe you after you do what you claim," he said with resolute conviction.

Azeria nodded, her eyes reflecting understanding and resolve, "I will do just that, if that is what it takes for you to believe me," she agreed. With that, she motioned for him to lie down on the bed. "This process will take a while, so make yourself comfortable."

Lucas, still skeptical but feeling he had nothing left to lose, complied and lay down on the soft bed. Azeria seated herself beside him, her gaze serious as she spoke, "What I am about to do will cause you great pain, for it involves not only your dantian but your entire body. Are you truly prepared for the transformation that lies ahead?"

Taking a deep breath, Lucas looked at her with unwavering determination, "No amount of pain can hurt me more than what I've already suffered," he replied, his voice firm.

A subtle smile played on Azeria's lips as she instructed him, "Close your eyes and empty your mind. Let go of all your doubts and fears."

Lucas did as he was told, his eyelids fluttering shut as he attempted to clear his thoughts. He felt Azeria's palm gently press onto the area right below his chest, her touch warm and firm.

Azeria closed her eyes, her brow furrowing in concentration as she summoned the demonic qi within her. Slowly, tendrils of dark, purple energy began to flow from her palm and seep into Lucas's body. It was a sight both mesmerizing and terrifying, as the shadows of power danced and flickered like sinister flames.

At first, Lucas felt a chilling sensation where Azeria's hand made contact with his skin, as though icy tendrils were creeping through his veins. However, the initial coldness was soon replaced by a burning pain, like molten lava coursing through his bloodstream. The demonic qi clashed with the old, stagnant qi within him, ripping it apart and mercilessly purging it from his body.

Lucas's muscles tensed, and beads of sweat formed on his forehead as he gritted his teeth against the searing pain. The agony was unlike anything he had ever experienced, yet he held steadfast to his determination, refusing to succumb to the torment. He knew that every ounce of pain he endured brought him one step closer to the power he desperately craved.

Azeria, too, bore a heavy burden as she conducted the transformation. It was not just the physical strain of channeling her energy into Lucas, but also the responsibility of reshaping his fate. Her face showed the strain of her efforts, a faint sheen of perspiration reflecting the flickering candlelight.

As the hours passed, the intensity of the ritual grew. Lucas's body convulsed involuntarily as his muscles, bones, and even his very cells were altered and reshaped by the influx of demonic qi. The room echoed with his suppressed groans and the heavy, labored breaths of both him and Azeria.

Finally, as the first light of dawn peeked through the cracks in the temple walls, the ritual came to an end. Azeria, exhausted but triumphant, retracted her hand from Lucas's body, the last remnants of the dark purple energy dissipating into the air.

Lucas, his body drenched in sweat and his breaths shallow and ragged, gradually opened his eyes which were now glowing with a crimson light.