John

The tranquil valley beside the Broken Love Cliff hid the dark secrets of the Order of Celestial Melody.

A mountain river wound its way through lush forests, its surface a clear reflection of the shimmering sunlight. Suddenly, a heavy thump echoes from the river bank, breaking the tranquility. The source? A small, two-story wooden house nestled within a fenced enclosure. Fragrant medicinal herbs peek through the fence, their subtle aroma mingling with the earthy scent of the forest.

On the second floor.

The world spun as John was slammed into the wall, the impact stealing the air from his lungs. A gasp tore through his throat as a vision in gossamer materialized beside him. Her beauty was undeniable, but the long sword held inches from his throat chilled him to the bone. A searing line of pain erupted across his neck as the blade drew first blood, a crimson bead blooming before tracing a slow path down his chest. In that crimson tide, John saw his own mortality reflected, death a single heartbeat away.

Unexpected disaster.

Last night, after trimming the magical medicine from the field, and just before his evening practice session, a woman plummeted from the sky. Her arrival shattered the serenity of the moment. Her face was flushed, her eyes wild, and an aura of heat radiated from her body. Despite her captivating beauty, with cascading raven hair and skin like porcelain, her clouded mind betrayed her. Was she ravaged by a potent poison, or perhaps the victim of a perilous cultivation attempt gone wrong?

Her beauty was flawless, a breathtaking vision, but he knew getting involved was a terrible idea. However, what he thought didn't matter, her power was far beyond his. He was grabbed and taken to the second floor, where he had his first sexual experience. 

The world seemed to narrow, his senses overwhelmed by the warmth of her touch and the dizzying scent of lotus blossoms that clung to her skin. The gentle curve of her body fit perfectly against his, a silent invitation for him to explore the uncharted territory of closeness. Although overpowered, a complex wave of emotions washed over him-a mixture of fear, excitement, and a forbidden thrill. He reacted before he could think, losing himself in the moment.

It would have been even better, if there wasn't a murderous glint in her eyes the next morning.

Jolting awake, she lashed out with her sword. A flicker of hesitation, however, marred the fury in her eyes. John glimpsed a flit of shame - a shadow in the depths of her cold stare - betraying the turmoil within.

"My lady," John stammered, "might there be some... confusion?"

"Are you with Celestial Melody?" The woman's eyes narrowed, the sword's edge pressing a thin line of blood onto his skin.

With the sword at his throat, John only dared to speak hoarsely: "yes."

"Drink it!" The woman brandished a vial, her eyes blazing with icy fury. 

John blurted, "What is -?"

Boom!

A long leg whipped out, slamming into John's stomach. Pain exploded across him, a primal scream ripped from his throat, cut short as the elixir flooded into his gaping mouth.

The woman snatched her discarded clothes, a swirling red mist erupting around her as she vanished through the window.

"Fu..." A strangled cry died on John's lips. In the tense silence that followed, he checked his neck, wincing at the angry red kiss of a forming scar.

"Accident? Maybe," he muttered, his voice laced with the chill of a near-death experience. "But that murderous intent was real. I almost wasted my only chance of cheating death. This woman... she's terrifyingly powerful."

He stepped onto the balcony, his eyes scouring the empty trail for any sign of her. A tremor of lingering fear ran through him. Even with a stunning beauty, sexual relationship meant very little in the world of magic wielding immortals. Not to mention in an Order of the demonic path. Making a wrong move, a sexual encounter could easily kill you.

John was cautious, Nineteen years of hardship had a way teaching you that. He was born into a family of tenant farmer, living hand to mouth. His childhood innocence was shattered the day his stepmother, behind his father's back, sold him into the Order. Without the fortuitous discovery of his latent magical talent during a recruitment drive, he might have become another blood sacrifice, a nameless soul lost in the darkness.

If he could choose, he'd join a righteous tradition, a place like the legendary Temple of High Heaven - the strongest in the known world; but fate had other plans. All he could do was keep his head down, focus on survival, and try to carve out a meager existence.

But a flicker of hope emerged. In the past couple of years, strange changes had begun to manifest within him. With a practiced focus, John could see a translucent panel that remained invisible to others.

[Name: John Riversong]

[Age: Nineteen]

[Mana Realm: Sparkling (9/9)]

[Practice: Heavenly Resonance]

[Magical Power: Escaping Death (One Time Only), Daily Identification (Locked)]

[Fortification: 98/100]

[Cultivation: 99/100]

[Enchanted Items: 1/3 (unobtainable)]

Two years ago, the panel suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Initially, he didn't understand what it meant. But soon he found that he could store up Fortification and Cultivation by collecting shimmering bubbles - ephemeral orbs of energy, visible only to him, that seemed to spawn from everyday activities: planting herbs, dispatching the monstrous vermin that infested the valley, even simply wandering through the forest.

Since then, John's magical ascension had been meteoric. In just two years, he shot up from the third level of the Sparkling realm to the eighth level - a monumental leap that would normally take a gifted mage a decade or two. Thankfully, the power surged gradually; otherwise it would have been too conspicuous. Even so, he was promoted from an apprentice to a disciple.

The promotion landed him the job of the guardian of the elixir garden at Broken Love Cliff, and allowed him to explore the Order more freely.

"Better to rise quickly and risk exposure than to stagnate and become a pawn." John thought. "Survival is truly for the fittest in a demonic sect."

If you are not careful, you may be killed by your fellow disciples for any silly reasons. Even virginity could be taken. Last night was powerful proof of that.

He re-entered the room, a heavy sigh escaping his lips as his gaze fell upon the crimson stain on the sheets. The reason why he was able to escape may have something to do with these bloodstains.

"Who was she?" He murmured in his mind. "I hope she's not from the Order. Otherwise she might have to kill me out of necessity. That would be bad: to be used and killed, the price of walking the demonic path..."

A wave of nausea, mixed with the shame of his vulnerability, washed over him. The enigmatic elixir, with its bitter, metallic aftertaste, still lingered in his throat. He pushed these thoughts away with a shudder. He had to focus. He had to survive. He had to elevate his cultivation realm quickly. With newfound determination, he hurried toward the elixir garden. He had a realm to reach, a mystery to unravel, and a life to protect.