Chapter 1
AN: This is based off the novel 'Immortal Devil Transformation'. Knowledge of canon isn't necessary.
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It was dark outside, the sun having set long since. Thick, dark clouds covered the sky, obscuring the moon and stars.
Raindrops pattered heavily on top of a clay-tile roof, dark and dusky like charcoal. It was the Xu estate, belonging to a prominent clan in the Yunqin empire.
Even though bedtime came and went, figures moved in the darkness, carrying oil lanterns and paper umbrellas. They were guards and servants, going about their late-night duties.
In the middle of a spacious bed, covered in red satin sheets and white cotton pillows, a boy laid, fast asleep. Despite the long, black hair covering his face, his good looks couldn't be hidden.
From tossing and turning in his sleep, his robe loosened, exposing his toned arms, chest and abdomen. He wasn't bulky, but exercise was clearly part of his daily routine.
As the third son of Xu Tianwang, Yunqin's judicial sector supervisor, this was no surprise. In their clan's line of duty, a strong cultivation base was a necessity.
Suddenly, the handsome youth, having slept peacefully until now, shot up like someone electrocuted. His large, dark pupils and gaping mouth expressed feelings of shock and confusion. An uncomprehending noise exited his throat, not quite a shout, but loud enough for his guardian to hear.
Behind a sectioned paper door, painted with koi-fish patterns, a middle-aged man with salt and pepper hair opened his eyes. His room was adjacent to the youth's, close enough to see his young master's bed, outlined through the thin paper screen.
"Are you well, third young master?"
The question was a mere formality. As a fifth-level state master who achieved soul-merging, nobody could sneak into the manor under his watch. However, when seconds passed without a reply, he grew concerned. Standing up, he slid the transparent screen aside before entering the room.
He was met with the sight of his young master, staring straight ahead like he saw a ghost. His eyes were locked with his reflection's, drawn on the surface of a polished, bronze mirror. It was on the other side of the room, sitting on a wooden vanity with a flickering lantern next to it.
"Young master…?"
After confirming that everything was all-right, he returned his gaze to the boy.
It was a few moments before the youth responded. He turned his head towards the man, wearing a vacant expression.
"Uncle Shin? I…"
He stopped before finishing his sentence, seemingly mulling over his next words.
The man waited patiently for him to continue.
"I had a... nightmare."
'Uncle Shin' stopped himself from rolling his eyes. He never had much respect for this young master, but being scared to the point of crying out was really too much. When he himself was thirteen, he was fighting on the Mang border, having already killed more than a dozen people.
He swallowed a sigh.
"I'll have a servant prepare some honey tea."
The boy nodded his thanks, looking embarrassed enough for the both of them.
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After dismissing Uncle Shin and the servant who brought his tea, the handsome youth reclined against his re-stacked pillows. An aura of disbelief clung to him and there was a shadow between his brows.
'I'm Xu Zhenyan, son of Xu Tianwang. This place is the Xu estate, located in Yunqin's central province. The current emperor is Changsun Jinse…'
The more he combed through his memories, the more shocked he became. In particular, there were two names that stood out to him--'Green Luan Academy' and 'Principal Zhang'.
If it wasn't for these two, he might believe this was a generic cultivation world. However, he realized with certainty he reincarnated into a novel from his past life, 'Immortal Devil Transformation'!
His hands, clasping the porcelain teacup, shook.
'…for some reason, I suddenly recovered my memories.'
While he was asleep, he dreamed everything from his past life. It was so real that, after waking up, he didn't doubt its authenticity at all.
He breathed slowly, inhaling and exhaling at a measured tempo. Once his hands stopped shaking, he took another sip of his tea. The rich, sweet flavor soothed his senses, helping him regain some calmness.
The youth assessed his condition. Given the circumstances, it wouldn't be strange for him to go completely insane, but he felt fine.
In the first place, he already lived in this world for thirteen years as 'Xu Zhenyan'. It was just a question of him assimilating his other persona. Once that process was done, his psyche would stabilize.
In the novel, Xu Zhenyan became a side-villain, doing a lot of nasty shit in the background. Contrary to expectations, he actually survived until the end. However, he never accomplished anything worthwhile. He was so preoccupied with scheming that his cultivation fell behind and any member of the protagonist's gang could slap him around.
While 'he' indeed merged with Xu Zhenyan, it wasn't with his adult self, but instead his thirteen-year-old self. If that wasn't the case, things might have gone differently, but as it was, 'his' personality became the dominant one, not the Xu family's young master.
The more he thought about the novel's events, the deeper his frown became. It wasn't because they were troublesome, although that was true, but because he remembered them so clearly. In fact, that was the case for all his past-life memories.
He decided not to look a gift horse in the mouth. More importantly, before making any plans, he needed to confirm whether he indeed had that special ability!
He closed his eyes, searching for the 'roulette' wheel that both Lin Xi and principal Zhang, the two other reincarnators, possessed.
'It's here!'
When he discovered the ten green lights, drawn into a circle, he felt a burst of joy. This ability was extremely strong, even better than it seemed.
Even though it was called a 'roulette' wheel, it had nothing to do with gambling. Instead, it let the user turn back time by ten minutes, represented by each of the flickering green lights. This could only be done once per day.
However, this wheel had an extra function, one the protagonist wouldn't discover until the novel's end. Using it as a medium, it was possible to learn the 'Immortal Transformation Technique', a completely overpowered cultivation method!
The boy felt an urge to start cultivating right now, but knew he couldn't. The disturbance it caused around the user was abnormally conspicuous, to the point where people were bound to notice.
The bitterness he felt at having to postpone this was something only he could understand--the technique was truly one-of-a-kind, completely unmatched under the heavens.
The reason for this was because of the story's setting--it wasn't like that of other Xianxia novels. The never-ending cultivation levels wasn't a thing here. There also weren't higher and lower realms, at least not to anyone's knowledge. If you reached the top, then that was it. There wasn't anywhere for you to ascend to.
In fact, the power of cultivators was very much restrained. Even individuals of the 'Sacred Master' level, the highest level of cultivation known to the world, could be killed by normal weapons, like crossbows. Granted, it was hard, but a big enough group of soldiers with good equipment and a good commander would be able to take them down.
However, the Immortal Transformation Technique was different. It was a cultivation method from a bygone age, when devils and immortals roamed the land and soared through the skies. It completely exceeded the understanding and common sense of present cultivators.
Stuff like 'splitting mountains and sundering rivers', feats that were only possible in stories, were made possible by the Immortal Transformation Technique. Only the True Devil Transformation, coupled with the Devil Devouring Origin could compare. However, Xu Zhenyan had no way to access them, and even if he did, practicing it wasn't necessarily a good idea.
He licked his trembling lips, feeling like he was going to burst from excitement.
'No! I really can't do it right now--it'll be disastrous!'
He mentally scolded himself. His traitorous soul force was extending toward the roulette wheel, trying to execute the Immortal Transformation Technique. It was just too tempting.
Only by biting his tongue hard enough to draw blood was he able to regain control.
'Fuck, this Xu Zhenyan's nature is really too impulsive!'
He wasn't completely able to shake this body's influence right now. He needed time to adjust.
The boy drained the last of his tea before setting the cup on his bedside table. Tomorrow, he'd speak to his father. The Xu family owned property in Eastern Forest province, a more remote area than central province. If Xu Zhenyan relocated there, he'd be able to cultivate in peace.
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Early the next morning, after finishing his routine, he looked for Uncle Shin. Understandably, he didn't sleep well. However, it was more out of the dread he felt toward Xu Tianwang than anything else. The man was a sociopath, even more so than any of his children.
"Uncle, is it possible for me to see Father today?"
His expression was somber. He didn't want his guardian to think he was being whimsical.
The middle-aged man looked strangely at Xu Zhenyan.
"The lord has already stated your lessons can't be reduced further."
Having followed the youth for years, he knew the boy's nature best. For that reason, he confidently guessed his request. However, to his surprise, Xu Zhenyan shook his head.
"It's not that. Lately, I'm finding Imperial City distracting. I want to move to Deereast City."
When the man heard his words, his expression turned curious. After thinking it over for a bit, he nodded.
"All-right. I can try and arrange an appointment."
Xu Zhenyan's lips curved into a smile. He could barely hide his anticipation.
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