Strongest

"Urgh...!" I groaned in pain as I woke up in an unfamiliar surrounding, "What's this?" Looking at my body, I noticed the shit tonne of bandages mummifying me.

"Ah..." Just then, fragmented memories began to coalesce, "Yea, that happened didn't it?" Recalling the events that had led to my current condition, a grim realization washed over me, causing my pain to intensify.

'To think I acted so immature...' I lamented, my brow furrowing as I thought this, 'even though I should've moved on long ago...' I almost sighed as a sense of weariness settled in, compounded by the exhaustion of the past month.

'Is this maybe a side-effect of transmigration?' 

"Huh?" My attention was abruptly drawn to a presence in the room, someone I had failed to notice until now. "...Junior sister Ai?" I whispered, observing her familiar face as she slept with her head resting on the bedside. Looking at her, I wondered, 'What the fuck is she doing here?'

But soon, I realized that she was probably worried about me and stayed by my side cause of that. Her long red hair was slightly disheveled as she slept, using her arms as a makeshift pillow.

'She has pretty long eyelashes doesn't she?' I couldn't help but notice the long, delicate eyelashes that framed her peaceful sleeping face and her complexion radiated a healthy glow.

'By the way,' my thoughts wandered aimlessly, 'I haven't really encountered a jade beauty, have I?' My mind began to wander as I entertained these idle musings.

...

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...

The scene around me was a grim painting of death and destruction. Countless corpses lay scattered throughout the area, including sect disciples, elders, and those who had dared to invade our sect. The outer sect, once a place of learning and growth, was now a nightmarish battleground, ravaged by the ferocious battles that had taken place here.

In my torn and bloodied robes, I stood resolute, my eyes fixed on a particular corpse before me. With clenched fists and sharp claws with compressed qi ready to strike, my actions might have seemed disrespectful to the fallen, but I couldn't afford to be careless. I had made a promise to "her" that I would avenge her, and that vow was something I could not break.

As if to prove the necessity of my actions, a tri-colored flame erupted from the corpse, resisting my attempts to strike it down. Yet, I had prepared for this moment. Instantly, I channeled my vital qi, fueling my technique and sealing the fate of my opponent, condemning them to their inevitable demise.

The heavens themselves seemed to echo the sorrow of this tragic moment, thundering with rage as tears of rain poured down, as if mourning the loss of the Heaven's blessed child.

I allowed the gentle droplets of rain to wash over me, savoring the moment as I finally let my heavy eyelids close. In a hushed whisper, I muttered, "I've done it... Ai, I've avenged you..."

With that, I felt the tremendous weight lift from my shoulders, and my body went limp, collapsing to the ground like a puppet whose strings had been cut.

But my moment of solitude was abruptly interrupted. "Hoo~" a voice suddenly rang out, dragging my fading consciousness back to reality. I struggled to part my heavy eyelids and found myself gazing at the smirking face of a man with effeminate features.

"You..." I managed to croak, my throat parched and my voice barely audible.

"Yeah, it's me!" the man replied with a cheery smile, which irritated my weary self. "But to think you would prove me wrong... truly, what a surprise!" His exaggerated actions emphasized his words, and my annoyance flared in response.

"Leave..." My annoyance had transformed into fury as I knew this man... He could have possibly prevented all of this if he had chosen to intervene.

"Leave?" However, he remained unfazed still looking down upon my collapsed self "And why should I do that?"

"..." I had no words to speak. I couldn't force him to leave, nor could I persuade this psycho. So, I closed my eyes, hoping he would take the hint and depart.

"Hmm~ I have an offer for you," his words made my brows twitch slightly, though my eyes remained shut. "I want to take you as my disciple!"

"Why..." My throat pained as I continued to overexert my broken body. "...should I?"

"Why, you ask? Let's see..." He lowered his body, sitting beside my collapsed body. "Aha! I shall grant you anything you want."

"Any..." My words became fragmented as my consciousness faded, "...thing?"

"Yes! Anything!" A cheerful smirk adorned his face as he nodded vigorously.

"...Str..." I could no longer perceive my surroundings, "...ong..." I couldn't hear anything, "...est." Yet, a challenging smirk appeared on my face as my consciousness finally faded.

"Strongest? Well then, I vow to do everything to make you the strongest!"

...

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...

The flames that had engulfed the sect that day were something I couldn't forget. The cost of my cowardly actions, what I lost to the flames, was also something etched deeply into my memory.

Yet, it was also those flames that formed my current self.

...

*Knock *Knock

The sound of knocking on the doors to my cultivation chambers roused me from my meditative state. I opened my eyes while sitting in the lotus position.

|What is it?|

I inquired using my spiritual sense, addressing the disciple who had interrupted my cultivation.

"A-ah! Many greetings to Elder Zhou!"

|Forget the pleasantries and tell me the purpose of your visit|

"Ye-yes! T-the sect leader is calling Elder Zhou for the elders' meeting!"

The disciple replied, his voice trembling with anxiety.

|Is that so... I shall go there soon.|

|You may leave now.|

"Y-yes, Elder!"

With a deep bow towards the closed doors of my cultivation chamber, the disciple hurriedly departed.

'A sect meeting at this time, huh... No, I suppose this is the most opportune time of any.'

With that thought, I rose from my meditation and exited my cultivation chamber using spatial manipulation.

Under the sun's light, my pitch-black hair absorbed every ray, not reflecting even a speck of light. My golden eyes seemed to radiate the very brilliance of the sun.

These features of mine were the result of my immortal ascension. During immortal ascension, a cultivator would shed their mortal husk, and their body, soul, spirit, and will would change and morph to represent their path until that point.

For me, it was the harmony between yin and yang, and karmic ties, teachings passed down by my master, Huang Ziyi.