Lord Flores advanced toward ra, his eyes gleaming with dark hunger.


    "Come here, little one," he crooned, extending his hand toward her trembling form. "Your body''s constitution is precisely what I need."


    I strained against the dark energy chains, feeling them slowly give as my rage built.


    "Don''t touch her," I warned, my voice low and dangerous.


    Flores ignored me, his focus entirely on ra. "Do you know what you are, child? A pure dark energy body—extraordinarily rare and valuable. Once I merge with you, my cultivation will reach unprecedented heights."


    ra pressed herself against the stone pir, her eyes wide with terror. "M-merge?"


    "Lord Flores!" I shouted, channeling more strength against my restraints. "Step away from her now!"


    He cast an irritated nce in my direction. "Silence! You have no idea of her true value. This girl is a perfect cultivation tool—"


    When his hand shot out to grab ra''s wrist, something snapped inside me.


    With a roar that tore from my throat, I surged forward, shattering the dark chains that bound me. I crossed the distance in an instant, my boot connecting with Flores''s chest, sending him flying backward into the dirt.


    "Touch her again," I snarled, positioning myself protectively in front of ra, "and I''ll end your miserable life."


    Flores staggered to his feet, shock and rage battling for dominance on his face. "Impossible! No one can break my dark chains in this environment!"


    His two disciples rushed forward to assist him, their faces contorted with anger.


    I focused on my breathing, drawing on the Saintly Body Skill. Golden light began to emanate from my skin, growing stronger with each passing second.


    "ra," I said without taking my eyes off Flores, "stay behind me."


    Flores''s shock gave way to calcted assessment. He raised his hands, dark energy swirling around his fingertips. "Your constitution may resist the ambient suppression, but you''re still no match for my mastery of dark energy!"


    He thrust his palms forward, sending tendrils of ck energy hurtling toward me like serpents.


    I didn''t dodge. Instead, I stepped directly into the attack, my golden-lit body absorbing the impact.


    The dark energy writhed against my skin before slowly being drawn into me, fueling rather than harming me.


    Flores''s eyes widened in disbelief. "What—what are you?"


    I advanced steadily toward him. "Someone you should never have crossed."


    Panic shed across his face. He gestured frantically to his disciples. "Attack! Kill him now!"


    The younger men charged forward, dark energy knives materializing in their hands. I met the first with a precise strike to his throat, sending him crumpling to the ground. The second managed to slice my arm, drawing blood, but I caught his wrist, crushing it in my grip until the bones cracked and he screamed.


    Flores backed away, desperately summoning more dark energy. "Stay back! I''ve cultivated here for fifteen years! This battlefield responds to my will!"


    The ambient darkness condensed into massive chains, thicker and stronger than before,shing out from all directions.


    I didn''t break stride. The golden light surrounding me intensified, burning away the chains as they touched me. What didn''t burn was absorbed, the dark energy converting to fuel for my own strength.


    "Impossible!" Flores shrieked, true fear now evident in his voice. "No one can absorb pure dark energy like that!"


    "I''m not just anyone," I replied coldly, closing the distance between us.


    Flores''sposure shattered. He turned to flee, but I was faster, catching him by the back of his robe and mming him into the ground.


    "P-please," he stammered, raising his hands defensively. "I meant no harm to the girl—I was merely—"


    My fist connected with his face, the impact enhanced by both golden light and absorbed dark energy. The blow shattered his nose and sent blood spraying across the dirt.


    "You called her a cultivation tool," I said, each word precise and deadly. "An object to be used." <b ss="in-imprint-a">This chapter was originally posted on *.</b>


    I struck again, this time breaking his jaw. Then I grabbed his right hand—the one he''d tried to use to seize ra—and crushed it methodically in my grip, bone by bone.


    Flores''s screams echoed across the ancient battlefield.


    Conrad, now freed from his weakened restraints, approached and stood guard over the whimpering disciples.


    "Liam," he called, his voice cautious, "the girl is watching."


    I nced back to see ra staring, her face pale, her eyes wide with a mixture of fear and awe. The sight cooled some of my rage.


    I returned my attention to the sobbing Flores. "Give me one reason I shouldn''t kill you right now."


    "T-treasure," he gasped through broken teeth. "Real treasure. Not those worthless trinkets. I know where—"


    "Where?" I demanded, tightening my grip on his throat.


    "Ancient tomb," he choked out. "Three miles east. Entrance hidden beneath—"


    I cut him off, my voice t. "You tried to use ra as a ''cultivation tool.'' You nned to vite and consume her for power."


    Real panic flooded his eyes. "Please! The tomb contains artifacts worth millions! Cultivation manuals lost for centuries! I''ll show you—I''ll give you everything—"


    I stood, dragging him up by his cor until his feet dangled above the ground. "Some crimes can''t be forgiven."


    Without another word, I activated the Heaven Swallowing Skill, drawing on both the golden light and the absorbed dark energy. Thebined power surged through me, focusing into my palm pressed against Flores''s chest.


    His eyes bulged with terror in the final moment before his body copsed inward, his essence violently extracted and absorbed into my own cultivation.


    I dropped his empty robe to the ground, turning toward his disciples, who now cowered in terror.


    "No! Please!" one begged. "We were only following orders!"


    "We didn''t know!" the other sobbed. "We never would have—"


    Their pleas died as I extended my hands toward them, the Heaven Swallowing Skill iming two more victims in rapid session.


    When it was done, I stood motionless, absorbing and processing the sudden influx of power.


    "Liam?" Conrad''s voice seemed toe from far away. "Are you alright?"


    I nodded, slowly returning to myself. The golden light faded from my skin, and I turned to find ra.


    She hadn''t moved from her spot by the pir, her small form rigid with shock.


    I approached her carefully, kneeling to meet her eyes. "ra? You''re safe now. They can''t hurt you."


    Her lower lip trembled. "You—you killed them. All of them."


    "Yes," I said simply, seeing no point in lying. "They were going to hurt you in ways you can''t imagine."


    Her eyes searched mine. "Because of what I am? Because I have this dark energy body?"


    I nodded. "There are people in this world who see others only as tools to be used. Flores was one of them."


    She looked down at her hands. "If my body is valuable enough for people to kill for... will otherse after me too?"


    The question broke my heart. She was far too young to face such harsh realities.


    "They might," I admitted gently. "But that''s why you need to grow stronger. And until then, I''ll protect you."


    She was quiet for a long moment, processing this. Then she asked in a small voice, "What did he mean by ''merging'' with me?"


    I hesitated, unsure how to exin such things to a child.


    Conrad cleared his throat. "Some dark cultivators believe that physically... joining with someone who has a special constitution can transfer some of those qualities to themselves."


    ra''s brow furrowed as she tried to understand. "Like... marriage?"


    "No," I said firmly. "Nothing like that. What he wanted was evil, ra. It would have hurt you terribly."


    She nodded slowly, her expression solemn beyond her years. "Then I''m d you stopped him."


    I stood, offering her my hand. "We should leave this ce. The dark energy isn''t good for us."


    "But it feels good to me," she said, looking around. "I feel stronger here."


    "That''s because of your constitution," Conrad exined. "But without proper guidance, this environment could twist your cultivation."


    ra bit her lip, then reluctantly took my hand. "Can I still learn to cultivate? Even with this dark energy body?"


    "Of course," I assured her. "We''ll find you proper instruction. The dark energy itself isn''t evil—only how people choose to use it."


    As we walked away from the battlefield''s center, ra grew thoughtful.


    "Mr. Liam," she said after a while, "if my body is so special, and people will keeping after me..."


    "Yes?" I prompted when she trailed off.


    "Could you teach me to fight like you? So I can protect myself?"


    I smiled down at her. "I''d be honored to, once we''re safely away from here."


    That evening, we made camp at a safe distance from the battlefield. Conrad prepared a simple meal while I examined the few artifacts we''d taken from Flores''s body. Though valuable, they weren''t the treasure he''d promised in his final moments.


    ra sat cross-legged nearby, attempting to circte the cultivation techniques I''d taught her earlier. Her face was a picture of concentration, her small hands forming basic mudras with surprising precision.


    "She''s a natural," Conrad observed quietly. "Especially with the dark energy techniques."


    I nodded. "Which makes her vulnerable. We need to find her a proper master, someone who can guide her without exploiting her."


    After we ate, ra approached me hesitantly. "Mr. Liam? Can I ask you something?"


    "Of course."


    She sat beside me, her eyes downcast. "I''ve been thinking about what that man said. About merging with me to get stronger."


    I stiffened. "You shouldn''t worry about—"


    "Is it true?" she interrupted, looking up at me directly. "Can people really get stronger by... by mating with someone like me?"


    The blunt question caught me off guard. "ra, that''s not something—"


    "Please," she said urgently. "I need to know what I am. What people want from me."


    I sighed, choosing my words carefully. "Yes, in dark cultivation, there are techniques that use... intimate connections to transfer energy. But they''re forbidden for good reason. They harm one person to benefit another."


    She nodded solemnly, processing this.


    "But that will never happen to you," I assured her. "I promise."


    ra fell silent, her small face troubled. Then, so quietly I almost didn''t hear her: "Since I''m going to be caught sooner orter, it''s better to let you..."


    My mind went nk with shock. "What?"


    Her face flushed crimson, but her eyes held mine with desperate determination. "If someone''s going to use me anyway, I''d rather it be someone kind like you than someone cruel like him."