The biting wind whipped through the peaks of Mount Hua, carrying the scent of pine and the promise of snow. Standing on the precipice, clad in the white robes of the Hua Mountain Sect, Li Wei took a slow, deliberate breath. He was on the verge of breakthrough, a step away from reaching the peak of the Qi Gathering Realm.
His sword, Plum Blossom, was as much a part of him as his own limbs. He had honed his technique since childhood, each strike precise, each movement echoing the elegance of the blossoming plum, a symbol of resilience and purity favored by the Hua Mountain Sect. He closed his eyes, visualizing the flow of chi through his meridians, the rhythmic dance of energy that powered his every move.
Suddenly, a sharp, piercing pain exploded in his head, accompanied by a voice, a chilling whisper that seemed to coil around his very soul.
"Pathetic. This weakling struggles with the basics. No wonder the Orthodox Sects are crumbling."
Li Wei stumbled, clutching his head. The voice, laced with disdain and power, was undeniably inside his mind. He tried to block it out, to focus on his breathing, but it was like trying to hold back a tsunami.
"So eager to control, yet so completely devoid of strength. Let me show you how it's done."
Before Li Wei could react, his vision swam, and control of his body slipped away. He became a passive observer, a prisoner in his own skull.
The world snapped back into focus, but the sky seemed darker, the wind colder. His stance had shifted, his shoulders relaxed, his body radiating a palpable aura of menace. He could feel the energy surging through him, not the controlled, refined chi of Hua Mountain, but a raw, untamed power that sent shivers down his spine.
"Hmph. Such a meager opponent to hinder my plans."
The voice spoke again, but this time, it came from his own lips. His hand, once a picture of elegance wielding Plum Blossom, now gripped the sword with ferocious intent. A sneer twisted his mouth, a contempt that was utterly foreign to Li Wei.
Across the chasm, Master Jian Yi, a senior disciple of the Hua Mountain Sect and Li Wei's sparring partner, frowned. "Li Wei? Are you alright? You seem… different."
The figure that was once Li Wei chuckled, a sound that was both chilling and seductive. "Different? Perhaps. But I assure you, Master Jian Yi, you've never seen anything like this."
Before Jian Yi could react, Li Wei moved with blurring speed. A dark, almost black, aura surrounded Plum Blossom as he launched an attack, not with the graceful forms of the Plum Blossom Sword Technique, but with a brutal, efficient savagery. The air crackled with the raw power emanating from the strike. It was an attack more akin to a bloodthirsty demon than a righteous disciple.
Jian Yi, caught off guard by the sudden change and the sheer force of the attack barely managed to parry, his expression a mixture of shock and fear. The force of the blow sent him staggering; blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
"What is this? What have you done to yourself, Li Wei!" Jian Yi roared, his voice strained with effort as he readjusted his stance.
The figure that was once Li Wei just smiled, a terrifying, predatory smile. "You will soon learn, old man. You will learn to fear the name… the Demon of Heaven!"