One must know that everything lies in oblivion.
While the True Nature is what lies in that oblivion.
Despite everything that had happened to him, Fang Rui remained calm, then and now, because he had to. He just couldn't afford to break his character.
Not again.
The weight of his parents' expectations, their silent hopes... pressed down on him like an unspoken plea.
Just be a good child.
That's all they ever asked him to be.
Thus, he buried all the turmoil within his heart, locking it away where no one could see.
After all, he is a good child, right?
Fang Rui's body lay crumpled on the wet ground, his gaze fixed on the murky puddle before him, its surface rippling faintly in the dim sunlight. His mind churned with countless thoughts, yet his face revealed nothing—after all, it was a mask of practiced indifference, giving no clue to what lay within his mind.
Then—
With a slow, measured motion, he pushed himself up from the ground, his back scraping against the rough wall as he steadied himself.
He closed his eyes, drew in a sharp breath, and exhaled slowly before glancing sideways… only to see small rocks littered on the dirt, jagged and uneven.
For a fleeting moment, a reckless impulse thought crept in—grab one, hurl it, and feel something.
But the thought faded as quickly as it came. Instead, he remained still, tilting his head up toward the sky where birds wheeled freely, their wings slicing through the air with careless grace.
Freedom. Peace. Hope. Joy.
He saw it all in them.
And yet, within himself?
Nothing. He saw nothing. He felt nothing.
Still,
What he was feeling right now was...
The searing heat that kept pulsing through his hand, dragging his attention back down. The pain was never erasing, gnawing at his flesh like a living thing, but he bore it in silence.
Just like he always did.
This was yet another reason for his weakened state—his body, already pushed to its limits, could barely sustain itself. And then there was his broken Dantian, the core of his cultivation, shattered beyond repair... well, at least not by simple means. Without it, he couldn't cycle his innate energy, couldn't draw strength from the world around him.
But that didn't mean there were no other ways...
There were other ways to replenish his energy, of course—by consuming rare elixirs, practicing some forbidden arts, and, of course, the mercy of the heavens—but all required something he didn't have.
Money. Resources. Opportunities.
He was poor. Dirt-poor. The kind of poor that made the slum rats look like nobles in comparison.
Pathetic. That's what he was.
And the world? Why would it care for anybody like him?
"Looks like we've wasted too much time on this loser." Lu Gaolin's voice cut through, laced with boredom. He then glanced at Fang Rui then shook his head.
At some point, beating a man who couldn't even stand straight had lost some thrill.
But did he feel guilty?
Absolutely not.
What's even that?
"Time's up, guys. Stop chatting. You know why we're here—we need to move, or the clan elders will have our heads for delaying the mission... wait... hmm?"
Just as Lu Gaolin turned to leave, something caught his eye. His steps faltered, his smirk fading into something—curiosity. He crouched abruptly, seizing Fang Rui's wrist and yanking it forward.
The others exchanged glances.
"What happened, Senior Brother Gaolin?"
"Look at this…" Lu Gaolin's grin returned, wider now, almost predatory, as if the thrill that had just vanished was now reignited by what he had just seen.
"Wait… Is that a Gu Mark?!"
"Senior Brother Gaolin, are you serious? Let me see!" Lu Muchen, who had been silent until now, shouldered forward, gripping Fang Rui's arm with sudden intensity. His eyes narrowed as he traced the faint, sinister lines creeping along the flesh.
"Unbelievable. But with a foundation this weak… his chances of survival can't be more than five percent. Maybe less."
Lu Yao chuckled as he chimed in again:
"Heh… What if we cut his entire hand off? Would the mark still count then?"
"..."
The four brothers suddenly turned to him, each sharing the same thought.
'Is he serious?'
Yet, they couldn't help but wonder…
'Why not give it a try?'
…
The small black tattoo on Fang Rui's wrist bore an intricate pattern of ancient runes, resembling something sinister—an ancient Gu insect, one of the deadliest poisonous creatures in the world.
Eight cracks of nine heaven, a harbinger of calamity... this is what the Gu insect is called.
The mark was known as the infamous Dawnbringer Curse Spell, a symbol shrouded in mystery and dread.
The ancient organisations might have some inkling of its origins, but to the common folk, it was nothing more than an enigmatic oblivion.
The Dawnbringer Curse Spell had first appeared centuries ago, emerging alongside new enigmas as the world was engulfed by an ominous, creeping energy.
Over the centuries, it had earned many names—the Curse of Heaven, the Gift of the Chosen, the Mark of Kira—each title carrying its own weight of legend and fear.
But one thing was certain:
Those who had experienced its effects knew just how opportunistic and dangerous it truly was.
To some, it was a mark of destiny—a divine blessing, a sign that the heavens had chosen them.
But this so-called "gift" only favored those with remarkable foundations and exceptional talent—geniuses capable of overcoming the trials it brought.
For someone like Fang Rui, powerless and already totally broken, the mark was no blessing. It was a curse, an invisible chain dragging them deeper into despair.
And—
Everyone knows its purpose: it was a key… a key to the Ominous World, a nightmarish realm where survival was a gamble and the death toll was staggering.
Well,
Despite all this, Fang Rui remained eerily calm, his expression unreadable, as if the chaos around him—and the world itself—meant nothing.
In truth, he didn't care at all.
His life was already in ruins. What was one more burden?
Why should he fear death when all he felt was emptiness?
The question almost amused him.
Seeing Fang Rui's detached expression—serene as a Buddha's even now—Lu Gaolin couldn't help but sneer.
"How cold."
His lips curled into a mocking grin as he turned to his brothers, "Look at him, acting all saintly even in the dirt. Tell me, brothers… should we baptize this wretch with holy piss? Hah! Let's see if that melts the ice off his face!"
He leaned in, voice dripping with malice.
"Maybe his deadass parents will smell it from their graves and wake up… hahaha."
"HAHAHA! Do it."
"Let his parents re-live again. hahahah"
'Hm?' Fang Rui's jaw tightened.
Did these bastards just mocked his parents?
The taunts kept coming, each one a reminder of how dire his situation was—how broken his life had become, how the world had stacked every odd against him.
So what? Should he cry? Scream his lungs out? Why did it even matter to them? Why was he the one being treated like this?
Who the hell were these fuckers, anyway?
'Calm… calm… calm.'
But he couldn't.
'Why can't I stay calm?' Fang Rui inwardly cursed.
A surge of anger rose, boiling beneath his skin—his true nature, long suppressed, roaring to life.
'Remain calm…'
He tried.
However, he failed.
So, before he could stop himself, Fang Rui's lips parted as he opened his mouth subconsciously.
"And? What then? Do whatever the hell you want. Want to chop me up? Then do it. Want to piss on me? Then do it. Want to torture me? Then fucking do it."
"Why are you yapping like a rabid bitch? If you've got the guts, stop talking and act like a man."
'Screw calmness.'
"If not… go fck yourself!"
With a sharp jerk, Fang Rui wrenched his wrist free from Lu Muchen's grip. The sudden defiance caught both Lu Gaolin and Lu Muchen off guard.
"…"
Total Silence.
Did he just—?
Lu Gaolin's smug expression twisted into disbelief, then rage. His brows furrowed, his lips curling into a snarl.
"Yo, he talked back!" He barked out a laugh, turning to his cronies.
"Look at this! After all this time playing mute, the bastard finally learned to speak!" His grin turned vicious.
"But…"
His voice dropped to a dangerous whisper.
"What did you just say, you son of a bitch? Say it again. Now, you're dead meat."
Lu Gaolin raised his hand, ready to deliver a brutal slap—
But before he could swing, before Fang Rui could react—
Lu Yao moved.
In a flash, his right leg lashed out in a merciless kick, slamming straight into Fang Rui's face.
BANG!
Fang Rui saw it coming.
But his weakened body was too slow to dodge.
Thus… The impact sent him crashing into the wall behind him before he crumpled to the ground like a broken doll.
THUD!