Reverend Insanity - Fate Devourer

A makeshift tent crowned a secluded hilltop, its canvas shields creating an island of cool shadow against the merciless summer sun.

Beneath this manufactured shade, clan elders occupied carved wooden chairs around several tables, with the academy elder commanding the central position. Behind them stood a contingent of Gu Masters, silent and vigilant. More of their kind lurked unseen in the surrounding forest, their presence felt rather than seen.

The stillness broke as movement disturbed the forest's edge.

Whoosh!

A Gu Master materialized from the treeline like a displaced shadow, dropping to one knee before the tent.

"Report your findings," the academy elder commanded.

"Esteemed Elder, all students remain unharmed," came the swift response.

"Excellent."

"An entire afternoon without injuries - quite unlike previous years."

"Truly a testament to the academy elder's guidance."

The other clan elders traded approving nods and measured praise, their words carrying the weight of political currency.

The academy elder merely shook his head slightly, knowing the true catalyst - Fang Yuan's emergence and subsequent extortion had driven his classmates to hone their basic martial arts, yielding today's improved performance.

His gaze settled on the kneeling messenger. "And the current standings?"

"Elder, Gu Yue Fang Yuan leads the count, followed by Fang Zheng, Mo Bei, and Chi Cheng. Chi Cheng has claimed three boars, Fang Zheng and Mo Bei five each, while Fang Yuan has secured eight."

"Fang Yuan takes the lead?"

"Rare indeed to see A and B grade talents eclipsed by a C grade."

"The Liquor worm grants him upper stage green copper primeval essence - his performance is within reason."

"Give it time. Fang Zheng, Mo Bei, and Chi Cheng will overtake him. A Liquor worm cannot match the natural recovery rate of A and B grade talents."

The elders' discussion carried undercurrents of both assessment and prediction.

"Dismissed," the academy elder waved off the messenger. "Relay my orders: maintain vigilant protection. Pay particular attention to Fang Zheng, Chi Cheng, and Mo Bei's safety."

"As you command," The Gu Master retreated into the shadows.

For most students, this marked their first true combat experience. The clan had prepared accordingly, positioning dozens of Rank two Gu Masters throughout the forest to ensure the examination's safety. Several Rank three clan elders remained at the command post, ready to address any emergencies.

Yet fate mocks the best preparations. A brilliant flash erupted from the distant treeline, its sudden radiance stopping the elders' hearts mid-beat. Sometimes, being ready for anything still isn't enough.

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(5 minutes earlier)

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Sunset painted long shadows across the mountain forest, where wild grass swayed in the evening breeze like dark waves. 

Deep within those shadows, a pair of bloodshot eyes burned with hatred so intense that even an ocean's worth of tears couldn't quench it. 

"Fang Yuan... at last," Wang Da whispered through gritted teeth, each word a curse. 

Ahead of him, his prey moved through the forest—a pale-faced youth with a thin frame, seemingly unaware of the predator's gaze. But Wang Da didn't move yet. His attention darted between several points in the surrounding trees. 

At each position, a supervising Gu Master loomed. The forest bristled with vigilance—dozens of Rank Two Gu Masters patrolled the woods, while Rank Three clan elders might also be close.

Wang Da's mind raced as he processed the layout. 'Three guards to eliminate before I can even touch him.'

The conclusion was clear.

'A direct assault means death—if not by the guards, then by the pursuing masters. The kills must be quick, silent, consecutive. One alarm, and all is lost.'

His blood pulsed with murderous intent, yet his movements were calm, precise. 

No mistakes. Not here. Not now.

"Shadow Follower Gu," he commanded silently. 

Darkness answered his call, enveloping him like a second skin. His body melted into the tree shadows, becoming nothing more than a faint ripple in the evening gloom. 

In a thick bush nearby, the first guard stifled a yawn, muttering to himself, "Babysitting these kids... What a waste." His voice was lazy, his stance loose. He never even noticed the creeping shadow behind him. 

Bone-white hands emerged, their grotesque joints swollen as if cursed. Ten nails, long and purple-stained, gleamed faintly in the dim light, exuding the sickly-sweet tang of poison. 

The guard's nose wrinkled. "What's that—?" 

Wang Da struck like a viper. One hand clamped over the master's mouth while the other drove into his back, the venomous nails puncturing flesh and bone effortlessly. Poison coursed through the man's veins, flooding his body before his brain could process what had happened. He didn't even struggle as death claimed him. 

'Forty percent essence remaining,' Wang Da calculated, his breath steady as he dissolved back into the shadows. 

The second guard was crouched behind a boulder, scanning the treetops with a bored expression. He never heard the faint whisper of movement before a pair of hands snaked around his throat. A flash of violet, and it was over. Purple blood trickled from his nostrils as he slumped, lifeless. 

'Thirty percent.'

But the third guard was different. Wang Da approached from the rear, his claws poised for another clean kill. Just as his fingers descended, the guard shifted, his instincts sharp. "Intruder!" he roared, spinning to intercept the attack. 

Their hands met in a brutal clash, the guard's palms catching Wang Da's claws mid-strike. For a moment, neither moved. 

The guard's eyes widened as he recognized the unnatural strength in those grotesque hands. "You—" 

Wang Da's laugh was low and deranged. "Too late." With a flick of his wrists, his nails extended like serpents, slicing through the man's forearms and driving deep into his flesh. 

The guard screamed as his veins darkened. "Love Life Separation Gu! You're insane!" His voice wavered between horror and desperation. 

But the guard wasn't finished. Accepting death, he bit down on his tongue. A crescent tattoo glowed as the Moonlight Gu activated. 

Wang Da's senses screamed in warning as a blade of silver light erupted from the guard's mouth, arcing toward him like a crescent moon. 

There was no time to dodge. The glowing blade cleaved into his shoulder, burning like molten steel as it carved through flesh and bone. 

Wang Da staggered, blood spilling down his arm. Yet his grin widened, teeth bared in a mixture of pain and triumph. "Yes... Love Life Separation," he rasped, pushing himself upright despite the searing wound. 

The guard, his strength fading, stared at him in disbelief. "You gave up... your own humanity...?" 

Memories flooded Wang Da's mind—a soft voice, a warm smile, a heart in his hands, still beating as he carved it out. His voice dropped to a whisper, more to himself than the dying man. "All for survival. The price of power on this demonic path." 

The guard crumpled, his lifeless body hitting the forest floor with a dull thud. 

Wang Da exhaled, his vision swimming for a moment as he pressed a hand to his bleeding shoulder. 'Twenty percent essence left... enough for one more kill. Make it count...'

His bloodshot eyes locked onto Fang Yuan, blazing with a hatred that consumed every fiber of his being. 'I sacrificed love itself, clinging to family alone—and you took even that from me!' His teeth ground together as his thoughts turned darker. 

'Your regret will be legendary, carved into eternity by my hands!' 

"Die!" Wang Da roared, launching himself forward like a rabid beast. 

The world seemed to slow for a heartbeat—only for three crescent moonblades to slice through the air, their edges gleaming like death's scythe. 

'A fourth guard?!' His heart sank as he twisted mid-leap, instincts screaming. Two blades missed him by a hair's breadth, but the third struck true, carving into his leg with ruthless precision. 

Pain erupted as he tumbled from the air, crashing into the dirt. Blood seeped from the gash, pooling around him in dark rivulets. 

"Shadow Follower Gu!" Wang Da hissed, his voice a feral growl. The comforting embrace of darkness swallowed him, wrapping him in its cold, silent shroud. His form melted into the shadows as he retreated, limbs dragging through the undergrowth. 

But then came the voice. Old, calm, and dripping with authority. 

"Flash Blink Gu—explode." 

The words hung in the air for a fraction of a second before brilliant white light erupted across the forest. It surged in all directions, piercing every shadow and stripping away the veil Wang Da relied upon. 

He staggered, his human form exposed and vulnerable. The searing light left no room for escape.

His body trembled, bleeding and battered, yet his eyes burned with the same relentless fire. They betrayed no fear, only unshakable, murderous resolve. 

'They can kill me,' his heart roared, drowning out the pounding in his ears. 

'But I'll take you with me, Fang Yuan!'

Wang Da pushed himself upright, ignoring the burning agony in his leg. He spit blood from his lips, his grotesque claws flexing as if hungering for another victim. 

"Come then!" he snarled, defiance lacing his words. "Let's see which one of us hell takes first!" 

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