As the divine light faded, warmth replaced the eternal cold.
High above the sky, the sun had already reached its zenith, casting golden rays across a forgotten corner of the palace. In a dust-choked chamber, a man lay still upon a once-grand bed. His features were hollow—sunken cheeks, pale skin, blackened eyes—his body long surrendered to ruin.
He looked more corpse than king.
And yet, faint breaths stirred his chest.
Outside the room, two maids whispered, unaware that fate itself had stirred.
"It's been five years," one said while arranging wilted flowers. "Five years since he was dethroned by his brother and fell into that coma. The prince had to shoulder the kingdom at ten… all because of him."
"Shh!" the other hissed. "Do you want to be executed by Sir Roman?"
"No one comes here anymore. Not even the little prince. Besides…" Her lips curled into a cruel grin. "Sometimes I think maybe I should smother him myself. Put him out of his misery."
The second maid paled. "You're heartless. He's only thirty-two."
"Once, maybe," the first muttered. "But grief twisted him. When the queen vanished, he went mad. Spent the treasury searching for her. When she wasn't found… he broke. His hair turned white overnight. Then the coma."
Evening crept in, and the maids finally left.
They didn't notice the storm waking behind them.
Inside the king's broken shell…
A new soul opened its eyes.
"Tch… What rotten luck," the voice muttered. "A madman's body? Dethroned, abandoned… and I have a son now? Wonderful."
With effort, Feng Yun sat up. Bones creaked, joints screamed.
"Ah… my back. This thing's falling apart."
Then—
DING!
A translucent screen shimmered into existence.
| Greetings, Successor of Ourospawn. |
"What the hell…?"
Feng Yun waved his hand through the screen, fingers passing clean through.
| I am your guide, forged by the will of the Outer God Ourospawn. || I exist to aid you in fulfilling the pact… and to ensure your survival. |
| Do you accept me as your guide? Y/N |
Feng Yun gave a slow grin. "When the gods offer you fire, you don't ask if it'll burn. You grab it."
| Acknowledged. Pact confirmed. Initiating soul analysis... |
Name: Feng Yun
Class: Unknown
Qi Type: Evil
Age: 200+ (Soul Age)
Realm: Mortal Path – 1st Stage
| Notification: Gift received from Lord Ourospawn. Open? Y/N |
"Gift? Sure. Let's see what you've got, Outer God."
Skill Unlocked: [Devour – Soul Eater]A divine technique. Limitless. Unbound.Feed on souls. Grow eternally.
Feng Yun smirked. "Now that sounds like something I could get used to."
CREAK.
The window crept open. A shadow slipped inside.
A man, cloaked in black, approached the bed with two daggers drawn. His voice trembled.
"Forgive me, former king… You were a just ruler. But duty is duty."
He stood over Feng Yun's unmoving body.
"I promise to make this painless."
The blade descended.
But Feng Yun moved.
A flash. A twist of the neck.
The dagger missed.
"What?!"
Feng Yun's fingers jabbed into the assassin's eyes. The man screamed, staggering back. His daggers clattered to the floor.
Feng Yun stood. Pain gripped his spine, but he forced himself up. He snatched the daggers.
"Still hurts like hell… I'll finish this fast."
The assassin lunged blindly, slashing wild.
Feng Yun dodged effortlessly, then drove both daggers into the man's stomach.
The assassin screamed again—until a punch to the throat silenced him forever.
He collapsed, lifeless.
Feng Yun exhaled, rubbing his back. "Poisoned daggers… Great. But now I know someone wants me dead. And if those maids were right… it's my dear brother."
He raised his hand.
"Let's test this new toy."
Black energy surged from his palm—a swirling vortex of devouring hunger.
The corpse glowed gold.
A stream of soul essence tore from the body, sucked into the void in Feng Yun's hand. The corpse shriveled, turning gray and hollow like burnt parchment.
Power surged through Feng Yun's veins.
The pain vanished.
His bones straightened, his hair turned midnight black. Wrinkles faded. Muscles tightened. His face sharpened—like jade kissed by moonlight.
| Soul Devoured. || Realm Advanced: Mortal Path – 5th Stage. || To ascend: Devour ten similar souls, or one of greater strength. |
Feng Yun grinned. "Now I understand."
| Would you like to recover the memories of this body's original owner? Y/N |
"Yes."
PAIN.
A spike drove into his skull. Memories slammed into his mind like a flood—laughter, betrayal, poison, heartbreak, a vanished queen, a brother's cruelty.
Feng Yun opened his eyes slowly. Memories still echoed in his mind—warmth, sorrow, betrayal.
"Haha… he really was a fool," he murmured. "Same name. Same tragic orphan past. But unlike me, he clung to emotions."
He leaned back, eyes narrowing.
"His brother tried to kill him—multiple times—and he still forgave him as a child. The only time he acted was when that bastard insulted his wife… called her a low-born whore."
Feng Yun's tone shifted.
"He exiled his brother. Broke inside. Poisoned himself into a coma. All for a woman… a traveler… who vanished like smoke."
He stood, stretching his body that now felt younger and stronger.
"He was weak… but I thank him for this vessel. I won't waste it."
Feng Yun's smile darkened.
KNOCK. KNOCK.
A voice from behind the door:
"Father… I'm coming in."