Dark Ruler’s Blade

Lin Jiang’s Legacy

“Aaahhh!”  

Lin Jiang’s cry ripped through the cavern, his body convulsing as the molten fire from the crimson-eyed dragon’s talons surged into his veins like liquid lightning.  

“Hahaha! Taste it, boy! This is your first ordeal, the crucible that will reveal whether your strength is more than mere words,” the dragon bellowed, its laughter reverberating like thunder rolling across a storm-ridden sky.  

The eleven-year-old collapsed, writhing against the jagged stone floor. His small frame twisted violently, desperate to escape the inferno raging inside him. The air reeked of scorched flesh and iron, thick and suffocating, each breath searing his lungs as though he were inhaling flames.  

BAMMM!  

Driven by agony, Lin Jiang lashed out blindly—striking boulders, shattered wood, even the cavern walls. His fists pounded until skin tore and blood smeared across stone. Each blow was a desperate attempt to purge the unbearable fire consuming him. The cavern echoed with the brutal rhythm of his struggle, a symphony of pain and defiance.  

The dragon’s eyes gleamed with cruel satisfaction. “Show me your endurance, child. Prove that your body is a vessel worthy of power.”  

Lin Jiang’s knuckles split, his hands raw and bleeding. Yet with each strike, the inferno within him began to fade. The final punch, delivered with the last flicker of his strength, extinguished the torment entirely.  

BRUKKK!  

His body crumpled, limp and unconscious, drained by the ordeal.  

The dragon lowered its massive head, its voice rumbling like distant thunder. “Your path begins here. Destiny bound you the moment you embraced the legacy of the Blade of Eternal Darkness.”  

Its colossal form loomed closer, shadows stretching across Lin Jiang’s motionless body like a shroud.  

“All that you require lies within this cavern. Train well, and return only when you have mastered the strength of the Netherworld,” the dragon intoned, its words heavy with finality.  

WHUSSS!  

In a blaze of crimson light, the dragon dissolved into pure energy, streaming into Lin Jiang’s chest. A glowing sigil etched itself upon his right arm—a dragon emblem with eyes burning red, alive with silent menace.  

“When desperation consumes you, only then shall I awaken once more,” the dragon’s voice whispered, fading into silence.  

*****

Midnight crept into the cavern, and Lin Jiang stirred awake. His first sensation was the sharp sting in his battered fists, each throb a reminder of the trial he had endured. The cavern was cold, the air damp with the scent of moss and ancient stone. Shadows clung to the walls, and droplets of water dripped rhythmically from stalactites, echoing like a heartbeat in the silence.  

“What cursed fate I bear,” he muttered, his voice hoarse and broken.  

Weak and trembling, he dragged himself deeper into the cavern. His eyes caught sight of three demonic weapons embedded in the earth, their dark aura shimmering faintly like embers in the void.  

“Could I wield this staff? Didn’t the crimson-eyed dragon grant me strength within?” he wondered aloud, his words trembling with doubt.  

But then he remembered—the dragon was gone.  

“Where is the crimson-eyed dragon?” he whispered, his voice barely audible.  

A voice resonated within his mind, deep and commanding, like the echo of eternity: “All that you need lies within the cavern.”  

Lin Jiang froze, his breath catching. “Inside the cavern? Then I must see for myself.”  

He hurried forward, his footsteps echoing against the stone, each step a fragile defiance against exhaustion. The cavern opened into a vast chamber filled with countless sealed chests, their surfaces coated with dust and the weight of centuries.  

“What are these?” he murmured, curiosity sparking in his weary eyes.  

He pried open the nearest chest. Inside lay stacks of ancient scrolls and tomes, their parchment yellowed, their ink faded yet still legible. The scent of old paper and ink filled the air, mingling with the dampness of stone.  

“I won’t be alone anymore,” Lin Jiang whispered, clutching the books with trembling hands, his heart aching with fragile hope.  

He opened another chest. This time, thousands of demon pearls glittered within, glowing faintly with eerie light. Their aura pulsed like heartbeats, filling the chamber with a strange hum that resonated in his bones.  

“These… these are treasures beyond measure,” Lin Jiang gasped, his voice trembling with awe. He knew well that in the martial world, demon pearls contained the essence of beasts—power that could elevate one’s strength if harnessed correctly.  

He moved to another chest, and when its lid creaked open, a cascade of golden coins spilled forth, clinking against the stone floor. The metallic scent filled the air, dazzling his eyes with their brilliance. The chamber glowed with reflected light, as though dawn had broken underground.  

Chest after chest revealed more gold, until he reached the final one—a small box plated entirely in gold, its surface gleaming even in the dim cavern light.  

“This one is different,” Lin Jiang whispered, his heart pounding. “It’s smaller… and gilded.”  

He lifted the lid. Inside lay a single ring, carved with the image of a dragon. Its surface shimmered faintly, as though alive, breathing with hidden power.  

“What kind of ring is this?” Lin Jiang muttered, picking it up carefully.  

The ring was cold to the touch, yet it seemed to pulse faintly against his skin, as though it carried a heartbeat of its own. He weighed it in his palm, certain it was no ordinary ornament.  

“This must be a relic… but what is its purpose?” he wondered aloud, his voice filled with unease.  

Doubt gnawed at him. Reluctantly, he placed the ring back into the chest and turned toward the trove of scrolls.  

“Perhaps one of these tomes will explain,” he said, determination flickering in his eyes like a fragile flame.  

He rifled through the ancient texts, but most were useless—manuals of techniques irrelevant to him, their words heavy with forgotten wisdom. Only a handful contained knowledge he could apply.  

At last, he uncovered a scroll detailing the use of demon pearls. His brow furrowed as he read, the flickering torchlight casting shadows across his young face.  

“So it isn’t as simple as I thought,” Lin Jiang murmured. The text warned that demon pearls could corrupt the body if absorbed recklessly, twisting the user’s essence into something monstrous.  

Then his eyes caught an illustration—a ring identical to the one he had found.  

“This… this is the same ring,” he whispered, his pulse quickening, his breath shallow.  

He devoured the explanation, each word igniting his mind with revelation.  

“A ring of space and time… a relic beyond price!” Lin Jiang exclaimed, his voice trembling with awe.