My System Devours Immortals

The Chosen Ones

The tournament grounds were packed by dawn.

Every outer sect disciple had gathered. Hundreds of gray robes. Thousands of whispered bets. The annual Outer Sect Tournament was the only chance for trash to become something. Win, and you entered the Inner Sect. Lose, and you stayed forgotten.

Cris stood at the edge of the crowd. The jade token hung from his neck. Elder Shen's mark. Disciples avoided his gaze. They had heard what happened to Zhao Kun. They had heard about the assassins.

No one wanted to fight him.

"First match," an elder announced. "Cris of the Outer Sect versus Fen of the Outer Sect."

Fen stepped forward. He was large. Qi Gathering Fourth Layer. His arms were thick with muscle and scar tissue. He had won this tournament two years ago. Lost in the finals last year.

"You're the cripple everyone's talking about," Fen said. "You don't look like much."

Cris said nothing.

Fen cracked his knuckles. "I'm going to break you in half."

The elder raised his hand. "Begin."

Fen charged. His fist was like a hammer. Cris sidestepped. Fen's punch shattered the stone behind him. Dust exploded.

Cris moved.

He ducked under a wild swing. Drove his elbow into Fen's ribs. Heard something crack. Fen roared and spun, backhanding Cris across the face. Cris stumbled. Blood filled his mouth.

"He's strong. Let him tire."

Cris wiped his mouth. Fen attacked again. Cris blocked. Took hits. Waited.

Fen's breathing grew heavy. His swings slowed. His guard dropped.

Cris struck.

His fist caught Fen in the throat. The big man gagged. Cris grabbed his arm and threw him. Fen hit the ground hard. Before he could rise, Cris pressed his palm to his chest.

"Devour."

He didn't kill. He didn't cripple. He just took a little. Enough to grow. Fen's qi flowed into him—weak but useful. His meridians expanded. His cultivation rose.

"Qi Gathering Sixth Layer. Technique: Iron Body. Absorbed."

Cris stepped back. Fen lay on the ground, gasping, alive but drained.

"Winner: Cris."

The crowd went silent.

---

Elder Shen watched from the VIP platform. Beside him, other elders shifted uncomfortably.

"He's too strong for the outer sect," one muttered.

"He's a monster," another said.

Elder Shen smiled. "He's my disciple."

Across the platform, Elder Han stood alone. His face was pale. He watched Cris walk off the arena floor and disappear into the crowd.

"You're playing a dangerous game," Elder Han said quietly.

Elder Shen glanced at him. "I always do."

"That boy is not a tool. He's a weapon. Weapons don't care who holds them."

"Then I'll hold him carefully."

Elder Han shook his head. "You won't. No one can. The Devourer consumes everything. Including its master."

Elder Shen's smile faded. He said nothing.

---

Cris found a quiet corner behind the training hall. He sat against the wall, breathing hard. His body ached. His meridians burned. But he was stronger.

"Two more fights today. Then the finals tomorrow."

"I know."

"The next opponent will be stronger."

"I know."

"You're not worried?"

Cris closed his eyes. "Worry doesn't help."

Footsteps approached. He opened his eyes.

Joe stood in front of him. Inner-sect robes. Arms crossed. His face was sharp, handsome, and cold.

"You're the one everyone's talking about," Joe said.

Cris said nothing.

"I watched your fight. You held back."

"So?"

"So why?" Joe crouched in front of him. "You could have killed him. You didn't. You could have devoured everything. You didn't. Why?"

Cris met his gaze. "Because I'm not a monster."

Joe laughed. Short. Bitter. "You carry a ring that eats the dead. You're exactly a monster. You're just pretending not to be."

"What do you want?"

Joe stood. "I want to fight you. Not today. Not tomorrow. But soon. When you're stronger. When you're worth killing."

He turned and walked away.

Cris watched him go. The system whispered.

"He is dangerous. Kill him later."

"Maybe," Cris said. "Or maybe not."

---

The second fight was quick.

Cris's opponent was a girl named Lin. Qi Gathering Fifth Layer. Fast. Precise. She landed three hits before Cris caught her wrist and drained a fraction of her qi. She collapsed. He helped her up.

"Sorry," he said.

She stared at him. "You're not what they say."

"What do they say?"

"That you're a demon. That you eat people."

Cris smiled. "Only the dead ones."

She didn't laugh.

---

The third fight was against a disciple named Sun—the same Sun who had come to drag Cris to Zhao Kun two days ago.

Sun was pale. His hands shook.

"I don't want to fight you," he said.

"Then surrender."

"I can't. Zhao Lei is watching."

Cris looked up. In the crowd, Zhao Lei stood with arms crossed. His eyes burned with hatred.

"Fine," Cris said. "Make it quick."

Sun attacked. Cris ended it in three moves. He didn't devour anything. He just knocked Sun unconscious and walked away.

The crowd cheered. They didn't know why. They just liked winners.

---

Elder Han found Cris after the matches.

"Walk with me," the old man said.

They walked through the outer sect, past the training yards and the dormitories. Elder Han's limp was heavy. His face was tired.

"You won three fights. You didn't kill anyone. That's good."

"I'm not a killer."

"You're going to be." Elder Han stopped. "The secret realm opens tomorrow. The Ten Thousand Beast Forest. Disciples from every sect will enter. Inner sect. Core sect. Even some Foundation Establishment cultivators."

"I know."

"Zhao Lei will be there. He's leading the Azure Peak team. He will kill you the moment you enter."

Cris nodded. "I expected that."

"You're not afraid?"

"I'm always afraid." Cris looked at the ring. "But fear doesn't stop me."

Elder Han sighed. "You remind me of someone."

"You said that before."

"I know." The old man reached into his robe and pulled out a small jade pendant. "Take this."

Cris took it. The pendant was warm. Ancient. Symbols covered its surface—the same symbols as the ring.

"What is it?"

"A key. To a place I found fifty years ago. A hidden tomb. Deep in the forest. I never opened it. I was too afraid."

"Afraid of what?"

"Of what's inside." Elder Han turned away. "Find the tomb. Open it. Whatever's inside will help you. Or kill you. I don't know which."

Cris pocketed the pendant. "Why are you helping me?"

Elder Han didn't answer for a long time. Then he spoke.

"Because fifty years ago, I watched the Devourer destroy an entire sect. I watched it kill my master. My friends. Everyone I loved." He looked at Cris. "And I ran. I've been running ever since."

"You think I can stop it?"

"I think you're the only one who might."

The old man walked away. His limp was heavier than before.

Cris stood alone in the dark. The pendant was warm against his chest.

"The tomb. The secret realm. The Court." The system pulsed. "Many paths. All dangerous."

"Good," Cris said. "I don't like easy."

---

That night, Cris dreamed.

He stood in a vast hall. Bones covered the floor. At the center, a throne made of skulls. On the throne, a figure in black robes. Red eyes glowing.

The figure smiled.

"Little Devourer. You're growing."

Cris tried to move. He couldn't.

"I've waited ten thousand years for a host. You're not the first. But you might be the last."

"Who are you?"

"I am what you will become. I am the furnace that eats the heavens. I am the end of all things."

The figure stood. The hall shook.

"Come find me, little Devourer. In the forest. In the tomb. I'm waiting."

The dream shattered.

Cris woke gasping. His ring was burning hot. The pendant was cold.

Outside, the sun was rising.

The secret realm was opening.