Volume One: A Thousand Years of Streams Chapter 23: The True Arrival of Darkness

Moonlight spilled over Feng Yueyi, while Sun Zikai remained cloaked in darkness. At this moment, the one who understood Sun Zikai best was undoubtedly the yellow-furred beast beside him. It sensed the faint yet palpable killing intent lurking in the shadows and guessed that the devilish youth was weighing his options internally, with the girl’s fate hanging on the outcome of his decision.

Feng Yueyi was too young to perceive the malice; she cautiously approached Sun Zikai, carefully avoiding the beast’s claws. The moonlight seemed to follow her steps. Drawing near, she asked, “Why don’t you speak? You’re an outer disciple—how did you get into the Outer Garden?”

Sun Zikai chose to respond but refrained from attacking, much to the relief of the fierce beast beside him. He countered, “I clearly sensed a small beast approaching—why is it you instead?”

“I know shape-shifting,” Feng Yueyi said, then transformed into a small deer.

Sun Zikai marveled at the subtlety of the technique: after transforming into an animal, even the vitality and energy of a human were convincingly mimicked in animal form.

Feng Yueyi, innocent and curious, said, “You still haven’t answered me. How did you get in, and how did you tame that beast? It’s a descendant of a Hou, a high-level beast. Anyone below the seventh stage of Qi Refinement couldn’t withstand even one of its claws.”

At this moment, Sun Zikai wished he possessed a memory-erasing technique. After weighing his options, he decided not to harm Feng Yueyi and calmly said, “That’s a secret. Can you keep it for me?”

Feng Yueyi paused, then replied, “I can keep it, but you have to teach me how to tame it.”

“I discovered it by chance. This guy seems to really like eating…” Sun Zikai’s eyes scanned the surroundings but found no suitable substitute. Finally, he took out a flatbread from his pocket. “Yes, it likes eating flatbread.”

“Huh?” Feng Yueyi doubted. “It’s a meat-eater, even eats people!”

“Really. Don’t believe me? Watch.” Sun Zikai held the flatbread out to the beast’s mouth. The thin bread was smaller than a single tooth of the beast. The beast’s eyes showed confusion but simultaneously sensed Sun Zikai’s murderous, cold gaze. Instantly, its fur bristled as it opened its mouth and carefully licked the tiny sesame-seed-sized piece of flatbread.

The beast’s performance was exaggerated; though it only ate a speck of bread, it acted as if it had feasted, rolling happily on the ground, behaving obediently.

“This is truly… amazing!” Feng Yueyi exclaimed excitedly. “So you can tame a beast with flatbread! I have to tell Master!”

Sun Zikai grabbed her hand. “Didn’t you say you’d keep it a secret for me?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll say I discovered it myself.”

“It only works on this beast, not others.”

“That’s still a major discovery. By the way, what’s your name?”

After a moment’s hesitation, Sun Zikai replied, “My name is Sun Zikai.”

“Oh, Sun Zikai, thank you. Goodbye!” Feng Yueyi transformed back into a deer and dashed into the dark forest.

Sun Zikai found it somewhat exasperating. After standing for a while, he looked at the yellow-furred beast lying on the ground and said, “Keep it up, got it?”

The beast mumbled and nodded.

Sun Zikai realized it wouldn’t be easy to enter the Outer Garden again, so that very night, disregarding the risk of exposure, he roamed the dark forest to hunt beasts and collect their blood. Blood stained the forest floor red, and through repeated refining, Sun Zikai continuously enhanced his strength.

The next morning, Sun Zikai returned to Ansheng Residence, where Jiang Yujin happened to be leaving and asked, “You didn’t come back last night?”

“I was training in the forest. I won’t go there anymore.”

“Why not?”

“My body refinement has reached its limit; beast blood no longer helps me advance.” Thanks to days nourished by beast blood, Sun Zikai had refined his body to the sixth level, his power now 2,048 times that of an average adult.

Jiang Yujin wanted to study the technique brought back the day before, but Sun Zikai said he had something urgent to do and hurried out again as soon as he stepped inside.

At dawn in the Outer Garden, a group of elders and inner disciples stormed in. Wu Lanmu personally arrived and captured the yellow-furred beast. They prepared three large baskets of flatbread, placing them before the beast.

The beast remembered the demonic threat from the night before and continued to feign delight in eating flatbread. How could a carnivore endure tasteless bread? It couldn’t chew it and had to swallow quickly.

Wu Lanmu was astonished. “This is truly strange. You little girl really didn’t lie. Look at it, it’s so happy it’s even tearing up.”

“See? See?” Feng Yueyi said, “I didn’t believe it at first either, until he demonstrated it for me!”

“Oh?” Wu Lanmu tapped Feng Yueyi’s head with a jade finger and said, “Girl, didn’t you say you discovered this yourself?”

“Oh!” Feng Yueyi covered her mouth, stammering, “I didn’t say anything. Master, you didn’t hear a thing.”

“You’ve never been one to lie since childhood, but your mouth never holds still. I knew you were lying last night!”

“No, no! Master, I promised not to tell. Please don’t ask again.”

“I know his name is Liu Chengfan!”

“No, it’s Sun Zikai.” Feng Yueyi realized she had been tricked and sprawled on the ground in a star shape. “Ah, I promised not to tell. Master, you’re mean!”

An elder hurried over. “Sect Leader, there was a group battle here last night. All the large beasts were injured. The western part of the forest was stained with blood.”

“How many died?”

“None. All survived but are wounded.”

Wu Lanmu frowned, “That’s strange.”

The elder said, “I find it baffling too. Judging by the wounds, the fight was fierce, but there’s no sign of combat in the forest.”

“I understand. Increase patrols around the midsection of the Outer Garden’s beasts. Also, send someone to investigate an individual named Sun Zikai, possibly an elder or disciple.”

Wu Lanmu noticed the sly expression flashing briefly across Feng Yueyi’s face and immediately changed the topic. “He’s probably not an inner disciple, but an outer disciple.”

Feng Yueyi gasped. Wu Lanmu smirked, bent down, grabbed Feng Yueyi’s collar, pulling her close. Without a word, her eyes glinted with a mischievous yet sinister light.

Feng Yueyi pouted, looked away, her cheeks flushed, and stammered, “I don’t know anything.”

“Is he an elder?” Wu Lanmu asked calmly.

“I don’t know anything.” Feng Yueyi dared not meet her master’s gaze.

“He’s a disciple!”

“Ah! No, no!”

Wu Lanmu frowned and stood straight, scolding the elder, “Why can an outer disciple enter the Outer Garden?”

“Well…” The elder was at a loss. After a moment, he said, “Impossible… An outer disciple wouldn’t survive to get this far if they broke in.”

“Immediately investigate the outer disciples for a man named Sun Zikai. Bring him before me!”

“Yes!” The elder hurried off with three disciples.

Feng Yueyi lay on the ground, cheeks burning, eyes spinning, sobbing, “Master, how can you do this? I promised not to tell.”

“You said it yourself.”

“Waaah…”

---

Sun Zikai hurried all the way to the western outer compound of Yanming Sect. The eastern part was divided into four pavilions—Ancient, Bright, Broad, and Far—while the western part was all medicine pavilions.

Sun Zikai anticipated trouble and had to bring forward the timeline of his plans.

He inquired continuously in the western compound and by noon finally caught wind of the name.

He found the secluded medicine courtyard, thick with nauseating medicinal odors. Entering, he saw many women sifting herbs with water chestnut sieves. They were used to the smell, having worked there for years. In the center was a large black pot boiling a foul-smelling medicinal broth, inside which a toad the size of a dog flipped over.

The dense smoke stung the eyes, so everyone covered their faces with fine gauze. Sun Zikai entered, but the women paid no attention to the newcomer.

After searching for a while, Sun Zikai stopped before a woman sifting medicinal flowers, who ignored him.

He quietly called, “Aunt Ying.”

She didn’t hear. He called several more times, but the noise of sifting was too loud. Finally, he tugged her and called again.

She didn’t let go of her work and asked, “What did you say?”

“Aunt Ying.”

“What medicine?”

Sun Zikai raised his voice, “Aunt Ying! Is this Kui Ying? Aunt Ying!”

The woman paused, scrutinized Sun Zikai, and asked, “Who are you?”

“I’m Xiao Kai, Sun Zikai.”

The water chestnut sieve slipped to the ground, scattering medicinal flowers.

“Who?”

“Sun Zikai. It’s me, Aunt Ying.”

“Xiao… Xiao Kai? You’ve grown so much. How are you here?”

Half an incense stick later…

The tiny room, one and a half zhang wide, contained only a bed. The ceiling was high; the walls were nailed with wooden planks piled with all sorts of clutter. The floor was so packed with stuff there was barely room to step. Every place to stuff something was filled, so turning around meant brushing against hanging clothes. Only one window, a foot square, let in light at noon.

Living in such a cramped space was stifling, especially since two people shared it.

Sun Zikai sat properly on the bed, waiting quietly. Soon the door opened, and a woman entered carrying two three-tier lunch boxes, saying, “Your uncle won’t be back for lunch. We won’t wait for him; let’s eat.”

She lifted a wooden plank from the floor, placing it horizontally on protruding wall nails—a makeshift table—just enough for two stools.

“Be careful not to get pricked. Your uncle’s been cut on the head several times. Come, eat.”

Sun Zikai sat on the stool. The woman took out the food, divided the chopsticks, and he began eating.

The last time they met was in the rain. Eight years had passed. The woman was now thirty-two, her skin yellowed from medicine fumes, sunken eyes, and scars on her hands and arms from making medicine. Her figure had lost its former shape.

She gave Sun Zikai a piece of meat. He ate relaxedly, as if dining with his mother’s family.

“I thought you lived in the city. I never expected you to enter the sect, let alone the compound. Was an elder impressed by you?”

Sun Zikai chewed and answered, “I earned my spot myself.”

“Earned? How? Who would hire someone so young?”

He swallowed and said, “Aunt Ying, not long after we parted, I went to Ansheng Pass and killed barbarians for six or seven years outside it.”

“You can kill barbarians? You don’t fear death?”

“Easy, not that hard. Ask around in the Fourteen Cities. My name is still well known.” Sun Zikai had never boasted like this before; perhaps he had long stopped seeing himself as a child.

“Killing barbarians can earn money?”

“Not money, military merit. One kill counts as one. Killing four hundred lets you enter the sect.”

The woman was shocked, “You killed four hundred? Impossible.”

“I killed thousands.”

She smiled gently, naturally disbelieving. Seeing her doubt, Sun Zikai just kept eating.

After finishing, he wiped his mouth and asked, “Aunt Ying, don’t you feel suffocated living here with Uncle? You can’t even see the sun.”

She smiled, “He only comes back to sleep. The rest of the time, we’re at the medicine courtyard.”

“Is that considered training?”

She scoffed, “Training? Just labor. The western compound isn’t split into training and miscellaneous workshops. It’s all workshops under the medicine pavilion.”

“If no training, why stay?”

She opened up, “When people came in, it was to train. Recruited from the city, eager to cultivate, we rushed in. But we were trapped. They said entering cost money. If you didn’t have it, you signed an IOU and worked to pay it off. We thought, we could enter the sect without paying upfront, so we came. At first, they showed us around the training grounds and taught us breathing and body refinement. Then they assigned us to medicine courtyards. After moving in, we found everything—lodging, food, clothes—cost money. Sect supplies were expensive. We barely earned enough from making medicine. Eat well, money’s gone. Work less, money’s insufficient. Work more, no time to train. No one cared about our training. Gradually, we became pure laborers.”

“Why not run away?”

She smiled bitterly, “At first, we tried, but they caught and beat us. Later, no one cared because we couldn’t escape. With families to feed, who could easily give up their livelihood? So we saved money for the kids in the city.”

“You have children?”

“Yeah.” Her eyes brightened. “Three years old. You should see him—chubby like a ball, soft all over, but strong legs.”

Sun Zikai smiled and then asked, “So the sect is like this? Horrifying. A place that devours people.”

She shook her head, “Not the sect’s fault, but the Ma family. The Yanming Sect’s medicine faction is nearly consumed by the Ma family. Their power runs deep, turning half the sect into their own medicine workshops. People say in fifty years, the sect will be all theirs. The trap to lure city folk into labor was set by the Ma family. They grew rich from it, with enterprises in the major cities beyond the ridges. The sect is powerless; the Ma family’s influence is too vast. They can only watch helplessly.”

“I see. Understood.” Sun Zikai shifted the topic. “Is my parents’ death related to the Ma family?”

She was stunned. Years ago, faced with a five-year-old, she couldn’t say. Now, though a thirteen-year-old boy, he was still a child.

Sun Zikai said, “I remember my mother mentioned something to my father before leaving home. I only caught fragments but heard her complain about the Ma family. Judging by what you said, my parents were laborers, probably living in this small room. Laborers’ lives only hold value as long as the Ma family allows. You didn’t tell me back then, probably out of fear. I still have the same question: how could small people like my parents be chosen to die?”

The woman hesitated, knowing the truth but still afraid. Sun Zikai said calmly, “I’ve been prepared for this for years. Whether my parents died unjustly, I know in my heart. Aunt Ying, don’t fear the Ma family’s threats; they don’t remember people like us. Even if my parents died unjustly, they were insignificant. They’ve long forgotten.”

Aunt Ying nodded. She wanted to speak but seeing Sun Zikai’s face, her heart softened. He understood and said, “Aunt Ying, I stopped seeing myself as a child long ago. I’ve fought beasts and survived barbarian blades. I’ve been through as much as you have. Don’t worry about me acting rashly; otherwise, I wouldn’t be alive now. Tell me, Aunt Ying, how did my parents die?”

“They were killed by the Ma family.” She poured out eight years of sorrow and pain, tears flowing as she covered her eyes. She repeated the story over and over, unable to stop.

Sun Zikai listened calmly. After a long time, she raised her swollen eyes and saw his serene, youthful face.

He asked, “How exactly?”

She recalled, “Your parents were very gifted. Among us, only they never gave up cultivation. They had only one lesson in breathing and body refinement and practiced by trial. They worked in the medicine courtyard by day and cultivated in the small room at night. They truly reached the Qi Condensation stage. They were exceptionally transferred to a higher-level medicine room, where an elder oversaw them. That elder never had a good face and often beat your mother. When your father tried to intervene, he was beaten too. Still, your parents endured because following the elder gave them a path to cultivation.”

“What was the elder’s name? Where is he now?”

“Han Lei,” she said with hatred. “I can never forget that name. One time, he beat your mother so badly she lost the baby. You didn’t know, but you should have had a younger brother or sister.”

Sun Zikai’s expression changed briefly but quickly returned to calm, letting her continue.

“Later, Han Lei allied with the Ma family and entered the inner sect. He was assigned to guard the southern gate near the ridges—the gate we climbed from the city. It was a cushy post. Half a year ago, he suddenly resigned, apparently moving to Guangjin City, where he got rich. Rumor has it he found a huge gold brick, which made him willing to give up his inner sect elder position for a civilian life.”

Sun Zikai’s face grew cold and terrifying. He moved slightly. “Remember Han Lei, Guangjin City. And then?”

“Han Lei won the Ma family’s favor through a major event that year. The medicine faction and Tianyao Sect, hundreds of miles west beyond the ridges, planned a joint medicine conference at Tianyao Sect. It required many attendants. Han Lei reported all members of the medicine room, and the Ma family even brought us laborers, claiming it was to broaden our horizons, but we were just servants and maids.”

She continued, “On the third day of the conference, the dignitaries suddenly held a martial contest. A female disciple from the medicine faction mistakenly killed a disciple from Tianyao Sect. The dignitaries were displeased; Tianyao Sect felt humiliated. The medicine faction privately sent many gifts to appease them. But the price was that people had to die on our side. They killed good disciples; in exchange for the gifts, they demanded ordinary people like us die.”

“The Ma family’s big shots didn’t want to lose their inner disciples and were troubled. Han Lei went to them and sold all the Qi Refinement practitioners in his medicine room, arranging a show for that Ma family member. He threatened the female disciples, saying the Ma family planned to hand one of them over to die. They were terrified. Han Lei hinted that the Ma family man was fond of women and whoever pleased him might be spared. That night, someone led the rest inside. Regardless of families or innocence, everyone wanted to live and went to that Ma family man’s room. Only your mother refused. She came back and told me that room was full of naked women and a man lying on the bed. She would rather die than comply, so the Ma family man chose her to die and took your father too, calling it ‘a pair sent together.’”

The woman broke into tears again, her voice trembling. “Your parents died horribly, right before my eyes. They only reached the Qi Refinement stage and couldn’t compete with Foundation Establishment cultivators. Your father was dismembered and beheaded on the spot. Your mother… she was beaten unconscious by three female disciples of Tianyao Sect, stabbed awake, and then six black dogs they raised tore her apart. Aaah, aaah!”

Sun Zikai’s face remained calm. He nudged her arm. “Did the sect do nothing?”

She screamed hysterically, “We later found out the conference was orchestrated by the Ma family. The sect had no clue. Only a few dozen people from both sides and us slaves witnessed your parents’ death. No one else knew. Your mother didn’t go into that Ma family man’s room that night. She came back and entrusted the aftermath to me. They were so scared, they forgot to leave you any words.”

The woman was in pain. Sun Zikai recalled later events—the Ma family’s henchman Han Lei intimidated witnesses into silence, so the truth remained hidden. He had secretly inquired about his parents’ names; no one remembered them.

“Aunt Ying, don’t cry yet. Do you remember that Ma family man’s name?”

She thought carefully. “We never met the big shots, but I heard the name Ma Guanzheng. He had a brother. That conference was arranged by those two.”

Sun Zikai nodded. “Anything else you can tell me?”

She thought a moment, shook her head. “No.”

Sun Zikai took ten taels of silver from his pocket, placed it on the table, and said calmly, “Thank you, Aunt Ying, for telling me the truth.”

“Child, we had no choice.”

“I understand. Don’t worry; I will live well.” Sun Zikai forced a smile. “I must go now. I have things to do but will come see you and Uncle again.”

“Xiao Kai!” The woman stood and called after him, “Don’t hold back. Don’t act rashly. Oh, by the way, the sect has a memorial shrine where your parents’ tablets are.”

Sun Zikai turned, nodded, thanked her, and left quickly. The woman followed but lost sight of the boy’s figure. She crouched down and wept bitterly.

At dusk, the youth entered Guangjin City.

The largest mansion in Guangjin was the city’s grandest symbol.

Today, its always-open gate suddenly closed.

Han Lei had just written a fine calligraphy piece in his study when he noticed silence outside. He shouted, “Cui’er, bring tea.”

No response came. Angry, he threw down his brush and kicked open the door, but no one was there. Moments later, weakness overwhelmed him, and he collapsed.

Awakening, he found himself seated in a chair, the table gone, and total darkness around him. This was no mere nightfall—pure darkness engulfed him, yet he sensed it approaching.

A shadow appeared, hidden in the dark, filling him with immense terror.

“Bro… brother, who are you?” Han Lei racked his memory for enemies but had few, or he wouldn’t have lived openly here.

His eyes adjusted and he saw a youth, somewhat familiar, playing with a sphere. A sphere? It was a severed human head. Han Lei shivered with cold dread, fully lucid but powerless, unable to move his hand.

Then he realized it was the head of the child born to him.

“Bastard! Who are you? Dare to say?”

The youth’s hand ignited with flames, burning the head into a skull, which crumbled with a light squeeze. The youth turned, and Han Lei finally recognized him.

“It’s… you?”

“Is the money gone?”

“You… you came for money? Fine, fine. I’ll repay it all tomorrow. Please leave now.”

Sun Zikai entered the darkness and soon dragged out a person, who collapsed in fright, calling, “Master.”

Han Lei recognized her as his newlywed concubine. A cold gleam flashed; the woman’s head fell. Han Lei gaped silently.

Sun Zikai entered darkness again, pulling out another. Han Lei cried, “Father?”

No sooner had he spoken than the head dropped, blood creeping like ghostly claws up Han Lei’s feet.

Into darkness, out of darkness, over and over…

All in the mansion were dragged out one by one, their heads piled high inside.

Then dogs, cats, fish… bodies thrown out, heads left inside.

Han Lei was speechless with horror. He finally saw the demonic figure approach, wielding a blade. Terror radiated from him, forming a strange energy flow. Sun Zikai sensed it and absorbed it—the breath of fear, the malice devoid of mercy. The sky darkened over Guangjin City, never to brighten again.

Matter-of-factly, Sun Zikai first asked, “Where’s the money?”

“Spent… spent it.”

“How much left?”

“A lot… in the treasury.”

“Oh, remember Sun…” He named Sun Zikai’s parents.

“Remember.”

“Oh, I’m their son.” Sun Zikai grabbed his neck. Flames surged, seeping through skin, scorching his throat. Han Lei could not scream as the flames pierced his soul. Sun Zikai vaguely felt countless calls—burning souls, the souls of fire.

The youth tormented him all night until the breath of fear forced Han Lei’s soul out, and the blazing soul unleashed a new round of slaughter.

At dawn, Sun Zikai returned to the sect. The mansion in the city reopened once afterward, then never again.