Chapter 39
Burial
Shen Chen woke to the smell of blood and ash.
He lay on the ground, his body aching with every movement. The camp was in ruins—tents torn, fires scattered, the bodies of his family lying broken on the ground.
"Mei," he whispered, his voice hoarse. "Mei, where are you?"
He crawled through the wreckage, his hands trembling. He found her near the edge of the camp, her body still, her eyes closed.
"Mei, no. No, no, no."
He pressed his hand against her chest, feeling for a heartbeat. It was faint, barely there, but it was there.
"She's alive," he breathed. "She's alive."
He searched the camp, finding survivors among the fallen. Some were wounded, their bodies broken. Others were dead, their souls devoured by the stranger.
When the sun rose, Shen Chen counted the survivors. There were only twelve. Twelve out of forty.
He knelt in the sand, his head bowed, his body trembling with grief.
I failed them. I failed all of them.
But even as the grief consumed him, a new emotion was taking root—a cold, burning rage that would not be extinguished.
The Crimson Dawn Sect. The stranger. He took everything from me. And I will make him pay.
---
They buried the dead at the edge of the canyon, their graves marked with simple stones.
Shen Chen stood at the head of the graves, his voice raw with emotion.
"I don't know their names," he said, his voice trembling. "I don't know where they came from, or what they dreamed of. But I know they were my family. And I will honor their memory."
He paused, his eyes fixed on the graves.
"The stranger took everything from us. He devoured their souls, destroyed our home, and left us broken. But he made a mistake. He let me live."
He turned to face the survivors, his eyes burning with determination.
"I will grow stronger. I will find him. And I will make him pay for what he did. Not for revenge, but for justice. For the memory of our family."
The survivors nodded, their spirits lifted by his words.
"We're with you, Chen," one of them said. "Lead the way."
---
The days that followed were filled with pain and healing.
Shen Chen tended to the wounded, his hands gentle despite his grief. He rebuilt the camp, his body moving on autopilot. He trained, his blade flashing in the desert sun, his mind focused on the goal that lay ahead.
I will find him. I will grow stronger. And when the time comes, I will face him.
But he knew he couldn't rush. The stranger was at the Divine Transformation Realm, a level of power that was beyond anything Shen Chen could hope to achieve in the near future. He would need to be patient. He would need to plan.
"System," he murmured, his voice low. "What is the path to power?"
[Path to Power: The cultivation journey is long and arduous. The host must accumulate resources, master techniques, and advance through the realms. The Void Dragon Physique and Supreme Foundation will accelerate the process, but patience and perseverance are essential.]
[Recommended: Explore the Western Desolation. Gather resources. Build your strength. The path to power begins with a single step.]
Shen Chen nodded slowly. He would explore. He would gather. He would build.
And when he was ready, he would face the stranger.
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