Deviant: No Longer Human

Wang Xueying wanted to follow him, but her feet stayed rooted to the ground. Alone, in this grand hall, surrounded by serious-looking officials and heavily armed guards, the walls seemed to close in on her.

Her soft, delicate features—usually the picture of calm elegance—now reflected growing anxiety.

The once majestic hall now seemed far too imposing, the officials' glances far too piercing. She glanced down at her own figure—her jade-like limbs and flowing robes—which now felt entirely out of place in such a tense atmosphere.

'Ugh... why would he leave me here like this?' she whispered under her breath, trying to suppress the urge to flee.

In the distance, two staff members whispered, their eyes flicking in her direction.

"... Is she new hire?"

"Shhh… Probably from Diplomat's side, don't point fingers.."

Wang Xueying's face flushed. Her smile twitched awkwardly as she forced herself to keep walking. Her steps, usually so graceful, now faltered as if she were walking through quicksand. The more she tried to act natural, the more she felt like a rabbit trapped in a tiger's den.

"This is fine…" Wang Xueying thought to herself, forcing a too-sweet smile to grace her lips. "Just walk normally…"

She tried to move with grace, but her legs felt stiff, her steps too awkward. Each attempt at composure only made her more self-conscious.

"Ugh! Why is this harder than calculus? Quantum mechanics was easier than this!" she groaned inwardly, her smile tightening as she caught a glimpse of more officials glancing her way.

Her movements betrayed her, too quick, too stiff. Her hips swayed too much in her flustered attempt at elegance, only making her stand out more.

Her presence, once like a serene lotus in a calm pond, now seemed to shout, "I'm definitely not supposed to be here!"

Meanwhile, Wang Xiao slipped through the corridors like a breeze, unnoticed by everyone.

If he had known just how disastrously his tall and mighty 'Golden Scholar' was failing to blend in, he might've reconsidered his choice to leave her alone.

She cursed him silently as she continued down the hall, her cheeks burning with embarrassment. 'Beat them up? Throw them out of window?' she thought, gritting her teeth. 'What kind of advice is that? Am I some kind of juggernaut!'

__________

The Obsidian Library!

A place steeped in legend, lay nestled deep within the Kunlun Mountains, once the cradle of Taoist wisdom and spiritual enlightenment.

The monastery, perched atop the heart of the mountain, had once trained only the finest—those destined to become pillars of Taoist teachings, guiding the world toward balance and harmony.

But now, the world had changed.

The sacred library, once a sanctuary of quiet contemplation, had transformed into a crucible for power.

Young monks, once focused solely on enlightenment, now practiced ancient Taoist teachings to gain supernatural strength.

The halls that echoed with wisdom now resounded with the clang of weapons and the pulse of battle energy.

In the vast training grounds surrounding the monastery, every monk held a spear, their grips tight, bodies tense, as though ready to face a life-and-death struggle.

The air crackled with tension, and their eyes were fixed on the horizon.

Suddenly—

ROARRRRR!

A bone-shaking cry tore through the sky.

CRASH!

Far off in the distance, a towering mountain range shattered like glass, crumbling under the devastating force of a colossal beast.

Its serpentine body stretched for tens of kilometers, its scales gleaming like black jade under the sun. The creature, a sovereign-class worm, gaped its massive maw and swallowed the mountains whole, its body writhing and coiling like a serpent of destruction.

It was a beast of ancient myth, its power equal to that of a human Sage—vast, unfathomable, enough to crush peaks and shake the very earth beneath it.

The air itself seemed to be suffocating in it's presence.

Panic rippled through the ranks of the young monks.

"The Abbot is here!"

A voice rang out through the crowd, sharp and clear.

"The Abbot is here!"

A surge of relief flooded the monks as whispers of "Finally!" echoed through the ranks.

Their gazes turned upwards, toward the monastery's towering gate.

The Abbot—their last hope, a man whose strength rivaled the greatest of human cultivators—was about to step forth.

At the towering gates of the monastery, a figure emerged.

His robes, a deep shade of crimson, flowed like a river of blood.

His eyes, ancient and wise, glinted like polished jade, reflecting the calm of one who had seen countless battles. His steps were measured, slow yet deliberate, as if the chaos around him was of no consequence.

Shi Xin, the current revered Abbot of the Obsidian Library, had finally come.

Behind him, three senior disciples followed closely, their faces resolute but shadowed by the weight of what lay before them.

Among them were Jiang Tian, a monk known for his unmatched spear technique, and Mei Lian, whose mastery over physical combat was second only to the Abbot.

The third was Wu Ren, silent and stoic.

Jiang Tian couldn't hold back any longer. "Master Shi, that creature... it's like nothing we've faced before. A Sovereign-class beast? Are we truly prepared for this?"

Shi Xin glanced at the distant, rampaging worm, its gargantuan body coiling and uncoiling like a dragon of destruction.

His gaze remained unreadable, his voice calm. "Tian, you fear its size, its power. But tell me, what is a mountain before the will of a person?"

Jiang Tian hesitated. "Nothing... if the will is strong enough."

Shi Xin nodded slowly, his hands clasped behind his back as if they weren't facing imminent doom. "Remember that. The Tao flows through all of us, whether we stand on solid ground or face calamity. Fear will only cloud your spirit."

As if to punctuate his words, the ground shook again, this time more violently.

Another distant peak crumbled into dust as the beast continued its relentless advance.

Its massive form darkened the horizon, blotting out the sun as it moved closer.

Mei Lian's usually calm face twitched with worry. "Abbot Shi Xin, this creature... it's drawn to something. Its movements are too deliberate. It's heading straight for the monastery!"

Shi Xin's eyes narrowed. "Indeed. This beast is a servant of something far darker. There are forces beyond what we see."

He stepped forward, raising his hand, and the air around him shimmered with a golden light, casting a wave of soothing energy that rippled across the battlefield. Yet, nothing happened beyond that.

"What's up, little baldie..." A voice, smooth and casual.

A shiloutte stepped forward, placing a hand on Shi Xin's shoulder with a familiarity that seemed out of place.

"What!?"

"Huh?"

Mei Lian and Wu Ren's eyes widened in shock, their bodies stiffening as they wondered how this stranger had approached without a single soul noticing.

"Identity yourself!"

Jiang Tian, ever the protective disciple, didn't hesitate—his spear shot forward, aimed squarely at the man's back.

But Wang Xiao, the stranger, didn't flinch. His smile was almost playful as he glanced over his shoulder.

Swoosh!

"!!"

SPLURT!

Jiang Tian's spear never met its mark. Instead, it twisted in mid-air, backfiring as if an invisible force had bent it to the attacker's will.

The sharp tip drove straight into Jiang Tian's own abdomen. His eyes widened in disbelief as the cold steel pierced his flesh.

"S-So strong… will…" he muttered, blood bubbling at his lips. For a fleeting moment, his spirit energy clashed against Wang Xiao's—but it was like a pebble striking against an ocean. Wang Xiao's power, vast and unyielding, crushed his resistance with ease.

"Senior Brother!"

"Brother Tian!"