Corrupt Creations

Seth was standing inside a teleportation platform. By his side Lilian was ready to teleport back to the Blazing Phoenix city. 

While some people were making the preparations and handling all the side work, Lilian turned toward Seth and tried to ask something. 

Although she opened her mouth many times to speak, she was never able to actually do it. She remembered the sinister way he looked towards the soldiers after having massacred all those beasts back then. 

At that time, she was more worried about him than anything, however she felt awkward whenever she tried to voice her concerns. 

As Seth absorbed the red essence present on the air after those beasts died, he could feel more empowered than ever, the third seal sealing the seed was weakening at every moment. This time he was a bit fearful about what was going to happen. Someone or something was influencing his mind with that power and he could not go against it. 

This last week, he was constantly meditating in order to calm down. If there was something good he took out of that day, it would be that after absorbing that strange red energy, his body seemed stronger and his strength went from the Mana Perception initial-stage to the middle-stage. 

However now, it was already time to return to the Blazing Phoenix Sect and he could not afford to waste any more time preoccupied with that. 

"Seth, I think that at this time the Fire Labyrinth may have already opened, however it will stay opened for an entire week, so at most we will lose a bit of time in comparison to the people who have entered it before us." 

Seth started to get a bit impatient and Lilian noticed. Whatever he wanted from the Blazing Phoenix Sect, was inside the Labyrinth. 

"You don't have to be so anxious." 

"Huh? I'm sorry, it's just that it will be a completely new experience for me." 

Seth's state made Lilian notice the importance the event meant for him. She started to raise some questions inside her head. She felt like his goal has always been it. 

"Sigh... Seth, answer me truthfully. What would you do if I hadn't invited you to the Fire Labyrinth?" 

Seth looked at Lilian and the latter was expecting a sincere reply. 

"Well... I would have other means to actually participate, they just might have been a bit more forceful." Seth said while smiling. 

This reply actually made something click inside Lilian's mind. She smiled back, satisfied about his sincerity. At least for now. 

"Everything is ready." The people in charge of the teleport formation activated it and a blinding light enveloped Seth and Lilian, leaving not a single trace of them behind. 

On the other side, there were some guards stationed around a teleport circle that was located inside a building on the Blazing Phoenix city. 

The guards watched the formation activating in a bright light. An energy influx blinded everyone that was trying to watch, but they realized that two new presences were already standing there. 

After their vision returned, the guards could finally see their patrons. 

"Huo Lilian?" 

"Report to the Sect Master that the princess is back!" 

"There is no need! I'll go immediately join with him." Lilian replied. 

Seth left the formation and felt that the Blazing Phoenix city was hotter than normally today. 

After leaving the building he realized why. An immense fire vortex was spinning right above the Blazing Phoenix sect grounds. 

"Let's go back to the sect grounds Seth." 

He nodded. 

. 

. 

. 

Huo Yuyin had sneaked past the low security around where the vortex had spawned. The elders and disciples left behind were all in charge of watching over the sect gates and borders today. 

Since it would be impossible for someone to enter the labyrinth without a token, it would be better to reinforce the defenses against an incoming attack from outside than to stay defending a position at the center of the sect. 

That left many gaps for a mischievous little imp like Yuyin to delight. She slowly and secretly approached the site where the center of the vortex originated and raised the fire token, she has gotten from Meiyi. 

Her petite body was quickly enveloped with flames and the suction force from the vortex finally applied on her. 

"UOOOAAHOAHHWAYUUAAAAAAA!!!" 

Screaming for her life, she disappeared within the vortex. 

She failed to notice a presence that observed her actions. 

Huo Jianhong had witnessed everything. He was hiding from all eyes, trying to see if Lilian would come. His main plan would be orchestrated on Lilian's presence, but fate reserved another thing for him. His eyes glinted with a sinister light and he decided to enter the labyrinth a little earlier. 

. 

. 

. 

Bang! 

A dead body from a disciple that guarded the entrance of the female area laid on the floor. Tao Zhong killed her with his own hands. 

"I don't want any witnesses, let's go directly to our target's location." 

Tao Changming nodded. They activated their cultivation strength and sprinted towards a certain area. Today, no one could pay attention on their movements, so they just needed to murder anyone that unfortunately witnessed their actions. 

Chun Meiyi was at the backyard of her house, she looked at the fire vortex spinning on the sky and felt how insignificant she was near such phenomenon. She kept musing over many things, from a certain moment onwards, she started to voice some of those things. 

"This world is so huge. I feel so tiny before this giant vortex... Will I one day be able to find my father? Is mother doing well? Where have Seth gone to?" 

"You won't need to worry about that anymore after today." 

"Who's there?" Meiyi stood up in panic, trying to search whoever was the one who intruded her house. 

Tud! Tud! 

Instead of seeing whoever was actually threatening her, the first thing she actually saw was two lifeless disciples' bodies being thrown right before her feet. 

"Ah!" 

"It's just a pity that you won't have a clean and peaceful death like those two had." 

A man donned with the core disciple's robe entered her backyard. His appearance was really plain, but lately there has been an aura of death mixing with his essence, making him look paler than normal. 

"Who are you? If you don't leave, I'll call the elders!" Meiyi started to move away from him, but at some point, she bumped on something. 

From behind Meiyi, Tao Changming caught her arms before she tried to run, immobilizing her movements. 

"Today is a very special occasion, there is almost no one patrolling these sides so you can forget about that. Actually, the formation around here is enough to block any sound you will be making." 

Tao Changming was ready to seal her cultivation, suppressing it with his own, but before he could do that a thick mist surged, blocking his spiritual perception. However, it was unfortunate for Meiyi, the fact that she could not shake off from the confinement. 

Tao Zhong used his Qi to clear up all that mist and everything became normal again. 

This time Tao Changming had already suppressed her cultivations, sealing any attempt of escape Meiyi could possibly do. 

"Tell me. Do you remember a man called Tao Yong? He was my precious little brother. The last time he was seen was when he tried to pursue you. What kind of vixen are you to use my brother and then discard him after?" Tao Zhong was slowly approaching. 

Meiyi's countenance changed when she remembered who Tao Yong was. 

"You're wrong, it was him who tried to attack me! I didn't use anyone." 

"Oh, so you admit that you encountered him before. What happened with him?" 

"I don't know." Meiyi really didn't know. After Seth defeated the group that came to attack her, she left the cave immediately. The one that stood behind with the unconscious Tao Yong was Seth. 

"So, you want to play it difficult, huh? Let's see until when you will be able to keep up with that." 

Tao Zhong started to release his Qi, forming a really strange flame that had some devilish traces mixed. His flames looked ghastly and sometimes it would turn a bit dark purple. He controlled his flame to assault Meiyi, but those flames were too strong for him to possess a perfect control over it. 

Some parts of Meiyi robes were burnt and the flames lashed on her skin for a second, leaving some shallow marks. The problem lied in the fact that some devilish energy, like a poison, started to spread inside her body. 

Meiyi felt fear for the first time, but it wasn't because the man injured her. She felt fear at the possibility of losing the chance to meet the precious people on her life. Fear that she might lose her purity without being able to express her feeling for the person she liked. Even if she were to survive, her life would not be the same. These people would rob her of her peace. 

'Seth, I want to see you again.' Tears streamed from her eyes while she thought of one of her most precious desires. 

The black mark Seth left on her writs started to resonate with her thoughts, sending traceless signals that none of the people present could detect.