The Author's Draft-Chapter 34: Return I

Long Chen sat cross-legged on the cultivation platform, the stone cool beneath him. The cave was silent except for his breathing and the faint hum of spiritual energy from the formations carved into the walls.

"Alright," he said quietly. "System. Show me."

The notifications he’d minimized earlier exploded across his vision in a cascading wall of green text.

[Emergency Medical Assessment - Recorded During Combat]

[WARNING: Critical injuries detected]

[- Fractured ribs: 7]

[- Shattered collarbone: Left side]

[- Internal bleeding: Moderate]

[- Torn muscles: Multiple locations]

[- Qi depletion: 94%]

[- Meridian stress: Severe]

[Recommendation: Immediate medical attention required]

[Status: Injuries stabilized through demonic possession. Host survived.]

Long Chen winced reading through the list. He’d known his body was destroyed during the fight, but seeing it spelled out like a medical report made it real.

’Seven broken ribs. No wonder breathing hurt so much.’

The next set of notifications appeared.

[Equal Life Contract - Analysis Complete]

[Contract Partner: Azazel]

[Classification: Demon - Seven Deadly Sins (Pride)]

[Bond Type: Soul-level bond, permanent, unbreakable]

[Benefits:]

[Access to Demon Tenebrae]

[Access To Azazel’s Intent and Domain]

[Resistance to soul attacks increased by 300%]

[Drawbacks:]

[Shared vitality (partner’s survival linked to yours)]

[Temporary loss of bodily control during possession]

[Shared pain during certain contract activations]

[Demonic energy may influence personality over time]

[Partner can request possession in life-threatening situations]

[Killing intent sensitivity permanently increased]

[Warning: Demonic contracts carry social stigma. Discovery may result in hostility from Ancient orthodox cultivation sects.]

Long Chen read through the drawbacks section twice. "Influence personality over time? What does that mean?"

[Prolonged exposure to demonic energy can alter behavioral patterns. Increased aggression, reduced empathy and increased arrogance.]

[However, given your recent cultivation of the Heavenly Demon Cultivation Technique and exposure to Demon Dweller’s killing intent, these effects may already be present.]

"Great. So I’m slowly becoming more violent whether I like it or not."

[Correct. Though ’slowly’ may be optimistic.]

Long Chen wanted to argue, but he couldn’t. He’d noticed the changes himself. The way fighting felt good now. The satisfaction when his attacks landed. The lack of guilt when he’d crippled Shenlie.

’I’m changing. And I don’t know if I can stop it.’

He pushed the thought aside and continued reading.

The next notification made him pause.

[ALERT: Unprecedented Physiological Change Detected]

[Dragonfang (Sealed Sword) - Status Update]

[Seal integrity: Degrading]

[Reason: Host’s dragon bloodline resonance increasing]

[Celestial Heavenly Dragon is undergoing an unexpected change]

[Estimated time until partial unsealing: Unknown]

[Warning: Unsealing may trigger—]

The notification was cut off, replaced by another that made Long Chen’s breath catch.

[CRITICAL ALERT: abnormality in Host Heart Detected]

[Dumb Host, there’s something up with you.]

[Classification: Draconic, Demonic, Unknown]

[Status: Unsealing in progress (15% complete)]

[Effect: Unknown]

[Time until full awakening: Unknown]

[Recommendation: Monitor closely.] 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

[Potential threat level: Extreme.]

"What the hell?" Long Chen pressed a hand to his chest. His heart beat normally. He felt fine—well, as fine as someone with seven broken ribs could feel. "System, explain. What’s in my heart?"

[Insufficient data. Whatever it is, it’s sealed and shielded from analysis.]

[What is known: It has been present since before you inhabited this body. It is not hostile—currently. And it is awakening.]

"That’s not an explanation!"

[That is all the information available. More data will become accessible as the unsealing progresses.]

Long Chen stared at the notification. Something was sealed in Long Chen’s heart. Something that was waking up. And the system had no idea what it was.

’Just another problem to add to the list.’

He forced himself to keep reading through the remaining notifications. Most were combat logs, nothing new apart from the dooming message of his heart acting up.

Finally, he reached the end.

"System," Long Chen said. "Show me my mission status. I completed the objective, didn’t I?"

[Oh, so NOW you want to check your mission status?]

[After ignoring it for seven days?]

[After almost dying multiple times?]

[After making a contract with a literal demon?]

"Just show me the damn status, ever been told you talk too much?"

[Fine.]

A new window appeared.

[Mission Complete: Annual Clan Gathering]

[Objective: Rank within top 10 participants]

[Actual Result: 2nd Place]

[Rewards Obtained:]

[- 5 Foundation Establishment Pills]

[- Access to Martial Pavilion (3rd Floor)]

[- Spirit Spring Access (1 week)]

[Mission Complete: Immortal Sword Sect Recruitment]

[Objective: Secure sect membership ]

[Actual Result: Inner Sect Disciple Status]

[Rewards:]

[- Return Ticket (1x) - Can be used anytime]

[- Cultivation resources upon sect entry]

[- Access to sect techniques and facilities]

[All objectives completed. Host may return to reality at any time.]

Long Chen stared at the window. Return to reality, back to Earth. Back to his moldy flat and his real life.

The thought was both relieving and exhausting.

"I can go back now?"

[Correct. Would you like to initiate the return protocol?]

Long Chen thought about it. He was exhausted, injured, his qi reserves were nearly empty. He’d been in this world for... how long? Weeks? It felt like months.

"Yes. Send me back."

[Acknowledged. Initiating return protocol in 10 seconds.]

[Please note: Time dilation between worlds remains active. Approximately 2 weeks have passed in reality.]

[Also...]

The system’s tone shifted slightly. If it could sound smug, it did now.

[There is a huge surprise waiting for you when you next enter this story world.]

Long Chen’s eyes narrowed. "What kind of surprise?"

[That would ruin the surprise, wouldn’t it?]

[Enjoy your return to reality.]

[10... 9... 8...]

"Wait, what surprise—"

[7... 6... 5...]

"System, explain—"

[4... 3... 2...]

"Damn it—"

[1...]

Light swallowed the cave.

—

Aiden gasped and his eyes snapped open.

He was lying on his back on the cold tile of his apartment. The same cracked ceiling, the same brick wall visible through the window.

Home.

He sat up slowly, testing his body. No broken ribs, no shattered collarbone, no torn muscles. Physically, he was fine.

Mentally?

Mentally, he felt like he’d been chewed, swallowed, backed up, spat out, and stepped on for good measure.

The exhaustion was bone-deep. Soul-deep. The kind that came from weeks of constant stress, fighting, nearly dying multiple times, and oh yes, making a contract with a demon.

A second later, a green text flickered in the corner of his vision.

[Welcome back, Aiden.]