Devourer of Heaven

The biting wind of the Obsidian Peaks was a cruel master, whipping snowflakes into Liu Wushi’s already frostbitten face. He coughed, the sound ragged in the thin air, and tightened his threadbare robes. A trickle of crimson stained the snow beneath him – a reminder of Elder Qing Mu’s “disciplining” earlier that day. Disciplining. It was always disciplining when the elder needed a punching bag, a scapegoat, or simply felt like proving his power. Wushi had been at the Azure Cloud Academy for three years, and in those three years, he’d learned one brutal truth: talent was everything. And he, Liu Wushi, possessed none. Or so everyone thought. He stumbled, his foot catching on a gnarled root. He fell, landing hard on the icy ground. Despair threatened to swallow him whole. He was weak, insignificant. A waste of space. Maybe Elder Qing Mu was right. Maybe he should just give up. As he lay there, defeated, his fingers brushed against something cold and smooth beneath the snow. He dug, his numb fingers scraping against the earth, until he unearthed a small, ornate cauldron, crafted from a metal darker than night. It was intricately carved with swirling patterns that seemed to writhe before his very eyes. He’d heard the whispers, the legends of forbidden artifacts hidden within the Obsidian Peaks, relics from a forgotten age, objects of immense and terrifying power. He’d dismissed them as old wives’ tales. Now, holding this cauldron in his hands, he knew they were all too real. A jolt of energy surged through him, a power unlike anything he’d ever experienced. It felt…hungry. It resonated with his own desperate yearning, his burning desire to be more than the academy’s whipping boy. He didn’t know it then, but the Heaven Devouring Cauldron had chosen him. Days turned into weeks. Wushi, driven by a newfound purpose, explored the cauldron’s power. He started small, absorbing stray energy from the surrounding environment. The fatigue that had plagued him for years vanished, replaced by a growing sense of vitality. He practiced his rudimentary cultivation techniques with a focus he’d never possessed before. The cauldron whispered to him, guiding him, showing him how to refine his newfound abilities. His first target was Bai Zhan, a senior disciple who routinely stole Wushi’s meager rations and mocked his lack of progress. One evening, as Bai Zhan swaggered past, Wushi subtly activated the cauldron. He focused on the arrogant youth, picturing his strength, his arrogance, his very life force. Bai Zhan stumbled, a look of confusion crossing his face. He clutched at his chest, gasping for air. Wushi watched, a cold satisfaction spreading through him, as Bai Zhan’s cultivation level seemed to visibly diminish. When Bai Zhan finally collapsed, unconscious, Wushi felt a surge of power coursing through him, the remnants of Bai Zhan's stolen strength. Revenge tasted sweet. News of Bai Zhan’s mysterious affliction spread like wildfire through the academy. Whispers of a curse, a dark omen, filled the training halls. Elder Qing Mu, predictably, blamed Wushi. He summoned Wushi to his chambers, his face contorted with rage. “You dare bring shame upon the Azure Cloud Academy with your incompetence and your foul luck?” he roared, his voice echoing through the room. Wushi, for the first time, didn’t cower. He stood tall, the cauldron thrumming with anticipation within him. “My luck is changing, Elder,” he said, his voice low and dangerous. Qing Mu lunged, his hand crackling with energy. “I will crush you, boy, and erase this stain from our order!” Wushi braced himself, the cauldron surging to life. He focused all his will on Qing Mu, on the elder’s power, his arrogance, his suffocating control. The room shimmered. Qing Mu faltered, his attack faltering. He stared at Wushi, his eyes widening in disbelief. “What…what is happening?” Wushi didn’t answer. He simply continued to draw on Qing Mu’s energy, the elder’s life force fueling his

Disclaimer: This show may contain expletives, strong language, and mature content for adult listeners, including sexually explicit content and themes of violence. This is a work of fiction and any resemblance to real persons, businesses, places or events is coincidental. This show is not intended to offend or defame any individual, entity, caste, community, race, religion or to denigrate any institution or person, living or dead. Listener's discretion is advised.Less