Poison God's Heritage

Outside Shen Bao's pagoda, time was going differently. The palace hosting the lab where all the research was going on seemed to be in a slight uproar of all that just happened and an incredible sense of dissatisfaction from Xuan Fei. Discover exclusive tales on empire

"Where are the reports?" Xuan Fei's voice echoed sharply across the lab, his gaze scouring the room with unmasked irritation. Half a day had passed since Shen Bao and his team entered the portal to the strange realm within his lab, and Xuan Fei's patience was wearing thin. He was not one to let precious time slip by unutilized, especially when he believed his own brilliance was at stake. This was not a simple project of exploration; it was a matter of securing his own legacy. He needed results—fast—and if stepping on Shen Bao's reputation could accelerate that process, he would take every advantage.

One of the lab workers approached, holding a stack of documents detailing the latest findings and research data. The worker, a quiet, diligent man, offered them to Xuan Fei with a tentative suggestion, "I could hand these over to Shen Bao's team when they return if you prefer, Master Xuan."

"Don't tell me what to do!" Xuan Fei barked, snatching the reports from the worker's hand with enough force to ruffle the pages. The worker's eyes widened in shock as he took a few steps back, retreating from Xuan Fei's line of fire. Xuan Fei barely noticed, too absorbed in scrutinizing the documents as he sifted through the findings, isolating and removing key pages from the stack. With a flick of his fingers, he set fire to the removed pages, reducing them to ash in seconds.

He left the rest of the report on a nearby table, ensuring they were shuffled among other documents—a subtle trap to obscure any valuable insights. If Shen Bao stumbled upon them, good luck deciphering anything useful in the mess. He would later claim ignorance if questioned; after all, it wasn't his responsibility to spoon-feed another cultivator, especially one he aimed to surpass.

The Confederation's leadership might have assigned Tonfa to oversee this project, but Xuan Fei was confident that he was the true visionary among them. His ambition extended far beyond Tonfa's cautionary approach. For too long, his research on the Fallen God's race—especially on the First Born and the Broodmother—had been stifled under Tonfa's rigid, rule-bound oversight. Xuan Fei's dream was not merely to study these beings but to wield the power that created them.

He had once proposed a bold theory to his superiors: that the Broodmother and her ilk were imbued with a stolen fragment of the Heavenly Dao itself. To destroy them, one must first possess and master that very essence. Yet, his peers had deemed his methods too extreme, labeling his research dangerous and unethical. But he knew better. If the Confederation truly wanted to annihilate the Fallen God's race, then drastic measures were not just acceptable—they were necessary.

Xuan Fei's fingers twitched with excitement as he considered the piece of Broodmother flesh in his possession, gifted to him under the guise of collaborative research. Now, at last, he had a tangible connection to the stolen Dao, a path to power the likes of which few could dream of. With a smirk, he pocketed the remaining fragments of the report and headed for his hidden laboratory. His public research would be just that—public, harmless, and unremarkable. But in the shadows, he would carry on his true work: The Stolen Dao Project.

Xuan Fei arrived at a secluded, rundown hut at the far edge of the sect's territory. The hut itself was an inconspicuous façade, carefully chosen for its nondescript appearance. From the outside, it appeared abandoned, unworthy of a second glance. Inside, however, lay a stairwell leading down to a cavernous laboratory where he conducted his most guarded experiments.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Descending the stairs, he found the lab already buzzing with activity. Cultivators moved in hushed coordination, a few of them casting furtive glances his way as he entered. Each of them had a dark history—a reason they'd been expelled from respectable circles and relegated to the fringes of society. It was Xuan Fei who had offered them shelter and a purpose, bringing them into his fold when no one else would.

"Stop what you're doing," he commanded, his voice cutting through the muted conversations. The lab fell silent as his team turned toward him, each one wary yet intrigued by his sudden appearance.

"We're proceeding with the Stolen Dao Project," he announced a hint of triumph in his tone.

Excitement rippled through the group, though skepticism lingered in the eyes of a few.

"Did we receive approval?" one of them asked hesitantly, casting a nervous glance toward the door.

"No," Xuan Fei replied curtly. "The Confederation's higher-ups have no vision. They assigned a foreigner to our Broodmother research, undermining everything we've worked for. I've delayed them as best I could, but it won't last. It's time to take matters into our own hands."

Murmurs of agreement rose around the room, voices tinged with a mixture of loyalty and desperation. For these cultivators, following Xuan Fei's orders was not just about ambition; it was about survival. Many of them had been exiled from their clans, disavowed by their sects, or labeled as dangerous by the Confederation's strict laws. Xuan Fei was their lifeline, the one who had given them a place to practice their craft without fear of retribution.

"You've given us a chance where others didn't, Master Xuan," one of the cultivators spoke, his voice low but firm. "If you want us to pursue the Stolen Dao Project, we'll follow."

Satisfied, Xuan Fei revealed the small, writhing piece of Broodmother flesh he'd brought with him. "With this, we have a path forward," he declared, holding the sample up for all to see. "This is no mere fragment. This is a piece of the progenitor, the First Fallen—the Broodmother herself."

Gasps echoed around the room, followed by a palpable surge of excitement. The weight of the moment was not lost on anyone present. This was the missing puzzle piece they had been waiting for, the key that would unlock secrets beyond imagination.

"With this, we can reverse-engineer the process used to infuse the Broodmother with the Heavenly Dao," one of the researchers said, a feverish gleam in his eyes. "We could replicate it, even improve upon it…"

Xuan Fei nodded, his own eyes alight with anticipation. "Exactly. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. But let me make this clear: this project is strictly confidential. If anyone outside this lab learns of our work, none of us will survive the Confederation's wrath. But if we succeed… we will be heroes. We will have rid the Confederation of its greatest plague. Our past mistakes will be forgiven; we'll be celebrated, immortalized."

Shouts of agreement filled the room as Xuan Fei's words ignited their shared ambition. For these researchers, who had been shunned and shamed, the prospect of redemption was tantalizing. To be acknowledged, even revered, was a dream they had all but abandoned. Now, that dream seemed within reach.

"Then let's get started," Xuan Fei said, his voice brimming with confidence. He carefully placed the Broodmother sample at the center of the lab, and his team began assembling the tools and materials they would need for the Stolen Dao Project. This was not just another experiment; this was their collective chance at redemption, their path to power and purpose.

In his mind, Xuan Fei could already envision the accolades, the praise he would receive for his daring innovation. He pictured himself seated at the council table, taking the place of Tonfa, who he deemed too timid, too confined by protocol to achieve greatness. Xuan Fei would be the one to usher in a new age, to elevate the Confederation to heights it had never dreamed of.

As the lab buzzed with activity, Xuan Fei's thoughts drifted back to Shen Bao, his supposed rival in research. Let him play around with his foreign techniques, he thought dismissively. In the end, true greatness required audacity. Shen Bao would never comprehend the sheer magnitude of what he was about to accomplish.

"For the greater good!" one of his assistants shouted, raising his fist in a cheer.

"Yes," Xuan Fei said, a self-satisfied smile spreading across his face. "It's all for the greater good."