Chapter 1: Chen Gong

Shanghai, China
1996

The pitter patter of the rain impacting the streets resonates around Chen Gong along with the sound of the bustling traffic of people inhabiting the city. The city, one that was first inhabited near 6000 years ago, has gone by many names throughout its illustrious history. Qinglong Town, Shen City, and Huating County to name a few. Although now it goes by Shanghai, Chen Gong reminds himself, but truthfully he couldn't care less for the name of this financial capital which he has no ties with. Still, it would be troublesome to call it by one of its ancient names and be looked upon oddly by whichever citizen heard the slip. Should that were to happen he’d feel obligated to put the mortal in his place and committing murder on the first day of his self-imposed vacation would not bode well; lest the shadows keeping an eye on him report his behavior to the Heavenly Demon and thereby cutting his vacation short.

As the thought of his shadows enters his mind, Chen Gong senses another set of eyes upon him, one with malicious intentions as opposed to the more mild gaze of his shadows.

“Oh my!” whispers Chen Gong to himself with a chuckle.

Continuing on his course as if nothing were amiss, Chen Gong thinks of evading his malicious followers before swiftly removing the thought from his mind. If he is to vacation in the realm of mortals he may as well see how much they have truly changed, after all one can learn much about someone from their methods of committing robbery. Will they face him with their mere fists, or will they hold a knife to his throat, or perhaps hold him at gunpoint. The possibilities are endless and the mere thought of it excites him. Still, Chen Gong sincerely hopes that they do not attempt the latter for it would ruin his fun and they would end up wishing that they were dead as opposed to merely wishing that they had attempted to rob someone else.

Decision made, Chen Gong continues on his way with no indicator that he noticed his unwelcome followers.

As he makes his way through an intersection, a child slams into his knee before quickly racing away. Were he an average man he would be limping now for the child had hit the tendon by his knee with ample force.

“Interesting.” remarks Chen Gong to himself with a smile as he takes after the child, slightly limping in order to give nothing away.

The child leads him away from the more affluent places of the city and into a dead end of a dark alley.

As soon as he is away from the light of the streets a knife is placed on his lower back, exactly where his kidney is.

By this point Chen Gong has long come to the realization that the blow to his knee was anything but accidental and that his robbers are interested in more than his wallet, for the child had long stolen that from him when he slammed into him.

“Don’t move.” commands the knife holder.

“What a disappointment.” sighs Chen Gong with a shake of his head, for his assaulter is nothing more than a child.

Before he can say anything else a rock flies mere inches from his head at blistering speeds before smashing into the wall behind him.

“Move again and the next one won’t miss.” threatens the child once again.

Ignoring his command, Chen Gong turns his head towards the direction the rock was launched from to find a child crouching at a window with a slingshot in hand and another rock aiming for his head.

True to the first child’s claim the second one sends the rock flying towards his head upon seeing him move.

“My, oh my.” titters Chen Gong as he easily catches the rock. “That was a dangerous thing to do, children. I could have died.” he says

“Y-you, wouldn’t die from that.” stutters the first child as he attempts to keep his calm.

Unfortunately for him Chen Gong can hear and feel his nervousness.

Stepping away from the knife, Chen Gong turns to face the child only for his words to die before even reaching his lips for a ghost stands before him in the form of a child.

The child before him cannot be older than six years old, possessing hair black as the night, pale skin full of dirt, mud, bruises, and even scars, but what stops Chen Gong in his tracks are his eyes. Blue eyes that cannot hide the shrewdness and cunningness underneath, blue eyes that Chen Gong can never forget for they once belonged to his lord prior to him joining Lu Bu, blue eyes that belonged to one many considered a villain, blue eyes that he never believed he would ever see again.

“Child, what is your name?” asks Chen Gong, his previous amusement long gone like a passing breeze.

Rather than answer him the child looks at the bent blade of his knife, his eyes wide and his mouth opening and closing like a fish.

With a frown Chen Gong allows a small percentage of his power to leak out as he commands him once again “Do not make me ask again.”

This time the child does look at Chen Gong, but still he does not answer as defiance flashes in his eyes and he glares at Chen Gong.

“What are you?” asks the child, leaving Chen Gong stupefied.

Grown men have bowed to him upon feeling his aura leak by slightest, and yet this child before him not only ignores it as if it were mere a nuisance, but he also has the temerity to question him back.

Feeling a grin spread across his lips, Chen Gong grabs the child’s wrist and sends his qi traveling through the boy’s veins. And for the second time the results leave him surprised, the boy is in possession of an Emperor’s Physique; which kind still remains to be seen. With proper training this child before him could reach the heavens.

The mere thought of it causes Chen Gong to release the boy's wrist as he begins to laugh hysterically.

If he ever needed proof that Age of Immortals is to soon return then he has now received it. A descendant of Cao Cao, his former lord, and a possessor of an Emperor’s Physique living in destitute among mortals is found by his ancestor’s former vassal who has taken a liking to him. It sounds like the beginning of a bad xianxia novel, Chen Gong thinks to himself as he begins to laugh more hysterically.

“Child, my name is Chen Gong. Follow me and you will never go hungry again.” Chen Gong says as his laughter slowly comes to a stop.

“No way.” replies the child with a frown as he steps away from Chen Gong.

“Unfortunately for you no wasn’t an option.” Chen Gong says as a swift application of his qi sends the boy falling to the ground unconscious.

Before he can carry the boy however, a rock smashes on his temple while a metal bar smacks him in the back of his head.

Turning to his attackers, Chen Gong finds four boys glaring at him despite the obvious fear they feel.

“Hmmm, I wasn’t planning on taking you four with me, but what’s a general without his vassals eh?” Chen Gong mutters to himself before swiftly knocking them unconscious.

With a grin on his face he commands the qi of he world to carry the boys as he makes his way back to the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. His vacation may have ended far earlier than planned but it is all worth it in his opinion.

South Jianghu, Heavenly Demon Continent
Ten Thousand Mountains, Heavenly Demon Divine Cult
Heavenly Demon’s Majesty

Heavenly Demon’s Majesty, the central location of the cult located at its highest peak with the harsh weather conditions. It serves as the residence of the cult leader as well as the location where all high ranking members congregate for the council.

Currently a lone figure can be seen braving the elements as they ascend the mountain. Despite the harsh winds that batters their body and moves fast enough to cut rocks, the figure’s steps do not falter as they steadily ascend to arrive before two massive golden doors erected on the side of the mountain peak depicting a myriad of demons locked in combat.

Stopping before the twin doors the figure cups their hands and bow before the doors.

“The Demonic Advisor requests an audience with the Demon Lord.” says the figure, his voice reverberating throughout the mountain peak despite its light nature.

As the echo of the Demonic Advisor’s voice dies out, the mountain peak returns to its previous state with the storm being the only source of sound. For a few seconds all remains the same until the twin golden doors soundless open, permitting the Demonic Advisor to enter.

The interior is a massive cavern held up by massive jade pillars fifty feet tall that each depict a ferocious demon baring its fangs. On these massive pillars are lamps that barely illuminate the dark.

Walking between pillars, the Demonic Advisor’s steps make no sound on the hard ground, and for many minutes the advisor walks this path until he arrives before a black throne forty feet from the ground upon which a figure shrouded in the dark sits.

“The Demonic Advisor greets the Demon Lord.” says the advisor as he kneels before the throne.

“Stand.” commands the Demon Lord.

“Elder Chen Gong has returned.” reports the Demonic Advisor only for the Demon Lord to remain impassive as if he were not interested.

“The Shadows report that did not spend a day in the mortal realm before returning to the Heavenly Demonic Divine Cult with five children in tow.” the Demonic Advisor adds.

This time the Demon Lord’s reaction cannot be more obvious for he his eyes glow a fierce blue as he leans forward in his throne.

The Shadows, a division of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult’s military forces that specialize in espionage, assassinations, and all manner of clandestine activities. Only four people in the entirety of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult know of their existence and half of them are currently in the room.

“Centuries Elder Chen Gong has spent rejecting all manners of request for him to take a student, yet not one day in the mortal realm and he returns with five?” questions the Demon Lord.

“The Shadows claim that the leader of these children possesses and Emperor’s Physique.” explains the Demonic Advisor, causing the Demon Lord to coldly inhale.

“An Emperor’s Physique? The last reported one was before the War of the Gods and yet in the past six years the Jianghu has seen six.” the Demon Lord says incredulously.

“It is what The Shadows have reported.” replies the Demonic Advisor.

Throughout their centuries of existence The Shadows have rarely been wrong in their reports. It is such that those who know of their existence only bother to verify their reports only if they sound too outlandish.

Leaning back on his throne, the Demon Lord contemplates the Demonic Advisor’s report and its implications.

Elder Chen Gong is an existence within the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult that only the Demon Lord may command. He is a powerful, enigmatic, and cunning strategist who the two previous Demon Lords owe their lives to. His mere presence in the cult has elevated the cult’s power to allow them to dominate the continent. It stands to reason that all would pay any price in order to become his disciple.

Yet Chen Gong has not accepted a single apprentice regardless of faction or affiliation. Even the current Demon Lord was rejected by him.

For him to have not only accepted one disciple but five, the news will not only send the cult into chaos but the entire Jianghu also.

Then again, it makes sense for his disciple to be a possessor of an Emperor’s Physique. Yet what baffles the Demon Lord is what makes the other four children so special.

“Leave it be. Chen Gong has always done as he wishes but he has always had the best interest of the cult in his mind.” dimisses the Demon Lord before asking. “Now tell me, how is the child?”

“She lives, however the Six Clans seems to be planning to force her caretaker to neglect her martial training.” the Demonic Advisor.

As soon as the words leave his mouth the Demonic Advisor is forced on his knees as the Demon Lord’s qi erupts, shaking the mountain from peak to foundation and worsening the weather outside.

“They dare!” exclaims the Demon Lord. “Do they take my silence to mean that they can do as they please?!”

“They believe themselves more important than her, yet they dare not overstep too much.” replies the Demonic Advisor.

“Is that so? Very well, hear the Demon Lord’s command. In light of the Myriad Beast Mountain’s recents military movements, all heads of the Six Clans are to reinforce our forces at the border for the next twenty years. And for showing a lack of martial talent, Chun Mu Hwa is banished to Gongtai Mountain until she has reached the age of twelve upon which she will enter the Demonic Academy as is required of all children within the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.” commands the Demon Lord.

“The Demonic Advisor obeys.” replies the advisor with a bow before leaving the Heavenly Demon’s Majesty.

That day three shocking pieces of news shook the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. First, Elder Chen Gong, who only the Demon Lord possesses the authority command, has taken not only one but five disciples.

Second, the patriarchs were commanded by the Demon Lord to reinforce the borders of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult for the next twenty years.

And third, Chun Mu Hwa, the Demon Lord’s illegitimate child with a woman not of the Six Clans showed no talent for martial arts and as such was banished to Gongtai Mountain, the mountain which Elder Chen Gong resides in.

By themselves the two commands mean nothing, however if taken together a picture of the Demon Lord’s true feelings towards the Six Clans and their machinations can be seen.

The Demon Lord is displeased by the Six Clans’ attempts to suppress Chun Mu Hwa and as such he is punishing them. As for banishing her for a lack of martial talent none within the cult would ever believe such drivel.

To begin with Chun Mu Hwa is only turning six years old this year and as such has not even begun her martial training. Second, by commanding the patriarchs of the Six Clans to the borders while sending Chun Mu Hwa to Gongtai Mountain, the Demon Lord is no doubt protecting her from them while giving her a six years head start over the his children with his wives from the Six Clans.

By the time she reaches twelve years of age and enters the Demonic Academy, Chun Mu Hwa will have spent six years in the presence of Chen Gong’s disciples and would have no doubt become friendly with them. With the support of a possessor of an Emperor’s Physique, Chun Mu Hwa time in the Demonic Academy would be much safer. And should she manage to truly befriend him and turn him into her supporter, she would also receive the support of Chen Gong when the time comes for the succession battle.

Author’s Note: This is the first chapter of my second fic, The Azure Dragon King. It’s a DxD fanfic set in China and since we don’t know anything about China in DxD the story will be a xianxia fic for a good portion until we get into DxD canon. Don’t worry, the group chat fic is still my main priority and the next chapter is coming tomorrow. Still, I’d love to hear feedback and ideas from you guys.