Spiritual Energy Revival (1): 

In the year 2030, the world underwent great changes, and spiritual energy revived.

All kinds of demons and monsters appeared one after another. As time went on, even great demons awakened from their slumber.

Many of these demons were hostile toward humans.

They wantonly harmed humans and even devoured them.

To deal with this, the nation specially established the Bureau of Demon Management, dedicated to “managing” the demons and monsters within the country.

If they encountered a kind-hearted demon that bore no malice toward humans, it would be given an official identity. But if they encountered malicious demons who caused chaos, they would find a way to eliminate them.

In the blink of an eye, fifteen years passed, bringing the timeline to 2045.

For fifteen years, the Bureau of Demon Management had been locked in constant battle with malevolent demons, and its strength had grown ever more formidable.

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Gu Juntian opened his eyes and found himself in a small room. The room was plainly decorated but contained some unusual items.

Gu Juntian realized he had transmigrated.

He didn’t know his origin; he only knew his name was Gu Juntian, and he had taken the place of the Bureau of Demon Management’s director.

The memories of the body’s original owner slowly surfaced in his mind, and Gu Juntian grew increasingly familiar with this identity.

After the revival of spiritual energy, not only did demons appear, but some humans, under the influence of spiritual energy, also mutated and awakened special abilities.

The original owner was forty years old this year. He was among the first batch of people to awaken special abilities and had once been the strongest among the humans of his nation.

He came from a military family; both his parents were soldiers. After graduating from military school, he too joined the army.

Fifteen years ago, when the great changes occurred, the original owner happened to be in the forest tracking criminals. At the time, he nearly died at their hands. In a critical moment, his strength and speed suddenly surged, allowing him to miraculously evade their attacks and capture the criminals.

Afterward, he reported his condition, and through numerous tests, the state confirmed he had awakened a special ability.

At that time, spiritual energy was still weak, and ordinary people felt nothing unusual, but the state had already grasped the significance.

They established a special department to handle such extraordinary events, and since the original owner had impeccable credentials, he was among the first to join.

This department was the predecessor of the Bureau of Demon Management.

Back then, the bureau had only a handful of members, but supernatural incidents erupted all over the country. The original owner and his comrades had to travel constantly to resolve problems.

Meals were snatched in spare moments; sleep was taken on planes and in vehicles. Life was extremely grueling.

Injuries were commonplace for them.

Among his comrades, the original owner was considered lucky.

Many of them died in battles against demons, but he survived.

Yet he was also unlucky. Seven years ago, in a fierce battle against a malevolent spirit, he suffered severe injuries and damaged his very foundation.

From that time on, he no longer fought on the frontlines but remained at headquarters, becoming the bureau’s director.

Once the strongest human, after his foundation was damaged, his strength not only stagnated but steadily declined.

Fortunately, being director required management ability rather than sheer strength.

Over the years, he had managed the bureau with great order. Coupled with his distinguished battle record and status as one of the founders, his position as director remained secure.

In the eyes of everyone, he was a competent and respected leader.

But he was no longer the fearless young man willing to risk his life to protect the people.

The great battle seven years ago left him with hidden injuries. He suffered constant pain, aged prematurely, and his lifespan was shortened.

Now, though only forty, his hair was white, his face wrinkled, and he looked like an elderly man in his sixties or seventies.

Once, he had not feared death. But now, he did.

With spiritual energy growing stronger year by year, the average human lifespan had greatly increased. As for demons, living several hundred or even thousands of years was nothing unusual.

And those with special abilities…

After that battle seven years ago, the bureau began cooperating with the scattered mystic sects, learning their cultivation methods. Since then, bureau members had all begun cultivating.

Those who cultivated could easily live one or two centuries; with higher levels of cultivation, they could even live for millennia like demons.

The original owner also wanted to cultivate, but his foundation was destroyed. He could not cultivate at all, and even rare treasures had little effect on him.

At forty, he might only have another decade to live.

Mystics in their fifties still looked youthful, while he would already be facing death.

His mindset changed—he felt it was unfair.

He had risked his life countless times for humanity, and what was his reward?

Why did others have great power and a promising future, while he could only endure pain and await death?

He grew jealous of the young cultivators in the bureau. He yearned for strength and immortality.

Two years ago, he began secretly studying all sorts of forbidden cultivation methods confiscated by the bureau.

Consuming demon cores to gain power, harvesting essence from others, refining ghost servants…

He tried them all.

But as a human, demon cores had no effect on him.

Ghost servants could boost his strength but not extend his lifespan.

Even essence harvesting was ineffective—his damaged body could not retain spiritual power.

The only possibility left was becoming a ghost after death.

But that was uncertain. He might not even transform into one. And even if he did, he might lose his mind.

Even if he retained clarity, most ghosts were weak, unable to withstand sunlight. He did not want such an existence.

That path was hopeless. After much thought, he settled on one solution: possession.

Seize a suitable body and be reborn within it.

Perfect.

He had even chosen his target: Zhou Qinghao, the young man he had raised in the bureau, who called him godfather.

Years ago, Zhou Qinghao’s parents died protecting him from demons. Only Zhou, who had awakened a special ability, survived, saved by the original owner and brought back to the bureau.

Zhou Qinghao was born with an innate spiritual body, his cultivation speed far exceeding others. He was now the strongest in the bureau.

The original owner wanted to seize Zhou’s body, so he could once again become the strongest.

Gu Juntian rose to wash up.

Looking at the kindly, white-haired face in the mirror, he sighed.

The original owner had once been a good man, but people change.

The dragon slayer eventually became the dragon. Once, he had vowed to exterminate evil demons, but now his deeds mirrored those very monsters he once killed.

Fortunately, Gu Juntian had arrived, or Zhou Qinghao would soon be doomed, and chaos would sweep the world.

He was currently in the bureau’s headquarters, in the director’s quarters.

Since joining the bureau, the original owner had rarely gone home, living here instead.

Because of this, Zhou Qinghao, brought in at a young age, grew up under his watch.

With his extraordinary talent, Zhou Qinghao had become the bureau’s strongest fighter, his dormitory right next door.

He respected and obeyed the original owner deeply, never knowing his godfather coveted his body.

Gu Juntian knew how events were meant to unfold.

By now, the original owner had already begun practicing dark arts, secretly experimenting on captured demons.

Fortunately, those demons were guilty of heinous crimes and would have been executed after interrogation anyway, so his actions went unnoticed.

But later, his deeds would escalate.

Zhou Qinghao, with his innate spiritual body, naturally absorbed spiritual energy even without cultivation. His body contained abundant pure energy, making him extremely nourishing.

Years ago, his parents had died because his awakened body attracted demons.

They died protecting him until the original owner arrived.

At the time, the original owner had just fought another demon and was already injured, and saving Zhou left him even more battered.

Afterward, he realized Zhou’s special constitution made him a constant target, so he brought him back to the bureau for safety.

Zhou was only twelve then, grieving and withdrawn after losing his parents. He refused to speak or eat.

The wounded original owner, worried about him, had Zhou accompany him in the hospital, comforting him.

He told Zhou his parents’ deaths were the demons’ fault, not his, urging him to kill evil demons to avenge them. Bit by bit, Zhou began to recover.

From then on, Zhou treated him like family.

But the original owner did not treat Zhou as family.

Zhou’s blood and flesh were rich with spiritual power, like Tang Monk’s flesh—immensely nourishing if consumed.

Seven years ago, when the original owner was gravely injured, the young Zhou secretly gave him his own blood to drink.

The original owner quickly realized what Zhou had done but pretended ignorance, quietly enjoying the “tonics” Zhou had prepared for him ever since.

Yet drinking Zhou’s blood could only ease his suffering, not heal him.

Even consuming Zhou entirely would not mend his broken body.

Thus, he resolved to seize Zhou Qinghao’s body.