The Cities Still Burn

They buried a slave… but birthed a god. Deep beneath a demonic sect, a slave boy bears a brand that was never meant to be anything other than scarred skin. He knows only the lash, the dark, and the manic grin that crawls across his face while an ancient entity stirs behind his eyes. When the sect burns and the dead refuse to rest, They will rise from the grave as well. What to expect: • Grim and realistic cultivation fantasy • An anti-hero that you’ll empathize with • A Xianxia without info dumps • Occasionally the MC is OP (There are limits.) Authors Note: 3 chapters per week and bonus chapters at every milestone (Increments of 100, 500, 1000 for followers, favorites, and ratings/reviews) [October 2025 Writathon Winner!]