Chapter 1: Tso Lan

If there were a place in this world defined by eternal despair...

A place with no past, no future, and no hope...

Where would it be?

...

"Is this... Hell?"

Amidst a searing, magma-like red glow, Zoran opened his eyes.

"This... must be Hell."

The final image of his life had been frozen on the logo of a truck company. If he hadn't misread it, it was a semi-trailer head. To end his life in such a tragically comical way left Zoran speechless and choked with emotion.

Since the passing of his father, his only relative, he had been living in a daze. Consequently, while crossing the street, he had accidentally cosplayed as a speed bump. Now, opening his eyes to see something other than the sterile white ceiling of a hospital, he concluded that this could only be Hell.

"I didn't expect Hell to actually exist!" Zoran couldn't help but marvel.

He surveyed his surroundings. Aside from the flowing, lava-like crimson, there was nothing. No sky, no earth. Just as he was sinking into confusion, a voice suddenly echoed in his mind.

[Congratulations, Host. System binding successful.]

[Transmigration Starter Pack dispatched. Identity determined!]

[Mission: Moon Landing!]

The voice rang out rapidly and vanished just as quickly. However, the dazed Zoran suddenly grew excited.

It was here! It was finally here! The essential "System Bro" for every transmigrator!

His system seemed a bit cold and aloof, though; it had gone silent after providing a brief notification of his status and quest. It didn't even offer an introduction. Then again, that was fine, he wasn't exactly great at communicating with people anyway.

After a moment's thought, Zoran quickly accepted his new reality. He had no attachments left in his old life; being able to live a second time after death was a win no matter how he looked at it. The urgent priority now was to figure out exactly where he was! Where had the system sent him? And what was his new identity?

Just as he was about to examine himself, a sharp, piercing argument broke out, instantly grabbing his attention.

"Shendu, I have had enough! Do not think you can deceive us again!" a female voice suddenly snapped.

Shendu?

Zoran froze. Could this be... Jackie Chan Adventures?

He snapped to his senses. That female voice had to be the Water Demon, Bai Tza! Which meant this place...

Holy crap! It really is Hell!

The scene before him suddenly became familiar. There was no mistake; this was the Netherworld from the Jackie Chan Adventures lore, the place where the Eight Immortals had sealed the Eight Demon Sorcerers. A true void without sky or earth, the Demon Netherworld.

"No! My brothers and sisters, trust me one more time!" Shendu’s raspy voice echoed through the abyss, sounding both sincere and pained.

"Hmph, trust you?" A bolt of lightning suddenly flashed, illuminating a massive silhouette hidden in the gloom.

It was followed by Shendu’s pained wail. That was the Thunder Demon, Tchang Zu.

In the brief glare of the lightning, the figures on six floating stone platforms emerged one after another, looking utterly terrifying. These were the Demon Sorcerers. But aside from the shriveled soul-form of Shendu, it seemed one demon was missing.

"I believe we should perhaps hear the opinion of the eldest," the Wind Demon, Xiao Fung, spoke up.

"I agree!" The figure of the demon Hsi Wu, who controlled the power of the sky streaked past.

The six demons exchanged looks, seemingly in agreement with the idea. They all turned their heads simultaneously, and even the semi-transparent specter of Shendu cast a pitiful gaze toward him.

They were all looking at Zoran.

Zoran’s heart skipped a beat as he found himself inevitably making eye contact with them. A heavy, suffocating silence fell over the Netherworld. He didn't speak, and the other demons remained silent as well, merely watching him.

He suddenly realized something was off. The seven demons had clearly noticed him but were only watching. Could it be that the identity the system had assigned him was also one of the demons?

As the realization hit, he looked down at his hands and froze.

This form... it was the eldest of the Eight Demon Sorcerers, the Moon Demon, Tso Lan!

Finally, after waiting a few moments, the restless Hsi Wu couldn't take it anymore. He flapped his wings and flew toward Zoran. He was incredibly fast, reaching Zoran in the blink of an eye. 

Zoran instinctively raised his hand, wanting Hsi Wu to stay back. But in the next second, Hsi Wu hit an invisible wall and was sent flying backward, tumbling like a fly onto the massive body of the Mountain Demon, Po Kong.

"Tso Lan?! What are you doing?" Hsi Wu snarled, exasperated.

Exhaling a long breath, a flood of memories suddenly rushed into Zoran's mind. After a moment of silence, he spoke. "I was dozing. I only just regained my senses."

He realized his voice had changed, it was deep, resonant, and magnetic, as if it had been finely polished by the long river of time.

"Everyone is waiting for you!" Hsi Wu snapped.

"Oh? Is that so?" Zoran smiled, feeling the power within this body.

In the depths of the Netherworld, a magnificent stone platform slowly rose. The ultimate demon, dressed in purple and red Taoist robes, stood levitating upon it. Behind him, his long purple-black hair cascaded like a waterfall, yet curved gracefully at the ends, floating anti-gravitationally near his feet. His two smaller secondary arms were folded across his chest, making him look incredibly mysterious and elegant.

As if ascending, he manipulated the authority of gravity to rise.

Internally, Zoran was beyond thrilled. He never expected the system to grant him this identity! In the dark of the Netherworld, he let out a low, soft chuckle.

Great. This was absolutely perfect!

This was his favorite character from Jackie Chan Adventures. There couldn't have been a better reincarnation choice.

"I think Tso Lan has finally gone mad."

"I knew it. The Netherworld grinds away at our sanity without rest, starting with the eldest!"

"Hahaha—"

Zoran’s laughter slowly faded. In an instant, he had wholeheartedly embraced his new identity. He had thought the system hadn't given him a "cheat" power. As it turned out, his reincarnation itself was the ultimate cheat!

In this moment, he suddenly understood the meaning of the system's quest: [Moon Landing].

Tso Lan, the Moon Demon, possessed the power to alter and control gravity. And that power, in the original lore, only reached its absolute zenith when Tso Lan was on the moon itself! It seemed he was meant to walk the path of a conqueror and defeat the forces of good.

After a moment's reflection, Zoran understood his situation perfectly. To complete the system's task, two things were essential:

First, he had to eliminate any interference from Jackie Chan and his allies. Second, he had to outwit his "brothers and sisters" and escape this wretched place.

His gaze instantly fell upon Shendu below him.

It was a gaze as sharp as a blade.