Chapter 47 - 109-115

Chapter 109: Corrupting The Good

While Song Song terrorized the local higher-ups, I observed the technique she was using. It would be interesting to see how this technique developed in the future.

As for what Song Song was doing to the local people in power? There wasn't much I could do without blatantly undermining her authority. Honestly, I didn't want to help these people who had been a pain in the ass. They had treated me as if I were an overbearing tyrant. It had taken literally defeating an army for them to start showing me some respect. Even then, I wasn't sure if it was genuine or just an act.

Now, they had to deal with an actual overbearing person like Song Song.

Also, not having to worry about the leadership part of this whole endeavor was quite nice.

"Lady Song," I addressed her formally. "The governor and two clan leaders have been very helpful. It would save me some face if you would let them off the hook this once. I'm sure they won't forget to get on their knees from now on."

Despite everything, the governor had given me that carpet artifact, and we had fought shoulder to shoulder. The least I could do was ask Song Song to go easy on them. Whether she followed my advice was up to her.

"I'm already being lenient with them, Liu Feng," she said as she withdrew her killing intent. "If this were any other place, I would have had them bow with their foreheads touching the snow. Weaklings, trash, and the incompetent should know their place."

Okay, she wasn't going to follow my advice. Oh well, there were some things I would never be good at, no matter how hard I tried. One of those things is appeasing crazy women.

I shrugged and let her do her thing.

Instead, I approached Speedy, put him on the ground, and patted his head. The little guy glanced at Song Song and seemed intimidated, but I reassured him.

"Just cover your body in Qi, which should stop most of the technique's effects. The technique is nothing special despite how scary it looks," I said.

I hadn't had time to teach Speedy something like that, so he just looked at me confused.

While petting Speedy, I zoned out. What happened next was just Song Song indulging in her usual cruelty. She was testing how much resistance these guys would dare put up against her, which was none.

"Since I am new here, I will partake in the hospitality of Whitewall Town," Song Song said, lowering her killing intent until it completely disappeared. "Do you have a place where I can stay for a few days?"

When the pressure lifted, the Hong Clan Leader stood up, his knees still shaking from being forced to kneel in the snow. Despite his sorry appearance, he had a smile on his face. That same fake smile he always wore.

"Then, Lady Song, the Hong Clan will offer you the best accommodations in the city," the Hong Clan Leader declared boldly.

Usually, I would have been annoyed by his attitude. But right now, I felt sorry for him. He had just picked the worst possible target for that kind of behavior.

I glanced at Song Song. Surprisingly, she only had a slight smile without the malicious intent I expected. However, a certain unreadable glint in her eyes made me uncomfortable. I wasn't even her target. 

Poor guy…

"Really? Then let me check your clan compounds and wherever the governor is staying. I will choose whichever building I like," Song Song said with the sweetest smile as if she wasn't planning to kick people out of their own homes.

At least it was the clans, not civilians who might struggle to find a place to sleep. Despite her actions being a bit on the nose, I didn't publicly speak up or challenge her authority.

Even though they were experiencing blatant disrespect, the three town leaders were forced to smile stiffly and nod. The governor looked especially bad, his face pale and covered in sweat, like someone who had seen a ghost.

I followed along as a spectator while Song Song inspected the places she planned to make her temporary home. Though the Clan Leaders were displeased, they didn't dare express their opinions.

With everyone focused on Song Song, I put on a cloak, pulled up my hood, and hung at the back of the group. This was the most fun I'd had in a while, watching the mess unfold like a reality TV show while petting Speedy.

"See, Speedy, always make sure not to pick women who only have beauty to offer. Otherwise, you end up with women like Song Song," I advised the little guy. In response, he rubbed his head against me.

What did that gesture mean? I had no idea, but I got the feeling that Speedy understood. As an honorary father, I could only hope he wouldn't end up picking some crazy turtle for a wife or getting a harem.

I had nothing to worry about with Song Song around, so my mind wandered to weird places.

…

After a bit, Song Song ended up picking the governor's mansion. She claimed it was something simple since she was bored of extravagant compounds. Some servants were forced to stay, but the guards and the governor were booted out.

At least with me there, Song Song didn't literally humiliate them by kicking them out. The governor would probably temporarily settle in the mansion where I used to live, as it was the only place suitable to handle all the guards.

As he walked outside the gates, I picked up the unconscious inner disciple from Speedy's back and handed him to one of the guards. The governor stared at me weirdly when I did that, and even the guards looked bewildered.

"Take care of him until he wakes up; he is an inner sect disciple," I said.

The governor's gaze sharpened when he heard that, and he nodded. "Thanks."

He knew I was doing him a favor by letting him nurse an inner disciple back to health. Now, he could have something resembling a disciple and perhaps gain something from this experience.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I just gave you more work," I shrugged and walked into our new mansion as the previous owner left. Before he did, I gave him a last piece of advice, "Also, whatever grudge you have against Song Song, it's better if you let it go and concentrate on rebuilding the town."

He nodded, but whether he listened to me or not was hard to tell. I stared at his back as he walked away, wondering how the governor's life would end. Would it be with Song Song ripping off his head, or would he develop this town into something better? He seemed like someone who genuinely cared about his people.

Ultimately, this was all I could do for the old man; his fate was now in his hands.

I walked back into the mansion, and the maids greeted me awkwardly. I paid no attention to it and returned their greetings with a polite nod.

I expanded my senses and tried to find which room Song Song was in. Thankfully, with her massive Qi, locating her in one of the guest rooms wasn't hard. The only other significant Qi signature I sensed was Speedy, who was outside in the yard, sleeping and camouflaging into another pile of snow.

As I entered the room, it was a pretty place with red couches and a small dining table. It looked like a modern dining room with a Chinese and old-style touch. Song Song was lying on one of the couches with her legs dangling over the edge, making herself comfortable while biting into an apple.

She glanced at me as I came in, her gaze following me like a hawk as I sat on another couch opposite hers. By now, I was used to her weird behavior, so her staring didn't bother me as much as it should have.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" I asked, mirroring the way Song Song sat on her couch. It was surprisingly comfortable, with soft pillows that felt like my head could sink into them.

An uncomfortable silence followed, with the only sound being Song Song biting into her apple. Finally, she leveled her stare at me, her deep blue eyes appearing colder than ever. "What do you think leaders are?"

Great, answering a question with another question. She had learned some bad habits from me. It was pretty annoying when someone else did this to me, especially since I could roughly guess what was going through her mind when she did this.

Probably, she didn't want to give me a direct answer and was trying to deliver the message differently to avoid hurting my feelings. It was impressive how she was learning, and I even felt a degree of pride, so I let things play out.

If it were anyone else, I might have lied if the answer would have hurt our relationship. But I was always truthful to Song Song.

"Leaders are something the common person can look up to. A leader is someone whose followers know that the person in charge of a large part of their everyday lives still has their best intentions at heart," I answered.

It was a short and perhaps idealistic answer, but that was what I believed a leader should be, and when I was in charge, I tried to play that role to the best of my abilities.

While I had lived in a country where politicians were corrupt in my previous life… well, that was pretty much every country on Earth. So it wasn't like my situation was any special. But even when I came here, the Blazing Sun Sect showed a face of fairness and would punish even powerful disciples who picked on the weaker ones. However, I learned that, at the end of the day, the Blazing Sun Sect's protection went only as far as the cost didn't outweigh the benefits of protecting someone.

Here, corruption was blatant at the deeper levels of power since people had actual power. But in my mind, I knew what an ideal leader should be like.

I turned toward Song Song. During the time we had spent together, she had improved as a leader and as a person-

"Are you retarded, or were you dropped on your head as a child?" she asked while lying down on the couch and nonchalantly biting into a fruit. There was a trace of mock worry on her face.

"What?"

"No, you're too good at arrays and a competent guy in general. But I heard that certain people are hyper-focused and extremely talented in one aspect while being socially inept at the same time."

Did she just call me autistic?

Despite her harsh words, there was a teasing smile on her face, so I knew not to take her words to heart. But as she was about to hurl more insults, I picked up one of the pillows and threw it at her face.

Sadly, she had good instincts, and she easily caught it midair without even looking at the projectile.

She even had the audacity to keep staring at me with mock worry and said, "You must have had a horrible childhood to come up with wild fantasies like that."

I sighed and leaned on the couch, waving her words away. "Yeah, yeah, continue bullying your helpless subordinate."

"Now you just had to go and ruin it," she pouted. "This is more fun when you are annoyed."

No matter what I told her or how she might change in the future, I realized that Song Song just had a shitty personality, and there was nothing I could do about that.

"Despite those people being put in charge here as governors or even smaller clan leaders, they're all under the protection of the Blazing Sun Sect. There is no free meal in this world, and the Blazing Sun Sect doesn't do this just because they're nice. This protection comes with a cost, and that cost is their service to the Blazing Sun Sect," she stated, throwing the apple she finished away, which perfectly landed in a trash can in the corner. "In essence, everyone here is our servant. No matter how they might look at it, or whether they like it or not they're here to serve us, not the other way around."

I understood what she was saying in principle, but that did not mean I agreed with her view. Before I could speak, she continued her explanation.

"A leader is not supposed to sacrifice themselves for the people; he just has to be there to show his power and protect them. But the ones doing the sacrificing should be the servants, and they should try to do anything to please their leader and keep their overlord's protection. After all, the leader's life is much more important than all of their subjects," she explained and stared at me as if waiting for me to challenge her opinion.

Here, when someone was in a leadership position, it usually meant they were a strong cultivator compared to the other people around them. There were many variations of what it meant to be "strong" depending on the region. Either way, this was just a different way of looking at things, and no matter what I said, it would be impossible to convince Song Song otherwise. A part of me understood where she was coming from.

"We have different views on the matter," I shrugged and left it at that.

"No. You're just plain wrong," she refuted. "After all, if you want to be so self-sacrificing, the people you're trying so hard to protect will spit on you and stab you as soon as a stronger cultivator comes around. Why would you want to sacrifice yourself for someone who would do that to you?"

That made me think. Despite how I treated these people, they were from this world. It didn't matter how I looked at things; my views would not change how they would act.

Also, she was speaking in absolutes here. But I was more worried about her next breakthrough than this. 

The dangerous glint in Song Song's eyes intensified. By the time I noticed that she had likely read me like a book in that split second of showing weakness, it was too late as she continued talking.

"Do you want to test that out?" She smirked. "We just have to call the three Qi Gathering Cultivators and act like we had a conflict. Then I can order them to beat you to death. Do you think they would refuse my orders and valiantly stand by your side?"

It was a question I knew the answer to...

"Yeah, and even the normal civilians would do the same too, stab you in the back without an ounce of hesitation," Song Song said while stretching on the couch like a cat. "Don't try to be righteous and risk your life for people who don't care about you."

She was... right...

No matter how I thought of Song Song as a crazy maniac even when she was at her best, she was absolutely right. Despite how hard I had fought for this town, all I had earned was a bit of respect. They would probably support me when it came to most other things, but none would go through the danger I did for me as I did for them.

Perhaps, I should abandon the mentality I had in my previous life regarding certain things. Helping people was okay as long as I had the power, but risking my life for people who would stab me in the back without a second thought was just being cruel to myself.

I never looked at it that way before.

Oh well, that was enough philosophical discussions for today. We had more important matters to attend to. When I turned toward Song Song to ask her something, she looked mighty pleased with herself while staring at me. But as soon as she noticed my gaze, she smiled and acted like nothing happened.

Whatever it was, I was no longer in the mood to talk about useless things. "When do you want to try and breakthrough?"

That was the reason she had even bothered coming here after all.

"Tomorrow," she said. "Even though I didn't waste much Qi coming here, I want to be in top shape just in case."

I stared at Song Song and couldn't help but wonder just how scary she would be when she became a Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

Chapter 110: Brutal Battles

The next day arrived quickly, and I had the best sleep I'd had in a while. With Song Song around, I felt secure and carefree. I woke up feeling energetic and rejuvenated.

Walking through the mansion's hallways with a smile, I encountered Song Song, who raised a questioning brow.

Before she could speak, I asked, "Did you sleep well?"

"The room had too much purple, but it was a good night's rest. I'm back in my best shape," she replied.

We walked together to the mansion's empty ballroom, which I had the servants clear out yesterday. I had also set up numerous arrays and protective barriers. Song Song looked around, sensing the barriers, and nodded. She then sat in a meditative position in the middle of the ballroom.

There was no need for words as I erected a barrier around her, protecting Song Song from outside influences. The barrier formed a black sphere the size of a car, blocking her vision, and I couldn't see inside.

"This is just a precaution," I said, knowing she could still hear me.

"Good, I like this cautious side of you," she responded, her Qi surging like a tidal wave, attempting to break through invisible walls within her body.

Song Song had officially entered the process of breaking through.

However, as soon as she began, I sensed a chill in the air, as if something was watching us. I turned toward the only window in the room but saw nothing. There was no time to dwell on it as the ballroom door opened by an invisible force.

No servant would do this, as I had warned them.

Immediately, I unsheathed my daggers and assumed a defensive stance. Though nothing appeared initially, it was clear that something had opened the door.

Then, eight figures emerged, each removing a strange ring artifact from their fingers. As soon as they did, the rings shattered into a thousand pieces.

The newcomers looked tired, disheveled, and smelled terrible. Whatever artifact they had used seemed to have severe conditions, just like my arrays. Something had to be sacrificed to make the effect stronger.

"Song Sia, what are you doing on this side of the battle?" I asked, trying to keep my voice nonchalant.

Despite their fatigue, I recognized these people. They were from the same group as Song Song, and I realized I had underestimated the number of spies in her group. There were eight women from Song Song's group.

"How did you gals get here?" I inquired, more to buy time than anything else.

There was no need to ponder why they were here. I immediately began analyzing everything that might give me an edge in this situation. Since they hadn't attacked while invisible, that must be one of the conditions on the artifact. 

I cast a sound-canceling barrier around Song Song to keep her from being disturbed.

My new opponents were all around four to seven stars Qi Gathering Cultivators. They were stronger than me but looked exhausted and malnourished, likely due to the artifact's drawbacks. It must have required them to consciously keep it active, which explained their condition.

Had they been in the same room when we talked yesterday? That was creepy.

"Step aside, this does not involve you," Song Sia said.

For a split second, I considered accepting her proposal to get them closer and let their guard down. But they were already on guard, and cheap tricks wouldn't work on them. Especially not on Song Sia, who no longer seemed her dull self.

She'd be foolish to let me leave, as they knew I'd report to the Sect and they'd be made an example of. I didn't believe for a second that they'd let me go.

"No wonder Song Song failed to defend her cities. You probably faked your own deaths. How does it feel to have the blood of thousands on your hands as you abandoned your posts?" I asked calmly.

Song Sia frowned. My words had an effect on her, suggesting the niceness she had shown before wasn't just an act.

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

Good, I could use this.

Even without hearing anything, I could tell Song Sia was likely manipulated and, due to some misguided sense of justice, was trying to assassinate Song Song.

"Stand aside, or you will be put down," Song Sia repeated as she and her group advanced towards me. I stood in front of the barrier around Song Song.

"You sent too many people to handle just little old me," I chuckled despite the anxiety bubbling in my chest.

They had probably used so many because they were after Song Song. Despite their numbers, they only dared attack now. Even when Song Song was fighting monstrous beasts, they didn't intervene because they knew Song Song would abandon the fight to protect civilians and turn on them. Song Song had no weaknesses.

I formed a wind blade with Falling Moon Claw as they approached and shot it toward Song Sia. Since the whole thing was done through thoughts alone, there were no gestures or other warnings, and my move was fast enough that by the time someone sensed it, it would be too late. 

Simultaneously, I ran to the other side. Song Sia, targeted by the invisible blade, was still looking at me.

Hadn't she sensed it? I thought she would, given she was from Song Song's clan.

Even as she stared at me, Song Sia gathered Qi in her hand, caught the invisible wind blade, and crushed the attack.

I swear these Song Clan women were like monsters.

Despite Song Sia's defense, my attack had slowed her down enough for me to charge at one of her teammates on the left. My target's eyes widened, and before she could fully register what was happening, I stabbed her straight through the eye. The tip of my blade came out the back of her head, dripping blood onto the ground.

"A-Ahhhh!" she screamed, but I twisted the dagger, silencing her. Her body slumped to the ground as I pulled out my dagger.

There was no time to dwell on her young age or what she could have been. Two people were coming to attack me.

Surprisingly, despite killing one of their friends, the other five were charging at Song Song.

I didn't bother defending against whatever attack Song Sia was charging up. Instead, I crouched down, ready to intercept the five others heading towards Song Song.

The roof above me cracked, and Speedy smashed through, landing in front of me. Whatever attack Song Sia had prepared brushed against his shell harmlessly. This also helped me cover my subsequent actions from their view.

Rushing Bull Step!

I charged toward the five girls going after Song Song. At the same time, without looking back, I shot a barrage of Falling Moon Claw invisible slashes at Song Sia and the other girl behind me to keep them busy.

Thankfully, I didn't have to worry about hurting Speedy, or I would never have done this kind of strategy. 

Two of the five girls who had been ready to attack Song Song turned towards me. One had a dagger, and the other a sword. They swung their weapons without hesitation.

Instead of dodging, I went through their attacks, activating Dancing Jade Armor at the last second. The sword attack penetrated my armor due to a strange Qi surrounding the weapon, likely some technique, and left a gash on my side.

But none of that mattered as their eyes widened, realizing my real target wasn't them but the three girls attacking Song Song.

"Look out!" the dagger girl yelled.

But it was too late. While her friends sensed my approach, neither could turn around quickly enough to stop me. I used my daggers to stab one of the girls attacking Song Song in the back. My daggers pierced her kidneys, and she gasped in pain. Her eyes widened as I lifted her up, still skewering her with my daggers.

Immediately, the two girls who had attacked me before and the other girl to my left, whose friend I had skewered, filled with rage and attacked me.

I used Dancing Jade Armor on my leg to block the attack from the girl on my left while turning around and using my victim's body as a shield against the two girls behind me.

Surprisingly, despite their rage, the two girls cut through their friend, trying to get to me with their blades. Before their attacks could reach, I let go of my daggers and turned towards the last girl. She hesitated but still swung her sword toward the dark barrier protecting Song Song.

I wasn't fast enough to stop her, but even as her Qi-imbued sword clashed with the barrier, only the sound of clanging metal rang out. She didn't have much time to act surprised. Having used almost all her Qi on her sword to increase her attack, she had little time to react to my move and even less defense.

Swiftly, I moved towards her, grabbing her from behind and putting her in a chokehold. Turning to the rest of her companions, I said, "If any of you move, I will break this girl's neck."

Though the exchange felt like an eternity, it happened in a split second.

Despite the care I saw in their eyes for each other, the girls didn't stop charging toward me.

With no weapon in hand, I tightened my grip and twisted the girl's neck like a screw. Using her corpse as a meat shield, I charged at her friends. They had grown accustomed to my strategies and stabbed through their friend to get to me. I used the Dancing Jade Armor Technique to defend myself. While that stopped two attacks, one sword pierced through my armor, sending a piercing pain followed by a nasty crack through my collarbone.

A tingling sensation ran through my arm as blood splattered on my face.

Shit, she must have hit a vein or something.

Time was running out. I needed to weaken the most dangerous force here.

Muttering under my breath, I activated some of the arrays in the room, filling it with a dark mist made from my Qi. The fog obscured vision and Qi sense, but since it was my Qi, I could sense everything that moved inside it.

Charging towards Song Sia, the biggest threat, I swung at her neck. She summoned two short swords from her storage ring, blocking my fist with one and stabbing me in the belly with the other.

"Shit," I cursed.

There was no time to think as the other girls were already attacking. Even as I used Dancing Jade Armor, some of their attacks got through.

Damn, at this rate, I was going to lose.

Chapter 111: The Convenient Timing

Some of the attacks from Song Sia's friends pierced through my Dancing Jade Armor. Although they lost all momentum, they still left deep cuts on my flesh.

I had to jump back and create some distance between us, or else I was going to be chopped up. Song Sia did not give chase; she just stared at me with a cautious look, still holding the short sword she had used to stab me in the stomach. My blood dripped from her blade as she glared at me with a frosty expression.

"I know I'm handsome, but I am from a small clan and you're from the Song Clan. Our love can never flourish," I said, smiling arrogantly.

Song Sia's friends glared at me with hatred in their eyes. It was hard to tell whether they hated me for my words or because I had killed their friends.

On the other hand, Song Sia seemed unaffected by my words, which was disappointing and scary. I needed a distraction, or she would cut me down soon enough. I could tell she was preparing something, but I had no idea what.

The best plan was to eliminate them all before Song Sia's plan came to fruition.

I tightened my hands into fists, extending only my index and pinky fingers on both hands. Then I clasped my hands and muttered a soft chant under my breath.

For a moment, I expected Song Sia to charge at me. It would have worked in my favor if she had, as I could have used it against her. But she was either too cautious or knew what I was about to do next.

The shadow below my feet bubbled up and then extended into a curtain of darkness, covering the room and blocking any light from coming in.

Dark Coffin, a peak Level 2 array. Some considered it nearly Level 3, but it had steep limitations: it could only be used in enclosed spaces and had weak durability, easily broken from the outside even by a mortal.

There was another drawback: I was still someone who had just become a Qi Gathering Cultivator. My Qi reserves were small, and this move almost drained them completely.

Dark spikes shot out, and I sensed two girls getting skewered, their groans of pain confirming it. Despite that, I directed most of the spikes towards Song Sia. With the dark mist, her senses should be muddled, and the Dark Coffin completely blocked any light.

No matter how good a cultivator's eyesight was, light was crucial for the human eye to see.

But somehow, for whatever reason, Song Sia leaned to the side, dodged, backed off, and tilted her head away from all of the attacks. It was like trying to hit a leaf with a flyswatter; the wind seemed to push her away from each attack.

Amid that, she even protected two of her friends who were close to her, using her short swords to deflect any attacks.

My breathing grew heavier as my remaining Qi plummeted. Combined with my injuries, I was significantly weakened.

Damn, there was a burning sensation in my lungs. I felt cold, but at the same time, I felt as if surrounded by a warm wet blanket... Yep, I was bleeding out.

Taking a deep breath, I concentrated and used whatever meager Qi I had left to move through my body, forcefully clotting veins, acting as organ linings, and pushing the skin together to stop the bleeding.

This required intense concentration, but once I got used to the feeling, it was like riding a bike. I didn't have to think too hard about keeping the Qi in place.

Despite my injuries and low Qi reserves, I was almost there. I just needed to take care of the two girls left, as they would be troublesome now that I couldn't use Qi carelessly to distract them.

I was confident I'd win if it was one-on-one against Song Sia.

One last push. I needed to increase my power in the Dancing Jade Armor Technique, which would cost a lot of Qi. I was still only at one-star Qi Gathering.

As I was psyching myself up for my next move, trying not to think about the gruesome death that awaited if I failed, there was a sudden surge in Song Sia's Qi.Her Qi exploded outward, forming like a web and grabbing the corners of my barrier. With a mighty tug, the whole room shook. Cracks spread through the darkness, and rays of light began pouring in.

Another tug and the barrier came crashing down, returning the room to its original state. Since I no longer had the Qi to maintain the dark mist, it dissipated too.

The darkness receded, and my situation became more dangerous as light flooded in.

Song Sia's gaze was as cold as ice, sending chills through my veins. I felt numb just looking at her, as she resembled Song Song a bit too much.

"It's kind of creepy how much you resemble your cousin," I said, trying to provoke her. We were at a stalemate, and I needed her to get emotional and perhaps waste some time talking. "Having Song Song as a friend always makes me feel confident, no matter the battle. But as an enemy, she would be a nightmare."

"Friend? You think too highly of yourself. Song Song thinks of you as nothing more than a pawn, someone she would drop immediately if it ever required effort on her part to keep you around," Song Sia refuted, her fiery glare making it clear she wanted to kill me. "Liu Feng, if you think you have even an inkling of what kind of person you're dealing with when it comes to my cousin... Trust me, she is worse than you could imagine. Like every worst habit an evil human could have, clumped together into one person."

"You know, you could stop this. Deep down, you're a good person. Song Song is not the source of evil you think she is. She's just a symptom of a harsh reality," I said.

It was a lie with enough hints of truth to make her think. The reality was that whether Song Sia changed her mind or not, she was not leaving this mansion alive. She clearly cared for the girls I had killed, and letting an enemy like her go was not an option. Song Sia seemed just one step away from becoming as dangerous as Song Song.

Song Sia gritted her teeth and looked like she was about to say something when one of her friends nudged her. That immediately brought Song Sia back to her senses. She took a deep breath and seemed to calm down. The fiery gaze filled with pure hatred for me was replaced by a cold, logical stare.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

"You're just a pawn who doesn't realize he's about to become their king's next meal," Song Sia stated, shifting her feet. She moved Qi to her legs, a sign she was about to use a movement technique.

That was the only warning I got because, faster than I could blink, she was in front of me, within arm's length. It was like a movie that suddenly skipped a frame. Even though I saw it with my own eyes, it felt weird and unnatural, as if my brain was confused by reality.

A movement technique that somehow tricks the mind? 

Despite its complexity, the human mind was relatively easy to trick. There was even an experiment where someone could think a fake plastic hand was their own and feel everything that touched it. Even though the person consciously knew it wasn't their hand, they still felt like it was.

The movement technique she used must follow the same principle. Many techniques were out there, with various effects that showed different aspects of the mindset the technique's creator must have had.

Anyway, now wasn't the time to think about these things!

Song Sia looked like she was about to strike me in the stomach with a palm attack, dropping one of her swords. The space around her palm twisted and turned.

But since I already knew the attack was coming, whatever it was...

I jumped back to avoid the attack and felt a stinging sensation on my left arm. I turned to look at it, and it just slipped off and plopped on the ground.

What? I lost an arm?

Drops of my blood floated in front of me, and as I narrowed my eyes, I saw that it was just a thin string. There was no Qi imbued in the string, yet it had somehow cut through my body like a hot knife through butter.

Thankfully, I was not the only one distracted. Song Sia took that split second to glance at her fallen companions and winced.

"I should have gone all out from the beginning," she muttered, her eyes growing moist. "But I was a fool, thinking of saving this move just in case I had to fight Song Song."

As soon as she said that, wires snapping filled the air around us. I couldn't see or sense these invisible wires, relying only on my hearing to detect the whip-like sound they made as they broke the sound barrier.

Her fingers twitched, revealing why she had dropped her short sword. Even though she feinted with a palm attack, she needed her hands to control these wires. They were likely an artifact, perfect for assassinations since they left no trace of the murder.

Predicting her next move was straightforward; I would do the same in her place. Those strings gave her many options.

As the sound of the strings grew louder, my heartbeat quickened with anxiety over what I was about to do. I couldn't tell where the attacks were coming from, and someone like Song Sia wouldn't leave any chance for me to dodge.

With that in mind, I used my Qi to form a thin barrier. The safer option would have been to use Dancing Jade Armor directly, but I no longer had the Qi to waste.

Instead, I did something I had never done before. I gave a mental note to my Qi: as soon as something touched it, it would activate Dancing Jade Armor in those areas.

It was like I hardwired my brain to slap away anything that touched me next. While more complex than that analogy, it was essentially that simple.

My heart quieted as I anticipated the attack. Now that I was waiting, the fast attack felt slow, like I was waiting for hours. Perhaps I had failed, and my technique hadn't activated.

When I sensed a thin wire passing through my Qi, thin lines of Dancing Jade Armor formed around my body.

Clang!

The wires stopped in place, and even Song Sia's eyes widened. A bead of sweat rolled down her cheek, and she looked ready to cry. I might think she was scared if I didn't know any better.

"Just fucking die already, Song Song!" she cursed, charging at me with her sword in hand.

Did she just call me Song Song? Was her tiredness and frustration getting the better of her? Song Song was still behind the barrier, and these wires could not get through something I had put so much effort into perfecting.

I looked at my only remaining hand and extended my fingers. Thin, translucent wires with a greenish tint formed. They took so little Qi to make that I barely felt it, even with my current reserves.

"Thanks for the lesson. These wires are quite useful," I smirked at Song Sia as she charged at me.

The girl clearly had her own internal demons she was battling. Well, I would play to those fears as much as I could.

As she came closer, attempting to stab me in the chest with her sword, I tried to use my new strings as a defense, wrapping them around the weapon. Song Sia was too fast for me to dodge right now.

When the thin greenish strings wrapped around her weapon, she channeled her bountiful Qi, and her sword was surrounded by a pink aura.

Her strange technique cut through the strings, barely slowing down the attack. Panicking, I raised my hand and grabbed the sword blade.

Feeling the razor-sharp blade running along my palm was very uncomfortable as the cold metal touched the bones in my hand. But even that didn't stop the sword from stabbing into my chest.

Thankfully, the sword didn't pierce deeply. Song Sia's Qi had strong cutting properties, but it had lost its momentum.

She left her side wide open, and I could have attacked with my fist if my arm was still intact. It wasn't a mistake on her part, but a crazy idea came to mind.

With a single thought, a greenish aura blazed along the stump of my arm. A new arm formed, made of pure translucent green Qi, and I punched toward Song Sia's chin.

Her eyes widened when she noticed this, but she let go of her sword despite the surprise and leaned away from the attack. She twisted and maneuvered herself midair, delivering a kick to the hilt of her sword.

I barely had enough time to push the sword away from my heart as it pierced the upper part of my chest. An uncomfortable feeling seeped through me as the cold metal slipped past my ribs and came out the other side.

Due to the power behind the kick, I flew back and smashed against the wall, leaving a giant spiderweb-like crack on the stone.

This fucking Song Clan and their bullshit fighting instincts! Song Sia hadn't seen that coming, yet she dodged and still managed to deliver her own attack!

I took a step forward, my back leaving the wall. I almost instinctively removed the sword from my chest for a second, but I stopped myself from such a foolish action.

The sword was better left there. Even though it felt strange to have something cold inside me, I could still feel it... it was such a weird sensation.

Was this what it felt like to be stabbed? Before, I was usually full of adrenaline or panicking and never noticed. Or was it just a cultivator thing, where my senses were hyperaware, and I could sense things inside my body clearly?

My jade-armored arm dissipated into nothing, and I was left with a stump that I had to forcefully shut down the bleeding using my Qi.

There was no way I was going to win now. The best I could do was to hold on as long as possible and hope for Song Song to break through as fast as possible.

If I couldn't hold on, I would use my lifespan to strengthen the barrier around Song Song. I had never practiced using lifespan, but I knew the theory behind how it worked. After my death, Song Song would crush them all.

Damn, I had grown pretty decisive about these things. I was kind of surprised at myself.

Just as we were about to start fighting again, a cold descended into the room, and the walls froze in an instant. I winced as the sword in my chest transferred the cold directly through me. A cold metal literally touching the bones in my chest was an awful sensation, sending a chill through my whole body.

I could see my own misty breath as the only window in the ballroom shattered, followed by a loud booming sound. The glass froze mid-air, and the extreme cold made it so brittle that the air resistance itself caused it to shatter. 

In came a young girl with dark hair streaked with white. She was a jade-like beauty with no imperfections, making her seem almost ethereal and otherworldly. Even though her blue uniform covered her body, not revealing much, she clearly had a good figure.

This was Ye An, and she seemed to have grown more beautiful since the last time I had seen her. But despite her profound beauty, what caught my attention was her nine-star Qi Gathering cultivation. She also had more white strands in her hair than before.

She turned toward Song Sia and coldly stated, "You can continue your mission. But I'm going to have to ask you not to take the life of this suicidal fool."

Well, wasn't this convenient? Miraculously saved at the last moment when all sides had gravely injured each other? Almost like she had been waiting for this to happen...

Chapter 112: A Good Meal

Song Sia had grown up around monstrous people, from those who were exceptionally talented to those who were incredibly strong. But as she fought this guy, there was something about his eyes...

He hadn't blinked once since the battle started. She was going all out, and she was technically winning with each exchange. However, Liu Feng constantly adapted and created countermeasures against techniques that had been in the Song Clan for centuries.

His Qi reserves were getting lower, but his control of his Qi was improving mid-battle. This was astonishing, especially since she knew he had only recently broken through—he hadn't been a Qi Gathering Cultivator when they first set off for the cities.

It was like fighting a shadow. Song Sia knew his techniques, but no matter how hard she tried, he used them in new ways. Everything made sense now as to why that monster trusted him. Birds of a feather flock together and all that.

Liu Feng was undoubtedly a monster in his own right. The way he modified techniques and used them on the spot surpassed even Song Song. It was like watching a child doodling, but at the same time, it was like seeing someone paint a masterpiece.

Despite seeming like a good guy when she met him, Song Sia didn't trust Liu Feng for even a second. While Song Song was known for her cruel ways, she too hid her worst vices.

Song Sia recalled a particular memory from many years ago when she and Song Song were just children.

It was a dark room, and like any child her age, Song Sia was wandering around the clan compound playing hide and seek with the other children. Despite the harsh training, the Song Clan children could still play and hang out with their peers.

She had snuck into one of the walls of the Clan Leader's building, which was usually empty. Song Sia found an opening that led to one of the backrooms. It was a dark, cold room made of stone with no decoration. The darkness was palpable, and she could barely see anything, with the only light coming from flickering torches.

As a dumb child, she had walked down the hallways and seen something she should never have...

A mountain of bones as big as a house, a pool of blood on the ground deep enough to reach someone's knees. In the middle of that were Song Song and the Clan Leader, Song Song's father.

The Clan Leader was saying something Song Sia couldn't quite remember. The grotesque sight was the only thing that stuck with her.

Her heart shook at the image of a young Song Song on her knees in front of a corpse, ripping flesh off and devouring it. The crunching noises, the sound of slurping blood, the small annoyed sigh as Song Song struggled to tear the raw human flesh with her teeth—it was all too horrifying.

Song Sia had no idea how she had left that place or how she had even been able to enter it in the first place. After all, there should have been arrays or something to stop people from coming in. Or perhaps the room was so secret that the Clan Leader wanted no one to even sense the barriers around it and come to investigate.

Either way... Song Song was a cannibal. She was a monster who wore human skin; someone like that could never feel human emotions and care for anyone.

When Song Sia was declared Song Song's servant, she almost broke down and cried in front of the messenger. But somehow, she kept her composure and played the part of a ditzy girl whenever Song was around. A part of her always felt like Song Song knew she was terrified. But Song Song never cared about appearing scary to people. Perhaps she even enjoyed those moments of psychologically tormenting her.

Song Sia's hand shook, and the cold brought her to her senses.

"You can continue your mission. But I'm going to have to ask you not to take the life of this suicidal fool," said Ye An, another victim of Song Song.

But Song Sia cared nothing about her, and instead her gaze went toward the dark sphere that Song Song was hiding behind. Then her gaze settled back on Liu Feng, who, despite being bloody, had bloodshot eyes wide open, looking like they were about to pop out of their sockets.

He looked creepy, and something was definitely wrong with him.

Should she leave him and deal with the greater evil at hand first? Song Sia wondered. But in the end, her gaze settled on Liu Feng.

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

"If you think she is going to let us go, then you are very wrong. Sia here knows what she has gotten herself into, and if any of us make it out of here alive, then we can just as easily tell the Song Clan Leader about what has happened here. Then her life will be over," Liu Feng said in an eerily calm voice as if he were stating a known fact.

It was strange that the man looked calm and not worried despite his injuries, a sword through his chest, and a missing arm.

"Why would I tell on someone who kills Song Song? She is doing the world a favor," Ye An stated.

Liu Feng didn't answer at first and just approached Ming Mia's corpse, from which he had stabbed through the back, and pulled out one of the daggers.

"Well, I will," Liu Feng stated, then turned his dagger toward Ye An. The latter smirked, more amused by this than anything else. But Liu Feng's intense gaze didn't waver, and he declared, "Also, you think I don't know what you're doing here? Why would someone come all the way here except to kill Song Song."

"And you're going to be the valiant hero and stop me with that toothpick?" Ye An raised a questioning brow.

While they were distracted, Song Sia turned toward the guy with a sword in him and charged at him. Her sword shined brightly as she used her Earth Grade Technique to increase its cutting power.

Adamant Leaf Cutting Technique!

Just to be sure, she even used one of her movement techniques to ensure everything went smoothly.

Thousand Mourning Forgetful Steps!

This technique didn't increase her speed as much as a good Earth Grade Technique, but now that Liu Feng was concentrating on Ye An, she could easily slip past his attention. With the technique's help, he would only sense something once his neck was cut.

She was within Liu Feng's range, and he hadn't reacted yet. Song Sia almost smiled at what was about to happen. She never took pleasure in killing, but getting rid of someone who had the potential to become like Song Song felt exhilarating.

However, seeing Liu Feng flinch as she swung her sword at him made Song Sia's heart skip a beat.

How had he noticed?

But such thoughts quickly faded as Song Sia realized that even if he had noticed her, he was too injured to defend himself and had too little Qi to form a good defense like the greenish barrier he had used.

Certain things were not meant to be because even as the sword grew infinitely closer to Liu Feng's neck, a feeling of bone-chilling coldness enveloped Song Sia, and she was frozen instantly.

What?

The ice wrapped around her, turning her into an ice sculpture. Since the ice was made of Qi, it was stronger than normal ice.

Song Sia exploded her Qi outward, and the ice shook but didn't break. Even as she increased the intensity, it was no use; it seemed like the ice grew stronger the more Qi she used to try and break it.

Song Clan Secret Technique: Devouring Abyss!

Though she had not mastered this technique, Song Sia was forced to use it. The space around her arms shifted, causing the ice around them to shift and break.

Thankfully, that was enough to break the ice. No longer resembling an ice statue, Song Sia coughed out chunks of ice and almost threw up as she felt the frozen saliva at the back of her throat.

"Oh? You broke out? How did you do that?" Ye An inquired, tilting her head with genuine curiosity. "No offense, but that technique was made to handle someone of Song Song's caliber... and you are nowhere near that level."

Song Sia didn't bother answering and used the time to take deep breaths. One attack from Ye An and her lungs were burning, her eyes felt like they had toothpicks shoved in them, and her nose felt stuffed with cotton.

"Liu Feng, how about you? Do you have any idea how she broke through my technique? The little lady here seems preoccupied with gathering her bearings," Ye An asked nonchalantly.

"She twisted space in her palms, and that twist likely gathered in one strong point of impact. It is like glass: while a storm or people standing on it might not break it, if someone used a nail on the glass and a slight hit, all the force at the small point causes it to crack," Liu Feng explained without hesitation.

Even Song Sia was surprised because, even though she had broken through the ice, she hadn't known the exact specifics of how it happened. At that point, she tried everything out of desperation, and luckily something worked.

The understanding of martial techniques he showed freaked Song Sia out once again. There was something about Liu Feng that, despite his lack of power and cultivation talent, oozed danger.

"Well, it's about time we finish this. I have a certain someone to kill too," Ye An said as she casually walked toward Song Sia.

This caused Sia to immediately jump back, next to her two remaining friends who were still alive. She knew that from now on, defeating them was a lost cause. But no matter what, Song Song had to die today, or there would be no other chance like this.

Song Sia glanced at Liu Feng and recalled how he had fought against all of them. She knew how hard it was to fight above your cultivation level, but monsters like him and Song Song made it look easy.

Just as she thought that, Song Sia felt a warm splatter land on her cheek, contrasting with the cold that had settled in the room due to Ye An. She turned around to see what had caused this and was greeted by her friend's headless body.

Song Sia touched her cheek and examined her fingers, now painted red with blood. She looked toward where Song Song's barrier cocoon had been and found a black sphere with a jagged hole as if someone had broken through.

Time seemed to slow down as her brain tried to catch up with what just happened. Even though deep down she already knew.

Before her friend's headless corpse even fell to the ground, she felt a piercing sensation in her back. Looking down, she saw a hand covered in blood coming out of her chest.

But she wasn't alone. The cry next to her showed that even her last friend had suffered a similar fate, with the attacker's other hand coming out of her friend's chest.

She met her friend's gaze, and a tear rolled down her cheek. Song Sia felt a sense of overwhelming despair as she realized what had happened.

Song Song was done with her breakthrough...

Chapter 113: A Wild Ride

I had to be honest; seeing Ye An's eyes widen as she saw Song Song elbow-deep in her cousin's rib cage was satisfying. All the bravado Ye An had built up until now slipped away as she struggled to control her expression.

I was not usually the kind of guy who got hung up on petty things like this, but today, these people dragged me to my lowest. 

"How the hell did she break through so fast?" Ye An cursed under her breath.

With a sickening crunch, Song Song pulled her arms out of her cousin's chest and did the same to her other friend. Song Song's arms were covered in blood up to the elbows, with it dripping onto the thawing floor.

She stared at Ye An, but her gaze soon settled on me, specifically my stump. "Your arm..."

"What?" I smiled. By now I had lost all sensation in my body, and couldn't even feel the pain. "Giving up an arm for a life is a pretty good deal, all things considered."

Perhaps my sense of humor was lost on Song Song, as she didn't even give a polite smile out of courtesy. Instead, her gaze wandered toward my severed arm, which lay on the ground with a bit of frost around it from the Qi Ye An had been releasing.

Losing an arm was terrible, but a part of me was also excited at the possibilities. I was curious about the kinds of prosthetic arms available in this world. However, the most exciting part was creating a whole new translucent arm from my Dancing Jade Armour Technique.

Some artifacts or miraculous medicines could probably regenerate an arm or two in case I regretted this. Sure, I might not get them now or anytime soon. But it was my left arm that was cut off, so it was no big deal. It wasn't like I lost an arm on Earth where there was no chance of growing it back.

There was a sound like a hushing wind, and Song Song disappeared from my vision, even though I had been looking directly at her. I sensed her presence next to me, but her gaze was on Ye An and she asked the ice girl. "What are you doing here?"

Ye An smiled, hiding her previous cautious look as she asked, "Do you want a lie or the truth?"

In a twisted way, she mirrored my usual quote, and her smile widened slightly when she saw Song Song's eyes narrow dangerously. At first, Song Song didn't respond and kept a cold mask, but her eyes... there was a coldness in them that made even Ye An's ice feel warm.

"You have grown stronger, but we both know you won't be able to kill me in one hit like you did them. That's why you didn't even try," Ye An said and turned toward me. "Do you think his life is more important than your revenge or not? He seems pretty injured. Sure, he is stopping himself from bleeding out for now, but how long will that last? We both know there is no healer nearby that can take care of wounds like that-"

Whatever she was about to say next, she stopped as Song Song's Qi exploded out of her. It felt like a tidal wave crashing against the mansion. The walls cracked, and the roof looked like it would cave in. Even Ye An was forced to step back, immediately surrounding herself in a cocoon of ice.

It was a wise decision because the next instant, Song Song disappeared from her previous position and was within arm's length of the cocoon.

An astronomical amount of Qi gathered into the palm of Song Song's hand, the kind of Qi that could easily destroy a whole building in one attack. She shot her palm forward, and a wave of pure dark-colored Qi slammed into the ice cocoon, smashing it through the mansion walls and blasting it far into the destroyed parts of the town.

Thankfully, no servant in the mansion was hurt, and I sensed that Ye An was still alive despite the devastating blast.

At the same time, I felt Song Song come and grab me like a sack of potatoes under her arm, careful not to nudge or move the sword in my chest. Then she used her other hand to hold my severed arm. It all happened so fast that I could barely see anything, but I could still sense what she was doing.

It was surprising that she wasn't going after Ye An. After all, if I could sense that Ye An was alive, then Song Song definitely could too.

She jumped out of the large hole in the wall where there used to be a window before Ye An had blasted an opening. Before we touched the ground, a sword came out of her storage ring. It was a jian sword with the yin and yang symbol on its hilt. It was so sharp that just hovering in the air created a strange cutting sound.

As soon as her feet touched the sword, Song Song formed a spherical barrier around us and blasted off like a rocket. She moved so fast that it felt like we were on a plane, with everything blurring past us.

Though it was hard to tell where we were going, she was moving northwest, where the Sect was. 

I glanced at Song Song, and she had an uncharacteristically determined look in her eyes.

When she noticed me looking at her, she said, "Whether they can reattach your arm or not, I promise that I will repay your loyalty."

Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

After that, she no longer said anything and stared into the distance, not even meeting my gaze. This was very much unlike her usual self. That unbreakable confidence, the smirk that showed no matter how dangerous the situation, she had everything handled, and that bravado that seemed almost suicidal at times.

Her Qi output increased, and the flying sword she was standing on sped up. There was a loud boom around us as she broke the sound barrier.

We passed many towns and even a monstrous beast army in the distance. We went from forests covered in snow to long white fields and wet dirt before we finally saw a glimpse of the Sect's white walls.

Song Song took out a wooden medallion from her storage ring and, with a thought, used her Qi to float the medallion in front of her as we approached the Sect's outer barrier. Suddenly, the barrier rippled like a pond when a drop of water landed on it, and we flew through the barrier without a problem.

Some people immediately began chasing us on their own flying artifacts. Due to the sound of the wind crashing against the barrier, I couldn't hear what they were saying, but I roughly guessed it wasn't anything nice. There must be rules about flying in the Sect grounds; otherwise, those arrogant elders might have their views interrupted.

Darkness slowly crept at the corners of my eyes as a wave of tiredness settled over me. I was so exhausted that it was hard to think straight.

Would I open my eyes again with these kinds of injuries? It was hard to tell. Perhaps the sword in my chest had hit something critical, and I just hadn't experienced the aftereffects yet. There were a lot of vital parts in the chest besides the heart and lungs.

"Don't die on me now. We're almost there," Song Song said, waking me up as we neared a large building resembling a mansion in the inner Sect.

Soon, we landed in the mansion's front yard, where people were coming and going with bandages and various injuries. Some were using rudimentary treatments, like just bandaging a deep cut. I immediately didn't have much confidence in the healers.

As we entered the mansion, I noticed that besides the usual blue inner sect disciple uniforms, many people were wearing yellow and white robes, walking around and treating patients. They were likely this world's equivalent of doctors or nurses.

"Healers!" Song Song called out with authority. "Get the Song Clan healers here!"

She looked at me and gave me her first smile since breaking through, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Don't worry. With how many people I've cut the arms off, these guys have a lot of experience reattaching limbs, and the Song Clan healers are the best in the Sect."

One of the white and yellow-clothed people, bandaging a man's shoulder, turned toward Song Song and bowed his head. "Lady Song, the Song Clan healers are treating one of your cousins. Just like you, he also had his own team and suffered a grievous-"

Whatever the man was about to say next was cut off as Song Song kicked him in the ribs before he could react. He flew, smashing into the wall and leaving a crack in the stone. The poor guy slumped down with blood coming out of his mouth, and Song Song walked past him without a care in the world.

Damn, I hoped the guy was alright and didn't die there. It seemed like Song Song wasn't in the mood to hold back today.

The smell of medicine and iron grew more intense as we went deeper into the building. However, it wasn't the usual smell associated with hospitals; it had almost a smoky aftersmell.

Were they burning incense or something?

Song Song led me through a backroom into a traditional Chinese-themed room with green decorations. There was even a drawing of a green dragon on one of the scrolls on the wall.

There were many tables with pillows and what looked like rudimentary hospital beds. What stood out were the dozen or so people wearing white robes and working with scalpels and sewing needles. They were crowded over one wooden bed, and I couldn't see who they were treating.

Song Song immediately put me down on my side in one of the wooden beds and placed my severed arm next to me. It wasn't the most comfortable position or place to lie down, and the pillow felt like it was made of solid wood. Also I couldn't lay down on my back because I had a sword sticking through my chest.

She then turned toward the healers and called out, "Hey! I need you to treat someone here!"

When the healers heard her voice, they all turned around. That gave me enough of an opening to see who they were working on a young man who looked to be in his early twenties. He had feminine features, a thin build, and a fresh scar from the edge of his eye to his jawbone. Though the wound was stitched, it clearly was going to leave quite a nasty scar.

From how the guy seemed sweaty and pale, with dark circles under his eyes, and had difficulty breathing, it was clear a face injury was not his only problem.

The healers looked at me, and I could tell by their gazes that whatever urgency they felt due to Song Song's call was gone.

"Sorry, Lady Song. But we have clear procedures about this, and when it comes to circumstances where we have to choose who to treat between an outsider or a clan member, the latter is always a priority. We have to save your cousin first, Lady Song," one of the lead healers, an old man with a close shave and slicked-back hair, answered.

"Oh, is that so?" Song Song asked.

Before they could answer her rhetorical question, she blitzed past them and was next to the wooden bed where her cousin lay. She had a sword in hand, pointed it down at her relative, and swung it without hesitation.

Every one of the healers stared as their wide-eyed patient gurgled and clawed at his throat, where Song Song held her sword in place with an iron grip. Then she glanced at the healers while the guy in the wooden bed struggled. Without breaking eye contact with the healers, she pulled the sword from the patient's throat. Then she swung it down again, this time decapitating her cousin and sending his head rolling to the healers' feet.

With nothing more than a headless corpse left in the wooden bed, Song Song turned toward the healers with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

She stated, "It seems like there is no longer a patient you need to save."

The healers ogled at the scene before them as if they could not believe their eyes.

I was shocked, also. But Song Song wasn't done. The fake smile slipped off her face and settled into a cold glare. "What are you waiting for? Get back to work."

The coldness in Song Song's eyes intensified to a degree that it sent a chill down my heart, even though I was not the target.

"Try your best to save him because if something happens to him, I will find all your families and slit their throats in front of you. Only then will I give you the sweet release of death," she threatened them.

What the actual fuck?

With those words of "encouragement," the healers no longer wasted time and immediately came to my aid.

Chapter 114: Wide Open

My eyes fluttered open, and I exhaled, my breath heavy with confusion. I found myself in an utterly unfamiliar room.

It was an old-style building, and the decoration was outdated, even for this world. The doors were not regular doors but sliding doors, and everything seemed to have been built without a nail in sight.

Where the hell was this?

The last thing I remembered was the doctors coming to help me after Song Song killed her cousin. I wasn't sure how smart that was on her part; everyone already saw her as an unstable monster with a shaky support base. Her killing of her own cousin could be the final nail in the coffin.

Poor guy died just for being at the wrong place at the wrong time. But Song Song was like a natural disaster regarding these things—an unstable factor in any logical plan, which made her hard to predict.

I didn't bother thinking about the guy who died too much after that. To others, Song Song's actions might have seemed cruel and come out of nowhere, but she saved my life with that. While it wasn't something I necessarily liked or condoned, I was okay with it for some reason. I even appreciated her willingness to go to such lengths for me.

The quietness of the whole place was a bit eerie, but I enjoyed it since I hadn't had the time to rest well in a while. Also, the place was relatively warm.

I shifted in the futon and took off the covers, noticing that I was just wearing shorts, which gave me a perfect view of all the new scars riddling my body. The one on my chest from the sword piercing through and the one on my abdomen from the light stab were the most noticeable among the endless cuts.

The most eye-catching scar was the one just above my left elbow. Calling it a scar might be a bit hasty since there were still stitches and some redness around the newly formed scar. It was the only wound that still seemed a bit raw.

Overall, though, the healers had done an excellent job. Even without modern medicine and surgeons, their healing techniques and artifacts were pretty effective, or whatever they used to achieve these results.

Judging by my thirst and hunger, it shouldn't have been more than two or three days since I was treated. But perhaps cultivators had a way to feed and hydrate me remotely while I was unconscious, so this assumption could be incorrect.

As I rose to my feet, a wave of soreness washed over my body, a stark reminder of the recent events. I flexed the fingers of my reattached arm, a strange sensation considering it had been severed not long ago. Yet, there was no pain, no discomfort. The reattachment had been done with precision, and I seemed to have lost none of my power.

Walking toward one of the sliding doors, I opened it. Behind the door were a wooden porch and a large backyard surrounded by walls in the distance.

My eyes stung as the sunlight flashed on my pupils. But once I got used to the light, I was surprised by the green grass in the large yard and the bushes, flowers, and other plants that made it clear this place no longer looked like winter. There was even an unfrozen large pond next to a thick green tree.

My heart skipped a beat, and I hurriedly looked around, wondering how long I had actually been unconscious. But I quickly calmed down when I noticed snow atop several distant towers outside this compound.

I breathed a sigh of relief; for a second, I thought I might have been asleep for months—or, in the worst-case scenario, even years.

But now that I knew the truth, I enjoyed the warm sun and the greenery. However, it seemed like I was not as alone as I thought because in the shadow of the tree next to the pond was a man with long green hair and a dark green glint in his eyes. He looked young, at most in his mid-twenties appearance-wise.

A small fishing pole was rooted in the ground next to him as he played with some paper.

Despite the strangeness of the whole situation, what stood out about him was that he had no Qi. I couldn't even sense him. Sure, he had none of the intimidating presence or overwhelming Qi a powerful cultivator had, but this still put me on edge. Also, he was suspicious as hell.

The green-haired guy finished playing with his paper and made a paper airplane. After that, he finally turned toward me, his cold face showing no emotion as he threw the paper plane at me.

However, his paper plane-making skills were lackluster, as the plane just barely did a circle and flopped a couple of feet away from him.

"My paper darts are not getting any better," the man sighed as his gaze turned toward the fallen paper.

Whatever he was playing at, I wanted no part in it. "Where am I?"

The man's gaze returned to me, his cold, emotionless eyes feeling like they were seeing straight through me.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

"This is the house I used to live in when I was young," the man finally said.

"Oh? And where is that exactly?" I inquired.

"It is on the northern edge of the Song Clan compound in the Blazing Sun Sect," he clarified, his raspy and robotic voice like nails on a chalkboard.

I nodded and was about to turn around but stopped as I realized something.

As I instinctively extended my senses to try to feel where I was, everything beyond these walls was blurry. I couldn't sense anything.

Perhaps I wasn't as free as I initially thought.

To learn more about the situation, I looked down at the wooden porch and then turned toward the green-haired man still looking at me. I wanted to ask him where Song Song was, but I decided against it for now. I had a feeling things were not as simple as they seemed.

"Who are you?" I asked the man.

"My name is Song San. I'm just another servant," the man shrugged.

I didn't believe that but decided not to call the man out. He likely knew I didn't believe him either, but we were both maintaining the facade of rationalism.

A servant wouldn't call themselves a servant with that much confidence. His demeanor was more like that of wealthy people who claimed to be poor; this was not the attitude of a humble servant.

Since the man clearly didn't want to discuss his identity further, I didn't press further. But that didn't mean I was polite enough to stop asking questions altogether.

"Where is Song Song?"

After what had happened, I doubted she would have left my side so nonchalantly. While Song Song might not be the type to stand by someone's bedside and cry, she knew she had put a giant target on my head with the stunt she pulled.

"She is being punished for killing one of her family members without provocation," the green-haired man stated, looking at the sky without a care in the world.

I narrowed my eyes at him and asked, "How long will she be punished for this?"

The guy shrugged. "While the Song Clan has some leeway regarding certain rules since we are integral to the Blazing Sun Sect and have many of our members in high positions..."

His gaze sharpened, and he continued with a strange intensity in his words, "But there is one rule every Song Clan member must follow: never kill a fellow family member. This time, Song Song did it so blatantly in the healer's place that there is no wiggle room to fabricate some story about how the victim was a traitor or something like that."

While Song San spoke a lot, he actually said very little. Despite his verbosity, I learned little about the situation, nothing I couldn't have deduced through logical assumptions. He revealed nothing more than the bare essentials.

"I see," I said, then stood up and stretched a bit. "I'm going to train a bit. I hope it's no bother to you."

"Go right ahead," the man said as he leaned against the tree and checked his fishing rod.

I stepped down from the porch, and my feet touched the grass. I took a deep breath and felt the comfortably cool air entering my lungs. But I zoned out all such sensations, and a buzzing sound entered my ears as I recalled the day my arm had been cut off.

I quite liked that string technique.

Wait, I just remembered that Speedy was left behind and alone in Whitewall Town! Holy shit! He was probably super sad now and crying.

Even though I wasn't too worried since the governor and clan leaders knew Speedy was my companion... Well, even if they wanted to harm him, it's not like any of them would even be able to hurt Speedy. But being so long away from me could cause emotional scars that would never heal!

Of course, I was being dramatic here. Speedy would probably sleep until I returned, and we would pick up from where we left off. He would sleep close by while I trained.

To distract myself from such thoughts, I decided to try some new ideas I had come up with during the fight against Song Sia. However, there was another reason I was willing to train in front of a stranger: I was too excited to wait until this whole thing blew over to try these new ideas.

I extended my hands forward, and thin strings of Qi formed from the tips of each finger. But as soon as they extended farther than three feet, they became floppy and hard to control.

However, I could fix this by no longer trying to control the strings and just shooting thin strings in a direction. Then, I attached the strings to some of the bushes and the grass around me.

While the technique was quite sharp, my strings were made of Qi and easy to sense. Also, the technique still had the same weakness it did when Song Sia used it: none of my allies would be able to help me since they would be cut indiscriminately. That was why Song Sia's friends couldn't gang up on me after she began using the strings; they would have all gotten caught in it together.

It wasn't that much of a useful technique if the opponent could put their guard up, as the cuts would be too shallow. The only reason it had been so lethal was because it had caught me off guard.

However, creating something to use in battle wasn't the main reason for using this technique. Instead, I glanced at the green-haired man, trying to get a read on him and what he thought about this.

It was hard to tell his thoughts, but he seemed calm and nonchalant. At least it didn't seem like he had any hateful intent. So, the assumption that this guy was someone from Song Sia's family and that I had been sent there to appease them was implausible. More likely, I was sent to the family of the guy Song Song had killed in the hospital.

I had no illusions that I was important enough to the Song Clan or the Sect itself to avoid being sent as a sacrifice to stop someone from growing angry.

"Are you hungry?" Song San suddenly asked out of nowhere, breaking me out of my thoughts and whatever assumptions I had.

Perhaps I was just acting on suspicion and assuming things needlessly.

"I could go for a good meal," I shrugged.

There wasn't much else I could do for now, and I had a feeling that my being here wasn't just to wait for me to heal.

I stopped my training, and the strings dissipated into nothingness.

"Do you want anything specific?" he offered. "Don't be shy. If any dish comes to mind, the chef here can make it. This guy is the same chef that cooked for Song Song, and she... was a very picky eater."

He was saying that but who knew if that was true?

I was already on full alert. After all, I hadn't seen Song Song, and he just mentioned that the chef who would cook my meal was the same one who had cooked for her. It was almost like he was trying to create a sense of familiarity for me that wasn't there.

It felt like I was being manipulated.

Oh well, I would let myself be manipulated to see what these guys wanted me to think or do.

One thing I knew for sure was that these guys couldn't give Song Song capital punishment and execute her. So it was only a matter of time before she came here and got me out of whatever this was.

Chapter 115: An Elder's Life

Xing Ju was an old woman, even by cultivator standards. At 295 years old, she was approaching the limit of how long a Core Formation cultivator could live.

To some, three hundred years of lifespan seemed too short, especially given their hard work to reach that stage. In comparison, a Nascent Soul Cultivator could live for more than a thousand years. Many who never had the chance to become Nascent Soul Cultivators were bitter about how unfair the heavens were.

That was why many resorted to using Martial Techniques to extend their lifespans. Xing Ju had heard that a good technique could slow down vitality and even allow some Core Formation elders to live up to seven hundred years. Though the Blazing Sun Sect didn't have many of those. 

As for herself, Xing Ju had no plans to use such techniques, as they always came with significant drawbacks. The best and safest way to increase lifespan was by increasing their cultivation; any other method had too many consequences.

For example, one elder who lived up to seven hundred years had used a Wood Element technique that turned him into a semi-sentient tree. Ultimately, he became just a precious resource to speed up the cultivation of some no-name demonic cultivator.

No thanks. Xing Ju would prefer to go to the grave with her head held high. A life as a damn tree was no life at all!

"Good, all the Inner and Core Elders are here," said a man sitting on a throne-like chair.

Xing Ju was currently in what could only be described as an extravagant palace. Golden dragon statues wrapped around marble pillars, a floor made of white jade, and the Blazing Sun Sect Leader sat on a golden throne-like chair encrusted with diamonds, some as big as fists.

The Core Elders, wearing red robes, sat in the front row on golden seats facing the Sect Leader. Behind them were rows of Inner Elders, sorted by cultivation level, wearing black robes. The large hall was filled with such seats.

The Sect Leader sat on a platform, wearing an intricate red uniform and a red robe across his shoulders. His clothes were inscribed with gold arrays to differentiate him from the Core Elders.

This man stood at the top of it all, one of the most powerful and influential people in the White Tiger Continent. He had short dark hair and sun-touched olive skin that showed his heritage as a farmer who had worked under the harsh sun for generations. He had brown eyes and wasn't particularly handsome, but many considered him good-looking.

"While we did suffer some setbacks initially in the war, we are in a stalemate now that we have sent reinforcements. However, a scout reported that there is a Core Formation monstrous beast that hasn't shown itself yet. I plan to send a couple of Core Elders to the front lines to keep pace with the monstrous beasts," the Sect Leader said.

The Sect Leader spoke in a low and casual voice, but everyone heard it clearly, as no one dared make any noise while he was talking. Despite his tone, everyone was a bit tense.

He had no need to show his Qi or anything like that. 

This man had reached the peak of power and become a nine-star Nascent Soul Cultivator. He was still relatively young, and if he didn't step down voluntarily, he could rule the Sect for at least another millennium. 

He would surely outlive everyone in this room...

This was what happened when a monster broke through to the Nascent Soul Realm before even reaching two hundred years old. His cultivation hadn't slowed down much either, breaking through a small stage roughly every twenty years. 

Some fanatics rumored he might become an immortal. Still, those were the words of ignorant people who had nothing detailing the path to immortality; those who knew the truth knew the chances of the Sect Leader becoming an immortal were next to impossible. But he didn't need to become an immortal to have the whole Sect in his hands.

Xing Ju recalled her younger days when her elderly body wasn't constantly sore. Born with a golden spoon, she hadn't appreciated life back then. In her teenage years, she felt stifled and annoyed by her cold-faced master, who made her cultivate and train constantly. She was also not allowed to spend much time around boys since certain techniques that sped up her cultivation required her to remain pure.

Of course, she did something stupid to annoy her master. She started an affair with the best candidate for the Song Clan Leader spot at the time, a handsome bad boy who had charmed her off her feet.

To this day, Xing Ju considered it the worst mistake of her life. Even though it led to the birth of her children, it didn't mean she had no regrets. It was a secret she planned to take to the grave. Except for the man himself and her dead master, who had noticed her decline in cultivation speed, no one knew of the affair. At least no one who would risk spilling the secret without harming themselves first. 

In the end, after the man became the Song Clan Leader, he had his own harem of a dozen women and left her behind despite her youthful romance. Pursuing the bad boy rarely worked out. A relationship built on lust and passion could break just as easily as it began.

If she hadn't messed around, Xing Ju knew she might have had a chance to break through to the Nascent Soul Realm. Instead of looking like an old bag of bones, she would have appeared as a youthful young woman no older than twenty as a Nascent Soul Realm Cultivator.

"Also, we must be mindful that the Monstrous Beast Encyclopedia has helped us strategically on many fronts. The young man who wrote the book has been quite a contributor in this war," said the Sect Leader, his gaze turning toward some Core Elders and a couple dozen Inner Elders from the Song Clan. "I heard that the young man who has made such contributions is in the Song Clan compound. How is he doing?"

That question was directed toward the three Core Elders from the Song Clan: the Warfront Core Elder, the Information Core Elder, and the Secret Hall Core Elder, also known as the Assassination Core Elder.

"He is doing well," said the Warfront Core Elder, an old man with a bald head, sideburns for a beard, and a sharp gaze.

"That is good," the Sect Leader nodded. "I heard about the debacle that happened, and I hope the Song Clan won't punish an innocent kid for Song Song's mistakes. Song Song has always been a bad seed."

Xing Ju wondered whether the Sect Leader cared for Liu Feng or if he just wanted to use this opportunity to keep the Song Clan in check. It could be both at the same time. 

She glanced at the elders from the Song Clan.

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

How were they going to react? The Song Clan wasn't exactly known for its restraint.

...

The rest of the gathering proceeded without a hitch, and no Song Clan Elders acted up. The Sect Leader detailed what had been happening on the front lines. In short, the monstrous beasts lost in some places, and humans lost in others.

There was no real winner, as the casualties were always atrocious. Without the fear that other Great Sects would take advantage of the situation, they could have just sent most of the Core Elders to the war front and wiped out most of the monstrous beasts in one move. 

After the meeting, Xing Ju snuck around and moved toward the Song Clan compound faster than the normal eye could see.

In a remote corner of the inner sect was a clan compound that resembled a small town in size. The Song Clan had many members. Though it was a luxurious small town, most houses had big yards and their own training grounds. Towers around the clan compound were also used to monitor things.

But Xing Ju didn't stick around those houses; she headed for the biggest building. It was a castle-like mansion at the corner of the town-like compound. The closer she got to the castle-like structure, the fewer people she saw on the streets, allowing Xing Ju to appear once or twice without worrying about prying eyes.

The place was devoid of any life by the time she reached the gates of the stone mansion. Xing Ju could feel the coldness seeping out of this place, and it wasn't just the snow or the cold stones that made her feel this way.

She walked to the front door and was about to open it without knocking. After all, the Song Clan Leader was her son, born from a secret affair between her and the previous Song Clan Leader.

However, just as she touched the large wooden door and was about to push, it opened by itself, revealing a young, tall, green-haired man walking out.

"Song San..." she said. "Weren't you supposed to be on the front lines of the war? Everyone your age is out there fighting."

He shrugged. "After some recent inspiration, I poisoned all the people in the cities I was in charge of, and when the monstrous beasts feasted on their corpses, they died along with the people they ate."

The nonchalant way he spoke about poisoning tens of thousands of people—men, women, children, and the elderly—was as if he were merely discussing the weather.

"Now I just have to figure out a poison that is lethal to monstrous beasts but not humans," a small smile crept onto his thin lips.

Song San was another of the core disciples in the race for the seat of Sect Leader, though it was clear to anyone with eyes that he didn't care about it.

Also, whoever put this guy in charge of multiple cities was a fool. He had been caught many times experimenting on live humans. It was common knowledge. What did they think was going to happen?

"You should at least act like you care about the people you're murdering," she said.

"Sure, I'll try that later," he said, looking off into the distance. Clearly, he only agreed for appearance's sake and didn't take her words to heart. "Anyway, how is my sister doing?"

Song San was Song Song's brother, though they rarely spoke to each other. However, with the ruthlessness in their souls, it seemed like a curse in their blood not to care about other people. In this case, they cared little about each other unless it came to furthering their own goals. 

"She is sealed until further notice. As for how long the punishment will last, only your father knows," she said.

Song San looked into the distance. "It's boring without my little sister around."

Xing Ju narrowed her eyes and advised him, "You should use this time while she is sealed to try and widen the gap between you two. Now that Song Song is a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, she'll surpass you in no time."

"I don't mind if Song Song surpasses me," he said with a knowing glint in his eyes. "What kind of brother would be jealous of their younger sibling surpassing them? I will even support Song Song on her way to becoming the Sect Leader. My sights are set on another position..."

As he said that last part, he glanced back at the door he had just exited before walking away without another word.

Without further delay, Xing Ju pushed open the doors and entered the meeting hall of the Song Clan. 

Unlike where she had met the Sect Leader, this place was dark with barely any light coming in. There were seats, though they were made of wood and stone.

At the end of the hall was an elaborate throne made of something that looked like obsidian. On that throne sat a tall man with long black hair, dark eyes, and skin so pale she could see the green veins at the corners of his eyes.

This was Xing Ju's son and the current clan leader of the Song Clan. He was known as the Man of a Thousand Secrets, and many weird rumors floated about him.

"I know about the meeting, and the Song Clan elders will tell me what they discussed," the Song Clan Leader said before she even mentioned anything. But he also knew that she wouldn't come all this way for no reason and asked, "What did you want to talk about, Mother?"

A chill went down her spine when he called her that. 

Even though this man was her own child, being in his eerie presence made her want to leave as soon as possible. It was the exact opposite of what she felt when she was face to face with the Sect Leader.

"I know you have Liu Feng in custody as insurance, so Song Song won't do anything crazy while she's sealed," Xing Ju said. "But even if she does, it isn't smart to harm Liu Feng. The Sect Leader has his eyes on him."

"Liu Feng... Oh, right, the poison youngster," the Clan Leader recalled. "Song San is an admirer."

"He also wrote the Monstrous Beast Encyclopedia. That's why the Sect Leader favors him," she said.

He would likely get the elders' reports on the war front. Nothing much had changed in the battle against the monstrous beasts, so there wasn't much to say. However, some would attribute the stalemate to Liu Feng and his book and that one strategy...

The Song Clan Leader shook his head. "Even if fighters read the encyclopedia, very few can use the knowledge in the book to their advantage. I've read it myself. It's thousands of pages long and not something you can recall in the heat of battle. So, the book is a scholar's tool, not very useful in combat."

Despite his harsh words, the Song Clan Leader continued, "On the other hand, the strategy to poison a town was quite smart for someone his age. Even if we can't defend our cities from the waves of monstrous beasts, we will make sure to avenge them."

Of course, they would only see the cruel part of the clan that required sacrificing people as useful, Xing Ju thought.

At the same time, she understood that the Song Clan Leader might sound cold, yet his argument was logical.

While Liu Feng had pulled off the plan without civilian casualties from the poison, not many array masters could set up an array for the specific poison they were dealing with. The process of setting such an array required intimate knowledge of the poison.

While making poison was easy, what about the array part? Certain people would be willing to sacrifice civilians for a last-ditch effort victory, so they wouldn't bother erecting a barrier to protect them.

...

After some more small talk, Xing Ju was done and walked out of the Song Clan Compound, sticking to the shadows so no one saw she had been there.

Her mind raced, and she realized that it was only a matter of time before Song Song realized they couldn't punish Liu Feng to hold her accountable for her actions. His use as a deterrent had plummeted.

Song Song was her granddaughter and personal disciple, but she had as much control over her as she did over Song San. They might be siblings from different mothers, but their blood rang true.

As she walked along the snowy paths of the inner sect, an idea came to mind on how to solve this issue. While Song Song rarely listened to her outside of things about cultivation, there were rumors that she did listen to a certain someone.

Xing Ju spread out her senses in a split second, with only a thought, almost covering the entire Blazing Sun Sect. She could sense every living creature within those grounds.

Finding the person she was looking for took longer than a couple of seconds. This was mainly because he seemed to have broken through to Qi Gathering, which had altered his Qi signature a bit, but it was still largely the same.

She moved faster than the wind as she appeared atop one of the trees, standing on a thin branch. Past a barrier was Liu Feng training in the yard, going through martial movements meant to put pressure on the body.

Training physically as a Qi Gathering Cultivator was almost useless; it was better to just cultivate Qi and let the physical strengthening come naturally.

Then again, while he had changed a lot, this was still the young clueless kid she had met in that cell. Strangely, he had such good control over his Qi for someone who had recently broken through. Song Song had done something similar when she broke through; she was a top-grade talent, and her spiritual roots helped her sense Qi clearer and better.

So, what was it that the brat had that had closed the overwhelming gap in raw talent?