《The Kind Devil》 Chapter1[DESTRUCTION] Chapter 1 ¨CProofread byFireFistasce #Author Notes:Please leave reviews of what you think ¨C I''d rather have constructive feedback with written text than five stars or 0,5 stars without. If there is anything you might wonder, don''t hesitate to send me a pm or comment below. Men wrapped in the guise of demons had breached the palace''s gates and were now slaughtering their way in without an inkling of mercy. Soul piercing screams echoed in the palace¡¯s every corner as ash-colored smoke rose in the sky. In the inner area of the palace, two parents stood towering above an infant who lay in deep sleep, unknowing about the tragedy currently happening. Tears crawled down from their faces, love radiating from their eyes, as they hurriedly told him about what he needed to know about life. ¡°Always be kind to women.¡± the man said. He was handsome and his face gave the impression of being straightforward about everything in life. He had an angular nose, golden irises and brows as sharp as a divine sword. Even his hair was straight and combed, golden as the sun. ¡°If there¡¯s a girl you like, don¡¯t hesitate! Women us men brave!" ¡°Your father is right, but not about everything! You can¡¯t just tell her your intentions directly! You must get to know her first. Know what she likes to eat, to wear and even what she thinks about when she sees the moon crawl out on a crispy night. Only then you can pursue her!¡± the woman added. Just like the man, her hair was also golden. Her facial features were gentler, and she carried the motherly charm that some women possessed. She turned to the man. ¡°Just because you succeeded with me once doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s the best way. You know that I was this close of slapping you.¡± she gestured with her jade-like hands. ¡°Luckily for you, you were the patriarch¡¯s son, so I didn''t dare.¡± ¡°Heh¨C you fell for my charm. That¡¯s all.¡± the man replied. ¡°Humph.¡± the women snorted. A sudden voice transmission lit up before them. Their faces greatly changed although they knew this would happen eventually. The man looked at his wife with determination. ¡°We need to send him away. Now.¡± ¡°I know. I just can¡¯t let go.¡± the woman said, starting to cry again. ¡°Me neither, but we must. Or neither our child nor our clan will survive!¡± ¡°Can I kiss him one last time?¡± the woman asked her husband. ¡°Quickly. We don¡¯t have much time,¡± he said. The woman bent over and kissed the infant¡¯s forehead. ¡°I know this won¡¯t be your name in the future, but your father and I still named you. Peace, that¡¯s your name. I hope you can fulfill our dream, to create a world where killing doesn¡¯t exist. Remember, Peace, no one¡¯s completely evil. We are all like a coin, having two sides that are both good and bad. Everyone has faults. Even your father and I have them. What matters is if you can bring out the good qualities of yourself and others. Only then can you begin to change the world. Even the demons that will soon destroy our clan aren¡¯t evil. They have only strayed their path. I know this might be hard to understand, but I believe there will come a time when you will.¡± ¡°Zen. I¡¯ve decided. I want his bloodline to be complete.¡± the woman told her husband. ¡°Are you out of your mind!? Your soul will disperse! There won¡¯t be any chance of reincarnation!¡± ¡°So what?¡± she said. ¡°B¨Cbut....¡± her husband tried to refute. ¡°I know what you mean. And yes, I won¡¯t be able to enter the cycle of reincarnation and be reborn. But so what? I don¡¯t care about a life without you or our child.¡± she said. ¡°So I want to help Peace as much as I can.¡± Zen stayed silent for a while. Then he nodded. ¡°I will watch over the two of you during the transfer.¡± ¡°I know this is a lot to ask of you. Having to see your wife¡­¡± ¡°My duty as the patriarch cannot be failed,¡± Zen said with a smile that was anything but a smile. ¡°I would love to give our son my bloodline power as well, but there has to be someone to send him off and watch the ending of our clan.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not the ending, husband. Like a forest after a wildfire, new life will sprout, more tenacious and vigorous than the last.¡± She said. ¡°The clan will rise once more, and our dream will be, at long last, achieved.¡± ¡°How can you be so sure?¡± Zen asked with doubt. ¡°That path is far from easy to walk. Not even our clan with a history of thousands of years and roots deeper than the current royal family could achieve it.¡± ¡°How¡­ you ask?¡± The woman said quietly. She turned to her son and caressed his cheek. ¡°A mother''s intuition, perhaps.¡± ¡°Or her blind faith,¡± Zen replied. The woman snickered. ¡°Well, this is the least I can give him. Even if he doesn¡¯t become who we hoped he would, he will still be able to protect himself and live a fulfilling life. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°You think it¡¯s that easy?¡± Zen snorted. ¡°The blood that runs through him¡­ If they find out who his true identity, they will hunt him down an¨C!¡± She frowned as she cut him off. ¡°What are you implying? That we should kill our son so that he will be spared that suffering?¡± Zen was silent. He looked at his wife with sadness filling his eyes. ¡°Aurora, I love my son. I really do. But I don¡¯t want to see him alone in this world. I don¡¯t want to know that when we send him away, his life will contain suffering beyond what you and I can foresee. If we let him die painlessly now¡­¡± A slap resounded in the palace hall. Aurora broke out in tears again. ¡°H-how dare you! He¡¯s your own son¡­¡± Zen took his wife¡¯s hand within his own. He also began to cry. ¡°I just¡­ I can¡¯t imagine a good future for him. I just can¡¯t.I¡¯m sorry¡­ please don¡¯t be mad at me.¡± ¡°I- I can¡¯t be mad at you¡­ of course I can¡¯t be mad at you. You are my everything. The light in my darkness. You and Peace.¡± she said. ¡°So promise me something.¡± ¡°Anything.¡± he replied, still holding her hand. ¡°Defend this place when I leave. Show them the power of our kin, the power of the five-clawed dragon clan.¡± Zen nodded and hugged her tightly. ¡°I will. I promise.¡± ¡°But remember to not kill.¡± she continued.¡± ¡°Let us do as we tell, preach as we dream. Alright?¡± Zen was startled. ¡°But¡­ they deserve it!¡± he stuttered. ¡°Just as we speak, they are slaughtering our friends and family and everyone we care about!¡± ¡°So we should slaughter theirs?¡± she asked. ¡°Of course we should!¡± ¡°No.¡± she shook her head. ¡°If we do that, we can¡¯t end the current state of the martial world. We need to show mercy. Only then can we learn others to do the same. Do you understand what I mean?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t!¡± Zen snorted. ¡°I know you will do the right thing. You always do.¡± Aurora chuckled. ¡°I will be leaving before you and I won''t forgive you even in death if you fail to send away our son properly.¡± ¡°Aurora...¡± Aurora smiled and turned to her son, putting her palm over his chest, right above his heart. ¡°Never forget these words I''m about to tell you.¡± The infant was still soundly sleeping, but she continued nonetheless. ¡°Hatred grows hatred, and mercy grows mercy. Selfishness grows selfishness, and generosity grows generosity, animosity grows animosity, and kindness grows kindness. Always grow what you seek in return. Be merciful, be generous and be kind¨C and that is what you shall expect and receive from others.¡± A golden light suffused from her hand and covered the infant''s body in a gentle, golden shine. Countless of small aura butterflies flew out of his body and chattered happily around him. His two parents loved him. The world loved him. The aura butterflies were proof of that; only the most righteous people in the world were surrounded with this natural phenomena, but it was unheard for an infant to be, and so it must be a result of the extremely pure bloodline he possessed. Thewoman turned to Zen, her body slowly dissipating and fading away. She moved her lips. Time seemed to come to a standstill. Zen understood the three words she wanted to relay to him. He removed his tears with the sleeve of his white robe, I love you too, Aurora, and nodded with determination as he grabbed a blue-shining stone from under his robe. ¡°My son, do your best to achieve your mother''s dream, okay?¡± Zen said and took the pendant around his own neck and placed it around the infant''s neck. ¡°This is the token of the five-clawed dragon. It means you are the 72nd patriarch of the clan, a force that even the imperial family has to reckon with. So never satisfy for less. Never ever stop striving for the peak. I infused my aura within and made sure it will suppress your bloodline to a certain extent until you reach a level of power where you can protect yourself.¡± Zen smiled and injected his aura into the rock, watching the dazzling blue light envelop his son and bring him somewhere else. Seeing that the teleportation was successful, he grabbed the sword from his waist and calmly left the room. Before he could join his wife, he had to properly show the world the true power of the five-clawed dragon clan. He would make sure the world never forgot them before his own flesh and blood son rose to prominence. And after that, he would destroy his own soul and join his wife in the nothingness of dissipation. Chapter 2[COMPETITION] Chapter 2 ¨C Proofread byFireFistasce #Author Notes:Please leave reviews of what you think ¨C I''d rather have constructive feedback with written text than five stars or 0,5 stars without. If there is anything you might wonder, don''t hesitate to send me a pm or comment below. Towering Ironbark trees surrounded the battle arena where the yearly disciple competition of the Soaring Clouds sect was held. There was a square field of fifty meters, seats for spectators to sit on every side, and a barrier had been set up to keep straying attacks from harming the curious disciples and elders who had come to watch this year''s spectacle. Hollering cheers were thrown across the field from the sides as the two final participating cultivators, who were the opposite of each other, made their way across. One of them wore a black robe and carried two smaller sickles in his rugged hands. His hair was combed backwards with argon oil and seemed to lick his head. His eyes were green like a viper''s, glistening in the morning sun, and carried a sinister touch. The other cultivator was almost holy in comparison. He had golden hair that swooped past his shoulders and very delicate facial features. It was like comparing an angel to a devil. He had eyes with golden irises, two rows of dazzling, oyster white teeth and a healthy bronze hue on his skin. His white robe was adorned with a simple sword without any extra decorations, and around his neck hung a white jade pendant without any special decoration on it. ¡°Rector, have you thought about what I told you earlier?¡± the holy cultivator asked. ¡°Shut up, Michael. I''ve told you dozens of times, I will never become a silly sassy like you.¡± Rector spat out his words so that everyone could hear. Michael shook his head. ¡°How come you are so obsessed with that path of yours?¡± ¡°Obsessed? Hahaha!¡± Rector took his fighting stance. There was a distance of thirty meters between the two and once the battle started this gap would be crossed in an instance. ¡°The killing path is the only true path in cultivation. To be unfettered and soar through the gate of heaven like a dragon, a cultivator needs only power. And killing is power. True power!¡± ¡°Oh, Rector. I hope you will one day discover how wrong you were.¡± Michael sighed and said. ¡°Okay, let''s make a bet. If you can defeat me today with your killing path, I will give up my freedom and be your slave for as long as I exist. However, If I win, you will do the same.¡± ¡°Slave? Never thought such a word would escape your mouth. Fine, I¡¯ll agree to this bet of yours.¡± Rector laughed. ¡°If you can defeat me, I will become your slave and do whatever you say for the rest of my life! But if you lose, I will make you kill so many people that your hands are drenched in blood that can''t be washed off! I will make you regret ever standing in my way!¡± Michael broke out in a smile. ¡°I''m glad that I could finally convince you.¡± ¡°Convince me? Shut up, bastard.¡± Rector growled. The sinister-eyed man pounced forward. He used a high-ranked movement technique that made his figure blur and allowed him to create an illusion. If one didn''t coat his or her eyes in aura quickly enough to shatter the illusion, an opponent using this technique could very well be one''s Reaper. Of course, even if one did do this, the matter of success relied on skill and utilization of aura. If the opponent''s skill in this sort of technique overshadowed one''s proficiency in aura coating, then the illusion would never break. Michael was calm even though the second rank core disciple in the sect was about to attack him. ¡°Shatter.¡± Michael softly said. The illusion broke apart at his command, like a fragmented dream, and Rector''s true figure became visible for him. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°H-how is your aura coating this strong!?¡± Rector asked with a slight stutter. This technique was his signature technique that he had learned over the past year and become even more famous for. No one in his cultivation level had broken it this easily before. ¡°Because my strength is earned from hard work and not stealing,¡± Michael said softly with a smile. ¡°But I must say, your devil''s steps have become even better. If not for my light-attribute, I doubt I''d be able to counter it. Mm, truly worthy of being second.¡± The sinister-eyed man shrouded his sickles with a dark, bubbling aura, but as he heard the young man, he almost coughed up blood. Shameless! Utterly shameless! Your mother is second! He spat out a thick glob and cracked his neck. ¡°Bastard,¡± he cursed as he charged. The two cultivators clashed several times. Michael found an opening and delivered a kick to the Rector¡¯s abdomen, causing him to crash into the ground and spit out a mouthful of blood as a groan escaped his lips. A cloud of sand kicked up from the impact. Unable to discern, Michael frowned with worry. He never intended to fatally hurt Rector ¡°Are you alright?¡± Michael asked and slowly walked forward to where the sand cloud was. Suddenly, he felt a stir in the air. He leaned his body back on instinct. A warm touch to his chest, the stinging pain echoing in his drumming ears ¨C¨C his white robe had been cut apart and a sickle had pierced through his skin, ripping a large gash in his well-defined chest. A chuckle broke the silence. ¡°You are too careless, you damn show-off.¡± Rector''s face appeared from within the sand cloud, his hand holding the sickle that dripped with crimson blood. ¡°To not be on your guard in a fight... you think everyone''s as naive as you? Bullshit! The martial world is more ruthless than you think. Let this serve as a lesson, and perhaps an initiative for a change of mindset. Well, I''ll get you used to killing others when you serve as my slave. You''ll discover it''s... quite nerve-easing.¡± However, different from his expectations, Michael''s face beamed up. ¡°That was a marvelous attack, Rector! You took advantage of my worry and used it to deliver a strike I wouldn''t be able to counter! If I hadn''t stepped back, I might have been fatally wounded ¡ª Incredible!¡± ¡°Bastard! Why are you complimenting me! This is just like last time. Don''t treat me like a child, I''m the second ranked core disciple for fuck''s sake!¡± Rector cursed and attacked Michael with fury. His strikes were ferocious but Michael''s blocks were firm like a boulder. ¡°What do you mean? I''ve never treated you as a child.¡± the young man replied with a smile. ¡°Not treated me like a child!!!? Last year you explained in detail about my strengths and how I should improve! It took an hour! You talked nonstop for an hour! It even hindered the prize awards! And you know what the most annoying thing is? You fucking gave me the manual that became my signature move? You bastard, how much face do you want me to lose?"Rector fumed with anger as his attacks raged on. ¡°I helped you improve, didn''t I?¡± Michael said. ¡°Face? What''s that?¡± Rector snorted in response and attacked Michael who blocked. Michael felt his feet press through the ground, his arms aching as his opponent pressed down harder. On the other hand, his eyes gleamed as he thought about Rector''s progress after his advice last year. If only the poor man didn''t continue walking down the killing path... ¡°I''m sorry, I can¡¯t lose that bet.¡± he said as his opponents sickles were close to his throat. ¡°You should have thought about that before you made it!¡± Rector said angrily. ¡°I really can¡¯t,¡± he said and suddenly exploded with vigor. Rectors two eyes bulged out as his sickles were pushed away and Michael¡¯s sword placed itself by his neck before he could react. ¡°Admit defeat?¡± Michael asked, his eyes glowing. Rector dropped his sickles unwillingly, pursuing his mouth. ¡°Bastard...¡± ¡°Come again?¡± the young man said, gesturing for the sword in his hands. With a deep breath, Rector broke the silence. ¡°Yes, I lost. Satisfied?¡± ¡°Yup,¡± Michael admitted. Chapter3[FATHER] Chapter 3 ¨CProofread byFireFistasce #Author Notes:Please leave reviews of what you think ¨C I''d rather have constructive feedback with written text than five stars or 0,5 stars without. If there is anything you might wonder, don''t hesitate to send me a pm or comment below. Dracon was a grand mountain range that fetched thousands of meters from each side and looked like a gigantic dragon sleeping on its belly. On the tail was where the sect¡¯s headquarters was located and on the body lay the famous Stoneridge woodlands. These woodlands were used as training areas for sect disciples and contained magical herbs and ruthless elemental beasts to serve as both allure and posing danger. In a deep valley, far into the woodlands, there was an unremarkable little grove. A small waterfall with fresh water let out flushing sounds as it made contact with protruding rocks, and was accompanied by the chattering of birds and the morning songs of other critters who showed their enjoyment of rising up early. The sun floated proudly in the sky and made sure that cultivators who roamed the woodlands would keep their suntan all year around. Suddenly, the animals in the groove who often wouldn¡¯t live more than a day because of element beasts¡¯ gluttonous stomachs were startled awake. They chirped, gawked and grunted¨C depending on species¨C and all surged to the little middle of the little groove. ¡°Have you missed me that much?¡± A white-clothed cultivator said in an unknown language as small animals of different species tried to catch his attention. Some stroke their bodies against him and others purred like cats. ¡°Well, I can¡¯t hold it against you. I¡¯ve missed you too.¡± He got seated on a boulder and proceeded with handing out food from his leather bag. The small animals, who often became food for strong elemental beasts, received what the white-clothed cultivator gave them with joy. It was all because of this white-robed cultivator that they were able to live up to this day. ¡°I have to go see Old Tiger as well,¡± he muttered while watching the animals devour the food. The white-clothed cultivator was none other than Michael, the current number one disciple in the Soaring Cloud sect. He was far above his own age in terms of both strength, temperament and understanding of aura, which was the force refined from each person¡¯s life energy. While his body wasn''t refined like others, quenched in the blood of elemental beasts, Michael¡¯s body was just as powerful as theirs, or he wouldn¡¯t be able to rank as first. ¡°Father, how are you? Is that old wound still giving you pain?¡± Michael stood in front of a small cave not far from the groove and looked at an old tiger the size of two bears. The old tiger was celestial white and almost a bit translucent. Its fur was like snow and had black stripes all over. Its claws were golden and seemed sharper than any sword the young man had ever seen. However, on the white tiger''s belly, a faded scar went from its lower body to its upper body. It was a fearsome scar, and what was even scarier was thinking about how the tiger had been wounded to such an extent and still survived. ¡°Little Michael, why are you calling me father again? You know I''m not your real father!¡± the tiger replied, its hoarse voice echoing in the cave. The old tiger was a powerful elemental beast, at least what it had told Michael, but had been wounded from a battle with its mortal enemy a couple of years back. Elemental beasts were animals with an affinity for the seven elements, therefore given the opportunity, like cultivators, to produce aura and gain further power as they cultivated their life energy. The tiger was light-attributed like Michael and also the one who had taught him the human tongue as well as giving him several of its techniques to learn. ¡°You are my father and will forever be. Now stop nagging and eat what your son brought you.¡± Michael reprimanded. ¡°Fine, fine, whatever you say.¡± the old tiger said with a laugh. It dug in and ate the vegetables with great hunger. ¡°Humph, what filial son forces his father to be a vegetarian¡­¡± ¡°Father, I finally made a cultivator in my sect leave the killing path. This person is the second-ranked disciple in the clan and is very strong! I feel like this is a good start!¡± Michael told the old tiger who peered up from its eating. ¡°That''s good. I''m happy for you. He must be quite a fighter to gain your respect.¡± the tiger agreed. ¡°Hehe, yeah, but it was just a scratch.¡± ¡°A scratch? He injured you?¡± the tiger''s smile disappeared. ¡°Let me see the wound!¡± ¡°Stop it, I''m not a kind anymore!¡± ¡°Show me!¡± the tiger ordered. ¡°Fine!¡± Michael pulled up his robe and revealed a defined six-pack. He stuck out his tongue ¡ª here was not even a scar left. ¡°Good, good.¡± the tiger said, calming down. ¡°I see your cultivation base has increased. How do you feel?¡± ¡°Very good!¡± Michael replied, his face beaming with joy and excitement. ¡°I''ve finally learned that technique you gave me last year. I haven''t tried it out yet but I feel that its power is far above any technique I have.¡± ¡°Of course, that''s my strongest attacking technique.¡± the white tiger said proudly. ¡°Anyway, since you succeeded learning that technique of mine, it''s time for me to give you the last technique I have that you haven''t learned. It''s a technique originally made for my kin, but I modified it for your use. This new model is a bit worse than the original but It''s undoubtedly top class in your so called martial world.¡± If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. The old tiger rose from its lying position and put its claw on Michael''s forehead. A bright light appeared around the claw and Michael felt information about the technique surge into his mind. He gasped and looked at the old tiger with wide eyes. ¡°This technique...¡± ¡°Yes, it''s really powerful.¡± the tiger nodded. ¡°I''ve never heard of such a technique,¡± Michael admitted. ¡°How did you get it?¡± ¡°Hereditary memories.¡± the tiger said. ¡°You remember what I taught you? Hereditary memories are passed down from elemental beasts to elemental beasts. This is a technique reclusive to my kin and is our most prized possession. I wanted to wait a bit longer before giving it to you, but I feel that my breath is growing weaker as the days pass. I fear that I won''t last past today" ¡°N-not longer than today!!?¡± Michael burst out. ¡°So it''s so soon...¡± Michael felt empty inside when he heard that his father was going to die. He knew it beforehand, that the days of Old Tiger was numbered, but he didn''t want to accept the fact. ¡°Stay with me until...¡± the tiger showed a faint smile. ¡°I want to have my son here by my side as I pass over.¡± Michael nodded There was no way he wouldn''t stay by his father''s side in this situation. ¡°I remember when I found you.¡± The old Tiger said, reminiscing back. ¡°You lay on the grass in a groove, soundly sleeping as if you were free from worries. Elemental beasts were all around you, yet didn''t dare to approach. Even as a child, the life-energy in your body was boundless. It was so pure that even I was awed. I brought you to the cave where I resided and tried to feed you with meat from strong magical beasts. You blatantly refused, so I had no choice but go and pick nuts and berries like critters do! Can you believe that?!¡± The tiger laughed wholeheartedly ¡°You never screamed as a child like human children is said to do! I was terrified and thought that maybe something was wrong with you. As you became older, I taught you the tongue of beasts, and you picked it up quicker than I thought. Afterwards, I felt that a human who doesn''t know how to speak the human tongue will be made fun of, so I taught you that as well.¡± Morning slowly became afternoon as Michael spent his time by the old tiger''s side. The old tiger kept talking for the whole time, telling Michael about his childhood and how proud he was of his achievements. Michael felt the time drawing near for his father. All living comes to an end sooner or later had the old tiger told him a few years back. Time is both the kindest and cruelest thing in the world; it grants life but also takes it away just as quick. No one can escape it, not even the most powerful aura users. Even the old tiger, who could once split mountains and shake seas, would now succumb to its ebbs. ¡°Son, I hope you can succeed with that dream of yours, to create a world where no killing exists.¡± the tiger said, drawing its last breath and looking at Michael with eyes filled with love. ¡°I know this is a lot to ask of you, but I want you to use my body¨C¡± ¡°No!¡± Michael said. He refused to use his father''s body to increase his own power. ¡°I can''t...¡± ¡°I know. I was just teasing with you.¡± the tiger laughed. ¡°But there is something I want you to help me with.¡± ¡°Anything.¡± ¡°Take my lifeblood and inject it into your bloodstream.¡± the tiger said. ¡°The process is quick and will allow me to watch over you from the beast heaven. Only then can I pass onward peacefully. Alright?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not any different!¡± ¡°Please.¡± the tiger begged. ¡°Do me this last favor, okay? In the end, Michael slowly nodded. He grabbed the sword from his side and cut open his hand. It was painful but far less than the pain he experienced psychologically at the moment. ¡°That''s my boy. Now make a cut on my paw.¡± The young man gently sliced the old tiger''s paw by covering his sword in his aura. Only with his aura could he pierce through the fur. A mere true steel sword would never be able to do so without the use of a user''s aura, and even then, the aura had to be strong enough. Michael''s aura was barely enough, and that was when the old Tiger didn''t use his aura to protect his body. ¡°Put your hand on my paw and let our bloodstreams unite under our combined aura.¡± The young man reluctantly put his hand against the old tiger''s paw. Its fur was soft. As the blood of elemental beast and the blood of human met, the old tiger''s aura was gentle and majestic as it enveloped his. The old tiger grunted as it forced its blood essences, the source of its life and aura over to Michael and into his bloodstream. Normally, a human wouldn''t even be able to come in touch with an elemental beast''s blood essence. Only when an elemental beast gave it on its own accord would a human be able to receive it. Not only was it an accumulation of the aura inside its body to a great extent, it was also a token of respect and love for the human. In the martial world, where elemental beasts were seen as grinding stones for cultivators'' bodies, the cases of this happening were far in between, almost nonexistent. ¡°The world is far bigger than you think, son. Even I haven''t explored it all.¡± The tiger said, its life slowly fading after giving away its blood essence. ¡°If you truly want to change the world, you need more than just power. You need to guide the people, and show them the right path. I know you can do it, ever since you were small the forest and the world have loved you. I can now leave knowing that my life wasn''t spent in vain ¡ª because I had you. Goodbye, my son.¡± The tiger drew its last breaths as night approached. Michael sat silent for a long time before breaking out in cries. The forest creatures, who had been protected by him and the presence of the white tiger, hurried to his side as he wept. Chapter 4[QUEST] Chapter 4 ¨CProofread byFireFistasce #Author Notes:Please leave reviews of what you think ¨C I''d rather have constructive feedback with written text than five stars or 0,5 stars without. If there is anything you might wonder, don''t hesitate to send me a pm or comment below. Mornings in the Stoneridge woodlands were often very chaotic. Elemental beasts fought with each other as much as they fought with cultivators and only in the caves of extremely powerful elemental beasts, who no one was willing to enrage, was peace and quiet. One such cave was where the tiger who Michael regarded as his father had passed away. The young man sat in the cave by the corpse of the old tiger in silence. He had long ago stopped crying and was now waiting for something that would never happen. He looked at the old tiger, who lay there without moving, and reminisced about his childhood with him. Those were some really good times. If only he could turn back time... After a while, he stood up and walked over, dragging the corpse out of the cave. He went in again, and began to dig a pit in the cave. The least he could do was to give the one who had raised him a proper funeral. He dragged the tiger inside and gently laid him inside the pit. The lingering aura would keep other beasts away for several years. By the time other elemental beasts would dare to intrude, there would be no trace of the old tiger left. His body would be forever buried under the ground until it decays. Michael left the cave after covering the pit again. He had lived far too easy-going all these years. As the old tiger said, if he wanted to change the world, he needed to guide the people and also have the power to match that status of a leader. The power he pursued was not the power of killing nor absolute strength. He needed to grow the bonds of friendship and love and cause waves large enough to overturn the land, a clean slate to build a new foundation on. One step at the time, he had to change the view and perspectives of others. And the first person he would change was none other than the second ranked disciple of the sect, the disciple regarded as the most barbaric and blood-craving, sadistic bastard in the sect. Countless of female women had fallen in his grasp and his reputation was just as bad as Michael, whose reputation of being a ¡°useless¡± cultivator even though his strength was unmatched. Rector had lost the battle in the arena of the yearly disciple competition and so from now on had become Michael¡¯s slave. The sect headquarters were split into three four areas. The outer area, the inner area, the core area, and the heart area¨C each representing who lived where. The first three were self-explanatory and the fourth was where the patriarch and elders resided. Michael walked through the headquarters until he arrived at the core area. There were thirty-six abodes all very well-made here, several hundred years old and inhabited by countless of core disciples over the years. Since the style of the sect was old-fashioned, the abodes had been built in the form of cottages with the sturdy iron-bark wood that could be found across the Stoneridge woodlands in abundant amounts. Each of the cottages contained an aura diagram that drew life energy from the surroundings in small amounts. It helped the core disciples become more attuned to their aura and was a privilege only core and upward had. Because of the aura diagram, the core disciples would often remain in their abodes unless they took a quest from the sect¡¯s official quest board. That was why he had come here. Not for his own abode, but for the abode of Rector. ¡°Rector.¡± Michael shouted, amplifying his voice with aura. The door soon opened, and the face which so many in the clan feared appeared. Rector¡¯s black hair was messy and his eyes were gloomy. As he saw the familiar figure after opening the door, they turned even darker. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°You disappeared after the competition. Or I would have gone to pay my respects.¡± Rector said and bowed. It was a common occurrence as well as law for slaves to pay their respects to their masters and follow them everywhere from there on. ¡°Stop.¡± Michael said, a smug smile on his face. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to be my slave. Or rather, I want to be your friend.¡± ¡°You want to befriend your slave?¡± Rector said coolly. ¡°If you just stopped walking the killing path this could have gone much easier.¡± Michael replied without batting an eye toward the black-haired man¡¯s attitude. ¡°So you mean if I stop killing now I can go free?¡± ¡°Why? Are you ready to give it up?¡± ¡°No,¡± Rector told him straight up. ¡°My path is the true path. I will never give it up.¡± Michael shook his head. ¡°Then I can¡¯t let you go,¡± he said. ¡°Right, I didn¡¯t thi¨C¡± ¡°But¨C¡± he cut him off. ¡°I can give you another way out.¡± ¡°And that would be?¡± Rector asked lazily. ¡°Follow me on a quest,¡± Michael said. ¡°If I can change your way of thinking by the time the quest is over, it will be to my benefit. If I can¡¯t, then that¡¯s it. I¡¯ll officially release you.¡± ¡°A quest?¡± the black-haired man asked in confirmation. Michael nodded. ¡°You mean to say... I will only have to help you with a quest, and then you''ll release me?¡± ¡°As you said. One quest only.¡± Michael said. ¡°Do I have a choice?¡± ¡°Well, If you abandon the killing path directly¨C¡± Rector interrupted Michael with a deep sigh. ¡°When do we set off?¡± ¡°Today,¡± Michael replied while sighing. ¡°Let''s meet in an hour in the heart. There are some things we''ll have to sort out with the patriarch and elders first.¡± ¡°Is the quest that big?¡± Rector lowered his brows. ¡°If I tell you now, it won''t be a surprise, will it?¡± ¡°Bastard....¡± the black-haired man cursed. ¡°Do you mind giving me some peace until then? I have some things I need to sort out and some stress to relieve.¡± ¡°If you use force, I will never relea¨C¡± ¡°Shut up, I got enough charm to bed one or two without force. Now get the hell out of my abode!¡± Michael nodded and turned around to walk away. Just before he left, he gave the black-haired man a gentle reminder. ¡°By the way, the next time you interrupt me like that, I¡¯ll seal your aura.¡± As Rector heard what he said, he felt a chill in his heart. It was indeed possible to seal someone¡¯s aura, but that technique was long-lost and hadn¡¯t been used in the martial world for hundreds of years. ¡°Hmpf. Don¡¯t think you¡¯re some big shot just because you defeated me. Not even those peak experts that stand on top of the martial world can seal someone¡¯s aura.¡± Rector snorted and slammed the door shut so hard that the abode shook and the fibers of the door almost tore apart. ¡°Well, I can¡¯t have it against you for not believing me.¡± Michael mused to himself as he made way to the market. He bought fruits and nuts and vegetables in heaps with his reputation points from doing a couple of quests that demanded no killing as well as the points for winning the yearly disciple competition six years in a row before heading back to the little groove. He stockpiled the food in a cave (not the one where the big tiger died) and called out the animals. He told them in the beast tongue that he was going away for a while and that this was food that they could eat in the meantime. After doing all the necessary preparation, the young man took a stroll in the Stoneridge mountains. He deliberately let his aura flow out. Feeling his holy and pure life force, no elemental beast tried to attack him. There was a few disciples who struggled to escape after enraging an elemental beast. As he was their senior, he held back the beast so that they could escape. He apologized to the beast and gave it a bit of food before leaving for the sect. Michael knocked Rector¡¯s door for the second time today. It was already afternoon and the sun scorched his skin. He was used being bare in front of the sun since he was a child living in the Stoneridge woodlands with the old tiger, so with clothes it wasn¡¯t worth mentioning. As the familiar gloomy face appeared after the door opened, Michael revealed a large smile, showing his dazzling row of white teeth. ¡°Ready?¡± Chapter5[TESTING] Chapter 5 ¨CProofread byFireFistasce #Author Notes:Please leave reviews of what you think ¨C I''d rather have constructive feedback with written text than five stars or 0,5 stars without. If there is anything you might wonder, don''t hesitate to send me a pm or comment below. It was a very strange scene for some disciples to see the two strongest disciples in the clan to walk together. Both were known to be solitary figures, although Michael¡¯s lonely state wasn¡¯t out of his own choice, and a bit similar in some aspects¨C of course, that was disregarding their completely opposite principles, values and personalities, which was why others found their union strange. Michael was kind, generous, merciful and everything a good Samaritan was to the eye, while Rector, like a devil, was mean, selfish, ruthless¨C at least according to the crowd. ¡°I really can¡¯t wait to see this quest of yours,¡± Rector said sarcastically as they walked toward their destination. He was eagerly expecting the day he could be freed from his position as a slave. If he didn¡¯t follow his master''s orders, Michael could go to the disciplinary court and ask for his slave to be captured and punished. ¡°What are we gonna do, cuddle someone to death? No, wait, maybe we¡¯re going to hold a grand lecture for the juniors?¡± ¡°How did you know?¡± Michael replied innocently while grinning, understanding where Rector wanted to come at. ¡°Fuck off,¡± Rector said, his face sour for being made a joke. As they walked through the gate leading to the patriarch''s and the elders'' quarters, the surroundings instantly changed from slightly bustling to extremely tranquil. The heart area was made to be as attuned to nature as possible. This was to give the high-positioned members of the clan, who had served for tens of years, a peaceful place to cultivate til their death. In the end, these old men and women would succumb under time''s influence and silently depart without anyone but the gardeners noticing. Michael and Rector stepped upon the dirt-paved path twisting between hills and artificial waterfalls and -lakes. It was a paradise built for cultivators. The life energy in the air was higher than normal and would allow cultivators to be at their optimal condition while cultivating and as they tried to further understand the intricate laws of their aura. ¡°Intruders?¡± a hoarse, aged voice sounded out. Michael cleared his throat. ¡°No, sir, we are two core disciples on our way to meet the Patriarch. Please forgive us if we¡¯ve disturbed your cultivation.¡± ¡°Hmm, I see.¡± the voice responded. ¡°Be on your way quickly then.¡± The two young cultivators continued down the dirt-paved road until the road came to an end. In front of them, an enormous mansion of wood towered up. Michael knocked the wooden door twice and then stepped back. After waiting for a couple of seconds, a middle-aged man opened the door. ¡°Ah, Michael and Rector ¡ª if I remember correctly. What''s on your mind?¡± ¡°We''ve come to meet the Patriarch. I hope you could lead us to him, sir.¡± The middle-aged man in front of them held a very high position in the sect. His name was Cory and was a disciplinary elder. Everything about him was straight and linear, his clothes, his hair¨C just like the punishments he handed out in a case of committed crimes. ¡°The Patriarch sensed your presence the moment you came here. He told me to open up for you when you came.¡± Elder Cory said and smiled. ¡°Follow me.¡± Michael and Rector nodded and entered the cottage. Following Elder Cory, they found themselves outside a room on the second floor. The mansion itself wasn''t very decorative in terms of ornate things. Just like the abodes of elders, the sect head also lived while trying to be as attuned as possible to nature and live where it was abundant in life energy. They entered the room. ¡°Yo, young lads.¡± an ancient voice called out, his words quite unbefitting of his status. The two young cultivators looked in the center of the room and found the old patriarch sitting in a chair, staring out of a window. He turned around his hair as gray as ash. A white robe adorned his feeble-looking body. The patriarch was at his final years and would soon pass onward, just like the old tiger had done. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. Thinking about the old tiger, sorrow pained Michael¡¯s, heart. He quickly suppressed the pain and greeted the man. ¡°Patriarch.¡± Rector quickly did the same, his rebellious nature clearly kept on a leash. ¡°I guess it ain¡¯t for small you''ve come to visit this old ragtag of bones.¡± the Patriarch said, turning to the window once again, talking while staring out. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Need an old man¡¯s advice with tha¡¯ ladies? ¡°Do you mind if I¡¯ll be blunt with you, sir?¡± Michael asked. ¡°As blunt as you want.¡± the old man returned. Michael quickly stated his cause.¡°I¡¯ve come to test my rank and I¡¯d like you to be my witness.¡± The old man lifted an eyebrow but didn¡¯t turn around. He was quiet for a moment before speaking calmly. ¡°Nice ambition.¡± he said. ¡°Just a guess¨C is your goal to be an elder?¡± Michael nodded. ¡°It is.¡± Rector frowned and almost let out a laugh. ¡°You want to be an elder? Damn, you¡¯re quite conceited, aren¡¯t you? You¡¯d need to be at least in the sixth rank for that!¡± Michael smiled faintly in return to Rector¡¯s words. ¡°Well, you¡¯ve scrambled my eggs before¡­.¡± the old patriarch trailed off with a sigh. Then he said. ¡°Fine then, tell Cory that old bastard I told him to lead you to the hall downstairs. I¡¯ll call the fogies for a meeting. Seeya down there in ten.¡± Michael and Rector nodded, left the room and followed Elder Cory downstairs. ¡°I heard from your conversation with the Patriarch that you want to become an elder,¡± Elder Cory asked Michael. ¡°You sure you want that?¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Michael inquired. ¡°I mean¨C don¡¯t you want to experience the adventurous spirit?¡± Elder Cory laughed, thinking back to his old times as a core disciple. ¡°Taking quests, traveling the martial world, meeting friends and foes alike- are you really ready to throw away all that for a mere position?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not, no.¡± Michael replied. Elder Cory frowned but didn¡¯t ask any more questions. He didn¡¯t really get what the young core disciple was getting at, but didn¡¯t care either. What was destined to happen would happen eventually. If a powerful core disciple became an elder in his youth, so what? When he thought back to the reputation of Michael, he figured maybe that was the reason for his decision. Perhaps the young prodigy of their clan was sick and tired of the martial world and wanted to live in reclusive cultivation¨C he was just a few years younger than most to do so. The elders soon gathered. There were over hundred elders in the clan, more than the amount of core disciples. The reason to this was that many generations of core disciples either left the clan or joined as elders after growing strong. So, since a cultivator lived longer than normal mortals, the amount of elders had grown to a terrifying degree. In the end, however, only a few elders possessed a position in the clan. The others only defended the clan in case of attacks and were solely elders in name. Some were even stronger than the Patriarch. ¡°It¡¯s been a day since we last met¨C at the yearly competition where our number one disciple defended his position as number one.¡± the Patriarch told the elders. ¡°We¡¯ve come gather here today by the request of this same person¨C who wants to see if he can become an elder.¡± ¡°He wants to become an elder already? He should know that the cultivation base of sixth rank is required for that...¡± a mature woman said as she stepped forward. She wore a pink dress and had mercury red hair. Then she sighed.¡°It seems we came here for nothing. Really¡­!¡± Another one stepped forward. ¡°I agree with Elder Miara. I seriously can¡¯t believe you made us come here for such a trivial matter. Why didn¡¯t you test him yourself? No need for a big fucking crowd¡­¡± ¡°Jeez, calm your titties folks.¡± the patriarch raised his voice, silencing everyone. ¡°As you all know, the title of elder requires more than just a cultivation base. With the self-confidence Michael has shown me earlier, I believe the matter of his cultivation base won¡¯t be an issue.¡± ¡°Hump, if he truly is as confident as you proclaim, I¡¯ll be the one test his combat capabilities after six marking shines.¡± Elder Miara chimed in, standing in the front of the elders like a proud peacock. ¡°Then I must thank Elder Miara in beforehand.¡± the Patriarch said with a smile. He turned toMichaeland fetched a metal bar with strange carving from his pocket. ¡°If you can make six of ten carvings light up, it will be considered a pass,¡± he said and grinned. ¡°Then Elder Miarawill have to eat up her words in shame. If not, I¡¯ll have to trouble you to offer an apology to the elders who came all this way to bear witness to your measurement. Hey lad, don¡¯t disappoint me now after getting my expectations sky-high. I¡¯d love to see that bitch lose face.¡± Ch6[SEVEN] Michael made a strange face as he heard the shameful patriarch''s words. It was well-known how different the current patriarch was compared to his predecessors, but this really was a bit of a stretch. How an easy-going cultivator like this became the patriarch of a superior third-grade sect was a mystery to the young man. ¡°I¡¯m confident in my strength.¡± he replied ¡°Good, good, youth is all about being fearless.¡± the old man said and laughed. ¡°Bold and fearless!¡± Michael nodded and put his hand on the metal device. He revolved his aura, a bright light coating the device. It signified his aura as of the light-attribute. In total, there were six elements in the world. Fire. Wind. Earth. Water. Light. Darkness. Every cultivator had a special element as their attribute. Light and darkness were considerably rarer and more powerful than the other four and so Rector being the second strongest in the clan and Michael being the strongest was partly because this fact. The first marking of the metal device quickly lit up, followed by the second, third and fourth. The eyes of the elders similarly lit up as well. A fourth rank light-attribute cultivator in his twenties was incredibly precious. Cultivators with life energy had the hardest time ranking up along with darkness cultivators because of the intricate mysteries of the elements themselves. However, the difficulty was followed by sufficient reward. The light-attribute was famed for its healing properties and incredible effectiveness in vanquishing demons. Silently, the fifth marking followed suit. The elders began to whisper with each other as they saw five of ten marking shining. Although they were all in the sixth rank or higher, not a single one of them possessed the light element ¡ª as only about one in a thousand possessed either light or darkness as their attributes. This made Michael and Rector very valuable to the clan. Michael could be groomed to an indispensable healer and Rector to a ruthless assassin. Slightly after the fifth shone up, something no one expected happened¨C two more markings joined the other five. The room turned silent. The Patriarch received a cough-attack. The elders had their eyes popping out. And Rector¡¯s jaw dropped so low it almost touched the floor. The first person in the room to regain his composure was the old Patriarch. He started to laugh and said. ¡°Dang, you should have told me you were this confident from the start! You¡¯re damn powerful for just a kid.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure.¡± Michael said. He looked down at his hand, staring at it for several seconds before taking a long sigh, his eyes slightly moist. ¡°And if I had the choice I¡¯d rather not.¡± The patriarch nodded and turned to the red-haired elder. He smiled wryly and said. ¡°Hey, Miara, I remember you saying you wanted to test the kid?¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Elder Miara froze. She stiffly replied. ¡°I t-think a seventh rank is good enough.¡± ¡°Oh really now?¡± the patriarch mused. ¡°Well, I kind of want to see that with my own eyes.¡± ¡°Maybe you should test him yourself then.¡± Elder Miara venomously said in return. ¡°With this old body? You must surely be joking, I can¡¯t possibly do that.¡± the Patriarch waved his hands in the air to signify how frail he was. ¡°You young people should take the chance to be courageous. Not to mention how you are twenty or so years older than him. I think it could be a very nice fight to watch. An elder versus a disciple!¡± Elder¡¯s face twitched as she bit her nail. ¡°You¡¯ll regret this old man.¡± ¡°Ahaha, no need to be so serious.¡± the Patriarch laughed it off. ¡°I mean¨C you weren¡¯t this serious at your home last night when discussed an interesting topic with your faction.¡± Several elders along with Elder Miara felt their heart almost stop. ¡°Why? Not serious anymore?¡± he added. ¡°Patriarch, it¡¯s not like you thi¨C¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard enough.¡± the old man bellowed. The mansion shook from the incredible aura within his voice. Even Michael felt his eardrums clamor. ¡°How about it.¡± he continued. ¡°If you can defeat the kid in a battle, I¡¯ll let that matter pass as mere drunk talk. Nothing more. Nothing less. However, if you were to lose¨C¡± he stopped, smiled faintly and said. ¡°Then you and your faction may never set foot in my clan again.¡± ElderMairabit her lip until a faint line of blood trickled down her lip. She looked around and saw the other elders¡¯ gaze on her and the rest of her faction. She slowly turned to the Patriarch and bowed. Then she walked down to the middle of the hall and stopped. ¡°Go on lad.¡± the Patriarch urged Michael from the side. Before he could take a step, the old man added in a voice only he could hear. ¡°Defeat her and I¡¯ll owe you a big one.¡± Michael nodded. He understood that something fishy was going on but couldn¡¯t quite understand what it was. Either way, the Patriarch¡¯sfavourwould ease up a lot for the quest he was about to undertake, and more so the mission he had in his life swore to complete. Michael walked down from the side to the open space in the middle of the hall. Large pillars wooden pillars supported the room and faint sunlight slipped through from outside above the red-haired elder¡¯s head. The young man stopped a couple of meters away from ElderMaira. He looked at the elders who watchedthe himwith great interest. ¡°The opportunity you gave me, father¡­ I will make good use of it.¡± he mumbled to himself as he, motionlessly, stared at the elder.