Main Chapter: Die Now or Die Later.

Driving up the pure white pathway, known as the Path of Ruo, Xuan Yu gazed out the window. It was raining once more. And just like every time it did he felt phantom pains throughout his body.

Absentmindedly, he stroked his necklace.

'If only I had you back then, but then again I probably wouldn't be able to keep you. To those hypocrites, it is righteous to take treasures from the weak who cannot use them to their full potential.'

Annoyance filled Xuan Yu's gaze but that was only momentary.

The Xuan carriage continued its ascension as the other travelers of the Path of Ruo gave way.

The Xuan Estate had quite a number of people. Quite a few members of the Minor Cultivator Families had gathered to visit Ong Zhou. Trying to discern how close he was to kicking the bucket.

Ong Zhou was trying his best to seem like he was recovering. Handling their fake smiles with fake smiles of his own and answering their thanks with the long speeches he was known for. Seeing this, Xuan Yu refrained from torturing Ong Zhou. If the latter appeared too weak those who had gathered had no problem helping to send him off.

Making his way to Vermillion Court he merely passed by the Audience Hall. Those who noticed him either greeted him ignored him or sized him up for his worth. Xuan Yu ignored them all. He was a Xuan, one of the 8 Major Families. Even if he was an orphan if someone from a Minor Family forgot their place. Their own comrades would suppress them out of fear of the "higher-ups."

Reaching the Vermillion Court. Li Zi was there to greet him with her head bowed. Reaching her he handed over the communication scroll.

Receiving it with trembling hands Li Zi was happy but even more than that she was shocked. She immediately kowtowed and offered it back.

"Young Master, I cannot."

"Li Zi, you are currently mine. The things you can do and can't do are up to me to decide."

Hearing those dominating words, Li Zi didn't know what to say but,

"Yes, Young Master."

"It is connected to your teacher if you have any questions about cultivating ask him."

Though she was a bit disappointed it wasn't connected to Xuan Yu. Li Zi was grateful nonetheless.

Passing her he entered his room and after casting aside his things. Went to his pool-like bath, cleaned himself off and went to soak in the warm water.

His hair spread out as he floated. He gazed up into the sky-painted ceiling.

'Tonight, I win or die.'

'You can always run away.'

A slight chuckle echoed from Xuan Yu.

'Die now, die later or run away like a whipped mongrel.'

'Did that last fight make you doubt yourself.'

'… I was arrogant then. But if I am truly so weak that I have to play my trump card for every battle. I won't be able to hold on…'

'Yuyu, you're making me sad. Do you really think you can go on without sacrificing everything? Remember everything needs to die to achieve your end goal. If you're worried about pacing yourself. Don't be it'll take you time before you can use it efficiently. You haven't fully acclimatized to the changes you brought yet.'

'Scold me or reassure me. Don't do both.'

Xuan Yu sighed as he floated in the bath. Closing his eyes he let himself drift as he began to sing. Then he started to sink his song cut off by the water as he completely submerged himself under.

Floating below the surface he let his entire body still.

***

Taking an unmarked carriage Xuan Yu had driven down to the Lower Mortal Ring.

"Young Ancestor, I'm so happy to see you. I heard you were first at the Academy. Should I get you the usual?"

The waitress that he met pretty much a week ago, greeted him warmly. And ever since the first day she had greeted him in a similar fashion to how she did now. Sometimes she skipped out on her work time to keep him company as he drank. But even when the old tavern keeper saw her. One look at Xuan Yu, his beauty, his sad and fatalistic expression. She never stopped the younger waitress.

Xuan Yu shook his head and then he smiled a brilliant, resolute, child-like smile. Gasps broke out in the tavern along with the sound of a few people falling down. The waitress who was the direct recipient couldn't find her breath.

"Big sister, I'll try again. Even when I wasn't looking for it the path opened for me. Big sis, I won't come here as often because I'll be working hard. But I promise I'll never forget your kindness."

The waitress couldn't control herself. And tears started falling from her eyes.

She reached her arms out and Xuan Yu allowed her to hug him.

"Be the best you can be."

The waitress tearily said as she released him.

"You said it, sister!"

Other such cheers came from the crowd. Though he didn't realize it he had gathered a large group of sympathizers. With some people regularly visiting just to see him.

But Xuan Yu didn't care or feel grateful. He attributed it to the fact that he was a "pretty boy." And that even though he was an "ancestor." Nothing about him made them think he was a threat.

So, for Xuan Yu this was nothing, but performance and the smile was a one-off thing, that he couldn't bother repeating. And he acted as if he enjoyed the impromptu celebration and reacted warmly to those who approached him.

When it was late in the night Xuan Yu hopped into an unmarked carriage. A full black carriage that kept its passenger and their destinations a secret. A special service for Qing Ruo young masters who wanted to go off for some trouble or fun.

Reaching up to the Upper Mortal Ring. The carriage turned off and traveled deep down the western half of the Upper Mortal Ring.

Soon, there were no more buildings and instead where flat overgrown grasslands. That would make one forget this was a mountain if they didn't look up or off the edge.

By the time the moon reached its zenith. The carriage stopped, and Xuan Yu got off.

"Young Master, there-…"

Out of concern, the driver had spoken up as Xuan Yu was walking by. But his words were cut off by a cruel looking knife. Paying the slumping corpse, no mind, Xuan Yu walked through the overgrown grasslands. The sound of night insects and the smell of the wild all around him.

Finally, he came to a cave, that through a combination of wild growth and vines was hidden completely from view. Xuan Yu of course already knew it was there, so he parted it and walked through.

It was a cave with nothing natural about its appearance. It looked more like something had dug it out. A fat worm-like creature that was 20 meters high. Its movement had left clear ridges into the mountain. That was a further testament to its size. And in these ridges were scale like shedding that gave off a gray light.

However, the original master of the cave wasn't Xuan Yu's concern. It was its second master.

Thud, a creature fell from the ceiling. It looked like a human made of rot encrusted in blackened bones. Spikes protruded from its shoulders and back. In place of eyes were rotten meat chunks, the dry sound of them moving as the creature scanned Xuan Yu was more than audible. It had no lips and its cheeks were split revealing a row of rotten teeth. Its fetid breath would be visible in a better-lighted place.

It wore a worn-out rusty cuirass and threadbare soiled pants. Its feet were covered in chains and so was its hands.

It had fallen clumsily but now that it stood at its full height of 3 meters. Its muscular frame was intimidating enough.

'A relic from the last great war and a part of the calamity of Qing Ruo. It's funny, I never met any of you despite us living so close.'

"*******. *****. *********? *********** **** **** *********. * **** ***** *** ******** ****. (Defiler. Enemy. Treatment? Elimination with full prejudice. I will honor the Ancients will."

Its voice was low and rumbling, its rotten organs made the voice unpleasant to hear, jarring. Its language strange to this land but one Xuan Yu knew.

The Barakis bent its body and expelled a chunk of rotten meat. Digging around in it, it dragged out a grey jagged sword.

While it did that Xuan Yu, took off his outer and inner robe and threw it. There was more than enough qi in the air for the basic spells he intended to use. His memory wasn't eidetic anymore and using a spell he didn't clearly remember was just a quick way to a backlash.

And right now he didn't want to rely on his Dao or rely on her. Maybe, it was foolish, but he wanted to test himself.

The Barakis fully righted itself, Xuan Yu rippled, sinking a qi wrapped full force spinning kick into its stomach. The Barakis merely took a step back and swung.

Kicking off the Barakis he jumped back. Hands weaving and chanting. Landing on the ground, he fired a large comet-shaped ball of Moon Fire.

The jagged blade flew out. Tearing the ball apart, dispersing it. Xuan Yu narrowly dodged but just the wind from the blade felt like it could wound him.

Suddenly, the Barakis appeared by his blade. Gripping it, it swung toward Xuan Yu. But the latter was already in the air. Landing on the swinging blade. Xuan Yu jumped back, weaving more signs and chanting.

Landing near the wall he breathed deep and released a wave of Moon Fire from his mouth. Filling the cave with purple flames.

The Barakis jumped through wreathed in flame. Its blade wrapped in Moon Fire.

"Hah!"

Xuan Yu exclaimed his hands pressed firmly against each other. The blade burst and pieces flew across the cave. Sinking into the Barakis but it made no sign of pain. Still flying toward Xuan Yu, it threw its handle. Xuan Yu's knife met it and fog spread out darkening the cave.

Clash, the sound of the two clashing rang out. Again, and again. Faster as the two fought in close quarters.

The fog revealed the two fighting fiercely Xuan Yu, dual wielding his knives. Clashing against the bone as spikes protruded from the Barakis.

Xuan Yu was much weaker physically. His knives were striking after swings. Countering as he dodged and the Barakis responded with a fierce and more vicious strike.

One hit was good enough to kill Xuan Yu, but he needed to do a lot more than one hit to harm the Barakis.

Xuan Yu's knife caught in the Barakis spike. He immediately let go but it was too late. A knee strike and the sound of something breaking rang out. Xuan Yu flew straight to the ceiling, slamming into it.

The Barakis jumped up and its spike dove into Xuan Yu's stomach. The rippling, however, showed it was just an image. Looking down the Barakis saw a massive wall of Moon Fire reaching up to him.

The entire ceiling was in flames and Xuan Yu was watching it closely, annoyed. Even with the localized barrier he just used. He was still sent several meters upwards. By then he could do nothing to prevent the pain his back would be in.

'One hit is definitely more than enough, and that bastard is just hitting his 2nd form.'

Once more it fell down from the ceiling but now it was wreathed completely in spikes. Making it look like a porcupine.

Xuan Yu quickly changed his stance and chanted while weaving hand sign after sign.

The Barakis at the same time crouched down, directing all of its spikes outward and then fired.

Xuan Yu barrier appeared 3 Still Ponds layered one after the other. The spikes shot outward and smashed through the barriers, but it was enough to slow them. To a speed, Xuan Yu could dodge them all. They were not released simultaneously after all, and they had been delayed long enough for Xuan Yu to read them.

As he dodged the last the Barakis was before him, but Xuan Yu was ready. Xuan Yu's Qi clad fist met the Barakis' own. Pain ripped throughout Xuan Yu's right arm. But he was forced to clash 3 times. Before he could gain some distance.

The Barakis didn't pursue, shifting its stance once more. Spikes slowly began to appear from beneath its skin.

And with Xuan Yu having gained the distance he needed to start dual casting again. A race against time began that would decide the winner.

Xuan stopped casting and pointed at the still preparing Barakis with two fingers.

"Eradicate, Moon Fire Storm."

With those words, all the Moon Fire in the area gathered together and a storm of flames wrapped up the Barakis. Burning it as it lifted it up. Filling the cave with the smell or burning rotten meat.

Then after a minute, the storm dispersed and the Barakis dropped.