Meng Li's past.

In actual fact, the detonation of the third stage Qi realm disciple should not have turned Yuan Huan's body into ash like that. It would usually be far less powerful and still leave traces of the body, even of the disfigured body of Yuan Huan.

However, Tang Zhelan had meddled with the dantians of three of the weaker disciples and inserted his own soul flame there. This completely shattered any hope for his advancement in the future, yet he was willing to go to such lengths to kill Yuan Huan. This would also remove any evidence.

This would dramatically increase the force of their self detonation, however they would not be able to use it in battle.

He had marked Yuan Huan with the soul flame slightly so as to let the three know his location, so they could head to him to finish the job for certain.

Just in case they decided not to self detonate, he had fed them a bunch of crap, including threatening their parents. He also told them that all future hope for cultivation had been destroyed by the flame, so the only thing they could do was sacrifice themselves for their family. He further told them that he was able to see their every move via the flame and would judge their parents fates accordingly.

Tang Yimu, had unfortunately believed him, and lost his life in vain. The other two disciples had been killed by Ling Jun in their indecision to self detonate.

Back outside the forest, Tang Zhelan could sense all four auras of his soul flame dissipate and he sighed. Conflict was visible in his eyes as his morals fought his goals.

Yes, he was a power hungry man, yet all of that had been for the clan. Everything he ever did, was for the clan. It had been the goal of all Tang clan leaders to become the only power in Xin city aside from the city lord.

With him, this goal had now been accomplished, yet so much blood had been shed, so many lines crossed, that he didn't know if it had been worth it all.

My life will slowly come to an end he thought. At the very least, I will be remembered as the Tang clan Leader who achieved the lifelong goal of the Tang's. And with, Yuan Huan's death, his spatial ring must also have been destroyed along with the memory crystal, leaving absolutely no loose ends.

When Tang Zhelan thought of the humiliation he had suffered in order to convince Yuan Huan to help, he couldnt help but gnash his teeth. He felt regret. Regret came pouring in like a tidal wave until it choked him.

"I'm sorry.." he choked out. Yet he was not talking to anyone present. He was apologising to someone who was not there.

The other cultivators in the area stared at him strangely. Meng Jian and Ling Yijun had already left the area and returned to their compounds in grief.

Tang Zhelan took a moment to compose himself, before his eyes returned to their normal calm.

Everything was done now. He had no use for regret.

...

Back in the Beastwood forest, Ling Jun and Meng Li were sitting down and talking.

"Why...are you afraid to kill people? I know you are okay with killing beasts, yet what is so different about people?" Ling Jun asked solemnly. He wanted to know the answer, so he could help her fix this weakness.

She sighed. "The difference between beasts and people, is that people beg to stay alive in the face of death.

"And... it scares me." Meng Li's voice wobbled.

"Meng Li...you dont have to answer, but why did you run away from your home when you were ten?" Ling Jun asked. He had thought it was strange at the time, but did not pry. Now though, he knew the story was probably related to why she had such a fear. It was likely PTSD from a past trauma.

"It's...okay, i'll tell you."

Ling Jun listened carefully as she revealed her story. Her mother had been a rogue cultivator named Xiao Wuying when she met Meng Jian. They fell in love and she settled down. They had both been at peak spiritual realm at the time. Just before Meng Li was born, Meng Jian reached soul realm. After Meng Li was born, she had lived a happy life, which was torn apart a month before her tenth birthday.

Turns out, back in Xiao Wuying's rogue cultivator days, she had beaten up a bandit at the spiritual realm, whom she let live after he begged for his life. The same bandit had stumbled on some good fortune, raising his cultivation to third level soul realm.

He had been passing by the area when he heard mention of the name Xiao Wuying. Intrigued, he investigated until he realised it was in fact the same woman who had defeated him before. Remembering the humiliation, he had snuck into their house and threatened the family. Being cautious of the city lord, he opted to keep his activities silent.

The reason Meng Li hated her father was because he could have alerted the city lord and fought to hold up until the city lord arrived. Yet, not knowing if he would be able to survive that long and fearing for his own life, he had only watched on as his wife was subjected to torture.

She had been bound and gagged, and tortured repeatedly for over a month. Meng Li had tried to attack the bandit, begged her father, done everything in her power to help her mother to no avail. The man had not let them out of the house for fear of alerting others, so she was forced to watch on helplessly.

Xiao Wuying had been humiliated badly, yet every time the gag was removed, Meng Li could hear the same phrases being mentioned repeatedly.

"Please don't kill me. I beg of you, please stop, I was wrong, I was wrong!"

Xiao Wuying had repeatedly begged for her life. Until he killed her after getting bored. He had only tortured Xiao Wuying, as she was the only one he had a grudge on.

After that, he had simply disappeared. Meng Li was unable to ever look at Meng Jian as a father anymore. So she tried to run away from home.

She had slowly healed over the years, but still could not kill anyone due to what she had experienced.

After hearing her story, even Ling Jun, who was a sadist and loved blood, couldn't help but feel deep pity for her. Their backgrounds were both quite dark so he could empathise with her quite a bit.

"I'm sorry for killing people in front of you." Ling Jun said sincerely. "Would you like to hear my story? It's somewhat unbelievable to be honest."

Meng Li sniffed before raising her face to look at him with a forced smile. "Yeah. Don't worry, I wont doubt your words at all!"

So Ling Jun began to talk to her about Earth, how there was no cultivation, no law of the jungle. Meng Li was extremely curious about the details and soon began to smile again, forgetting herself in this new world Ling Jun was describing. Ling Jun was relieved that she was feeling a bit better now.

But he didn't forget his main purpose. He wanted to help Meng Li overcome her past.

He told of his perfect life until eight, and the nightmare that unfolded afterwards. He told of the torture he had faced repeatedly for five years, from his own mother.

And he told of his choice. Of how he overcame it.

His mother never listened even once when he asked her to stop. He had screamed for five years. Not once did the bitch ever stop for him. So when he was carving up her flesh as she was still breathing, screaming for him to stop, he sure as hell didn't stop for shit, even taking more delight in what he was doing.

Meng Li had been jovial at first, but learning about his life, her gaze had completely turned and she couldn't even imagine an eight year old child going through so much pain. And from his own mother no less. Xiao Wuying had never harmed Meng Li, ever, always going the extra mile to make her child satisfied, so she could never imagine how such sick and twisted parents could exist.

She thought about what he had done in the end. And she thought about her own past.

Mother begged for her life repeatedly she thought, yet she was killed all the same. Why did Meng Li spare others, when even her own mother didn't receive that right? Mother was the kindest, yet she received such treatment. Why the fuck should Meng Li care about if others begged?

If anything, they were the ones who were afraid, she had no reason to fear their begging. How could she be so stupid as to always leave loose ends, when it was a loose end which had brought the nightmare to her mother.

Meng Li suddenly felt all the fear and trauma wash away. There was some remaining of course. But she knew the perfect way to get rid of it all, once and for all.

"Ling Jun," She said as she stood up slowly, a determined expression on her face.

"Take me to kill some bitches. Innocent or not, I don't care."

Ling Jun smiled. "That..." He said as he rubbed his hands together gleefully. "...Is right up my alley."