9. Cleaning Up

"Mother, why are you and father are so against us going to the Town in the first place?" Ame asked as she asked while riding the Oxcart.

"Because it is dangerous in the Town, we are safer in our home, and we don't want you guys to be in danger. You are our children, after all." Ava, who was driving controlling the Ox, answered.

"We have been attacked by a Lightning Qilin and a Raging Black Demon… if not for father killing them, we would have been in danger. Those two beasts are beyond… what was it again…?"

[Ascension Realm.] Kiel said while quietly waving around the clothed sticks he brought from home.

Ame continued, "…Ascension Realm beasts, that's correct. Those beasts were nothing before Father, and we are still safe in our home?"

"My daughter, it is not only beasts that are dangerous, but also humans. There are devious people in the Town, and they could hurt you very badly."

"Can't father just protect us then?" Ame argued, to which Ava failed to respond with anything.

Kiel was the one to go to his mother's rescue, "We can't go because our parents say so, just be good and happy that mother supported you to go with her."

"That's right, good save my son!" Ava celebrated as she found solace in Kiel's words, "Now, Ame, stop questioning this great mother of yours, or I'll be turning the Ox to our home."

"…Okay."

Ame pouted, [Why did you stop me from digging deeper? We could have learned of their secrets right then and there!]

[If you had continued, we would have only been shouted at. Besides, we know enough that it has something to do with our Father's family that we are living here. If we are to connect the dots, we can assume that they were exiled because of something. It may be because the central family did not agree about their relationship or because they thought we would be safer not living with our family.

[We can also place the fact that they are adamant not to make us cultivate to form the conclusion that if we try cultivating and gain mystical powers, it will implicate us. Overall, it has something to do with our Father's Family Contract. Whatever it is, it is not something we should delve into without reason.]

Ame kept her silence at Kiel's words. She had nothing to say but the thoughts, 'Pitiful…' was held to herself. She had lived a life of thievery, but at least she managed to smile and cry, and even simmering hatred on the back of her heart was proof of her life, and yet Kiel, this brother of hers, had nothing.

'He's supposed to be from the peak, and yet he has nothing… is the people at the empty with nothing to live for? Or is he someone who managed to live through life and arrived at nothing?' The only thing she knew about Kiel was that he's an empty man with empty goals and an empty soul.

This life was the only thing that he had; thus, he was pitiful.

They reached Lily Town and joined Ava in selling the weavings she had made to her usual store to have enough money and buy bags of rice, salt, and some more necessities.

Ame was fidgeting about as she looked around the area. Kiel also noticed the surroundings and finally noticed that many people were gathering towards the central area. He was out of the loop of the situation. Then, he heard it, cheers coming from the middle of Town.

"What's happening over there, I wonder?" Kiel asked himself.

"Oh, you don't know, boy? Today is the Ten-Year Youth Competition. Anyone below the age of 20 and have the cultivation Realm of Martial Master and below can join. The price is a Soul Beast." said the old lady in the General Store where Ava went to buy salt.

Kiel looked over at Ame; she was looking towards the direction of the center of town. Her eyes had a peculiar glint — she wanted to go there no matter what.

"Mama… please." Ame looked at Ava with pleading eyes.

Ame wanted nothing more than to go there and start her life as a True Cultivator once more.

Ava was hesitant, but if she stops her now, she felt like Ame would hate her forever. It was then that Kiel decided to step forth, Mother, please, let Ava pursue what she want… it is the life that she wants to live. If we stop her now, she may follow dangerous paths to get what she desires."

This was the second time Kiel asked for something two days in a row, and all of it was for his sister. Ava could see the dedication in her children's eyes, "I still have many things to buy, so, Kiel, go watch over Ame. Tell me if anything goes wrong or if anything starts anything, okay?"

"Mama, thank you!" Ame hugged Ava's legs as she quickly heads for the center of town to register for the competition. She didn't even wait for Kiel.

"Your sister is really energetic about this, isn't she?" a laugh lacking energy echoed. It was then that Ava handed Kiel a talisman she hid in the hems of her clothes.

The talisman was yellow, and the ink was red. It radiated with power, "Rip that if anything happens and I will come to your location… tell her good luck."

Ava turned away; her eyes had lingering fears as she did. For reasons unknown, she was still against the idea of letting Ame walk the path of cultivation.

Kiel was also against it, but he let them do what they want nonetheless, 'This is her life, not mine.'

Soon, he was walking calmly towards the direction where Ame left for. While walking away, he felt a faint presence of people traveling in the shadows, 'Why are they hiding? Is something going on in the shadows of this Town?'

He thought it would be interesting to know but disregarded the thoughts altogether. His steps resumed and reached the registration area for the Ten-Year Competition. Ame had already finished her registration and ran towards Kiel's direction when she suddenly bumped into someone dressed in expensive clothing.

"Hey, you bitch watch where you're going!"

It was a young man wearing a black, gold-embroidered robe. He had an entourage of three people, one with a muscular body, another with a round chubby build. The man with the burly body must have been their guards… his strength was at a Half-Step True Spirit Realm.

"It's the Young Master of the Vollund Family. Is he trying to make trouble again?"

"Aiya, that lass is in trouble. The one who travels with the Young Master of the Vollund Family is an expert… should we call the guards?"

'So, he is considered an expert.' Kiel managed to grasp the people's view, and the level of experts in this place was really low.

He was handsome and had a smug expression as he stared at Ame, "You commoner, do you not have eyes!?"

Kiel saw Ame's smiling change three times over; it first turned sour, furious, and then innocent before finally facing the three,

With her most innocent of faces, she captivated the heart of the Young Master, then she spoke, "I apologize for my actions, please do not punish this young girl."

She pleaded with an effeminate voice. The Young Master of the Vollund Family saw this and smiled ear to ear; he liked the sight of this cute lass bowing her head. He wetted his lips.

Ame thought that this would be enough; however, she was not aware that this Young Master was a sick bastard as he chose to approach her.

"Raise your head, beautiful swan." With slimy hands, he attempted to touch her face. He was creepy, and the moment he came closer than an inch away from touching Ame, the reincarnated Thief finally failed to control herself.

BAM!

Her palm flew straight and crashed into the Young Master's chest.

"Young Master!" his subordinates cried aloud.

The Young Master failed to anticipate such force from Ame and rolled on the ground, like a beaten dog. He tried gathering his breath only to find it hard; through the gaps of his teeth, he shouted, "Get that BITCH!"

The man with the muscular body did not hesitate to make a move. It was clear he had done this many times over — to a child no less.

"You should be honored to be touch by the Young Master." The bootlicker guard shouted as he charged towards Ame.

Ame saw the strength of the burly man and simply harrumphed. She would have been scared if he had a Soul Beast, but luckily, he did not.

Taking note of this unhindered reaction to such an order sickened Ame to the bone, "You disgust me."

Ame drew the power of her refined body, and then, as she took a deep breath, her palms heated, "Shouldering Blast Palm!"

Bam!

Black Flames erupted from her palms and then as the burly man was blown away and crashed on the chubby subordinate of the Young master. When all calmed down, a dark handprint was left on his chest. The man felt his body being smoldered from the inside and out.

"You will not die, but you will suffer like this for an hour." Ame was just about to raise her head when she heard Kiel speak inside her head.

[Do not raise your head, Ame. You have kept your head down since this whole debacle, so no one should be able to know who you are. Escape before things go sour. And find a way to change your clothes.]

Ame listened and realized this fact. She could hear the guards approaching the scene of the crime, and half a breath after, she jumped to the side and went through the alleyway to escape. No one would be able to cat that sneaky thief of a sister.

[Thanks, brother.] Ame said as she laughed.

Kiel made a subtle smile as he heard her words. He did not leave the scene as he stayed there watching the pervert be helped by the guards and then create trouble…

"Get away from me! You slow fuckers! The perpetrator had already gotten away!" he roared as he frantically swung his arms against the guards. He then looked around and saw the people sneering in his direction, "What the hell are you looking at!?"

With his words, everyone turned to the side, but their snickering continued unhindered by his words. Gritting his teeth, he turned to the fatty who did nothing, "Dammit, you useless piece of fat, slap that useless guard awake! We are leaving this fucking place! Just wait till my father hears of this, I'll find that little bitch!"

He was humiliated by a mere child! He will return this favor several folds later on.

He left without bothering to accept the guards or anyone else's help. Fatty tried assisting the Young Master only to be slapped, and as for the guard, he limped away.

The Young Master walked away, trying his best to leave the place, and as he wanted to escape the scrutinizing eyes of the lowly people, he turned to the alleyways for cover.

Moving through the alleys, he was headed to his carriage. After turning three or four times, he finally found the last track, only to have a boy block his path.

The boy was standing in the middle of an alley staring at the three men with one hand holding something clothed behind his back while the right was holding a stick.

The body showed them a stoic expression. The boy took three steps and raised the stick in his hand.

The Young Mater got irritated, "Get out of the way you br—" his words couldn't be finished as the Young Master looked down and saw a hole on his chest.

"Huh?" he failed to understand what happened and fell as blood flowed out of the hold on his chest.

The other two shivered at the sight of this. A thought appeared in their heads, "Death!" they would die if they do not run.

They turned their backs against the kid, and that would be the biggest mistake of their lives.

They heard a single tap, and then, their heads exploded to bits, their brain matter splattered about and tainted the walls of the alleyway.

The stick in the boy's hand then disappeared into dust.

'This is my limit, I supposed.'

The boy then rummaged around the dead body. He found money and maneuvered around the alleyways and exited somewhere far away.

[Ame, where are you? I'm going to bring you clothes.] Kiel left to buy clothes for his sister using the money of the person he just killed.

As such, the liability of Ame being troubled disappeared.