Evil

"My soul?!...and my cultivation base increased?"

(This is the effect of soul cultivation. Although the master isn't at the first stage, you have embarked on the path.)

I feel refreshed, thank you Azrim.

(Not a problem, anything for master.)

Also...

...

I place Azrim over my shoulder to block a few ambushes from the back when I return to my physical body. My senses and instinct sharpened. Is this the effect of soul cultivation?

"What are you doing?" I say when I realise my attackers are the ones who followed me.

"Ah! You...weren't possessed?" The man says.

I deflect their sword easily and push them back. "Yes."

They widen their eyes.

As I concentrate on them, I can see something emitting from each of them, a lavishly big white flame.

(Those are...their lifespans. This is the effect of soul cultivation. However, master is a body cultivator.)

I know, soul cultivation is in no way similar to body cultivation. Multi-tasking between the two will be detrimental to my progress in both.

The entire space trembles as it slowly collapses before all of us were sent back to the Murim.

----------------

Ugh...

My head hurts...?

I get up to see the following survivors. Each of them bowed at me and thanked me even when I killed their fellow cultivators.

The reason? They are afraid. A transcendent soul was easily absorbed by a "mere" core formation. The only explanation is that I am hiding my strength.

However, the members of the Luo family are not sincere. They are looking at me as if I am a treasure.

...

"Senior, thank you for saving us from the Luo family, we would like to properly thank you." Says one of the Luo members.

"Y-You." The Eight Shield school disciples attempt to speak up but are holding back due to my presence.

"I understand," I say.

"Wonderful, please follow us back, we will prepare a handsome reward."

(Master?! What are you doing? The weakest among them is in the golden core realm. You are only at the mid-core formation realm-)

I know.

But my instinct is telling me...

(Instinct?)

The eyes of the members were similar to the gaze of a corrupted politician. If what I predicted is correct, this will be a piece of cake.

System, can you remove any poison or drugs I've ingested?

---------------

Yes. As long as the host has enough points, it is possible.

---------------

...

You don't need to be fraught with worry. Both of us know how futile it is to resist a family with hundreds of powerhouses. When the Luo family decides to raid the Heavenly Divine Dragon sect, everyone will be wiped out even if the disciples escaped.

This is a gamble I must take.

Besides...we've already figured out and confirmed the "theory" behind my system.

I won't die so easily. On top of that, I can "resurrect".

(...)

Azrim sighs.

(You will have to start all over. And the chances of success are close to 20%)

Not a problem. I will die either way if I simply sit back and do nothing.

Azrim and I noticed how useless it is to attempt a fair fight against the Luo family long ago. Both of us gave up training slightly and decided to experiment more.

But such things are boring. I will discuss that at a later date.

We arrive at a few majestic mountains erected around a purple, tall, dominant mountain. There are several structures built in the mountains as well as hovering above. The Luo family guides me to the sole building resting at the peak of the middle mountain. Beside the mountain is the city that the Luo family governs.

Many gazes at us on the way. I realise that the Luo family have a group of slaves working for them as miners in the mountains.

Luo family members shrink their eyes when they notice us, some of them whisper to one another and they quickly left.

...

(I can sense a very thick weird Qi.)

Goosebumps erect on my skin.

"Rest assured. It is simply the essence of the mountain." Says the Luo member guiding me.

...

We enter the cabin to see a "young" man sitting behind a large table with food.

"Welcome! I've heard of what you did. On behalf of the disciples, I sincerely thank you." He says.

Despite his white hair and black eyes, his entire body is slim, smooth and healthy like a teenager. However, his cultivation is in the Golden Soul realm.

He might be older than he looks.

"I am the patriarch of the Luo family, Luo Kai. Nice to meet you." He says, handing out his hand.

I smile and take it. "Likewise, I am Tian Shen."

It's a name I made up on the spot.

"Tian Shen(Sky God)? What a mighty name. Still, it would be rude to conceal your true appearance like that." Says Luo Kai.

...

I dispel the technique and reveal my true appearance. "My apologies."

"No worries, every cultivator should be cautious in the Murim. Take a seat."

I sat opposite Luo Kai.

"That demonic cultivator is the remnant of the demonic lord killed by heroes very far away. In his final moments, he sealed his soul away and launch that circular structure, leaving behind his physical body. It was thanks to you that such a calamity far away won't happen in Tiansu." Says Luo Kai.

"You flatter me," I say.

"Now, don't be reserved. Tell me, what do you want?" Says Luo Kai as he takes a bite into the meat.

...

"A bottle of body tempering blood or a thousand-year-old ginseng," I say.

Luo Kai almost spits out his food but stops. "I-I understand. A group of servants will bring it to you soon."

After 5 minutes, two servants enter the room and place one container on the floor. The Qi seeping out of the container is even stronger than what a Nascent Soul can emit.

I open it and the rush of energy escapes. Bright cold ginseng that has accumulated many years of Qi...incredible.

Suddenly, a poison coated knife stabs into my arm.

?!!!

"Uck!?"

In an instant, my vision becomes blurry.

"Huff huff..."

That poison can instantly affect me? It's an amazing product. I wonder if I can get my hands on it.

I fall unconscious as Luo Kai stares at me.

...

...

-----------------

High-Grade poison detected.

Consuming 100,000 points to remove its effect.

-----------------

Hah!

I wake up in a dungeon cell. Around me are scrawny men and women simply waiting for death.

The cell opposite consists of children. Every single prisoner here has many scars and bruises.

I smell blood.

The first thing I should be smelling in this dirty dungeon with no toilet should be bodily fluids yet the smell of thick blood overwrites.

Hmmm...

The prisoners have signs of cultivation. Although most people here are ordinary mortals, some had cultivation. Yet the mysterious poison affected their meridians.

I destroy the lock to my cell.

The sound of whipping?

Further down the corridor, two Luo members are whipping two women. Both of them seem to be cowering in the corner.

"Fuck! If we tell you to do something! You should comply! What about all the debts you owe?! Do you think we simply covered it because we like you? No, you are our slaves. Our livestock. Our bitch. Now listen-"

The Luo member's body splits into two as a blueish black blade protrudes out of his mouth. "Ack...W-...What..."

The blade twirl and twist the parts of the body that touches it and spits it out into a bloody pulp.

?!

"Eek!" The women screech.

"W-What?!"

The second Luo member met with a similar fate as another blueish black blade slash his body into two.

"Not bad," I mumble.

I can materialize the void inside a person or anywhere near.

The two women kept crawling toward the edge as they shield their heads when they see me. "Please spare me... Please spare me... I... Please spare me..."

I sigh. This brings back the old days.

I ignore the women and moved forward.

My main objective is to find out the secret behind the Luo family's strength. It must be related to all the countless kidnappings or blackmailing of all these people.

...

This disgusting Luo family situation isn't what I am worried about. Instead, it is time.

Luo Kai should have realised it by now, my intentions, just like how I deduced his plan.

A manipulator can recognise another manipulator.

Luo Kai is similar to me, an evil bastard who hides his twisted personality behind a smile. Peas of the same pods often can recognise one another...

I should get going, that bastard should have sent someone to check on me.

----------------

Luo Kai taps on the table impatiently.

...

"Patriarch! It's true! The captive escaped! Not only that, 5 members were killed." Says a Luo family member. "However, from the corpses, it looks like he is going deeper into the dungeon instead of escaping."

Luo Kai smiles. "Oh? Amusing..." He mumbles.

Luo Kai stands up and stretches his body before heading for the dungeon.

"As expected, he reminds me of when I was young..." Luo Kai mumbles.