The Internal Strife and Kayegawa Reports

Continuing on what occurred during his unconscious period, we now return to Yijin's point of view. He once more allowed the Dark Qi to control him and Xiangliu resurfaced in Yijin's vessel. After allowing this impure energy to control his meridians, Yijin always falls unconscious until a certain point in which either he: completely defeats Xiangliu, or is saved by Juanbei's Light Qi Circulation Skill. We will resume from where Yijin passed out in the warehouse cargo area where Yijin was heading home with Juanbei.

Yijin's eyes forcefully shut as the God of Discipline above spoke to Huanzhi within Yijin's subconscious. "Huanzhi Ren, you have proven yourself to be a man worthy of your title. You have combatted the first of many strong opponents under the last remaining Evil Cultivator, Lu Gongfen. I must admit, though hesitantly and reluctantly, that you are growing into the role of a Light Faction Hero. I would like to make an additional bonus to your great fight for inherent good."

The being continued, "If you are able to complete your task, I will also alter history to make your name be known as the greatest Light Faction Assassin in history."

Huanzhi stared forward at the white void he had seen in Yijin's subconsciousness last time and sank into deep thought. He didn't care about titles anymore, but to be a the greatest Light Faction Assassin in history would be a great plume in Huanzhi's metaphorical hat. He spoke.

"Your words enhearten me, Ever-Just Father of Rumbling Lightning Flashes. I shall complete your bidding. Just know that I am not doing this for your sake or for the sake of the Gods that sit and rule their heavenly empires highly and mightily. I am doing this for the Scribe of the Heavens. My dearest. I shall wed her as I promised a millennium ago."

"Your wish shall be granted if you succeed. For Lu Gongfen has proven to be more of a threat to the Murim's way of life than previously thought. He has grown into a menace. A delusional abomination capable of unimaginably horrific brutality and has committed far too many crimes than he can be forgiven for. He must be killed so that he can face eternal damnation in the depths of the underworld with the Lord of the Dead."

Huanzhi listened to the Ever-Just Deity with heightened attention. Was his dream attainable? Huanzhi nodded in silence to himself as he realized where he was and began once more to meditate. He wanted to bring calm to his mind and reach the second stage of his enlightenment. "Distrust of All" had almost reached a breakthrough, but still needed a little bit of a push to reach the second stage, "Illusionary Revelations." Placing one hand over the other and sitting down in a sort of Padmasana position.

He began his deep breathing, but once again an unknown force pried his eyes open and brought him to the next scene in his life. The murder of Lord Guang-Di Fei of the Tiger Cliff Sect. Huanzhi's eyes stared forward through the abyssal darkness. Moonlight shone from above and covered the land with a slight glow that was barely distinguishable for the starry night.

Huanzhi's beautiful Gim, Resolute Thunder, shone brightly with the crimson red blood of two junior disciples of the Tiger Cliff Sect. They were barely of the age of fifteen or sixteen years old, yet Huanzhi had never felt the same remorse as he did now seeing their lifeless, mutilated corpses. He sighed once in his subconscious as he began to view his past self as a man beyond recognition from the one that stands before you as the Main Character of this novel today.

Huanzhi dashed forward with Flash-Step skills and soon leaped high above the canopy of the woods he was patrolling. He looked over the surrounding area from above, seeing only a few patrols of two disciples each. Huanzhi could read their paths immediately and avoided all confrontation with them. He eventually reached the perimeter of the Tiger Cliff Sect. Huanzhi stared out from a small vantage point, hid from the ridgeline and watched countless sentries searching endlessly for any sign of a threat.

Huanzhi dashed forward in his dark cloak and concealed Resolute Thunder within his rags. His eyes were scarlet red and had elongated pupils once more. Huanzhi noticed a change in his behavior. Huanzhi's body charged suddenly, and without prior warning, and leaped onto the wall. The warriors atop it were incredibly surprised and attacked him immediately.

He drew Resolute Thunder in a commanding fashion and charged forward as his blade met the torsos of several young men that night. Their white uniforms were stained with the red of the blood in their veins as Huanzhi stood just beyond the chaos he had left behind. His hands were clean, yet his face was covered with the spattered blood of those several sentries.

Huanzhi dropped from atop the defenses and landed softly on the ground with his "Light as a Feather" personal Qi skill. Xiangliu within him had stirred him to charge onto the walls only a few moments ago, but now Huanzhi's consciousness was constantly in a power struggle with the immortal, ancient being, Xiangliu. Huanzhi looked at the central palace. It was adorned with beautiful red arches and large Orchid trees. The petals of these flowers wafted slowly to the ground and ever so gently came to rest on the grass.

Huanzhi's feet crushed the gentle flower's petal as he approached the Tiger Cliff Palace, where the Lord of the Tiger Cliff Sect resided. Within would be twenty or so guards and about seven central advisors outside of Lord Guang-Di Fei. Huanzhi was determined to complete his task and receive his second contractual payment.

"Oh! This is my favorite part. The part where I took over!" Xiangliu spoke excitedly from behind Huanzhi in the void that was Yijin's subconscious.

"What do you want now, monstrous being?"

"Oh, so now I'm a monstrous being? Back then you seemed to like it when my brutality exceeded even your own expectations." Xiangliu scoffed upon Huanzhi's statement.

Huanzhi sighed and spoke. "But I am a changed man, Xiangliu. I am a changed man. I am no longer the Dark Faction abominable assassin that widowed so many young wives and bled out so many young men. I've lived long enough to recognize your tricks and read in between the lines."

"Ah look, here starts the fun. You started to make a name for yourself after this battle. Let's watch shall we? I promise I won't do anything until this memory is over." Xiangliu said with an air of condescendence.

Huanzhi growled once as he watched his old self slash through the front doors. Shouts were heard from the guards inside. "What the hell? Who the hell is that Unknown Swordsman."

The beginning of a legend.

Huanzhi dashed forward with his black rags falling off and a tight fitting black robe covering his body in a dashing manner. His hair was loosely tied and his facial features unkempt. His blade glistened wonderfully as it diced through the first two guards of the first floor. They fell to the ground bleeding before they knew what or who had hit them.

Huanzhi continued onwards and suddenly he felt the change. That change that hit him when his soul begged to become inherently evil. Xiangliu stared at Huanzhi from behind the mist again and spoke. "Watch and learn. You'll see my true power in a moment."

Huanzhi turned his attention to his old body as it charged forward. "Come forth through me, ancient spirit!" He shouted. Xiangliu grinned. "Look at you! Begging for me to come out and show the disciples a good time!"

Huanzhi's old body began a rampage of carnage, he quickly decapitated three disciples at a time before slamming a side kick into another and tearing his body in twain with the force of a semi-truck slamming its wheels through roadkill. Huanzhi then slashed the throat of another so gently that his head flew another thirty meters. Finally he began a graceful display of swordsmanship unlike any that had ever existed before that. Guanzi Sect had taught him a lot, but his style was unlike any other disciple. It was almost as if he were performing a sword dance.

He slashed effortlessly and procured results that would drive even the sanest man into madness due to the sheer gore that was produced. Huanzhi eventually reached the council chambers. He waited a moment to listen to the voices within.

"Alright, Lord Guang. We have found the great Light's Tiger Tome that we had lost so many centuries ago. Our forces have conjured up an expedition of a hundred men to go into the woods to Stone Fang Cavern to retrieve it. It is apparent that a great architect created a labyrinth such as this to halt any intruders from perusing the files, but we will break through and recover the lost tomes."

"Wonderful, when will this expedition depart?"

"Tomorrow evening."

"All the better, I was getting impatient. Let us then do the following. I will learn the technique first and then you will pass down the transcribed writings."

"What do you mean, Sect Elder."

"I mean, Advisor Hu, That I will learn the true forms of the technique and the disciples shall learn the technique that I choose to take from the books."

It was at this point that Huanzhi burst through the doors. Xiangliu spoke through Huanzhi. "You truly are a greedy bastard, Master Guang-Di Fei. I had hoped for something more when I heard of your reputation as a Light Faction Top Rank martial artist, but now I see you are nothing but another Dark Faction Scammer like Hukong!"

Guang-di shouted. "Who the hell has the nerve to speak to me like this!?"

"The Unknown Swordsman." Spoke Huanzhi calmly. He had regained control for a moment as he dashed forward re-using the techniques that Xiangliu had used only a few moments earlier. His slashes were deep and effortless as he almost painted a mural with the blood of Guang-Di's Seven Central Advisors.

"Wait! I have money! I can pay you double what those Dark Faction cowards did! Don't kill me." Guang-Di shouted in fear.

"People like you deserve to die. You oppress those weaker than you and are greedier than even the King, Qinluo. I swear, you shall not escape retribution."

Huanzhi thrusted his blade with full power through Guang-Di's chest and blew a hole straight through the man using Qi. "The world is better off having been rid of you."

Guang-Di fell to the ground and the darkness that is death enveloped him.

"Well then, Huanzhi. How is it? How did this memory bring about such thoughts within you? I won't hold back this time, Huanzhi. Your spirit must die today!" Xiangliu screamed as he appeared from behind the mist. This time he had taken his human form, Xiangliu'er. Huanzhi stepped back as Xiangliu'er pulled his crescent blades and charged forward before Huanzhi had had time to react. Huanzhi had Resolute Thunder with him this time. He dropped to his knees in a last moment reflex and pushed himself backwards in a rapid roll.

Huanzhi regained his balance and charged forward once more. Xiangliu'er's blade met Huanzhi's in the center of the void as they shouted at one another with their battle cries.

"Die you bastard! Give me your vessel!" Yelled Xiangliu'er.

Huanzhi pushed his weight into Xiangliu, but did not move the being an inch. Huanzhi shouted in frustration as the crescent blades suddenly morphed shape. They were Qi Blades. The turned into a Gim in the blink of an eye and Huanzhi barely avoided Xiangliu's Death Thrust.

"Ha, you seem to be benefiting from these near-death experiences Huanzhi. But this time, you truly shall die. I won't allow you to get stronger."

Xiangliu dashed forward and entered in range of Huanzhi. It was at this moment, a sudden purple mist enveloped his body and was inhaled by Huanzhi. Xiangliu halted his onslaught of blows and started to laugh harshly. "You f***ing idiot! Moron! Your soul is mine. My poisonous gas will be enough to kill your spirit in a few moments."

Huanzhi shouted. The damned mist was poison. Huanzhi dropped to his knees as his body started paralysis. He fell to his side and watched as Xiangliu approached with his Gim in hand. "Any last words, Huanzhi? Oh I forgot, you can't talk due to the effect of my poison. Well then, farewell!"

Xiangliu brought his blade down in a reverse grip when suddenly a loud crash was heard and light flooded the dark void. It was at this moment that Yijin's eyes bolted open. Within him he could hear Xiangliu's frustration once again. "You damn bastard. I'll kill you! I'll f***ing kill you! You and your grandson! Goddamned Light Qi Skill using bastard! F*** you!"

Yijin quieted Xiangliu and focused on the room around him. It was the office of the Sun Martial Arts Academy.

Meanwhile on the opposite side of the town, Kayegawa reported to Lu Gongfen.

"Master Lu! Do you have a moment?" Kayegawa croaked as he approached his master. He could barely speak due to how badly he had been beaten by Xiangliu. Gongfen stared at him. Kayegawa had just returned from his attempted assassination of Huanzhi.

"Yes I do have a moment. Tell me, what is the news? Have you killed the bastard? Was he truly that lowly cultivated?"

"Master... I don't know how to put this... I think he is stronger than all of the executives combined. He seems to be possessed by a demon. I was defeated by him."

"What!? You poor excuse of a living husk! How could you let yourself die to a man in a sixteen year old boy's body!?"

"Master, please! Be reasonable. I fought with Ishikiri and his Qi almost broke through my blade. Look at it."

Kayegawa pulled his blade and sure enough it was dented all the way through to the backbone of the blade.

"Do you believe me now?"

"Yes I believe you."

Lu Gongfen walked up to Kayegawa. Gongfen suddenly pulled a knife and slashed through Kayegawa's throat.

"That does not mean that I forgive you! How!? Tell me HOW!? You are not an executive. You are a lowly slave. Slaves are meant to be slaughtered and carted away like dogs. Thrown into the dirt like paupers." He mocked Kayegawa now, "You could not defeat him! How could you not..." He paused and looked down at Kayegawa's corpse and spoke once more. "He's dead already? What a poor excuse for a dastardly fighter."

Lu Gongfen stared off into the distance as he walked off, covering his face with his mask.

"To hell with you then, you piece of shit! I have so many others more capable than you who can take your place!"