Chapter 130: Qi Part 4: Want To Make A Deal?

Xie Xiu's POV:

After I first became an elder of the sect, I struggled to find worthy disciples. Between the limited pool of applicants and the interference of the other elders, there were barely any disciples who were both talented and hard working. Hence, whenever I had the time, I would scout my territory for any promising youths.

And one day I found someone. A young boy with an abundance of fire elements in his body. He was an orphan abandoned in the slums. He had nothing. Not even a name. So, I took him in as my disciple and gave him a name. I named him 'Feng', meaning phoenix. It was my hope that this former slum rat would rise from the ashes of his lowly background to become worthy of taking my place as an elder one day.

I could have made him a core disciple then and there, but hardships build character. So, I made him climb the ladder from the bottom up, while I had my few core disciples guide him as I watched from the shadows. Once he became an inner disciple I couldn't be happier for him. I was looking forwards to seeing him reach the golden core stage and become a core disciple, but before that happened.

*BOOM*

"HAHAHAHA! Serves you right bitch! Enjoy being a crip- *Boom*"

"Shit! He got me! Damn you Ming! The Stagnating Lotus pill! I never wanted to use this, but I have no choice!"

After killing the core disciple of the darkness sect branch, I had to use one of my master's treasures to delay the destruction of my core. The stagnant lotus pill is a unique-grade pill that slows down any changes to the cultivation core to a near standstill. It would normally be used to prevent a core from shattering during combat, but I was just about to advance to a new realm. Hence, my core was currently in an unstable middle ground between golden core and nascent soul.

In its current state it cannot be fixed. If I ever advance or return to golden core, the pills effects will immediately wear off, and the ensuing backlash will shatter my core regardless, but even if I don't do anything my core will eventually break since the pill is only slowing the process down.

So, I have been stuck like this for 7 years, as I feel my core slowly crumbling away with all my hopes and dreams. Without my master and without any hope, I watched as the other elders tore down everything, I had worked so hard to create. Even my core disciples were taken away from me. The only thing I had left was that little Feng I took in, but even he.

"You think we didn't realize how you became an elder! I wonder how many times you had to shake your hips for that pervy old man, before he gave you this mountain!"

Was no different from those sexist bastards at the end of the day. I took him out of the slums, gave him a home. I was even going to recommend he become my replacement once I passed away, but how did he repay me.

"FENG YOU BASTARD! GIVE ME BACK MY SWORD!"

He stole the last keepsake I had from my master, my sword. It was a unique-grade katana my master had gifted me upon reaching the golden core stage. It is my most prized possession, not because of its unique grade, but because of the proud look in his eyes as he gifted it to me.

"MA'AM! I brought you some fruit juice!"

*Splash*

*Smash*

"GET LOST!" I screamed as I grabbed the pitcher of fruit juice out of the dumbass's hand and threw its contents in his face before smashing the pitcher over his head.

"Ma'am! It's been three days! You have to at least drink something!"

"WHAT DO YOU CARE?! JUST LEAVE ALREADY! YOU ARE NO LONGER A DISCIPLE HERE SO JUST GO!" I screamed at the guy.

Shortly after losing my beloved sword, I frantically tried to track Feng down, but what little tracks I could find were washed away by the rainstorm that has been going on for the last week. And so, after toiling for clues to his whereabouts with no luck, I eventually returned to the mountain three days ago and booted this chicken as a disciple. That said, even though I kicked him down the mountain, with nobody left to stop him, he just keeps coming back up here, as if nothing happened. He may not have been the one who took my sword, but he could have stopped it.

"I refuse!"

"WHY! CAN'T YOU JUST LEAVE ME BE! IS IT THAT FUN TO WATCH ME SUFFER LIKE THIS! YOU MEN ARE ALL THE SAME! DO YOU THINK IT'S FUNNY?! TO WATCH ME LOSE EVERYTHING I CARE ABOUT!" I screamed out all my pent-up frustration as I could feel my eyes tearing up.

"…"

"ITS ALL YOUR FAULT! IF YOU WERE NEVER HERE! I WOULD STILL HAVE MY KEEPSAKE! IF NOT FOR YOU MEN! I WOULD BE A NASCENT SOUL! I HAVE LOST EVERYTHING JUST BECAUSE YOU BASTARDS CAN'T SEE PAST WHAT'S BETWEEN MY LEGS! SO, JUST LEAVE ME TO DIE ALONE! IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK?! OR DO YOU WANT TO TAKE THAT FROM ME TO?!" I started hugging my legs to hide my tears.

"Well, isn't that the pot calling the kettle black!"

"What?"

I looked up to see the drenched kid looking down on me. The sound of rain from outside went silent, as the air around us suddenly felt suffocating.

"You said I can't see passed what's between your legs, while you blame me for what's between mine! Well, isn't that a funny thing to say? HAHAHAHA!"

"…"

"You know why I won't leave you? It's because out of all the elders in this sect, you are the only one with nothing to lose, and everything to gain!"

"What do you mean?" I said, feeling something was off about him.

"Xie Xiu! The number 1 disciple of the previous sect leader! Ousted by her junior disciple for the position of sect leader for being a woman and is slowly dying from an injury that was caused by her own allies! You are an elder in name only and even your own disciples despised you! You are, and have nothing!"

"You want to die!" I said as I could feel my rage bubbling up.

"And that fire in your eyes, despite it all! You're just so perfect for what I have planned!"

"What is wrong with you? Did I shake your brain loose with that pitcher of juice!" I said, as he made my hair stand on end when he started smiling like a maniac.

"Lady Xie Xiu! Would you like to make a deal?" He said, as his brown eyes turned blue while he reached out his hand to me.

*BOOM*

I finally had enough of this creepy vibe he was giving off and decided to blow him up with my qi, but.

"Not a scratch?"

My instincts were going haywire, so I decided to go all out. The attack I just unleashed on him could severely injure a nascent soul, yet this guy just took it to the face without a scratch, it didn't even make him move an inch. In fact, I could see his smile widening as his cheeks started to tear under the silent rain pouring through the destroyed roof.

"WHO ARE YOU?!"

"I'm the devil, here to make a deal!" he said as a lightning bolt flashed behind him.

"Deal?"

"Your cultivation, the sect, even your sword! I can help you take it all back, but in exchange I want your soul!"

"Is this a prank? Did the other elders put you up to this?"

"Lady! If I was with them! You would already be dead!" He said as the whites in his eyes turned black.

"Prove it th-!"

Just as I challenged him, I could feel my own head sliding off my neck. I saw my body slump to the ground as my vision was fading to black. Only to suddenly find myself standing again, with my head still attached to my body.

"*gag* What did you do?"

"You wanted proof! So, I gave you some!" He said as he handed me a ball of red hair.

I could suddenly feel how light my head was. I reached back to find that my long messy red hair had been cut short.

"Who are you?"

"I'm the devil who is offering you a chance to change your fate! Now do we have a deal?"

My every instinct was telling me to reject him and run as far away as I could, but.

"What do I have to lose!" I said as I took his hand.

And the moment I touched his hand his eyes lit ablaze in a blue fire while translucent blue chains formed around our arms as I could feel something inside me changing. Suddenly reality started flickering as I saw someone else in his place. It was a young child in dirty rags and bandages. It had the same blue eyes looking up at me while sporting a white mask. Then suddenly the child disappeared as reality returned. The blue flames inside his eyes were fading away as his eye color returned to brown.

"Now then let's get you your sword!" He said, before he walked towards the mountain stairs.

"You coming or what?"

...

Xie Xiu's POV:

After I accepted his offer, the mysterious chicken bastard pretending to be a disciple started walking down the mountain without a word. I tried to pry an answer out of him as to where he was leading me, but the only words he spat back at me were.

"You'll see!"

After leaving the mountain he showed me around the villages surrounding it. To my surprise, the place was a paradise compared to what I remember last time I saw it. The dirty streets littered with trash and bloodied corpses were now spotless and clean. The damaged and crumbling buildings had been renovated or replaced with nicer ones. And the people.

*Splish*

*Sounds of Giggling children*

*Splash*

As the sun rose and the rain stopped, I could see children running out of their homes to play in the streets. I could smell the freshly baked bread of a nearby bakery. I could spot the smiling face of an elderly woman looking out her window as she fondly looked out at the playing children. I could see a man with the appearance of a farmer gifting an apple to one of the small ones as he led a carriage carrying fresh fruits and vegetables down the streets. As various venders started opening up their shops the streets became crowded with the smiling faces of the locals as they went about their days.

The land that was filled with nothing but homeless beggars and the street thugs who made them so, were now filled with happy expressions from people of every age and gender.

"Where are we?" I muttered in confusion.

"Your territory of course! Where else would we be?" He said, before he wandered out of the alley behind me and started walking towards what appeared to be the only street thug left in this peaceful place.

He was a muscular man, with a shaved head and a shabby looking sword at his hip. He looked like he had just got out of a fight with his missing tooth and the dark circle around his left eye. He was just sitting there on the side of the street with a disgruntled expression while looking down clutching the hilt of his sword.

"Hey, Buck toothed Billy! How's it hanging dude?"

"HEY, WHO ARE YOU CALLING-?!" The thug, hearing someone calling out to him, raised his head in anger and started shouting, only to freeze up the moment he saw who it was.

"BOSS!!!" He shouted, attracting the attention of everyone.

"Boss?" I muttered in confusion as I could hear the whispers of the crowding villagers forming around him.

"I'M SO SORRY FOR BEING RUDE! I DIDN'T MEAN IT!" Billy the thug begged as he started kowtowing to the kid.

Meanwhile, a group of kids started running up to him while asking him to come play with them.

"Hey boss! Let's play tag again!"

"No, lets play hide and seek!"

"I want to play that ball game again! I can definitely beat you this time!"

"No! It's my turn to choose! I want to play pretend!"

"Sorry kiddos! I can't play today!" Chicken said as the dejected kids started complaining as the adults ushered them away.

"Hey, Bucky old pal! I got something I want to ask ya!" He said, changing the thug's name while wrapping his arm around his shoulder like they were good buddies before he led the nervous looking thug down a dark alleyway.

Just as I was about to follow the two of them, a shoulder came bumping into me, and then another, and another after that. I soon noticed the resentful looks the villagers were giving me.

"Hey, what's your problem?!" I asked as I grabbed the last guy who shoved me before he could walk away, but before he could answer.

*bang*

"YOU KILLED MY MOMMY!" A kid screamed from the side as he threw a rock at my face, while an elderly man tried to pull him away before he could throw another one.

"What? I think you got me confused kid! I didn't-!"

"Miss cultivator! Please forgive this foolish child! He does not know any better! Please, just spare his life! I beg of you!" Another old man spoke.

"What? Why would I-?"

"Okay then! Let's get out of here!"

"Hey, what are you doing? Stop that! Let go of me! What's up with your grip? I can't pry it loose!"

Before I could ask why they were all acting so weird, the chicken guy came back out of the alley while dragging the unconscious thug, who was sporting an extra circle around his eye, behind him. Soon after, he grabbed me by the back of my collar and dragged me out of town.

"Hey! What's with you? And what was that all about?" I asked, after he let me go outside of town.

"We are going to go pick up your sword!"

"What?"

"Have you forgotten what I said when we left the mountain? I'm going to help you get back your sword!"

"You know where that bastard went! How?"

I spent who knows how long chasing after Feng's trail before losing him. Yet, this kid claims he is going to find him just like that.

"Why don't you ask your new disciple?" He said, before he dangled the still unconscious thug in my face.

...