"Despicable... Me?"
Am I that despicable? Am I so hateful? For these people who once had a home, a family, and a bright life. Now, hundreds lie extinguished under the dark rain and spoils of blood...
Everything was numb; even rain droplets were silent to him. The young man was covered in filthy mud, by vicious wounds, and by a disgusting guilt. He sat beneath a destroyed courtyard house, among many whom he had ravaged.
He hated it. It's their fault, and he's on the right! He was sure. Yet he cannot get over it.
"Stop thinking, idiot. They are already here."
Irregular breaths and an aching chest made his voice crack, a voice he barely recognized. His body tense, muscles flared, and his bloodshot eyes gazed ahead at the rows of trees. Three disciples emerged, martial artists who enforced the creed of the Chivalrous Way of Martial Arts, minions of a righteous but naive sect.
"Wu Fang! You have committed the gravest sin by killing your own brothers and sisters, and desecrating this village. Under the jurisdiction of the Chivalrous Sect, we order you to stand down or await death!" announced one of them.
What bullshit! I committed the gravest sin? No, I gave the world a favor by erasing these stupid people out of this world.
But it's too late. No one will ever believe him now that he crossed the line. Who cares anyway? He has no will to live anymore. Might as well die while having fun. But his mood was ruined.
Wu Fang bared his teeth, a hideous visage in contrast to his solemn appearance. Cluttered swords, broken or whole, rose into the air and hurled toward them. They dodged, scattering like ducks amid chaos. Metal and swords flew everywhere across the ruined village.
One of the martial artists seemed impressed.
"A chantless, forbidden practitioner. Marvelous. Let's now see what you can do."
"A forbidden practitioner? Hmph. Power without guidance corrupts, Wu Fang! It's never too late to change your path for the better." The loud disciple shouted.
They jumped and strode, avoiding his attacks with minimal effort. One of them, the woman, made a gesture and began forming a ball of Qi, while the other two flanked both of his sides.
Wu Fang growled, forming a defensive array using metal. The woman hurled the Qi sphere toward him, and unfortunately, the metal array was eviscerated. With no other choice, not even to dodge, he infused his body with Qi, harmonizing with the way of metal.
The sphere collided with his body, creating a devastating explosion that destroyed the surrounding trees. In a fleeting moment, he was standing; next, he was flying through the air. And now, he lay unmoving on the grazed soil. His chest lightly caved, his arms destroyed.
He coughed a mouthful of blood. He could never have expected such a simple attack to be that powerful. That was pathetic. Bitterness filled him, he was supposed to be having fun. Yet he was suffering. He was no stranger to it.
He stood on trembling feet, the wet earth rising to become his temporary limbs. Not the best, since it was soaked, but nevertheless, still good.
"Crushing Force Technique – Pulverize!"
The loud one appeared behind him, bringing his fist down. Wu Fang dodged just before the ground he stood on shattered from the overwhelming punch.
"Gale Wind Technique – Whirlwind Slash!"
The other appeared behind him midair, slashing with his dagger. Wu Fang manipulated the rain around them, crushing it toward the man at high speed. The man crashed into the ground. Using the opportunity, Wu Fang bent the malleable earth, burying him.
"Crushing Force Technique – Shockwave!"
The attack disrupted his attempt to fully bury the man. Wu Fang stumbled, then sidestepped an incoming lunge from the loud disciple. However, the disciple grabbed his muddy arm.
"All these people... There's too much suffering already! Why add more?!"
"I… I suffered too. Why shouldn't they? Why shouldn't you?!" Wu Fang exclaimed.
"We all suffer. Yet most didn't become what you are. The world does not revolve to you, just because you broke!"
Wu Fang dissolved his arm only to reform it once free, sculpting it into a sharp extension and draining the moisture away. Infused with Qi, it turned rock-solid. With all his strength, he plunged it into the man's eye, piercing through before dissolving and wreaking havoc inside his brain.
He screamed in agony, unleashing wild, uncontrollable shockwaves, the consequences of using power without chanting. Wu Fang directed the man's arm toward his own face, and so…
The disciple's eyes were filled with fear, and he heard him mutter a name; Rou Li.
A name?
He hesitated. If this person died, someone would grieve their death, they would suffer as well. And he's about to kill again. Is this right? Mother?
Yes.
It is.
"That's right! Die, bastard!"
… the man's head burst with blood and mud. His enormous body fell, Qi dissipating. Wu Fang stood silent, covered by blood and mud. He turned to the half-buried man in the distance.
Wu Fang inhaled, tuning into the surroundings. The woman was missing, probably weakened. No one could create such a powerful blast without expending massive Qi, especially at their cultivation level.
He lingered more. Something is wrong.
He stretched his neck sideways, his ragged long hair snapping back in the wind.
"Ready to die, brother?"
"Don't call me your brother, fiend." the guy sneered, whirling his daggers. He looked at his fallen comrade, rage brimming yet contained.
"Alright, bastard." Wu Fang grinned, approaching.
A mere moment before they turned into a blur, clashing in the chaotic harmony of the rain. Wu Fang managed to strike the guy clean in the stomach; instead of relenting, the disciple slashed forward. Wu Fang struck forward too, uncaring for the consequences.
The clamor between rock and steel echoed, doubling, then tripling, as the intensity built up. Wu Fang grew weaker over time. He grabbed his opponent's arm, noticing impurities on his dagger. It is the thing that mitigates the use of Qi and is harmful to one's dantian. Damn! He made a mistake!
"You sly bastard. Chivalrous yet using dirty tactics?! Damn hypocrite! All of you!" Wu Fang snarled.
"Scared?" The disciple was amused. "You're not worthy of chivalry, fiend."
Fear of death? He shouldn't be.
With anger, Wu Fang kicked him in the stomach, sending him reeling across the mud. He coughed and stumbled a little.
"Get up, bitch." he snarled.
The guy was motionless for a moment before lunging at astonishing speed! Wu Fang got stabbed.
He's not fast! I just have gotten slower!
He realized there was no escape, so he ignored the dagger ripping through his chest aiming at his dantian. Instead, he formed one last sharp extension to sever his opponent's head. Either way, they were both dead.
Just a fleeting moment from death.
However, a massive force collided between Wu Fang and the disciple, sending them both flying and crashing into the wet soil.
Wu Fang already realized what happened before he even crashed.
I was wrong about my assumption. That damn woman.
"What a sight. Did you mess these two boys up that much, darling?" the woman laughed with her husky voice, looking at Wu Fang.
"Where have you been, junior sister? This wouldn't have happened if you had just helped earlier. Senior brother Huosai would not have died." the other disciple patronized.
"Weaklings never thrive in this world, senior brother. Naives are controlled, and weaklings are crushed. A naive weakling is nothing but a pawn to be discarded. Such is your sect and its followers." the woman spoke, eyes narrowed.
"Excuse me? What are you…?" The guy was confused by his junior sister's behavior.
Finally, Wu Fang stood, looking at the woman.
"Pawns can become strong too," he proclaimed.
"Futile. Even you chose death over power."
She smiled.
"Wu Fang, I am the Inquisitrix. Kill my senior brother without trying to die like before and…"
Her next words shocked both Wu Fang and the disciple.
"…I'll save your life."
Would he really want to?
To live?