Chapter 36
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Sha Ku swallowed his natural fear of the man, shaking ever so slightly as he walked through the threshold into the room.
Bang!
Sha Ku's heart felt like hit jumped out of his chest as the door slammed behind him. He put his hand on his chest and felt fear ripple throughout his body.
Sha Ku steadied his breathing, trying to calm himself. This An Mo had an incredibly oppressive aura around him, causing terror in those that encountered it, much in the same way an old monk may grant hope and serenity when in your presence.
An Mo's voice cackled a little, "Impressive. The first disciple I ever took fainted when he met me in person, and I wasn't half as strong then as I am now."
Sha Ku clasped his hands together, taking a deep bow, "Thank you, Lord Mo."
An Mo burst out laughing, "Lord Mo? Ha! I like it. Unfortunately, I am no lord. Refer to me as Hall Master."
"Of course, apologies Hall Master Mo." Sha Ku said immediately.
"Do you know why I asked that trash of mine to bring you here?" Hall Master Mo asked, while staring at him intensely.
"I don't know Hall Master." Sha Ku said while still bowing.
"Good. Now sit." Hall Master Mo gestured with his hand, "Now that you're comfortable, we may begin."
"Begin?" Sha Ku questioned.
"Yes, begin. That trash told me several impressive things about you, so I've set up a test for you. You know the current ruler of Greenmont?"
"I've heard he's a man called Zane?" Answered Sha Ku.
"Yes… Zane. A disgusting name for a disgusting man. He's actually here under false pretences, he's actually a trash disciple of the Hell Song Sect who ran away after his father a late elder was slain. I'm giving you this task, Zane is an affront to me and the Spirit Sword Sect, that has battled with the Hell Song Sect for so long."
"It is your task to slay this man, don't let a trace of him exist. I've heard you've mastered the first few Swords of the Imperium. An incredibly easy, but insurmountably difficult technique to learn. This task shouldn't be a problem for you. Now go, prove yourself and I'll name you a member of my Demonic Peak!" Hall Master Mo slammed his fist onto the ground and roared with pride, shaking the building, and even causing Sha Ku to be a little inspired by his words.
Sha Ku immediately jumped to his feet, taking a bow, "Yes Hall Master, I'll go immediately." He walked out of the room, opening the black rotted door and closing it again, making his way down the stairs and out into the streets.
Once in a crowd of people Sha Ku couldn't help but take a deep breath, that man, although his aura is oppressive and cruel, his words could inspire a heart even as detached as Sha Ku's!
Back in the room lit up by candles, Servant One was kneeling in front of Hall Master Mo, "Master, what do you think of the boy?"
An Mo scratched his chin, "He's obviously hiding something, many people can't tolerate my presence for too long. The rear mortal might die of fright when around me for too long. The boy's either very brave or stupid, his soul has already started to form as well."
Servant One raised his head in shock, "His soul is at the Initiate Stage? How?!" he gasped.
"No, its still at the primitive stage, but he's close. Not only that but I believe he's in possession of an incredible cultivation technique."
"What?!" Servant One was shocked again, he didn't have the insight and vision his master had.
"Yes, I inspected his cultivation. He appears to have a perfect balance of Yin-Yang between two of his Qi rivers. He could break through to the Sea Stage any time he wanted, but I feel there's more to it that though… Make sure to protect him, he's young and might make a stupid mistake, I don't want a diamond in the ruff to be snuffed out before he has time to shine in the starry sky."
Servant One took a bow, "Of course, Master."
Sha Ku made his way through the busy marketplace, after offering a certain merchant a golden coin for the location of this, 'Zane's' abode.
It was only midday, and Sha Ku was thinking about how he should deal with the situation. He had several options in front of him. The first is to burst in with shock and awe, cutting down any that may intrude on his path.
This was a bad idea in Sha Ku's head, as he didn't want to appear as someone who was just a great brute, swinging his sword without a through going through his head.
No, he was always someone that was thinking in a strategic manner. He decided it was best if he'd sneak in at night, using his Shadowless Steps, hopefully cutting the gullet of this Zane without mercy.
Of course, he could always reassess his strategy when he arrived, depending on the type of home he had and what forces he had garrisoned there.
Sha Ku continued his quick march for about twenty minutes.
Eventually, he arrived at a large manor house at the end of an inexplicably clean road, there were two guardsmen every ten feet all the way down the road, totalling in a hundred pairs.
Sha Ku stroked his chin, "They're all mortals, just mortals armed to the teeth, but they are indeed killable… But I won't sew any good Karma by going on an endless rampage."
Suddenly a gleam could be seen in Sha Ku's eyes.
He slowly walked up to one of the guards, wearing the starry robes provided by the Lin girl. He looked like he had an inexhaustible pride, that could only be matched by another of his status.
"You there, is this the dwelling of brother Zane?"
The first two guards looked at each other frowning, "What do you want Kid, our master is a busy person…"
"Silence!" Sha Ku interrupted, "Do I look like some kid to you? You do realise I've come here on the order to bring brother Zane home?! Do you want to incur my wrath, I guarantee I'm nowhere near as nice as Zaney!" Sha Ku yelled, spit flying from his mouth.
The guardsman stuttered, oppressed by the heavy aura Sha Ku was giving off, "B…b…brother you said?"
Sha Ku nodded his head with a smile, while the two guards looked at each other, and the one shaking in his boots led him down the road to the gate.
The front gate was black and had dark spikes adorning it, with rotten human skulls upon it. Five in total.
Two adults, three children.
Sha Ku looked up at the heads, then towards the guardsman's face, which was slightly pale, "The old city lord?"
"Y… Yes." The man said, gulping like he was trying to keep his breakfast down.
Sha Ku nodded, grabbing the man's wrist, holding it firm with his index finger and thumb, "Not too bad. You won't ever accomplish anything without proper challenges though. Have you ever seen a cultivation technique?"
The guardsman shook his head while trying not to peer at the corpseless heads on the walls.
"What's your name?"
"Lie Jun."
"Lie Jun, as in…"
"Yes, young lord."
"Ha!" Sha Ku burst out laughing, the man's name was indeed arrogant.
"What made your parents choose such an arrogant name honestly – Thunder Sovereign!" Sha Ku was still laughing, double bent, he found the whole situation hilarious.
"My father named me after the great ancestor of our family, who supposedly sat upon a hilltop, cultivating one day, until out of the blue he was struck with Tyrannical Retribution Lighting, ascending to the heavens…"
Sha Ku stopped his laughing almost immediately. There's no way a mortal from a realm such as this should know of something such as Tyrannical Retribution Lightning! Tyrannical Retribution Lightning was a form of Divine Tribulation, that struck a cultivator at certain cultivation boundaries!
Tyrannical Retribution Lightning was the Lightning from the final tribulation before becoming a grand immortal!
If a mortal was struck with this! Heavens knows what would happen?! Many True Immortals would explode into a thousand pieces when they tried to ascend, let alone a mortal!
Sha Ku scratched his head; how would it be possible? Perhaps one with a strong enough will could re-forge themselves from the ashes? Perhaps the Tyrannical Retribution Lightning could change the body of mortals and this discovery wasn't something anybody had ever caught onto before…
If so, this was probably the biggest level skip in the history of cultivation!
But another though prevailed, it was that in fact that it probably wasn't Tyrannical Retribution Lightning at all, but instead the soul of some peerless dying cultivator that possessed the original Lie Jun!
"If only I could do such a thing!" Lie Jun whispered.
Sha Ku looked at him, eyebrows raised like he was looking at a madman.
"You're saying you believe that if you were to encounter Tyrannical Retribution Lightning, like your ancestor you'd be able to… ascend, well live?" Sha Ku's jaw was practically hanging off his chin.
He could only shake his head, slapping his middle and forefinger against Lie Jun's forehead.
"Follow those instruction, although you won't be able to attract Tyrannical Retribution Lightning, you'll be able to cause the weakest Divine Tribulation to appear."
Sha Ku shook his head, rubbing his forehead as he entered through the gate, feeling slightly guilty that he'd just sentence a man to death… but if one chooses their own path, who is he to disagree?
Sha Ku entered the outer courtyard and then knocked on the large yellow door, whilst faintly star-ing back at five heads mounted upon the door.
A man in a white uniform answered the door, with a large moustache and a grin on his face, "Greetings young one, why are you here?"
Sha Ku frowned, was he going to have to act all over again? He sighed, reciting the tale with the same pompous attitude that he had done before.
The man who was a butler immediately let him in, showing him around the place.
Currently, his master was in the study, reading an old scroll.
The butler led him up to the study, knocking at the door, going in alone. After ten minutes the butler came out, requesting Sha Ku to enter.
Sha Ku obliged, entering the study.
While the study was large it wasn't anything to particularly glare at or envy, although it was rather nice. Tapestries, with silver swans on a background of green, hung across the room, obviously, it hadn't been redecorated since the previous owners had been so cruelly removed.
There was a young man, who couldn't be older than twenty-three sitting at the desk, his head in his hands, rubbing his face in frustration.
On the table, there was a large map, on the map it had the title Heaven's Enigma, with large 'X' marking a spot in next to a wide river, that conjoined with a mountain range.
Looking at the word Heaven's Enigma it was like a small electric shock stemmed through the tips of Sha Ku's fingers making him feel on edge.
"Strange. I'll have to take this map with me when I leave." Sha Ku mumbled to himself.
The blue haired Zane didn't notice Sha Ku enter, he was practically tearing his hair out in frustration, "Dammit all! I've finally discovered where this fucking place is, yet the entry requirements are just too harsh! To enter before the age of twenty and be at the Coloured Star Realm! What fools! Fools!" Zane started to scream over and over again as bunched up pieces of hair was in his hands.
Coughing to gain some attention Sha Ku looked straight at Zane.
Moving his head up to look at Sha Ku, Zane was obviously shaken. Immediately he reached for the Sabre at his belt, drawing it, shaking all the while.
Pointing it directly at Sha Ku he mumbled out, "Who, who are you? Why have you come here?!"
"You're Zane if I'm not incorrect?"
"Yes, of course, I'm Zane! You in my house are you not? Speak, what is your name? Tell me now… or… or I'll kill you where you stand." Zane stammered out.
Sha Ku smiled, stroking the hilt of the sword strapped to his belt, "You're not what I expected, Zane. Your father was an Elder of our Sect. Well respected and even in our ruthless hellish song, he could always be seen acting in a way that would only advance the sect. But now, you, his only son has taken a secret like that the Heaven's Enigma for yourself… I can't help but be disappointed, Zane." Sha Ku tutted with a smirk on his face.
"What do you know! My father's loyalty killed him? And how did they reward him?! They threw his only son out of the sect! Even if I die, I won't reveal the secrets of the Enigma!" Zane bellowed out, spit flew like a flock of birds.
"Streaming Sabre!!!" Zane slashed out with his sabre continuously, raining strike after strike upon and around Sha Ku.
"Shadowless Step." Sha Ku whispered as a flurry of sabres was just about to hit him.
Swoosh!
"I think you missed." Sha Ku rested his hand on sword hilt while laughing a little.
With a sharp flash, he drew it from its sheath while shouting the words, "Imperium's First Sword – Slave's Slash!"
As the three feet long sword came out from his sheath it whistled across the air, cutting Zane's head from his shoulders.
With a bang and a squelch, the decapitated head fell to the floor. The headless body collapsed to the floor while squirting everywhere like a geyser, dying the room red with blood.
Sha Ku looked down at his robes and frowned. This Zane's blood had completely coated him, the former beautiful robes that May Lin had provided had become red and wretched.
Sha Ku gritted his teeth in anger, these were a gift from his first friend, not to mention how he de-tested mess and dirt! Stomping over to Zane's head he started to brutally and repeatedly stamp down upon the skull until only a small pile of bone filled mush remained.
"Damn idiot. You really aren't worth… anything!" Sha Ku growled.
"Deep breaths." Taking a deep breath, in through the nose, out through the mouth.
Bringing himself back in the moment Sha Ku walked over, placing the map on the table in his spatial ring after sheathing his sword.
Taking a look at the headless chicken's corpse Sha Ku frowned, noticing a small ring on Zane's un-feathered finger.
Carefully removing the ring and wiping the blood off, using Zane's clothes he inspected it closer.
The ring was made of a golden material that shone brightly, almost blinding to Sha Ku's eyes. On the top of the ring was a purple two-headed lion, roaring proudly with feathered wings.
"Interesting. A two-headed lion, it must be the 9 Flame Purple Lion, there shouldn't be such a creature within the lower realms." Sha Ku mumbled to himself.
"You're right there kid." A heavy voice suddenly sounded in his mind as he slid the ring on his finger
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Sha Ku swallowed his natural fear of the man, shaking ever so slightly as he walked through the threshold into the room.
Bang!
Sha Ku's heart felt like hit jumped out of his chest as the door slammed behind him. He put his hand on his chest and felt fear ripple throughout his body.
Sha Ku steadied his breathing, trying to calm himself. This An Mo had an incredibly oppressive aura around him, causing terror in those that encountered it, much in the same way an old monk may grant hope and serenity when in your presence.
An Mo's voice cackled a little, "Impressive. The first disciple I ever took fainted when he met me in person, and I wasn't half as strong then as I am now."
Sha Ku clasped his hands together, taking a deep bow, "Thank you, Lord Mo."
An Mo burst out laughing, "Lord Mo? Ha! I like it. Unfortunately, I am no lord. Refer to me as Hall Master."
"Of course, apologies Hall Master Mo." Sha Ku said immediately.
"Do you know why I asked that trash of mine to bring you here?" Hall Master Mo asked, while staring at him intensely.
"I don't know Hall Master." Sha Ku said while still bowing.
"Good. Now sit." Hall Master Mo gestured with his hand, "Now that you're comfortable, we may begin."
"Begin?" Sha Ku questioned.
"Yes, begin. That trash told me several impressive things about you, so I've set up a test for you. You know the current ruler of Greenmont?"
"I've heard he's a man called Zane?" Answered Sha Ku.
"Yes… Zane. A disgusting name for a disgusting man. He's actually here under false pretences, he's actually a trash disciple of the Hell Song Sect who ran away after his father a late elder was slain. I'm giving you this task, Zane is an affront to me and the Spirit Sword Sect, that has battled with the Hell Song Sect for so long."
"It is your task to slay this man, don't let a trace of him exist. I've heard you've mastered the first few Swords of the Imperium. An incredibly easy, but insurmountably difficult technique to learn. This task shouldn't be a problem for you. Now go, prove yourself and I'll name you a member of my Demonic Peak!" Hall Master Mo slammed his fist onto the ground and roared with pride, shaking the building, and even causing Sha Ku to be a little inspired by his words.
Sha Ku immediately jumped to his feet, taking a bow, "Yes Hall Master, I'll go immediately." He walked out of the room, opening the black rotted door and closing it again, making his way down the stairs and out into the streets.
Once in a crowd of people Sha Ku couldn't help but take a deep breath, that man, although his aura is oppressive and cruel, his words could inspire a heart even as detached as Sha Ku's!
Back in the room lit up by candles, Servant One was kneeling in front of Hall Master Mo, "Master, what do you think of the boy?"
An Mo scratched his chin, "He's obviously hiding something, many people can't tolerate my presence for too long. The rear mortal might die of fright when around me for too long. The boy's either very brave or stupid, his soul has already started to form as well."
Servant One raised his head in shock, "His soul is at the Initiate Stage? How?!" he gasped.
"No, its still at the primitive stage, but he's close. Not only that but I believe he's in possession of an incredible cultivation technique."
"What?!" Servant One was shocked again, he didn't have the insight and vision his master had.
"Yes, I inspected his cultivation. He appears to have a perfect balance of Yin-Yang between two of his Qi rivers. He could break through to the Sea Stage any time he wanted, but I feel there's more to it that though… Make sure to protect him, he's young and might make a stupid mistake, I don't want a diamond in the ruff to be snuffed out before he has time to shine in the starry sky."
Servant One took a bow, "Of course, Master."
Sha Ku made his way through the busy marketplace, after offering a certain merchant a golden coin for the location of this, 'Zane's' abode.
It was only midday, and Sha Ku was thinking about how he should deal with the situation. He had several options in front of him. The first is to burst in with shock and awe, cutting down any that may intrude on his path.
This was a bad idea in Sha Ku's head, as he didn't want to appear as someone who was just a great brute, swinging his sword without a through going through his head.
No, he was always someone that was thinking in a strategic manner. He decided it was best if he'd sneak in at night, using his Shadowless Steps, hopefully cutting the gullet of this Zane without mercy.
Of course, he could always reassess his strategy when he arrived, depending on the type of home he had and what forces he had garrisoned there.
Sha Ku continued his quick march for about twenty minutes.
Eventually, he arrived at a large manor house at the end of an inexplicably clean road, there were two guardsmen every ten feet all the way down the road, totalling in a hundred pairs.
Sha Ku stroked his chin, "They're all mortals, just mortals armed to the teeth, but they are indeed killable… But I won't sew any good Karma by going on an endless rampage."
Suddenly a gleam could be seen in Sha Ku's eyes.
He slowly walked up to one of the guards, wearing the starry robes provided by the Lin girl. He looked like he had an inexhaustible pride, that could only be matched by another of his status.
"You there, is this the dwelling of brother Zane?"
The first two guards looked at each other frowning, "What do you want Kid, our master is a busy person…"
"Silence!" Sha Ku interrupted, "Do I look like some kid to you? You do realise I've come here on the order to bring brother Zane home?! Do you want to incur my wrath, I guarantee I'm nowhere near as nice as Zaney!" Sha Ku yelled, spit flying from his mouth.
The guardsman stuttered, oppressed by the heavy aura Sha Ku was giving off, "B…b…brother you said?"
Sha Ku nodded his head with a smile, while the two guards looked at each other, and the one shaking in his boots led him down the road to the gate.
The front gate was black and had dark spikes adorning it, with rotten human skulls upon it. Five in total.
Two adults, three children.
Sha Ku looked up at the heads, then towards the guardsman's face, which was slightly pale, "The old city lord?"
"Y… Yes." The man said, gulping like he was trying to keep his breakfast down.
Sha Ku nodded, grabbing the man's wrist, holding it firm with his index finger and thumb, "Not too bad. You won't ever accomplish anything without proper challenges though. Have you ever seen a cultivation technique?"
The guardsman shook his head while trying not to peer at the corpseless heads on the walls.
"What's your name?"
"Lie Jun."
"Lie Jun, as in…"
"Yes, young lord."
"Ha!" Sha Ku burst out laughing, the man's name was indeed arrogant.
"What made your parents choose such an arrogant name honestly – Thunder Sovereign!" Sha Ku was still laughing, double bent, he found the whole situation hilarious.
"My father named me after the great ancestor of our family, who supposedly sat upon a hilltop, cultivating one day, until out of the blue he was struck with Tyrannical Retribution Lighting, ascending to the heavens…"
Sha Ku stopped his laughing almost immediately. There's no way a mortal from a realm such as this should know of something such as Tyrannical Retribution Lightning! Tyrannical Retribution Lightning was a form of Divine Tribulation, that struck a cultivator at certain cultivation boundaries!
Tyrannical Retribution Lightning was the Lightning from the final tribulation before becoming a grand immortal!
If a mortal was struck with this! Heavens knows what would happen?! Many True Immortals would explode into a thousand pieces when they tried to ascend, let alone a mortal!
Sha Ku scratched his head; how would it be possible? Perhaps one with a strong enough will could re-forge themselves from the ashes? Perhaps the Tyrannical Retribution Lightning could change the body of mortals and this discovery wasn't something anybody had ever caught onto before…
If so, this was probably the biggest level skip in the history of cultivation!
But another though prevailed, it was that in fact that it probably wasn't Tyrannical Retribution Lightning at all, but instead the soul of some peerless dying cultivator that possessed the original Lie Jun!
"If only I could do such a thing!" Lie Jun whispered.
Sha Ku looked at him, eyebrows raised like he was looking at a madman.
"You're saying you believe that if you were to encounter Tyrannical Retribution Lightning, like your ancestor you'd be able to… ascend, well live?" Sha Ku's jaw was practically hanging off his chin.
He could only shake his head, slapping his middle and forefinger against Lie Jun's forehead.
"Follow those instruction, although you won't be able to attract Tyrannical Retribution Lightning, you'll be able to cause the weakest Divine Tribulation to appear."
Sha Ku shook his head, rubbing his forehead as he entered through the gate, feeling slightly guilty that he'd just sentence a man to death… but if one chooses their own path, who is he to disagree?
Sha Ku entered the outer courtyard and then knocked on the large yellow door, whilst faintly star-ing back at five heads mounted upon the door.
A man in a white uniform answered the door, with a large moustache and a grin on his face, "Greetings young one, why are you here?"
Sha Ku frowned, was he going to have to act all over again? He sighed, reciting the tale with the same pompous attitude that he had done before.
The man who was a butler immediately let him in, showing him around the place.
Currently, his master was in the study, reading an old scroll.
The butler led him up to the study, knocking at the door, going in alone. After ten minutes the butler came out, requesting Sha Ku to enter.
Sha Ku obliged, entering the study.
While the study was large it wasn't anything to particularly glare at or envy, although it was rather nice. Tapestries, with silver swans on a background of green, hung across the room, obviously, it hadn't been redecorated since the previous owners had been so cruelly removed.
There was a young man, who couldn't be older than twenty-three sitting at the desk, his head in his hands, rubbing his face in frustration.
On the table, there was a large map, on the map it had the title Heaven's Enigma, with large 'X' marking a spot in next to a wide river, that conjoined with a mountain range.
Looking at the word Heaven's Enigma it was like a small electric shock stemmed through the tips of Sha Ku's fingers making him feel on edge.
"Strange. I'll have to take this map with me when I leave." Sha Ku mumbled to himself.
The blue haired Zane didn't notice Sha Ku enter, he was practically tearing his hair out in frustration, "Dammit all! I've finally discovered where this fucking place is, yet the entry requirements are just too harsh! To enter before the age of twenty and be at the Coloured Star Realm! What fools! Fools!" Zane started to scream over and over again as bunched up pieces of hair was in his hands.
Coughing to gain some attention Sha Ku looked straight at Zane.
Moving his head up to look at Sha Ku, Zane was obviously shaken. Immediately he reached for the Sabre at his belt, drawing it, shaking all the while.
Pointing it directly at Sha Ku he mumbled out, "Who, who are you? Why have you come here?!"
"You're Zane if I'm not incorrect?"
"Yes, of course, I'm Zane! You in my house are you not? Speak, what is your name? Tell me now… or… or I'll kill you where you stand." Zane stammered out.
Sha Ku smiled, stroking the hilt of the sword strapped to his belt, "You're not what I expected, Zane. Your father was an Elder of our Sect. Well respected and even in our ruthless hellish song, he could always be seen acting in a way that would only advance the sect. But now, you, his only son has taken a secret like that the Heaven's Enigma for yourself… I can't help but be disappointed, Zane." Sha Ku tutted with a smirk on his face.
"What do you know! My father's loyalty killed him? And how did they reward him?! They threw his only son out of the sect! Even if I die, I won't reveal the secrets of the Enigma!" Zane bellowed out, spit flew like a flock of birds.
"Streaming Sabre!!!" Zane slashed out with his sabre continuously, raining strike after strike upon and around Sha Ku.
"Shadowless Step." Sha Ku whispered as a flurry of sabres was just about to hit him.
Swoosh!
"I think you missed." Sha Ku rested his hand on sword hilt while laughing a little.
With a sharp flash, he drew it from its sheath while shouting the words, "Imperium's First Sword – Slave's Slash!"
As the three feet long sword came out from his sheath it whistled across the air, cutting Zane's head from his shoulders.
With a bang and a squelch, the decapitated head fell to the floor. The headless body collapsed to the floor while squirting everywhere like a geyser, dying the room red with blood.
Sha Ku looked down at his robes and frowned. This Zane's blood had completely coated him, the former beautiful robes that May Lin had provided had become red and wretched.
Sha Ku gritted his teeth in anger, these were a gift from his first friend, not to mention how he de-tested mess and dirt! Stomping over to Zane's head he started to brutally and repeatedly stamp down upon the skull until only a small pile of bone filled mush remained.
"Damn idiot. You really aren't worth… anything!" Sha Ku growled.
"Deep breaths." Taking a deep breath, in through the nose, out through the mouth.
Bringing himself back in the moment Sha Ku walked over, placing the map on the table in his spatial ring after sheathing his sword.
Taking a look at the headless chicken's corpse Sha Ku frowned, noticing a small ring on Zane's un-feathered finger.
Carefully removing the ring and wiping the blood off, using Zane's clothes he inspected it closer.
The ring was made of a golden material that shone brightly, almost blinding to Sha Ku's eyes. On the top of the ring was a purple two-headed lion, roaring proudly with feathered wings.
"Interesting. A two-headed lion, it must be the 9 Flame Purple Lion, there shouldn't be such a creature within the lower realms." Sha Ku mumbled to himself.
"You're right there kid." A heavy voice suddenly sounded in his mind as he slid the ring on his finger
Sha Ku swallowed his natural fear of the man, shaking ever so slightly as he walked through the threshold into the room.Bang!Sha Ku's heart felt like hit jumped out of his chest as the door slammed behind him. He put his hand on his chest and felt fear ripple throughout his body.Sha Ku steadied his breathing, trying to calm himself. This An Mo had an incredibly oppressive aura around him, causing terror in those that encountered it, much in the same way an old monk may grant hope and serenity when in your presence.An Mo's voice cackled a little, "Impressive. The first disciple I ever took fainted when he met me in person, and I wasn't half as strong then as I am now."Sha Ku clasped his hands together, taking a deep bow, "Thank you, Lord Mo."An Mo burst out laughing, "Lord Mo? Ha! I like it. Unfortunately, I am no lord. Refer to me as Hall Master.""Of course, apologies Hall Master Mo." Sha Ku said immediately."Do you know why I asked that trash of mine to bring you here?" Hall Master Mo asked, while staring at him intensely."I don't know Hall Master." Sha Ku said while still bowing."Good. Now sit." Hall Master Mo gestured with his hand, "Now that you're comfortable, we may begin.""Begin?" Sha Ku questioned."Yes, begin. That trash told me several impressive things about you, so I've set up a test for you. You know the current ruler of Greenmont?""I've heard he's a man called Zane?" Answered Sha Ku."Yes Zane. A disgusting name for a disgusting man. He's actually here under false pretences, he's actually a trash disciple of the Hell Song Sect who ran away after his father a late elder was slain. I'm giving you this task, Zane is an affront to me and the Spirit Sword Sect, that has battled with the Hell Song Sect for so long.""It is your task to slay this man, don't let a trace of him exist. I've heard you've mastered the first few Swords of the Imperium. An incredibly easy, but insurmountably difficult technique to learn. This task shouldn't be a problem for you. Now go, prove yourself and I'll name you a member of my Demonic Peak!" Hall Master Mo slammed his fist onto the ground and roared with pride, shaking the building, and even causing Sha Ku to be a little inspired by his words.Sha Ku immediately jumped to his feet, taking a bow, "Yes Hall Master, I'll go immediately." He walked out of the room, opening the black rotted door and closing it again, making his way down the stairs and out into the streets.Once in a crowd of people Sha Ku couldn't help but take a deep breath, that man, although his aura is oppressive and cruel, his words could inspire a heart even as detached as Sha Ku's!Back in the room lit up by candles, Servant One was kneeling in front of Hall Master Mo, "Master, what do you think of the boy?"An Mo scratched his chin, "He's obviously hiding something, many people can't tolerate my presence for too long. The rear mortal might die of fright when around me for too long. The boy's either very brave or stupid, his soul has already started to form as well."Servant One raised his head in shock, "His soul is at the Initiate Stage? How?!" he gasped."No, its still at the primitive stage, but he's close. Not only that but I believe he's in possession of an incredible cultivation technique.""What?!" Servant One was shocked again, he didn't have the insight and vision his master had."Yes, I inspected his cultivation. He appears to have a perfect balance of Yin-Yang between two of his Qi rivers. He could break through to the Sea Stage any time he wanted, but I feel there's more to it that though Make sure to protect him, he's young and might make a stupid mistake, I don't want a diamond in the ruff to be snuffed out before he has time to shine in the starry sky."Servant One took a bow, "Of course, Master."Sha Ku made his way through the busy marketplace, after offering a certain merchant a golden coin for the location of this, 'Zane's' abode.It was only midday, and Sha Ku was thinking about how he should deal with the situation. He had several options in front of him. The first is to burst in with shock and awe, cutting down any that may intrude on his path.This was a bad idea in Sha Ku's head, as he didn't want to appear as someone who was just a great brute, swinging his sword without a through going through his head.No, he was always someone that was thinking in a strategic manner. He decided it was best if he'd sneak in at night, using his Shadowless Steps, hopefully cutting the gullet of this Zane without mercy.Of course, he could always reassess his strategy when he arrived, depending on the type of home he had and what forces he had garrisoned there.Sha Ku continued his quick march for about twenty minutes.Eventually, he arrived at a large manor house at the end of an inexplicably clean road, there were two guardsmen every ten feet all the way down the road, totalling in a hundred pairs.Sha Ku stroked his chin, "They're all mortals, just mortals armed to the teeth, but they are indeed killable But I won't sew any good Karma by going on an endless rampage."Suddenly a gleam could be seen in Sha Ku's eyes.He slowly walked up to one of the guards, wearing the starry robes provided by the Lin girl. He looked like he had an inexhaustible pride, that could only be matched by another of his status."You there, is this the dwelling of brother Zane?"The first two guards looked at each other frowning, "What do you want Kid, our master is a busy person""Silence!" Sha Ku interrupted, "Do I look like some kid to you? You do realise I've come here on the order to bring brother Zane home?! Do you want to incur my wrath, I guarantee I'm nowhere near as nice as Zaney!" Sha Ku yelled, spit flying from his mouth.The guardsman stuttered, oppressed by the heavy aura Sha Ku was giving off, "Bbbrother you said?"Sha Ku nodded his head with a smile, while the two guards looked at each other, and the one shaking in his boots led him down the road to the gate.The front gate was black and had dark spikes adorning it, with rotten human skulls upon it. Five in total.Two adults, three children.Sha Ku looked up at the heads, then towards the guardsman's face, which was slightly pale, "The old city lord?""Y Yes." The man said, gulping like he was trying to keep his breakfast down.Sha Ku nodded, grabbing the man's wrist, holding it firm with his index finger and thumb, "Not too bad. You won't ever accomplish anything without proper challenges though. Have you ever seen a cultivation technique?"The guardsman shook his head while trying not to peer at the corpseless heads on the walls."What's your name?""Lie Jun.""Lie Jun, as in""Yes, young lord.""Ha!" Sha Ku burst out laughing, the man's name was indeed arrogant."What made your parents choose such an arrogant name honestly Thunder Sovereign!" Sha Ku was still laughing, double bent, he found the whole situation hilarious."My father named me after the great ancestor of our family, who supposedly sat upon a hilltop, cultivating one day, until out of the blue he was struck with Tyrannical Retribution Lighting, ascending to the heavens"Sha Ku stopped his laughing almost immediately. There's no way a mortal from a realm such as this should know of something such as Tyrannical Retribution Lightning! Tyrannical Retribution Lightning was a form of Divine Tribulation, that struck a cultivator at certain cultivation boundaries!Tyrannical Retribution Lightning was the Lightning from the final tribulation before becoming a grand immortal!If a mortal was struck with this! Heavens knows what would happen?! Many True Immortals would explode into a thousand pieces when they tried to ascend, let alone a mortal!Sha Ku scratched his head; how would it be possible? Perhaps one with a strong enough will could re-forge themselves from the ashes? Perhaps the Tyrannical Retribution Lightning could change the body of mortals and this discovery wasn't something anybody had ever caught onto beforeIf so, this was probably the biggest level skip in the history of cultivation!But another though prevailed, it was that in fact that it probably wasn't Tyrannical Retribution Lightning at all, but instead the soul of some peerless dying cultivator that possessed the original Lie Jun!"If only I could do such a thing!" Lie Jun whispered.Sha Ku looked at him, eyebrows raised like he was looking at a madman."You're saying you believe that if you were to encounter Tyrannical Retribution Lightning, like your ancestor you'd be able to ascend, well live?" Sha Ku's jaw was practically hanging off his chin.He could only shake his head, slapping his middle and forefinger against Lie Jun's forehead."Follow those instruction, although you won't be able to attract Tyrannical Retribution Lightning, you'll be able to cause the weakest Divine Tribulation to appear."Sha Ku shook his head, rubbing his forehead as he entered through the gate, feeling slightly guilty that he'd just sentence a man to death but if one chooses their own path, who is he to disagree?Sha Ku entered the outer courtyard and then knocked on the large yellow door, whilst faintly star-ing back at five heads mounted upon the door.A man in a white uniform answered the door, with a large moustache and a grin on his face, "Greetings young one, why are you here?"Sha Ku frowned, was he going to have to act all over again? He sighed, reciting the tale with the same pompous attitude that he had done before.The man who was a butler immediately let him in, showing him around the place.Currently, his master was in the study, reading an old scroll.The butler led him up to the study, knocking at the door, going in alone. After ten minutes the butler came out, requesting Sha Ku to enter.Sha Ku obliged, entering the study.While the study was large it wasn't anything to particularly glare at or envy, although it was rather nice. Tapestries, with silver swans on a background of green, hung across the room, obviously, it hadn't been redecorated since the previous owners had been so cruelly removed.There was a young man, who couldn't be older than twenty-three sitting at the desk, his head in his hands, rubbing his face in frustration.On the table, there was a large map, on the map it had the title Heaven's Enigma, with large 'X' marking a spot in next to a wide river, that conjoined with a mountain range.Looking at the word Heaven's Enigma it was like a small electric shock stemmed through the tips of Sha Ku's fingers making him feel on edge."Strange. I'll have to take this map with me when I leave." Sha Ku mumbled to himself.The blue haired Zane didn't notice Sha Ku enter, he was practically tearing his hair out in frustration, "Dammit all! I've finally discovered where this fucking place is, yet the entry requirements are just too harsh! To enter before the age of twenty and be at the Coloured Star Realm! What fools! Fools!" Zane started to scream over and over again as bunched up pieces of hair was in his hands.Coughing to gain some attention Sha Ku looked straight at Zane.Moving his head up to look at Sha Ku, Zane was obviously shaken. Immediately he reached for the Sabre at his belt, drawing it, shaking all the while.Pointing it directly at Sha Ku he mumbled out, "Who, who are you? Why have you come here?!""You're Zane if I'm not incorrect?""Yes, of course, I'm Zane! You in my house are you not? Speak, what is your name? Tell me now or or I'll kill you where you stand." Zane stammered out.Sha Ku smiled, stroking the hilt of the sword strapped to his belt, "You're not what I expected, Zane. Your father was an Elder of our Sect. Well respected and even in our ruthless hellish song, he could always be seen acting in a way that would only advance the sect. But now, you, his only son has taken a secret like that the Heaven's Enigma for yourself I can't help but be disappointed, Zane." Sha Ku tutted with a smirk on his face."What do you know! My father's loyalty killed him? And how did they reward him?! They threw his only son out of the sect! Even if I die, I won't reveal the secrets of the Enigma!" Zane bellowed out, spit flew like a flock of birds."Streaming Sabre!!!" Zane slashed out with his sabre continuously, raining strike after strike upon and around Sha Ku."Shadowless Step." Sha Ku whispered as a flurry of sabres was just about to hit him.Swoosh!"I think you missed." Sha Ku rested his hand on sword hilt while laughing a little.With a sharp flash, he drew it from its sheath while shouting the words, "Imperium's First Sword Slave's Slash!"As the three feet long sword came out from his sheath it whistled across the air, cutting Zane's head from his shoulders.With a bang and a squelch, the decapitated head fell to the floor. The headless body collapsed to the floor while squirting everywhere like a geyser, dying the room red with blood.Sha Ku looked down at his robes and frowned. This Zane's blood had completely coated him, the former beautiful robes that May Lin had provided had become red and wretched.Sha Ku gritted his teeth in anger, these were a gift from his first friend, not to mention how he de-tested mess and dirt! Stomping over to Zane's head he started to brutally and repeatedly stamp down upon the skull until only a small pile of bone filled mush remained."Damn idiot. You really aren't worth anything!" Sha Ku growled."Deep breaths." Taking a deep breath, in through the nose, out through the mouth.Bringing himself back in the moment Sha Ku walked over, placing the map on the table in his spatial ring after sheathing his sword.Taking a look at the headless chicken's corpse Sha Ku frowned, noticing a small ring on Zane's un-feathered finger.Carefully removing the ring and wiping the blood off, using Zane's clothes he inspected it closer.The ring was made of a golden material that shone brightly, almost blinding to Sha Ku's eyes. On the top of the ring was a purple two-headed lion, roaring proudly with feathered wings."Interesting. A two-headed lion, it must be the 9 Flame Purple Lion, there shouldn't be such a creature within the lower realms." Sha Ku mumbled to himself."You're right there kid." A heavy voice suddenly sounded in his mind as he slid the ring on his finger
