He began to tell me some of what I’d already known, his orders to kill me, his refusal and the order from his step-brother, Tin Lao that he must take responsibility, finally I learned the reason why my family was killed and I crippled. My mother's sister could not cultivate and was thus to become a concubine since this violated her marriage contract and my father publicly challenged Tin Lao to a duel to free her, the old drunk thankfully spared me the messier details. It is actually somewhat heartening to learn my father gave his life opposing an injustice instead of the buffoonish cock jousting of the usual nobles.
Tao Ren then murdered the rest of my family on Tin Lao’s order, because my father’s will to stand true to principles scared him more than any bloodline. Then finally, the revealing of the reason why he spared me. I was silent and resisted. The old drunk said that screaming and crying but not resisting made it easier for him to kill. Pathetic, warped creature...and I’m about to join his world.
“She lived Tao, she lived.” His slumped his shoulders as if the last of the dignity propping up his pallid form left him. He made no objection to me calling him by his first name.”I was happy Tao, for a few months once she was healed. Then her father came, he plans to conceive an offspring with her and if she isn’t strong he’ll literally kick her away and see if the child is strong enough to survive.”
Tao continues to look quietly at his now fully healed stumps before asking. “A common practice among cultivators, Did you cultivate to fight him?” I am disgusted by how casual they are with atrocity. “No, it was after he struck when I barely survived that I cultivated raw primal chaos as a new Dantian, even now primal chaos cleanses my marrow.”
Tao startles at the mention of primal chaos and wobbles to his feet alarmed, clearly ready to take fatal action against me, he shivers and falls onto his behind. He starts to look for his liquor gourd then looks at the teacup I gave him, before he can accuse me I interrupt him. Dismissively I start saying “I shattered it, it’s been 8 hours since you’ve been without qi brewed alcohol. You were in that trauma induced stupor for most of it. You have no chance to kill me now. Delirium Tremens will be setting in. I didn't poison you, you poisoned you.”
He begins to vomit as I continue speaking. “You may very die from such intense withdrawal at any time so just tell me what I need to know, how can I find him?” After a detestable, piteous silence the shivering, retching, defecating shell of a man began to speak. “The technique you were struck by that severed through mortal bones with ease and was a blade of wind, I know of one such technique fitting that description. The Hallow Hew, a technique taught by the Eternal Institute. It is incredibly rare to be able to use wind techniques so offensively, they excel mostly in defensive and escape arts, in combat they usually favor group combat using weather manipulation to impede foes.
You will need to infiltrate the Gumei branch of the Eternal institute posing as a student, gain access to the third floor of the Eternal library through meritorious service and take out the book on the Hallow Hew, in the back will be the name index. The number of people to have done so will be less than can be counted on one hand. Do not actually take it out, lest you be tracked.
You enter a world of wolves Boy, be wary of your tracks and scent trails.”
