“BISCUIT!” I yelled. “USE [OUTSHINE]!”

Biscuit’s eyes contracted, and so did Tian Mo’s. He realized I wasn’t playing.

“You have no honor.” He stated.

“Eh? Honor?” I growled as a sun dropped on us. “Fuck honor.”

The effects of [OUTSHINE] are ineffective against the user.

It was no time to play the fair game—I was done playing.

Tian Mo’s face contorted and he suddenly sucked in a hard breath.

“W-what…? Where—how… WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME!!??” He screamed, his face turning red and veins popping on his neck.

I stared down at him coldly, propping my fists up, shoulders and back straight as I met his eyes.

“Surprise—”

I activated the trinket, and there was silence.

The world around us seemed to have ceased to exist; there was only the golden expanse, and the pulse of adrenaline echoing in my ears. Every muscle in my body was taut, everything around us vanished, and my eyes held only one figure—my opponent, standing terrified in a golden field of white.

A drop of sweat, mingling with my blood trickled down my forehead, down my nosebridge, and over my lips. It sparkled under the light, refracting the golden hues of it, falling off my chin and plopping down on the ground.

“—motherfucker.”

I lunged in this moment of concentration, my surroundings blurring. I closed the distance between Tian Mo and me in an instant. My fist blurred, connecting with a satisfying crunch, snapping Tian Mo’s head to the side. Blood sprayed from his nose, painting the golden field in stark crimson contrast. He stumbled, but I didn’t let him have a moment. My next strike targeted his midsection, and with a thump, my bloody fist drove into his stomach, his eyes popping.

What was he without his power?

Tian Mo gasped for breath, his face contorted in pain and disbelief.

“Nothing, you’re nothing,” I whispered, my leg bolting up, ramming into his crotch.

He stumbled back, his mouth open in a silent scream.

I slipped under his meager, sluggish, and disgustingly uncoordinated defense, my fingers piercing through the soft flesh of Tian Mo’s eye sockets. His screams were muffled as I raised him high above the ground. He was nothing without his power. But somehow, I was above mortal.

Something to look into later.

I yanked my blood-soaked fingers out, and he fell to his knees, clutching his ruined eyes, blood pouring through his fingers and falling to the ground.

It was a brutal, merciless moment, but there was no room for compassion in this world. Cultivation, huh? I understand now, why the rule of strength matters in a world like this. Only the ruthless survived.

As Tian Mo writhed on the ground, I stood over him, my heart pounding. My foot moved on its own and I slammed it on his head.

Thump.

“You thought you were invincible,” I hissed, my voice dripping with contempt. “But you underestimated me, and now you will pay the price.”

Thump.

The sound resonated in my ears, a sick, simple, thumping sound along with the hard feeling of my foot diving into his head. I let his groans fade into the background. I felt the rush of adrenaline, the surge of power that came from asserting dominance over another being.

Something surged, something tasteful. It was intoxicating, addicting. It was as if I died and came back to life, once and then again, once more. I welcomed it with open arms.

Thump.

There was no room for the weak, no space for compassion. The strong thrived, and the weak perished, their cries drowned out by the ruthless cacophony of laughter of the powerful.

Thump.

“Don’t fuck with me,” I said. “I’ll live however I want.”

I felt a fragment of my former self shatter. I watched Tian Mo’s struggles with detached fascination, analyzing his pain as if it were a scientific experiment. Ah, his feeble attempts at resistance. To regain control. How… interesting.

Thump.

His cries faded into pathetic whimpers. I gazed down at him, my eyes devoid of emotion, my heart as cold as ice. Another kick and I felt his head cave in. Ah. Death. So this is how death feels like. I was quite familiar with it. I watched as the once-feared Tian Mo lay there with hollow eyes, dead. He was indeed nothing without his power. The spectators, who had gathered to witness our battle, watched in stunned silence, their eyes wide with disbelief.

I stood over Tian Mo, panting, my fists stained with his blood along with my foot. There was no triumph in my eyes, there was nothing aside from the hidden glee and pleasure I felt seeing life seeping out of him.

Quite fascinating.

This isn’t me—

I don’t care.

Looking down at Tian Mo, I made sure this man had breathed his last as the light faded away into particles of gold.

After the final gasp escaped Tian Mo’s lips, a hushed stillness fell over the town, broken only by the distant sound of wind rustling through the trees, carrying with it faint sounds of distant people—crying, sobbing, running, calling for others, running.

Slowly, I withdrew my foot, and the rush of adrenaline that had fueled me began to dissipate. I felt heavy, and my feet were dragging as I walked toward Biscuit with the thought [Outshine] in my mind.

This was Biscuit’s limit—but this ability was truly broken. I could think of a lot of ways to use it, however, that was for later. Right now my mind was on Biscuit, and her alone. I turned on my heels and rushed up to her.

As expected, she appeared to be injured. I sighed and picked her up

Biscuit nudged my hand gently as a soft breeze swept through the town, carrying the scent of earth and rain along with the soft rumble of thunder. I closed my eyes, letting the gentle wind caress my face.

The sound of thunder only grew, and soon, I realized what It was.

I looked in the distance, toward the direction of the capital, and there it was in the sky—a thunderstorm brewing, rushing toward us.

Distinct purple thunder rumbled inside it.

I sat down with Biscuit in my arms, waiting. I knew exactly who this was—and I was pissed.

A loud sound blasted through the sky, sending a ripple running across the horizon as the thunderstorm arrived in the town sooner than I could think what to do next. Inside it, the shadow of a figure could be seen. It descended rather dramatically, obscured by the smoke. The thunderstorm calmed down as she fell on the ground, her purple hair fluttering behind her.

“Shen Yue,” I said.

“Elder Wu…” she said, eyes sharper than I’d seen recently. No trace of sleepiness could be seen, there was only sharp attentiveness. “What happened…?”

Her eyes wandered around town, to me—and my soaked ripped clothes—and then to Biscuit, before falling onto the bodies lying dead.

She looked around some more and I stood up. “Well, stuff happened. Do what you’re here for. Meet me as soon as you can, though.”

“Hmm.” She looked at the dead body of Tian Mo and walked up to him.

She squatted down and observed him.

“He’s likely escaped.”

My movements ceased, a realization dawning.

“Won’t for long,” I said, eyes on his supposed dead body—without any soul. “Even if he did get out, his soul won’t survive—even if it does, he’ll be weak. And when he does get some other body; I’ll be there, waiting.”

“Well, I’ll be doing what I’m here for.”

“Hmm.”

Saying so, I made my way back to my mention—inside which I found my Disciples cultivating. Noodles and Renji. Kai was way too injured. He’d likely need immediate attention from a healer—Hmm, I have to bring him to Li Mei.

Noodles’ eyes fluttered open and she slithered toward me, jumping up and coiling up my body. She went to her place as I put Biscuit down, mind wondering what to do next—I knew I needed them healed, but it needed to be faster than me going on foot. With Shen Yue, perhaps.

A bright light flashed and I looked out the window, toward where Shen Yue should be. A loud thunder echoed in my ears just after. She’d just burned all the bodies. Hmm. Well, let’s see if that bastard survived, if he did, it’ll be fun became I’ll be full power by then. As for these annoying fucks known as Obsidian Shadow Clan… They’re done. Wei Rui had likely done nothing so far given one, he’s not the sect leader, two, although they killed the sect leader, he had different plans—he likely already knew the Holy Sects were behind Obsidian… what was he planning, then? Well, it doesn’t matter, I’m quite selfish.

I just needed my powers back, and that would be happening sooner than later.

Renji and Kai were nearing.

***

A day later Li Mei and the disciples of the sect arrived since the month of the mists was near. Not to mention Wei Rui didn’t want to waste time—he wanted all the treasures as soon as possible. Li Mei instantly tended to Kai and Biscuit, which I was thankful for, and then the disciples started preparing for whatever they were about to do.

I, on the other hand, was in recovery, too.

“Master!” Renji barged into my room, and I knew the reason, so I wasn’t pissed. “I—I broke through!”

Suffice to say I didn’t feel as good as I thought I would. I couldn’t seem to care much. I’d thought as time went by and I grew closer and closer to full power, I would get excited.

I wasn’t.

But still—

“That’s good to hear. You did well.”

—I spoke a few words.

“With this, I am sure I’ll be able to make even more progress! I can do whatever I want!”

“Yeah, calm down. Don’t do anything in a hurry—use your brain.”

“Yes, master! I’ll make sure to do that!”

“Now go, shoo, I need to recover.”

Renji nodded and left. Shaking my head I walked out and made my way toward Biscuit and Kai—they’d been healed, but still needed some time. It had been a day so I thought it would be fine now.

In the room, I sighed In relief when Biscuit jumped out of the bed and on my shoulder, rubbing her cheek with mine.

“Thank god…” I said, falling into thought as my hand scratched Biscuit.

God, huh…

I didn’t believe in god.

Now, even more. In this world, there might be beings on a similar power level to gods, but no actual gods, I was certain.

Biscuit nuzzled against my hand, purring contentedly.

Noodles slithered out and coiled around my neck, her eyes darting between Biscuit and me. These two seemed to be on edge recently. Sure enough, Biscuit flicked her tail at Noodles, earning a hiss in response.

“Hey, hey, stop, you two have to get along.”

They looked at me.

I sighed.

“You seem quite like these two.”

“Well, that’s cause I do,” I said, looking at Li Mei.

“Anyway, don’t mind me, I was just here for a routine check.” She shook her head. “I’ll be taking my leave.”

“Hmm.”

I looked over at Kai and he too seemed to have recovered quite a lot. He’d be up and running in no time.

I smiled, putting Biscuit down, and moving out.

I had a destination in mind, and I wanted to see if my suspicions were true or not.