Pointless Conflict

Going through the female's memories was confusing. Such conflict over...sexual attraction?

Is it a force so powerful that it overrides rationality? The male's attitude over the situation was also very self-centered. He acted as if the world was his playground. Apparently he is the firstborn son of a...Feng Family?

Why would be born first in some family with a lot of member matter? It just shows that the Fengs reproduce a lot. I don't understand what the importance is. He also bragged about money. Gold is simply a mineral. To use it as a currency is also foolish, and ignorant. Gold is a useful material in the creation of many things. Much better suited for being used to build things than just use as a symbol of wealth.

The boy's name is Fu Feng. Son of Yuxan Feng.

Perhaps can I learn more by seeing how this Feng family operates.

Hence, I started following Fu Feng around. I followed after him for days. The family of the girl, the Xia family even tried to violently retaliate.

Their initial attack failed, their smaller family could not compete. Now the Feng family was going to counterattack.

However, I have also been reading some books in these days. By looking through bookstores and homes. I even came across the topic of Dao. One particular Dao interested me. Two actually. the Dao of Karma, and the Dao of the deal. Both are transactional, and are easy to understand for me. As they do not involve emotion all too much. A department I am lacking in.

According to these books. The heavens should be striking down Fu Feng. at least give him some sort of trouble.

Now the Feng family has attacked in the night. Fu Feng is participating. Cutting down warriors as he gloats about killing their "Young Lady".

I watched and ate the souls that become lost. Most did, as the entire situation aggrieved them greatly.

Once all was done, I continued to wait for these so called heavens to exact their karmic punishment.

After weeks of waiting, I had an expression I have learned about what the heavens have done.

"Jack Shit"

They have done nothing to the Feng family, nor Fu Feng. This irked me. The heavens have exacted any sort of judgement. Fu Feng is still rich, powerful, and taking women as he sees them.

So I decided to do what I was designed to do. One night when Fu Feng was coming out of a brothel house. I poked my invisible, thing, dagger-like finger through him. When I retracted my finger, his soul was severed completely from his body. He had died.

His soul was too tainted for him to go anywhere good. So when I ate the soul, I left the taint behind. Something I figured out how to do with simple practice.

Now, Fu Feng was dead in the street. No blood, no bruises, no cause of death these simple cultivators could discern. Following that, I took the soul of every member of the Feng family that participated in the massacre of the Xia family. Essentially destroying the Feng family.

At the end of it all, this entire conflict was pointless and void of reason. Is this how cultivators are? How can an interstellar civilization be this stupid, yet become so powerful?

I keep existing on this planet for a few more years. Eating souls and observing them. I learned that planet is named Wu 27. As this planet is under the control of the Wu family based out of the Jade Planet, capital of the Eternal Flight Empire.

I tried to find more information, but information about other worlds is a bit scarce. As this world is considered, backwater.

However, there was one interesting figure on this planet. A member of a detachment of the Wu Family. The one that rules this planet. Mei Wu, the 3rd daughter of the resident Wu patriarch. I found her interesting as she was acting rationally. She was always polite, even in the face of rudeness. She did not seek conflict. All the same, she would be bullied either. Responding with appropriate uses of force. She was calculative. Yet expressed happiness when happy and sadness when sad. Despite her talent and high growth rate, she did become arrogant or aloof. She did think herself so above others either. Her soul is strong as well.

So stayed around her as she grew. Watching start as a Qi cultivator, to Foundation, to Golden Core. Then she began to study something unique. She was trying to learn cultivator techniques that affect the soul. I will admit that Qi is a versatile energy, and is capable of affecting the soul. It is not nearly as effective as directly practicing soul energy though.

She did not have guidance on this issue. Her tutors were clueless and the one manual she had, she can not understand. Therefore, I wondered what would happen if I guided her a bit? There is no rule saying that a monster cannot be a teacher.

I walk close enough to her to slightly brush the tip of my finger on her. This allow me to bring her to Limbo. Mei Wu quickly understands that she is somewhere different and looks around. She then becomes extremely fearful when she see my towering and terrifying form.

I say to her, "Do not be afraid Mei Wu. I am not vile. I will not harm you. Instead, I have the idea to offer you guidance."

Mei Wu calms down only a little. Then she asks a bit shaky, "Guidance on what? Who are you?"

I answer, "I am Sturga. I offer to guide you on learning that manual which contains the soul technique, Soul Shake."

My offer interested Mei Wu. she narrowed her eyes at me, "For what price?"

"No price, there is nothing you could ever give me. This is all on a whim. Well, actually, there is one thing. I will guide you in exchange of not fearing me, and future conversations."

Mei Wu gets stumped by my price. She takes some time to think before answering, "I will agree to this exchange!"

"Good, then let me tell you this. You try to use Soul Shake while thinking that the soul is disconnected from the persona controlling the body. When you attack the soul, you are just attacking their soul. You are attacking them at the deepest level. You are attacking the person. So when you attack, do not think about the soul. Think about truly attacking them beyond the physical. Do not think about separation anymore at this stage in your understanding.", I give my bit of guidance.

Mei's brows furrow in thought, "I will try Sturga. Thank you."

"One last thing Mei Wu. If you are asked if you had guidance from a teacher. you can mention my name, but nothing more. As to not make things difficult for you.", I say lastly.

I brushed my finger against her again and she was sent out of limbo. She then walked away while muttering, "Should've asked where we were..."

With my imparted words, she actually achieved some success in a practice bout between her and her 4th brother. She managed to shake his soul, knocking him unconscious. Mei Wu obviously got a much better understanding after this success.

She was praised by her father for her achievements. As learning a soul technique is extremely rare and shows great talent. However, her father, Hao Wu, asked her if received guidance from a teacher.

Mei Wu answered, "I did. My teacher's name is Sturga. That is all I can say about him."

Hao Wu asked something else, "Can I least know if I'll be able to meet him? Is he in the area?"

Mei Wu smiles sweetly, "Oh, don't worry about making impressions father. Sturga has been watching for a long time. He already has his impressions."

Mei Wu then left the practice area. Leaving a stunned Hao Wu. This was a calculative move on her part. Using my name to impart fear. Therefore, gaining some control through using the weight of my name. This is why I like this one.

We met more times afterwards as Mei Wu got better at Soul Shock. News eventually came that Mei Wu will have an opportunity to go to an imperial academy in this "sector". Which is considered to be a great honor and a way to "soar into the heavens". What is with the obsession with heaven? If they really wanted to go, all they need to do is die. Mei Wu was now a grown young lady and could follow her own will. She had even learned one additional soul technique at this time, Soul Burn. Where the feeling of burning is applied, creating great pain to the target.

Mei Wu wanted to speak with me about it, so I brought her into Limbo.

She was quick to ask, "I am going to the academy, are you coming with me?"

She knows what she wants and doesn't let things hold her back. Let still still genuinely wants me to come with her. A nice balance between rationality and care.

I answer, "I have grown weary of this planet. I will follow you to this imperial academy."

Mei Wu smiled and crossed her arms, "Great, it would take longer to figure out soul techniques without you Teacher Sturga."

Now I have an easy opportunity to leave this planet. Without just ending up in a random place at that.

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thanks for reading