Morality

-Road to Northeast Forest, Training Area-

The night has finally come.

The youths fight against Swon'du has only started.

*CLANG CLANG* Runi, using boulders as his weapon, he could stop the spears but it also means his movement is slower making him get wounded by those spears he couldn't stop.

Wu'of couldn't use his arts in fast succession as it requires lots of Qi. "How are we supposed to fight when we can't find him?!" Trying to avoid the spears flying around.

Ai still trying to sense where Swon'du's location at, with the intimidation Qi, he couldn't pinpoint where he's at. 'I need to focus more... I need more time...'

"Is that all? I thought you're going to kill us but all I can see are pitiful spears. I guess you can just go home as we can do this all day." Ai is planning something.

"Don't mock me, I know what you did to those two and I know it won't last long. Sooner or later, you'll all be dead. But since the prince requested it, I guess I'll be happy to oblige and show you what Black Sting Art can do. BLACK STING ART!" While Swon'du is about to use another art-

Opening his eyes, Ai found him. "Runi! Wu'of! The third three in front of us!"

"WHITE TAIL ART! BEAST POUNCE!" Wu'of's sandals broke after creating a beast feet made of Qi.

*SWOOOOSH* Wu'of's leaped so fast that the other trees broke after his feet hit them in the way to the location Ai mentioned.

*BAAAAAM* Swon'du has no choice but to leave the tree as Wu'of's insane movement caught him off guard. Blocking the attack with his arms was a bad idea. The attack of Wu'of knocked him back and stopping him from moving sideways.

Worried for his safety, 'Shit! I can only use ranged attacks... I have to make sure I get a good distance or else-'

*BAAAAAAAM!* A huge boulder came from above and crushed half of Swon'du's body to the ground.

Runi looking down at Swon'du, "Didn't see that one coming, did you?" To Swon'du, they are weak and helpless at first but somehow, their potential appeared when they needed it the most.

'Shit... I was careless!' Swon'du shot something from his mouth as that's the only part of his body that can move.

*SWOOOOSH* But it was caught mid-air by Wu'of.

With a heightened sense of smell, "I knew it, it's a smoke bomb but it's no use." Wu'of killed the fire to set the smoke bomb off.

"And I thought we'd be in more trouble but you underestimated us. Like you said earlier, your friends should have been here by now but I can say that it was merely a lie to make sure we would feel like we're trapped and kill our hope of survival and yet you're the one in the tight spot now so..." Ai stopped talking as he knew it's the time the unsealing art stops.

"Yeah, tell us who.... eh?..." Both Runi and Wu'of lost consciousness and the others passed out already after getting suppressed by Intimidation Qi of a master ranked.

"Just in time huh... you calculated it pretty well. So in the end, you only used them for your benefit. You're a monster yourself or should I say even more monstrous than me." Smiling as the life from his eyes stars to fade away.

Sitting down, "Does it matter? I showed you what the prince of Petal Clan can do, isn't that what you wanted?"

"Isn't it nice to have a destiny of your own... Ack..." Spitting blood, "to follow?"

"I'm the creator of my destiny."

"You can say that now but you'll realize that you're just no one... I'll see you in my next life..." Swon'du's body started to fade away to ashes.

'My name is nothing and it doesn't bind me of anything. My name only gave me suffering...' And yet, to his heart, he knew that all his sufferings led him to his plan of revenge.

He used his magic ring to absorb the body of Swon'du as he remembers what Kin said about Qi Pills.

-Northeast Forest, Training Camp-

Ai arrived at the training camp carrying his team on a giant sledge made of wood. 'And I have to do all of this trouble. I could have used the magic ring but it would freak them out when they wake up seeing dead bodies inside with them.'

Rushing towards Ai and the others, "You almost got me worried there for a second. Why were you late?" Wai was about to go back to get them but it looks like she was worried for nothing.

"As you can see, they passed out and as their responsible leader, I have to carry my team members. I should get an A for the effort." Using the same quote as what Swon'du said.

Wai's eyes widened as she knew who like to say that phrase. "A for an effort huh..." Thinking to herself, 'Did Ai met Swon'du somehow? It must have been just a coincidence...'

Showing Ai the way with the others, "This way, Shin and some of the Expert students are here as well to help us with your training as they're already done with their own. So..."

Surprised and eager to talk, "Wow, there are lots of potential with this group. I can say even Ai, the one they call the failed genius is here as well. I'd say you're doing great! Anyway, I'm Shin and as of the moment, I'm currently the second strongest teacher-" The students looked at him with curiosity as Shin is known as a 3-star student but now, he's wearing a 4-star one.

Looking angry and displeased, 'What a show off!' Wai sure is not enjoying this but at the same time, she's relieved that he's here to help them as this training was one of the most troublesome after being tailed.

"-and I'm here to help you with your training. This doesn't mean that we're here to spoil you brats but we're here to help you avoid dying so mistakes could mean severe pain. Enough with this talk as it is making me sleepy so everyone should rest. Tomorrow will be your big day. We will only leave the training camp and go back home if all the teams could kill their own mystical beast. I won't be taking any questions as we're already tired and drained so Miss Wai will continue." Together with Chanyan, his right hand and known as one of the strongest 2-star students, and Ba'an who's pretty much the only one free enough to tag along, they walked away.

"You hear the guy, rest well. Tomorrow will be a big day. Make sure you have enough energy for tomorrow. Dismissed." Wai is still worried about Ai. She can feel that something is wrong with him.

-In the middle of the night-

It's rare for Ai to walk alone at night. Most of his nights, he just cultivates but with the others, since the travel started, he hasn't done it yet thinking that his method of cultivation is a little bit more advanced than the others as Nin taught him.

Ai sensed someone familiar nearby "Shouldn't you be sleeping?"

It was Nin, she was expecting Ai to feel remorse after what he did. Killing isn't something you do everyday. It's the conscience that is eating him, no wonder a sister is worried for her brother.

*Sigh* "I just can't sleep. I don't know... revenge... alone... I feel like I'm starting to lose my humanity." Seeing as his brother slowly going to emptiness, she knew that the stronger you become, the more you realize how life and death works.

Looking at her brother's back, while the moon is shining upon them, Nin felt nostalgic as she used to look at her brother's back trying to reach him, "If you want to seek revenge, does it matter who you kill? Everyone has their story, one of those you just killed might have someone dear to him like a family, children or a wife but... it doesn't change the fact that they tried to kill you. It's normal to feel this way but don't forget your goal, your reason of being alive. If that as well is taken from you, how are you going to look at your father and sister's eyes when you meet them?"

Anger filled up his emotion after hearing Nin's words, "Don't you dare tell me that. You don't know what I've been through... You and your master may have helped me but it doesn't mean you could stick your nose where they don't belong. But... I know what you're trying to say... still, it's the burden of revenge that keeps on trying to pull me down. I don't know, It feels like I want to escape this reality. This reality is shit." Nin seeing her brother like this, it is killing her. While she was cared and loved by her master, Ai was alone all this time.

She has to stay with her facade even if the pain is unbearable, "So... I disposed the corpses and I got a couple of Qi cores." Handing the Qi cores that look like shiny golden orbs to Ai, "All of them ranked Expert and based on Master's teachings, Expert Rank Qi Cores are safe to cultivate as long as you balance what you take. Make sure that your own Qi Core has more Qi than the Qi from the other Cores you cultivate or you'll regret it. As of now, keep those and don't use it until you finally decide to reach Expert Rank. Make sure no one sees you cultivate those or you'll be in serious trouble. So, yeah. Good luck tomorrow, make sure you survive or Su'e's going to hate me." Trying to keep her cool, she's stopping herself from telling him who she really is by looking away.

Looking back, "Kin, thank you." Ai knew that he'll not be here if it wasn't for her.

Somehow, with those words, Nin's grief and worries disappeared. 'Idiot brother' then she let out a smile and left.