The Strong And The Weak

"Seems like they managed to track you down somehow. They plan on burying you alive down here." Lin Tao was surprised to hear that. He had always made sure he was never followed. However, his senses weren't lying to him. He could sense the Profound Strength of multiple Cultivators releasing their attacks.

Every time they did it felt like the ton's of rock above them was going to collapse and cave in.

"Focusing on how they found me won't help… Right now I need to think about what to do next." Sun Wukong couldn't leave this cave to fight them, and although he was above the level of the majority of Cultivators outside there was no way he could fight them all.

"Lin-" Lin Tao immediately cut Sun Wukong off.

"Stop were not going through this again." Lin Tao continued to think to himself however Sun Wukong shook his head.

"That's not what I meant. Since I came here you've helped me. Despite it being a misplaced sense of debt. So… Instead, I'll assist you in the only way I can." Lin Tao was utterly confused by what Sun Wukong meant. He slowly made his way toward's Lin Tao however something was happening to his body.

"It's a selfish request, but I really do hope you find out what happened. The choices you make afterwards are up to you. I can only hope whatever happened in the past, doesn't come for you now in the future." Lin Tao began seeing the same effects occur to Sun Wukong's body as before.

His form seemed to become ethereal and ghostly. However, Lin Tao didn't even have a chance to ask what he was doing. Sun Wukong's entire body seemed to flow into his own. Immediately he was struck with pain as if his veins were being peeled from his body. At the same time, he began feeling his Cultivation fluctuate and his Profound Energy fading away.

'What- Ugh…' He could barely think straight. The pain only got worse as he began to feel his bone's crack and twist. No amount of willpower could withstand what he was feeling, and it didn't take long for a scream to erupt from his mouth.

"Gaugh!" It was agonizingly loud and the vibrations it produced caused something strange to occur. The ancient door's leading to this chamber began to crack. Along with that strange symbol's coating, the wall's and roof of this place began to become visible glowing with dim yet holy yellow light.

Yet as his screams and transformation continued that light began to dull even more and the doors began to crumble away. The people outside weren't immune to this effect either. Shi Munyi along with his son Shi Heng and Mo Zhen all heard it. So did the men who were launching attacks at the cave's entrance.

"What is that…" The painful screams of Lin Tao made their entire bodies go stiff. It sounded as if a demon was crying out from the pits of the nether world. It had a strange power over them immediately their attacks stopped as they felt some kind of pressure crashing down on them.

Over a minute of such an event passed. Until finally the screams seemed to have stopped. The pressure pushing down on them dissipated as well. Mo Zhen and Shi Munyi were in no way weak. Both were at peak of the True Profound Realm with enough destructive power to make none Cultivators revere them as Immortals.

Yet before that force, all they could do was break out into a cold sweat. Everyone seemed to stand there breathlessly for the next few seconds. However, at that time they did hear a sound. Footsteps, along with the sound of armour shifting back and forth. As it got louder a hand reached out from the cave pulling the rest of their body out into the light.

"Who is that?" Mo Zhen was obviously on guard along with his men. However, upon seeing who it was Shi Heng had a sense of vague familiarity. It was Lin Tao he was almost sure of it, but he looked different a lot different. To what he wore to his appearance. The only thing's that stayed mostly the same was his face.

'What happened to me? This feels so weird…' Holding up his hand Lin Tao saw he was wearing the same damaged armour Sun Wukong was wearing across his body. On top of that, his mind felt like a mess. His memories were still there linear like always from the moment he was born to now.

However, there was a second set, one he could partially remember from all of the times he had viewed it from the outside in. They were Sun Wukong's, his ruined mind and sense of identity was now in his head. Although it was confusing he began to piece together what had really happened.

"So that's your answer? You decided to leave the issue with me?" Lin Tao looked like he was talking to himself. On the other hand, he hadn't even noticed that slowly Mo Zhen had been telling his men to surround him slowly. They could feel any Cultivation from this person yet they still felt a sense of danger.

That terrifying scream still echoed in their hearts. After Lin Tao was fully surrounded Mo Zhen took a few steps forward into the encirclement and spoke.

"Are you the one known as Lin Tao?" Looking up at Mo Zhen, Lin Tao thought about the question for a moment before shrugging.

"I guess I technically have two names now. But sure I'm still myself." Mo Zhen was confused by what he meant but Lin Tao had confirmed who he was which was enough for him.

"Very well then. You have committed a crime against Lord Shi Munyi and Young Master Shi Heng. For your acts, you will be executed on the spot." Drawing his sword's the men surrounding Lin Tao regained their will and readied their blades.

Glancing at them Lin Tao's gaze landed on Shi Heng for a moment. After a second he gave off a condescending smirk, which immediately made Shi Heng's anger boil to the surface once more.

"What are you all waiting for! He doesn't have any Cultivation! Kill him! Kill him now!" His roar echoed out which caused Mo Zhen to nodded.

"You heard the Young Master! Deal with him!" Just like that, nearly one hundred men rushed forward towards Lin Tao. While it was overkill in their eye's they wouldn't disobey. Two of the fastest of them managed to reach Lin Tao first. Attacking from the font they slashed down towards him.

However, the swords hit nothing but air. Lin Tao's figure that had been there the second before was gone. The two attackers were at a loss as Lin Tao suddenly appeared behind them. In an instant, he struck out at them both aiming directly for their spines.

Bone's cracked as they were sent flying forwards and eventually having their bodies slammed into the rocky cliff. Continuing their attack wave after wave of swords and blade's came swinging at Lin Tao. However, none of them hit their target. His attacks were swift and fierce like nothing they had seen before.

Standing there Mo Zhen's eyes were wide. Nearly a hundred men close to the peak of the Elementary Profound Realm were attacking a single person who didn't even seem to have Cultivation. There wasn't even a hint of Profound Energy coming from Lin Tao's body.

The expression on his face only grew worse. And even it was better than the look on both Shi Heng and his father's faces. One by one Lin Tao continued to kill with just a single blow. Jumping into the air avoiding a blade aimed directly at the back of his neck. Tucking in his body he fell back to the ground while spinning like a top.

The moment he was in range he let loose a kick carrying all of that momentum. The person who had swung at him didn't even see the attack coming. A heavy force cracked his skull as his head was sent flying into the ground. Seeing that Mo Zhen grit his teeth.

"This is humiliating… Enough! Get into formation barrage him with Profound Energy. Don't give him the chance to dodge!" Hearing his orders all of the Cultivators began to retreat away from Lin Tao. Their blade's coursed with Profound Energy as they prepared to strike. At the same time, Lin Tao waved his hand.

Profound Energy was released from all directions aimed directly at him. Although weak individually the volume alone caused the air to turn violent as the multitude of attacks hit. The ground fractured around the impact point debris was sent everywhere.

"Yes!" Shi Heng let out a cry of joy as a smile appeared across his face. Shi Munyi looked pleased as well along with Mo Zhen who let out a sigh.

"I think I'm finally used to this body." Immediately everyone's expressions shifted as they heard a voice come from the dust cloud ahead of them. A heavy breeze suddenly washed over them as the dust was blown away revealing Lin Tao again.

He was perfectly fine and flying adobe his head a was a red staff adorned in gold. Holding up his hand the staff flew to him.

"Oh and I'll stop playing around with you now." They didn't even have a chance to understand what he meant like that until he began demonstrating it physically. Dashing forward he rushed in front of the closest Cultivator. Swinging his staff he struck his chest without holding back.

The next second upper torso of the Cultivator disappeared. Blood poured out of the man's lower torso like a fountain as it collapsed to the ground. It was a horrifying sight, but it was by far the last of its kind they would see.

Lin Tao's figure and his staff left multiple afterimages behind them. He began tearing his way through each and every one of Mo Zhen's men. Unlike before they weren't given a chance to attack or even dodge.

It was pure brutality and through it, all Lin Tao had a smirk on his face, he didn't know why but his body seemed to enjoy the feeling of exerting its strength. Ten, Twenty, Thirty? The death toll kept rising faster than you could keep track and eventually everyone began to run.

However, Lin Tao didn't let a single one of them get away. All Mo Zhen, Shi Munyi and Shi Heng could do were watch. In less than five minutes the once barren ground had been covered in blood, and everyone except for them was dead. Swiping his staff through the air to clean off the blood Lin Tao glanced over at the three of them.

"Hehe… Looks like things didn't go as planned huh Young Master Shi? It's interesting to think about it right? If you had never come after me, you could have gone home today." Lin Tao said that with a mischievous smile looking directly at Shi Heng. Following his gaze Mo Zhen quickly drew his sword and stood in front of him.

"Lord Shi, Young Master run! I don't know how but he's too strong for us to handle! I'll hold him of-" Before he could even finish speaking Lin Tao's kicked Mo Zhen in his stomach. His entire body arched as his eye's rolled to the back of his head. He was sent flying straight past both Shi Heng and his father slamming into a multitude of trees like a ragdoll.

"So much for that plan." At this mount, Shi Heng was trembling. It had all happened so fast, Mo Zhen's body had just flown past them like a bullet. His father standing next to him had a horrified expression on his face as he took a step forward and fell to his knees.

"Please… Show mercy. I wasn't aware you were so powerful. My son is idiotic and arrogant he didn't know what he was doing." Shi Heng was in shock. His father had never bowed or begged anyone in his life. But now he was doing so in front of Lin Tao of all people?

"Oh? So your willing to bow to me because I'm strong?" Shi Munyi glanced at Lin Tao before nodding with a nervous smile.

"Of course! Strength is law in this world of ours. It only makes sense I apologize for my foolishness." Those words flowed from his mouth as if he had been born for it. He had no hints of guilt or shame in his voice. Nodded Lin Tao put his staff over his shoulder.

"That makes sense. As Lord of an entire city, I'm sure you've killed plenty of people weaker than yourself for small issues right? After all the weak are nothing before the strong." Shi Munyi didn't understand where Lin Tao was going with this but answered all the same.

"Well over my time as a Lord I've learned that it's best to snuff out any rebellion before it can start. Letting the weak live would only end up creating future…" Suddenly Shi Munyi's words began to trail. Shi Heng his son also felt a horrifying chill invade his body.