Free Slaves!

{A/N: Heavenly demonic fun fact no. 1: Boobs are like the sun—you can stare at them longer while wearing sunglasses.

Also, drop some comments if you want to motivate this poor, overworked author to crank out more chapters... seriously, the comment section has been way too quiet lately, and it's making me question my life choices. So, uh, yeah... do it! otherwise....🍆🍑😩👉👌💦🌚(JK) }

As the first rays of sunlight hit the Land of Tea, a tiny sparrow fluttered to the window of the Shonin Clan estate, where Shin was resting.

The bird landed gracefully, but soon began chirping relentlessly right outside his room.

"Chirp, chirp... chirp."

Stab

Without even opening his eyes, Shin lazily used his telekinesis to levitate a wooden pen, driving it straight into the sparrow's neck. The poor thing didn't even have a chance.

Its body remained unnervingly still, as if frozen mid-chirp, now impaled and very dead. Shin cracked one eye open, glancing at the stiff bird.

"Annoying."

That was Shin—a guy who'd casually kill someone for disturbing his sleep, and right now, sleep was a luxury he couldn't afford.

Lately, his mind had been on overdrive, like a psychopathic hamster on a wheel, turning every thought over until it drove him crazy. He couldn't relax. Not at night, not anytime.

In short? He was suffering from chronic overthinking.

"Yawn~ I really need some proper rest," he muttered, yawning loudly as he stretched, his arms and legs reaching out like a cat after a long nap.

With a groan, he leaned over the edge of his bed, pulling back the new looking carpet and prying up a wooden floorboard.

There it was—the jar of blood he'd stashed away last night, with the heart of some unlucky beggar floating inside.

Thud.

The jar was heavy, almost ridiculously so, and Shin had to use both hands to lift it onto the floor. The impact made a deep thud that echoed through the quiet room.

'What a drag,' he thought, opening the jar and plunging his right hand into the thick, crimson liquid.

The cold blood made his skin prickle, but then he began channeling his heavenly demonic energy, sending pulses of power into the dark fluid.

At first, it tickled—a weird sensation, like pins and needles—but then everything shifted.

The blood began to move, swirling and twisting. Slowly, it started taking shape. First came the legs, then the torso, until a fully formed body stood before him.

"Hmm... it looks exactly like me," Shin thought as he inspected the freshly created blood clone.

He wasn't surprised—he knew full well that a blood clone mirrored its creator, down to every last detail, since it used the qi of the one who made it.

This technique had once caused chaos in the martial world when it first appeared. Blood clones were a nightmare to deal with, regenerating themselves by absorbing natural energy from their surroundings.

They were nearly impossible to kill unless you knew their one weakness—the heart used in their creation.

And to make matters worse, they could communicate directly with their master, making them ideal for spying, decoys, or any task where deception was key.

"Master," the clone said, kneeling down in submission as soon as it was fully formed. It wasn't like a shadow clone that had its own personality or quirks.

No, this one knew its place—completely obedient, like an extension of it's master's will.

Shin stood there, staring at the clone for a moment in silence. He didn't bother to respond.

Instead, he walked over to the window, grabbed the stiff, lifeless bird he had killed earlier, and set it alight with a flick of his wrist.

Flames burst from his palm, consuming the body in a second as he executed his "Fist of Phoenix" technique. All that was left were ashes, quickly scattered by the wind.

"I guess it's time to get to work on my plans," Shin muttered, gazing out the window with his red-hued eyes, his void-black hair falling around his face like a dark halo.

If anyone from the martial world had seen him now, they might've mistaken him for the son of the Heavenly Demon himself.

Since awakening the Eyes of Arrogance, his intelligence and scheming abilities had skyrocketed.

It was as if he could see through people's intentions, plans, and weaknesses with terrifying clarity. The only problem? He hadn't fully figured out how to use these eyes yet.

But even with incomplete control, his power had grown so much that he didn't need to rush. Everything was falling into place.

....

Time Skip no Jutsu

10-minute timeskip

"Please have a safe return," the blood clone said, bowing its head as Shin stood in front of it, dressed in a sleek black robe.

A bag hung from his shoulder, heavy with ryo notes and bottles filled with the hearts he had collected so far. It was time for him to leave the clan.

Not that the clan had much to offer him anymore. They were weak, stagnant, and couldn't possibly help him grow at the pace he needed.

Staying here would be a waste of time. Still, if his plans worked out, this place would have its uses.

"Hmm..." Shin barely gave a response, just a nod. Then, without hesitation, he leaped out of the window. His room was on the fourth floor, but the height didn't bother him at all.

As he fell, he activated "Footstep of the Phoenix," landing gracefully on the ground below with barely a sound, as if he were as light as a feather. No damage, no strain—just smooth, controlled movement.

He glanced back at the towering estate behind him, the blood clone still standing obediently inside. His mind was already racing ahead, formulating the next steps in his plan.

There was no room for error. Everything needed to fall into place perfectly. The bag of hearts jingled slightly as he adjusted his grip on it.

As Shin made his way toward the city's exit, he didn't have much to worry about. It was barely 5:40 a.m., and most people were still lost in their dreams, with the streets completely deserted.

Perfect. No need to dodge anyone or keep a low profile.

So, like the absolute chad he was, Shin just strolled out of the city gates without a care in the world. No sneaking around, no cloak-and-dagger stuff—just pure confidence.

...

'That band of pests should be around here somewhere...' Shin thought as he entered the thick forest that surrounded the entire city.

The trees loomed over him, casting long shadows, but the morning light was starting to break through the canopy, illuminating his path as he moved deeper into the woods.

After walking for about 13 to 14 minutes, his patience was rewarded.

"Yo! Brat, leave all your money here and get lost!" a gruff voice called out from the shadows.

Shin's lips curled into a wicked grin, his eyes gleaming with a demonic light. "Ah, finally... My free slaves have arrived," he muttered, amused by how eager these bandits were to walk right into his trap.

He'd been hunting them down for the last 15 minutes, and now they had practically gift-wrapped themselves for him.

The fun was just getting started.