Chapter 8: The spear that failed to match a Stick

'I didn't think I'd be forced to go up Fourth Step Intent. Is this the limit of a non-cultivator?' his thoughts wandered as he observed his blood vessels bursting to the seams.

The Spear Energy Kiel used was too powerful for a Mortal's body. Had he used the Fifth Step Intent, then he would surely be akin to a fountain of blood by now.

'The limit of those I can fight without cultivation is at the 3rd Stage of True Spirit Realm… that's enough to live in the Mortal Side of Cultivation.'

The stick disintegrated the second it carved Jura's chest.

It disintegrated into dust. How it held on for two strikes remains unknown. Kiel intended to leave, but a pair of vice-like grip held onto his clothes.

Jura's hatred continued to burn. The blood flowing out his chest, incapable of quelling his rage, "You... bastard... I'll kill you..."

Jura could barely keep his body upright. Only sheer will and his desire to kill his son's murderer kept him alive.

This baffled Kiel, "Why do you care so much for your son who terrorized others? I caught a glimpse of the papers earlier, heard your grumbles, how he had been nothing but a headache. Even in my previous life, so many of you get angry after your problems are taken off your plate. Shouldn't you be happy? Thanking me for helping you kill him?

"I... don't understand. Tell me, why do you want to avenge someone who caused you nothing but hardship? What is the advantage of keeping someone who did you no good? That only cost you your fortune and name!?"

Jura's grip only got stronger; his quivering lips made him unable to speak clearly. But as blood flowed from his mouth and tears gushed down his face, he squeezed out an answer, "It's... because... he's my son."

That alone was his answer, and at that instant, Kiel's eyes changed.

No serpent revolved; it was only irritation and confusion.

"...that's a lie." Kiel picked up Jura's dying body, "Just because he is your son. Is that enough to forget and forgive his mistakes?"

He asked, but now, Jura could only bubble blood from his mouth.

Kiel bit his bits in frustration, "Answer me."

But Jura could not give something he did not hold. His eyes reflected the truth, and though Kiel did not want to believe it, he had to let it go.

Watching life disappear from Jura's eyes. His mind cooled down as he released a deep breath; Kiel opened his mouth to speak, "If it makes you feel any better, your son died a swift death; he didn't suffer."

For a split second, just before Jura passed on, a light appeared in his eyes. He was accompanied by relief as he died.

The Ice Lynx Soul-Beast also slowly dissipated together with Jura's soul.

With this, Jura and Ice Lynx will walk to reach the Wheel of Reincarnation or the World of Death. Though this Universe only has one world, there were several realms outside the realm of the living.

Kiel witnessed these worlds' creations first hand.

Now, after witnessing the deaths of those who could pose a threat to his family, Kiel felt relieved. He pushed his earlier outbursts of emotion at the back of his mind and just scanned his body. It was battered and far from capable.

'This is more tiring than I would have thought, but with this, no one should be able to direct their suspicions towards Ame or me.' Kiel killed the Young Master because a seed of discord had been sowed, and he killed the father to disperse any possible hate that might bloom from the spilled blood.

'I made the right decision.' from how Jura reacted to learning his son's death, Kiel's decision to kill him was for the better.

He did not know who these people were. Neither did he hate nor loathe them. However, the moment the Young Master tried antagonizing Ame was the moment Kiel made his move.

'No one touches my family. No one antagonizes my sister.' This was the creed he goes with. He was a filial son who did not do anything against his parents' words, but a sort-of vindictive heart thrived because of this.

However, despite this being a fact, Kiel does not see his actions as revenge… he sees it as a logical step. Killing anyone that may become a problem was something he learned in the past. Sparing anyone that had sprouted evil intents was more of a sin than killing them.

'To spare an enemy is to let it wreak havoc, and the lives that would be lost is all but at the expense of my malign view of mercy. Eradicate them to the roots, slit their throats and take their heads. With that, no hatred would blossom. One life for the betterment of many.'

Such were the words he engraved in the hearts of the Righteous Factions. But Kiel could not go through with his beliefs. He was too weak to even try, 'A Shame.'

Clomp!Clomp!Clomp!

'Hurried footsteps… the other cultivators have come. I need to escape.'

Though out of breath, Kiel gathered what he could and managed to still draw out one move of a Second Step Master. He unclothed the final stick, "Hell's Flower: Tiger Spear!" Kiel shouted a nonsensical spear technique that didn't exist with an altered voice.

The floorboards went flying to the door!

"AAAAAHH!" screams of anguish echoed as blood flowed from the small gap of the door.

"Look out!"

Kiel heard screams of pain and warnings from the people on the other side. They all grew apprehensive, giving him time to escape. His figure crashed through the window, and then, before anyone could enter the room, he disappeared into the interwoven alleyways of houses and business establishments!

Seconds after Kiel's escape, he looked at the manor one last time and left without turning back.

From this point onward, Kiel had no more interest in the Vollund Family. Though there would be a massive storm about to happen after Jura's death.

There would be chaos. However, Kiel didn't really care. He got what he wanted, taking the eyes of the Vollund Family away from a child.

He changed his voice and even named a simple movement. All of these were meant to hide who he was. Though it was not perfect, it should be enough.

'With this, none would be able to destroy it….'

However, these thoughts were laughed at by the being inside his body. Kiel creased his brows as he continued his steps through the alleyways, 'Is something the matter?' he asked the Ouroboros.

"Nothing, I just find it laughable that you are trying to control your life so much that you are missing the bigger picture. You who are broad-minded enough to erase your every step yet still fail to look beyond the true answer. It is amusing."

'What do you mean?' Kiel stopped.

"So knowledgeable yet still so pitifully unknowing. Listen, just like there is no such thing as destiny, and how prophecies are nothing but coincidences and predictions, life is uncontrollable."

Those words echoed in Kiel's mind, and it might have been because he was so preoccupied with the voice of the Ouroboros that he failed to notice a man approaching him from behind.

Only when Kiel turned around to leave did he see him.

Kiel jumped back to see an old man holding a clothed object.

Kiel's sense of danger spiked, "Who are you?" he asked, raising the last stick.

The old man's attire resembled a beggar's, his dirty clothes and hair that was tied to a messy bun were not helping him. An ordinary person would see him as no one but a vagabond. However, his dignified expression and the clothed object he carried were far from being normal…

'Is that spear or a staff?' he tried to gauge the mysterious item to get a better idea of his next action..

Kiel naturally sized him up but found himself unable to sense the level of this old man, 'I can't beat him; I have no means of escape as I have already used up my energy. I can't use Ouroboros multiple times a day… I do not like this sense of helplessness.'

It was then that the Old Man bent his body to a bow, "Great Master, could you excuse this junior?"

Despite being a child, Kiel was just referred to as a Great Master. Once again, Kiel's eyes gravitated to the clothed item; Kiel finally had an idea of what was happening, "It is rather rude to follow me, is it not? Did you follow my Spear Energy?"

The old man lowered his head and quickly apologized, "The Great Master is wise and perceptive. I have indeed followed your Spear Energy. However, I mean no harm, nor do I wish to offend you. This junior simply wishes to ask for guidance in the way of the Spear."

The old man respectfully spoke to the boy.

"Guidance? What makes you think that I am the right person to teach you the ways of the Spear? Every Spear has different forms and techniques, different intents, and feelings. You felt nothing but a sliver of my Spear Energy; what makes you think that I can teach you?" Kiel asked with a hint of coldness in his tone.

Kiel did not hide his impatience, nor did he act dumb. Kiel was aware that doing so would yield nothing but embarrassment.

With his head still lowered and hands cupped, the old man gave his answer, "Though this junior is stupid and unsure, the corpses in the alleyways should be the Great Master's doing. That unhindered spiral in the chest, the way the splattered blood did not scatter about, and how no one heard or felt that such a master was among them resonated with my own pat. I can tell that Grand Master's Spear is strong yet elegant. One that kills without ever knowing to strike; that is the kind of Spear that I want; an invisible spear.

"A phantom Spear that no one would be able to see or hear, yet still capable of piercing anything and anyone."

Kiel finally showed a smile as he took a step forward, "Hoooh, so are you saying that my Spear is invisible? So, you saw my Spear as invisible? Hmm, you are close to the truth; sadly, you are still far from grasping it…."

Kiel took two steps forward and disappeared. He gathered the last hint of his strength meant for combat; he called upon the power of a First Step Master.

The stick in his hand moved to attempt and pierce the old man's heart. The old man was at the Second Step of Spear Mastery, and although Kiel used nothing but the First Step, the old man still felt an oppressive might stopping his body.

"Block this." Kiel's soft words echoed.

The old man quickly put the Spear in front of him, then as the stick and the Spear met, an inconceivably massive and sharp intent bore upon the old man's body. Using his Second Step Mastery of the Spear, he neutralized Kiel's Intent but was still forced to take a step back.

He and Kiel exchanged gazes.

The old man looked at Kiel in disbelief and then at his Spear. The old man's spear fell, his hands still shaking.

Kiel saw him and asked, "Now, answer, what is my Spear? Is it that of a phantom's?"

"No…" The old man's voice cracked as he finished his words, "... it is... Invincible."

"That is correct. Though my Spear doesn't intend to overpower, it is overpowering, it is not hiding, yet it can creep up on you, and although it is weak, it is uncontested. This is my Spear Mastery, the Invincible Spear. I cannot teach you anything because your Spear hides while mine Rules at the peak. Do you know why my Spear seems invisible? It is because it stands alone at the apex, without challenge. This is my Spear; strong and bold. Thus, it cannot be taught to a coward…."

Kiel looked at the old man in the eyes, "Our path does not match."

The old man felt his feet trembling and plopped down on the hard ground. He looked at his callous hand and then giggled, but this giggle soon turned to a guffaw.

Insanity filled his laughter as tears finally fell from his aged eyes, "My Spear couldn't even match a mere stick."

Kiel also did not use any Spirit Energy. Else he would have a hole in his chest by now… Kiel spared his life but destroyed his pride.

"M-my life had been a joke…."

The old man despaired.

Kiel looked at the old man and shook his head, 'Such a sad sight.'

The thick calluses on his hands were proof of the old man's hard work. Kiel would have actually considered teaching this old man if not for the fact that their ways deviated too far from one another.

If Kiel actually offered him any teachings, the old man would only die from the colliding path.

"Seeing your dedication to mastering the spear, I would have taught you if not for the Spear Heart you already possess… sadly, you are not fated to receive my teachings. I wish you on your path with the best of luck — farewell."

Kiel said as he turned his back. However, as he did so, he heard the old man stand back up. Kiel smiled as he walked away, 'It appears this old man is not so weak-willed. He has a good life ahead of him.'

Kiel thought to himself, but then, he heard coughing and the sound of water splattering on the ground. Quickly, Kiel turned around.

He and the old man matched eyes. Kiel could see a fire burning behind his eyes. It was determination.

His mouth gushed out with liters of blood.

The old man cleaned the stains on his mouth as he asked, "Great Master, please, teach me your Invincible Spear."

Kiel raised both brows, "You destroyed your Spear Heart? Your cultivation will be affected by this, and if anything goes wrong, it will also affect your future endeavors."

"That doesn't matter; I promised someone that I would attain the strongest Spear. If this is the price I have to pay to touch it, then I will say that this life has been lived without regret." The old man said with an unwavering will.

"...tell me your name."

The old man quickly cupped his fist as he bowed, "Horus is mine name; Mazra is my family name."

"Despite the pain, you have enough dedication to utter words with pride. My name is Kiel, I bear no family name, and truth be told, I am but a child at the age of 7, yet I will again claim that I possess the strongest Spear — do you believe me?"

Shock found its way on Horus' face, but he shook his head, "No one is determined by age; the achievement the Great Master showed me was not a lie or trickery. I would be worse than a blind fool to say anything otherwise. I believe anything the Great Master says."

Horus answered without shame. He lowered his head even deeper.

He sees Kiel as a Hidden Master who had taken the form of a boy to travel the world and see the Mortal Plane… but even if this wasn't the truth, and that Kiel was indeed some seven-year-old boy, it would not matter. His Master of the Spear was not fake, and that's enough for Horus to believe.

Seeing is Believing.

Kiel jumped, and as the world dragged him back down, he placed his hand on Horus' shoulder and forced him to sit back down, "Sit cross-legged and steady your breathing. I will draw out every bit of Spear Intent in your organs, bones, veins, and meridians."

Kiel said as he walked around Horus, "There is a chance that you will die, but if you survive, this incident will not only make you stronger. If you survive, you will be the first student I will take, and I do not accept a defective man who cannot even inherit my legacy properly."

Kiel could wait for Horus to recuperate, but his state would be irreversible by then. Horus was the first man he liked outside his family; Kiel sees this as an opportunity to increase his horizon and fight against his past.

Using the stick in his hand, Kiel forced his body further. Kiel's veins popped, and blood flowed from his six orifices as he drew out every bit of his Fourth Step Mastery and then struck Horus' back where the heart aligned.

Horus felt like a hole was punched through his body. Blood gathered to his heart, and then before it clogged, Kiel forced it to go up Horus' throat, and as he threw up blood, the ground touched by it now had holes in some places. This was caused by the remnant Spear Heart.

A heavy feeling bore down Horus' body; he felt like he would collapse at any moment, but then, he heard Kiel speak, "Pass out now, and I shall leave you to die. If you cannot even survive this kind of pain, you will not master my Spear. If you can stand up after this, only then will I allow you to call me Master."

Kiel speaks only of the truth.

Horus heard his words and quickly opened his eyes wide. He even resorted to almost tearing up a chunk of his thigh just to stay awake.

Horus forced his body to stay awake and then even managed to stand up in one breath. The old man felt his body regaining its strength as a gush of spirit energy rushed to fill the void that formed inside.

Horus could tell that something had changed in him, "Master… there's blood."

Kiel waved his hand as he heaped for air as he wiped the blood away, "I am fine; some of my meridians just burst a little. But I'll live."

"What!?" Kiel spoke of what happened as if it was nothing big, but Horus was in disbelief, "Grand Master, are you okay!?"

"Do not worry, I barely use my meridians. I do not cultivate Spirit Energy, so I have to use Spear Intent to compensate. It places a burden on my body to use this much. I was also just in a fight, and it cost me a lot to kill him. It will hurt for a few years going forward, but I will live without complications."

'Just to save the future of this old man, he was willing to do such a thing?'

Horus was already so old, and his future should already be limited, yet Kiel, someone so young, spared no effort to save the life of a fool. In this world, continent, or just a region, who would do such a thing for someone they barely even knew? Such a gesture touched Horus' tempered heart.

"For Master to do such a thing to a lowly student like myself..." Horus felt his tears once again welling up, "This disciple shall follow your teachings forever." Horus bowed so deeply that he almost fell.

"That is enough; give me your spear; my stick is on its top leg; I might miss the time to give you your first lesson."

Horus picked up the Spear and gave it to Kiel.

Kiel held onto the Black Spear's shaft and then threw it in the air. He gathered the First Step Mastery intent in his stick and then used it to carve out a single line into the Horus' Spear.

The stick turned to dust then disappeared. Kiel then caught the black Spear; he turned to Horus and spoke, "I shall now demonstrate you a proper fundamental Spear Maneuvering. To train on my way of the Spear, look closely, because I will not repeat it a second time."

Horus paid attention.

Kiel stood straight, and despite looking so comical with a 9-foot-long spear in hand, Horus did not laugh because, as his Master used the Spear, his jaws slacked from its beauty.

There were only four movements: one swing to the left, one swing to the right, a downward smash using the shaft and blade, and finally it came together with a piercing maneuver… that was enough to enrapture Horus' senses.

Kiel casually threw the Spear back to Horus and then demanded a piece of paper. As none of them had any, Kiel ripped some from Horus' robes and used his blood to write a list of medicinal ingredients.

Though this is a different Universe, many things were retained, especially the vegetations, the beasts, and other races. It was different yet the same.

He began listing out a recipe for a medicinal bath that Horus would need. The recipe was an altered version of what he actually wanted to make him use. If Kiel was to use what he wanted, then that would only result in nothing being done.

As for the other side, Kiel wrote the automatic body tempering method he and Ame used.

Kiel then began explaining as he gave Horus the piece of cloth, "Soak your body on that every three nights for the next five years, and that should help you in completely erasing your previous mastery. The method I wrote in the back will help compensate for your frail body. The Spear I gave you has my intent, though it does not contain any will; if you meditate with it while recalling the maneuvers that I showed you, it will demonstrate a clear view… well, it depends on how much you paid attention anyway. With that, I am leaving… I will return to this spot in fifteen years, and if you have mastered it, I will teach you the second part.

"Do not share my teachings; it will only kill them. I remodeled your body when I helped you expel the Spear Heart; anyone who trains in my method other than you will die. Lastly, do not look for me and do not gather information about me. Now, farewell." Kiel lied on the last part.

Just as he was about to disappear into the next turn of the alleyway, Horus called out, "Master."

Kiel caught a black medallion while walking away, and as he looked at it, the characters, "Mystic Palace," were etched on its surface.

Horus' words followed, "If Master needs anything and needs my assistance, this will help you find me. I am at the Mystic Palace of the Golden Phoenix Province."

Kiel had already disappeared before Horus could finish his words. Horus saw this and decided to leave, but before doing so, he got on his knees and kowtowed three times to where Kiel disappeared.

This would be an encounter that would change both their lives.