Chapter 28 – Phoenix Feather Sect

After creating some distance to let the beasts have their meal in peace, he took all their belongings out of their space rings and spilled them on the ground.

All their gear was at the third rank, so he just made one large pile and left it there, only taking a few pure pills and the Qi stones. Overall, he earned 9 intermediate Qi stones and around 700 low ones from the five, while most of it came from Droy.

He stopped hunting the inner disciples as he didn't want to beat up too many of them and make the elders suspect something was wrong. Instead, chose to train by running simulations of different scenarios in his mind, based on the movements and techniques of his previous opponents.

He sat down again in front of the waterfall and just spent the day reliving his memories over and over again, killing his victims in different sequences every time. By the end of the day, he killed them nearly a thousand times.

'At least in my mind, I don't need to hold back. The simulations are so real that I even managed to cultivate some killing intent. I should secure the best foundation for the fourth rank, so I will take it slow and practice my techniques for at least a few months until I'm satisfied. Before I break through, I also need to make up my mind regarding my other attribute.'

He went back home and found his parents already there with the baby. Sol had left. It had been a while since he last spoke with her. In fact, because they hadn't interacted since the time she completed opening her meridians, Ken didn't even gift her the Soul Refining manual. In fact, she didn't search for him anymore too, which was a bit strange.

"Kenny? What were you doing in the forest today?"

Haoran squinted his eyes in suspicion while Mei also looked at Ken worriedly. Ken thought about it for a moment and understood they were sensing his killing intent. He had to learn how to suppress it.

"I was hunting beasts all day, I've killed many."

"Have you killed only beasts?"

This killing intent didn't feel like it was part of hunting, but of murdering and killing equal beings.

"Yes, what else should I kill?"

"What do you think about killing beasts?"

"It's just killing others for the sake of improving myself."

"Are beasts and humans different?"

"Beasts can't talk, but that's about it. They have feelings, family, and personalities just like us despite being unable to convey them with words. They also whimper when I hurt them."

Ken continued blubbering out every vegan idea he had ever heard in his previous life to make it sound convincing. As he expected, his parents relaxed considerably.

"Kenny, while you're right they have lives, they aren't humans. Although you hunt beasts to practice your skills, you can't kill humans if they don't pose a threat to you or to your loved ones. Is that ok?"

"Hmm, yes."

"Good boy."

Mei messed his hair with her hand, and he joined them for dinner. However, his aura made his parents frown.

"Ken, after it, come to learn with me how to suppress your killing intent and only let it out during battles to oppress your enemies. Otherwise, people might think you're the youngest serial killer our sect ever had."

She gave him a lower earth-rank technique to practice and showed him how she used it. To his surprise, her killing intent was much higher than his.

'Mom isn't much of a good person herself apparently.'

The technique showed him the way to exude mental pressure using his killing intent, instilling fear in his enemies. It also showed how to contain it back, so sensitive people will only feel a sense of danger while others might feel nothing.

"Mom, have you killed many people?"

"I have. When I was young, I often had to fight for my life and freedom since I came from a mortal background. However, it doesn't matter now."

He could see her hesitation when telling him, and he felt that there was something he needed to know.

"Are you still in danger?"

His mom looked at him intently and slowly opened her mouth to speak again. He could see her contemplate as if she was wondering if it was something she should shelter her son from, but she eventually gave a resolute nod to nobody specifically.

"Do you remember we told you that we aren't in touch with your grandparents from Dad's side?"

"I do."

"Do you know the map of our continent?"

"I don't."

Mei took out a large piece of paper and threw ink on it while using her Qi to make the ink fall in the right places. In two minutes, a rough sketch of a map floated between Mei and Ken.

"This is the map of our continent, Verdant Qi. The mark over here, in the southeast, is our sect and where we are right now, and the nearest city is here, Golden Feather City."

She pointed at the end of the map and Ken nodded to show he understood. All cities under the jurisdiction of Phoenix Feather Sect had the word 'feather' in their names.

"Our sect is a branch of the main Phoenix Feather Sect of the continent. Every 5 years, the main sect sends a representative to see the inner disciples and a few other younger disciples fighting, and they pick a few promising ones and send them to train in the main sect."

"Are Dad's grandparents from there?"

"Yes, he is from a big clan that enrolls all their young generation into the main sect. They have much influence in the sect and have the best resources to support their geniuses. Among the thousands of sects in our continent, the Phoenix Feather Sect is officially ranked 13th, although the ranking doesn't take into account evil sects."

"So how come we are here and not there?"

"That'd be my fault. Dad is the fourth son of the Sue family, and he was supposed to get married in a political marriage. I was a genius from this branch who was sent to train in the main sect, and we fell in love while training together."

"Hehe Mom, did you try hitching a ride to the sky on the dragon and phoenix?" (1)

"Who taught you to tease your mom like that?"

Mei pulled his ear playfully but soon continued her story.

"But the answer is no, I didn't know his background since he never mentioned it. Long story short, we eloped for many years and hid in a mortal village until it was safe to assume that the family gave up on marrying him into another elite family. However, we didn't have the face to go back to the main family and just came here to become elders."

"Is the main family aware of your presence here?"

"It is. The main problem isn't your grandfather, but your uncles and aunts. The competition is fierce, and they would try to harm us to secure more resources for themselves if we tried going back. The patriarch told us we can stay here safely, but we must let him know when we have grandchildren."

"So do they know about me?"

"They'd eventually know, but for now we're trying to hide your talent. We told them we have a son, but he seems to be a bit on the slow side. I also instructed Sol and anyone else who comes to our house often to tell the same thing if anyone is snooping around."

"And when they find out I'm more talented than that?"

His mom moved her fingers through his hair while nodding sadly.

"They will probably come to take you to the main sect to start your training when you turn 10 either way. The rest of the family will resent you for taking some of the resources, but if you appear amazing enough, you will be protected. When that happens, I recommend you find a powerful master in the sect, so the family won't be able to touch you."

"So where is the main sect?"

"North from here, still in the southeast. All of this is their territory."

Her Qi made part of the map glow and separated the borders of the Phoenix Feather Sect. Overall, around 3% of the continent was under their control, while their branch was the most southern one and the main sect was closer to the northern border.

"But it's not all bad. I know how much you want to get stronger, and you might have access there to heaven-rank techniques of both martial arts and alchemy. Additionally, the closer you get to the center of the continent, the thicker the Qi gets, and the more resources you can put your hands on."

She told him the plus sides and he felt relieved. It shouldn't be a problem for him to get a powerful master with his talent, and he could improve his techniques.

----------

'Today is Ken's sixth birthday, we should celebrate it somehow.'

Mei thought to herself when she went to work. She could feel Ken's killing intent soar every day even on days he stayed home, and she had no idea what caused it. Ken stayed at home to practice his killing intent on purpose, so his parents wouldn't think he was going out to murder people.

As his killing intent soared at a rapid pace, he started feeling a strong itch to kill people, but he forcefully oppressed this feeling and meditated until he calmed down every time it happened.

A/N: Hitching a ride to the sky on the dragon and phoenix – sticking to a successful person to ride on his success and benefit from it.