Such a sorrowful day. I failed to prevent the massacre. But I'm also relieved that I was not caught in the crossfire. My timely trip to the dumps saved my life. What perfect timing, right?!

"I tried my best; what more could have I done," I said to myself while I returned to town. I know it sounds like an excuse, but this is the only way to console myself.

I'm still far away, but I could already see the dark smoke coming from the town center. I'm guessing that's the Bo family's residence.

The gate at the entrance of the town is open and no guards in sight. I entered and discovered a very distressing scene. The city is a vast wreck; many buildings are still burning, and the Pagoda I found yesterday lost its top half.

I could smell the burning meat making me gag, knowing the searing meat is not pork but human flesh. I could see the bodies... corpses along the way.

Of course, the most damaged part of the town is the Bo Family residence and its surrounding buildings. I can virtually see how the fight happened last night by looking at the aftermath.

Deep depressions on the ground are everywhere as giants walked around the place—blood splatters on the floor and even on some still standing buildings. The central courtyard is raised to the ground. Debris is everywhere, forming an impassable maze.

It is like a battlefield in Call of Duty: Battle of Stalingrad. For those who are unfamiliar with the game. Just imagine buildings being bombarded by tanks... Oh, what the hell...everybody knows about Call of Duty, right?!

Okay, sorry for that, let's talk about Call of Duty any other time.

I was describing the aftermath of the fight... okay! The buildings are blown away blah blah blah... Let me explain the fighting, according to what I wrote.

It was in the middle of the night when the attack commenced, headed by Venom.

Venom (not his real name), a member of the Evil Sect (Yes, that's the Sect's name, dope, right!!), has a long grudge against Bo Jin's father of Bo Fang.

They were both disciples of the same Sect then they both fell in love with the same woman. It was thus making them love rivals. Bo Fang cut off Venom's right hand in a fight, causing Venom to become evil. Long story short, they became mortal enemies.

Venom is an assassin, so he employs underhanded attacks. He focuses on killing in any possible way he can. This is why the Bo family was caught off guard by the surprise attack (if only they listened to me).

Wait!!! I almost forgot before we go on with the fight scene, let me explain the cultivation realms.

There are eight significant realms for cultivators:

1. Herald = Red.

2. Guardian = Orange.

3. Crusader = Yellow.

4. Archon = Green.

5. Legend = Blue.

6. Ancient = Indigo.

7. Divine = Violet.

8. Immortal. = Gold

Summoning the martial soul can reveal the cultivation realm. Using the list above as a reference, we can tell the cultivation realm by its "aura." Martial souls, when summoned, will emit a glow with different colors. A cultivator who is in the Herald realm will have a martial soul glowing in Red.

Remember, the color of the martial soul's aura does not tell the talent of the cultivator. The "aura" of a martial soul will change as he/she advances in the realms. In comparison, talent color will never change.

Each cultivation realm has five levels. The stars inscribed on the cultivator's martial soul indicate the status. To climb to the next domain, cultivators must reach the five-star rank in their cultivation realm.

To increase the star level, a cultivator must cultivate his Qi. It can be done through cultivation techniques/meditation. However, the best way is to have enough fighting experience or enlightenment.

This way, a cultivator can break past a realm. They will start the next realm with one star on their martial soul.

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

To keep track of Qi's cultivation, I assigned points, which we will call QPR (Qi Points Rating). QPR is the volume of Qi the cultivator needs to reach a particular cultivation stage.

Herald (1 to ~720 QPR)

Guardian (~840 to 1560 QPR)

Crusader (~1680 to 2400 QPR)

Archon (~2520 to 3240 QPR)

Legend (~3360 to 4080 QPR)

Ancient (~4200 to 4920 QPR)

Divine (~5040 to 5760 QPR)

Immortal (6000+ QPR)

Qi Point Rating will help us to know how many Qi needed for the cultivator to a breakthrough. Though, its most important role is to differentiate the two cultivators' strength within the same realm.

To summarize, we have two ways how to tell the strength of a cultivator.

First, through the number of stars, the martial soul has. Second, how much the QPR is. The difference between the two is that other cultivators will see the number of stars. In contrast, QPR is only known by the cultivator himself.

In QPR, we can know the minute difference in strength because it is quantified. This info is essential when we go to the fight scenes... Capiche?!

(Credits to DOTA 2. This is the ranking system in the game. I did not come up with it; all credits to Valve.)

Yeah!!! I'm a Dota 2 player... As I have told you before, I loved playing video games. The highest rank I reached was Legend...kidding Archon with five stars... A bit more, and I'll be Legend. I'm an average skilled player, Anywho... Sorry for the League of Legends players... I wouldn't say I like the game...

Okaaaaaylll, let's go to the fight scenes.

The attack started at the darkest of the night. Figures shrouded by darkness, shadows dancing in the dark. They infiltrated Town A with ease. Bodies fell as they passed, the Bo family did not notice anything until everything was too late.

The Bo family has ruled Town A for a long time. No other clan was strong enough to fight them, causing the elders to become complacent, allowing the evil sect members to infiltrate the town with ease. Such a tactic caused the Bo family to lose the advantage of the walls.

Venom planed the attack until the smallest details. Each of the eight elders in the Guardian realm was assassinated by the Evil Sect experts.

Bo Fang was undergoing closed-door cultivation at this moment. Attempting to break through the next realm, so he was unaware of what was happening. The assassins also prevented anyone from informing him.

Making sure that no elder remained, Venom started his move. He jumped from the roof of the Pagoda. Reaching 1 thousand feet, then he swooped down with a fantastic speed of 200 miles per hour (ca. 322 km/h).

He made that superhero landing pose. Destroying the magnificent gates of the Bo Family. This caused the ground to shake, and the gate produced a loud banging sound.

"Who dares to attack my Bo Family," a deep booming growl came within the central courtyard.

Bo Fang appeared with his glorious aura. He arrived with fluttering blue robes and wears his long hair in a traditional Chinese hairstyle. He also has a long majestic black beard (like Gandalf, except in black).

When he laid eyes on the man garbed in all black, a strong killing intent radiated. "So it is you! Have you not learned your lesson, Fan Tong? (Venom's real name).

Bo Fang summoned his Martial tool, a six-foot golden staff, giving off a yellow glow. The staff adorned with dragon heads on both ends, inscriptions on the middle are five stars. (Ps. Martial tools are also the primary weapon of a cultivator.)

"So you already attained the peak of the Crusader realm, as expected from my sworn enemy. Don't be hasty old friend; let us savor our reunion..." Venom's raspy voice is irritating to the ears.

He drew a short and thin sword from his back. He brandished it, ready for battle. Many dark figures started appearing surrounding the residence.

"What is the meaning of this? Who are these people? Don't tell me you joined the Evil Sect?!"

"Why not? I'll do everything for power." He grinned while outstretching his right hand.

"How did you restore your hand? I am sure, Destroyed it already!" Bo Fang exclaimed, not believing his eyes.

"This is just a simple gift, given to me by the evil Sect...and there is more that they can give... Kill every last one of them except the boy. Leave Bo Fang to me." He instructed his subordinates.

Venom vanished and reappeared behind Bo Fang; he slashes his short sword. The golden staff blocked the attack with ease.

"Do you think you can beat me without your martial tool? Do look down on me!!"

Bo Fang made a flurry of strikes with his staff, like an erupting volcano. Each strike is full of explosive force. Capable of shattering concrete like it was nothing. Yet, Venom has blocked each attack with his short sword without being at a disadvantage.

The sword received each attack like it was made of springs, absorbing the impact force. Bo Fang grunted, and he increased power and speed. This time, Venom evaded causing a building to collapse.

Bo Fang's fighting style is very straightforward. He uses brute force and explosive attacks. The staff spins on his hands, producing a gust of wind.

Venom was defending the whole time, but he does it with ease. Each block and slash of his sword hit the crucial points with perfect timing and precision. Unlike Bo Fang, Venom relies on his speed when fighting. Only 30 seconds passed when the fight started. But the surrounding buildings are already crumbling.

"Is this all you can do? I'm disappointed," Venom scoffed. "It's time to finish this!" A pair of knife-shaped tiger claws appeared on his hands, glowing with a green light.

Venom's martial tool is a Karambit knife. It is a curved knife about 8 inches (ca. 20 cm) long. It usually features a large ring or hole at the end of the handle so that a finger can be inserted to secure a very firm grip.

Venom vanished into shadows; his attack was swift and sharp. He reappeared in front of Bo Fang and slashed his throat with ease. Blood splattered from his nose and mouth. His eyes opened wide, and he made a gurgling sound, flailing as he flew backward.

Fan Tong is called Venom because he uses poison in his attacks. The golden staff vanished into thin air. Bo Fang collapsed, lying on his back, coughing with blood.

Venom stands beside him, looking down with an evil grin.

“Ar... Ar-Archon...” Bo Fang manages to say.

"Yes, the Evil Sect has amazing cultivation techniques. For the first time, I have higher cultivation than you, hahaha. However, killing you is not our only objective. We are here to take your son..."