“How's the soul refinement?” Taylor's dad asks over the phone.

“Oh.” Taylor says, finally remembering what he was forgetting. “I kind of haven't found the time for it. I've been paying a blood debt off for Hanz; he's making me tempt people into becoming blood thralls.” Taylor says nonchalantly. It shouldn't get that bad anytime soon. I still have time for soul cleanup. He thinks, pretty unconcerned.

Taylor's dad rubs his head, feeling a headache beginning to build. “Taylor. Have you been making deals with random people to have them offer their life force for money and material goods?” He asks with a heavy voice, hoping to set the matter straight.

“Yeah, pretty much. I never realized how many idiot were in the world, but damn, there is a decent amount of them.” Taylor says, expressing his amazement.

Taylor’s dad sighs. “Taylor. Are you fucking retarded? You, a demon, who is at risk of having your soul corrupted, is building on that corruption by tempting people into ill-intended deals.” Taylor’s dad explains in a simple manner, hoping that his idiot son would see it for what it is.

Taylor opens his eyes. “Yeah… I guess it's kind of going down like that…” He says, unwilling to admit it. “But I can’t stop, dad. Hanz is going to kill me if I refuse to work for him.” He says, explaining his situation.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

“Taylor. I’ll only say this once. Get your head out of your ass and rebalance your soul. If your soul doesn’t have a foundation by the next time I call, I’m coming over to hunt you down. I’d rather you reincarnate with your soul intact than for your you to live on with your soul corrupted.” He says before hanging up the phone.

Taylor’s eyes widen in shock. “Fuck.” He exclaims. Would he really do it? He wonders to himself, before deciding it was best to not test his father. I guess I have some homework to do… He thinks with a sigh.

…

…

Taylor brought out his old Flame Fist Resolution technique. Taylor had outgrown it with the advancements in his cultivation, but he still had a solid understanding of it, and he had even expanded on the original technique. As Taylor saw it, for a technique under the dao of fire, it was a solid foundation, and the flames that it generated was very compatible with his cultivation technique, the Self-Manifestation Mantra.

With the Self-Manifestation Mantra as the base and the Flame Fist Resolution as the refining agent, Taylor planned to create a soul purifying technique that was specifically suited to him. Taylor spent the next few years building the technique in his spare time, putting his whole understanding of life and himself into it. As for whether it would be enough, Taylor didn’t know.

Unfortunately, when it came time to test it, Taylor knew; there was a very good chance that this could destroy him if the two sides of his persona didn’t find common ground.

But Taylor didn’t intend to be careful. He would live the same way he fought, throwing caution to the wind. The world gave me life and it can also take it away. All the love, the friendship, and the hot sex… the experience is the only thing I can take away from it… Everything is under heaven… He thinks with a sigh. If there’s more life to live, that would be great… But even if this was the end, it would still have been worth it… He thinks before resolving himself.

Taylor activated it and a flame appeared in his mind. Within that flame was his very essence. Time to be a man and burn, like god intended… He thinks as be begins the process.