Rui breathed heavily, as he rushed through the dungeon corridors.
Behind him, a group of bandits chased at their full speed, being unable to close the gap between them.
After refining his physique ten times, Rui’s endurance had become greater than the average second rank rune masters, making him essentially invincible in the first stage of rune masters.
Of course, he would still get tired if it weren’t for his bowl, absorbing energy passively and [the man and earth as one], working in the background, constantly recovering his stamina.
Rui opened his map, glancing at the amount of people chasing him.
Without a doubt, all of the bandits had followed behind him, making their plan much easier to execute.
Their plan of action was simple.
Rui would distract the enemy, while at the same time killing their strongest forces and Liliang would take the civilians and escape through the now empty exit.
This method had a few drawbacks, but it was the most optimal one for rescuing the civilians.
The main drawback being Rui’s situation.
Despite that, for Rui, it was not a bad situation, as he glanced at the system window in front of him.
[Den matters]
[Ruthless bandits have occupied land and pillaged countless villages. They are people with little worth, but they are worth killing.
The bandits have captured women to be used as sex slaves and kids to be sold as slaves.
Quest Clear Conditions:
Evacuate the civilians (3/125), Escape or Kill the bandits (10/60)
Quest Clear Rewards:
10000 Ѻ , [Clarity] Skill]
Looking at the fact that the evacuated civilians had increased, Rui understood that things were progressing smoothly.
“Rai, what is the most optimal method right now for killing the bandits.”
Rui had come to a resolution. He did not wish to let these people to roam the world freely. They were better off being disposed off, lest they caused more incidents.
╓ A killing array would have been the most optimal, being inexpensive to build as well. However, in the current circumstances, due to time constraints, the “Thousand Poison’s Bomb”, along with the “High Antidote” would be the best option. ╖
“Please purchase the amount needed.”
[3000 Ѻ has been used to purchase “Thousand Poison’s Bomb” and “High Antidote”]
[Item “Thousand Poison’s Bomb” and “High Antidote” have been deposited to your inventory]
“Inventory”
Opening his inventory, Rui placed both of his hands inside, pulling out the items.
One was a small ball, while the other was a bottle with a few pellets inside.
Recognizing that the ball was the bomb, Rui pulled out a pellet from the bottle and placed it on his mouth.
Turning around, he stopped running, gazing at the bandits who were beyond exhausted at this point.
Hiding the ball behind his back, he looked at them with a grin, to provoke them.
Seeing that the provocation worked, he rushed off once more, entering the place he first was at when he awakened.
The cell area was big enough to house all of the rushing bandits, making Rui’s job easier.
Rui stopped on purpose, getting surrounded by the dozens of bandits in an instant.
Looking at their bloodthirsty and angry faces, Rui smiled and proceeded to throw the bomb at the ground, at the same time swallowing the antidote.
The bomb exploded, causing a massive disturbance to the enemies vision.
Already knowing that this would happen, Rui had instantly leaped in the air, grabbing on to chains that were hanging from the ceiling.
The area instantly filled with smoke, as his figure became a blur inside the poison.
The bandits, not realizing that he threw a poison bomb, freely breathed in the smoke as they looked around, trying to find him, only to slowly wither and die on the spot due to the poison entering their bodies.
It was a strong, fast acting poison, taking merely only a few seconds to turn a healthy runic master into a husk. As they were relatively weak and none of them possessed a physique that would render poisons ineffective, the results were obvious.
Looking at this scene Rui gulped, taking in one more antidote pellet just in case.
Looking at the quest menu once more, he found that the bandits were completely dealt with, the only thing remaining being the evacuation.
[Den matters]
[Ruthless bandits have occupied land and pillaged countless villages. They are people with little worth, but they are worth killing.
The bandits have captured women to be used as sex slaves and kids to be sold as slaves.
Quest Clear Conditions:
Evacuate the civilians (50/125), Escape or Kill the bandits (60/60)
Quest Clear Rewards:
10000 Ѻ , [Clarity] Skill]
He had no idea if the quest counted the bandit leader in the sixty they had killed, but if it did, he had no idea how he had died.
Being worried that Liliang might encounter him, Rui rushed towards the exit, of course only after looting everything the bandits may have had, using his inventory, leaving behind only lifeless corpses.
----------------------------------------
Liliang began evacuating a while ago, having found a secure place for the civilians to take.
Since they were lacking food and water to begin with, going by the central area of the bandits, they grabbed everything they could find on their way out, restoring some energy.
The evacuation didn’t take too long, as all of the bandits were gone, chasing Rui.
He was worried about Rui’s condition, but he knew that he had probably already dealt with the situation. Either losing them, or killed them.
Liliang waited at the entrance of the dungeon for Rui, fully vigilant of his surroundings. He had to be careful of the bandit leader.
Liliang had realized that Rui was a special case, always surpassing the expectations placed on him.
He possessed intelligence, talent, luck and background, not lacking anything when it came to potential as a rune master.
However, Liliang knew, that those things weren’t enough. He had understood that they were here on a mission to begin with. This was a test forced upon them, to nurture them into strong cultivators.
Being a cultivator wasn’t as simple as it sounded. You were constantly surrounded by individuals that would do anything to satiate their greed and need for resources.
It was a world dominated by the strong. They were people that strove for the peak of the world.
Having talent, intelligence and luck was great, but without truly knowing the world, you would only be prayed upon.
Just like a predator would hunt for prey, the prey was usually someone weaker, but the stronger ones also fell at the hands of the weakest.
One could be a wolf in sheep’s clothing, hiding their true strength, only to display it in a singular moment, costing you your life.
The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
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On his way to the entrance, Rui heard the system prompt, completing his quest.
[Quest “Den matters” has been completed]
[Giving rewards]
[10000 Ѻ Has been added to your currency]
[Skill ‘Clarity’ has been granted]
[Clarity]
[Active, The ability to clear ones mind in any situation.
Required Runic energy for activation]
Looking at his new skill, Rui understood that it was similar to his [identify], [understanding] and [Bloodline Suppression] skills, being activated with a certain amount of runic energy.
Deciding to test its uses, Rui activated the skill once.
[Clarity has been activated]
All of a sudden, his mental state became clearer, as all of the fatigue and trauma he had experienced from killing people dissipated instantly, as if his mind was free of any burdens. However, at the same time, any good feelings were gone as well, the only thing he had left was calmness.
Rui felt goosebumps run down his back, as this skill literally cleared all his emotions, returning him to a base state, optimal for fighting.
It was a skill that would be useful in war and assassination, having high combat effectiveness.
‘An incredible skill, however, its a bit too effective…’
“Rai, is the [Clarity] skill effecting me in any bad way every time I use it? For example, replacing my personality?”
╓ Negative. The effects of the [clarity] skill, have been found to not contain any after effects or issues with the host.. It does not warp the host’s personality and only suppresses the host’s emotions for a period of time. ╖
Hearing Rai say the skill itself didn’t cause any problems, Rui heaved a sigh of relief.
He was anxious that the skill would effect his true self, changing him into a robotic killing machine, though his worries were unfounded to begin with.
Wanting to clear his mind, he re-used [clarity], completely calming himself.
After a few more minutes of running, he reached the entrance of the dungeon.
Looking around, he found Liliang waiting patiently on the entrance door.
“How did things go?” he asked.
“Everyone is dead. We have nothing to worry about, except that bandit leader of course…”
Hearing Rui say bandit leader, Liliang smiled bitterly.
“How about the civilians, where did you take them to?”
“We took all the food and water we could find. I found a small house outside of the perimeter, plus there are no bandits outside of this place.”
Rui nodded. He found it odd that all of the bandits were inside the dungeon, waiting. There should have been at least a few guarding outside, making sure no one came nearby.
“Lets quickly leave the estate and contact the family. We have to make sure that the civilians get to safety as quickly as possible. The children are already traumatized, and lets not talk about the women that were assaulted.”
Liliang agreed with a grim gaze.
They had to kill some of the women that were poorly treated, having already caught illnesses that had reached incurable degrees. Most of the ones that had died had recently become mothers and lost their children as soon as they were born, taken by the bandit leader.
All of these women had lost any will to live, already knowing that their children were no longer alive, as they had witnessed the situation multiple times before.
----------------------------------------
Exiting the estate along with the women and kids, Rui looked around, trying to scout their situation.
They were surrounded by a large plain, full of overgrown weeds. Trees were scattered around, baring wild fruits.
As the new years was not too long ago, the weather was still cold. The soil still being wet from the previous rainfalls.
It hadn’t snowed this year, but seeing snow in this region was quite common.
Opening his map, he now could view the outside and not just the dungeon.
It seemed like the map function had levels.
Asking Rai, he found that the levels were adjustable by voice commands, viewing higher or lower elevations depending on the area.
Glancing at the map, he found that an area he had never remembering being to was already uncovered on the map.
He realized that this was the path his family had taken to get him here, at the same time revealing the area on the map.
Since the map’s functions were unique, it seemed that even if Rui was unconscious, the system would still map out the area.
Having reached that conclusion, Rui was about to speak to Liliang, when in the middle of the field an old man appeared.
Taken aback, Rui looked at the old man in surprise. He instantly recognized who he was and shouted.
“Grandpa Xin, over here!”
Guang Xin smiled, greeting Rui back with a hand wave.
As soon as he lowered his hand, countless shadows appeared on the ground, turning into human forms.
One of them removed his mask and spoke to Xin.
“Sir, we have cleared the area and disposed of the bodies. We’ve counted all of the civilians and identified their background with the capitals data base. There are a few children that seem to be from other regions that have been destroyed and they have no family to return to.”
Hearing his words, old Xin nodded and ordered.
“Take all of the people into the capital and clear out the area. The royal family has given us this land to be used as a scouting and imprisonment area, so get a few squads and secure the parameters. We will hire blacksmiths, carpenters and cleaners to take care of the building. I want everything to be done within a week, am I clear?”
“Yes Sir!”
All of the shadows responded back in unison.
Looking at this scene, Rui felt better, as his family members were all around him.
Old Xin approached Rui and Liliang, patting their shoulders in approval.
“You two did a great job, securing the captives and disposing of the bandits that terrorized this area… Although you might find it harsh that we threw you in such an environment without warning, you will go through worse things in the future and this is to prepare you for those things…”
Old Xin continued his monologue for a long time, not realizing he had already talked for over half an hour.
The area was long secured and the civilians were escorted to a safe zone.
Rui looked in dismay as grandpa Xin continue bragging about his past achievements and how the newer generation had it better than him.
“In my first mission, my teacher threw me inside a real prison, full of maniac serial killers. You have no idea how hard it was to survive there, being constantly attacked, almost being ravaged countless times… Every day felt like hell, as if my limbs were being torn apart… My body was in so much pain, like I was being cut up with a sword…”
After forty-five minutes of talking, Rui had enough and stopped grandpa Xin.
“Grandpa Xin, what happened to the bandit leader?”
Seeing that he had went on a monologue, old Xin coughed and continued answering Rui’s question.
“Tch, that guy wasn’t human I tell you. He was using an evil cultivation method to increase his strength, by sacrificing infants and young children, so of course I had to dispose of him.”
Hearing the truth come out of grandpa Xin’s mouth, Liliang and Rui were taken aback.
Recalling the information they had heard about their leader, it seemed quite plausible for him to perform such actions.
After all reaching third grade at age 35, was an achievement usually made by people who possessed at least earth grade talent.
They described him as mediocre at best, so Rui was almost sure he possessed a spectral physique and spiritual roots.
Although Rui was slightly upset with how he was treated, he knew that this situation was important for his growth.
Plus gaining a skill, while at the same time, increasing his mental strength and currency, was totally worth the effort.
Although he had killed people for the first time, the [clarity] skill had assisted him a lot, lessening the burden on his heavy mind.
Having gone through an exhausting situation, both Liliang and Rui felt fatigued beyond belief, but they still had to head home.
Thankfully grandpa Xin carried them on his back, traveling back to the family estate in a mere twenty minutes, surpassing Rui’s imaginations about his strength.
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Inside the imperial palace, on a small side room, a youth stood cross-legged.
He possessed a haggard and emaciated appearance, surrounded by destroyed furniture.
Opening his shut eyes, a red aura glowed from them.
Han Feng had lost everything within the span of a year. All of his life savings, his families support and an easy future.
His family had cast him aside for his useless efforts, putting their hopes on his younger brother who possessed S-grade talent, while he was dragged out of the family manor, only living off what the imperial court provided.
He had turned from the favored son, into an unwanted stain in their reputation.
His short white hair had become long, while his nails had become almost black from the training. His blue eyes had become colder and more detached, no longer baring disdain, but rather, envy.
The laguz rune on his forehead glowed in an eerie red, matching his aura.
It all started when he entered the academy.
Although he was embarrassed by Guang Rui, he quickly realized that revenge was impossible against him, especially in the latter half of the academy.
He had abandoned all hatred towards people and only focused on his thirst for power.
Abandoned by his underlings due to his lacking potential, and at the same time the decreased support from his family under the constant setbacks, put him on edge.
He dedicated his entire time on cultivation, barely achieving the seventh body refinement through sheer will.
Of course, this achievement was nothing in his parents eyes, as they didn’t think much of body refinements.
But Han Feng knew after observing Rui’s group, that physique refinement was important.
He had once heard Rui tell them something while at the training grounds.
“The foundation is the most important part of a structure. If your foundation is weak, then adding more layers in the future would result in a catastrophe.”
Understanding the principle behind his words, he began cultivating in earnest, trying his best to achieve at least seven body refinements.
He had now entered the initial energy gathering stage, being far away from the second rank, but he didn’t care.
The idiotic behavior he had displayed was long gone, completely immersing himself in studying and self-improvement.
‘Revenge? Why would I need such a thing? Family? Fuck them all! They don’t want to support me? So be it. I’ll support myself. I don’t need political power, I need real strength.’
These were his true thoughts.
All he cared about right now was power. He did not care how long it took, but he would reach the peak of this world. It was a vow he had made to himself.
And it all began with correcting his bad karma…
Karma was an important factor in everything he had studied so far. He sowed bad karma for most of his life, so he decided to sow good karma so that he wont get killed by his actions in the future.
The scummy bully like attitude had become a foxy, yet scholarly nature in the span of a year.
He pulled out a file containing information he had barely gotten hold of, the list of sects.
[Alchemy sect - Requirements, an elixir refining physique or pill concoction talent.
Thousand Arms Sect - Requirements, Martial body of any attribute, talent in any weapon.
White Lily Sect - Requirements, High intelligence, High perception.
Puppet sect (WARNING) - Requirements, strong body and mind.
Immortal Sword sect - Requirements, sword physique, sword talent.
Soul Sect - Requirements, Strong soul.
Ten thousand scholars sect - Requirements, dance talent, literature talent, art talent, (many others).
Peasants Sect - Requirements, Being a peasant/homeless.
Flower Mountain Sect - Requirements, Blade talent, flower physique.
. . . ]
It was a list describing sects and their requirements for joining instantly. Of course, one could take their students exams and still join, but that was harder than passing without any prior tests.
Han Feng read through the massive list, before promptly stopping at the peasants sect and grinning.
He circled it and got up, packing up his things.
If Rui or Han Dong had seen the current Han Feng, they wouldn’t believe it.