Writer's Note: Midterm month is over. Finally. Reminder: only his parents and grandparents know if you paid attention to the names in the part where his origin is revealed. Only those four, besides the snake magical beasts, know. As it confuses some people, I will include the clan names in some scenes where there is more than one person with that first name or is the older relative of MC. Writing stories is not easy but I continue regardless. Well, Happy Halloween!

Chapter 12: Imperial Guard Training

"I know he was the one who did it! He admitted it to me himself!" Mei vented to Lin.

"Whoa! Calm down. We both know little brother is devious, even twisted, but he is not evil," Lin shook his head. "Grandma and grandpa confirmed it was not him two days ago, right? If they, practitioners of the fourth level, said so; it must be so. Yang is just an initial Elemental Adept. How could he deceive grandpa and grandma. I don't believe you."

"He needs to be punished!" Mei said.

"What about the dozens...no, hundreds of people you killed over the past two years? Let's assume he did admit it, he could do killing on such a scale in a single night? Impossible. You're letting your inferiority complex takeover and influence irrational thoughts in your mind," Lin sighed. "Look, you are way faster than me but how do I always beat you? Sure, you are at late Spirit Forming while I am at the peak. So? People cultivated for years but they are weaker than others right? It is how we understand the spirit techniques we know and how we apply them in combat."

"What happened to my little brother and how did he become a sage?" Mei said, her eyes narrowing.

"Truthfully, Yang bro told me," Lin laughed. "Unlike you, I learn from my mistakes and ask my opponent how I lost. You don't as you have too much pride. Little brother is right, you are the eldest but the most immature and childish."

"If only father thought that way, he'd get off my back," a voice said, revealing a black haired boy with some streaks of jade hair arriving behind them. "They're calling for us."

"Right," Lin said and rushed out to the patriarch's house.

"Is what he said true?" Mei said as she looked at Yang. "Is it my pride?"

"Pride is good but leads to arrogance. Being humble is good but too much leads to cowardice. You have too much pride and it blinds you as it turns into arrogance. We've been telling you that for so long. Why now do you consider it?" Yang asked, mildly curious. "What you have inside you brings me much envy. You have power, but it is wasted on you. Your cultivation should be faster, you should be stronger. It is time you saw reason. If I was ever in your position, I would spit on myself in disgust."

"You don't know what it's like to be weak!" she shouted.

"Weak? WEAK! You know NOTHING of weakness! Have you ever seen someone you love die, powerless to even damage the shit that the enemy craps out? Have you ever seen everyone you know and love die and felt the pain of being the lone survivor? Weak? Say that again and I will kill you instead of that fucking eyeball in your Spirit Realm!" Yang roared grabbing her throat and choking her in rage. "I am weak. My current state is weak. I know what terror feels like. I know what it feels like to run away from your enemies in humiliation. I know what it is liked to be scorned and mocked for being weak. I've been stepped on, pissed on, bit, clawed, and smashed into the ground without mercy! You know nothing of the pain of the weak. Nothing."

Yang threw her, augmenting his strength and she crashed through the wall and into the backyard of the patriarch's house. Lucky for her, she was not in the area where Yang built his home with poisonous herbs surrounding it. Yang spat in disgust, angry at how blind humans were. They ruled the land, destroying it to build their empires. They thought they were weak? Humans were always near the top of the food chain, seeing most magical beasts as resources for alchemy and cultivation. The bodies of magical beasts are even mutilated and violated to make magical weapons, armors, and items.

"Mei'er, what happened to your neck and robes?" Ji Ting asked as Mei and Yang entered the house.

"She tripped," Yang answered, Guo Feng spitting the tea in his mouth.

"Bullshit," his grandparents and Guo Feng thought.

'Why'd you summon us, grandpa?" Lin asked.

"Besides the identities of a boy and girl ranked seventh and eighth, you three are in the top five. Lu Jing, Shen Dong, and Shen Hua already started their training. Yang'er. it seems they train to defeat you in particular," Guo Jing smiled.

"I don't remember exactly how I beat that prince. Everything just darkened when that fucking bird showed up," Yang smiled innocently.

"More like all hell broke loose," Guo Feng muttered.

"The point is, you triplets will be training under that retired imperial guard captain. Yang'er, you won the tournament and ranked in the top three. You will also get your award as well," Guo Li said.

"I got a spear, I got my techniques, and I got money. What kind of award would make my human heart go aflutter?" Yang exaggerated with his arms, both palms on his face with his mouth open in shock. "I feel so....excited."

"You don;t have much magical items," Ji Ting said.

"Ah, you really don't know?" Guo Yang giggled. "Here's a riddle for you. A long time ago, there was a giant snake strong enough to shatter the world. It mysteriously died but its body fused with its soul. It entered the fabled reincarnation cycle. People tried to find it but only found barren lands where it once lived. The snake became myth and was forgotten by time. However, even the snake could not access his worldly possessions when he was reborn. Where oh where did his belongings and soul go?"

"A snake?" Lin frowned and laughed. "Ah, you made a joke. Wow. Never thought you'd be the type to joke."

"It is a nice joke, isn't it?" Yang laughed while stressing the fifth word. "Only a snake expert would get it and he might just cough blood in shock."

Guo Feng, Ji Ting, and Guo Li looked at Guo Jing. Guo Jing cleared his throat and began to think. Red Shadow, which laid down to the side of the room, knew the answer immediately and looked at Guo Yang with shock. Yang noticed and put a finger to his mouth to silence the snake.

"Just stop. Let's talk about school again," Mei said, her brain hurting as she could not figure it out.

"Yes, let's not think about it for now," Ji Ting agreed. "You three will undergo extensive training. The results in the national tournament will help you and Yang get recommended to the best academy or sects."

"I will train vigorously and get first place," Mei said clenching her fists. "There are other people besides Yang and Lin. No one can beat my brothers but me."

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"At least she improved," Lin whispered to Yang.

"Meh, it's acceptable. If she thinks more like a beast and less like a human, she would be better able to utilize her speed-oriented battle style as most humans prefer power," Yang shrugged.

"All of you go to academy now. You will be spending the next two and a half months there training," Guo Jing said.

"For the national tournament?" Yang asked.

"Yes. Mei, you are my biggest worry. You must control the urge to feed on souls," Guo Li said. "Remember the chants and incantations I taught you. Any sign of the eyeball stirring, immediately stop what you are doing and do as I instructed."

"Awesome! Boot camp to get stronger! I can definitely reach Elemental Adept under the training. Let's go!" Lin said and was the first to run home to pack his things.

"Red Shadow, tell my snakes to keep to the protocol. Bring Red Death to me," Yang said, the large snake hissing and left to do its orders but paused as Yang changed his mind. "Wait, leave Red Death. Bring Shadow Fang and Moon Scale to me."

"Shadow Fang, I know, but who's Moon Scale?" Lin asked. "Why them?"

"A new born hydra. I have been feeding it experimental drugs and it is already at the second stage," Yang grinned. "I have many hydras now. Some died while others are not yet ready to be revealed."

"That is the real reason you wanted area for the house! They gave birth and you have been hiding them!" Guo Jing cried.

"Hey now, nothing wrong with building a snake horde. The five I have are powerful mind you, but the numbers are lacking. Shadow Fang was the one who gave birth and will feed milk to Moon Scale," Yang explained. "Moon Scale is small but has extremely high affinities for ice. Its skin is vastly superior to its mother."

"Skin?" Mei frowned.

"What? You think hydras have scales. They're not exactly pure-blooded snakes. Oh, you never visited the poisonous garden so you never seem them. Well, I'll go get packed," Yang said and left.

"Well, the eight of you gathered here today because you are the top eight this academy has to offer," Guan Hai said as the eight gathered. "Now, state your name, school rank, and cultivation."

"Sun Yi, rank 8, middle Spirit Forming Stage. I have a single wind attribute," a boy with glasses said as he stepped up first.

"Sun Yi? You're ranked eighth?" Mei gasped as she and Lin looked at him.

"Fortunately, Guo Lin knocked me out after he blasted four of us classmates at once. I barely managed to retain consciousness before fainting as I heard the teacher say my name and rank," Yi grinned.

"Sima Qing, peak Spirit Forming Stage, ranked 7 and my attributes are water and wind," a girl said with long brown hair tied to a braid to her back with bright green eyes.

"As strong as me?" Lin frowned.

"So she is the member of the Shen Clan," thought Yang. "Princess maybe, possibly a daughter between the emperor and a concubine if she is the same age as Shen Dong."

"I was knocked out by Shen Dong, by a surprise attack, after the other classes were defeated," she answered.

"Surprise attack indeed," Yang muttered, Guan Hai and Shen Dong's eyes narrowing as they realized Yang discovered the truth.

"Lu Jing, initial Spirit Forming stage, and ranked 6. I have a single fire attribute," Jing said as he glared at Yang as if he imagined he could kill him. Yang smirked and released killing intent, making Jing pale with fear and move a few feet away.

"You're the weakest and you only got the sixth rank because of me. Of course, an accident can occur and incapacitate you thereby replacing you with someone else. You never really know. Lots of...accidents...happen," Yang grinned malevolently.

"Guo Mei, rank 5, and late Spirit Forming Stage. My attributes are darkness and lightning," Mei said and turned to Yang. "Don't scare him."

"You control your hunger and I'll cut back on my....advice," Yang replied.

"Shen Hua, rank 4, and initial Elemental Adept Stage. My dual attributes are light and darkness," Hua said, stunning Mei and Lin.

"It's possible for someone to have both those attributes and not die?" Lin cried. "As expected of the imperial clan. No doubt, you used some methods to survive and continue your cultivation."

"Let's not waste time," Guan Hai said.

"Uh, right. I am Guo Lin, rank 3, and at the peak Spirit Forming Stage. My attributes are earth, water, wind, and fire," Guo Lin said.

"So you are the rumored son of the Guo Clan with four elements," Lu Jing said, obviously one of the transfer students by his remark.

"Shen Dong, rank 2, and middle Elemental Adept Stage," Shen Dong said, surprising everyone but Guan Hai, Shen Hua, and Yang. "My attributes are fire and lightning."

"Guo Yang, rank 1, and middle Elemental Adept Stage," Guo Yang said. "My triple attributes are water, earth, and light. I am a poison cultivator so you don't want to come in contact with my spirit energy either."

"You advanced?" Lin and Mei cried.

"Forbidden techniques has its advantages. The stimulation of spirit energy, sometimes you keep part of that power inside you," Yang grinned. "Creating a spirit armor.....it obviously has rewards to come with its risks and penalties. Once I become a Earth Mortal on the fifth level of cultivation, there won't be a risk anymore."

"How did you learn such a technique? Could we learn it?" Sun Yi asked.

"It is a poison cultivation technique. It is called the Forbidden Sky Poison Armor Art," Yang denied. "By the way, I don't see that phoenix anywhere. It still croaking, er, chirping?"

"Yes. It won't be able to fly for a while as some of its feathers were destroyed," Shen Dong said. "I think its best not to summon it near you. No offense, but I can;t stop you by myself."

"Sometimes anger and hatred leads to irrationality. I apologize for attacking you," Yang said but to Shen Hua and Lin.

"Uh, I suppose I can accept that," Lin said who was surprised.

"Do you have something against avian magical beasts?" Shen Dong asked.

"See those black and white hydras back there? Those are just two snakes of my snake horde. I like to think myself as their master, lord, guardian, and breeder. They hate birds as I do. I don't have to make them my magical beasts so while I don't get any benefits of added spiritual energy or elements, nothing happens to me if they die," Yang grinned as he rubbed his hands. "I think it's best for all of us to not see a bird anytime soon."

"Uh, not possible," Mei said she she pointed back. "Granny's phoenix is watching us, or you."

"That old crone. Interfering and messing with me," Yang thought darkly as he saw a bright red phoenix.

"We're under orders to help Yang with his...anger management issues," Mei grinned evilly. "I told the phoenix where we would be training before I left."

"I'll get you for this," Yang growled. "Trust me. You won't see it coming and will regret doing that."

"Don't worry. That phoenix will help me in case my hunger can;t be sated," she smiled back.

"I just love being the middle triplet. The entertainment is killer," Lin sighed to the other five and Guan Hai. "So, what do we do now?"