Triple Cultivation

by David Stephan

  Swoosh!

  Three blades quickly passed by Tan Jin… then ten… then thirty… He dodged like the water element that was fully present in his body.

  Water was said to be able to breach any cracks. However, earth was able to be moist and able to absorb any shock.

  Tan Jin’s main element was water, and he resonated with Looney, the wolf, for that reason.

  As the two Beast souls fought, Lin chen started to sweat as all the girls worriedly watched on. With a simple turn of his foot, Tan Jin lashed out with a strange energy that seemed to slowly manifest into a wave.

  Booom!

  Lin Chen went bursting backwards crossing his arms before he crashed into the wall. A Large imprint was left on the backwall as Lin chen coughed out blood and laughed.

  ‘Heh, so you finally made it into the fifth realm… Your older brother can no longer be a fool it looks like,” Lin chen wavered as he got up. “However, don’t think just because you got a little stronger…. That you still aren’t my younger brother!”

  “Stop pretending that I’m not the one in charge of the four gangs,” tan jin held up his sword, saying “return” before looney let the bear soul go from its jaws. “If you disobey my orders again, I’ll be forced to treat you like a regular person… I just received word that qui zong will not be coming out any time soon.”

  “I didn’t see his Black Tailed Raven appear,” Lu tu said, nervously looking around… “what did he tell you?”

  “He’s trying to delay them now… However, a few of the han Officers are already outside… Lin Chen… Let’s pray to god that luck of yours is still active…. because, if not, we’re not going to make it out of here alive. Unfortunately, he got the word to us late because he’s now being monitored… if I knew it was this dire, I would’ve never returned here…”

  “What about the street girls… are they following through with our plan…” Lu Tu asked, quickly packing up as many weapons as she could into a large leather black bag. “They should be able to delay them for at least a minute right?”

  “I don’t know if we even have ten seconds,” tan Jin said, pointing towards the windows… “Girls, you get out of here and leave me behind… Lin Chen… take care of them, and make sure they get eight hours of sleep!”

  “Tan Jin… you can’t be serious! The weakest Han Enforcer is in the seventh Mortal realm! Some are even in the eighth! Even if Looney can stop them—”

  “Now!” Tan Jin pointed towards the window… Looking angrily at Lin Chen… “I’m the only one who can delay them! Go!”

  “I promise to keep them safe…” Lin Chen said, scrambling to his feet. “Girls… you heard him… his command is Absolute! If you disobey him you’ll put the South street Gang’s name to shame! Hurry and follow me!”

  “Coward!” You’re an absolute coward!” Lu Tu cried, as Yun Bao pulled her arm. “just because they want you more than us Tan Jin… doesn’t mean we all can’t escape…”

  “I love you girls with all my heart!” Tan Jin said, walking towards the doorway. “However, I’m going to be fine… tonight… I promise you… we’ll once again we’ll triple cultivate….”

  ….

  One Hour earlier,

  Qui Zhou arrived at the Han Official Building outside the Han’s Sect Grounds.

  Tao Bo walked with him, giving off an air of complete superiority to the commoners walking down the block.

  Quill Capital was made up of more woman then men. The exact ratio had not been calculated in the census. However, most of the men who weren’t in the city, were working in the mountain mines.

  The mines led all the way to the center of the earth to what was known as the lower realm. Qui Zhou still did not know what was beneath the mountains, however, he knew that if wasn’t born a noble he’d likely be in those mountains working on behalf of the Cai Dynasty.

  Qui Zhou fixed the jacket on his back as a cold shiver went down his spine. Walking into the large Han’s Official building, all the officers bowed towards Tao Bo and looked at him with contempt.

  “Don’t worry little King… No one will look at you like that when you’re on the Quill’s Throne… They’ll all bow to you and tell stories about you to their children.”

  “If that day ever comes, I’ll let you whip them into shape,” Zhou said, smiling as they walked down the hallway. “You’re nearing the peak of the mortal realm… aren’t you Tao Bao… When you learn to fly, will you still want to take care of my kids?”

  “It’s up to the heaven’s… If little master ever has kids, and the will.. Even when I’m out of the mortal realm… the most you can do is hover above the ground…”

  “Gentlemen!” Officer Fen walked down the hallway, smiling brightly with a bottle of liquor in his hands… “What can I do for you… it’s strange to see a noble bastard in this place.”

  “It’s… it’s not that I wanted to be here,” Qui zhou said, looking towards tao bao. “there were sixth guards killed on Quill Mansion… if you can put down your drink, and stop bad mouthing the heir to the throne, I’d appreciate it Fen…”

  Han Fen turned serious hearing that.

  All the officers turned and looked in shock hearing guards had been killed on the Quill property.

  There were Geisha’s inside of the office building… The secretary sitting behind a wooden desk spilled her coffee, and all the geisha’s stop entertaining the high ranked enforcers.

  “I’m sorry to hear that… however, I’ll be happy to let you know Zhou that your timing is perfect… I got a report from one of the nobles that they saw Tan Jin on their property… we’ve sent out a team right now.”

  Chapter 8: Han Fen

  South Street Warehouse, Red District

  Tan Jin stood inside the building as ten officers walked inside. Two of them were in the seventh stage of the mortal Condensation realm, and the other seven were in the Sixth condensation mortal Realm.

  The room was mostly cleaned up besides for a few weapons, ingredients, and items left behind on the tables.

  Tan Jin pulled out his bamboo sword and in addition a small dagger from his satchel. A Wolf Beast Soul and a Fox Beast Soul appeared on both sides of his body.

  The Fox Beast Soul was one of the first beasts he ever tamed, and like him was in the fifth Mortal Beast Realm. His Blue Blaze Wolf, on the other hand, was in the Seventh mortal Beast realm, making it his only chance of surviving.

  The atmosphere tensed as the Han Enforcers blood began to boil. They looked at Tan Jin with disdain present in their faces. The sheer amount of killing intent coming out of their eyes could have easily killed him. One of those Enforcement Officers, covered in a Black Overcoat with a Green ouroboros symbol, Ren Fen, looked at the abandoned warehouse before spitting out towards Tan Jin’s feet.

  “I knew that you lived here, but I had no idea it was such a shit hole… where shall be the next place you live? Will it be in a box six feet underground or will you come with us?”

  “I don’t have any real reason to be arrested. If you wish for a fight, I’ll humor you. However, don’t think in my own base I won’t have any presents prepared for you.”

  “Yeah, I’m sure there is woman probably hiding in the back room.” Ren Fen pointed towards the unopened doorways, indicating two of his Officers to check them. “I always loved your brothels… It’s a shame you got caught on a noble’s property… the fine for that is two arms for a little bug like you…”

  “So that’s what this is about… you Nobles can’t stand filth on your properties…. I understand that, but chopping off a man’s arms for having feet… What if my Child was lost?”

  “Then… then he would’ve also have lost his arm. However, we aren’t here to disable you… The Quill Family thinks to highly of you… No, we’re here to kill you or lock you away forever!”

  “I told you I’m prepared,” Tan Jin clicked down with his bamboo sword, causing the graffiti on the walls to light up. “If you insist that I’m worth killing, then
all of you will die as well.”

  “Shit… he has Explosive Talismans all over the backrooms,” One of the officers said, flipping open the backroom door. “However, if he sets them off, he’ll die as well!’

  “Yup, and this little gangster cares about himself too much… However, for insurance bring some of his pretty prostitutes in here… hurry… he won’t blow up the women he loves.”

  “I had no plan on using those talismans,” Tan Jin cracked his neck. “However, if you insist at attacking me all at the same time I will let them go off even if a thousand children are inside the building! No… All I want is a fair fight… me versus you Ren Fen… If I can beat him in a battle, then I get to leave—”

  “We aren’t going to let you do that, Tan Jin—”

  The Enforcers all laughed as Ren Fen walked up to him and took out a spear from his back and spun it. One Beast that looked like a Hedgehog manifested out of it.

  The weather started to rain again, and the sound of pitter patter and gossip could be heard all around the building.

  The doorway was left open so the prostitutes on the street could see.

  Ren Fen spun that spear before he began cackling uncontrollably.

  “You know… I always found it interesting that you are so brave, Tan Jin. If you left with your friends we would’ve killed maybe three or four of them before letting you go. However, one small elephant is always better than four mice.”

  “It’s not bravery to want to save your friends… It’s called honor. You… you people from the Han Sect wouldn’t know what that is… You sell drugs, yet you enforce the law. You wear nice clothes, but if they get dirtied, you act like you forget the factories where they came from.”

  “Enough Tan Jin… Words from a little pawn are worth nothing more than dog shit… Sally…. Kill that little fox of his and eat his wolf while you’re at it!”

  Ru!

  The porcupine bent back and fired off ten sharp hairs towards looney as it burst forward and sent out a slash of its own.

  Tan Jin also appeared in front of Ren fen as he laughed and sent forward his spear five times in a single breath.

  Instantly, Tan Jin got hit in the shoulder as a fire ball burst out of Ren fen’s hand. Thrusting his hand forward, Ren Fen sent tan jin scrambling backwards… His fox slowly walked up to Ren Fen as he laughed.

  The other officers sighed and stopped watching.

  Looney got nearly completely destroyed by Sally, his Feather Tail Porcupine opponent, and was sent crashing into the ground where Tan Jin laid, howling in agony as he tried his best to get up.

  “Again,” Tan Jin said, standing up as he petted Looney. “However, this time… I’ll fight you with one arm behind my back…” Tan Jin laughed. “That way when you win, I won’t feel so bad in the afterlife.”

  “Ha…hahahahaha! I always loved your sense of humor Tan Jin! Every time I went to the Brothel you always gave us the best wine and the best women! However, the law is the law… Even criminals can be likeable… However, let’s just go with you fighting me with no arms.” Ren Fen spun his spear and created five fire balls in the air.

  His porcupine stood in front of him proudly and scoffed at Tan Jin as he walked forward.

  At this moment, Looney and the fox both whimpered before tan jin looked down at them and nodded his head.

  The two small creatures were nearly one fourth his size, and with one half their physical prowess. However, they’d formed a strong bond with Tan Jin over the years and didn’t want to see him die.

  “Fuse… and return!” Tan Jin said, smiling towards his two creatures as he drew line after line of Inscription in the air… “Both of you! At the same time! We’ve been practicing for it…”

  “What… are you out of your mind?” Ren Fen charged forward. “You’re going to kill yourself without giving me a chance to strike you down! Where is the honor in that! I’ve been wanting to kill you ever since I first laid eyes on you, Jin! If you fuse with those two at the same time, you’ll explode!”

  “I know what I’m doing,” Tan Jin laughed madly, line after line appearing on his body. “IT’s just like adding an extra girl to the bed… If you have enough space in your heart… you can make it work…”

  “Die!” Ren Fen screamed, sending out a passionate stab right towards Tan Jin’s heart… However, as he stabbed forward, a small flame started to burn on Tan Jin’s body…

  Two different colors emanated from that flame…

  The officers who were waiting on the walls, talking to each other, suddenly stopped and all got up. Instantly, they gasped in shock as Ren fen went flying to the other side of the room, crashing like a brick into a wooden wall.

  Booom!

  Tan Jin looked down at his arms as the two flames started to simmer on his skin… He cracked his neck and sighed before picking a spear off the floor.

  “You dropped this…” Tan Jin screamed, thrusting his arm forward, sending the spear bulleting towards Ren Fen as he scrambled to get up. It went straight past his head and through the wall, leaving a hole on the head of his shadow.

  “I told you that I would be leaving here today… If any of you dare to attack me, I promise every one of you will die… Now… get the fuck out of my building and honor your promise.”

  “You… you haven’t won yet you proud little shit!” Ren Fen said, boiling with Effervescent anger. “Your vitriol can only get you so far! So what if you mastered how to put two little insignificant creatures inside a useless jar… Sally… ‘fuse’!”

  “Enough!” A voice blasted into the building… han Fen walked into the room, qui Zhou and Tao bo by his side… “he won the battle… Not a single person in this room can beat him except me and Tao Bao… Leave now and save the honor of the Han Sect while you still can.”

  “Sir… he caught me off guard… He’s nothing but a lucky little—”

  “Look at your shadow!” Han Fen said, “We may share the same first name, but you’re dumber than a pig! No… a rat! Pigs are much smarter than you!”

  “Sir, I…” Ren Fen looked over, finally noticing where his spear had landed… “Unit 16…. Move out! We’re heading back to base!”

  “Tan Jin….” Qui Zhou muttered, looking at his body. “What the hell is up with his body… why does he look like he’s on fire?”

  “It’s because… he hasn’t mastered that technique yet… However, a promise is a promise,” Han fen said, “You earned yourself three days for sparing my stepson Tan Jin! However, if you aren’t out of town in three days—”

  “I’m never leaving… Tan Jin said, sizzling and popping sounds coming from his skin. “In three days, I promise, nothing will be the same.”

  “Yeah, because you aren’t as smart as I thought you were,” Han fen laughed, grabbing Qui Zhou by the wrist. “Come on, Let’s leave before he turns into ashes.

  ….

  Qui Kang walked into the Auction house.

  He had the Redemption Ouroboros Blade in his arms as three attendants came up to him.

  “Sir… we just saw your son four hours ago… It’s an honor to see two quill Family Members on the same night.”

  “I’m here because I want to know when exactly my son bought this sword… I want to know what booth he was in, and who he was with… The amount of the bid, and everything about what Qui Zhou did in the last three hours.”

  “Sir, I don’t understand… He was here since five o’clock and then left at seven o’clock.. One of our call girls was entertaining him…. With her mouth the entire time… He didn’t leave here till after his fill… do you want me to get her?”