Death Awoken

by Kajack

  “The Qi Refining stage goes from the 1st rank to the 9th rank. Each stage there is an increase of 1,000 jin. Open one meridian in each stage up to 9 meridians.”

  Huh? Only 9 meridians. I know for sure there are 12 main meridians on the body, don't tell me they don't know about them? I will test the waters…

  “There are only 9 meridians in the body?” I said without implying anything else, just a child-like curiosity.

  “No, there is a 10th meridian, but only a genius or some criminally insane person will try to open it, most of the people die.”

  “I see.”

  “Ye Bai if you want to have a future, there is only one path for you to grow the strongest. In five years, all the sects around the continent will gather at Imperial City to recruit disciples. Most importantly, what you need to know is that this is a brutal world, only strength is worth anything,” Ye Qing said looking sternly at Ye Bai. He felt an extreme aura emanating from Ye Bai, Ye Qing felt chills down his spine... This kid is dangerous.

  “Don't worry, I will kill anything that stands in my path!” I said with a serious face. Strength? Power? I will have everything. Everything I wish I will have, even if I have to take it by force.

  This kid is so weird… thought Qing. Perhaps this kid will find out the true meaning from the token I gave him; if so my mother’s wish can become true.

  “For the time being it's okay. We will keep talking more during this time, and I will provide you with all of the common knowledge of this world. Let's test your knowledge so far.”

  Ye Qing brought me to a place at night where there was no one, the only thing there was a huge white rock.

  “This is a holy crystal, almost every city around this continent has one holy crystal. This helps you determine and understand your talent. Just put your hand on it.”

  “I already know my talents though, I don't know at which rank they are and what they do but I already know them. It seems I must follow these traditional rules.” I put my hand on the crystal... I could feel a white light entering my body, searching and traversing all throughout my body...

  Ding!

  Found remnant soul. Absorb?'

  “Yes.”

  + 5,000 XP.

  Oh, that was unexpected. Why was there a remnant soul inside this crystal? I will try to investigate it a little more when I have time.

  The holy crystal didn't care that I had just absorbed the remnant soul, it started to shine several seconds later, I thought I saw some sort of dark figure exit the crystal. After the shine began to recede, the crystal turned entirely red. How come it only detected my Darkness talent and not my Death and Time talent?

  “Haha, I wasn't wrong about you Ye Bai. You are very talented, a rare attribute and 3-Red rank talent! Very good!”

  It was clear my talent had enthused Ye Qing. Is it so amazing? My bloodline provided my talent and my bloodline can evolve, for sure if I evolve my bloodline then I will evolve my talent.

  “Er... can you please explain? Remember I have no memories.”

  “Sorry, sorry.” Ye Qing gathered his thoughts and continued. “Talent range goes from, white, red, orange to yellow, each talent divides into three, 1, 2 and 3. The numbers only determine the speed at which you can learn an art from the corresponding range: 1 is normal learning speed, 2 is fast, 3 is insane speed; white is Qi Refining arts, and red is Core Foundation arts. So, this means your talent is enough to understand any core arts at an insane speed, this will help you out if you can find a teacher in the future to teach some Core Foundation arts. You can always get a Core Foundation arts book and learn from it. It will also be fast for you to learn from, but it's even faster with a teacher. No wonder you picked up the foundation arts so fast... they are arts below the white talent.”

  Hm, this way I can learn the arts faster. I don't need to waste that much time in isolation and deep thought. After I learn the arts, I only need to kill and earn XP to level them up. I considered what Qing had just told me.

  Chapter 18

  5 years old

  Today I'm officially five years old, during this one year and a half the only thing I could do is get fat!!! Hahaha... during this time Ye Qing executed a total of 1,089 persons which gave me 13,113 death points. The only thing I'm pissed off about is that most of the time I couldn't kill them myself to get the XP!!! Sometimes I bypassed Ye Qing and killed one or two people so I got some XP, but it isn't enough!

  So I barely had to do anything and I'm already at Mortal Realm, 5th rank. Close to 6th rank. This power is really so refreshing, if I could I would kiss the Death Core. The only downside is that my personality changed a little, I guess that so much death had affected me. The first six months without killing anyone I started to go crazy with an urge to kill. I deduced... that if I don’t kill anyone in six months time I will lose my mind. I reached it and killed one of Ye Qing’s executions before he did just in time—before almost killing our servant.

  I have a servant now, she does the chores of the house. She’s a normal looking woman, around thirty years old, a bit ugly and in a bad shape—enough to not remember her name. Fuck, I don't have a proper name and I have to go and remember other people’s name, piss off!

  For the rest of my time during this period, besides training my body with Death Temper—it hurts a lot tempering my body but is the only path for me. I tried many times telling the System about some bullshit related to the pain, but it was impossible to create a new skill or something to ignore the pain. I trained my Deathly Foundation skills. Today, I reached the flawless stage in them. Ye Qing was totally stunned when we trained this morning.

  Deathly Fighting Foundation Lvl 4/5 (0/10,000), Movement Foundation Lvl 4 / 5 (0/10,000).

  The time, when we tested my progress with an Origin Crystal, this crystal displayed the cultivation realm of the one who touched it and it showed that I was at Mortal Realm, 3rd rank. Ye Qing couldn't believe it. Firstly he couldn’t believe my insane progress speed; secondly that at a 3rd rank I was stronger than a 4th rank. What can I say I'm a deathly monster, hahaha. I have to mention now that my body, with each rank is becoming more and more refined. Instead of getting 100 jin increments, I get 150 jin. So right now I have the strength of 750 jin with my body strength, I can beat a Mortal Realm, 7th rank. Not to mention that if I sneak attack using my Deathly Foundation skill with the amplifier percentage it gives me, I could kill even a Qi Tempering, 1st rank.

  Ye Qing told me thousands of times to remain low key. Who the hell cares about this, the highest cultivation in this shitty city is Qi Refining stage, 2nd rank. If someone annoys me I kill them, it’s as simple as that.

  During this time I also learned some of the common knowledge Ye Qing had spoken of; for example, the Skyfall city has two main clans: the Su Clan and the Yan Clan. The young miss from the Su Clan and the young master from the Yan Clan are both ten years old, they are engaged, and they are considered both geniuses for their age. They have reached the Mortal Realm, 7th rank. In two years they will go to Imperial City for the sect trials.

  Honestly, I didn't pay much attention when Ye Qing was talking, as long as the System hears something, it will be recorded in the database. One thing is clear to me is that this continent is divided among five countries: North, East, West, South and the Central. Right now I'm in the South Country and Imperial City is the capital of South Country. My luck has been good, because I ended up in a rather safe place, it's said that South Country is the safest country, lucky for me I didn't end up in any forbidden zone when I was a ball. Around the continent, there are several forbidden zones that my cultivation is too low for even now—when I'm stronger I will wipe them all out. Hahahahha...

  ◆◆◆

  I escaped from the execution ground house for the day. I'm going to stroll through the city... let's see if I find something interesting.

  I passed by several buildings until one caught my attention, ‘Auction Hall.’ I'm too poor right, now I have no silver or gold to spend. I need
to remember when I kill people to take all of their items.

  I activated my Death Sense, who knows, maybe I could find a murder in the city—after all, free death points who wouldn't want them?

  Ding!

  Detected Death Aura, North direction.

  I rushed to where I was detecting the Death Aura, of course, I didn't run at my full speed, I will scare people if I do that. If I reveal my strength, I will lose my advantage in a fight. Think about it, a five-year-old kid running at full speed towards a Mortal Realm, 7th rank. Hahaha.

  I stopped moving, the Death Aura was coming from inside this building, the sign said, “Rose Shop.” A death aura coming from a flower shop? What the hell is going on?

  Ding!

  Found a Death Aura. Wish to absorb it?

  “Yes.”

  Death Points + 300.

  Jackpot! Now I'm really close to leveling up. Let's go inside the shop, I thought, feeling ready for anything.

  ◆◆◆

  Ye Bai entered the shop, there was an old man, who sat in a chair, he kept staring at Ye Bai while he was moving closer to him. The old man’s eyes suddenly flashed with a ray of light, after that the old man was a bit stunned. Interesting... an illusion expert. I can't see through his disguise, better be careful.

  “What might his excellency need to visit this old man and this humble shop?”

  Chapter 19

  Deadly Rose

  Huh? Excellency? What is this old man thinking? Did he confuse me with someone else? I remained silent looking at him. This old man is really strange.

  “System Inspect.”

  Qi Refining stage, 5th rank.

  I didn't know whether to cry or laugh. Why the hell did I go inside this stupid store!!! Ye Qing didn't tell me there was a damn Qi Refining stage, 5th rank here! Think, think, think.

  “What will his excellency want?” the old man said, still with his smile.

  Not good, I have no money on me! I didn't ask Ye Qing for any before I left. Right! I have an idea! There must be some rose that this old man doesn't have considering he owns a rose shop. Fuck! You old man, you have every single rose color, are you gay or what? The Deadly Rose, a black withered rose, you don't have it! I'm so grateful that after he rejects me I can go.

  “Deadly Rose.” I said to the old man with a confident look on my face.

  Suddenly the old man was stunned. In the eyes of an expert, any hidden thing can be found.

  “It seems nothing can be hidden from his excellency’s eyes, please follow me.”

  Sigh, it seems I cannot escape from him, well then let's follow him.

  I followed the old man and he brought me to a room, nothing fancy. The old man pulled a book from the shelf, a part of the floor in the room moved away. Stairs appeared going down into a tunnel haze, they were dark and narrow enough to fit one person. A death aura was leaking from the stairs’ tunnel.

  “Follow me.” The old man disappeared down into the stairwell.

  Ding!

  Found a Death Aura. Wish to absorb it?

  “Yes.”

  Death Points + 120.

  This is getting interesting, a free meal. One benefit of having my talent in darkness is that I can see better in the dark, I thought as I proceeded down the stairwell. I moved downward carefully.

  Thirty minutes later of walking, and walking, I could finally see the end. Shit how deep does this thing go? The old man greeted me cordially this time, his robes weren't white but pure black, he had a black cloak on him, with a silver rose badge hanging from his chest.

  “Allow me to introduce myself. Alias: Bai, Silver Rose rank. Welcome to the Rose Assassins Guild.”

  I was totally stunned by what this man said, an assassin guild?

  “Does his excellency want to place an assassination on a target? I don't want to be rude, but our guild will greatly welcome an expert such as yourself.”

  “What are the benefits?” I said very calmly, he thinks I am an expert, time to pretend! Acting skills on!

  Unable to find Acting Skill.

  “... Really System? Sometimes I really feel like I don’t understand the System. I kept watching the old man whose mouth was still sealed.

  This man is close to the Qi Refining peak stage, close to the Core Foundation stage. The guild gave me some low spirits stones, and a top profound weapon, it was clearly worth it to accept the invitation. If I do a good job and work hard towards the guild, I could easily reach Gold Rose rank. Alright, it's decided.

  “Your Excellency, the guild will provide you to join us: one hundred low spirit stones, and a top profound weapon, are both yours!” This will be a good decision, with this much reward and a Core Foundation that will remain unmoved, it was definitely worth it. The old man placed one of his hands inside the cloak, one hundred stones floated to a table nearby followed by a shining sword. The old man was waiting for the expert’s reaction.

  Oh good, one hundred low spirits stones, well this is a good start. I'm not sure though if they are even useful with the System. What's a top profound weapon? The naming is a little bit lame, oh well I don't have a weapon like this that I can amplify my combat power with. In all the novels I read, almost every cultivator uses the strongest weapon, which is a sword.

  I moved closer to the table, I wanted to test out the sword. I could feel the old man staring at me pondering something.

  “He showed no kind of expression, could it be that I made a mistake and he is in an advanced stage from the Core Foundation? No, he must be good at controlling his emotions, after all top profound weapon is the perfect weapon for a core foundation, soul weapons are too rare, not even the king of the country has a soul weapon, only some very important members in the sects can have soul weapons, what if...” the old man thought.

  I grabbed the sword, not bad. I think I can easily kill a Qi Refining stage 1st rank or even a 2nd rank with it. I tried to brandish the sword... somewhat, I felt that this sword was not suitable for me, something inside the Death Core moved, and an incredible pressure came out. The focus? The sword! Before I finished brandishing the sword, it turned into dust...

  Shit!!! What did I do?! The sword turned into dust, right, right, don't panic you are an expert. Relax! I turned around facing the old man, the old man was trembling...

  “Did he just turn a top profound sword to dust?” the old man thought nervously. “Nascent Soul cultivator! I made a mistake!”

  Plop!

  The old man kneeled on the floor.

  “Senior, forgive, this one failed to see his excellency’s greatness. This lowly one wouldn't dare to only give this level of reward. I will immediately contact the guild to provide a proper reward,” The old man said while his whole body shivered.

  What’s with this reaction? Shouldn't you be complaining right now? Oh, I see... this sword must be trash. Trying to use fake items to lure me into your assassins guild! I thought angrily.

  “No need! Just Increase the low spirit stones.” I said with my best expert-looking face.

  “Yes, yes.”

  Four hundred low spirit stones floated and joined the other one hundred low spirit stones on the table.

  Nice, I bet for a mortal realm, five hundred low spirit stones is a good fortune, hahaha!

  “Okay, I will join.”

  I went out of the Rose Shop. I had just joined the Rose Assassins Guild. Alias: Eternal Rest, Bronze Rose rank. The old man made me do a soul oath, so that I would be incapable of disclosing the guild information or reveal my identity. In the end, the soul oath was totally ineffective against me. The System made sure of it. I had not only joined a guild, I found a good way to earn a little bit of income and some death points. The Rose Assassins Guild provides its members with missions to kill people, I kill the people and then I get rewarded, the more missions I do the better missions and rewards I can get access to. I can exchange the points I earn by doing missions with cultivation resource. For now, I need to do one hundred bronze missions and one sil
ver mission, then I can be promoted to a Silver Rose. Usually, bronze missions are killing Mortal Realm practitioners, and Silver missions are killing Qi Refining practitioners. Well, I contemplated my near future. I will try to rank up in this one year leading up before I go to the Imperial Capital.

  Chapter 20

  Planning

  Today, I went to the Rose Shop again. The old man had already prepared my Assassin Token, and Bronze Rose. He gave me the basic equipment the Rose Assassins guild provides, a cloak, a mask and their badge. I have to say—they are pretty awesome items. The guild sure invests a lot in its members.

  The mask is quite simple, when you put it to your face it attaches itself to your skin. Even if you were punched directly in the face the mask won't fall off, could be quite useful. As for the cloak I was totally shocked, its size was too big for me, though the moment I put the cloak on, the cloak reduced in size to match my height precisely! Cool stuff. Finally, the old man gave me the bronze rose-shaped-badge.

  The badge worked best with Qi, I didn't have it, but I could use my soul to use the badge as well. The badge has several functions, first and most importantly: if I die the badge self-destructs. Not sure how this will work, when technically I'm dead already... The good thing was that when I put a drop of blood on it to refine it, it didn't explode immediately, it started to tremble, then at that moment the Death Core did something. I wasn’t able to tell exactly what, but I could tell that the badge had somehow recognized me.

  The second function is to check your ranking in the guild, completed missions, and it shows all the missions you can accept and complete. The third function is to store items, it's also a spatial storage, something similar to a treasure bag or storage ring in the novel I used to read. Pretty useless to me, I already have the unlimited inventory from the System. The fourth function is to upgrade the cloak and the mask, both items don't have any defensive worth, but they are made so that they are hard to be destroyed. The Bronze Rose rank cloak and mask can’t be destroyed by a Mortal Realm peak, it can be destroyed by a Qi Refining stage though. It seems the guild made quite an effort to make sure the identity of its members remained secret.