Lin Fang shook his head and took an unhurried step forward. "Since you already came here, then you might as well stay."
The old man's face finally turned cold. "Then don't blame me for being ruthless."
[Ding~ 1 being with killing intent has been detected. Host is advised to take action]
Lin Fang, behind his icy facade, was overjoyed, 'It worked! Cornering people until they harbor killing intent, I'm such a genius', he thought with pride.
Heat pressed in. The old man lunged, fists sheathed in fire true qi like two blazing gauntlets.
Lin Fang pushed true qi to his legs, activating Shadow Weave Steps, and slipped past the charge as if the air itself had opened a door for him. He turned with the motion. Unsheathing his sword and fully unleashing falling star blade.
A white arc of light true qi tore across the room.
The old man waved his hand. A wall of flame surged up to meet it. The sword light smashed through, scattering embers like meteors, but it slowed the strike just enough for the old man to twist aside. The silver edge cut only heat.
The white sword arc broke through plaster and beam. The building quaked. Dust rained from the rafters.
Heat rolled back in waves. The old man drove forward with burning fists. Lin Fang met him step for step, Shadow Weave Steps activated to its full extent. Steel flashed. Fire roared.
Neither gained the upper hand.
In speed, Lin Fang was vastly superior as the the old man seemed to have no movement technique at all. But each punch of his carried the weight of a falling mountain. Lin Fang knew a clean hit would cripple him.
Though there was a difference in realm, light true qi was inherently stronger than fire true qi, so it made up for that difference.
Stroke after stroke, Lin Fang's blade grew smoother. Sharper. His wrist loosened, his intent tightened. Cuts bloomed along the old man's arms and ribs, thin and clean, each one set a finger's breadth deeper than the last. Sword Genius was at work. With every exchange his form refined, and the old man's footing eroded.
The old man's breath turned ragged. He backpedaled, eyes flashing with panic. "Brother, there's no use fighting so much. If brother wants anything money, assets, women, I will happily oblige."
Lin Fang did not answer. His face did not change, but his sword kept speaking.
"Brother, I am a disciple of the Divine Wind Sect! You can't kill me! The Divine Wind Sect will never let you go!"
Lin Fang's brow rose. His feet did not slow. "Oh so brother is also a disciple of the Divine Wind Sect. Why have I not seen you at all in the sect?"
The old man seemed shocked, he didn't expect Lin Fang to actually be a disciple of the sect.
He was actually half lying, he may have once been an outer disciple of the sect, but that was almost a century ago, he was at that time kicked out of the sect for his lack of talent.
"Brother, I was just appointed outside by the sect for a long time, that's why!", he said between breaths, he getting increasingly overwhelmed, his whole body was bloodied from the numerous cuts Lin Fang inflicted on him.
"Lie."
White light fell.
The arc ripped his shoulder open. Bone showed white. His arm hung by a strip of flesh. He stumbled to his knees, blood pattering on the scorched tiles, as he broke down, "WHYYY? WHY ARE YOU SO INTENT ON KILLING ME? WE HAVE NO GRUDGES, NEITHER DO I HAVE ANY VALUABLE TREASURES!"
Lin Fang merely said in an apathetic voice, "the reason is simple. I want you to become part of my POWER!"
"W-What does that mean?", the old man asked his brain, working at full speed to understand.
Another white arc answered.
A head thumped and rolled. The body knelt for a breath and toppled into the firelight.
Now in the destroyed and burning building stood a lone figure, his long hair drifting in the wind. But despite being surrounded by bodies, rubble, and fire, his appearance made him seem more like a hero than a villain.
A few kids who were running around next to the building saw this scene through broken walls and were mesmerised, one kid among them even swore that he would be as heroic as that man when he grew up, and he would also get rid of all the gangs that plagued their city.
Lin Fang rifled the corpse. Nothing. No ring, no pouch, no hidden sheath. He clicked his tongue. He had already taken the only thing worth anything here.
"Your soul was the treasure."
Lin Fang then rapidly left the building, afraid that more cultivators would come there after all they made a pretty big scene.
When he arrived back at his inn, he took a quick shower, changed into his core sect robes before sitting happily on his bed to see his gains.
"Status window."
[Endless Slaughter Simulator]
[Host: Lin Fang]
[Age: 18(37)]
[Cultivation realm: Qi Refining level 4]
[Techniques: Brilliant Core Scripture (mastered), Falling Star Blade (small achievement), The Radiant Sun Technique (mastered), Flame Heart Technique (mastered), Shadow Weave Steps (small achievement)]
[Talents: Calm and Collected (blue), Superior Martial Body (blue), Sword Genius (green), Mid-grade Light spirit roots (blue)]
[Souls: 733]
Seeing the number of souls, Lin Fang grinned. "I can simulate twice and I only lack thirty-five for a third."
Before starting another simulation, Lin Fang started strategizing: first, he needed to comprehend more techniques and increase their comprehension stage, and second, he needed more future information to plan his next steps better.
After thinking a little, he decided that for his first simulation, he would just seclude himself and continuously comprehend skills. So planting this thought in his head, he called out to the simulator, "Simulate!"
[Does the host wish to spend 256 souls to simulate?]
"YES."