Ai was oblivious to the group of elders that were now watching the Hua family as he and Ling continued to go into the forest to get spiritual foods to sell.They would often tease one another and joke around like real siblings. Ai had found that he really did enjoy having a family, even if it wasn"t one he was related to by blood. They all treated him with such care, he"d grown to love each of them more than he ever thought he could.
It was on a night of a blood moon that Ai and Ling finally returned home late from their gathering, the town was quiet and Ai felt his heart freeze for a moment as he smelt the scent of fresh blood.
His silver eyes narrowed slightly as he followed Ling back to their home. It was a larger home that had plenty of room for the family of 4 with a small courtyard that Mrs. Hua often planted things in.
When the got to the courtyard, Ai and Ling found themselves unable to pa.s.s throw the entryway to the courtyard. There within the pace of the small before them, the Wife and Husband laid in a b.l.o.o.d.y heap, gasping for air as they struggled to remain awake.
Ling"s eyes grew larger before he hurried over, his panic clear as he tried to help his parents, calling out to them.
The couple let out soft sobs as they tried to calm their child while suffering from the wounds they received.
"what happened?!" Ling asked all but forgetting that Ai was still stunned at the entrance unable to move. It was the first home he"d known, first loved ones that he wanted to forever keep safe. Yet here they were, dying. His eyes filling with fresh tears.
It was a cruel laugh that brought the two boys from their own thoughts as they both turned to look at the group of grey-robed elders standing inside the courtyard, having been waiting in the shadows.
"Boy, You"re parents broke the rules, so they had to be punished." the elder in front spoke as his eyes flashed with a strange glint.
Ling"s brows furrowed as he looked at the group. "What rule?! Why?" he asked trying to make sense of this. It wasn"t as if this was something anyone would be able to expect.
The older male laughed again. "Simple, Spiritual foods are of great importance to our sects, so obviously its not easy to get a hold of them, Yet here they are selling them as if normal foods! Never has anyone seen more high graded items appearing before, if not stolen from us then where would you have gotten them?"
Ai"s eyes narrowed at his words. So this old fool was saying these mortal people with no ability to cultivate managed to break into a sect that wasn"t close for normal transportation, and managed to steal from them?
"That"s a lie! We got them from the forest!" Ling said his voice filled with anger.
The man laughed again. "Like anyone would believe a couple of worthless mortals over the elders of a great sect!" the man smiled again. "Now be good and hand over your stuff. We"ll be taking it. ah, and show us where the spiritual food grows." the man said with a sick laugh.
Ling felt his mind going blank with anger before he knew it, he was on the ground with a sword resting threw his chest.
Ai"s eyes widen as he watched Ling falling down, his blood running down his robes.
A gust of wind shot through the village as the clouds overhead let out loud bangs. The elders were stunned as they looked around before seeing the male still at the door, their hearts freezing for a moment.
Ai slowly took a step forward, his expression was blank and power rolled off of him in a burning heat.
Ai"s bloodline might have limited his ability"s to create a balance. But he still wasn"t a simple Spiritual beast to fight. Within moments all of the spirit beasts that had been watching over the fox rushed into the village and surrounded the house.
The group of elders froze as they watched the ma.s.s of spiritual beasts moving to block all of the exits. Ai stopped just before Ling"s now dead body as he looked down, he felt wetness going down his cheek.
He reached up to brush the tear away before turning to look at the group of elders. "You murdered them...for greed?" he asked his voice was soft, broken.
The elders were filled with fear, but the leader still tried to act as if he were unaffected. Letting out a huff. "These people don"t deserve to have Spiritual foods. They do nothing for them! Why should they hold the ability to collect them? We are better than them, are able to cultivate thus it should be ours! They are stealing what doesn"t belong to them" the male said as if making his point.
Ai"s lip twitched before he let out a small smile. "Alright, You can have what you wish for," he said before waving his hand. With that the ma.s.s of spirit beasts attacked. All heading to devour the elders that were trapped within the courtyard.
Ai watched until they were all dead. When the last elder was killed the spirit beasts took their body"s and headed back to the forest. Ai was left with his family"s bodies.
He felt empty. He didn"t plan on staying with them for so long, but he hadn"t wanted to leave them. They made him happy yet, his gift to them is what got them killed.
Humans, they were good and evil... He wasn"t able to tell stop the bad from destroying the good.
"If this is how sects treat the normal people, then I"ll just destroy the sects," he stated before turning to look up at the blood moon. "I need power..." he sighed.
Sure he wasn"t weak, but he wasn"t strong either. With his bloodline, he"d never be able to make it to the top alone, and only those on top were able to change how things went.
After bearing his loved ones, Ai then set off again, heading to start his new journey. He"d find a way to make it to the top, and destroy all the Hippocrates along his way.
(( So sad, poo poo, ;w; ))