"Please! I made a mistake! I–aaugh!!"
"Forgive me! Spare my life, I beg of you! I have a family–aaaah!!"
The sounds of bones being crushed and screams of anguish filled the air. Blood spilled across the walls of the store and against the pretty face of Tang Ya, whose expression contorted into a crazed smile. Her eyes glinted with a sadistic pleasure as she reveled in the pain and suffering she was inflicting upon her victims.
"Hehe. Hehehehe. Yes, yes! Scream! Beg! You scums deserve this!" She grinned maliciously as her Blue Silver Grass, darker in color as blood stained it, thorns suddenly protruded and stabbed into their bodies, causing them to scream bloody. The vined coiled tighter and tighter around her helpless victims. The store was now a gruesome scene, filled with agony and despair.
Feng and his third brother looked quite different compared to before, their bodies covered entirely in blood and punctured wounds.
Their once fierce and dignified expressions are completely gone now, replaced by an unsettling mix of agony and despair. The light in their eyes steadily dimmed. It wouldn't be long before they die.
Feng and his brothers are notorious mercenaries before they joined the Ironblood Sect, even after they joined their jobs and responsibilities aren't much different than what a criminal gang would do. Plus as they're soul masters, their mental fortitude are just above normal soul masters.
But in just a couple of hours, they were reduced into broken and defeated men, their spirits crushed by the torture methods of Tang Ya.
Tang Sect is known for creating hidden weapons throughout the continent but its members, allies and enemies know that their assassination techniques are top tier.
As the former Tang Sect Master, Tang Ya greatly understood the human anatomy and its pressure points. She could inflict the worst pain on someone while making sure they don't die immediately.
"Hahahaha! Oh no, you two aren't going to die out just yet!" Tang Ya growled and took out a few silver needles and began to stab Feng and his brother in various acupuncture points, causing their bodies to convulse and their screams to intensify.
The blue aura surrounding her started to darken, the soul power undulations emitting from her started to rise exponentially.
'I wonder how senior brother Bei would react if he were to see Tang Ya in this state.' Huo Yuhao thought as he calmly look at her, casually taking all of the ores and gems in the store.
Now normally people who are close to someone, who does something what Tang Ya is currently doing, would try to stop them and calm them down; saying that this isn't right and that they should reconsider their actions. Especially since they looked like they'd be falling into the Evil Path, slowly becoming an Evil Soul Master. The most vile and sickening path a Soul Master would take.
But Huo Yuhao is different. As someone whose purpose in life is to get revenge as well, he understood Tang Ya's desire for vengeance. He knew the pain and anger that consumed her, and he was witnessing her first steps of unleashing her vengeance upon those who had wronged her.
He didn't have the right to stop her. But he would try and help guide her in her path to vengeance, to let her walk into the deep abyss but just trudge in the grey area.
She had help him in the past after all, and had now given him Tang Sect. The least he could do was try to stop her from becoming a psychopath.
A wide smile spread across Huo Yuhao's face as he looked upon a beautifully cut obsidian.
'Oh teacher Ya, why didn't you tell me your enemy is someone at the Soul Emperor realm? I had to search their memories to find out.... Well, I understand that you'd be underestimating my abilities. I am just a twelve year old with a ten year soul ring, and even if I trained for half a year in the Extreme North, just how much could I have become stronger?'
In Tang Ya's mind, the only reason she had taken Huo Yuhao deal was because of his potential, strange techniques and unusually powerful spiritual power that could even trick a Soul Emperor like Zhou Yi.
She'd thought this trip of vengeance of hers would take a few years before they would take on the Ironblood Sect straight on.
After all, who would think that someone like Huo Yuhao, who only had a ten year old soul ring six months prior, could now take on a Soul Sage if they don't use their Martial Soul Avatar.
Skydream had numerous experimental hosts in the past, he could easily simulate a Soul Master from nine rings below in Huo Yuhao's spiritual sea for him to spar with and check his combat prowess. And after his six month long training, he sparred against a simulated Soul Sage and won, but only if they didn't used their Martial Soul Avatar.
'Hm. I'd like to just barge into the Ironblood Sect and just capture their sect master for Teacher Ya to just torture and kill but she wanted to grow stronger and get revenge on the guy herself.' Huo Yuhao regretted promising that bit for a moment before shaking his head.
It would be time consuming but he was going to test out his Sharingan soul skills on some people and what better than some low lives like the Ironblood Sect?
Plus, having trained in the Extreme North for so many months had caused his demeanor to... change. Sometimes he would uncontrollably exude a savage and bloodthirsty aura, scaring everyone around him.
Now, that normally wouldn't be a bad thing... in a battlefield that is. Right now was a time of peace and he was planning on flourishing the Akatsuki, an organization he was creating in order to oppose the consequences for going after his father, the White Tiger Duke and the Duchess especially.
The Akatsuki. A name and organization that the Ancestor told him about that one of his previous incarnations was a part of that had caused chaos in the world in the name of peace.
Huo Yuhao was curious of its history but he had chosen the name Akatsuki to replace the Tang Sect because he wanted to make it his own, with its own purpose and goals. Maybe the Tang Sect had fallen because it was its fate to, but the Akatsuki would be his future.
After all, vengeance was just a first part of his life's purpose and his true goal was to become a God!
Only with absolute strength would he have command over his fate and destiny, and, perhaps, even meet his mother once more.
And what kind of a God would he be if he didn't leave behind some kind of legacy?
"Haa... Haa..."
Just as Huo Yuhao finished ransacking that was anything of worth in the store, Tang Ya fell to her knees and hands, breathing heavily.
Before her were the now dead corpses of Feng and his third brother, their eyes wide and filled with terror.
Tang Ya herself wasn't looking all that good either, cold sweat rolling down her face and her eyes wide in horror and shame.
'Ah, did she finally got off her vengeance high? Teacher Ya is a good person, no matter how much she wants to take her revenge on the people who wronged her, she still feels guilt and remorse afterwards.' Huo Yuhao thought as he approached her.
"Teacher Ya," he said softly, "it's over now. They're gone."
Tang Ya looked up at him, her eyes red and swollen from tears. "I... I couldn't control myself," she choked out, her voice filled with self-hatred.
Huo Yuhao knelt down beside her and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's alright, Teacher Ya. I understand. Revenge can consume us, make us lose control. But you're not alone in this. I'm here for you, and together, we'll find a way to make things right."
Tang Ya looked at him, her eyes searching for any sign of judgment or rejection. But all she saw was understanding and compassion.
"Thank you, Yuhao," she whispered, tears streaming down her face. "Thank you for reminding me that I'm not alone."
Huo Yuhao smiled at her, his blue eyes filled with warmth. "We're in this together, Teacher Ya. We'll face whatever comes our way, and we'll come out stronger."
Tang Ya smiled and leaned her head against his shoulder, soft sobs was heard.
'...Why do I suddenly feel guilty?' Huo Yuhao kept a straight face as he gently rubbed the back of Tang Ya.
A few minutes later they went out of the store, the sun now slowly descending and the sky darkened.
Tang Ya vigilantly looked around, nervously expecting a crowd of civilians or reinforcement from the Ironblood Sect would be waiting for them.
"H-Huh...?" Contrary however, there was no mob nor reinforcements waiting. Instead, the villagers simply carried on with their lives as if there wasn't a massacre that had occurred in the Wenshin Jewelry Shop.
'W-Was the shop soundproof or something? Those guys screamed pretty loud...' Tang Ya thought, cautiously looking at the people walking past them.
"Don't worry, I made sure no one heard the sounds and even come near the store." Huo Yuhao explained as he tilted his hat down, hiding his glowing Sharingan. He wanted to make sure that no one was coming after them so he activated Spiritual Detection.
He glanced at her. "It's also how I'm making sure they're not seeing your blood stained clothes."
Tang Ya blinked and looked down at herself, blushing in embarrassment. She raised her hands to her clothes and realized that she couldn't do anything until they get to an inn or something.
"Dang it."
Tang Ya sighed. She glanced at Huo Yuhao, a complicated expression on her face.
She had been putting it off for a while no but, just how strong has Huo Yuhao become? And did he get an ice related soul skill for his second soul ring?! How do you explain that whole ice covering the whole inner store thing?! Sure it was a powerful soul skill but it's entirely a waste considering it wasn't certainly a spiritual type soul skill!
It's not like he had a second martial soul or something.
She almost snorted at the thought. With how strong Huo Yuhao is already with just his Sharingan, it'll just be unfair.
There was so many questions she wanted to ask him.
So, she hesitantly asks, "Hey, Yuhao. How did you control ice at the store? Did you... get an ice type soul skill for your second soul ring?"
Huo Yuhao speechlessly blinked his eyes. He almost snorted in amusement from the sudden question.
"Teacher Ya, I–" He paused, a red glint flashed across his eyes. "Actually, instead of telling you, how about I show you?"
Tang Ya tilted her head in confusion and followed behind Huo Yuhao towards a dark alley.
'2...3... Only three soul elders? Hmph. How boring.'
The two of them stopped in the middle of the dark alley, a grim and tense atmosphere surrounding them.
Tang Ya realized strange feeling in the air and was about to use her martial soul but was stopped by a raised arm by Huo Yuhao.
"Are you all going to show yourselves or am I going to force you all out?" Huo Yuhao coldly spoke, his voice filled with an icy chill. In an instant, three figures emerged from the shadows, their faces masked by dark hoods.
"Who are you?" Tang Ya demanded, her voice filled with a mix of caution and anger.
The figures hissed, their voices dripping with venom. "We are the Silent Shadow, an assassination group hired by the Ironblood Sect to help elder Feng," one of them replied.
"Where is elder Feng?" Another of them asked, he had the highest soul power amongst them.
Tang Ya slowly clenched her fists, cold sweat dripping from her temples.
Because of her battle with Feng and his gang, her soul power reserve was almost depleted.
'Don't worry,' Tang Ya's eyes widened, glancing at a cool Huo Yuhao. 'I got this.'
"Feng? He's at where you three will be going." Huo Yuhao calmly stated.
"Die!" The last of the three coldly snorted and the trio of assassins turned into shadows and jumped at both Huo Yuhao and Tang Ya.
These three assassins are quite well known in the underworld, with their combine strength and skills, they could even severely injure a Soul King and leave unscathed.
So even if what Huo Yuhao was saying is true, they weren't afraid. Moreover, they could tell from the girl that she was low in soul power. This boosted their confidence even more and fearlessly attacked them.
'That girl seemed to be the girl the Sect Master is looking for,' Their leader thought, a greedy glint in his dark eyes. The reward for Tang Ya's capture is quite tempting, even a Soul King would try their best to capture her.
"Kill the boy!" He said aloud, as his martial soul began manifesting simultaneously as his brothers.
Wide grins split across their faces, their respective soul rings lit up the dark alley with white and yellow lights.
"Spirit Fyre"
But it would soon be all drown by darkness, followed by an overwhelming heat and bloody screams.
Tang Ya looked on, wide eyed. Her entire body trembling in shock and confusion.
"Black... T-Ten, Ten thousand years old soul rings?!"
...
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