I remembered that day like it was yesterday.
Every year, for the New Year celebration, our village had to give five people to the Purple Dragon Sect so they could be ceremonially sacrificed to the sect's namesake, Divine Dragon.
They were probably being sacrificed right now, and this was where Elder Xiao went instead of watching wolves maul teenagers.
The people were being chosen at random, and the New Year was something I hated since I became old enough to be chosen. By the time I was 16, I had some money hidden away (which I mostly stole) and was ready to run away to a place without state-approved human sacrifices.
Then, a sect official came to our village and declared that we had to give five extra people. Why? Because the Grand Elder of the Purple Dragon Sect finally got his dragon orbs to do their job, and his wife made him a baby heir, which he wanted to celebrate.
Of course, I was chosen—just when everything was ready for my escape!
I'd be dead already, if Lin Chu, like everybody else, ignored my frantic pleas to not kill me because I could cultivate. He saved me, but only to throw me into Lin Tan's care half a year ago.
Now, here I was, listening to Lin Tan's self-possessed prattle.
"I hope you were well entertained until now, esteemed cultivators of the Lin clan. However, as always, I saved the best fights for the last. The most talented disciples with the most unusual approach for cultivation!"
The crowd of spectators became agitated, everybody talking at once, until Lin Tan pointed at me.
"Disciple Ru decided three dantians are better than one. Utter foolishness, I thought! He only crippled himself. However, despite this disadvantage in cultivation, he reached the Qi Foundation stage. Senior Brother Lin Chu must've noticed how special Ru Yujin was, because he was the one who brought him to me."
Lin Deng smirked at Lin Chu venomously.
"Oh, is that true, cousin? This youth must've stood out for you to be so invested. This is the first time when I see something besides boredom on your face today! Now, Lin Tan, where is the designated opponent? It won't be another Rage Wolf, I hope?"
"Of course not, Young Master Lin Deng."
Lin Tan gestured dramatically toward the entrance to the stage just as I saw a familiar person being led in.
"Outer disciple Fu Zhou. Outer disciple Ru Yujin. Both of them are incredibly talented and flawed in their own ways. Sadly, the Lin clan is too small for two such people in it! Today, one of you will become an inner disciple and a student of the Lin Clan, and another one will die."
"What?" I, Fu Zhou and Lin Chu spoke out in unison.
A collective gasp of shock rose from the audience, then turned into hundreds of loud conversations.
I bit my lip and shifted my gaze from Fu Zhou to Lin Tan. The bipedal piece of dog shit was looking almost proud of himself.
"Pitting outer disciples against one another? Junior Brother Lin Tan, don't you find this a waste of the clan's resources?" Lin Chu asked with mild disapproval.
"A waste? Cousin, what we give to them is barely worth anything! Just some food and low-grade Qi stones."
"Exactly, Senior Brother Lin Chu. It's much better to weed out the weaklings now than later. Almost a dozen people become my inner disciples each year, and each of them needs attention and resources to cultivate. Ten—this is how many we can afford to teach in addition to the cultivators born in our clan. It's my task to ensure that only the best of the best are given these resources. Besides!"
Lin Chu gestured at me and Fu Zhou.
"These two students… Look at them, lords. Look at them, every loyal child and disciple of the Lin clan! Surely you agree that an inappropriate affection like this should be removed before it can affect the loyalty of our fighters?"
I looked at Fu Zhou, who was staring back at me with an expression of utter helplessness and confusion. There were tears in her eyes. She must've been eager to show off before me by killing some wolves, and instead she got this.
She was only 8-years-old. Fu Zhou was supposed to have such a long life ahead of her! Games, studying, love, family!
Now, instead of showing off, she will have to fight me. I will have to fight her. I will win, because I was taller, stronger, and sometimes knew things I shouldn't.
I closed my eyes for a moment, feeling sick.
Maybe I should try to escape now—no, there were too many people around who could kill me with a flick of their wrist.
"Very well. Proceed with the trial, Junior Brother Lin Tan."
Lin Tan turned to us.
"Disciples, the fight will happen without weapons. Instead of spilling each other's blood, take the Qi of your enemy and add it to yours. It will be your first step toward the Qi Condensation stage," Lin Tan said. "Begin when ready and show your best!"
I opened my eyes and took a fighting stance. Normal people had no Qi, but the body of a cultivator at the Qi Foundation stage depended on Qi too much. If I took Fu Zhou's Qi, the shock alone would probably kill her. If she survived that, she would be crippled for life.
The crowd cheered.
I couldn't die here, even to save Fu Zhou. I couldn't—I won't!—die again.
That would teach her to trust people like me…
Fu Zhou kept standing still.
"But, but… Brother… Master Lin. I don't want to…"
"Disciple Fu, did you say the same to your parents often?" Lin Tan hissed.
Fu Zhou nodded, then shrugged.
"And what did they say back?"
"They said… It doesn't matter, I need to…"
"Exactly. You need to." Softening his tone, Lin Tan added. "You want to be strong for the Lin Clan, don't you, Disciple Fu? Esteemed lords and cultivators of the Lin Clan came to watch a trial today—you don't want to shame yourself in front of them all."
She nodded weakly and turned right back to me.
"Do I really need to fight you, Big Brother?"