There was a time when I spared the three bandits, and I didn't regret it despite how things had turned out. There was no universal rule dictating that good actions would be rewarded. That simple act of deciding to spare three brothers led to a bunch of trouble.
Regardless, I was dwelling on this too much.
Why worry about complicated matters? Killing was never a complex act; it was simply snuffing out a life.
With my thoughts settled, I had already made my choice. Song Song had assured me that if I ever killed anyone, she would take responsibility.
"Even someone like you can have that kind of look in their eyes?" Song Song suddenly interrupted my thoughts. I turned toward her, and she wore a pleased smile.
Perhaps we were kindred spirits, both having walked further down this path of life. She placed a hand on my shoulder, and without speaking, something seeped into my body, feeling like hot lava coursing through my veins.
Despite the pain, the energy moved with immaculate control, seemingly avoiding damage. Yet, it was a bit dangerous because this was Qi she was pouring into my body. If she let it rampage within me, it would cripple any chances I had at cultivation.
Just the thought of that brought a chill down my spine. But if Song Song wanted to crush my cultivation, she could easily do it.
Like when I used chants to push around the Qi in nature, I did the same with the Qi within me. Song Song had enough control to notice even the smallest changes the chants I muttered under my breath were affecting her Qi, guiding its movement.
It was like I was laying the foundation, and she was pouring the concrete. Technically, the barrier should be somewhat as strong as if someone proficient in Qi erected it. However, due to Song Song's lack of experience using Qi to erect arrays, while the barrier might initially be strong, it would crumble quickly.
Many thoughts about the kinds of barriers we could use ran through my mind. If I were alone, an array covering my tracks as I escaped would have been the best for this situation. But it was useless; I had to be on the same page as Song Song. We had to communicate without talking or even looking at each other, so our enemies wouldn't catch on.
What would Song Song do next? That was the main thought I kept at the forefront of my mind while trying to make a decision.
The answer was quite obvious... she would attack!
"Bind!" I muttered, releasing the array's power and using the trees as the four points.
In an instant, the guy in the middle of the three inner disciples froze. His eyes widened, looking nothing like the man who had boasted before or the one we met at the beach who had glared at Song Song.
By the time my thoughts caught up with my actions, Song Song was already in the midst of the fray. By then, his two friends on the side reacted, their eyes widening as they noticed Song Song was no longer by my side.
Everything was so fast, yet so slow at the same time!
One of the remaining teammates opened his mouth to speak, while the other's eyes wandered around. They both sensed the array simultaneously, turning toward their immobilized leader, who was on the verge of breaking out of the Bind Array.
However, by the time they grasped what was happening, almost a whole second had passed, and Song Song was within arm's length. Her hand shot forward like a spear, her fingers stabbing into the leader's neck as if through tofu, barely meeting any resistance.
But I lost track of the action as everything accelerated, and an explosion reverberated, enveloping the inner disciples in a dust cloud.
Most of the outer disciples stood by, mouths agape. They were too scared to move, realizing that even if we all gathered together, there wouldn't be much we could do.
As the dust settled, two guys jumped back. While Song Song walked out of the dust cloud, wearing a smile. She held something in her hand, dragging it by its long hair, leaving behind a trail of blood. It was the head of the leader.
It wasn't a pleasant sight. Despite knowing Song Song was on my side, a chill ran down my spine as she smiled at the two inner disciples remaining. She threw the dead guy's head at their feet and tilted her head, a crazy gleam in her eyes.
"Do you want to fight to the death, or shall we play cat and mouse? I enjoy both," Song Song said in a sing-song voice.
"Shit!" One of the guys cursed under his breath, bolting off and running away.
The other looked at his fleeing teammate and yelled, "Wait for me!"
Clearly, they had brains in their heads. While they might have had a chance against Song Song if they worked together, their plan was doomed from the start as Song Song had recently broken through.
My arrays were useless against those stronger than me due to my lack of Qi, as they could easily brush off its effects. But that split-second Song Song could exploit heavily, allowing her to fight like never before.
Song Song turned toward me, a crazy smile still on her face. Normally, I might have been paranoid that she would attack me, but I knew better.
"Shouldn't you be chasing after them?" I inquired.
"Are you sure you're going to be okay?" She answered my question with one of her own. Before I could respond, she asked again, "Can you handle everything here?"
"Yeah, I won't even need to take any pills," I chuckled, waving her off.
She nodded, understanding dawning in her eyes. When she ran Qi through me, and even though she controlled it expertly, it came with drawbacks. Thankfully, we were both somewhat experienced with this.
My nerves were fried for now, and anything with Qi, like pills, had no place in my body. It wasn't much of a bother since I never used pills anyway.
Even then, I should be back in top shape in about a week or so.
I turned toward the rest of the trouble, a group of outer disciples surrounding us. Most of them appeared uncomfortable as if they'd rather be anywhere else. With Song Song present, they stood no chance against her.
But her staying here for even a couple dozen seconds would be enough for the inner disciples to escape.
Song Song could easily restrain the outer disciples, preventing any fatalities. Yet, allowing the two inner disciples to escape would pose a significant danger in the future.
Was I willing to endanger my life for these youths? I wasn't naive enough to see the world in black and white. Some may have been coerced or misled into joining.
But despite everything that could be happening, the answer was obvious. No, I was not willing to risk my life for those trying to kill me.
"You can go," I told her.
"Don't worry," she nodded as if sensing my inner conflict. "Whatever happens here, I will take responsibility."
As she disappeared in a blur, I turned toward the remaining outer disciples. My decision was made, and it was time to solidify it.
"Surrender, and I promise to spare those who do. The tides are no longer in your favor."
Initially hesitant, a couple slipped away from the back of the group. The rest seemed bolstered by their numbers, whispering amongst themselves, preparing.
"Good, those who wished to live have already left," I declared, taking a deep breath. "From now on, I will do my best to kill you all. Even if you beg for mercy, I won't spare you."
Being merciful toward your enemies was being cruel to yourself. Most enemies wouldn't reciprocate your kindness; given the chance, they'd kill you without hesitation. Mercy was a luxury only the strong could afford.
At least some had departed, making the battle slightly easier despite still being outnumbered. Nevertheless, this wouldn't be an easy fight.
Surprisingly, the first to step forward, ready for combat, was my chubby friend. He had a determined look in his eyes as he said, "Come at me!"
Without hesitation, one of the disciples charged, likely aiming to reduce our numbers swiftly. They probably believed they could evade Song Song for the duration of the acceptance exam.
I was poised to intervene, but seeing my friend's confident smile, I decided to trust him. He wouldn't do something like this for no reason.
As the outer disciple threw his punch, his fist felt unusually heavy, using a technique I recognized well.
Rock Smashing Fist was a technique designed to add weight to the user's fists for a more powerful impact. It was a widely known technique, even more so than my Piercing Fang Fist. However, my chubby friend seemed intent on taking the blow head-on, receiving it in the gut.
Anticipating a significant impact or signs of pain, I was surprised by the absence of both. My friend opened his mouth, seemingly about to scream, but only a trail of steam emerged. Soon, steam billowed from his orifices, and his body began to shrink, stunning even the attacker.
However, the attacker's moment of reminiscence was short-lived as he attempted to retract his fist, only to find a slender palm grasping his wrist.
"Where do you think you're going?" questioned my friend as the steam dissipated, revealing a young man with a muscular physique. "I, Yang Cho, will not forgive anyone here today who dared to approach us with ill intentions!"
In place of the chubby face and overweight figure now stood a muscular man with a square jaw.
Despite the unusual technique at play, for once, I found myself more intrigued by something other than combat techniques.
Yang Cho... I finally learned my best friend's name.