Fighting to be Kind in a Cultivation World

After sending the message to Ai, to have the sick congregate, I focus my attention on the approaching hordes and what is to come after.

Reaching into my space bracelet, I take out various potions and talismans. Ones ranging from strength boosting to ones granting temporary special abilities. Hiding them in the pockets concealed all over the cultivator robes I wear, which bears the seal of my sect, The Revolving Heavenly Light Sect. Something that I know won't stop this ambush, but will defend me politically in the aftermath.

I’ve already chosen a place where everything is largely rubble or clear within the 5 kilometers. The closest to a plain that I could get in a city like this.

The spirit beasts hidden and covering my body shivers in anticipation. Eager for the gains they may soon make, and for the opportunity to protect me.

I’ve already let them know that there are some people who I will indicate they can devour. Something that I don’t feel too bad about.

After all, contained within those who are going to attack me, will be those who truly deserve to die. Horrors that have been committed, on par with what Long Shui has done to those like Yalei and Jin Chin.

I mentally tally the spirit beasts that will be with me in the battle.

The turtle, on my back and in the appearance of a shield.

The earthworm, giant frog, and a carp that lives in the frog’s mouth hide in my pocket. Shrunken down for convenience.

And the curious plant that can take over bodies, entwined into my clothes and over my body like tattoos.

However, the panther that loves to stalk and sneak around me invisibly is staying in the tunnels with the others. After all, despite its potential for causing a lot of damage, there will be higher leveled cultivators around. Making it easy to get captured if we get too far separated.

…and it doesn’t want to shrink down and hang out on my shoulder. Which I kind of was looking forward to.

Sigh.

All of them will use the same enlargement and shrinking to make quick attacks from the safety of my body, cultivation shield, and healing. Most importantly, they all can react and protect themselves as I go wild. While staying on my body.

Little by little, my enemies gather in various places around my area. Clearly, they have a way to communicate with each other, showing this is an organized action, as I feared. It is not long before a leader emerges, far off from my position. As expected, a cocky and proud member of the Vermillion Stripes.

A Ma Tian.

In my eyes, a bottom of the barrel, disgraceful piece of scum that commits every level of atrocity… and loves it. However, he is also one of the rare members of their group to reach Mid Foundation Establishment.

If I'm not mistaken, the leader of the Vermillion Stripes intentionally keeps his men below him in cultivation level, as he's currently at peak Foundation Establishment. So, for him to be so close in cultivation, means he’s one of the leaders of their group. Representing the head, in a sense.

Once their 1000 strong group is ready, with the 2000 others still assembling in a distant perimeter, he makes his move. Moving fast to my location.

Even with my increased cultivation, my nervousness is hard to hide. I still manage to, of course, but even so, I find it difficult.

Considering that these guys aren’t top cultivators with the best roots and techniques, their group takes a while to reach me.

When they finally do, their leader strides over with 50 others of his trusted men, projecting his voice to bridge the shrinking distance between us.

“Well, well, well. It looks like the rumors are true. You can sense others from afar. I mean, how else would you know to give up when faced with this many cultivators?”

His words don’t match his demeanor. Every part of my scan is telling me he is ready for a fight. Regardless of what I would do, he would find some way to exact violence upon me. Of course, that’s what he is being paid to do, on top of dragging me away to be a heal bot.

“You praise me too much, Ma Tian. We both know that giving myself here would only leave me in a worse position.”

He gives an evil smirk.

“Looks like you aren’t as stupid as the rest of those stupid Akirians, then.”

I blink.

Was that racism?

He has to be referencing the Plains of Akir and the fact that they have a similar skin color.

Wow. It’s been a while since I’ve even really had to consider that, since coming here.

In a way, that makes what comes next even more refreshing to do.

After activating my conversation scan, I end up giving him a sincere smile. Instantly confusing him and the others around him.

“Thanks for the honesty.”

Immediately after, I panic and point in the distance to something random.

“Oh shit, what is that?!”

In the instant that his concentration shifts, I open my space bracelet, and just like with the core formation cultivator, a cannonball filled with napalm shoots out towards him.

Boom.

Unlike the core formation cultivator, though, he is nowhere near fast enough to stop it. Only being fast enough to reach into his pocket.

Sploosh.

I can see his head turn into mist… as it then flies through several other cultivators that were behind him.

Sploosh, Sploosh, Sploosh.

Bouncing once, twice, and then going through 10 more people along the way.

Their haphazardly cultivated, low tier bodies cannot handle that level of qi-enhanced force punching through.

All until it rolls to a stop. Silence reigns as they sit in shock. Having finally seen the same thing that has been going around in rumors. But all they heard of was the napalm.

“AHHHHHH, my leg!” “ITHURTITHURTSITHURTS”

The shock has finally worn off and a voice of pain breaks the silence, now filling the area with screams.

And that’s when the explosive charge I put inside of it finally goes off.

BOOOOOOOOOM

The world shakes and terrified cries fill the air as I run straight into the crowd of 50 cultivators. Holding two potions in each hand, dumping them both in my mouth.

The world slows, and a single powerful heartbeat resounds through my body.

Even as I was running, it feels like I had stopped in place. A feeling grows in this slowed time. Narrowing my focus and overtaking every thought I have.

rage. Rage. RAGE.

…

Which is when I feel the pain of my skin bursting and my body growing far beyond its current size.