Fighting to be Kind in a Cultivation World

Screaming. Crying. And the trampling of fear-filled crowds.

This is a moment that I don’t allow myself to waste. For every voice that yells out a call to not retreat, another life is taken.

Of course, that’s only if they deserve it. For those that don’t, I just incapacitate them.

I also used the opportunity to add an incentive to leave, for those that are farther away and still considering throwing ranged attacks toward the giant human tossing people around.

From my space bag, I produce my new favorite product for crowd control.

Enhanced tear gas.

A specially formulated gas grenade that will affect cultivators and non-cultivators alike. And carefully made to make sure that it won’t kill or permanently injure non-cultivators with that increased effectiveness.

There’s nothing stopping people from running away now, as even the leaders over there are panicking at the poison traveling through their lungs.

At the very least, with them coughing up a storm, I won’t have to worry about their accuracy.

Which is how, for the next 15 minutes, I go around taking out the most dangerous individuals within these groups. However, it doesn’t last.

Even the people who were fleeing are now regrouping. After all, cowardice and retreating aren’t things that are allowed in a gang. Especially when they were direct orders.

Already, I can see that the other higher-ups in their group have killed the first guy who ran away.

If I only had to fight the Vermillion Stripes, they’d just reorganize, and I’d have to deal with a mix of Qi Condensation and Foundation Establishment attacks. A combination that would break through my mage skin and barrier.

Which wouldn’t be a problem. Because underneath all these protections is still my healing aura and cultivation method.

I’d easily win in the end. Even if they had any surprises in store. But now?

My eyes look toward the other groups nestled within these Vermillion Stripes. The groups, gangs, and organizations recruited and drawn by the other aspect that has brought them here.

A bounty.

1 Half Jade coin. A coin that is worth 50 superior spirit stones or 50 big gold coins.

With that amount of value up for grabs, even core formation experts are watching. Let alone assassins, I might even have to keep an eye out for other sects, if I let this draw out.

Which is why my scan reveals it is both my curse and blessing to have called out to Big Sis Crane.

As she’s the one who helped negotiate the bounty conditions.

With friends like these… who needs enemies?

It’s not all bad, though. And it’s obvious why she helped in negotiating the situation with these various organizations.

The forces that were armed against me were already looking to take me out, just over a large period. She just put in a stipulation that this battle/ambush would be the only chance they had to do so.

A convenient way to have entertainment for herself, a way to settle grievances (publicly) for me, and in a non-infinite timeline. With her involved, that means that most loose ends are taken care of, as well. Something that should be reassuring, but increasingly has me wonder.

How much does she really know about my capabilities? Because either she is pushing me into situations that I normally could not handle or she already has an amazing insight into my strengths and weaknesses.

Admittedly, I’ve already looked up whether Gong has shared with her anything beyond what I already knew. However, most likely it isn’t her that’s given away my capabilities, but myself. After all, many of the hidden things I’ve done could be found with enough effort. And for someone at her level, which I’m increasingly sure is above Nascent Soul, it would be trivial. Even with all my efforts.

I can only do so much.

I switch my mind back into the problems I’m currently facing, rather than the past.

My threat analysis scan lets me know there are 2 core formations, over 250 foundation establishments of varying rank, and an entire span of Qi Condensations through the remaining enemies (which includes the additional 2000). All of whom are readying themselves for a variety of attacks.

With a few items that made fighting the increased amount of people from a possibility to nearly impossible, without a status quo change.

Nets. Sealing and severing talismans. Gas masks.

All things meant to cut me apart and keep my parts separated.

And most importantly… they have hostages.

I won’t be able to reach these people in time. Or to be specific, I can’t defeat enough people in time with just my hands and fists.

But my cultivation method won’t let me use offensive weapons techniques to do so. Even my new barrier techniques are constrained by this restriction.

They approach even as the others retreat, leading to a whole new situation. An enemy who is no longer here based on pride, but now greed. And in a cultivation world like this, that is one of the strongest motivators one can have. Even worse, it doesn’t look like they are treating me like a human anymore.

The subtle movements from the different groups look extremely similar to ones used to hunt down spirit beasts.

An acute distinction, considering my increased size and physical attributes, is quite accurate to the situation. Even my potions and other aspects could be placed within that same box.

After all, spirit beasts can do similar things to humans. And this group isn’t stupid enough to have their leaders call out their orders. Each group is mostly doing their own thing.

Which is why, despite the ease of the current moment, I know the next will be hell-filled if I don’t change things quickly.

So, I jump.

The instant that I do so, 20 or so Foundation Establishment rapidly flies into the air after me on their swords. Too bad for them, I expected that.

I load the cannon in my space bracelet with a special shot.

Something I like to call cultivator bird shot. As it sounds, it’s actually meant to shotgun fire and knock cultivators down off their swords, but I’ve added a few extra touches to it, to make it extra effective.

Flak shells hidden within the bird shots.

Aiming the entrance of the bracelet over at the rising cultivators, I line up everything according to my scan with the first shot, firing out with a bang.

The first salvo fires right at the area I’ve never heard in stories cultivators being shot at while on their swords.

Their feet.

With a yelp, each of them cry out and struggle to stay on their swords, with many falling off. Their swords soaring downward to catch them. Others, who aren’t as adept as using their swords, just drop instead. No sword following them on the way down.

And that’s not even the best part.

Popopopopopopopopopopopopopopopop.

Enormous amounts of pops resound over the area as hundreds of explosions come from each and every shot that had fired out towards them. Normally, something I would be worried would possibly kill people… but each of these people are Foundation Establishment, with any lower explosions being just enough not to kill Qi Condensations. Still maim, but most likely not kill.

I can feel a small feeling of victory emerge from this.

Okay, I should be ab-

Splooosh.

Instantly, I feel myself being thrown through the air in a completely different direction. With one thing standing out to me.

The giant hole in my chest.

My scan filling in the dots as I fall.

I’ve just been hit by a Core Formation sniper shot.