Fighting to be Kind in a Cultivation World

With over 1800 unconscious people here and Big Sis Crane on the approach, this conclusively means that the battle is considered over.

Meaning that the contract is up and I can finally relax.

At this, I finally end the active circulation of the qi in my body, allowing my size to decrease steadily from the potion and talisman enhanced size that I had this whole time. While being a massive behemoth was useful for amplifying my strength on the battlefield, it’s super inconvenient normally.

On top of that, I feel the laser focus, cold calculation dip away. With the world speeding back up to match my normalizing reaction speeds.

But another set of things being to arise in their place, as my eyes drift across the battlefield and the effects of the potions wear off.

Horror.

Revulsion.

Guilt.

My stomach roils at all the gore around me.

And not just around me.

With a look down at my hands, body, and the spirit beasts on me… we are all covered in blood. I can even sense the turtle is still gnawing on a chunk of someone’s ear. Like some plaything.

With Big Sis Crane's fast approach, I soon calm myself. And work through my feelings and the situation.

…

I see.

With the various concoctions I took, a berserker state would normally be brought on, eventually leading to death. My healing aura and techniques removed all the downsides of it, while retaining the positives.

One of those ‘positives’, was the suppression of these very emotions I’m feeling now.

Which would have happened in the middle of battle.

… It makes sense that these feelings would be a negative thing for the situation. Especially in the middle of a large-scale battle like this and against core formation cultivators. Even if most of them were below average.

…

It still feels wrong.

I literally popped open the heads of multiple people. And I felt almost nothing from doing so. At the time, it was just the death of another enemy.

Many of them begged for their lives. But I killed them anyway.

Ignoring their words.

While some in this world may say that since many of them were looking to capture and torture me, that they deserve that and worse…

The only saving grace is that it didn’t change my personal morals. Just my reaction to killing in the moment. The scans that I did before each attack had already confirmed who, based on my earlier decisions on killing, should be killed vs injured/knocked unconscious.

Anyone that I had killed, I firmly believed deserved to die and would have been able to get over their death. Eventually, at least.

Everyone that’s left has some capacity and potential to change. To make this world a better place. To become better people for themselves and others.

Okay. This can work.

Breath In. Breathe Out.

As I continue to center myself, Big Sis Crane gracefully floats down on her sword toward me. A time that seems like an eternity until the soft sound of her feet land before me.

I quickly realize that this would be the best time to use the conversation scan, only to find that I should have been bowing to her 10 minutes ago. The entire reason she was moving so slowly, to give me the face to do so.

No time like the present!

In a hurry, I pull out my deepest and most respectful bow, showing as much respect as I can, if only to make up for my lack of it moments ago.

She lets out a delighted laugh, but makes no motion to have me raise for a few seconds. A small reprimand of sorts, but a light one nonetheless.

Soon after, she waves a hand, indicating that I can rise. It takes nothing more than that for me to move out of this uncomfortable position and speak out my appreciation.

“Hello Big Sis Crane, I sincerely apologize for my earlier delay and appreciate you coming to see the entertainment for today.”

I give a pause, measured but questioning.

“I hope it was to your satisfaction…”

Lucky for me, her delight runs deeper than just the surface.

“Hahaha, of course. I haven’t seen something quite like that before in many years! To think, my Gong may have met the newest rising star of this generation. I’m quite glad that my efforts haven’t gone to waste.”

She has unquestionably helped in her own way, but clearly there's another motive behind it. Hence the catches and traps contained within every one of her efforts.

…But, if everything she’s done was her way of helping, then I never want to see what it’s like to be on her bad side.

“Absolutely. I cannot say enough how much I appreciate all that you’ve done. I couldn’t have risen to where I am now without your assistance. I’m also looking forward to spending some time with Gong while I’m here.”

She shows a sly smile, with a lower tone, before she continues speaking.

“I’m quite interested myself to see what you’ll be up to here.”

“Well… I actuall-“

Right as I spoke, one of the unconscious men behind her screams out loud in pain, somehow having woken up from his induced coma. Maybe because of a resistance to that certain blend of poison. And as he had, one or two others began raising their voices, as well. Waking up from their stupors. Something I had considered for the majority and had a way to deal with if alone.

Unfortunately for them, we were not.

The moment his voice raised; the slightest frown crossed her face. Before she waved a hand.

Everything stopped.

The air. Wind. And even my heart.

A span that wasn’t even a microsecond. But within that time, as the wind resumed, everyone on the ground scattered into literal dust.

My eyes locked onto the man that screamed, right as he disintegrated before my eyes.

His last moments were of pain. Suffering.

Regret.

My vision shakes. Sounds muffled. And those feelings return.

Horror.

Revulsion.

And now emptiness.

…

“Sorry about that, my dear James. Just had to clean up the trash. They’ve been a plague on this city for decades now. You’ve given me the perfect excuse to get rid of them in one go.”

She resumes talking, as if nothing happened. That thousands did not just die at her actions.

Thousands that could have learned to live better lives. A new path forward.

A new feeling grows.

Anger.

Towards her.

At that same moment, I feel a mark from my activated danger scan. Another freeze in time.

But while the last one didn’t touch me, this one is. Fear runs through every part of my body. Locking me in place, daring me to speak.

Her eyes are locked on mine with a hidden threat, as her lips continue speaking with different words…

Speak?..

Then die.

…

…

She knew. The whole time, she knew. Who I am. What I would do. How I would feel about this.

The surety of my thoughts resounds in me, backed by my scan and everything I know.

And despite my growing fear and the pressure, there’s only one thought that resonates right now.

Fury. And I do the one thing that my conversation scan tells me not to do…

I open my mouth.