Chapter 8: New Experiences

Chapter 8: New Experiences

Tufei held his breath as the ax approached the strange man. The younger man didn't blink, and their worst fears were confirmed when the man grabbed the ax blade mid-air and stopped it from moving an inch. Despite Futou being larger than their 'victim' by many times over, said victim didn't even budge.

The steel ax trembled, cracks spread around it, and the stranger's eyes widened, "Oh? What is this? I didn't think I was strong enough to destroy iron with my hands. At least the readings didn't show so. Was the average human in this world stronger? Except for the physical advantages of simply doing more physical labor, making them a bit stronger... But that shouldn't be such a big difference that it would lead to something like this."

The man rubbed his chin thoughtfully and crouched down, picking a piece of the broken ax off the ground and looking at it in a trance as if he were in his own world. Futou was frozen in place, looking in a trance at whatever remained of the ax handle in his hands.

But the man didn't seem to pay much attention to it. His gaze settled on them, and he smiled, "Sorry, I'm not usually so arrogant or rude as to ignore someone. But this really surprised me. Where do you get your weapons from? Maybe their metal was just that shoddy?"

The way he spoke was so polite that one might have thought he was just an unassuming and well-mannered neighbor's son.

They immediately dropped their weapons, or whatever was left of his ax in Futou's case. Tufei's mind worked a thousand miles a second as even his bow seemed to move in slow motion as it fell to the ground.

Was this it? Was this how they died? Who would take care of their mother?

Within two breaths, the three brothers were on their knees with their foreheads on the ground. Tufei could smell the green grass, and sweat trickled down his nose. But he didn't dare look up, no matter what!

"Please spare our lives!" Tufei begged, and his two brothers followed along.

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Those words were like a bucket of cold water splashed over their heads. At that moment, Tufei knew the odds of them surviving plummeted.

Maybe running away would work, he wondered.

But such foolish thoughts disappeared as soon as they came. This wasn't someone they could fight or run away from.

There was no other solution; their fates were in someone else's hands, and there was next to nothing they could do about it.

"The way I see you guys is that you're scumbags with no redeeming quality. Honestly, a part of me is thinking of using you as a way to get used to killing humans. It is bound to happen anyways since this is that kind of world," he sighed regretfully, but the cold look in his eyes did not lie. They weren't dealing with the kind of guy who would spare their lives. "After all, what better victims for this than some murderous bandits nobody would miss."

This was it. Tufei knew that they were going to die.

In a way, he was okay with this. Sure, he wanted to live. But either way, life didn't have much in store for him.

Even if he continued living, what was there to look forward to for the rest of his life? He had no dreams other than living and maybe finding a good wife. He would have had to still spend whatever remained of his life doing back-breaking labor on the farm.

But what he did regret about this was pulling his brothers along to their deaths also. This had been his idea after the previous long winter.

As the oldest brother, it was his responsibility to protect his younger siblings.

However, even if he gave up his life and tried to buy time for his brothers to escape, there wasn't much he could do against someone like that young man.

I have just placed a curse on all of you, one that will bring about your demise in horrific ways should you commit evil acts, the man smiled. Believe me, the deaths wont be quick. I'm not a sadistic individual, but the creator of this technique certainly was. Can you imagine? He was hailed as a saint during his lifetime.

"What do you want from us?" Tufei stuttered. He had never fathomed the existence of such a technique before. Yet, as a youth raised in an isolated village, he was beginning to grasp the vastness of the world.

But what choice did he have except to trust the stranger? This man could kill them all before they even blinked. Why would he bother lying to them?

"I want you to guide me back to your village," he declared, his voice leaving no room for argument.

Yes, my lord... sir, Tufei rose to his feet. His brothers followed suit as they treaded away from the rough pathway and toward the village, weaving through trees, bushes, and obscure forest trails imperceptible to the untrained eye.

They had traversed these woods since childhood, knowing them like the backs of their hands. They were familiar with the perilous areas inhabited by strange beasts and monsters. Tufei contemplated leading the young cultivator to one of these dangerous locales.

But guiding the cultivator and his brothers to such a place would likely result in their deaths. What if the cultivator easily killed the monster? It would only lead his brothers to death. Tufei preferred to rely on what he had seen with his own eyes, and the young man didnt seem cruel or a sadist.

You know, you guys are very fortunate you didnt encounter other cultivators, the young man remarked. I know some cultivators who like exterminating entire family lines for even the slightest offenses. Most of the people who traversed the road I was on would have been cultivators at the same stage as I am. So you truly were lucky not to encounter any of them.

We Tufei contemplated his next words very carefully. We have only been doing this for less than a month, and youre the sixth guy that we tried to rob.

Then that is even better luck, as there is still a chance you didnt offend the mortal family of some cultivator or someone like that, the man nodded. I understand how hard life can be sometimes. Before I became a cultivator, I too was just some average working man. Though the closest thing to compare my job to would be something like a scribe, so working in the fields must be even harder.

Not like we had much of a choice after the long winter, Tufei nodded and stopped in his tracks.

What had he just said?! Why was he talking to this man like he was just some friend when he had clearly threatened them with death not even a dozen minutes ago? He had gotten so absorbed in the atmosphere and the way the cultivator acted that he had talked to him like an equal!

Tufei swallowed and glanced at the cultivator, praying to all his ancestors and Gods that he hadnt taken offense. To his relief, the cultivator continued acting as if nothing had happened.

Not long after, they arrived in the village, which consisted of straw and mud houses situated on the side of a mountain and close to a small river. With less than a hundred inhabitants, the population dwindled each year due to Monstrous Beasts or migration to the nearby Greengrass Town in search of opportunities.

Tufei had contemplated doing the same at one time, but lacking funds and special skills, he found himself limited. His cousin had ventured there but returned, finding little opportunity for village folk like them, who werent even considered for labor jobs like construction.

As they walked to their own house, Tufei glanced at the people around them, pondering. Whatever it was, he hoped the cultivator wouldnt unleash his wrath on the innocent.

Mother, we are back, called out Oftu, spear still in hand.

Their elderly mother, who relied on a walking stick to move, emerged from the hut, her familiar friendly smile lighting up her face. Oh, how was your hunting trip? Then her gaze shifted toward the cultivator. Who is this? Is he one of your new friends?

Tufei felt a lump in his throat as a bead of sweat rolled down his cheek. He felt trapped between a rock and a hard place. Their mother remained unaware of their banditry, believing their excursions to be hunting trips where they sold their goods to wandering merchants and returned with coins.

Mother We Tufei began, his heart weighed down by the impending confession.

How could he tell his mother that despite her sacrifices in raising them after their father's death, they had turned to banditry?

But before Tufei could utter another word, the cultivator stepped forward.