****(POV)

Life is a bitch, isn't it?

On the ground is a corpse. It belongs to a warm, friendly, and well-intentioned farmer. As much as I hate the Sun people, I am not any different. Quite hypocritical, isn't it?

The man's neck is broken. There is no blood, there is no trace of any poison, there is nothing that could link him to me. I did consider letting him live. He hosted me so considerately after all. Killing him means that I am a monster.

Life is all about decisions. I made this one for two very simple reasons. First, there are various methods to track someone with an eyewitness to help. Stuff like divination has been lost in the ages, but many sects still have remnant tricks that they can use for it. Second, there was the man's personality.

He was a chatterbox. He kept talking over and over, even when unsolicited. Chances were he would inadvertently let something slip about me should a pursuer follow. Ah, but he could always change and control himself, right?

Thinking of that, I almost spared him, but then I remembered the small path leading behind his house. The man had thread the same path exactly for so many years. Would he suddenly adapt easily? Chances were not.

So I horribly killed him. I'm not any better, it seems, than the Sun young master slaughtering a village. Sometimes I can't help but wish I could see the future. Perhaps I just did this for nothing. Honestly, if I were alone, I would have let him live for sure. But I'm not.

On the side, my invisible killer is looking at me pitifully. At first, it simply flew over as fast as its tiny wings could carry it. It flew straight into the white berry, happily beginning to devour it. But as its hunger went away, it came back to its senses.

It realized it had screwed up. The man's screams were enough to make that clear. It turned toward me to apologize, shaking its small body in regret.

I know it didn't mean to. I know it's simply its nature to love sweet things more than anything. One could say it all happened thanks to the man's carelessness in handling the berry, but that would be a lie.

Excuses are meaningless. One needs to live with his decisions. We are never forced to do anything in this life. Well, I'm not talking about body-control magic here. Sometimes we feel like we have none, but there is always an option. Ignoring the corpse, I turn to the little fruit fly and pet it gently.

"Don't worry, I understand. Be more careful in the future, alright?"

It shakes its body in agreement. I can feel its conflicting emotions. It just wants to share with me how tasty this new food is. This little creature of mine is a small foodie, after all. Well, one could call it a big foodie as it eats way more than its body size.

Seeing it like this, I can't help but reminisce. Once upon a time, there were two Gu disciples that were especially gifted at Gu training. One was handsome, powerful, smart, valiant. Honestly, he had countless qualities that made him the obvious successor to the Gu Meadow.

The other Gu disciple had talent, but his heart and head were clearly in the wrong place. Instead of mercilessly training his Gus, he'd spend time feeding them and going on walks. He had made it all into a training method, but he lacked in mercilessness.

Everyone in the sect felt how much of a waste it all was. They admired his potential but despised the man for wasting it. No matter how he justified it all, he was completely wasting his time and sect resources.

Many even suggested that he be barred from getting new Gus as he was simply wasting them. Gus were not pets, Gus were creatures meant to slaughter enemies! That is what they were all saying.

Yet, he remained true to himself. For him, it wasn't just about the power. He had chosen to cultivate Gus, and he would do it to the best of his abilities and his own way. He was often warned that he would always remain number 2 or even 10 simply because of his attitude.

Even then, he didn't change. Eventually, they all gave up on him. He became part of the background. Sure he was there, and he was strong, but there was no point to strength without the heart to use it.

A happy-go-lucky fella would have no future at all here. Thus time flew by. He kept training with his pets and getting ridiculed for it. In fact, there was only one man that supported him. His senior uncle had seen something in him.

He always told him that his path had a 99% chance of having him die a shameful death but a 1% chance to make him a true expert. He was the only one supporting him. When the man died on a mission, this uselessly talented disciple became even more reserved.

At that point, his only friends were Gus. Even then, the sect leader simply let him to his own devices. People expected the loss of his backing would mean him losing everything, but no. Nothing at all changed.

Some even went to personally complain. They were killed. The sect leader didn't take too kindly to having his decisions contested. This was especially true when it was from a bunch of the lower generation.

The disciple didn't understand at first, but then he met the sect leader one day. It was his first time meeting the big boss outside of a public setting. He looked very normal for a man that was considered one of the top evils of the continent.

Hell, his infamy only lost to a few, for instance, the Acidic Fun Times sect leader. He didn't even bother with small chats. No, he simply went straight to the point.

"Your senior uncle has done a lot for you. He did way more than you ever deserved, that's for sure. Honestly, the reason you haven't been kicked out already is thanks to him. He believed your way of doing things could accomplish great feats. I am personally convinced all of that is bullshit."

At least he was honest. The disciple did appreciate that.

"Soon, we will open the Gu Rearing Land. You will enter alongside the other top disciples of the sect. Your performance will determine your fate. You know what happens to the people that are kicked out of the sect, right?"

Of course, he knew. It meant death. He wasn't ready to die yet. Still, Gu Rearing Land, was it? This place in itself was a land of death…