《Beyond The Primordials》Chapter 4: Shaking Down A Swindler
Advertisement
Outside the tablet's hidden domain, Tang Li, Tang Jiao, and Tao Shou were inspecting the ancestral tablet, trying to find out where Yin Hui went.
"Yin Hui get out here! I'm not leaving until I see your corpse at my feet!" Tao Shou shouted, kicking the tablet in frustration.
Tang Li let out a breath of relief, but still felt worried. Based on what he saw, Yin Hui seemed to be transported somewhere by the Yin Clan's ancestral tablet. Teleportation spells were one of the most dangerous spells a mortal could be exposed to. The immense speed their bodies are subject to during transport could easily reduce them to a pile of flesh and blood before they even reach their destination.
While the thought of Yin Hui dying to failed teleportation worried Tang Li, he was even more fearful of what would happen if he came back. Tao Shou had recovered his spiritual energy and was still bloodlusted. If Yin Hui returned without some kind of hidden ace, he would stand no chance. On top of that, there was also Tang Jiao, who stood next to him with a sinister smile on his face.
"What are you so happy about?"
Tang Jiao turned his head towards his younger brother, still wearing the same wicked grin.
"If that slave returns, rest assured I will not let Tao Shou kill him. After all, he's the first one to ever get a reaction from the jade pillar. I just wonder what father will do to that slave once I tell him of this. Perhaps I will bring him back to the palace and present him myself."
"You dare?!" Tang Li drew his sword and swung at Tang Jiao.
"Young master Tang Jiao!" Tao Shou cried. While Tao Shou was concerned for Tang Jiao, he knew that there was nothing he could do to stop Tang Li. Even if he charged the Wind Bullet to its maximum power, it would do little more than make Tang Li take a few steps back.
When Tang Li's sword was mere centimeters away from Tang Jiao, an ethereal arm emerged from behind Tang Jiao's shadow and grabbed it. Tang Li attempted to withdraw his sword, but it didn't budge under the grip of the arm's hand.
"The ethereal spirit of a Spirit Manifestation cultivator…" Tao Shou stared in awe.
"Seems like I can afford to teach you a lesson after all little brother. I'm sure father won't mind a little scuffle once I inform him that Yin Hui has the ability to access the pillar. With father's personality, I bet he will refine that boy's soul into a puppet. Of course, not before torturing him for the method to unlock the pillar and taking whatever inheritance he might have received.
"Tang Jiao don't you dare tell father about this!" Tang Li shouted, while trying to move his sword.
Advertisement
"If you can beat me, I'll do whatever you want. I'll even make things easier for you and fight on equal terms." The ethereal hand holding Tang Li's sword dissipated and Tang Jiao took a giant leap back. He tapped his own bag of holding attached to his waist and took out a decorated short sword similar to Tang Li's.
"Last time we fought you were grovelling after 30 moves. Hopefully, now you can last at least 40!"
Tang Jiao brandished his sword and dashed forward towards Tang Li, that sinister smile never left his face.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"All right! All right! I apologise! This old man was wrong. Just please stop!"
Back in the spatial realm within the pillar, Yin Hui was taking out his anger on Yin Tou's statue. The statue was Yin Tou's current vessel, so if it was harmed so was he.
"This is for stealing my body you damned geezer." Yin Hui threw a barrage of hard punches towards the statues nose. Yin Tou was rolling on the ground in pain, covering his face with both of his ghostly hands as each punch was reflected back onto him. Under the assault of Yin Hui's punches, the nose of the statue started to crack, which meant Yin Tou's nose had cracked as well. These cracks were only temporary as Yin Tou would simply use the rich spiritual energy around them to heal the cracks and himself. Unfortunately for him, this just allowed Yin Hui to repeatedly break the same parts as many times as he wanted, leading to an endless cycle of torment.
"Argh! That's the 4th time you broke my nose!"
"Shut up." Yin Hui moved down to the statues neck and threw a straight jab right to the statues throat.
Yin Tou wrapped his hands around his throat and began to cough. If he wasn't a ghost right now he would have already coughed out a pool of blood.
"That's it brat you've finally pushed it! I'm forcibly sending you back!" Yin Tou pointed to the ground beneath Yin Hui and the portal to the shrine began to open once more.
"If I am then your coming with me!" Yin Hui climbed to the top of the statue and quickly broke off some pieces, throwing them into the emerging portal.
"Wait stop!" Yin Tou quickly closed the portal. As he did, Yin Hui threw a hard punch to the top of his head.
"Either you give me a method to cultivate, or this is going to continue for eternity!"
"I can't! Your a crip--- Ahh!!" Yin Hui climbed down the statue and sent a strong kick towards Yin Tou's two most prized possessions.
"Call me a cripple again and I'll break these pieces off at least 10 times. Your supposed to be an all powerful cultivator right? I'm sure you have something."
Advertisement
Yin Tou looked down with a face of pain and embarrassment, letting out the same shameless smile he had when he first appeared.
"About that… You see, most of my memories are sealed away inside this tablet. The only reason I awakened is because you inherited my eyes and unlocked one of the seals." Yin Tou explained while covering his two most prized possessions.
"Each of the seals corresponds to a part of me that contains some of my power. Right now I only have the eyes unlocked, so I can only utilize techniques I have physically seen that don't require any hard comprehension or a high cultivation base."
Yin Hui's face turned red with anger, he could not take more of this old man's shameless and disappointing character. He turned towards the statue once more, lifting his leg up in the air.
"Wait wait! Just because I don't have my former cultivation base or my arsenal of spells doesn't mean I haven't seen anything in the past that could help!" Yin Tou said hastily.
Yin Hui put his leg down and turned around, this time with a wide smile on his face. Yin Tou gulped when he saw this smile.
"With just my eyes, I can reproduce most body reconstruction rituals since those are purely done through physical step-by-step instructions."
"And can any of those techniques reform my body so I can cultivate even with a cursed soul?" Yin Hui asked with an endearing expression.
Yin Tou looked at Yin Hui's 'endearing' face and shuddered with fear. He closed his eyes and carefully recalled all the body reformation rituals he had in his visual memory, making sure to find the right one for Yin Hui. After a few minutes, Yin Tou started to sweat. While he had seen multiple rituals throughout his life, most required special materials which he didn't have access to. Eventually, he found one that was suitable, but it was a demonic technique with a very low success rate that could kill the target if it failed.
"The success rate of this technique is abysmal, but it's the only one I can replicate with these limiting circumstances…"
Yin You turned towards Yin Hui, almost afraid to give him the news that he only found one possible method that could potentially even kill him.
"Uhh, kid, I mean, my beloved descendant Yin Hui. I have found a method, but it's success rate is low. It's a demonic technique, and if it fails there's a chance you might even die."
Yin Hui sighed, he knew that with his current restrictions and Yin Tou's incomplete knowledge that the solution would not be easy. However, if he didn't obtain some kind of method to cultivate, he would get slaughtered as soon as he left by Tao Shou and Tang Jiao who were waiting outside.
"I don't care if it's a demonic technique, the heaven's themselves have already made it clear they reject me. Even if the success rate is low, are the chances lower than what was done to me at birth? Let's do it." Yin Hui declared solemnly.
Yin Tou was slightly moved by Yin Hui's declaration, but it quickly passed as another scheming thought popped up in his mind.
"Wait a minute. If this brat dies, then he won't be able to bother me anymore. If he lives, then he'll stop bothering me and owe me a favor! It's a win-win situation! Haha! Even as just a portion of my true self this old man is simply too clever."
Yin Tou drifted closer to Yin Hui with a new demeanor full of life and enthusiasm.
"I admire your courage Yin Hui! As your ancestor, I am pleased that my chosen descendant has been born with such a tenacious personality!"
Yin Hui scoffed at his ancestors praises.
"Cut the bullsh*t you old swindler. I know that whether this method succeeds or not you benefit. Regardless, if we succeed I will still repay you despite your malicious intentions."
Yin Tou let out a wry smile. Turns out the brat wasn't as foolish as he initially thought.
"Well, erm, I guess we can start right away then. The name of this technique is called the Evil Fiend Devouring Technique."
"Evil Fiend Devouring Technique?" Yin Hui narrowed his eyes.
"Based on what I've seen, it involves reconstructing your body into that of a fiend. Doing so will also rid your body of the curse done to it by the heaven's. Once that is done, you can use the Evil Fiend Devouring Technique to consume other cultivators souls and cultivation making them your own. Since you cannot integrate spiritual energy with your own soul, you will instead be using the souls stored in your body by the technique!"
"Are there any drawbacks?" Yin Hui asked.
"Since your effectively consuming another's soul, you will have full control over it as if it were an empty husk. However, doing so also means that it cannot get stronger either due to being only a subsidiary soul. So whatever cultivation the owner had before being consumed would be the maximum cultivation you can utilize from it."
"That is fine, there are plenty of ways to get around that. All I need is the ability to interact with spirit energy. We can start whenever you're ready."
"About that…" Yin Tou cupped his hands together and a sly, bashful smile appeared on his face.
"What is it now…" Yin Hui rolled his eyes.
"For the entire process, I'll need to be in control of your body again..."
Advertisement
- In Serial75 Chapters
Hack Alley Doctor
It’s 2034, and Derrick Yu is an apprentice mod-doctor at Hack Alley, a prosthetic modification shop in the ugly part of Chinatown. Or, what used to be Chinatown at least. Gangs from all around the country prowl the streets, robbing the locals and refugees alike, as the rest of America is torn apart by greed and poverty. And Derrick wasn’t always an apprentice mod-doctor; he has a secret that could put him in danger if someone found out, especially a gang like the White Leopards. Meanwhile, people around the world are realizing that something’s wrong with their mods. Mod manufacturers like Stoneridge Prosthetics pretend like everything is normal, but not everyone believes them . . . . As the bills pile up, and Hack Alley battles bankruptcy and gangs alike, Derrick’s going to learn to fight back and stand proud, all while installing mods for the community, and upgrading his own. Gangs, secrets, and conspiracies: what else could a Hack Alley Doctor hope for? ********** Vote for Hack Alley Doctor on TopWebFiction! ********** Cover image attributions: Photo by cottonbro from Pexels Hacksaw made by Icongeek26 from www.flaticon.com Blood drop made by Pixel perfect from www.flaticon.com
8 126 - In Serial73 Chapters
The Lone Macaw [GameLit Drama/Kingdom Building]
The moment the dying Aki opens his eyes, he is shocked. Not his hospice room but green meadows, blue sky and the villages of his favorite MMO await him. A fever dream? Or a new lease of life?To Aki it’s a chance to correct the story line he once hated and save his beloved sword maiden. But his brazen steps soon halt when the impending war covers the land in flames.Thrown into unknown conflicts, he has to use his game knowledge to protect his new home from a sheer unending horde of enemies. ———————————————————————————Feedback comments are much appreciated.Reviews will (hopefully) make my day.Cover by @gbsartworks
8 119 - In Serial41 Chapters
Hollow Moon
She doesn't like being told what to do. He knows what’s best for her. She is fiercely independent but he is determined to save her, whether she likes it or not. Del and Nyssa live two very different lives and that’s the way Nyssa likes it. She is beholden to no one so when Del comes knocking on her door, she sends him on his way with a wink and a sarcastic “yeah, right.” When that doesn’t work, she bolts. She just wants to live her normal life; gambling with fairies (the not-so-nice kind), befriending ghouls and painting the future all over the whitewash. No boy is going to get in the way of that. Excerpt: He snagged her wrist gently before she could flounce away, his fingers warm and firm. “You need to come with me, girl,” he said earnestly. “I don't need to do anything.” She was indignant. She knew that sometimes her kind of abilities could be unruly but Nyssa was quite capable of taking care of herself. She’d lived with her abilities since she was thirteen. She’d learned to handle them herself. “It’s dangerous for you to be on your own,” Del said, tightening his grip on her wrist. She pulled her arm from his grip and he let her go. He could force her to go with him, she knew, but he wouldn’t. “I don’t need your help, Superman.” She didn’t look at him. “I’ll be back in a week,” he said, ignoring her protests. “Be ready to leave with me.” He breezed past her, discarding the necklaces he still held on the desk and leaving. Nyssa sighed, watching his back as he disappeared down the street. “Fat chance, Superman.”
8 138 - In Serial24 Chapters
Ashen Ghost
Gravelroy, the last free city, giant metropolis. All ethnicities, cultures, and religions can be found there. Merchants, sailors, criminals, everyone is welcome inside its walls. Everyone but a king, the free citizens don't kneel. But some rulers on the continent would like for this to change... A country bumpkin coming to the Big City. Raised by the wilderness as much as the war. Turned criminal by necessity. A wounded and insane woman. A monster lurks in her prison. She struggles to regain her memories and dreams of escape. A tiny, insignificant meeting. It will send ripples through the world. Given time, ripples can become waves. With enough luck, once in a very long while, a wave will turn into a storm. Slaves, commoners, and soldiers. Bishops too, kings even. Perhaps the Emperor himself. Everyone will feel it. But for now, the stubborn little rock has yet to fall into the waters. He has quite a long way to go in fact. Let's give him a little nudge, shall we? With chance, something might happen. Life can be unpredictable. Especially when we consider the adventures of a crazy girl and a weird lad. Things might get dramatic as the prelude suggested, or they might decide to do as they want and go nuts. Maybe a bit of both. The girl will fight against her own mind, her prison, and her fate. Who imprisoned her and why? But maybe she has imagined everything. She is mad after all. To save someone dear, the boy fights hunger and city guards. Sometimes pigeons as well. Well, this city is cracked anyway. Cover art by Paul Lerouvillois.
8 190 - In Serial37 Chapters
Strings Of The Orchestrator
Intro: The system swept over the earth, wrenching everyone from their normal lives and throwing them into new worlds made of chaos and insanity. The rules that once governed the world have shifted. The laws that once bound people, both the dangerous and the kind, have vanished. Now, life is all about advancement, pushing your numbers and skills higher and higher. Alone on a distant world, Max Grand instead must now prove himself, not to the system that now governs his entire world, but to his companions and best friends. Follow Max on his journey through space, through time, through space again, meeting people, going places, and doing things. All the nouns. Note About myself: I am only a hobbyest writer. I hope the internet doesn't expect novel level content from me. I have seen what others on the internet, and even more so this website, can produce and aspire to reach their level. I have no Idea what will come of this, but it should at least be a fun experience for all involve. The writing improves gradually as the chapters go on. I invariably learn some stuff after writing a bunch, finding what works and what doesn't. I definately need to work on paceing and dialouge and flow. Those are the three main goals for now. **Chapter lengths float around the 2300 to 2500 word range as of current chapter Thank you and happy reading.
8 83 - In Serial43 Chapters
Best friend VS Boyfriend
Louis and Taylor have been best friends since they were in diapers. They have experienced everything together: kindergarten, primary school, high school and Taylor's success in the showbusiness from the beginning to now. Louis is never in the spotlight but everything changes when Taylor gets invited to a TMZ party, for the first time after her break-up with world famous singer Harry Styles. Taylor begs her best friend to come with her as a plus-one to her first public appearance, needing Louis' support to see her ex and his showbiz friends for the first time after the drama. But does the unnoticed best friend stays unnoticed after he defends his best friend in front of all the paparazzi from Hollywood?Or the one where Louis gets accidentally famous after defending his best friend in front of the paparazzi by hating on her ex-boyfriend Harry Styles.
8 88

