Princess Consort Ai Li Sha

3.4 Meeting in the Forest 4

Hearing his choices Master Ren nearly vomited blood. Either way he would be nothing, nothing. Without cultivation he would be a weak ant waiting to be squished, death would be better than that.

"Choose, before I choose for you." Master Lu was not a patient man, especially toward ingrates like Master Ren who could easily betray loyalty and sincerity.

There was no real choice. A trash would have a life worse than death, more so because of all the enemies he had made throughout the years. At least if he took his own life Master Ren could die in one piece and his enemies wouldn't have the chance to torture him.

"I will take my own life." This day Master Ren regretted for the first time. If he had been a little less greedy in his youth, a little more attentive in adulthood, then this would not be his end.

Gradually the dread Master Ren felt disappeared and closing his eyes he took a sword out from his storage ring. Lamenting his choices in life he brought it out and pointed it to the heavens. Slowly the sword began to reverberate and turn a bright purple color. Following that the bright color extended to his hand and then the rest of his body. Blood began to flow from his closed eyes and his nose.

Master Ren's death was not flashy or showy, but it left a deep impression in those surrounding him. Watching his last act Master Lu did not feel a sense of satisfaction, but at least there was closure. Grand Master Xi only ached for the young child who had gone astray.

As for the spectators, Mi Rai and the Ru Qian both stood with open mouths and ashen faces. Never had they seen a life taken in such a manner.

They had both seen death but usually it was only the weaker ones that died not a person like Master Ren who had reached the levels that they could only dream of. Mi Rai was still young as was Ru Qian so neither had yet been exposed to bloody deaths of this caliber, Mi Rai even less than Ru Qian who had cruelty coursing through her veins.

Master Lu had once shared a brotherly relationship with Master Ren so despite how he had raised ill minded disciples and tried for his life several times, Master Lu still gave him some face and ordered Mi Rai to take the body and bury it. This was also for the benefit of Grand Master Xi, who Master Lu knew was secretly distressed.

Now that Master Ren had been taken care of, he turned to Ru Qian. "As for you. Make your choice."

Ru Qian widened her eyes as tears of terror fell from them. "No please, I know my wrongs. Please."

"You are the one most in the wrong." Master Lu knelt on one knee in front of the girl and grabbed her by the wrist, shaking her hand. "This hand harmed my little sister."

'Crack' the sound of bone breaking filled the quiet room. "Iyahhhhh!" The girl who had thought she could not feel worse pain then her beautiful face receiving a scar, realized she was wrong.

Not only was the bone broken it was smashed to powder, irreparable. Unable to take the pain she fell back in a dead faint.

"In consideration of your young age I will let you live. Your crippled hand will always remind you of all your sin. Your crippled spirit veins will always remind you that you committed a sin, specifically against my little sister!" Saying such he placed his hand on her face and a pure white light was released from it. The girl's face seemed to absorb it completely.

Feeling the energy enter her the girl was startled from her faint and she clawed at her chest in pain. Her nose began to bleed, her head felt like it was splitting open, her body unable to stand the infusion of energy caused her to throw up blood. Master Lu lowered his blood dirtied hand, his work finished. Soon Ru Qian's eyes rolled back, and she fainted again.

"S-senior Br-other?" Mi Rai called out purely out of instinct. Usually whenever something happened all the girls knew to rely first on their Senior Brother Lu. He was always the most approachable and the kindest to them. Now she was scared to see such a scene but the person who was causing it was her senior brother...

Master Lu looked toward her, cleaning the blood of his hand with a handkerchief. "Do not worry, instead remember what you have seen today. We may be of a righteous Sect but that does not mean we should ever let others step over us. I gave Ren a lot of leeway and it led to today. But remember, we only kill those who are in the wrong, today this girl tried to kill our sister, thus it was only right that she be punished. Return a favor with thrice the grace, return a grudge with four times the force. Do not leave someone to hurt you later on."

Mi rai nodded her head slowly, accepting the teaching.

Master Lu turned again toward Grand Master Xi. "Master, I will throw this girl out, please excuse the blood I have spilt in your presence."

Grand Master Xi nodded and walked away. That disciple he had raised from childhood to adulthood was gone, what was the use to keep thinking about it.