Poison God's Heritage

"You don't like the fact that Shen Bao refused to partake in the tournament?" asked the Lord of Lords.

"In a sense, but mostly the fact that he was chummy with my daughter!" the Red Sun snorted in derision.

"I don't see any chumminess happening, you're old senile and getting a bit too emotional," the Wisest Sun smiled replying.

"What would you know! I know that type of men! They act as if they're not interested while he's definitely scheming!"

"I can promise you one thing, Shen Bao is pretty much oblivious or rather a bit dense when it comes to matters of the heart, so you have nothing to worry about, anyway, how are we going to get him to partake in the tournament?" asked the Lord of Lords.

"Hmm, for him risking his life for no apparent benefit or visible goal is out of the question. To get him to partake in the tournament a few things must be established," said the Wisest Sun. "What would you suggest?" asked the Lord of Lords.

"First thing first, abolish the idea of being taught by one of the Suns, after all that basically a hassle for all of us. We'll need to dumb down anything we already know for people who want to learn it, and as Shen Bao had said it will be taken as a decree and holy words for the person who'd be taking that as a prize, driving them away from their own path and into our own,"

"I see, but what do you think would be appropriate to change that reward?" "Giving statue and power is fine for anyone else, but I doubt Shen Bao would be interested, then how about something with more value?" the Lord of Lords smiled.

"What would be more valuable than the chance to learn from one of the eight suns?" the Red Sun shrugged.

"The possibility to become one of the Suns," the Lord of Lords smiled.

"And you're calling me senile and delusional, are you insane? Do you know how difficult it is to become one of the suns?!"

"I know it all too well, Slaughterer, I am after all one of them. But I've seen it, I've seen the potential, I've seen the possibility and I've seen the ninth sun, an emerald colored sun, that shone bright in the high skies, small at first, but domineering and powerful still. However, that is not possible anytime soon, still we must help him reach that stage, must we not?"

"I see no gain to do so…" the Red Sun said.

"Well, think about it, among any of us, who here ventured into the Dark Garden and returned without a headache of sorts, even the Dusking Sun suffered there, and he returned without much to say. Yet, Shen Bao immediately adapted and managed to venture through those lands."

"That still isn't enough, to be a sun one must have power and territory, power comes with time and learning, but which land would Shen Bao could even, rule over that won't be taken away from him the moment he claims it his? He isn't strong enough to protect it, and we as Suns have no say and are forbidden from assisting and helping him keep his land. Also I'm not giving him a single inch, he's too malicious!" said the Red Sun.

"No need to act based on emotion, Slaughterer, he won't take your daughter that's for sure, as for land, well, he can take the Sea of Demons. None of us want it anyway," the Wisest Sun shrugged.

"That's not a land worth even considering, otherwise the other suns would have claimed it. It's a forbidden area, void of life, and has nothing but trouble in it. Not to mention, someone already is acting as an Emperor there, I'm not dealing with matters of people below our level so even if you promised him that land, he would need the power to take over," the Red Sun replied.

"That is in fact a hurdle that he'll have to manage himself, but if we say that that land is the reward who in their right mind will disagree?"

"That is just oppressive and in a sense interfering with people below the Sun level… don't you fear that one of our more powerful followers would just come out and take it from him?"

"Not if we make a rule stating that the land must not be touched or attacked for a certain amount of time. How does a hundred years sound?" asked the Lord of Lords. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"…"

"That's not even worth a blink of time," replied the Red Sun.

"Do you honestly believe so? You have seen Shen Bao's ability."

"The Emperor there will not give up his reign for free," said the Red Sun.

"As I have said, that will be the winner's problem," the Lord of Lords answered.

"I don't think that's enough for Shen Bao, he would rather not get into trouble," the Wisest Sun replied.

"That is why I'll add another condition. The ability for the Sea of Demons to self govern. Once someone decides to join the Sea of Demons, they won't need to have any of the eight suns's stamp. They can freely and without any repercussion join the Sea of Demons," the Lord of Lords said.

"A lot of people will not like that, giving away one's force is dreadful, also I don't see how that is helpful to Shen Bao," the Red Sun said.

"I periodically peak to the Vast Expanse, and I've noticed that many of his friends are at the cusp of reaching the Emperor stage. Shen Bao's journey to the Beyond had pushed his friends past their limits and they're almost at the level of joining the Beyond. Shen Bao would rather have his friends join him than be slaves and hostages at another nation, don't you think?"

"That… might actually be a good idea, let's see, what if we add more treasures and rewards. I do have a garden I've been tending to, he'd enjoy the herbs…"

"You're all speaking as if Shen Bao would win the tournament uncontested, there are many monsters in the Beyond that outrank Shen Bao…" The Red Sun said.

"Indeed there are, but the limitation to the Void Stage should be enough for him to take on most of them."

"You do know the limit to Cultivation isn't enough to subvert the difference in age and experience," the Red Sun said.

"That's what I'm actually hoping for. Since Shen Bao would have an interesting advantage over many of his peers, after all, what many think of as nothing but tools for Shen Bao would come to haunt them when they realize the deadliness of these tools. Especially since the Dusking Sun had given him a very generous gift."

"Well, I'll inform my underlings. If he accepts the terms, we'll setup the tournament at the last week before the Endless Night starts."

"Indeed, there isn't much time left. It would be helpful if Shen Bao would intervene in the matters of the Sea of Demons before the Endless Night starts. Many lives would be lost once that happens, I always hate that period of time," the Lord of Lords sighed.

And for a second you could sense it, an incredible bloodlust was being projected from this sword giving off a deadly feeling for anyone who dares harbor any ill intentions toward the sect.

11:21

"It is but a part of our lives, many of those nights had went by, if only we could find the reason for the Sea of Demons to vaporize… but none of us could even go to the third level of the Dark Garden, the suppression is stronger even, for us," sighed the Wisest Sun.

"Did your Law and Domain study bear any fruits?" asked the Lord of Lords.

"Nothing much, the interference is too powerful to get a proper read on it. But with time I could probably figure out the reason for this…"

"Anyway what's going on with Shen Bao right now?" asked the Lord of Lords.

The Red Sun closed his eyes for a second and opened them, "They just arrived to my Sect, it should be interesting to say the least to see their reaction," he said as he placed a spherical object that began projecting what was going on in the sect of the Red Sun.

***

"Well, that's something I guess," I said as I was peering over the Slaughter Sect.

We had arrived at the top of a cliff that peered over a massive open field. The field itself was barricaded by massive mountains that acted as a natural wall. As for the field in between these mountains, it was an open plain that spread from one base to the mountains to another, with one single river crossing in the middle of it.

The mountains themselves had hundreds of thousands of caves carved into them, where you could see cultivators wearing full red robes moving about. Massive arenas and training grounds spread all over the sect, and in the middle of all of that was a stone sword that stood tall against the wind and breeze. It didn't even have a single scratch on it, albite being probably the oldest thing here.

At the hilt of this sword the words written on it said, Slaughter.

And for a second you could sense it, an incredible bloodlust was being projected from this sword giving off a deadly feeling for anyone who dares harbor any ill intentions toward the sect.

"Welcome to the Slaughter Sect," said the herald. "I hope you'd enjoy your stay." He said.

"It looks simple enough," said old Fu.

"It is because we don't seek the fragilities of life. We seek to understand the Dao of Slaughter, and it needs nothing but the will and perseverance to seek this Dao unperturbed by the rules of the world," he added. "Please follow me, I'll take you to the guest house, a few elders have already been informed of your presence and some servants will be supplied to you to make your stay more enjoyable," he said.