CHAPTER SIX

Fear birthed inside my head. He found me out! He must have come inside and I was still cultivating! I’m screwed, all of that luck, being named Inheritor all for nothing! Everything ends today!

“What did you meet in the forest?” Denom’s brown eyes glued onto me, both shock and interest were on his face. Strangely enough, there wasn’t any anger. Maybe, just maybe, there’s still hope for me.

I begin to open my mouth, but then it hits me. What did I meet there? Can I really explain to him I’m some kind of son of the Emperor of Heaven? That I’m supposed to “inherit” the position of the strongest Immortal to live? Explain to him that I witnessed the First Revolution in Heaven? How would I even start? Where would I even begin?

“Know what. Never mind, whatever you met there was your good fortune. Most importantly, you have a cultivation manual.” Denom’s expression changed to a frown. Trepidation rose within my heart.

It was at that moment, those few seconds with Denom’s eyes looking at me, that I felt true killing intent. It was my first time, and within his eyes came out a sharpness that stabbed me in place. I felt like a blade was looming over my head and if Denom chose my life would be over in a flash. Absolute fear rose in my heart, and it was the time I realized that my life was nothing but a speck of dust.

Watching an Immortal War, being named Inheritor of Heaven, it really does something to your confidence. I didn’t know it at the time, but I felt invincible in my heart - as if my destiny was already determined. But that single look from Denom, that killing intent which froze me in place and stabbed at my brain and confidence destroyed it. That look that birthed fear within me and erased all sense of invincibility that was there. I realized, Inheritor or not, killing me would be almost too easy for Denom.

“Wa-wait, listen. Don’t you want to get your revenge? Don’t you want to take out your ‘competitor’? You’ve already reached the end of your cultivation, but I-I can kill him. Whoever it is, I’ll kill them for you.” Despite being unable to move, being frozen in place, I manage to say those words. How dangerous were they, I was basically saying that I am the only one who can kill his competitor - he already failed. But with each word, hate increased within my heart. Oddly, I felt the killing intent decrease around me.

“You? YOU want to kill that man. Maybe if it was yesterday, I would kill you on the spot. Yet now, it may be possible. Whatever you received yesterday, it’s allowing you to absorb Qi from a level of purity I’ve never seen.” Denom seemed to enter contemplation, lowering his head in thought. Meanwhile, I felt the killing intent around me disperse almost as quickly as it came.

“Huff. Huff.” I could breathe once more - I had stopped breathing when he wrapped me in murder. I could feel his eyes glaring into me.

“You know what. You were born with terrible talent, but whatever lucky chance you met has changed you. Hmph, if you were born with decent talent I would have nurtured you to carry out my vengeance. However, it seems only now can you take up that mantle.” He lifted his head, contemplation changing to a frenzied hope. He looks at me, and I can tell he’s betting on me. He’s betting that I’ll succeed, that my “lucky chance” will provide me with enough power to carry out his revenge.

“This lucky chance of yours clearly holds merit; if it can take you to that level it'll be easy for you to kill me. I’ll give you two options. One, allow me to nurture you to be my blade of vengeance. Two, I kill you right now.” Denom looked me directly in the eyes, the killing intent flowing out of him in waves, crashing on top of me and drowning me within. I can feel my hands reaching for my throat, I can’t breathe. I want to scream: YES! YES! I’LL BE YOUR AVENGER!” but under each stifling wave of slaughter intent, I found myself unable to utter a word.

“Well..what’s your choice?” He takes a step forward - I feel another wave of killing intent falls on me. At this point, I doubt my heart is even pumping - one more step will kill me.

But at that point I felt something within me, hidden deep inside of me, push back the killing intent with unrivaled ferocity. I began coughing and breathing again, mystified at what power rejected his killing intent.

“FIRST OPTION! I’LL AVENGE YOU!” Breathing heavily I scream out in vexation. I manage to catch up my breath, looking up at Denom. His eyebrows are raised, he’s surprised at how I was able to resist his killing intent.

“Wise choice. Well then, we shall get started.” Denom sits back down on his wooden chair, I pull one up and sit down adjacent to him. I try my best to maintain composure. After all, I’ll just gain enough power to kill his enemy and then kill him. Win-win, right? I just can’t let him see my boiling anger.

“So, before we start this long journey, we have to make an oath. An Oath to the Heavens.” I’ve never heard of an Oath to the Heavens but it’s quite self-explanatory. The highest level of Oath a person can make.

“Watch. I, Denom Archer, on the will of the Heavens shall never kill Anmos Archer aslong as he kills Elder Morth of the Crimson Blade Sect. Let this be engraved in the flow of time.” He then pricked the tip of his finger, a droplet of blood lying on his finger. He then told me what I had to say.

“I, on the will of the Heavens, shall never kill Denom Archer. I will also kill Elder Morth of the Crimson Blade Sect. Let this be engraved in the flow of time.” I prick myself with a knife, as we both place our fingers together. Magical ripples surrounded me and Denom, causing the tables to shake and the chairs to flip over. The oath is done.

“That’s finished.” Denom clapped his hands, satisfaction evident on his face. He placed all the risk on me; I have to achieve his goals with no chance of revenge. There isn’t any risk for him.

“I’m going to send you to the Azure Melody Sect. They happen to be at odds with the Crimson Blade sect, and it’ll be a good place for you to nurture.” Denom grins at me, he’s still happy about the deal we made. At least the sect will be better than anything Denom has to offer.

Denom got up from the chair. A smile on his face he said, “A carriage should be heading for the sect next week. I’ll have all of the money by tomorrow.” He walked over to his bed and leisurely went to sleep. Like he wasn't affected by anything that happened today.