The days continued to pass by peacefully. So peacefully that Johnny couldn't help but raise his eyebrow and question it.

When Johnny examined his body his eyes widened. His nature was purifying all the dark energy! Johnny was enraged! All that good stuff! Why would you waste it!? He exclaims with frustration.

But when he began to process the situation, he could only let out a sigh. The source of all this dark energy wasn't something that would really hinder him. If he wanted, he could purify it at any time, but he'd rather let it grow and come to fruition; to become a real problem for him.

Unfortunately, his nature reacted instinctively, and although it was slower than doing it directly, it was purifying the energy anyway.

Johnny could only slump his shoulders in defeat. He really thought he could get away with stealing all that bad karma, but it seems he still couldn’t fight against heaven’s rule.

Unsatisfied, Johnny could only go about life dispiritedly; his only source of comfort being Mary Rose.

…

…

It was the evening, and Johnny was cuddled up against Mary Rose, watching tv.

Eventually, he couldn’t hold it in and looked at Mary Rose like a puppy looking for a treat. “So, Mary Rose… We got the money… What should we do now?” He asks.

Laying comfortably on Johnny’s chest, she answers without too much effort, “Hmm. I don’t know. What do you think we should do?”

Johnny let out a bitter smile. “That’s what I’m asking you. Come on, think of something. How else should I exploit my ability?” He asks eagerly.

Mary Rose lets out an amused smile. “You’re making me sound like an evil mistress. What do you mean exploit? Do what you want to do. Don’t ask me.” She says, pulling the blanket up and becoming more comfortable.

Johnny didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry. He could only let the matter go.

“Since we have money, is there anywhere you want to go? We could travel for a few years; it will be fun.” Johnny says.

“Travel? Who can travel? We still have school.” Mary Rose says dismissively.

“But after school.” Johnny says.

“Hmm. I don’t know. How ‘bout we go East? Soak in the culture.” Mary Rose says casually.

“Sure.” Johnny says with a smile.

…

…

Eventually, all Johnny’s hard won dark energy became purified; even the dark energy from the demon became purified. All it did was become additional energy for Johnny’s body.

Johnny hoped that Mary Rose would have another idea and that he could harvest another bout of dark energy. If so, Johnny had ways to turn the dark energy into an amulet. Instead of being purified by his body, he would wear on his neck like a bad luck charm.

Unfortunately, Mary Rose was out of ideas, and Johnny felt a little guilty for trying to use her in that way so he didn’t press the issue.

Johnny could only cross his fingers and wait for another opportunity.

…

…

Summer was starting to heat up and Johnny had finished the last of his exams. Eventually, he graduated with Mary Rose.

After that, the world was their oyster. Johnny was just waiting for Mary Rose to point her finger and he would go wherever she decided.

Mary Rose didn’t disappoint. She pointed East and Johnny went East.

In the East was a country with a long history; its culture was strong and unified the hearts of its people.

To Johnny and Mary Rose there was much to see, but after arriving, trouble soon found them to Johnny’s delight.

At a restaurant, as the couple were having a taste of the local food in the capital, and a man had appeared out of nowhere and kowtowed. “Senior! I beseech you for your assistance!” He calls out in a loud voice, drawing attention from the others in the restaurant.

Johnny raises an eyebrow before letting out a smile. He saw that this man was filled with dark energy. It’s my time to shine! He thinks, happy. “Stand up. What is this about?” Johnny asks.

The man stands up and begins to explain. “Senior! My master and I are cultivators, but recently we have been plagued with bad luck and my master is no longer able to move! He can only sit and await his fate! I saw that senior possesses a bountiful cultivation, so I beseech senior to please save my master!” The man exclaims.

Mary Rose raises an eyebrow. “Cultivation? What is he talking about, Johnny?” She asks, not sure what the man was saying.

Johnny lets out a smile and caresses Mary Rose’s back. “We’ll talk about it later.” He says before turning to the man. “Let us pay first, then we’ll go see your master.” He says.

“Allow me, senior.” The man says with a bow before finding a waiter to pay.

…

…

Johnny looks at the man laying in the bed with his eyes closed. He was roughly 40 years old; he shouldn’t be laying on his death bed, instead he should be at the height of his life, preparing for retirement.

Johnny looks to the middle-aged man, then to his disciple, then he looked around the room. The dark energy was everywhere. “Who did you offend?” Johnny asks, a little shocked.

The man lets out a bitter smile. “I’ll be honest with senior. My master and I are grave-robbers. But we have a long lineage, and are experienced in this matter; in truth, there’s nothing wrong with our methods, the source of this problem should be elsewhere.” He says.

Johnny shakes his head. “I’m somewhat in doubt.” He couldn’t help but say. “To be honest, I could purify all this energy for you, but I feel as if it wouldn’t resolve the matter. This is something stickier; the energy would just re-gather once more if the root isn’t resolved.” He says before deciding. “Show me your spoils.” He says.

The man lets out a sigh. “As you wish.” He says in defeat before leading the pair to the storage room.

Once inside, various objects could be seen, many with an ancient aura, having passed through the vicissitudes of time.

Johnny examined each object closely, going through various rows of them before pointing one out. It was a gold seal with a dragon with four claws. “Where did you get this?” Johnny asks.

The man scratches his face in embarrassment. “It’s from an ancient prince’s tomb.” He says.

“Hmm…” Johnny says before continuing to look through the various objects, occasionally pointing out objects to ask about.

Johnny stops once more and points at another object, feeling the aura was similar to the previous one. “And this?” He asks again.

The man raises an eyebrow as he looks at the gold ring. “This? I think this is from an ancient empress’s maid. She was buried with the empress.” He says, confused why Johnny was bringing it up.

Johnny takes the ring and walks back to the dragon’s seal. Seeing them next to each other, Johnny was sure. Johnny shakes his head. “Walk next to the river and you’re bound to get wet.” He says with a sigh. It truly was not easy to fight against heaven’s rule.

“Did you have this ring with you when you robbed the prince’s tomb?” Johnny asks.

The man takes a moment to think before nodding his head. “Probably. They were in the same area.” He says.

Johnny shakes his head once more. “Honestly, you can trick the heaven’s once, twice maybe. But you guys made a whole lineage out of it. You’re feet are bound to get wet eventually. It would have been fine if you had just robbed this dragon seal, but you even did the deed while bringing the man’s daughter’s ring. You basically announced to whatever spirit lingered there that you had robbed his daughter’s grave.” He says, feeling the matter was natural.

The man’s eyes widen. “Impossible! We’d never make such a mistake! There are no records that the maid was the prince’s daughter!” He exclaims.

Johnny lets out a laugh. “What records? What a man does in the dark is between him and god. This was the needle that broke the camel’s back. After this mistake, it had triggered all the bad karma that your lineage deserved throughout the years. The only reason you’re still standing is because you’re still young. But it shouldn’t be long before you succumb as well.” He announces.

The color drained from the man’s face. “I’ll return the items right away and make an offering to their spirits.” He says, deciding on the matter.

“That will resolve the matter temporarily. But the bad karma from your lineage is still a dam that’s about to break. If you continue in your line of work it won’t be long before its triggered once more. Considering the amount of dark energy, this is probably a matter that has been building up for a while. You can play it carefully, but in the end, it would just be the next generation’s turn to break the seal.” Johnny says.

The man frowns. “What do you suggest, senior?” He asks.

“Stop grave-robbing. I’ll purify this place of the dark energy and use a contract with you and your master as a seal so that the problem won’t resurface. But if either one of you breaks the contract, nothing can be done.” Johnny says.

The man lets out a sigh. His lineage was doomed to end with him. But he could only accept the matter.