~~~

Getting rid of the bodies proves easy.

Big Sister Bai encases them in ice with a mere wave of her hand. By making a fist, she shatters them into tiny crystals that are carried away by the wind and turned into nothing more than moisture. Not even a speck of blood is left on the floor. It is as if those who tried to oppose him never existed.

It is convenient, yet Liu Jin wonders if maybe they should have given the bodies back to their families.

However, what’s done is done.

Those who didn’t try to fight submit themselves to having their dantian destroyed by Big Sister Bai. It is a quick yet violent process. While Liu Jin could create a concoction that could accomplish the same thing if given enough time, it wouldn’t be quick or pleasant. Without Big Sister Bai, this would all be far more complicated and bloodier.

And yet, even with Big Sister Bai’s help, nothing about this is as simple as Liu Jin would like.

“I feel I have been lied to,” Liu Jin says once the members of the Lei Clan leave the room.

“In what way, my lord?” Lei Kong asks, a little confused by his statement.

Liu Jin does not answer right away. He sighs and looks up at the broken roof above his head. That is how Lei Leji left it when he flew out to try to kill them. Liu Jin chose this room for practical and symbolic reasons, but right now, he just appreciates being able to look at the sky.

It looks so free and peaceful that he cannot help but envy it.

“Every high-level cultivator I have met has been so sure of themselves it is infuriating,” Liu Jin says, still looking up. He can see the faces of various people reflected in that empty sky: Elder Xue, Elder Xun, Xun Huwen, Murong Bang, Patriarch Feng, and more. “It’s the most unbearable arrogance imaginable, and yet… I felt a little jealous of them for it. To be so sure of yourself is an amazing quality. I thought…”

He raises his hand and reaches toward the sky. His fingers close around nothing but air.

“I thought taking a step towards my Dao would also make me a little more sure of my own choices. It hasn’t.”

Hollow. The word echoes inside his mind.

Is that the answer he arrived at?

“I apologize, but I do not know what to say, my lord,” Lei Kong says, bowing his head. “The things you ask about are beyond my knowledge. This Lei Kong does not even know what his Dao is.”

As one, Liu Jin and Lei Kong turn to Big Sister Bai.

“Would you say having a map and arriving at a destination are the same thing?” She asks them.

“No,” replies Liu Jin as Lei Kong shakes his head.

“Well, there you go,” Big Sister Bai tells them. She gives a slight shrug. “Even saying you have a map with you is too much. At best, you have gained direction. Having direction and reaching a goal are not the same thing. Your journey is just beginning.”

“I see.” Liu Jin closes his eyes and sits straighter. “Thank you, Big Sister Bai.”

“It is my pleasure.”

Liu Jin turns to Lei Kong. “Call in the next group.”

~~~

The group of people assembled before him is much larger than the previous one. These are not the strongest fighters of the Lei Clan or its leaders. They are just the rest. A collection of men and women who all share the same family name. Some because they were born with it. Some because they changed it after marrying.

“I’ll try to make this as simple as possible,” Liu Jin says. He does not try to sound menacing, but several people flinch at the sound of his voice.

Sadly, he’s starting to become used to that.

“Lei Leji is dead,” Liu Jin says. “Your strongest fighters and elders are either dead or recovering from having their dantian destroyed. They cannot help you.”

“General Murong will not let you get away with this!” one brave Lei shouts. He’s younger than the rest, perhaps only twenty.

However, it’s only he who is brave. Those around him immediately urge him to quiet down. The Lei next to him even forces his face to the ground and apologizes for him.

“Why should he alone apologize?” Liu Jin asks not just the young Lei but the entire room. He points to the young Lei. “He might have said his name, but you’re probably all thinking it. General Murong is an Emperor Realm cultivator. Surely, he’ll eventually show up and put this upstart in his place.”

Liu Jin pauses, allowing the unease in the room to grow before continuing.

“That will not happen,” he says. “You think Murong Bang will save you because you are allies, but how can you call yourself allies of Murong Bang when you have been stealing from him all this time? Oh yes,” he adds when he sees the confusion growing among the gathered Leis. “Some of you might not know this, but your whole clan has been lying about how much money you have made from selling slaves. How do you think Murong Bang will react to that? Will Murong Bang call you allies still? Or will he call you thieves? Do you think Murong Bang is nice enough to merely cut off a thief’s hand? Well, do you?”

“I…. we didn’t know,” shouts one pale Lei man near the front. Several others nod and voice similar words. “The clan leader and the elders… they handled the trade.”

“Can you begin to comprehend how little Murong Bang will care for that excuse?” Liu Jin asks them. “Do you really think he’d hesitate to kill you all?”

Someone whimpers. The room is suddenly colder in a way that has nothing to do with Big Sister Bai.

To be honest, Liu Jin is unsure if Murong Bang will react negatively when he discovers that the Lei Clan has been lying to him, but he needs the Lei Clan to believe that would be the case. It will make things much easier going forward.

Considering the sort of person Murong Bang is, he might approve of such daring.

Considering the sort of person Murong Bang is… he might have known about it all along.

Liu Jin frowns.

There are many things Murong Bang might have known from the start.

“I am not Murong Bang,” Liu Jin says. “The idea of killing an entire clan does not fill me with joy. Enough people have died today. There is no need to add to their number.”

The atmosphere lightens for an instant.

Liu Jin’s eyes narrow. His Qi raises sharply.

“I am not Murong Bang,” he repeats, “and so, I am not fond of what your clan has been doing.”

His gaze sweeps over the room, meeting every single pair of eyes there, be they scared, angry, nervous, or all three.

“I see before me a family that has made itself rich by making others miserable, strong by making others weak,” Liu Jin says. “You betrayed the people you were supposed to rule over. Sold them like cattle. What do you have to say or yourselves?”

“Merciful lord, please! We didn’t know! We thought only war prisoners and bandits were sold!” someone says desperately. Others quickly join in.

“I didn’t know either!”

“I’m a Lei by marriage only, lord! No one tells me anything!”

Again and again, they plead. They claim ignorance, naivety, and stupidity. They blame their overly trusting natures and limited intellect.

“You did not know,” Liu Jin says. He speaks softly, yet the room immediately quiets down. “Right. That explains everything. None of you ever went to Rainstorm City. None of you ever went to Port Blue Bolt and saw the shipments. You are all here wearing fine robes and jewelry, yet you never wondered where all that money came from. You all assumed just that was your right. Some would say that’s the natural order of things. Murong Bang certainly would. Winners cannot exist in a world without losers. Isn’t that right?”

They do not answer him.

They do not dare to. Because what are they now but a gathering of the defeated?

“You will not be dealing with slaves anymore,” Liu Jin says. “In any capacity.”

“What?!” cries one of the older Leis present. “But without the trade-”

“You will be at a high risk of running out of funds because you never bothered developing in other ways. I know. I have seen your books. I have seen your land,” Liu Jin says sharply. The old Lei shivers at his tone. “Do not assume me to be ignorant. I know all that, and I am still telling you to do it. That will be the way of things from now on. I will tell you what to do, and you will do it.”

It is not something Liu Jin is looking forward to, yet it is the solution he has come to. Killing the Lei Clan is not an option. For all he has spoken about how little Murong Bang would care for them, Liu Jin doubts he can completely remove the clan from power. The Lei Clan must exist within the structure Murong Bang has created.

Since Liu Jin cannot leave the Lei Clan to their own devices, what else can he do but take responsibility for them?

Take responsibility…

Liu Jin almost cracks a smile. It almost sounds noble when he puts it like that, yet what is this but conquering by any other name?

“Does anyone have any objections?” He asks.

They don’t. Or at least, none dares to voice them. Perhaps, some are still hoping for Murong Bang to kill him. Perhaps he will.

For now, the Lei Clan is his.

“You can leave now, but I will have more announcements later,” Liu Jin says, waving them away. “Gather your children and send them here. I will see them next.”

“No!”

A single woman throws herself in front of him. Her reaction is the most extreme, but by no means is the room untouched by Liu Jin’s last declaration.

“My lord, please!” the woman cries with her forehead touching the floor. “Not my child, please! Not my child! He’s only a boy!”

“Only a boy,” Liu Jin echoes, standing up and walking to her. He kneels down and forces her tear-stained face to look at him. “How many children do you think your family has sold so far? How many do you think are already dead? Do you imagine their mothers pleaded as you are doing now? Do you suppose their children cried? Do you think their pleas were heard?! No. You never spared a thought for them, did you? Not a single one. Not one of you did!”

His voice rises by the end, genuine frustration seeping in. The woman can only sob.

“And yet, you can beg for your child. Of course, you can. What mother wouldn’t?” Liu Jin stands up and looks at the others. “And what of the rest of you? Do you think yourselves too proud to beg, or do you believe me so cruel that I wouldn’t care?”

Liu Jin does not wait for an answer.

“Rejoice,” he says joylessly. “Because I’m not the sort of monster who’d hurt children. Your children, all your children, will be safe.”

He covers his face.

“Get out of my sight.”

~~~

It takes over half an hour for the children of the Lei Clan to be gathered and brought before him. No doubt their parents were giving them warnings and instructions before sending them off. That gives Liu Jin enough time to calm himself down.

For a moment.

“What exactly am I supposed to do here?” Liu Jin asks, not bothering to keep his thoughts to himself.

“Is there a problem, my lord?” Lei Kong asks.

“Is there a problem?” Liu Jin echoes. He shakes his head and laughs before pointing at the corner. “What is he doing here?”

The baby Liu Jin is pointing out giggles, wiggling his little arms and legs. The maid carrying him urges him to quiet down, but the baby just keeps giggling, amused by a joke everyone else is too simple-minded to understand.

“You did say you wanted every child of the Lei Clan brought here, my lord,” Lei Kong says.

“So they send the baby as well. Of course. I suppose I cannot blame them.”

The maid pales as Liu Jin stands up and walks to her, but she does not dare move.

“Hey! Leave my nephew alone!” shouts one of the braver kids, taking a bold step forward even though his body trembles like a leaf.

“Be at ease, child,” Liu Jin says, fighting the urge to roll his eyes. “I am not going to do anything to him.”

Child. Who is Liu Jin to call him that? To call anyone that?

And yet, though the young man who glares at him might very well have seen fifteen or sixteen springs, Liu Jin can only see him as a child.

It is not that Liu Jin feels mature.

He just feels old.

“It’s okay,” he tells the maid, holding his arms out. “I won’t hurt him. You have my word.”

The maid looks at him hesitantly before giving him the baby. Rather than crying, the child laughs and wiggles in Liu Jin’s arms. He’s small, soft, and a little chubby.

A child. Just like any other. Being born a Lei did not change that.

Liu Jin sighs and hands the baby back to the terrified maid. “Go and take him to the nursery. There is no need for him to be here.”

The maid does not need to be told twice. She rushes out of the room as if fleeing for the baby’s life.

“Now, for the rest of you,” Liu Jin says, looking at the children of the Lei Clan. There are nearly two dozen of them. Like their parents and uncles before them, they all collectively flinch.

“To be honest, I am half tempted to tell you this is all Murong Bang’s fault,” Liu Jin tells them.

They blink.

“You’d probably believe that. Who wouldn’t believe Murong Bang is somehow responsible for their misfortunes?” Liu Jin says as he sits down. “He’s the one who sent me here after all. Why wouldn’t I be acting under his orders?”

There is a moment of silence. The children of the Lei Clan do not know how to react. Their parent’s warnings clearly could not predict his ramblings.

Liu Jin can only smile sadly.

“However, that’s not the case,” Liu Jin says at last. “No one told me to have your Clan Leader killed, but I did. No one told me to cripple some of your family members and kill others, but I did. I could tell you they were evil men, but why would you listen to a stranger badmouth your family? I wouldn’t.”

Liu Jin hangs his head.

“How many of you here hate me? How many of you had parents or uncles among those I killed? Did I kill someone’s grandmother?”

No one raises their hand. No one is foolish enough to volunteer that information.

“How many of you are thinking about killing me?”

Again, no one replies. Liu Jin chuckles.

“How merciful of you,” Liu Jin says. “Very well, I won’t tell you not to hate me. It wouldn’t serve any purpose. You are all free to try to kill me whenever you feel ready, and I will try not to take it personally. In the meantime, I hope to change your mind. Those of you younger than thirteen will stay here. The rest, I will take with me.”

“You’re making us hostages!” one of the older children yells.

“That’s one reason I will take you with me,” Liu Jin admits, nodding. What point is there in denying it? “Another is that I believe it will do you good to be away from your family’s influence for a while. However, I am not cruel enough to separate the younger children from their parents, even if that probably would be for the best.”

“Don’t say bad stuff about my dad!” shouts a young child. He is so short he doesn’t even reach Liu Jin’s waist.

Liu Jin can only smile at his daring.

“I will not speak ill of them in your presence again,” Liu Jin promises. His smile fades. “However, my mind is made up. All those of you who are thirteen or older, pack your things and say your goodbyes. When I leave Thunder Blade Fortress, you will be coming with me.”

~~~