Chapter 9: Organ Refining Level
“This is how you talk to your elders? Where are your manners, Zen?” chided one of the elders frowning.
“Hold your tongue!” Zen snapped,“When my father was killed, the third, fourth, fifth branches… the entire Luo Clan, what were you doing? My father was good to all of you, always. How can you be so ungrateful? All of you were accomplices in his murder!”
announced Zen in a sharp, angry tone. His grievance had simmered for two years, turning to hatred in the darkest recesses of his hardened heart. And now, it was erupting. His eyes were full of icy disdain as he took a long look around the place. As his gaze met each person there, they turned their heads or looked down to avoid his gaze.
Ken didn't want to talk about this anymore. “Cut the garbage, brat. Let's get down to business. Tell you what, turn over the refining method, and I promise you will have a quick and painless death. Your body will remain whole, and you can even have a plot in our clan graveyard. How does that sound to you?” he threatened. The next moment numerous hair-like lines of purple light lit up on his arms, scattering into the air.
“You want to know my refining method? Ha! Dream on!” With that, Zen kicked off hard against the arena's edge to propel himself into a sprint. It seemed his only choice would be to fight his way out, since he wouldn't be able to walk out of here.
Although Zen was fast, Ken was faster. He was after all a famous expert, and he was able to remain at the organ refining level for a long time. He moved swiftly, with a purple shadow. He stopped Zen easily. “You are too green, boy. There is no way for you to escape. I'll give you another chance to turn over your refining method! Or I will make you wish you were never born, but, you will suffer before that! Then, when I am finished, I tear you to pieces and burn you until you are nothing more than ashes.”
“Idiot off!”
replied Zen as he swung to punch Ken.
As Zen's fist came closer, Ken brushed it aside effortlessly, avoiding the brunt of the punch. As he did, Ken twisted to land dozen of blows over Zen's torso.
“Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Boom! Boom! Boom ...”
Being much stronger than the Luo children, the swing Ken took at Zen came at a far greater force. A man fighting at the level of organ refining had three times the strength of those at bone refining level.
The terrifying force as the fist slammed into Zen flooded his body. Within a few seconds pain turned into a familiar warm current, and even though his body was transforming the power lightning fast, there were too many powerful punches and they exceeded Zen's limit. The untransformed forces were damaging him.
“Aah!”
Zen screeched as his body was thrown to the ground. As he rolled and got to his feet, Zen spat out a mouthful of blood.
Seeing that Zen was able to get to his feet even after the clobbering Ken just gave, made his heart jump. “Amazing! Your skills in self-protection are amazing. Just tell us how, and I might let you live.”
“Ha! Why would I believe you? Lying comes as easy as farts slip out for a man like you. I would never believe a word that falls out of your mouth.” Zen countered while trying to steady his labored breathing. There was an incredible sensation of relief filling his body. It was as if the beatings Zen took from Andrew and Ken had washed the impurities out of his bones completely.
After a month of beatings, Zen had reached the summit of the bone refining level, and lately, he noticed that his progress had slowed down. Day after day he was becoming stronger which meant the demand for that warm current kept increasing. Very soon those children's beatings wouldn't be able to satisfy his body.
Now, the beating he just received was turning into a warm current, flooding his body and washing out what remained of the impurities in his bones.
Every bone was refined and strengthened.
Savoring the spiritual feeling, he became reinvigorated as though he was in tune with his bones and each of them was at his command. As his bones became refined and stronger, Zen's breathing changed too. Every inhalation and exhalation now took half time more than before. He now could take a very long breath. With each breath, his body was cleansing itself.
This was the sign he had achieved the level of organ refining!
As the strong power rushed through his body, his heart was singing with joy, but he managed to keep a straight face, giving nothing away.
“Well, you are a tough one! Let's see how well you hold up with a few hours of interrogation.” Closing in on Zen again, Ken intended to capture him this time.
At that moment, things took an unexpected turn.
The instant Ken got close enough, Zen's fist shot out as fast as a lightning bolt at Ken.
The blow came out of the blue, catching Ken full in the face.
When Zen entered the organ refining level, he gained better control of his bones and was able to summon more strength than earlier. But since Ken was unaware of it, he underestimated Zen's capability.
The blow Zen delivered sent Ken flying back 30 feet. He landed heavily on the floor and rolled several times before he was able to regain his balance and scramble back to his feet.
“You! You are in the organ refining level!” said Ken while pressing his hand tightly against his chest and blood gushed out of his mouth. There was disbelief written all over his face.
Zen sneered coldly at him.
Glancing over at the rest of the men, he challenged,“Who else dares to try and stop me?”
Standing straighter, Zen no longer masked his power.
Silence fell over the yard, no one moved or even breathed for fear of making a sound.
Since Ken was no match for him, who else could stand a chance?
From a corner came a voice,“I dare,” someone said,“and will.”
The crowd parted and a middle-aged man stepped out. He had a charming face, was dressed in brilliant white and moved with the grace of an immortal.
“Bryson Luo!”
spat Zen frowning when he saw the man approaching.
Right at that moment, his oldest uncle, Bryson, was the last person he wanted to face. Bryson was the mastermind behind his father's death. His younger uncle Ken was just an accomplice.
With Bryson's appearance, an obvious strain fell over the yard. Zen bent his knees slightly, putting every muscle and bone in his body on alert.
Bryson had achieved a level far above the marrow refining level. He hadn't reached the nature level yet, but Bryson was only half a step until he reached it!
Zen just reached the level of organ refining. There was the whole marrow refining level between them!
It was an unbridgeable gap, and they weren't in the same league.
But Zen wasn't about to give up!
If he didn't have it in him to fight, he would have caved two years ago.
Fate had pitied him, giving Zen one chance to turn his life around. He wouldn't die here. Zen had to seize the opportunity. Zen frantically pumped himself up. His desire to survive flared up inside him.
Zen remained silent as he took a deep breath. Without any preamble he mustered all his strength and broke into a desperate run.
But, before he could get even a 20-foot lead, a sword covered in a purple light shot out of the sky in front of him and cut deeply into the earth, blocking his way.
Twisting to avoid the sword, Zen changed direction in a flash, but, as he did, another sword appeared in front of him. One after another sword plunged into the earth, blocking his way, and forcing him to step back.
The expression on Zen's face was grim as he was forced to back up until he was in the spot he was before. When a person reached the nature level, life energy itself could be harnessed. Since Bryson was only half a step into the nature level, he was unable to control the life energy very well. But, the force of the energy he managed was already horrifying.
With his hands clasped casually behind him, Bryson said,“I spared your life so your branch of the family line could continue. But, apparently you don't know how to behave yourself. You wounded your uncle and tried to flee from your clan. Since you want death so badly, here it is!”
All around swords that had been plunged into the earth swirled up into the air and shot in Zen's direction. Surrounded by swords, Zen's eyes widened. Even though his defense was as hard as a mysterious weapon, Bryson could shred him to pieces as easily as a knife could go through paper.
How could he die here, like this? He wondered as frustration and anger welled up inside him.
Just then, Ken broke in,“Bryson, don't kill him! Not yet.”
Bryson halted the swords inches from their target, and asked,“Why?”
“The kid must have had some special experience. His body is much stronger than ordinary men. And you realize, Perrin and Andrew used Magical Pills so that they can refine faster than normal speed, but even they couldn't compare with him.”
Bryson aimed one sword in between Zen's eyes, and emotionlessly asked,“So, what is your secret?”
Zen sneered. If he was doomed to die here, why should he tell them? He wouldn't say a word.
At that point, the plaque hanging over the door of Luo house exploded. A bronze furnace fell from the sky, crashing to the ground with a deafening clatter. The Luo children automatically covered their ears to shut out the terrible noise.
The furnace hurtled down the steps, sending all the children shrieking as they took off sprinting in every direction.
“Who did this?”
Bryson snorted. All the swords changed targets and shot at the furnace that was rolling.
Bang! Boom! Bang! Clang!
Purple swords hit the furnace, slicing into it, each making a sharp, cracking sound. But the furnace kept hurdling closer, not slowing.
When it reached the foot of the steps, it stopped and made an odd spin on the spot. Then it rolled at Zen. Seeing this, Bryson cursed and turned to grasp at Zen.
The furnace was faster though. When it got close to Zen, a scrawny hand shot out and dragged him inside the metal hull.
“You are not going anywhere!” Watching as Zen was taken by the man inside the furnace, Bryson reached out and caught the furnace by the rim, stopping it on the spot.
Suddenly, the scrawny hand struck again, this time it thrust at Bryson like a sharp talon.
Bryson reacted quickly, backhanding the appendage coming at him. The two hands collided, and the recoil sent Bryson stumbling back several steps. Bryson's face darkened. “Evil Lan?”
Almost immediately an old man leaned out of the furnace. He was extremely thin, his bones standing out against the sunken skin.
His head sticking out of the furnace, Evil Lan laughed,“Ha! Very lucky! Very lucky! This boy has a special scent. A scent that smells just like the weapons I built. He will make the perfect material for my weapon. I will take this boy!”