Book 1: Slaughter Daoist / Chapter 8 – The Grind

On the first day, Ken has already finished his mission of killing 15 creatures within 28 days, so he has 27 days to improve and do the next mission his master will assign to him.

After getting to stage 8 of the mortal realm, Ken kept on practicing the two techniques, the body technique as well as the sword technique. He familiarized himself with his new weapon. An earth-grade artifact, a high grade at that, could've been sold at an astronomical price if it went to the black market.

Ken never had as important as the sword he held in his hands before aside from his mother's ring which was where his master's leftover soul resides.

"Hey! What leftover soul are you talking about!? Want me to give you something you will regret!?" His master said after it reads his mind.

"Oh, sorry about that master. I'm just wondering how fortunate I am meeting and being your disciple!" Ken saluted. He wholeheartedly believed that without his master, he would've died back then. Without his master, he won't have these fantastic cultivation techniques as well as treasures.

"Well! I'm glad you think of me like that, but you should think of yourself! Improve and you will thank yourself later! I'm just your guide, you create your own destiny! Your choices I won't complain, I can only provide you my view, but your decisions are solely your own, stupid disciple!" His master said.

Ken smiled when he heard his master's words.

>>scene break<<

Deep within the forest, a man and a demonic monster can be seen fighting. It was Ken and a large wolf-like monster.

Both were staring at each other. It's been more than 20 minutes already and the fight had come to a stalemate. Ken never thought that he would've had a hard time killing this monster. He, a stage 8 mortal realm, and the wolf monster at stage 10 of the mortal realm.

Ken realized how lucky he was when he killed those 10 assassins. If they were too careful in dealing with him, the outcome could've been different, and facing the wolf monster, which as speed and power at the same time, made it hard for him to hit and strike a killing shot.

The wolf monster was smart. When Ken initiates the attack the wolf monster immediately evades and at times took open chances where Ken has limited reflexes.

Slash, evade, evade, and evade. This has been the kind of fight the two have been doing the entire time.

"Hey! I'm going to chop you to pieces!" Ken said to the wolf monster.

"Raaawwwr!!" The wolf monster answered back as if it was mocking him for his missed strikes.

"Keh! You will see!" Ken was quite enraged with the wolf monster's reaction; he indeed felt its mocking stance towards him.

Both are already wired enough as no one took action after the bickering.

Silence.

"Grr…." The wolf monster muttered a slow growl while positioning itself into jumping towards Ken.

Ken, on the other hand, held his new sword tightly and prepared to make a counter-attack once the wolf monster attacks. This time, his strike will hit. Ken concentrated and focused on his aura. The sinister aura that he has been practicing the whole time.

Ken has already able to control most of the aura and its mental burden to himself quite well. Nevertheless, it can still affect him in some way.

1 minute, 10 minutes, 30 minutes passed.

Both were at a standstill. No one dared to move. The one who moves first could be at the disadvantage.

"Grrr…."

"..."

And at that moment, an eagle showed up and flew out from a tree near them.

The sound became the cue. Both moved as quickly as possible. The wolf monster pounced toward Ken with its sharp claws.

Ken took all his aura and applied it to his sword strike. A vertical slash towards the head of the wolf monster.

In an instant, both came to pass each other and were already standing on the opposite sides.

"Grrrr…"

"...."

And just like that, they both looked into each other's eyes.

"Gaaah!!!" Ken kneeled. His chest, shoulders, and back were lacerated. Blood was flowing out of them. Ken looked so much in pain.

"Great fight you beast!" Ken said.

"Grrr…." The wolf monster seems to agree.

And then, the wolf monster fainted and went down. Its head has been cut in half.

"Ouch." Ken muttered and fainted as well. He has used so much mental power to control the aura to its highest level as well as exerting too much strength on that final strike.

His master, James, came out of the ring. "Sigh. What gambler. This kid. Well, that's the way you go about it, without pain and suffering, you can't reach the top. This will polish you into breaking the wall of the Dao of Slaughter. Just like him. But unlike him, you're quite lucky you got me."

>>Scene Break<<

When Ken woke up the day after. His wounds were healed already when he checked his body. He knew who took care of him. "Thank you, Master!"

"Oh. You up already? Well, do what you need to do these next few days, you still got 26 days until the next mission." His master said and Ken heard his master's yawn.

He smiled and answered, "Yes, master!"

With that, his days came with the same routine. Hunt and practice his technique. The aura accumulation as well as the release of it with a sword strike. And with multiple practices, Ken could already bear the mental and energy strains when he used them.

He could still feel the drain, but not so much anymore. With the help of his new sword as well as the current cultivation level, he has, the days came by with hunting strong monsters and practicing his techniques, the last day before the new mission came.

He has already reached the peak of his stage 8 mortal realm. Not too far away from stage 9, he kept cultivating while excited about the new mission the next day.

>>Scene break<<

The next day came. And immediately, as Ken opened his eyes, the notification arrived.

[Ding! Mission 4: Kill 20 creatures within 30 days!

Rewards: Mortal Pill x50]

As he read the new mission and turned to the reward part, he was shocked! 50 Mortal Pills!

That's a lot! Even at the palace, they can only get 2 pills per 6 months as an allowance and 10 pills per year for those who have shown great talents!

He never even had one before!

How extravagant!

"Tsk, stupid disciple! It's just mortal pills! Anyways, finish the mission so you can focus on your cultivation!" His master said.

"Yeah right. Master was a God-like existence in the past, you never think of such trivial items, unlike us mortals!" Ken mocked himself.

"That's because all of you are frogs in the well and that's why. You should focus on getting stronger so you can get out of the well. You'll see what I'm talking about." His master added.

"Alright!" Ken readied himself and took out a monster from his ring and prepared to cook it and ate it.

Once he was done, he went back deep into the forest to hunt monsters.