Hunting the Creator

Chapter 27 Scheme

Rén Ru looked amused, not once missing the expressions from his disciple at the corner of his eye. “Do you believe you could be able to survive being my disciple?

“Yes!” She bowed low, all she wanted was to be able to control her enormous powers, to not hurt anyone that she cared for anymore.

These powers of hers were always her downfall, even when someone was weaker than her she still couldn’t beat them, they held more experience than she did. She needed a teacher, she needed a mentor to help, and from the way this beautiful man stepped forward to protect her, this was the man that was destined to help her get what she needed.

“I don’t see why not.”

“Master!” Wen Wuhan spoke out of turn, he didn’t care of the consequences, he just wanted to save at least one soul from the clutches of his master. “She is of no use to us, she’ll be a burden and get in our way.”

“I won’t!” Pan Yan shouted in resolution, determination in her eyes. “I promise I’ll work twice as hard, I’ll study hard and won’t be left behind.”

“Child.” Rén Ru spoke up with a sinister smile, he got off of his horse and stepped in front of the kneeling girl, he crouched down and raised her chin with his slender fingers as he said. “When becoming my disciple you need to give your entire life to train, not twice as hard, this isn’t a game, this isn’t the great noble schools out there, this is kill or be killed.”

“As you wish, I’ll give my life for your teaching, please help me control my cultivation!” The girl bashed her head down repeatedly onto the floor when Rén Ru let go of her chin.

“So be it, don’t regret it later child.” Rén Ru said as he waved a hand and the girl fell asleep.

“Grab her and take her to the cabin.” Rén Ru ordered as he turned towards his disciple, but his teasing smile turned into a dark and emotionless one. “Next time you speak without being spoken to, there will be consequences.”

“Yes master.” Wen Wuhan kneeled as he nodded, then grabbed the girl and flung her over his shoulder.

He was feeling depressed, the girl will undergo horrible treatment and probably be his test subject for the poisons he makes. He felt so weak, he wants to be stronger, to protect her, when meeting her he felt a pull that made him want to keep her from harms way. But how could he when he couldn’t even stand up to his terrifying master.

“Wen Wuhan.” His master spoke up.

Rén Ru of course knew what this disciple of his was thinking.

“Yes master.”

“Don’t take me for a villain, I am cruel I know. But the world is filled with cruel people, they seek for money and power, as I seek for… Well that doesn’t matter. I just wanted to reassure you that I am not a monster to my people.” Rén Ru didn’t turn back on his seat of the horse to look at his disciple.

But he could tell that he held a complicated look, his feelings and emotions in a bunch as he heard his master speak such odd words for the very first time they’ve been together.

“You’ll grow and grow in power as well one day. And on that day I know you’ll seek vengeance.”

“I would never-“

“Don’t act as if you don’t see a monster. I know full well of your feelings towards me and my acts. One day in the future you’ll surely come for my head, but until then you need to grow stronger, you’ll need to show the world that no one can look down upon you, that no one can stomp on the mighty Rén family. Even if you don’t approve, you are a Rén the moment I took you under my wing. Think well of your training, and grow from the little bud you are, into a terrifying flower.” Rén Ru stayed quiet after that, as well as Wen Wuhan, he didn’t know how to respond and pondered the words.

His master knew of his Intentions, nothing less from Rén Ru. He even knew that he wanted to end his life, yet he still wanted to teach him his ways. Now that he thought of it, this is the most his master ever talked, and he found out then that he knew nothing about him.

He did not know what he did during the days he was not researching, he did not know what he liked to eat or drink, or if he liked drinking alcohol. He wasn’t sure where he originated from or where he was born, he definitely didn’t know where that dangerous looking horse came from, it’s been there since day one. But there was one thing that Wen Wuhan is for certain.

His master Is odd.

-

As they had arrived to the cabin Wen Wuhan carried the still unconscious new disciple to her own room, although not tidy he’ll need to clean it up.

Rén Ru had left directly towards his research room and locked the door behind him. This room was specifically locked and forbidden from anyone entering, even Wen Wuhan. Mainly because he had dangerous things in here, and secondly because he had… Test subjects.

The room was completely sound proof, so if they even tried calling out for help they would fail miserably.

The reason why there was test subjects was mainly because of the train of thought of the original Rén Ru, everyone already thought of him as a monster so why not make it true. The once rumors became reality.

Wen Wuhan knows about the room, he could even hear the screams and pleads at times when his master would leave the testing room. He had tried one time to rescue the poor victims, but the door and the entire room was enchanted by a protective spell that would only activate for his master.

He had been caught by Rén Ru soon after and reprimanded, given harsher training for an entire month. Limited water and even further limited food, he was sure he had lost so much weight he had become nothing but skin and bones. Of course as he was in the brink of death his master had uplifted his punishment and began his training once more with better food.

-

Rén Ru stood before the five people on the floor, chained up with enchanted cuffs and given a pill to sleep when needed so he won’t get a headache from their pleading. Now he needed to think, these five people have been caught by him at different times and been with him for a week now, he still hadn’t tested on them thankfully and have been asking non-stop questions when he was there. Two were noble young men and another two were middle class the last one was a poor peasant with no parents or family.

Rén Ru had gotten bolder as the years went by, not caring now that they had status or a family. Two of the test subjects at the moment were awake, a middle class woman and a noble young man, both looking haggard as they hadn’t been fed properly.

“Sir, why are you doing this? What do you want from us, if it is money then my family will gladly give it to you.” The noble man said.

“Please, I have a daughter and a husband, they’re probably worried sick about me, I need to take care of my babies.” The woman was about to cry from fear at what Rén Ru might do to her, she was of average looks but nonetheless she was nice to look at.

The other three woke up as well, all asking questions. Screaming even as they noticed the many bottles Rén Ru mixed and confirmed.

The only one that stayed quiet was the peasant with no family, his eyes empty as he didn’t care if he lived or not.

Rén Ru finished his concoctions and began to give the potion to the first noble. He struggled but in the end, with the immense pressure that Rén Ru revealed he could only subconsciously swallow the liquid given to him, it was bitter and disgusting.

He did the same for each and everyone, they held different tastes and created different reactions.

“Finally.” Rén Ru cut off everyone who were talking and pleading, begging him to tell them what he had given them.

They all listened to what he had to say, how couldn’t they, if they didn’t they wouldn’t know what he would do to them.

“You have many questions, and I’ll answer every single one of them, but for now I’ll tell you why I’ve brought you here.” Rén Ru said, he had been pondering the fact as to what the excuse he would use to have captured them, and he thought of a gullible but believable excuse. Not only that it was convenient that they had it all in common. “The five of you hold either a blockade in your meridians or a type of sickness. I’ve brought you here to cure you of that.”

“It can’t be done.” One of the nobles spoke up with an aggrieved look. “I’ve gone to the best doctor in the entire kingdom, but they too were at a loss of words.”

“I have too, this sickness in me is unidentifiable, I have gone to every doctor and tried all kinds of pills and remedies, its incurable.” The other noble said as he thought of his sickness.

“Indeed, but you’ve all never met me until a week ago.” Rén Ru stood from his sitting position and began to head towards them. “My methods and techniques are advanced than the others in the entire world. The reason why my name hasn’t been heard was because of my secluded nature and lack of human interaction.”

“If… If what you say is true, then why keep us like this, why starve us in such a manner?” The commoner man asked with a grave look, as if he was wronged.

“The only way for me to treat everyone is to starve you for a week, in doing so the medicine I will gave you will take faster effect, mainly because the body needs food and whatever you take in will be quickly distributed throughout your meridians and veins.”

“Then why chain us up and explain normally, why kidnap us?” The woman asked her face pale as she felt the liquid inside of her have effect.

“To instill fear in a body will create a response to one’s minds, a feeling of not wanting to die, you’ll thrive and create a situation that you need to survive through this for the sake of family and friends. A will to live for example.”

“So the liquid you’ve placed in us, what was it?” The commoner man questioned, he had a faint idea as to what it was.

“The answer to all of your problems.” Rén Ru declared as everyone’s eyes widened.

“That fast?” The noble man looked skeptical.

“Yes, some of your conditions were different, so you’ll need to stay here longer than the other. The first to go will be you.” Rén Ru motioned for the noble man with the meridian problem, with a snap of Rén Ru’s fingers the cuffs fell and the noble man’s hands fell beside him.

“What?” He asked bewildered.

“Cultivate your usual method, you’ll break through instantly.” Rén Ru ordered.

The man felt skeptical but with the little power he held he couldn’t attack seeing as Rén Ru was way stronger than him even if he himself were in peak condition. He sat in a lotus position and circulated Qi through his entire body. A surge of power went through him as his eyes opened wide in astonishment. “Amazing, I’ve been stuck on Earth Advanced Master for five years, no matter how much I cultivated I could never break through.” The man’s eyes reddened, he looked as if he would be a failure his entire life. He just couldn’t believe a man had gone out of his way to help them, but why them? Why now? Why?

The rest were bewildered as well, with the exception of the peasant that still stayed quiet, his head down as he didn’t say anything at all throughout the time they were all arguing.