For the next eight days, Issei continued picking middle-grade spirit grass without stopping. Ever since refining them that first time, he came to the conclusion that it would be more time-efficient to catch all of them first and then refine them continuously.

On Issei's bag, there were already over one thousand and seventy five hundreds spirit grasses. From his estimations, that would be barely enough to fill half of the spiritual power necessary to go up a level.

Yes, half a level. Such an amount could probably make a person of the Elementary Profound Realm go all the way to the True Profound Realm, but Issei? Not even a trifling level.

It had to be said that Issei was simply a machine of wasting cultivation resources!

Issei then sighed as he picked another spirit grass, still in Lightning Incarnation mode.

For the past eight days, Issei didn't even bother exiting the Lightning Incarnation mode. That was because, that was exactly his true form and appearance.

When he enters that mode, the amount of spiritual energy he spends is the same on his normal state. In fact, he had to constantly channel spiritual power in order to keep in check his lightning incarnation.

In order words, his normal appearance was in fact the false one and his true appearance was the one of the lightning incarnation.

Also, when using in the Lightning Incarnation, he had numerous benefits. For one, he could freely control lightning like his own limbs, and his own limbs also gained some properties of lightning.

His limbs would be much more flexible, much stronger and much faster. Furthermore, each attack he sent would be infused with lightning. That was a huge advantage!

But, the biggest advantage of all was that he could use the lightning to sense the environment. By sending lightning to the earth, he could make it search through wide areas in a couple of seconds and then transmit information to him.

That was similar to the spirit sense that people with spirit power had. But, the difference was that they would naturally sense their surroundings, while Issei had to use lightning to do so. Nevertheless, it was still a huge advantage.

Either way, it was because of his constant use of the lightning to scout the surroundings that he was able to acquire so many middle-grade spirit grasses. If it wasn't for that, how was he supposed to search for them when they went underground?

But, all in all, although Issei had many middle-grade spirit grasses in the Sky Poison Pearl, he had only one high-grade spirit grass.

That was because, just as Sa Ji said, the high-grade spirit grass could fight back! Furthermore, its power of the fourth level of the Nascent Profound Realm was no joke. It was only one level below Issei, after all.

Well, although Issei could easily deal with them, he figured that it would be much faster to just catch middle-grade spirit grass. In the time it took to grab one high-grade, he could grab ten middle-grades!

And, in terms of assistance to cultivation, the effects of the high-grade were only the double of the middle-grades ones.

As such, Issei didn't bother much with them and instead focused on the middle-grade ones.

"Well, I'll take a quick rest and then continue," Issei said as he sat down on the ground, not exiting the Lightning Incarnation mode.

Just as he was about to take a short nap, his eyes widened. His lightnings just sensed that someone was approaching area.

"Crap," Issei quickly said as he immediately exited the Lightning Incarnation mode. He had no desire to have his trump card be seen by outsiders, and because of that he only picked areas devoid of people. How was he supposed to expect that someone would actually wonder around there?

Quickly standing up, Issei pretended to be minding his own business as someone emerged from withing the woods.

"Oh? Someone's here?" Issei said in faked surprise, his feminine face seemingly pure and innocent.

"Huh?" The newcomer exclaimed as he took notice of Issei. His first thought was to ask himself what such a cute young girl was doing here.

His second thought was – Jackpot!

"Aiya, what's this?" The newcomer said. He was young man, roughly eighteen years old with short blonde haired and a plain face. There wasn't anything really remarkable of him aside from a scar that ran through from his left eye down to his chins.

"What are you doing here, little girl?" The newcomer asked once more as he walked closer to Issei.

Issei, on the other hand, clenched his fist lightly. It was starting to bother him a little. Why must everyone mistake him for a girl?! Even him had his pride as a male! That was simply trampling on his masculinity!

Sighing to calm himself down and once more making a vow to look manlier, Issei managed to show a bashful smile as he said, "This Junior Brother is Issei, a new inner disciple. I wonder who Senior Brother is?"

The newcomer, who was approaching, stopped dead on his tracks. His eyes widened, "Junior Brother? Inner disciple?"

After thinking a little, he finally remembered the news of the eleven years old who won the tournament that happened not too long ago.

Could it be him? He asked in his heart as he eyes Issei carefully. Well, not that it matters. I'll just do what I always do and be on my way.

Extending his left hand, a haughty expression appeared on his face, "Well, Junior Brother, I must say that you are really unlucky to have met with me, Wu Hai, today."

Widening his eyes a little in surprise and looking at his extended hand, Issei had a feeling that things would no end well. "Unlucky? Why?"

Smiling darkly, he said, "Well, I'm in a need of spirit grass, and you seem to have some with you, so hand me your cosmos sack and I'll be on my way. Otherwise, you die," He said calmly, as if he had rehearsed that speech before. In reality, he had.

As soon as he heard the guy's sentences, Issei's eyes narrowed. Seems like he truly was on spot when he sensed that something was wrong. Taking a small step back, Issei cautiously analyzed Wu Hai. He seemed to be of the seventh level of the Nascent Profound Realm.

"I'm sorry, brother, but I can't," Issei said calmly as he steadily increased the distance between them. Although he was certain that he would win in a fight, Issei wasn't really in the mood for that. Furthermore, he would probably have to silence him later, something that Issei had never done. He was still an alien to the concept of killing.

"Oh?" Wu Hai said with faked sadness, "I see, well, that's too bad..." He muttered before his eyes suddenly grew dark. "I'll take it by force them!" Immediately pressing his weigh on the ground, Wu Hai dashed forward towards Issei.

"Dammit," Issei cursed under his breath. At the moment, he could easily escape either by using the Third Way Of The Lightning – Movement or entering Lightning Incarnation. Sadly, he could do neither, since that would blow his cover.

He also new that in terms of speed, if he did not use those abilities, he would have no way to outrun this cultivator who was on the seventh level of the Nascent Profound Realm.

At that moment, Issei cursed slightly once more before resoluteness flashed in his eyes. At that moment, he decided to fight!

Bringing out Gan Jiang and Mo Ye, Issei dashed towards the approaching Wu Hai, also employing a martial skill, the Heavenly Strike!

* bang! *

A loud sound reverberated through the forest as they both clashed and were sent flying away in opposite directions.

Issei managed to stabilize himself in air and fall smoothly in the ground, but the same couldn't be said about Wu Hai. He was completely trashed on the ground, his position being so that his head were facing his own buttocks.

Looking over at him, Issei was about to run away but was suddenly stopped by his voice, "Trying to run? Just you wait, I'll call my senior brothers over and they'll deal with you!"

Stopping dead in his tracks, Issei slowly moved back to face him, "What did you say?"

"You heard what I said!" The guy who had just managed to disentangle himself got up from the ground and looked at Issei disdainfully, "As soon as you leave this place, you are dead!"

Looking at Wu Hai and what he said, various thoughts passed through Issei's mind. At the moment, he knew that the guy was no bluffing. That was an instinct that Issei had, and it had never failed him before.

As such, what could he do? The moment he went out, not only him but also Sa Ji could get hurt. Although he was capable of handling someone in the third True Profound Realm from his estimations, who was to assure him that this guy's contacts weren't above that?

At that moment, Issei knew he had only one choice left. It was to kill him!

But, at the same moment, he also tried to fight against that idea. For him, he didn't think that he could take a life. Although he was smart, at heart, he was still young. For a young teen to take a life... that was something difficult.

As he weighed his possibilities, Issei finally came to the conclusion that there was no other option. If he didn't kill this guy, he could end up endangering his and Sa Ji's own life.

Which was more important, that guy or his life? His!

Which was more more important, that guy's or his safety?" His!

Steeling his nerves, a murderous glint shined through his eyes. He had decided that he would kill him! There was no turning back now! It's a swim or sink situation!

Grasping both of his blades in his hand, he took in a deep breath and calmed his mind. He then adjusted his senses and sharpened his thoughts.

At that moment, if anyone were to gaze at him, they wouldn't have the impression of a weak child, but instead they would think that they were looking at an almighty sharp and powerful blade that was just unsheathed.

Twirling Gan Jiang and Mo Ye on his fingers, as if they were dancing a beautiful and deadly dance, Issei took a step forward, his aura of resoluteness increasing.

Seeing Issei walking forward with such conviction, Wu Hai couldn't help but to take a step back, "What are you doing?!"

Turning a deaf ear to his screams, Issei continued walking forward, his blades dancing and dancing as they passed through his fingers.

Then, all of the sudden, they stopped dancing. It was time!

Instantly, Issei gripped both blades and dashed forward like a fierce tiger jumping on his prey. As he ran, lightning built up around him and his blade as he entered the Lightning Incarnation mode!

Just as he was about to clash with the shaking Wu Hai who was so sacred that couldn't even move, both of his arms dashed forward, making Gan Jiang and Mo Ye pierce his heart simultaneously.

Death! In one strike, a life was forever taken!

Issei then watched with both swords still stuck on Wu Hai's body as his soul left his body. His heart stopped beating, the brain stopped working, the blood stopped flowing. Everything stopped once and forever, never to be awaken again.

As Wu Hai's scared eyes grew dark and soulless, Issei's own eyes showed inner struggle.

I actually did it... he thought in surprise as he felt Wu Hai's body fall down towards him.

I killed someone...

I actually killed someone...

I took a life...

In Issei's head, countless thoughts flowed through his mind and heart like a hurricane. They kept coming, each time with more impact and each time, Issei felt a hollowness inside him.

When one kills someone, he doesn't only take one life. They destroy the future of the person, their children and grandchildren that could have existed would die before even living first. It wasn't taking a single life, it was taking many lifes.

When one kills someone, he changes the world. The world that could have been, no longer will be. He changes the future and present, the past becoming history.

Issei at the moment understood all of this, the hollowness inside him growing wider.

Why does it feel so hollow?

Why does it feel so sad?

He had to die, yet... why do I feel like this?

Issei then fell down to the ground. His eyes hollow and soulless as an inner battle took place inside him.

As more and more dark thoughts took control of his mind, he suddenly remembered something that happened some years ago.

He was in his bed, looking over at Shinso who had come to wish him good night. Shinso was about to leave the room, but stopped at the door, looked over at Issei and sighed.

Walking back to the bed, Shinso looked Issei on the eyes.

"Issei, I must tell you something."

"What is it?" The small, eight years old Issei asked in surprise.

"Although it may not make much sense to you now, I feel like it's time I told you something about this world.

"The world we are in is not a kind one. This world abides by the rule of the jungle, the survivor of the fittest.

"This is a world where the strong prey on the weak. A world where the strong are gods and the weak are trash.

"In order to survive in such a world, you must understand something. Killing isn't an option. It's a necessity.

"Only by killing would one be able to rise in power. Don't be afraid to kill..."

Issei: "..."

Seeing his apprentice's blank expression, Shinso sighed, "I don't expect you to understand this right now. You'll understand when you take your first life. Only then would this words make sense.

"Either way, forget about this for now. When it's time, you'll naturally remember it. Good night, Issei."

At the moment, the words didn't make much sense, but to the current Issei, he finally understood.

Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, Issei sat down cross-legged. He then opened his eyes and looked at the corpse of Wu Hai.

At that moment, he understood that in order to be the strongest, he would have to kill! Kill is a must!

One must grow used to it in order to rise in power.

Wu Hai was his first kill, but would definitely not be his last!

At that moment, the war inside Issei calmed down as enlightenment flashed through his eyes. He then begun to meditate.