Chapter 175 - Jake Returned

Jake was just standing after he killed the old man. And slowly, he lost his balance and then immediately took it back. His face turned puzzled and he looked around. He was clueless about what happened.

Fortunately, Jake got his consciousness back. The mysterious unkillable self of his suddenly disappeared and brought back the original version of himself. 

He was agape when he saw the corpses lying on the ground. He tried to check if some of them still had their lives, but he discovered that everyone was dead.

He tried to assess things and determine what had happened. And when his attention was laid on his bloody body, he already had an idea. 

"I was sure that I had died. Yet, I am still alive and kicking. Should I think that I was unkillable?"

Jake took a pause and then continued his rumbling. 

"Yes, I think that is what happened here. And when I came back to life, I suppose, I wasn't myself." Jake was sure of this time.

He let out a sigh and said, "I guess I am indeed powerful. But, it is just a shame that I wasn't able to see their despaired faces. That was the best in fights after all."

Jake knew that he still didn't have cultivation and when he discovered it, he wasn't concerned about learning or even trying to acquire it. He was already content with the benefits of his book.

He walked, then left the corpses and went out of the mansion. And as he felt the breeze of the cold wind, he knew that he had already completed another mission.

Feeling the breeze was his indication. Before missions, he would feel thrilled and would burn his body with his own blood, but when he felt the coldness of the wind, he knew that the burning blood had disappeared. By this time, he was already satisfied.

Jake celebrated it along the way back to their estate. As he returned, he was greeted by some people. They saw his body covered in blood, but as time passed by, they were already used to it.

The dried blood stuck to his skin.

Jake knocked on the door of his master. And when he was given permission to enter, he slid the door open and entered.

The master's eyes turned bewildered. His lips were saying that he was out of words, unable to express himself. His master was just frozen.

"J-Jake?"

Jake smiled and then announced, "I got the mission completed, Master!"

His master showed a confused and surprised expression, but Jake disregarded it and just showed how proud he was. That mission was certainly difficult to succeed in, yet he was able to win it. And just by it, he was waiting for his master's praise.

"Master?"

Jake waited for the praise, but his master wasn't talking. 

His master flinched and then looked at him. He bitterly smiled and then scratched his nape and said, "That is good to hear. I was right in giving this mission to you, Jake. Keep up the good work."

Jake smiled widely and then bowed at his master. He then showed his beaming face.

"Master, I killed 100 Master Spirit Realm cultivators. Aren't I strong?"

His master took a gulp and then replied, "Y-Yes. You are strong, Jake. In fact, you are the strongest of all of the men I had before."

"Master, if you don't mind. Could I show you what I did there? I learned a new move and it was strong. I think I can slash someone with just my hands. It was like a sword."

"You know, Jake, I am still surprised, so could you please leave the room first and let me think?"

Jake retracted and was slightly confused by his master's small aggressive tone. But then, he just sighed in dispirit. 

"Okay, Master."

He then left the room and didn't see that his master was enraged about what he had just learned.

"What happened to them? Did Jake really kill them?" He was trying to contemplate, but every second he could remember Jake's body covered in blood, he could not help but be nervous.

"If he killed them, then the secret sect would have ceased to exist. This is not a good sign. We would follow the Northern Alliance's authority if that happened."

***

Jake was already in his room, but Lara suddenly visited him, wearing her worried face. She paced slowly to Jake's bed and sat, then looked at him.

"Jake, can you please stop listening to Father?"

Jake only looked at Lara with a perplexed expression and snorted to set it aside. 

"Why would you still continue pushing that idea, Lara?" Jake asked, then fixed his things. He took a clean cloth and removed the bloodstains that were making his skin red.

Lara let out a sigh and said, "My father was only using you. You know that and I think you are just ignoring it intentionally."

Jake stopped and looked at Lara with a slightly frustrated face. "Please stop, Lara. Nothing will change my loyalty to your father."

Lara snorted, then stood up. She approached Jake with an infuriated look on her face. And when she arrived in front of Jake, she pushed him into the closet.

"You don't understand it, do you? Why are you being ignorant?"

"I don't understand what you wanted to say, Lara. Please enlighten me." 

"My father is only using you. He doesn't even care if your missions are dangerous or could kill you."

Jake shook his head and intently looked at Lara. "It is because he knows that I am stronger than any normal cultivator. Even without Qi, I can still overpower them."

"And do you think he did not think of exploiting your ability and your ignorance? Please listen to me."

Lara had already matured enough to think of this as her life was constantly surrounded by threats and fights. However, Jake was still new to it. He was still overwhelmed by the positive benefits he got.

"Lara, I am only trying to pay for what your father has given to me. This is an act of respect."

"But have you thought that you could get it without Father's help? He is not that deserving of your efforts and your life."

"What are you talking about, Lara? Why do you hardly ever pose against your father?"

Lara let out a sigh of frustration and turned her back to Jake.

"You still don't know Father. He is wicked. That is why people wanted to kill me to take revenge against him."

Jake was caught by surprise and was still in his position. He was blocked, clueless about how to react and what to say to her. He hadn't encountered any of these things before.

"My father is joining a dark sect to overthrow the Northern Alliance regime. That is why he was willing to sacrifice you as the lamb for his application to that dark sect."

Jake bitterly smiled.

"I don't believe you. It is not like that. He was only doing that to lessen the competition."

Lara scoffed hard.

"Competition, my ass. He was only greedy for power. I have noticed this before and I am not turning a blind eye to it. At least with you, I can start with the best possible decision I could make. "

Jake was now confused. He was not smart, but sometimes he was sharp. He may not have been able to discern things, but he knew what people would do in the streets.

It is common for people to trick others, and he has witnessed some in his life. However, he was not sure of the process, which was why he wasn't able to detect that it was happening to him.

He then slowly saw the factors and signs that indicated that he was just being tricked. He was too shocked and stunned to speak. It was as if his trust was being crumbled into pieces.

He felt betrayed, but the denial was there.

"No... that is impossible. I know it. I know that the master won't treat me like that because I saw how happy he was with my results. He was even praising me!"

Lara gave him a bitter smile and said, "That is natural for him to do that because he was benefitting from it."

"Think of what he did, and what you experienced in the missions. I know you will be able to realize and understand it." Lara added.

Jake gulped and was in disbelief. He was now convinced that his master was deceiving him, but he felt slightly pitied as a result. He should have seen it coming before he ended up like this.

He saw hope in his master, but also despair. He was stupid, but ignorance is not a reason, for everything. It is a choice.

"I need to ask Master," Jake mumbled.

"You don't need to. He will only deny it." Lara said, and then added, "It is better if you run away now. It will be better for you."

"No. I want to learn things. I want to clear out things."

"Do you get it now? Jake, thank you for understanding. I am sorry if I dragged you into this kind of life."

Jake then looked at Lara and just shook his head. 

"No. You also saved me, Lara. I am thankful to you as well. Even though I couldn't believe that Master had betrayed me, I won't change my views when it comes to you."

Even though the two of them were still kids, their experience had honed their characters.