Forged in Blood and Shadow

Under the silvery glow of the full moon, John sat in a room with Zoe Karen, the table before them laden with food. Zoe Karen broke the silence. "Warrior Jo Lee, I presume you've heard about the state of my Zoe family?"

"If you're talking about the Zoe family master" than yes, John replied, thinking, It's the only thing the servants have talked about since I arrived. He mentally summarized the situation: the Zoe family master lay on his deathbed, searching for a successor. He had three children: Zoe Karen, the eldest; Zoe Loni, the second son; and Zoe Fan, the youngest. Custom dictated that the family head should be a man, so the position should rightfully go to Loni.

However, Loni was a known wastrel, frequenting spring houses and squandering his time. The second son, Fan, had been killed five years ago. The killer was never found, or rather, officially never found. Everyone suspected who was responsible, but without proof, no accusations could be made. Fearing for Karen's safety, her father had sent her away from the Joe dynasty. Now, after five years, the family elders had summoned her back.

Zoe Karen looked at John. "Since you know the situation, I need your help."

"I'm not interested," John interrupted flatly. "I'm only here for the secret realm. Your family affairs are of no concern to me."

"You might not be interested," Zoe Karen countered, "but you are at the Foundation Forging mid-stage. If you want to advance to the Golden Core stage, you'll need a Core Forging Pill. As family master, I can provide you with as many as you need."

John considered this. Core Forging Pills could help refine one's inner qi into a golden core, a crucial step in reaching the Golden Core stage. The offer was tempting. "I might be able to handle a Foundation Forging cultivator at the late stage," he said, "but what if a Golden Core cultivator interferes? That would be suicide."

"Don't worry," Zoe Karen reassured him. "Golden Core cultivators are usually part of sects, and sects don't interfere in family matters."

John nodded. That was generally true. He agreed to help. "What do you want me to do? Should I kill Zoe Loni?"

"No," Zoe Karen said firmly.

"Why not?" John asked, genuinely curious. "He might be your brother, but he clearly killed his own brother. Are you blind to what's right in front of you?"

A flicker of anger crossed Zoe Karen's face. "I know he killed Zoe Fan. That's why I want to kill him with my own hands." She composed herself. "He's not the useless young master he pretends to be. He's a manipulator, using others to do his dirty work. He already has half the family elders on his side."

"What's the cultivation level of these elders?" John inquired.

"They're all at the late stage of Foundation Forging," she replied.

John smiled. "So, why don't we just kill them all?"