Battle Royale of the Sinners

January 21st, 183 A.D.

Tong opened his eyes after meditating all night, trying to pacify his [Sins]. He had to do this every chance he had, or these numbers would not reduce easily.

"Report my [Sin] status," Tong ordered the automatic system.

<<Reporting. The chance of these [Sin] will take over your body is as the following>>

<<Pride = 0%>>

<<Wrath = 15.88%>>

<<Gluttony = 1.46%>>

<<Greed = 0%>>

<<Envy = 0.44%>>

<<Corruption = 13.98%>>

<<Despair = 15.10%>>

<<??????? = 9.62%>>

<<Insanity = 10.75%>>

<<????????? = 18.02%>>

<<If you can suppress your [Pride] two more times, this sin will be deleted>>

<<If you can suppress your [Greed] one more time, this sin will be deleted>>

Tong breathed out a sigh of relief. After he had returned to Julu, his wives did not let him meditate at night at all as they wanted Tong's attention, which put him in a tough spot as he tried to cultivate his mind.

As soon as he broke free from the two wives, Tong happily meditated at night in peace. Thus, his sins slightly reduced as a consequence.

However, Tong still had a troubled look on his face.

'There are too many things that I have to grind. My system skills have to be leveled up. My lamia step transformation has to be cultivated, and my sins have to be controlled. Heck, this is only my private skill management. I haven't included my weapon training and muscle exercises!'

Being a lord and a martial artist at the same time was difficult. Tong was troubled that he did not have enough time for himself lately.

'I wish I have a farm skill like Feihong so I can use the time difference in the farm to train.'

'I can't possibly ask him to donate his skill into the clan either.'

'Can I borrow his skill using the clan donation, soulmate-dual-cultivate with Sunday, then transfer his skill back?'

'Will that bitch Lilim allow this?'

As if Lilim was listening to his thought, she answered.

[You can, but the tax will be ten times the usual if you transfer the same skill back to the previous owner.]

Tong gulped. Donating a skill into the clan asset required 100,000 lifespans as the system tax. Ten times of the one hundred thousand meant Tong would need 1,100,000 lifespans to complete his plan.

"Why do you want so much taxes? Can't you reduce it?"

[I have the universe to manage and two other realms to create, so every lifespan energy is precious. You should be grateful that I'm still giving you a lot of lifespans from the soulmate quest.]

[To be honest, I want to cancel that quest and the soulmate system, but my mother messed up the system so bad that I can't fix anything.]

[Be thankful to my mother!]

'In other words, you want to mess up my life, but you can't do it because you don't know how! What a bitch!'

Tong cursed Lilim in his mind even though he knew that she would hear it.

[…]

[I don't need your praise anyway. Goodbye.]

Lilim cut off the communication, leaving the frustrated Tong alone.

<<Ding>>

<<Warning, your [Wrath] has 16.88% chance to control your body>>

"…"

Tong did not know if the automatic system and his sin was influenced by Lilim or not, but he did get angry by her comments.

'Forget it. I'll get my [Homing Arrow] to max level first, then I'll concentrate on awakening my [Pride] and [Greed] next.'

…

*******************************

[Homing Arrow] LV. 1 (0/100)

- Fire a magic homing arrow at a locked target.

- Convert an ordinary arrow into a magic homing arrow.

- Passive skill [Bow Mastery] will be applied to the host once the skill is equipped.

Skill Cost:

- 1 Lifespan for firing a homing magic arrow with an ordinary arrow.

- 10 Lifespan for firing a homing magic arrow without an arrow.

Skill Restriction:

- Homing effects only apply to a locked target in the range of 100 meters or lower.

- Range restriction depends on the level of the skill

[Bow Mastery] – Bound to [Homing Arrow] Skill. Cannot be leveled up.

- Master any kind of bows.

- The host's dexterity multiplied by 10.

- Upkeep: 3 Lifespan per year.

*******************************

…

Before Tong departed from Julu to Zhongshan, he dual-cultivated with Hua Shi and used this year's soulmate quota to copy her skill, [Homing Arrow].

This skill came with the additional [Bow Mastery] skill as well, so it was a 1+1 promotion for Tong.

Moreover, Hua Shi's skill had not been nerfed by Lilith, and Lilim did not follow through with her mother's work. As a result, this skill was not limited by one-use-a-day and the 2,000 lifespans upkeep a year.

'I need to use this skill 102,400 times to max its level. That's 102,400 arrows and 102,400 lifespans. Or I can be extravagant and spend a million lifespan, so I don't have to bother using an arrow.'

'No, I don't need to max its level for it to be useful. Level 6 or 7 should be more than enough. I think the range at level six is about 350 meters? There is also multi-shot that Sunday used.'

'Well, enough thinking. Time to train! Come on, real life grinding!'

Tong exited his room and went to train with the army.

…

That day, everybody in the army witnessed Tong randomly shooting light arrows. Several veteran soldiers also recognized the signature Goddess of Death.

"Our young master is using his wife's arrows?"

"They're family. Why can't they use the other's ability?"

"Now, we have the God of Death instead of the Goddess."

"Hahaha! That's a nice one!"

The Yellow Turban soldiers cheered and laughed as their worries about the next war were gone. They felt reassuring to have Tong with them in the army.

On the contrary, Zhang Bao later complained to Tong about him spending all the prepared arrows in the camp as he spent two thousand arrows practicing today.

"Brat, I know that you're working hard, but spending thousands of arrows alone is a bit selfish. Leave some for the army, will you?"

Zhang Bao was still traumatized by the previous Battle of Anping where they ran out of arrows in the middle of the fight, which led to heavy casualties on their side. Because of such thought, he valued the stocks of the arrows more than gold.

"But, don't we have a million of arrows in stock? Why can't I spend a bit? Besides, most of the arrows are recyclable. At best, I might ruin only a few hundred arrow shafts."

Zhang Bao shook his head in stubbornness, "Your training won't end with just one day. I know that with your personality, you'll spend weeks shooting arrows over and over again. Those thousands of arrows will add up, and you'll spend too many of them before the war!"

Tong sighed. In the end, he had to train on the job as he was not allowed to practice shooting as long as the traumatized uncle was still around.

'Fine! If I can't grind my skill EXP, I'll practice my lamia steps instead!'

Tong went back to his courtyard. He took off his shoes and was about to start converting his blood cells.

"Young master, do you have a minute?"

Turning around to see who was calling him, Zhen Yi was there.

"Young master, do you have problems with my daughters?"

"Your daughters? Ah, was it last night?"

"Yes, I told them to serve you. Had they done anything that displeased you?"

"No. I just wanted to take a good rest last night. Besides, it was too sudden, and I was not in the mood."

"I see! I see! Well, how about I make them revisit you tonight. I'll have them prepare food and wine to serve you as well. I heard that you're a late-night worker so you might be hungry at night. You see, my eldest daughter Zhen Jiang is …"

Zhen Yi continued babbling and exaggerating his daughters' skills. It was as if he was a businessman that was selling his daughters.

Because of the unstable domestic in Zhongshan city after the takeover, Tong had to rely on the old influential Zhen family. He had to give this old fox some face, or he might have to deal with the internal strife while he expanded his territories.

"I think my uncles are without a wife right now …" Tong hinted Zhen Yi.

"Oh, I already introduced them several girls already. They are very active at night since they have arrived."

Tong's face twitched. He excused himself to go to a restroom and opened the clan chat.

Zhang Tong: Second uncle, third uncle, Zhen Yi said he introduced girls to you?

Zhang Bao: Yeah.

Zhang Liang: He did.

Zhang Tong: Has he tried to give his daughters to you?

Zhang Bao: No?

Zhang Liang: No, they are dancers and maids.

Zhang Tong: Can you help me warding him off?

Zhang Tong: He's pestering me trying to give me his daughters.

Hua Shi: Oho! That's interesting.

Hua Shi: Who's giving my husband his daughters?

Dong Bai: …

Dong Bai: If you sleep with them…

Dong Bai: Castration.

The face of Tong turned into a poker face with two black dots as eyes. He gently closed the clan chat and covered both his face with his hands.

'How dafuq can MCs in harem stories control their wives?'

With a black face, Tong returned to Zhen Yi, who was delighted to see him again.

Before Zhen Yi could speak anything, Tong raised his hand to stop the old fox. He decided to ruin his reputation to protect the poor little guy inside his pants from the mental wives.

"Sir Zhen Yi, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but," Tong paused as he had to resolve himself.

"I'm interested in children."

"Eh?"

"Actually, I also have a specific age that I'm into."

"…"

"I already have a 6-year-old wife at home. Her name is Dong Bai in the case you want to know. She is still about as tall as my waist, and she's very cute."

"…"

Though Tong's face revealed a bright smile, he was in tears internally.

<<Your [Pride] has been greatly weakened>>

<<If you go against your [Pride] one more time, it will be deleted>>

Zhen Yi's mouth had an O shape as he listened to Tong's excuse. Even though he could somehow guess that Tong was trying to refuse his daughters, he had to retreat as this young lord was more thick-skin than he had thought.

"T-Then, I'll tell those two not to visit you again."

"Please do. Thank you."

That day, a rumor circulated in Zhongshan city that Tong was into little girls.

…

Next morning, Tong woke up and was about to train his lamia transformation, a group of visitors was waiting for him outside.

A servant came and reported him.

"Young master Zhang, several nobles have come to pay you a visit."

Tong frowned, "What are they here for? Do you know of their purposes?"

"I-I don't know, my lord. They have come with several little girls."

"…"

Tong glanced at the crowd outside of his courtyard. Outside of his yard, there were several middle-aged men with cheerful girls in the age range of six to ten as if they were parents who were sending their children to school.

Thinking for a while, Tong facepalmed again after he realized why they were here.

"I messed up."