Man Against Gods

I walked to the cage, with simple sword stroke the cage doors were busted beyond repair, and then I yanked them off moments later

"Girl... what your name? And why are you a prisoner of that filth?" The girl quickly jumped up seeing the cage doors getting thrown away like some ragdoll, she then heard my question

"Big brother I am Feng Xian'er... the bad man caught me outside my village where I was exploring little bit..." she looked a little bit guilty, she obviously was quite smart realising what she did was bad...

"I see... Then get out, I am taking you back to your village..." hearing that she happily left the cage, and looked at me with expecting eyes, there was even some hero-like worship there as well

"Thank you, big brother! " I nodded slowly but then I noticed some red flame marking on her forehead

'Interesting... and her surname is Feng... that's double interesting...'

I pulled out a ribbon for the girl, I don't want her to see all the corpses, she is too young for that...

"Listen Xian'er, I need to put this on your eyes, once we are out of this camp I will take this off Okay?" I asked gently the small girl

She looked cutely at me, the girl is god damn little angel, if she was stuffed animal I would probably be hugging her by now

"Big brother you wish to play with Xian'er?" she cutely asked me

"Yes little Xian'er, you need to have this on you while we leave this camp, your big Brother will take you out okay?" she quickly and happily nodded, I wrapped ribbon around her eyes, and scooped her up with one hand she was light as a feather

I quickly left the tent and with Sky Shaper dashed out from bandit camp, very quickly I was on top of the same branch I was before my epic entrance

Xian'er was giggling along the way, for her it's probably just like some rollercoasters experience, I removed the ribbon from her eyes, she looked around, with wide and wondering eyes she was shocked that we are so high

"Big Brother is one of those experts who fight Profound beasts, and bad men like the ones before?" I nodded at her, she hugged me closely, then she noticed the ribbon I still had in my other hand

"Big brother can Xian'er have that ribbon please?" I looked at the ribbon, and sighted, then I wrapped her loose hair into Ponytail with the ribbon

"Here... little Xian'er now can you show me where your village is? Or at least the surroundings of your village?" The girl quickly got over that she got a new present when I asked the question

"Umm... there is a big waterfall some distance away from Village, and we have a river as well big Brother! " Xian'er quickly said a few things she remembered about her village, I nodded hearing them, Finding rivers are quite easy if you know how to look for them...

"Okay, Xian'er I need to hold on to me Ok? Your big brother is about to travel very fast !" I said to her, Xian'er who quickly started to hug my neck " I smiled how cute she looked doing that, then I looked towards the closet known river to me, and started to travel with Sky Shaper technique

With little help from Xian'er, I easily found the village in just a few hours of jumping from branch to Branch, since the ground had Profound beast running around it would be dangerous to leave her even for a moment

"Is this it?" I looked at the village in distance, it was classic Chinese style little hamlet

"Yes, Big Brother! Thank you so much! " I chuckled hearing how enthusiastic the girl was seeing her village, I quickly jumped down and let the girl down who started dashing towards her house... Probably

While she was running away I had a chance to see the villagers of this hamlet, it was... weird experience none of them where above Elemental Profound, yet how did they survived in this place where the average beast is from True Profound to Spirit Profound, And in rare cases an Earth Profound one?

Then I remembered what that bag of filth said, Phoenix Legacy and the girl's surname is Feng... is this branch of Phoenix clan? , But the Phoenix Empire is obsessed about their little silly bloodline they will never allow for such little community to exist...

"Senior! You have our sincerest gratitude for rescuing my daughter Feng Xian'er! " A middle-aged man, who just announced himself as the little angel's father approached me, behind him was a woman who was holding Xian'er in her hands she had tears in her eyes

"Think nothing of it, Senior Feng, I did what any proper Cultivator would have done in my place..." I quickly shrugged my easy accomplishment off as it was very easy for me at least

"that's maybe so...may I know senior's name?"

"Jian Feng, travelling Cultivator..." The Elder Feng once again did a small bow

"Once again our sincerest gratitude, Is there a way to thank you for your heroics? " I rolled my eyes, but then I got an Idea, this place is perfect for that...

"Yes there is one... do you have a plot of land where I can build a small house?" having a small house here Is a perfect place not only Its in middle of Profound Beast forest, It has a river close by as well! Not only that I can easily bring my stuff from the cave...

The man's eyes widened from sheer disbelieve " with all due respect Senior Jian, why someone such as yourself would need a house in a little village like this!? Not that we wouldn't welcome you to live here!" he quickly said making sure that I don't come to the wrong conclusion

"Because we are in the middle of Thousand Beast mountain, and you have natural protection from Phoenix Trials correct?" The Elder Fang eyes widened

"Senior Jian... how did ?" I raised my hand stopping him

"It's fine... your surname is a dead giveaway, and I have no interest in your bloodline, now can you show me where I can build my house?" The man was quite shocked that I have no interest in the Phoenix bloodline

"Of course Senior Jian! , follow me please..." He motioned to me to follow him, his wife and a few other people probably his subordinates followed us

"Senior, since you will be staying here would you like to join my family for dinner after?" I nodded at him, I gladly accepting such offering while my food is good, tasting another one is even better, maybe I will learn something from his wife's culinary skills...

The elder Fang looked at his wife, who understood his intentions and left with Feng Xian'er towards their home

"Senior Jian there are few places where you could build your house..." the man started showing several locations where I could build it, for a moment I felt that I am playing Skyrim expansion Heardhome all over again...

In end, I chose one closest to river, and small distance away from the village , and further away from the Phoenix trials, once that was done the Elder Feng invited to his humble abode

He then introduced his family, meaning I finally learned their names, the man was called Feng Baichuan, his wife is Feng Caiyun, while the little girl has an actual twin named Feng Zu'er

The boy was thankful just as his parents, its was very refreshing to meet such down to earth people in the cultivation world, after dinner was done I finally decided to ask what is with their cultivation is going on...

"Senior Baichuan, what happened that everyone in this village is stuck at Elemental Profound 10?" the man had a painful look for a moment hearing my question

"Its the Phoenix spirit, Senior Jian, around Thousand years ago or so, one of our ancestors cause a fire accident which killed over 36 thousand innocent people, the spirit enraged learning of this, and then sealed off our cultivation..." I shook my head, this is why I don't want to be reliant on someone or something's power, that's why I build my own strength...

"I see... do you wish to cultivate again then?" Phoenix Clan elder quickly nodded at that, there was some hope in his eyes

"Of course! Senior Jian! do you maybe know a way to break this curse?" to his question I stroked my chin little bit, Then I walked over to Feng Xian'er, and tried to use my unique power of taking, I could feel a resonance with that 'curse' which is unique to Phoenix Bloodline as a whole, something I am planning to keep for future if the Empire in West planning to do anything...

I took away the curse and transferred to stone I am keeping for unique cases like this

The Phoenix Clan elder gasped as he saw a red flame on Xian'er forehead vanish

"Heavens you actually did it! " the man exclaimed happily, I nodded, but internally I am thing what to do next, such village would be extremely useful allies to have, and while I dislike the cheap way people get the bloodline, I can't argue how useful it can be...

"Feng Baichuan, I am willing to lift the curse in exchange for Alliance with your village, I am even willing to guide people in 'way of profound'..." I said seriously, the man quickly turned serious as well

"What this Alliance entails?" I smiled at him he is not rushing things which is a positive trait in my books

"That Village will assist me in case someone unjustly assaulted me, or threatened me or my family " The man slowly nodded hearing that

"I agree to such conditions, not that we have any means to say no to you Senior Jian, you are just man, and I am honoured to be part of this Alliance " he extended his hand for a handshake which I took it and we sealed this deal with a handshake

After this I took away the curse from the rest of his family, he included...

Next day, after a quick shower, morning rituals, another meal in Baichuan house, I started removing the curses from villagers, it was quite easy working, as people themselves line-up for me, and I had a chance to get a lot of these 'Cursed' stones, this whole thing was so worth it, with this little treasure trove I have chance to create something little diabolical for my opponents in future

But for now, I focused on clearing people of their curse, and Start working on my house, I am planning to build similar house my Grandparent used to have in their countryside, made from wood, similar style like a ranch with a second-floor, and a terrace with roof observing the river and the forest in the distance

So two days later I finally did it! no more curses and I could now focus on my house, the Phoenix Clan leader obviously offered some help, but I told him to focus on cultivating how they used to do before... Once I am done with House I will help them out...

I started with digging the foundations for my house, a very easy process with my strength, Barely took me a day, since I already have a plan how it will look, next was to find suitable material for house foundations, in this case since there is no concrete I choose stone boulders which I will use fire manipulation to help to melt and adjusting to right proportions, thus training my basic Fire manipulation which in turns trains my Profound energy which in turn trains my Cultivation level

A few days later, I was looking at what looked like foundations of a house, it was a very eye-opener for me, just how far I already walked away from being human, And I am only been cultivating for few years only! , but Anyway foundations are done, time to get the timber, it's a good thing there is the whole forest just outside the village...

The funny thing about this whole process is that I needed only two trees! For a whole house! That's right! Only two! The tree here is humongous, I don't even know their species, as Cultivators care jack shit about such things, if it doesn't have cultivation there is no need for them...

After slicing the tree into smaller bits I brought back to my building site, over there I started cutting into even smaller bits, but before I started to do any excessive building I needed my forge, its a good thing I already decided where it's going to be

As the Workshop will be connected to the Main house, the foundations there are done already, and the stones are already there, the only thing I needed to do is melt them into a form I want

So by next day, the fire in the forge was already burning brightly

The whole process was quite quick as I did such thing before, the forge was done, and I could focus on making tools like nails, and steel pipes, since I have cheat code called Profound energy, I cut many corners in that regard, plus Formation will make this house stand the as long concept of profound energy continues to exists in this world

Well then lets our hands dirty!