I sighed with a clear sense of annoyance. "I could cripple your cultivation and have you start over from the beginning again under a close watchful eye. However, that is unlikely to yield a satisfactory cleansing. One must be subjected to Heaven's judgement, and Hell's punishment before this kind of stain can be washed away."
"That leaves us only with one option. Though, don't think I'm just going to believe you and go down without fighting back."
"Then why didn't you fight back?"
"What do you mean? I'm still alive…"
One of the handful started to move but the moment he did, his body completely disintegrated. Leaving nothing but the manifestation of his Dao behind which gave him a little extra time. It's not that I was actually trying to kill them out of some maliciousness. So the power contained in the complete Grand Dao manifestation is just barely enough to keep the soul alive for a few moments after death.
"What, how? I didn't even see you move."
"Of course not. I'm in a realm that far exceeds your comprehension. And is why you couldn't even react. Again, this is not how I wanted things to go. But you've lost the right to continue along the Dao. Leaving this the only option." I sighed, assimilating the Grand Dao manifestation of all those that had just been slain. "I especially hate to do this to powerful women. But as fortune would have it only one of you was one."
"Oh, then maybe you could have-" The one woman's voice vanished without a trace.
After a few minutes of what can only be described as instant, yet clean carnage, the others gulped realizing the gravity of the situation. Some looked at those they had once clashed with, silently thanking each other for being strong enough to not die by the other's hand.
Chong Jiu was one of the few who recovered quickly. "So, Supreme Master Temporal Thunder, what is it you wish us to do, there must be something, right?"
"There is. I have to tell you that there is a secret third way out of this place. You just have to break through. It's actually just that simple."
"Huh? But don't we need to be remembered by our world in order to break through? The restrictions here in this world are already much stronger than any other."
I started laughing, going as far as to hurt my sides from laughing so hard. "No, that is merely one side of the coin. And just like all coins-"
"THEY HAVE TWO SIDES!"
"Precisely. You see I trained my ass off to reach this level. The majority of that training was done while I had a stay in Hell. Hence why I know so much about the death, punishment, and rebirth cycle." I was able to get my laughter down to a dull chuckle. "So while one valid way to leave this place is to simply be remembered, causing your breakthrough to the next realm. The opposite is also true. You can break through of your own accord, causing the people to remember you, and thus freeing yourself from this place."
These supposed masters all reacted to the news in various ways. The idea had crossed their minds once or twice, but they had always ignored it, opting to wallow only in the information given to them by this world.
"It makes so much sense when we think about it. But the problem is breaking through to the next realm. Just how do we do it?"
"Please, give us guidance, Supreme Master."
I floated up and away from them in a manner that made it impossible to follow. "If I give you advice, It'll you only hurt your progress. That's just the type of realm you're trying to break into." I sighed, looking at all the lost looks on their faces. "That said, I can tell you one thing. All of you have possessed the right knowledge, and made use of it multiple times in your lives. Now then, I have to go home now. My family is waiting for me. Good fortune." I vanished from the Taboo realm, entirely.
"Brother Chong! What do you think that supreme master meant by that?"
"No idea. I think we should all take a break and try to come up with our own ideas first. After which we can discuss what we've figured out."
"And what if we don't work together?"
"That supreme master is probably going to kill anyone that's not willing to get along. I know I would do the same if there was a way for a regular mortal capable of reaching our level in one go."
"But that's not what's happening, is it?"
"No, it's most definitely much more insane than that. It was merely an expression."
Chong Jiu led everyone in meditative thought, by being the first to begin. Soon the others followed suit after thinking about the pros and cons for a moment. It was the first time that those in the Taboo realm had any sense of real cooperation.
~ Yang Leiji Family Home ~
"Huh? Oh wonderful! Big brother, I have a request to make of you. Can you teach me that gender transformation technique?"
"Huh? Why do you want to know that?"
"Oh, no reason…" My sister looked seductively towards her wives.
I sighed. "As much as you may wish to learn it, you're far below the minimum requirement to make it that functional."
Another one of my sisters piped up and asked a follow up question. "Then in that case, can you help us in another way, dear brother? We know you have the stamina to spare."
I paused, almost stunned. Even though I knew this would happen one day, that doesn't change how shocking it is to actually hear it. "So that's what you were really after then huh? You want me to act so you can have a family."
"That's right big brother! I never liked the company of men. But that doesn't mean I don't want a baby of my own."
"Seriously, you're going to give me a headache if you keep this up."
"We'll stop once you do it. And who knows, maybe you'll like it. I know I will, Big Brother." My half sister leaned in to whisper. "Besides, I've learned all there is to know about how to treat you, directly from my sister in-laws. In fact we have been preparing for a while."
"Fine then. It seems like Mother and Father are on board with it as well. Prepare yourselves."