“Insolence! You’re just an exiled young master of your Liu Clan, your father’s a mortal cripple, and your mother’s a-”

He had no more words to say.

It was filled with the fist of Shuren’s wrath.

Using the chain to yank him back, Shuren front kicked him directly at his chest.

Only then did he give the permission to let go of the chained sickle, watching the insignificant runt of the Huang Clan stumble back.

If it was anyone else, they would’ve been crushed with severe injuries. But his opponent had a high mastery of Qi; weaving his Qi Aura to protect his body at the moment of impact.

This was the advantage of every Rank 1 cultivator with decades of life experience.

“I’ve changed my mind. I’m killing you,” Shuren announced with nonchalance. Yet his ice-cold words were dripping with crimson fury.

He dared to attack Qaen since he couldn’t harm me, but trying to kill my subordinate was a spit on my face. Some nobody of the Huang Clan dares to push me, Liu Shuren, around?!

Qaen regained his bearings, crawling away behind Shuren. The meaning of Shuren’s attack on him had finally dawned on him. Teacher Zelfin, just who exactly did you bring in?!

“You… You have Iron Talisbody at that age? You being Stage 6 in Rank 1 is one thing, but exactly how much did you train to achieve it this young?!” The Huang Clan representative said, with the whispers of reconsideration dancing around his head.

This person would have never expected that the man he was facing, Liu Shuren, was in fact the direct grandson of the previous patriarch of the Liu Clan! Someone who would’ve been groomed and trained from the moment of his birth!

In any normal circumstances, Liu Shuren would’ve never been playing around all the way in Cloud City.

But the world did not run on such logic.

If the Huang Clan’s representative actually harmed any Liu Clan member, he would be severely punished by the elders of the Huang Clan. But killing Qaen to insult Liu Shuren would’ve been no issue.

Now, they were at a stalemate for battle. And the Huang Clan’s grunt would have no choice but to defend for his life.

For Shuren was out for blood.

Chained sickle… I don’t have much experience dealing with such swift ranged weapons. This’ll be a good opportunity to learn.

The chained sickle swung in a circle, the sounds of sliced air reverberating across the room.

“Liu Shuren! Even if I can’t kill you, I’ll at least give you some pointers on how the Huang Clan runs things around here! Don’t think we’re all pushovers just because you have the blood of an Immortal in your veins!”

The end of the sickled whizzed across the room, but Shuren deftly weaved to avoid the move. Fast. Not having a weapon ended up in my favour. I’ll have to close the gap.

The chain cracked, its sickle slicing towards Shuren. Trying to catch the sickle bare-handed would prove to be more difficult now, with his opponent being prepared.

Then, the only way forward was simple.

Shuren slid under the sickle, using his right arm to get yanked by the chain. His skin tore, but he still preserved enough defences to allow the scythe to circle around him instead. With his arm as the anchor, the sickle neared the neck of Shuren. It slowed down.

Enough that Shuren swung his arm, allowing the sickle to dangle limp around his arm. And he stepped forth.

The wooden tiles beneath his feet cracked as he blitzed across the room.

Three daggers whizzed towards Shuren’s head, but he tilted his head a smidge, allowing them to barely graze him.

And with his opponent in his vision, Shuren saw the tail end of the chain form into a heavy ball.

In the midst of it all, Veseil lit a cigar to enjoy the show.

I don’t have time to unchain the sickle, but I can still use it as leverage. So long as I allow that metal ball to entangle this chain further. What an unorthodox weapon.

Shuren expected the metal ball to aim straight for his body. It would’ve been more manageable to deal with.

Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

But the vertigo of his arm shifted as the end of the chain was thrown around Shuren.

Not good! He’s trying to trap me with the chains!

If he didn’t act in time, his entire body would be wrapped around in the metal chains, ripping his skin all over.

He couldn’t have this happen. The shame would be too much if Shuren walked in the sect finale tomorrow filled with a bunch of ugly injuries!

Gathering Qi towards his feet and toes, Shuren leaned forward to the point his body started to fall. Once the angle was low enough, tiles in the ground exploded. Like a strike of lightning, Shuren closed the distance in a flash.

Blitz Stride.

He dashed to the point of almost touching the floor; the mace whizzing past his hair. But that wasn’t enough. Churning Qi around his arm, Shuren flipped his body and grabbed the chain, skidding on his knees. With most of the chains swinging around him, Shuren dragged his arm back to yank the tail end of the weapon, redirecting the chain’s path.

He had finally found his opening.

Shuren rotated his forearm to loosen the sickle sided chain. His body had now been free.

“Enough play.” Shuren dodged multiple knives shot towards him, this time bearing the sickle in his right hand.

Once more, he put even more force on his legs. With a Blitz Stride, Shuren covered the gap between him and the Huang Clan’s grunt in a split second.

More than enough time to get the first blow.

Blood coloured the edge of the sickle. With a deft swing, the sickle just barely dug into the light armour of his opponent.

The cut was shallow.

Shuren dropped the chained sickle to the floor, bringing his arm back for a cross jab into his body.

“You have good battle intent, but that won’t be enough. Get a few more years brat, then you’ll pose a problem,” he said, taking out a two-pronged dagger in a reverse grip. His true main weapon.

Both attacked with all their force, both arms rippling with Qi and heated blood.

The smell of a cigar wafted in front of them.

“You two done?” A muscular pair of hands wrapped around both their arms, stopping them from killing each other.

“You’re the most emotional Death Warrior I’ve seen from the Huang Clan, taking out a poisoned weapon. If you hit him with that, your own masters would’ve exterminated your bloodline as an offering to his father.” Veseil put even more pressure on the death warrior from the Huang Clan. To the point cracks could be heard.

Shuren chuckled. “You think he would’ve landed a hit on me?”

“Brat from the Liu Clan. Even I admit you’re strong, but don’t be so conceited in a life or death battle. It’ll kill you one day.” Veseil lifted his arms, taking another deep breath of his cigar. “Enough squabbling like cats. It’s getting late.”

Struck back to rationality, the shadowed fighter of the Huang Clan slinked back to the shadows. He didn’t even spare another glance at Shuren.

Veseil didn’t even bother going back to his desk, opting to finish the topic right there with Shuren. “I’ll be saying the Liu Clan themselves want the district around your sister’s school clear. They’ll realise why from that alone, rather than waste time fighting over some insignificant mortal domain.”

This time, Shuren didn’t hold a stoic expression. “You… Very well. Let’s end the matter here.”

Again. He’s already long investigated me. Shrewd old man, dropping subtle threats like that.

"Come out and just hand over the girl," Veseil commanded with the wave of his hand.

“Yes boss!” From the entrance of the room, the weak bald junior that led Shuren came with a girl of a similar age to Qaen, with not a speck of dust or signs of capture on her.

At the sight of her collapsed brother, she ran to check for his health. “Let’s go brother. There’s no point fighting on your own.”

Stretching his body, Shuren took a deep breath. “I’m expecting you to do your job, old man.”

Veseil retorted back. “Little brat, you’re already trying to act like some shrivelled political headed elder. Go act like someone your age and enjoy your youth.”

Shuren scoffed, waving Qaen’s sister to move. He grabbed the injured Qaen to carry him on his back. “Doing that would only make me fall behind even more. I don’t have time.”

“Your brother’s fine, as crazy as he is. Let’s head out.”

She nodded in acknowledgement.

“Not that way. I have a door here that leads to the outside. Go from there,” Veseil said as he pointed with his thumb, saving Shuren some time.

Shuren silently acknowledged with a nod as he led with Qaen in tow. In the corner of the office, he opened the door, and the evening light of the outside world dawned in. The dimming light of Heaven’s Eye, ever looming in the sky.

“I have one question to ask you, kid from the Granxian,” Veseil yelled out from across the room, holding the cigar in his hand.

Shuren didn’t look back, but stopped to spare him that opportunity. “Go on.”

“Why’re you wasting your time all the way here? I can tell you’re no ordinary, typical brat. With the resources and comfort of the Liu Clan, your strength would be much stronger than it is now.”

Shuren didn’t take long to reply. It wasn’t a difficult question to answer. And though Veseil could see his back, he could tell that Shuren had a deep smile on his face.

“Old man, what do you think it means to be a true cultivator?”

“Well, ain’t that obvious. It’s being strong, so strong that nothing and no one can get in your way!” Veseil laughed.

And likewise, Shuren laughed as well.

“Then tell me this! Out of all the greatest cultivators; the Immortal Reverends, did any of them reach their peak from staying huddled in the comforts of a powerful clan? Or did they traverse the entire world, leaving their legacy for us all to know?”

Veseil stopped laughing. In fact, he gave a stern and serious expression as he observed Shuren’s figure.

They both knew the answer to that question.

“My goal… The path that I seek isn’t found amongst the Immortals in the Granxian Continent. What I seek is the road that not even my grandfather could reach at the end of his life.”

Veseil, the half-conscious Qaen, and even his sister, all who observed his words, knew the conviction behind them.

A true cultivator. That’s no simple claim, kid from the Liu. Veseil rubbed his chin. “I’ll let you off with some advice, Shuren.”

“A bunch of wolf in sheep’s clothing are swarming the city. Don’t assume your surname is enough to deter them. Not even in the sect.”

Shuren didn’t react to those words, leaving through the door.

And in that silent room, Veseil flicked his hands. The cigar in his hands turned to nothing.

“Liu Clan. The ones who failed to join the Great Nine with the death of the Divine Sword Saint and the Limitless Blade. What the hell are they doing, sending his descendant all the way here?”