Chapter 5 – Proofread by FireFistasce
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It was a very strange scene for some disciples to see the two strongest disciples in the clan to walk together. Both were known to be solitary figures, although Michael’s lonely state wasn’t out of his own choice, and a bit similar in some aspects– of course, that was disregarding their completely opposite principles, values and personalities, which was why others found their union strange.
Michael was kind, generous, merciful and everything a good Samaritan was to the eye, while Rector, like a devil, was mean, selfish, ruthless– at least according to the crowd.
“I really can’t wait to see this quest of yours,” Rector said sarcastically as they walked toward their destination. He was eagerly expecting the day he could be freed from his position as a slave. If he didn’t follow his master's orders, Michael could go to the disciplinary court and ask for his slave to be captured and punished. “What are we gonna do, cuddle someone to death? No, wait, maybe we’re going to hold a grand lecture for the juniors?”
“How did you know?” Michael replied innocently while grinning, understanding where Rector wanted to come at.
“Fuck off,” Rector said, his face sour for being made a joke.
As they walked through the gate leading to the patriarch's and the elders' quarters, the surroundings instantly changed from slightly bustling to extremely tranquil.
The heart area was made to be as attuned to nature as possible. This was to give the high-positioned members of the clan, who had served for tens of years, a peaceful place to cultivate til their death. In the end, these old men and women would succumb under time's influence and silently depart without anyone but the gardeners noticing.
Michael and Rector stepped upon the dirt-paved path twisting between hills and artificial waterfalls and -lakes. It was a paradise built for cultivators. The life energy in the air was higher than normal and would allow cultivators to be at their optimal condition while cultivating and as they tried to further understand the intricate laws of their aura.
“Intruders?” a hoarse, aged voice sounded out.
Michael cleared his throat. “No, sir, we are two core disciples on our way to meet the Patriarch. Please forgive us if we’ve disturbed your cultivation.”
“Hmm, I see.” the voice responded. “Be on your way quickly then.”
The two young cultivators continued down the dirt-paved road until the road came to an end.
In front of them, an enormous mansion of wood towered up. Michael knocked the wooden door twice and then stepped back. After waiting for a couple of seconds, a middle-aged man opened the door. “Ah, Michael and Rector — if I remember correctly. What's on your mind?”
“We've come to meet the Patriarch. I hope you could lead us to him, sir.”
The middle-aged man in front of them held a very high position in the sect. His name was Cory and was a disciplinary elder. Everything about him was straight and linear, his clothes, his hair– just like the punishments he handed out in a case of committed crimes.
“The Patriarch sensed your presence the moment you came here. He told me to open up for you when you came.” Elder Cory said and smiled. “Follow me.”
Michael and Rector nodded and entered the cottage. Following Elder Cory, they found themselves outside a room on the second floor. The mansion itself wasn't very decorative in terms of ornate things. Just like the abodes of elders, the sect head also lived while trying to be as attuned as possible to nature and live where it was abundant in life energy.
They entered the room.
“Yo, young lads.” an ancient voice called out, his words quite unbefitting of his status.
The two young cultivators looked in the center of the room and found the old patriarch sitting in a chair, staring out of a window. He turned around his hair as gray as ash. A white robe adorned his feeble-looking body. The patriarch was at his final years and would soon pass onward, just like the old tiger had done.
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Thinking about the old tiger, sorrow pained Michael’s, heart. He quickly suppressed the pain and greeted the man. “Patriarch.”
Rector quickly did the same, his rebellious nature clearly kept on a leash.
“I guess it ain’t for small you've come to visit this old ragtag of bones.” the Patriarch said, turning to the window once again, talking while staring out. “What’s the matter? Need an old man’s advice with tha’ ladies?
“Do you mind if I’ll be blunt with you, sir?” Michael asked.
“As blunt as you want.” the old man returned.
Michael quickly stated his cause.“I’ve come to test my rank and I’d like you to be my witness.”
The old man lifted an eyebrow but didn’t turn around. He was quiet for a moment before speaking calmly. “Nice ambition.” he said. “Just a guess– is your goal to be an elder?”
Michael nodded. “It is.”
Rector frowned and almost let out a laugh. “You want to be an elder? Damn, you’re quite conceited, aren’t you? You’d need to be at least in the sixth rank for that!”
Michael smiled faintly in return to Rector’s words.
“Well, you’ve scrambled my eggs before….” the old patriarch trailed off with a sigh. Then he said. “Fine then, tell Cory that old bastard I told him to lead you to the hall downstairs. I’ll call the fogies for a meeting. Seeya down there in ten.”
Michael and Rector nodded, left the room and followed Elder Cory downstairs.
“I heard from your conversation with the Patriarch that you want to become an elder,” Elder Cory asked Michael. “You sure you want that?”
“Why not?” Michael inquired.
“I mean– don’t you want to experience the adventurous spirit?” Elder Cory laughed, thinking back to his old times as a core disciple. “Taking quests, traveling the martial world, meeting friends and foes alike- are you really ready to throw away all that for a mere position?”
“I’m not, no.” Michael replied.
Elder Cory frowned but didn’t ask any more questions. He didn’t really get what the young core disciple was getting at, but didn’t care either. What was destined to happen would happen eventually. If a powerful core disciple became an elder in his youth, so what? When he thought back to the reputation of Michael, he figured maybe that was the reason for his decision. Perhaps the young prodigy of their clan was sick and tired of the martial world and wanted to live in reclusive cultivation– he was just a few years younger than most to do so.
The elders soon gathered. There were over hundred elders in the clan, more than the amount of core disciples. The reason to this was that many generations of core disciples either left the clan or joined as elders after growing strong. So, since a cultivator lived longer than normal mortals, the amount of elders had grown to a terrifying degree. In the end, however, only a few elders possessed a position in the clan. The others only defended the clan in case of attacks and were solely elders in name. Some were even stronger than the Patriarch.
“It’s been a day since we last met– at the yearly competition where our number one disciple defended his position as number one.” the Patriarch told the elders. “We’ve come gather here today by the request of this same person– who wants to see if he can become an elder.”
“He wants to become an elder already? He should know that the cultivation base of sixth rank is required for that...” a mature woman said as she stepped forward. She wore a pink dress and had mercury red hair. Then she sighed.“It seems we came here for nothing. Really…!”
Another one stepped forward. “I agree with Elder Miara. I seriously can’t believe you made us come here for such a trivial matter. Why didn’t you test him yourself? No need for a big fucking crowd…”
“Jeez, calm your titties folks.” the patriarch raised his voice, silencing everyone. “As you all know, the title of elder requires more than just a cultivation base. With the self-confidence Michael has shown me earlier, I believe the matter of his cultivation base won’t be an issue.”
“Hump, if he truly is as confident as you proclaim, I’ll be the one test his combat capabilities after six marking shines.” Elder Miara chimed in, standing in the front of the elders like a proud peacock.
“Then I must thank Elder Miara in beforehand.” the Patriarch said with a smile. He turned to Michael and fetched a metal bar with strange carving from his pocket.
“If you can make six of ten carvings light up, it will be considered a pass,” he said and grinned. “Then Elder Miara will have to eat up her words in shame. If not, I’ll have to trouble you to offer an apology to the elders who came all this way to bear witness to your measurement. Hey lad, don’t disappoint me now after getting my expectations sky-high. I’d love to see that bitch lose face.”