Chương 20: Give And Take

Ren had read phrases like 'As soon as he opened his mouth, the whole room froze as though the winter itself had answered' or 'everyone bowed to his presence with one sentence' many times. It might be the easiest way to show a character's pure deterrence, yet he always found them too exaggerated. How could just one person's voice be so overwhelming? The answer stands right in front of me… he thought with a grave face.

As if a blade resting at his neck, he even hesitated to take a deep breath, fearing it would create too much noise. I'm… scared? He showed no hint of fear. To be more exact, his body remained as cool as a cucumber, untouched by the tension rising around him. Yet the same couldn't be said about his mind. And Ren didn't enjoy this feeling in the slightest.

"First, let's all sit and talk, the proper way," Master Xue said, waving a hand as though they were mere restless kids. And the combined aura dissipated, forcing every elder to sit. Only Master Gao and Second Elder held their place, both of them remaining silent for a moment before they too sat. The storm settled into a lull at this man's words, yet it didn't calm Ren's heart. His jaw tightened.

"According to the rules, what our Eldest Brother did was wrong," Master Xue started as he lifted one finger toward the air, twirling it, as if calling for a waiter. A shadow moved beside him. Elder Jia approached with a steaming teapot, her eyes unreadable as she poured without a word. He waited, as if savoring the elders squirming under his words— then took a sip, lightning sparks danced over his lips for a moment.

"But you're forgetting the most important part: he is the Eldest Brother, not an elder," he continued, while staring at Ren's eyes, his tone flat.

"An Eldest Brother's foremost responsibility is to care for his fellow disciples. Representing the sect? That's the Sect Master's and the elders' job, not his. As long as he can protect the disciples, even from us in some cases, he is a good Eldest Brother. You've no complaints about our precious Eldest Brother in this sense, I assume." His gaze slowly swept through the elders. Even the Second Elder didn't object, though his wizened face twisted a little.

"Good, then there's no need for further questioning. I'm also supporting Eldest Brother, expecting him to give us a nice surprise." Master Xue's lips curled up faintly as he turned once again to the throne. He stared with obvious expectation. What are you planning, Xue Tian? Ren couldn't help but frown, searching the man's chiseled face for an answer. Why would this man take his side? But his frown eased after further thought. Never mind, let's just show them what they'd expect from my soul brother.

After all, you might be hiding something, but I am too.

"Dragging me here just to take this not-so-needed consent… fine, I'll be the bigger person and treat it just as nothing more than a wasted trip. As for Second Elder's disciplinary tribunal…" Ren uttered, maintaining a nonchalant, even bored stance. He could feel the gazes on himself; Second Elder's particularly fiery.

"I do think he had good intentions for the sect's integrity, even though he went too far in pushing his views. And considering his great elder status, I'll forgive and forget, but just for this one time." He threw a warning glare.

"Alright, if there's no further issue, this meeting is ended." Give and take, right? Let's see if others are gonna have the same considerations. He stared at Master Xue deliberately, and the man just smiled gently. Unlike him, Second Elder scowled and vanished with a rustle of paper, leaving a rain of strange runes. Master Xue followed with a shake of his head, disappearing amidst a lingering scorch smell. Other elders started to leave as well, whispering among themselves.

Ren drew a deep breath and exhaled through his mouth as if lifting an unseen burden the moment Xue Tian left. I still don't know how you had the guts to go toe-to-toe with him every damn time, soul brother. A hand patting his shoulder woke Ren.

"Why did you step back?" Yan Yuze whispered.

"Do I have another choice?" Seeing the defiant look in Yan Yuze's eyes, Ren chuckled.

"You saw it yourself; they were ready to tear me apart. Of course, everything changes if you dare say you can take him on."

"Tch." Yan Yuze snorted, but Ren could see the fear flickering in his gaze.

"That bastard's gotten stronger, must be a new breakthrough or something like that. I can't even see his cultivation anymore."

"Don't worry, no matter how strong he gets, he can't be a Great Elder." Yan Yuze stared at him weirdly.

"You think a mere position can hold him back?"

"It changes if it's the First Elder. As long as that old fox's shadow looms, Xue Tian knows he can't stretch his claws too far." Ren smiled wryly, then added, "Thanks, by the way."

"Always there for my little bro." Ren snorted, shaking his head.

"I'm the eldest, stop— never mind, you won't listen after all." Yan Yuze let out a booming laugh from the outside, but his transmitted voice carried a rare gravity.

"Get yourself ready for the next few weeks. I might need to leave for a time in the next few weeks." Ren chuckled in return, but he asked with an equally grave voice, "Why?"

"Seems like there are signs of incoming beast tides. It's not urgent for now, but more than three outposts requested help. It may be necessary to dispatch multiple Masters." Ren held back the urge to frown and nodded. He didn't need to say anything; both clearly shared the same suspicion. Yan Yuze patted his shoulder once again, then he left, turning into a sword light. Clenching and unclenching his armored fist, Ren's gaze swept around, finding both Lady Dimitra and Master Gao had already left.

Reminding himself to visit them when he got the chance, he gave one last look at the throne. One day, I'll be the one deserving to sit here. … The last light of day clung to the sky when he emerged, wind threading gently through his hair, his coat stirring with each breath. A flicker of golden-crimson hair caught his eye. Baozhai stood beside Liuxue, arms crossed, her presence calm but unmistakably dominant. Ren raised a brow.

"Let me guess. Some idiots spawned as soon as I disappeared?" Baozhai turned with a flick of her hair.

"Spawned? If you mean people like devil spawns, yeah, they thought questioning your disciple in public was a good idea."

"And?"

"They stopped after I walked over." Liuxue nodded once.

"It was scary." Ren blinked.

"Them or her?"

"She smiled."

"…Terrifying."

"Thanks for the compliment, and you're welcome, by the way," Baozhai smirked faintly. But her smile was erased as soon as she noticed his half-armor.

"You…" This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author's work.

"Just some old farts blabbering," Ren uttered, shaking his head to reassure her. Though he had to hold back his urge to rub the bridge of his nose.

"We can talk about this later, but today concerned with tons of talking and I don't think my tongue has any spit to spare."

"Fine," she pouted softly, murmuring, "Rumors will fly around tomorrow, after all." Ren pretended he didn't hear it. Even though he wasn't that tired, he didn't want to think and process everything now. Instead, he planned to take care of what he planned. He said to Liuxue.

"You ready?" Liuxue stood without hesitation. Ren turned back to Baozhai.

"Coming with us?" She shook her head.

"No. My lovely trio is waiting for me at the library. They need help choosing techniques before one of them decides 'punch harder' counts as a cultivation method. Any advice?" Ren nodded.

"You can ask Master Gao for advice. If you can't find anything in the lower sections, go directly to the sixth. He wouldn't say anything if you said I sent you there."

"Yeah, and cause another meeting?"

"Classic." Baozhai stepped forward, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear as a gentle smile found its way to her lips.

"Alright, I will," she said, then to Liuxue, "Good luck, kid. You're gonna need it with such a teacher." Liuxue just stared, but her ears twitched.

"Shoo, shoo— don't drag my dignity through the mud with an audience." He winced, but couldn't help the playful curve in his lips. With a rustle of robes and a trail of faint sparks in her wake, Baozhai turned and flew, vanishing into the sky. Ren exhaled, motioning for Liuxue to follow.

"Come on, we have a long night in front of us…" … He strolled back to his manor and felt grateful that instead of the chatterbox pup, Iceberg was behind him. They arrived at the stairs without uttering a single word. Ren glanced at her. She seemed like a reserved girl, not in the sense of boldness, of course, but as if she was afraid to weigh down others around her. A strange feeling, true, but he couldn't refuse the resemblance. I remind you of a fool of a hero, huh? Ren wondered what kind of past she had.

Anything short of a tragedy can't take away a teenager's liveliness. Death-tinged roots are truly cursed. While he was happy for her silence, he couldn't say the same about her piercing eyes, stealing supposedly furtive glances at his half-armor.

"Ask away," he said, glancing at her.

"You don't have to be so reserved around me. If you're wondering something, then just ask."

"And left hanging in the air, like Ruolan?" Liuxue lowered her head slightly, though she couldn't hide the immense curiosity in her gaze. Ren had a smug smile as he waved his hand dismissively.

"I don't prefer to do things that won't change anything. Someone like Ruolan doesn't seem content with a simple answer, don't you think so?"

"Was the answer really simple?"

"I entered the sect when I was around seven," Ren said and sighed as if disappointed.

"At that time, I was completely alone. I didn't know anyone, nor did anyone know me. Master was strict in his lessons; my family had high expectations for me; and nearly all higher-ups decided to get involved in my training. Feeling as if drowning under that weight, I always escaped to the library, and year by year, I read more than half of the books there. So tell me, would she accept this?"

"You read… half?" Liuxue whispered, her nonchalant mask cracking with doubt. Ren gave her a side-eyed glance.

"Oh, from section eight to section five, I know every book like the back of my hand. I also read some important books in every other section, but they contain simply too much diluted knowledge, so I stopped paying attention in recent years."

"Wait," Liuxue hurried her steps, passing him, her serpent-like eyes burned intensely.

"You said only people admitted in the last three years before the Trial can participate. There's no way you participated at ten, right?" Ren thought for a second, then shrugged.

"No. It's not that hard to make a number on the sect records and bribe the Trial Registrar. And I didn't start to cultivate as soon as I admitted."

"Can that be done? Then why don't you do the same for this trial, too?" Liuxue frowned lightly, but then answered her question.

"Because they won't overlook if it happens too frequently and ruin their joy, right?"

"Exactly," Ren said, holding back a sigh. Of course, others had considered this possible way to ace the Trials with experienced disciples. Yet even geniuses like his soul brother, who had the whole sect's support behind him and had reached early Core Formation in three years, had struggled immensely in that place. Putting the students you worked so hard to train at such an immense risk? That was the last thing anyone wanted.

Furthermore, the price for him to enter was nothing short of staggering, even for the wealthy Judgment Sect. And let's not forget how elders exploit other families for the resources.

"You forgot to ask your question," Ren said, then paused and clicked his tongue. Unless you intended to help Ruolan?"

"Why are you wearing armor?" She didn't mince her words and gave him strange looks.

"I thought cultivators don't need armor like the mortal martial artists. They were supposed to be… above this kind of lowly protection." Ren stared at her, his steps freezing just for a second.

"You squirmed the whole way just because you wondered why I'm using a mortal's method?" He then added.

"That cultivator didn't teach you the basic cultivation distinctions?" Liuxue nodded with a blank look.

"He was just a sixth-stage Body Refinement cultivator." No wonder… Ren felt enlightened and thanked his soul brother's memories once again. Guess she needs to spend a few months in the library. Thinking about how complicated that seemingly basic cultivation knowledge for a commoner, he clicked his tongue in pity.

"First, this bad boy here isn't merely armor," Ren rubbed the dented shoulder part, his lips curling up faintly.

"It's known as a spiritual artifact, forged with soulfire, so it's more than it looks. Second, I use it because I'm a wielder-type cultivator, just like sword cultivators."

"Wielder-type?"

"Under the spiritual cultivation and body refinement, there are three basic paths: Spellcasters, Artifact-Wielders, and Cursebearers." Tapping into his connection, the armor shone with a soft, black glow.

"Think of it as mastering a particular discipline according to your goals and style." The soft glow solidified in an instant, becoming a wide shield. Then it turned into a flying sword, circling him.

"As Artifact-Wielders, most of our power comes from our life-bonded artifact. There are tons of different choices, and it's quite a versatile path. Though its high cost and demanding learning curve aren't that encouraging. On the other hand, Spellcasters are the most popular choice and the source of your little prejudice.

They use mighty spells, wear robes because it's apparently beneath them to use armour, even though they are mostly fragile behind their shiny barriers, and act like the very embodiment of 'graceful immortals' while they're actually just a bunch of showoffs," he snorted a little, remembering the mage-players in the games. Seems like my hatred of them won't change.

"Do you have to be a Spellcaster to use spells? You can't use weapons while casting spells?" Liuxue whispered, her voice barely audible. Ren did a double-take, noticing a flicker of obsession in her eyes.

"Of course not," he said, then snapped his fingers. The armor's glow faded.

"Being a Spellcaster just gives you extra advantages like drawing on the void and wordless incantation. Everyone can use spells, artifacts, or curses, like how a carpenter can cook. Only the end result changes. If you're an Artifact-wielder, then you can nurture them in your body, activate their core, or even overload them to gain extreme power for a short time.

You can also choose aggressive, bodily spells to be a battlemage—" Noticing his slip, he quickly trailed back, "I mean, spellcasters adept at close combat with a main focus on body refinement." Hearing this, her eyes brightened a little.

"What about Cursebearers? Are they related to infamous curse arts?"

"It depends," Ren said.

"They can cast curses on their enemies or help their teammates by giving blessings like quick healing. Their main advantage is that they can create talismans or similar objects carrying their curses or blessings, or use rituals to unleash far stronger power than their realm. But they also have some forbidden skills like raising the dead and harvesting souls, which count as demonic. Frostveil Requiem Method actually has a full lineage in that sense, but only in its original version."

While explaining, he also thought about how convenient these distinctions were. Wanna be a warrior or tank? Choose Artifact-wielder. You like fancy magic? Be a Spellcaster. You need support? Find— or force— someone to play support and take Cursebearer. Neat. The familiarity of this system actually felt good. … As they reached the top, Ren realized he wasn't as tired as he should've. Intrigued, he checked his moonlight energy. I've broken into the… fifth stage?

His energy was lively since the moon appeared, circling in his meridians into his muscles, then to his skin, but he hadn't cared much. He felt like bagging a Primordial Skill was a huge windfall, but even the scraps he had taken from the absorption were amazing. System, are you telling me effort means nothing and I should go on dangerous adventures to find things to devour? Rubbing the bridge of his nose, Ren couldn't help but think the Bluerbly Tea's limited effect, and compared it with devouring the mark.

Looking at this way, the fastest way to cultivate back to this body's peak unraveled easily. I knew you had bad intentions! You're trying to urge me to risk my head, you bastard system!

"Senior brother."

"Hmm?"

"Is it always this quiet here?" Liuxue asked, her hand reaching toward her inner robe. Ren paused abruptly, heart skipping a beat. His gaze swept around, but he didn't notice any abnormality. His manor stood just fifty meters away, still as imposing as ever, with only the kitchen's light on. The mini-forest around was serene, the leaves dancing in the faint night breeze. There seemed to be nothing wrong, yet he felt it. The silence was too oppressive, the air getting darker than ink. A stray beast?

No, how could it have reached my peak without anyone noticing? The pebbles under their slow steps crunched, the noise echoing eerily.

"Get back behind me," Ren said, keeping his voice low. A cultivator's instincts were their most trusted ally, and right now, they were screaming.

"Take out your weapon, if it's with you." Liuxue didn't question him, silently taking out a dagger and crouching behind him with practiced movement, merging with his shadow. Who would come to my manor? It couldn't possibly be the elders or the Master. And where are the servants— He smelled something metallic and sharp— faint, but unmistakable. A shadow shifted beyond a tree.