Chương 4: Promise

Ren waited amidst the thunderous roars, slight moonlight slipping through the half-open windows. Even though it wasn't the nicest approach, Ancestor is right about questioning my broken foundation. If it wasn't for the fragmented memories about my soul brother's last moments, I could at least know what happened. He rubbed his chin. He had delayed this 'slight' problem for a while now, but this and other questions about his reincarnation poured into his mind as if someone had opened the floodgates.

Considering how many life-saving artifacts he had and all those experiences since childhood, he shouldn't have been caught unaware. Or even if somebody managed to ambush him, he wouldn't go down without a fight. Yet I had no wounds or scars when I woke up. Something is fishy… Ren reached for his cup, took a sip. Sweet and sour. He barely noticed. Let's say their only goal was crippling him. Then he wouldn't die. Bloody hell, what really killed this guy? He pinched the bridge of his nose. And why does my soul have…

problems with my body? Ancestor said it's at ill ease, what does it even mean? System, is it because of you? It needs your activation for everything to fall into place or…? Ugh, I don't know. He couldn't help but let out a deep sigh. Turning a blind eye to one problem let everything else snowball out of control, and now Ren was right at the center of it.

"I swear, I need a damn break," he murmured, chugging back the cup. It's warm spread to his chest and slightly soothed his overclocked pain. A cold can of Coke would do a hell of a better job, though. His eyes wandered around, searching for something to divert his attention. The table caught his eye just for a moment, its perfectly smooth but burned surface seemed strange. He remembered seeing something like this while surfing on the net, a delicate balance between destruction and artistry.

I'm afraid I don't have such an expensive taste, next. Chairs and sofas, their leather gleaming in the faint light, but he didn't care how good-looking they were or their other intricacies, as it wouldn't matter if they weren't comfy. Fortunately, they were pretty neat. Golden carvings on the walls? I am not a freaking interior designer, why would I care? Paintings? They are fine, but without their stories, they're just colors on a canvas. Bookshelves? I don't have that much time, maybe later.

It didn't take even one minute before he found himself bored to death. He poured himself another cup and checked Ancestor Lin. Even though he had an admirably good ignoring skill, this turbo engine was forcing him to use all his extra brain cells just to neutralize its roar. And he had to admit that sleeping with an open mouth… didn't fit into such an imposing figure. The room brightened with a sudden flash of light, followed by the wrathful roar of the heavens.

Lightning came crashing down on the manor, yet forcefully dissipated in the air. Ren's gaze snapped to the faint light of the barrier. What brought this on out of nowhere?

"Fine, fine! You won't even let this old guy a moment's rest! Bloody heavens," Ancestor Lin grumbled, a darkness covering around his body as he straightened. After a brief moment, he appeared with another robe, this one brown with golden linings.

"Pour me something, brat." Ren raised one brow, but remained silent. Seeing the old man's lips twitch, he pushed the refilled cup forward. Ancestor Lin just downed it in one go, then lowered his head, murmuring, "As time passed, the heavens became more and more overbearing. Must be a tribulation era coming soon. One more— ugh," seeing his cup already full, he threw Ren a glance.

"Fine, let's get this over with so I can return to my peaceful sleep." Leaning backward, his tone turned somber. A crystal-studded bottle materialized in his grasp.

"At first, I planned to give you this. Heaven's Dew," he uttered, shaking the bottle.

"It's something left from the Founder, and even Ascendants would spill rivers of blood to get their dirty hands on this. With it, you can recover to your peak in no time. It might even let you break through to Nascent Soul in one go."

"Everything comes with a price." Ren interrupted, locking eyes with the old man.

"Hehe, this is what I liked about you, brat." Ancestor Lin chuckled out loud. He put away the bottle and instead put a ring on the table.

"You can cultivate no more after using it. It devours your spiritual roots to fuel that kind of progress and replaces your foundation. But you are just a puny Core Formation disciple, and you don't even have spiritual roots."

"So that's not even a wild gamble." Ren massaged his temples.

"What about this ring?" Ancestor Lin frowned slightly.

"I heard you are trying to gather tremendous amounts of energy. You must have a way to recover, or else no one in their right mind would put their divine sword up as collateral, right?" he uttered with a smirk.

"That ring… it contains all of my life savings. Take everything you need." Ren froze. His breath hitched, the words barely registering before an invisible rock crushed down on his chest. His stomach twisted, his nails piercing his skin without realizing.

"What?" he asked, struggling to keep his voice steady. Though it came out hoarse. Wait, no. No, no, no. That's— What the hell are you even saying, Ancestor?! Ancestor Lin merely watched him. Then, without a word, he pushed the ring forward. Ren's heart twisted. He barely registered the chair scraping beneath him as he shot to his feet. He caught himself just in time and forced himself not to rush. At last, he strolled toward the window, opened it slowly, and expected the chilly breeze to help him cool down.

The light rain peppered his cheeks. It didn't work. His pulse continued to thunder in his ears. His entire being rejected such a 'massive' help. I fucking spent my whole damn life grinding, scraping, clawing my way forward— alone. Whenever I fell, I was on my own. This time was no diff— He froze. Master Shu's help, his Master's worried gaze. Madam Zhang's resolve. Demoness's gaze when he had just woken up— What kind of sick joke is this? No one ever gave him anything.

No one stood beside him when he fell, when he hit his lowest. But here?

"Everything comes with a bloody price, Ancestor," he asked at last, voice terrifyingly calm. That's how the world worked. Always had. Always would. It had to be.

"You might be right," Ancestor Lin opened his mouth slightly, his lips curling up.

"And I can understand your surprise, young man. But don't underestimate yourself. You carry the Purple Dragon Insignia— granted by the Celestial Court. That is an eternal weight. A responsibility." He leaned forward slightly, his tone casual, yet carrying an undeniable weight. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

"We entrusted it to you, and so we stand with you." The very air rippled behind him, his eyes darkening.

"You fell once, then so be it— our hands will lift you back up. If doing this costs my entire wealth, then let it be spent. Before your life, such wealth ain't worth a dime." He waited as if to let the words settle, let them dig under Ren's skin. The silence stretched for a brief moment before his smirk returned.

"You think I'd waste my life's work?" His laughter rang through the room.

"Hahaha, don't make me laugh!" Pause.

"Tell me, what are mere worldly possessions compared to protecting such an honor?!" The words hit like a splash of cold water, a punch straight to the gut. Yeah, right. So much for being a nobody… He returned to his chair, feeling a weight on his shoulders. He didn't know what to say. Gratitude? But I am just a fake. Anger? He didn't do anything wrong by trying to help me. Envy? What difference does it make to envy the one whose mantle I took up? He clasped his fingers over his head.

"Hey, old man." The words slipped out before he could stop them.

"You said it does, right? It always does… But why? Why does it last? What makes it so unbreakable that even when those people leave, you still have to carry their remains…" Ancestor Lin exhaled. Slowly. Deliberate. His fingers drummed against the table.

"That's a dangerous way to think, brat." His voice remained calm, but beneath it lay a bitterness.

"You lost your subordinates, trusted friends of yours. I can understand the pain. From what I see, you also lost your… way, too." Ren stared silently, his expression unreadable. The pain Ancestor guessed wasn't right for him, but it was a good smoke screen.

"But if memories don't last, then tell me— what does? So many people live without a reason. Heh, they don't even realize they haven't found their purposes and spend their days, no matter how pathetic it gets." A strange glimmer flashed past his eyes. He rubbed his chin.

"Why do you think they are like that?" Ren frowned. How did his question turn into a 'purpose in life' pep-talk?

"You think memory is just something left behind?" Ancestor Lin continued before he could.

"A fading echo of people who are gone? Or their tracks left in your mind? Some happy, some painful." The words struck like a chisel against stone.

"The past doesn't vanish just because those people do. It doesn't break just because you're the only one left to carry it." Ren's hands clenched.

"You think memories weigh you down? Who doesn't? Let alone you young people, even an old fart like me can't escape them whenever they decide to bite you like a rabid dog. But are they chains keeping you from moving forward?" Ancestor Lin's lips curled. He leaned back slightly, almost knowingly.

"Then you've got it all wrong, my child, all wrong." A brief pause.

"Memories aren't about holding onto the dead. They're about carrying the living." Ren swallowed hard.

"Who taught you how to stand? How to eat like a proper human being? How to wield a sword without mutilating yourself?" his wizened voice didn't rise, but it pressed on Ren like a mountain.

"Who was there when you first fought, first lost, first bled?" The words poured as if someone opened the floodgates.

"Who shaped the way you think, the way you move, the way you survive? Who tended to your wounds? Your whining?" His voice deepened, the aura behind him getting heavier and heavier with every word.

"Tell me, Ren of Wang Family, the Eldest Sect Brother of Supreme Judgment Sect, the honored carrier of Purple Dragon."

"Who… made you who you are today?" Ren's heartbeat pounded in his ears.

"You carry them." Ancestor Lin calmed down again, tapping the table and suppressing his raging aura.

"Not because you have to. Not because you owe them. But because they are part of you. Whether you accept it or not, those memories are written into your bones." Ren's throat tightened. Multiple voices echoed in his mind.

"The ones you lost… their voices are in your choices," Ancestor Lin continued.

"Their lessons in your steps. Their hands still steady you, even when they're no longer there to reach out." The old man leaned back, studying him.

"That, my child, is why it always does." [My child, be strong. You are their big brother, and they need you.] [You're the Eldest Brother, Ren. And you have to be there for your sisters, for your brothers. Stay steady.] Two voices repeated in his mind as if in a loop, one belonging to a demure woman, while another to a majestic man, until they overlapped together. A single tear rolled down.

"One last question, old man." Ren stared into Ancestor Lin's eyes.

"Then why do you pursue immortality?"

"You meant to say, 'If you don't have a reason to live, what immortality matters?'" Ancestor Lin didn't evade his gaze, his eyes a deep abyss.

"Because of hope, child. The hope of finding that reason. No matter how far it seems, as long as you carry them, you can't stop." Ren blinked. He lowered his eyes to stare at his hands. They were trembling. Trembling in hesitation.

"Them?" he still asked.

"The pieces of those precious memories living inside."

"Then I can't stop forever?"

"Until you find those pieces living inside others." Until I find, huh? Ren closed his eyes. I guess I already found some. When he opened them, the tremble was gone. He stared out of the window, asking one last question, "And when you found them, you'll need the strength to protect them, so they don't become another set of memories. In the end, it's just one damn cycle, isn't it?" The old man just chuckled, refusing to answer. Ren let out a huge sigh, then he grabbed the ring, his grip firm.

System, is there anything fit for a lifeseed? [Detected a potential seed for absorption.] [Detected a potential seed for absorption.] [Detected a potential seed for absorption.] A smile slowly bloomed on his face.

"I think I found the things I needed, Ancestor." Three seeds materialized on the desk. Ancestor Lin lifted one brow.

"Seems like I've hit the bullseye," he uttered, a victorious smile on his lips.

"You are really one hell of a brat, haha. Do you know what they are?"

"Enlighten me," Ren said. He poured two cups of tea and pushed one forward alongside the ring. Then he leaned back.

"Hah, are you having fun teasing an old man? If you don't know, why did you specifically choose them amongst ten thousand rare treasures?" Ren remained silent, causing him to click his tongue.

"Insolent bastard," Ancestor Lin grumbled, but he still continued, "Two of them are ancient seeds, found in secret realms. I don't know the origin of the last one, but it came out intact from a destroyed world." He lifted the one that stood in the middle. It had a dried, brown husk around the size of an apple, with lava-like liquid flowing in its crevices. Nothing dripped out.

"Moltenmetal Tree, known for the lava flowing in its veins. Its bark is one of the best materials for wooden swords; three inches of it is enough to make one divine-quality. It comes from the Fiery Domination Peak's Sacred Realm."

"This one here comes from a devil sect, and actually, your master obtained it after obliterating them." He took the veiny seed from the left. It looked like a heart, and actually throbbing with a steady rhythm.

"The Tree of Good and Evil, a descendant of the Tree of Heaven Punishment. Its power is… something unconventional, truth to be told. And it needs to be watered with one evil and one good person's lifeblood."

"Who decides who is evil, and who is good?"

"The tree, of course. What, didn't like it?" Ancestor Lin chuckled.

"It's not my cup of tea, I guess." Ren shook his head with a sigh.

"What about the last one?"

"As I said, I don't know much about it. I found a few records of it, but there's not much to glean. Its name is Nascent-Moonfly Tree, apparently, and has some spatial elements." Ancestor Lin put the two back, and reached toward the black, smooth seed, but his hand passed through it as if it wasn't even there.

"See? I can't even touch it without using spiritual energy."

"Then I will take that one. I love mysteries, after all." Ren's smile widened as he waved his hand to dismiss the system panels. [Moltenmetal Tree (Ancient Lifeform - Low-Quality)] [Tree of Good and Evil (Divine Lifeform - Broken Origin - Trash-Quality)] [Nascent-Moonfly Tree (Primordial Lifeform - Low-Quality)] Ancestor Lin nodded. He put away the seeds and sipped his tea.

"As expected. You young ones never learn," he grumbled to himself.

"Jumping forward without any second thought as soon as you see something intriguing. Hah, or am I getting too old?" Ren pressed his lips to hold back a smirk. Ancestor Lin gazed outside the window. The rain that came with the thunder had ended.

"You sure you don't want anything else, brat? This is an opportunity that comes once in a lifetime."

"Even this is too much, Ancestor. I will be eternally grateful," Ren uttered in fright. Please don't give me anything else, old fart. My fragile heart won't survive this.

"Your debt is," Ancestor Lin said, taking out a pipe, "for the sect, not me, young man. However, wouldn't it be fair if you owed me something too? After all, everything comes with a bloody price." He didn't hurry as he filled it with tobacco. Though with every passing second, Ren stiffened more and more. Yet it was also… relaxing. This one, right here, is something more familiar. With a flick of fingers, the tobacco flared to life. The old man took a deep, soothing breath, his lips smiling behind the smoke.

"Although I am satisfied that someone listened to my rambles, you made this senile one spew so much spit. Doesn't this require a price?" Ren opened his mouth to protest— but then stopped. He let out a weary breath. Truly weary. You couldn't sleep in peace if you didn't tease me, huh? Damned bastard.

"You're right, Ancestor." Still, he lowered his head like a well-behaved child. As for why… Because it is fair. Good one, old man, good one! But don't forget that every dog has its day. Ancestor nodded his head slowly.

"Bring back my corpse to the Ancestor Tomb when I die. That ought to cover what you owe, don't you think?" Ren's gaze shot to him, pupils widened.

"Ancestor, this…"

"Don't fear, child. It's just… a measure." Puffing a circle high into the air, Ancestor Lin smiled.

"I would do that even without any debt. Please ask for something else." Ren's face hardened, his voice resolute. He raised his hand.

"There's no telling, kid," Ancestor Lin vaguely gestured to him, putting on a serene expression.

"No telling at all." And he disappeared among the rising smoke, leaving behind only his words.

"When you recover fully, visit me. I have a surprise for you." Ren froze with his hand in the air.