Chương 48: Initiative

Initiative. He liked the word— liked taking it. It showed he had the power to move without permission. And that sense of freedom… whether it killed you or crowned you, the rush was the same. As addictive as gambling, an intoxicating drug that always gave him such a deep pleasure that he could never refuse. Anything that threatened his fortune, his claims, his desire? He would erase them all the same. And the creature he called father… that man had offered him the purest dose: absolute authority. Xue Tian accepted.

He took a deep breath, the chamber's smell of old parchment, smoldering incense, and the lingering scent of beast fur filled his lungs. The chair, however comfy it was, cradled him like a throne of stone, offering no comfort. So he made his way to the latticed window. Lightning struck the Thunder Pillar atop the building, momentarily illuminating his cold expression. His gaze swept the Assembly Ground where disciples were cleaning.

"Master, are you sure about this?" said Xue Hu, his fingers tracing the edge of the chair's armrest, the fur sleek and lustrous. The beast had once been swift and proud, known as the best mount for Nascent Soul cultivators. Not many were lucky enough to tame it, unfortunately. Though its head on the wall said it might not be so lucky, either.

"Are you scared?" Xue Tian asked, glancing sideways at his descendant. Was he from my eighth wife's line or ninth? He couldn't remember. A long time had passed. He was simply… grateful to them. They had done a good job of giving birth to a bunch of useful tools for him, after all. Maybe he should pay them a visit; a bit of fresh blood added to his arsenal would never hurt. While doing that, he could find a few maids to have fun with. A bastard child… That would be good news.

He liked their kind, always ambitious and full of hate for the fate's wrongdoings. Easy to control. Open to—"Heh." Xue Tian frowned as Xue Hu snorted, interrupting his thoughts.

"Of course not." He fell once, then he can fall twice," said Xue Hu, and the disappointment continued in a softer voice, "It's just… other elders might not like such a situation. Their support is still strong. Especially Master Shu, that old fart."

"Other elders? They won't dare." Xue Tian turned at last, his eyes cold.

"And a cripple isn't worth the trouble to care." Another lightning fell, his shadow looming over the chamber's stone walls, a towering specter that swallowed the dim candlelight. Xue Hu flinched and lowered his head in a hurry. Too timid, Xue Tian remained expressionless, though his chin stiffened. Wang Ren did a good job of breaking him. The inner demon planted… is impressive, to say the least.

"Instead of those useless old farts, you should fear what that fallen man will do. He is the greatest obstacle to our plans." Xue Tian tapped his sheathed sword in the form of a cane on the ground, and made his disciple's eyes snap. As if on cue, lightning bombarded the pillar, muffled rumbles following after.

"A man's strength is not measured only in what he wields. Remember that."

"But why—""Silence." Master Xue demanded, sweeping his hand through the air. His gaze flickered for a moment, though he hid it immediately.

"Now go and do what I ordered. And remember, never and ever dare to touch that girl, or even I can't save your pathetic ass. Her troubles are not something you can shoulder." Xue Hu opened his mouth, frustration flashing in his eyes for a brief moment— but he swallowed his words before they could escape. However, the darkness sinking into his pupils couldn't be more obvious to Xue Tian. He's going to get himself killed.

"As you wish, Master." Xue Hu muttered at last, before bowing and leaving the room. The door fell shut with a solemn thud, and the silence that followed was absolute. Xue Tian let out another sigh as he poured himself into the chair. Hand on chin, he asked, "I told you not to come. What if they smell your dirty hand?"

"Just wanted to make sure we are still on the same page," answered a deep, husky voice, coming from the shadows, the figure's wide robe hiding his features.

"And I think I learned something I should've known. You still fear him. Why?" Xue Tian stared quietly at him, fingers steepled, gaze unfocused. He exhaled slowly, deliberately, as if measuring his words before releasing them.

"Fear is a strong word. One I don't quite understand," he said, a low chuckle escaping his lips.

"So when you presume what I feel, I couldn't help but find it funny."

"That doesn't change your fear, you know that. The power he—""You think I'd fear Wang Ren because of his strength? Or connections to the Sect Master? No. Strength can be crushed, power can be taken. I have done both countless times. But he…" his lips pressed into a thin line, "he is something else." The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. A gust of wind rattled the latticed window.

Xue Tian inhaled deeply, as if it could clear the thoughts plaguing his mind. It never did.

"I have seen men lose everything before. Taken everything from them myself. One horrendous day is enough for most. And a set of calamities for the rest. They always break. Always." His fingers tapped against the desk in a slow, rhythmic cadence.

"A man with nothing left should be predictable— desperate, fussy, or shattered beyond repair. He is none of these. So tell me, why shouldn't I be cautious about him?"

"He is a stubborn one, alright." Taking a step forward, the figure pulled back his hood. The face hidden wasn't unfamiliar.

"But when did being stubborn change things? How long do you think he could last? How long could he persist? The calamity is here. He will get tricked, and I saw how all will turn out." Second Elder drew a trembling breath as the flickering candlelight washed over his face. Thin lines of blood glimmered beneath his eyes, catching the glow like crimson tears.

"The boy shed crimson tears; heavens wailed in sorrow," his voice turned strange, hollow. Biting.

"A lost light returned to claim the end it desired; Destruction crushed Judgment, stamping out its last flame in its rampage. A cry rose— a monster born." The moment his words ended, he broke into a coughing fit, spewing liters of blood onto Xue Tian's priceless fur carpet. Xue Tian frowned only for a moment, then his face turned unreadable.

"Not every prophecy turns out as you want. If you want to make me move, you need concrete proof."

"W-What more do— ugh— proof you need? Haven't I proven myself when I told you he would fall?!" Xue Tian's fingers curled into a fist, his gaze grew distant, lost in a memory. It was still sharp despite the years that had passed.

"He's changed," he muttered, voice quieter now. As if he feared speaking the words loud would give them more weight than he was willing to bear.

"I don't know how much, or if he's still the same person, but I'm sure he has changed." Second Elder's gaze shot up.

"You mean…"

"Not a possession. I checked," he said, his gaze wandering toward the window.

"Qin Guiren wouldn't let it go if it were so. He's no different than his own blood, after all."

"Then what changed?"

"That's what I don't like. He is the same, but also different. You saw it too. He showed he is still standing by defying the very heavens." He lifted his gaze to the old man, his expression unreadable.

"However, he felt fear, too. A crippling fear, I had never seen him experience such an emotion. And the rage he had… it was feral, Second Elder. Not like the burning kind he had. Heh, even the damned corruption returned. These aren't good signs, not good at all."

"Isn't this better for you? If he fears, you can use that fear."

"No," Xue Tian resisted the urge to shoot a disappointed look. Such simple thinking… was a disgrace to his intellect.

"It just makes him more unpredictable than he already is, and that's what I don't like."

"You have built an empire on broken men," Second Elder chimed in, his voice measured.

"If Wang Ren still stands, then what does that say about you?" A silence stretched between them. The distant rumbles of thunder outside, which had quietened for a while, started another symphony, this time more forceful. For a fraction of a second, the bright light caught something in Xue Tian's eyes— something not quite anger, not quite fear. Then it was gone. Xue Tian exhaled slowly. He should have dismissed the remark— should have laughed at its absurdity.

But the fact that he didn't, the fact that he let the moment settle, said more than words ever could. Finally, his voice came.

"Tell me… have you ever met a man who still moves forward even with a crippling fear? A man who could stay sane even under the corruption? A man who does not submit, even when the heavens themselves crush him? You have lived a long life, even longer than me, Second Elder. If you have, then you know why I fear Wang Ren." A pause. Then, a quiet, bitter chuckle.

"Because I have spent my entire life ensuring that men like him do not exist. And yet, despite everything, he still does."

"Then why are you still resorting to these petty schemes if you don't believe they won't work on him?" Second Elder continued, his wrinkled face turned grim. It seemed he wanted an absolute assurance this time, not half-baked promises. You think it's for him? That's good.

"I am no man's servant, Second Elder. If you have suspicions about me or my resolve, why don't you find someone else to do your bidding?" Xue Tian said, leaning back. His gaze sharpened.

"For example… Azure Sky is already sick of him. They're just waiting for him to cross the border. I also heard the Eternal Asylum is stirring after all these years. No one hates him more than them, for stealing their prized 'test subject'. Even the little ones, like the viper, couldn't stay still. Don't you think they are better choices than me?" This, he could manage. The unfounded worries of an aging man grasping at certainty. Open to anything.

Furthermore, Second Elder didn't even know he had already latched onto his weakness, so he had no way to back out of their deal. Your secret daughter… I never expected the venerable Second Elder to make a child with a fiend. She seemed a sweet peach nearly ripe for picking. I wonder if she tastes as good as she looks?

"You know I have no such intentions," Second Elder uttered calmly, though the pretense couldn't be more obvious.

"Heaven's told me to go to you. Just a humble star seeker, who am I to question their vast knowledge?" Xue Tian reached his hand forward over the table, his fingers moved gracefully, almost hypnotically, as they drew forth a tiny spark. It reflected in his eyes like a dying amber.

"You know, that's the problem with you star-struck fools," he murmured. With a slow curl of his fingers, the spark vanished. Snuffed out.

"A man should know— fate isn't something to interpret. It's something to strangle until it submits. But I understand. After all, that's why you came to me." Xue Tian just stared, watched with disinterested eyes as Second Elder's wizened face turned livid. Words had no more use here. Let the silence speak instead. Then, finally, he leaned back, voice smooth as glass.

"Go back to your peak, Elder. The fewer eyes that linger on you, the better for us all. And for you." His lips curled— not quite a smile, not quite a smirk. Right when Second Elder opened his mouth, with a slow flick of his fingers, he gestured to the door.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a meeting to supervise." The old man stiffened. Then, he shot to his feet, the chair behind him toppling over with a loud clatter." We await your wonderful news, then," he uttered coldly. Watching him turning over his heels, his robe billowing behind him, Xue Tian stood motionless. Yes, regret it. Let it fester. Regret clouds the mind, makes any man flustered. Desperate. Only after the door closed, he waved a hand behind him, pointing at the carpet.

"Burn it away," he muttered, his eyes wandering over a document on his desk about searching for a promising candidate. His return… was quite a shock. It's making them desperate. And desperate men always made mistakes.