Chương 49: The Gift

The rest of the day, unfortunately, didn't pass as peacefully as Ren expected. The trio quickly fell back to their ways, preferring to start the day by giving the beating Wenhai deserved.

"OW! Some mercy, please!"

"If you don't wanna get your ass delivered on a golden plate, then you'd better behave.

'Let my brother seduce her?' Are you out of your mind?!"

"He also thought he could assassinate an Eldest…"

"Ah, not you too, Iceberg!" Ren sipped his tea as he watched the lively chase across the backyard. From time to time, he popped one of Madam Zhang's snacks into his mouth and cheered, "He'll try the trees, don't let him." Wenhai hit the brakes when a suspicious pouch flew his way, missing him by millimeters. Instantly, blue lightning covered his feet. He dashed left, dodged Liuxue's next kick, and zigzagged into the trees. Though Ruolan was already waiting for this.

"Heh, gotcha!" The pouch she had just thrown bounced back from one of the trees and exploded right into the poor boy's face, making him cough up his lungs immediately. His steps faltered, his lightning snuffed out into tiny sparks. A solid punch to his nose followed, sending him straight to the ground.

"Not my face, ugh! I give up! White flag, white flag!" Ren broke into laughter when Wenhai cried even before the real pummeling began. Putting his tea aside, he rose from the chair.

"That's enough, kids. You made your point well," he called, arriving beside them and lifting Pup by the scruff of his neck.

"Now let's talk about your mistakes. You go first, Puppy." Scratching his head, Wenhai evaded the girls' glaring.

"I only got caught… because I'd expected Iceberg to be more aggressive." Ren lifted a brow, gesturing him to continue.

"She had a chance to catch me, but she overreached, so I thought she had planned something else. It would be too easy otherwise…" he trailed off, cowering under the ice-cold gaze.

"Iceberg, any explanation?" Ren waved his head to throw his hair back. It was getting a little bit too long for his taste, but he also kinda liked it. Liuxue's face remained expressionless.

"A mistake," she said flatly.

"I hesitated while thinking how I could counter if he escaped to the trees." Ren tilted his head.

"That's… surprising."

"Leave the future planning to me, Iceberg, if you can't decide," Ruolan chimed in without blinking.

"You just need to move."

"What about me?"

"Act natural. Nobody could expect us to do something big with your stupidity in the way."

"Aww, you're breaking my heart, Ruolan." Ren chuckled.

"Seems like your future roles are already set."

"I just remember, you had a team too, Senior Brother. What was your role?" Wenhai asked, rubbing his red nose. Ruolan had gotten him well right there.

"Me?" Sighing, Ren stretched his arms behind. He noticed the eagerness in their gaze, but before his answer, he felt a faint crackle of energy ripple through the air, and a familiar presence landed behind him, fingers brushing through his hair.

"He was the lone wolf," Baozhai answered in his place.

"You know how our young lord is— he can't stand anyone slowing him down." Her voice carried a faint amusement, but he could hear the bite hidden beneath it.

"Good to see you too, Lady of the Lonely Storm," Ren said with a light chuckle, escaping her clutches as soon as her hand stiffened.

"Ugh, you still remember that?" Face-palming, Baozhai glared at him from between her fingers.

"Hey, that's blasphemy," Ren muttered, raising both hands in protest, "You don't know, but back in the day, Baozhai was—" His words were cut off before he could even start, as Baozhai exploded into motion and caught him in a headlock.

"Don't you dare!" And so, under the trio's confused eyes, the-not-so-graceful beating of the great Eldest of Judgment into a pulp happened. It was quite epic— gory, dramatic, and accompanied by very manly screams. Time passed with their bickering until they tired themselves out. Right on cue, Madam Zhang brought in some snacks, creating a chance for Ren to slip away and set the table beside his room's door. Since they always used the backyard no matter what they did, he had already stored the table set.

Plopping himself back into his chair, he watched as Baozhai sat calmly beside him, and the Ruolan against him, flanked by Liuxue on the left, and Wenhai on the right.

"Well, since you've returned, a new mission's probably on the way. Got anything in mind?" Baozhai asked while munching on lotus seeds, their faint fragrance tickling Ren's nose. Something immediately came to his mind, but Ren threw it away and shrugged.

"Don't know. But I'm planning to choose something on the easier side, so I can take the kids out too."

"Finally," Ruolan snorted, her straw flicking upwards.

"I thought we needed to wait till Foundation Establishment at this pace."

"I agree. Everyone starts taking on missions as soon as they step into the second step, challenging their limits and learning under the pressure of death. Why can't we feel the same thrill even though we're about to enter fourth?" Wenhai nodded, shoulders tense.

"My brother said that only a deadly fight can temper a real man. Don't you think so, Senior Brother?" He stared at the sky with eager eyes, as if wondering what lies behind it.

"But we still have cookies…" Only Liuxue whispered, though nobody spared a second look at her. Stolen story; please report. Sipping his tea, Ren smiled faintly.

"You're missing two things, Pup. First, most disciples do that not because they're seeking thrills, but because they are desperate. They need resources to progress. And the only way to get them without backing is to risk their lives. Even your brother had to do the same if he wants to stay ahead of his peers since he is still only a core disciple." Ruolan and Liuxue nodded at his words, while Wenhai's complaining face fell.

"Second, life-and-death fights are great at uncovering your hidden potential; that's undeniable, yet only if you've built a strong base first and hit your limits. Without this, they are just meaningless risks."

"I can understand that for others, but for the new disciples… can't they first wait and use the monthly resources to strengthen themselves, then, Senior Brother? After all, the sect provides them for free," Wenhai asked. Ruolan immediately rolled her eyes.

"You need to finish three missions in three months for that, idiot. Before doing them, you can only take the basic resources for the first month. Have you never listened during the introduction?"

"This…" Trailing off, Wenhai lowered his gaze. But he lifted it again a moment later as if he had gathered his courage.

"What about our resources? Isn't this unfair for others? We didn't do anything, yet you're giving us—""That's because you're my disciples," Ren cut him off sharply.

"Whatever I give to you doesn't concern anyone, nor needs to be fair." He paused as he noticed a flicker of guilt in the boy's eyes, so he drew a soft breath.

"Ain't no free meal in this world, Pup," he continued, voice softened.

"No sect, not even us, can feed that many disciples without returns. That's why the competition in the outer sect is cutthroat. So we have to focus on creating a cycle. Whether it seemed vicious or not, only those who can give back deserve to take. And for you, the responsibility on your shoulders will be heavier. Just that you haven't noticed since this is only the start." Although it sounded cruel, Ren knew there was no other choice— even with his modern thinking.

Wenhai was still a kid, and he hadn't seen the real world's struggle since he came from a well-known cultivation clan. There would be beggars even in the richest country, let alone in a world like this. No amount of resources could ever satisfy human greed, especially when it involved immortality. Ren knew this very well, and he didn't need to check his soul brother's memories for confirmation.

As cultivation itself was no different than burning countless resources just to gain a tiny chance to rise, how could anyone be benevolent and think about others? Humans were selfish creatures in the end, and no amount of divine power could change that. Furthermore, even entering through the doors of cultivation demanded a high threshold, beginning with the heaven-attune pill.

And the ones putting this rule were none other than the ones standing at the highest place— the figures who should be no different than gods. If you can't change something right away, then don't even tire yourself thinking about it. Shaking his head lightly, Ren caught Wenhai's eyes darting toward Liuxue, who was nibbling a muffin with her cheeks puffed like a squirrel. He wasn't the only one who noticed, though. Ruolan pressed her foot against the boy's shin, shooting him a warning glare.

They shared a few glances Ren couldn't decipher.

"Anyways, why don't you let us take a look at that mysterious gift?" the Witch asked at last, changing the heavy topic.

"Yeah, show us, Senior Brother!" Pup's eyes instantly glimmered with stars. Ren gave them a questioning glare, yet seeing both of them pretending to be clueless, he gave up. Sighing, he took out the cloth-covered gift from his ring and put it on the table. When Ren grabbed the cloth, the kids held their breath. Even Baozhai paused half-bite, her hand stiffening, something flashing past her golden eyes. Wasting no time, Ren just yanked the cloth off—"What? How?"

"This— ""Ren…" Eyes widened, Ren couldn't answer. The fuck is this? Truth to be told, he preferred not to be involved with the Celestial Court, let alone feel any expectation of their so-called blessing. What could they possibly send anyway? Everyone knew his soul brother used a sword. And it was not as though they would bestow a divine sword upon him. And yes, the thing lying in front of him was definitely not a divine sword. In fact, it wasn't even a sword. Instead, they had sent him…

"A spear?" Ren let out a turbid breath. It was golden in color, bright at the tip, and darker toward the end. Compared to normal spears, its head was unusually long and flanked by two crescent blades, one broader, one slender, bound together by bands that shimmered like molten metal. Faint golden beams pulsed between the crescents, their material unlike anything he recognized. Ren reached out, his fingers brushing the shaft. It was cool, perfectly balanced, and… Familiar.

He couldn't quite describe the feeling, only that the spear felt as if it had been forged for him and him alone. Right on cue, as if sensing this thought, the spear gave a low hum, a surge of electricity racing through him and causing his blood to roar. Every hair upon his body rose in response. It reminded him of something… something he had tried to forget for long— However, before he could dive deeper, a warm hand closing over his on the shaft gently pulled him back from his trance.

The feeling faded like a mirage as soon as his contact broke with the spear.

"Ren… you good?" Baozhai asked, her voice soft, her eyes watching his face closely.

"Yeah," he muttered, but noticed her frown getting deeper. The kids were the same, watching him with heavy gazes.

"It's just… strange." No need to worry them with what I felt. Pushing his thoughts aside for a time he'd spend alone, Ren took a trembling breath, and changed the topic, "I didn't expect it to be a spear of all things they could've sent." Wenhai scratched his head, all his excitement deflating like a popped balloon.

"Ugh, I wanted to see a cool sword too. Why would they do something like that? Or did they mix it up with someone else's gift?"

"Celestial Court and mixing things up? You're truly hopeless." Snorting, Ruolan leaned forward.

"Ah, there's an inscription here… Heavenpiercer," she smirked.

"Bold name, isn't it?" Ren and Baozhai's heads snapped up at the same time, their gaze meeting. The scene of the storm twisting into a spiraling abyss before being obliterated as a whole clearly played in their minds. And considering it arrived right after the heaven's wrath… He couldn't help but fall into a spiral of thoughts. C ould they have known all along? A coincidence? Or was it just a sick play of fate? At last, Ren let out a huge sigh.

He felt like he needed more brain cells— and fewer divine complications— since he hadn't even scratched half of his ever-growing list of things to ponder. He'd also never refuse a little bit of normalcy. But hell no, it always had to be low on supply, or how could his life be interesting, right? If a deity is watching me with interest… fuck you and your sick games. He rubbed his temples and intended to reach toward the spear again, but he froze, feeling the still-warm hand.

"Senior brother." At the same time, Liuxue muttered, voice low, her gaze fixed not on him but on the weapon— on its twin crescents gleaming faintly.

"If their intention was to give away a spear from the beginning… why add these extra blades?"

"You're right," Baozhai agreed.

"It's more of a halberd than a spear at this point. And with its length… It's practically impossible to use with shields. It's too long for a one-handed weapon. What a strange choice…" She pulled her hand and reached to caress its sharp tip, and then to its crescent blades. His heart skipped a beat, both because he expected something and the sudden loss of warmth. But nothing happened. So he released his breath quietly, scratching his nape.

"Actually, it might be more useful this way," he said, thinking about all those animes he watched, and the legendary warrior Lü Bu. It truly resembled his halberd.

"It can easily disarm anyone if you use its extra blades well, and for bigger beasts, the extra length means extra reach."

"So you liked it?" Baozhai asked.

"I don't know." Ren just shrugged. He had no special interest in any kind of weapon except his fists, but he couldn't deny the attraction this weapon held for him.

"It's just peculiar. Maybe I can give it a try."

"Ugh, but Senior Brother," Wenhai quickly chimed in, frowning.

"The righteous path of cultivators must be accompanied by swords! Only brutes refuse them!" Three pairs of eyes locked onto him in a second. Baozhai snorted lightly in pure amusement and leaned back. Although frowning for a beat, Ren relaxed and followed her example, watching a dangerous glint flare to life in the two girls' eyes.

"I'm saying this so you know… his brother uses a double-edged axe," he didn't forget to add, a smirk spreading apart his lips.

"So basically, he's putting you on the same level as him." The glints turned into fires before Wenhai could grasp the meaning, his face immediately turning deadly pale.

"Wait— AHHH!" As expected… it was too late.