Chương 67: Grand Marshal

The seat of a Sect Leader. And the one sitting at the helm as the Supreme One. The burden was heavy, so heavy that it felt like carrying mountain ridges over your back. You have to carry the world, lest it falls on the younger ones shoulders. Most people couldn't even imagine how such a position would feel, and more would only feel envy. Ignorant, but understandable. The power, the authority, and the resources it brought— who wouldn't envy such a thing? However, Qin Guiren had never wanted it.

He missed those good old days where he was a carefree young man wandering around the world, witnessing new sights, vanquishing evil with his brothers, unburdened by the political mess. Eh, wasn't his Master there to clean up the aftermath? I guess it doesn't feel that carefree when you're supposed to be that Master… He stepped into the winged terrace of the Azure Sky Sect, built at the highest peak, with three figures following after him: his old flame Jin Lifen with fiery gaze, the frowning Sect Master of Azure.

Guardian Elder was there too, yet his presence was unbelievably small and shame overflowed from his very being. Not one of them talked. Instead, they stared at the man with short, wavy hair floating over the Grand Protection Array. His only senior brother. The father of his precious disciple. Grand Marshal Wang. The only person Guiren didn't want to face at this particular moment was here. He was a man of towering stature easily passing two meters, and stood with his hands clasped at his back.

He possessed the same striking bone structure his son had inherited perfectly— the same high-cut cheekbones, the same straight nose, the same sharply carved face. But he didn't carry any of the softness his son had, his brows as sharp as a sword, the lines of his jaw broader. His lips were slim, marred by a scar at the left corner. And those gray eyes that seemed piercing through all the distance between them glimmered with a glass-like luster.

Guiren felt a strange heaviness in his stomach, like someone had pushed a boulder there, cutting his blood's flow. Even Guardian Elder's frown deepened, his hand unconsciously tugging at his goat-like beard harsher than he noticed. A few strands had already broken off.

"Well… isn't this a grand welcoming committee," Marshal Wang muttered, his gaze directly focused on the Sect Master of Azure. The dwarf's face didn't change, yet the beads of sweat forming on his wide forehead was obvious to all.

"I must say, I am honored to see how comfortably you all seem to be getting along… while someone attempted to kill my child." He didn't raise his voice, it was almost peaceful, as if he were discussing the weather over tea. However, the more he sounded calm, the more Guiren worried. I… huh… he couldn't help but let out a deep sigh. Since nobody seemed to know what to say, he took a step forward.

"Grand Marshal Wang—" Those gray eyes nailed him in place.

"Good to see you, too, Sect Master. We can leave the formal talk for later. Before that, this old father had a question for the…" Marshal Wang paused deliberately, eyes sweeping Sect Master of Azure up and down.

"…the man beside you." Guiren frowned. He had to use his energy to keep his face from paling as the words 'Sect Master' hit him like a punch in the gut. He is just a wrathful Ascendant too lost in his anger… You know how temperamental your Senior Brother is, just take a step back and take care of the matter first. He took a deep breath. While he dived into his thoughts, Sect Master of Azure clasped both fists and bowed his head in a genuine bow.

"Greetings to the Grand Marshal Wang. This humble one is the Sect Master of Azure Sky, Yue Fa," he said, keeping his tone respectful but not servile.

"We can understand your worry and anger, and I can assure you we felt the same pain when we heard the unfortunate news of Young Master Ren's assassination. Such a promising Bearer, and such a cruel fate!" Pausing to swallow his saliva as he talked a little too fast, he exhaled through his nose. His nostrils flared.

"I can hardly describe my delight when my daughter informed me that Young Master Ren regained his foundation through a heavenly tribulation trial. I offer my sincere congratulations. You truly have a dragon son, Grand Marshal!" Yue Fa raised his head with a wide smile, as if expecting something. Marshal Wang's face didn't change in the slightest, watching him with an amused look.

"Ahem," Yue Fa let out an obviously fake cough, his lips twitching, "as for this second attempt from a supposed 'Master' from our side, we are terribly sorry, yet we are sure there's no way one of ours—" Marshal Wang suddenly let out a faint chuckle, cutting his long-ass explanation. Strangely, the sound rolled outward for miles, striking the ears like distant thunder. Yet it carried no emotion. No mockery, no disdain. Just a hollow echo, as though the thread holding his patience together… was wearing thin.

An armor flashed into existence. The same type of armor that his son designed by hand, the one that had become the Wang Family's preferred symbol. It wrapped tightly around his shoulders and left arm, dragon-like scales coiled around the dragon symbol over his heart. Yet the metallic gray color was mixed with deep crimson spots since Guiren last saw it. He took only one step. It wasn't even a wide stride, yet the very space underneath his feet crushed into oblivion. The void couldn't open a rift under his weight.

The Grand Protection Array, shimmering in golden light motes, creaked and 'wailed' in distress. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

"You say you are sure, right?" he asked. Yet such a simple question made everyone gulp, without exception.

"We…" Yue Fa started, but couldn't continue, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of the water.

"We have to wait until the corpse arrive, Grand Marshal," Jin Lifen interfered at last.

"I can understand your frustrations about learning such news, but this is a grave matter that involves a Bearer. We can't act without understanding the situation entirely. Nobody wants to blame someone else and miss the real perpetrator behind the scenes, right?" Don't act smart with him, Lifen! Guiren almost shouted, his strict persona cracking under the pressure. Just as he expected, Marshal Wang raised a brow.

"Oh… your flowery language is beyond me, Lady," he said.

"After all, I'm but a coarse man of the army. I can only see the facts before me." A smirk slipped out suddenly.

"Like findin' an Azure Sky token on the corpse that just so happened to be lying a few hundred meters from my son's route. Slain by an 'unknown Primordial King' who, quite surprisingly, chose to meddle in the mortal realm instead of remaining within their Clan." His gaze settled, unhurried.

"Care to enlighten this uneducated man… Will ya?" Seeing Jin Lifen faltering, Guiren slapped his forehead, not even caring his image at this point. He wouldn't come here if he didn't know the exact situation, and don't you see? He's clearly hell-bent on erasing the Azure Sky from history itself? Why are you using such cheap tricks fit for cunning foxes on an action-only man? If there was one thing he hated about Jin Lifen, it was the way she always held her nose so high.

For heaven's sake— a wrathful Ascendant was standing right there. Would someone like that care about proof? Of course not. As long as they believed they were right, that alone was proof enough! He threw a quick look at Guardian Elder, but unfortunately, the old man seemed to not care. And truth to be told, he knew this irritable old man had the same thoughts as his Senior Brother. They don't care about any political mire they're walking into, of course, that's my job. He let out a huge sigh.

"Lifen, step back," he said, raising his head.

"Senior Brother, may I have a short talk with you?" Fine, I said it. Being the Sect Master now, he had to uphold his dignity, even though he never cared such formalities. That was why he hadn't called him Senior Brother for years. A nostalgia hit him. The days they fought shoulder to shoulder against the Fiends… how good they were! And how cumbersome things had turned! Looking carefully now, he noticed a few additional creases around his Senior Brother's eyes. And that scar…

it wasn't there the last time he saw him. We are getting old. Grand Marshal Wang remained silent, but the cracks beneath his foot didn't continue to extent— fortunately. He raised his brows as though he didn't expect this. As a matter of fact, Guiren knew he could use his status as a pressure, which would temporarily work. Even as a Grand Marshal, no— As he is the Grand Marshal of Supreme Judgment Sect, he would listen. Because the Sect Master was the absolute decision-maker when the matter was politics.

Because not even Ancestors would easily interfere unless the decision affected Ascendants. However… I can't do that. Qin Guiren's shoulders slumped ever so slightly. It was a subtle, invisible action hidden by his aura getting heavy. If it were someone else, he wouldn't even hesitate. He could ignore their disciple relations, he could ignore the terrifying reality of being against an Ascendant, yet he couldn't ignore a father's worry, especially when he had trusted his child to Guiren. And that child might've…

Guiren felt a sharp stab in his heart. Once a master, always a father. He couldn't fail his son, not again. For a second, the Mark of Bearer acknowledging 'Ren' came to his mind. The knife in his heart twisted, yet it only made his expression more resolute. Even though his Master, Ancestor Lin, said it was nothing but a vain hope and warned him never to inform his Senior Brother, he knew he couldn't do it. I owe him at least this much…

"Fine," said Marshal Wang at last. He waved his hand, and a golden light passed through the barrier without breaking it, pulling Guiren into his domain. The scene shifted to a massive temple set against golden and crimson soldiers clashing in the air. Made from clouds, they were stuck in an endless war for eternity. Born, kill, die, born again, and repeat. Guiren suddenly felt countless pairs of eyes snapping on him. His heart skipped a beat despite himself.

This was the realm only Ascendants could tread, and in here, being a Sect Master changed nothing. Even mighty Soul Transformation cultivators were mere insects against these soldiers, let alone the real threats hiding in a domain and the domain master. Though he only took a short look and didn't focus much. With a flick of his sleeve, he produced two wooden chairs and a square table from his ring.

Fashioned from dark ironwood, notorious for its difficulty in carving and requiring a hell of a patience, this was enough to buy one or two small sects. Unfortunately, the craftsman obviously lacked both qualities. The corners were left uneven, the mountain patterns were simple and even faint, crude knife marks were visible on its surface. Still, they were the best gift he had gotten. His Senior Brother stared at the set, and Guiren felt like his eyes softened.

Though that feeling disappeared in the next second as though it was only his imagination. It wasn't his imagination.

"You said a short talk, so keep it short," he said, then added with zero expression, "Sect Master."

"Stop making fun of me, Senior Brother," Guiren said, slouching in the chair. He dropped the mask, a bitter smile surfacing.

"You know damn well why I'm the Sect Master. If you hadn't thrown everything aside just to marry, I wouldn't even have a chance." He couldn't help but roll his eyes.

"I should have done the same, instead of cleaning the mess you created." A moment later, He straightened, a tea set appearing on the table. He started to meticulously prepare it.

"You can still do. That girl— Jin Lifen, was it— seems not bad," Marshal Wang muttered, and took his seat nevertheless.

"At most, you'd anger the old man to death, nothing serious." He shrugged.

"You're still blaming him?" Marshal Wang didn't answer. His eyes drifted away, growing distant. Only after a while, when Guiren served the tea, he turned and sighed.

"What do you want to talk, Guiren?" The silence passed from one to the other. Guiren's mouth opened, but the act turned into sipping his tea when the words didn't form. Every passing moment heightened the weight on Qin Guiren's shoulders. Each breath another stab to the heart. Just like when he was waiting for his Master's evaluation for Ren's broken foundation. Seeing his state, Marshal Wang frowned, his calm exterior finally cracking. He clicked his tongue as if fed up with all this bullshit.

"Don't get soft on me, foolish brother." He suddenly reached forward and slapped Guiren on the head, snapping it forward before it rocked back.

"The hell?" Guiren hissed through his teeth, his sight getting blurry.

"What are you doing?" And that earned another slap. What a great surprise.

"Someone has to remind you, brat, that you're still this one's little brother. What of Grand Marshal Wang?! You are afraid that calling me big brother will scar your dignity?" Marshal Wang snorted, though the curve at his lips was impossible to hide.

"Brother…" Guiren murmured, eyes absentminded. Memories worth of countless years flashed by, and he clenched his fists. The cup in his hand broke, but he didn't even notice.

"Don't whine like a child, Guiren," Marshal Wang muttered, though his voice had lowered into dangerous territory.

"Stop fucking with me and spit it out already. Whatever the hell is eating you, your brother can handle it." His hand twitched as though yearning for another slap, which turned out more compelling than any reason for Guiren to hurry.

"It's about Ren…" Marshal Wang's jaw immediately tightened.

"He… may truly be dead." Time froze for a moment. Guiren couldn't even breathe, lowered his head, and spat everything he knew. Then… he waited for his Senior Brother's eruption. Nothing happened for a while. Each passing second, the knife carved another inch from his heart, until he couldn't take it anymore. He raised his head oh-so slowly.

"Oh…"