Chương 75: Golden Eyes

Ren grew up hearing that eyes were the windows to the soul. [You can see if someone has bad intentions just from their eyes. A pure soul would always have glass-like eyes, their light never fades, while the impure are nothing but a darkened mess.] His mother nagged him with the same words whenever he had to leave for a tournament. [Respect your rival, look into their eyes, and act according to their nature.] And somehow, they always worked, keeping him from falling prey to foul play. [They mirror your nature. No liar can imitate the reflection of honest men. No killer has clear eyes. Look deep into them, my son, and see their true nature.] He could remember how he'd sit in front of the mirror, inspecting every little detail in his eyes for hours without getting bored. They were dark brown, almost black, and they shone with the same glassy luster his mother spoke of. He used to love watching them. [Eyes aren't mere organs, child. They represent the order of the world.] A memory bled into his mind, blending with his mother's words. His Master's light chuckle echoed in his ears from the time kid Wang Ren asked why Killing Intent made his eyes glow crimson. Crimson was the symbol of violence and wrath, while he should be the Envoy of Judgment. [Eyes are the envoys of the heart. Only alignment of spirit, heart-mind and soul-life gives the color. Listen the words and observe pupils— no man can hide.] The old man had looked at him gently, his eyes turning golden.

They carried a bright, sun-like glow. They were warm and benevolent. [If you use Killing Intent only for killing, your heart is lodged in place full of wrath and anger. Let the eyes become the convergence point of those emotions, and haveth crimson within. Let the heart be filled with sincere devotion and a sense of justice, only the golden light of burden shall answer.]"What of black? Father said only mortals could have normal black eyes. Will my eyes turn black if I lose my cultivation?"

The kid him had scratched his head. Ren remembered how his Master remained silent for a long while, until he sighed deeply. [Only men broken beyond the heavens' reach, corrupted by the forbidden names, may lose their mirror and be cursed with black eyes.' He who haveth black eyes may never remember the touch of Dao,' declared the Founders. Even in death, Ren, never let black in your eyes.] Another failure, huh… What a surprise. And I even thought I changed… A bitter chuckle escaped. Along with tears. Crimson ones.

He wasn't crying, but he had no control over them dripping down. They were leaving him too. He wanted to raise his head and look at the eternal canopy. It wasn't as good as looking at the sky, but he'd prefer it to watching the blood soak the soil.

He couldn't. Not when lifting his head meant seeing her… Why did I act so arrogantly? Who gave me the daring to take on others alone? Risking Liuxue's life? I… I presented her on a silver platter… Why I couldn't be more careful… Why? Why? Why?! Looking at his chest, which was still puffing up and down, Ren felt only disgust at how his heart still beat. System… [System can't actively interfere with soul corruption. The host needs to cleanse himself; using a staunch will is the best solution. Losing to corruption… might bear u%4&3"]"Ha… haha…" Even the system, his last resort, wasn't helping. The greedy black lunged into his pupils like a starving wolf. Ren felt… cold. A different kind than what the weather could induce. No. It was as though the very world wanted nothing to do with him. It rejected his being. I may never remember the touch of Dao, huh? It didn't matter. The colors had already faded for him. Yet he still shivered uncontrollably. A spark stirred defiantly from within his chest, heat flooding his veins.

But what would having a spark change? Even turning to darkness wouldn't give him enough strength to save his disciple, let alone this frail flare. His shivers intensified as the black claimed his sight. Just before he lost consciousness, a sigh filled his ears. A bit weary and… mildly bored?

'That useless thing can never be your last resort. And you forgot one thing Master said.' The voice sneered.

'If the darkness encroaches, just burn brighter you fucker!' The world darkened. What the fuck? …

"This much theater is enough. Let's get this done before someone else arrives," Guan said at last, clicking his tongue. After the broken laughter, not seeing any further reaction must be boring, as his smirk faded. A rose bloomed in his hand, fleshier than the others that had been severed from his body.

"This," he muttered absentmindedly, a petal plucking itself and floating above Liuxue's forehead, "might hurt a bit. But don't be scared; you won't feel much afterward. This coldblooded one isn't cruel enough to rip your roots out without numbing your mind. We can actually have a bit of fun before it. Though I'm not sure our sunny symbol over there could handle it." He threw a side glance. Waited for something in vain. Ren remained motionless.

Getting nothing, he ignored the muffled snorts and sneers and pressed his finger to her forehead hard. The crimson light resisted, before an angry hiss echoed and its glow retreated onto her stomach. Guan sneered at it as his sharp nail instantly drew blood, following invisible lines to depict his mark. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

"Just a waste of effort from the inevitable." He completed the rose drawing, then lifted the fleshy rose onto it.

"Now, open your eyes, sweetheart. I want to see the light in them fade." Liuxue didn't give him what he wanted. Pressing her lips flat, she remained completely motionless. However, someone else did." Oh, they are open, all right," he said, voice flat, almost as if… bored. Viper of the Roses' eyes widened. He turned in an instant, not even noticing his nail slicing open a long line on Liuxue's forehead. She didn't react. More exactly, her body relaxed itself into a peaceful-looking sleep.

The darker crimson light took advantage of the opportunity and shifted toward the mark, stopping further contact with the rose. At the same time, a pair of golden eyes slowly fluttered open.

"Y-You?" Guan's voice cracked.

"Huhh, I thought that old fart was never going to leave," Wang Ren muttered, shrugging his shoulders as though he had just woken up. He ran a hand through his hair, throwing it back. It was so irritatingly short. Which bastard had cut it? What a cruel hand they had to touch his majestic mane! He took a deep breath, the blood all over his face sinking into his skin. Soil was soft beneath his feet, soil that was real. Solid.

Spiritual energy cheered as though welcoming his return, little devils dancing over his skin and teasing him. They had missed him, for sure. And air… He couldn't help but take another breath, letting it fill his lungs to the brim. It was fresh, a bit damp, maybe, but fresher than the place he was stuck in, nevertheless. Shaking his head aside with a faint smile, he ignored Guan's question and lowered his head.

"Um, excuse me, but this is totally useless, you know?" Man Hong raised his head, confusion written all over his face.

"If you want to restrict someone like this, you are also making yourself open," Wang Ren said, a benevolent smile on his lips. He could teach a few tricks. He loved to teach.

"At the very least, try to hold my hands too. Look, I can grab you, and you would be nothing but a punching bag." And as a good teacher, he would never pass up any hands-on teaching opportunity. He twisted his waist despite the man's grasp, throwing his right hand over the muscular shoulder and grabbing Man Hong's bald head. His fingers tightened over it like a real clamp as an armored punch landed like a thunderbolt from a clear sky. CRUNCH! A sound no bone should have been able to make echoed eerily.

Man Hong's hands instantly eased, but he couldn't step back, not when his head caught in a tiger's mouth.

"See?" Wang Ren acted as if he hadn't realized the blood splashed all over his face, calmly narrating his points.

"You presented your head as a too-good-a target to pass, and forgot how subpar your body refining is compared to mine. Ahh, but you might counter that I shouldn't be able to move under your dear friends' bindings. Don't worry, don't worry, I'll explain it all well and clear, so you won't make the same mistake." He pulled his hand, deliberately showing how the armor groaned beneath the viscous liquid's weight. Everyone watched, eyes wide, holding their breaths as this absurd scene happened.

"Let's start with this sick dragon's pathetic snout. It should be adhesive to restrain my movement, but its owner is too disgusted by it— or foolish, you decide— to make it resemble its original form. And simply being heavy," he paused to take a sharp breath, "has no effect on me." A second punch thrown, still as fast as lightning. Although red ribbons hurriedly tried to pull back and prevent it reaching the target, the sudden movement caused them to stretch. Man Hong's already broken nose crushed inward.

Then another arrived, not even giving the pain a chance to erupt and buried his nose deep within.

"Did you see? Your friend is idiotic enough to think using elastic things can stop a quick jab. Wait, your eyes were closed?" Wang Ren raised a brow, and pulled his fist back once more, but this time, he waited. Under everyone's shocked gazes, he gave Man Hong time to recover, at least till he could open his eyes, although barely. And then— BAM! Ribbons break off, viscous liquid splashed around, and even the very air catching fire as Wang Ren's punch shot off. His knuckles briefly flashed red.

First Punch, Dominating Heavens. Man Hong's head exploded like a poorly-made piñata. He stumbled a few steps back as soon as Wang Ren let go, his hands thrashing around before he collapsed, lifeless.

"Hey, nobody taught you it's rude to die before the lesson ends?" Wang Ren snorted, frowning.

"Ugh, disciples these days!"

"W-What did y-y-ou do?!" Eldest of Puppeteers screamed in terror. Wang Ren waved his hand as though it was just another Sunday for him to blow a man's head off.

"Duh, he just needs a few days of good rest, and he will be back in a jiffy, as good as new…" He trailed off, his eyes shifting toward the towel wrapped around the man's waist. A hint of pity sneaked into his gaze.

"Well, not as good as new, but close enough." He lifted his foot, ripping the remaining ribbons apart, but paused halfway as though remembering something.

"You. Glasses." His face suddenly darkened.

"I need to bleach my eyes, you fool. Even kindergarten kids know you don't try to make space obey your will! Don't you have any idea how crude and amateurish your control over it is? Don't you know the grids, linking lines, gravitational accelerations, velocities? Bloody heavens, at the very least, tell me you heard equations and learned how to read the center of mass's effect on space!"

"W-What?!" the young man stuttered, raising both hands as if someone had pointed a gun at him. Ren sneered. He took a simple step, his foot pressing right on an invisible line. The infinite-space trick immediately cracked into nothing. As though not satisfied, he took another step. Spiritual energy followed him obediently, rushing into the invisible line. The line whipped around like a snake, provoked and rampaging. The waves moved faster than lightning, the vibration erupting right beneath the young man's feet.

Both his feet were perfectly cut off from his body. A wretched scream escaped his lips. Even the jade floating above him crashed into dust. He face-planted into the ground, hands trembling. Yet he didn't rise back. Or more exactly, he couldn't. His aura faded— no, pressed into another dimension in moments.

"No wonder your sister always said you are even less educated than barbarians. It's not like fortifying it with your cultivation could take care of everything when your geometry is trash." Wang Ren shook his head, disappointment seeping into his voice. He patted his hands together, dusting the non-existent dust. The sludge and blood on him faded as if someone had pressed the clean button. Then his hawk-like eyes swept the blank faces around.

"Hmm?" He raised a brow.

"What? You really think you idiots could trick me into a trap and easily win? Guan… Wait… you really did!" He suddenly burst into a booming laughter. The trees shook, shedding leaves. Even the canopy above struggled to contain him.

"T-Terror Incarnate… t-this is the real Terror Incarnate…" The petite girl whispered, her voice faltering. She clasped her face with both hands, hiding in the bountiful chest like an ostrich. Though whether it would help was suspicious, as even the Eldest of the Flowing Lineage's face was deathly pale, her lower lip trembling. As for Guan…" Ah, Guan, Guan… I'd understand if these idiots went along with whatever bullshit they have heard and decided it's a good opportunity to kick someone when he is down, but you?"

Wang Ren muttered. He turned, clicking his tongue, amusement overflowing from his golden pupils. A smirk stretched his lips apart.

"You would never dare… Unless… you aren't here with your real body." Sharp gasps rose. Even Man Hong trembled, his skin slowly turning bright red.

"What a great teammate you are!" Wang Ren chuckled, pressing on.

"Using one clone as your Nascent Soul, while the other as a carrier. Finally got a few tricks from the sewer rat you called Master, huh?"

"What cursed game are you playing this time?" Guan hissed through clenched teeth, his smile erased. At a careful glance, his facial muscles were on the edge of spasming from how tight they were. He was furious. And more than that, he was frustrated!

"You don't deserve to know." The lighthearted atmosphere Wang Ren had carried was abruptly shattered. A gleam flashed past his eyes, but it was so brief that it was almost impossible to catch.

"Now, let's take care of you weirdos," he continued a moment later, his tone easing.

"After all, we don't want anyone to interrupt, right?" Guan gnashed his teeth. If eyes could kill, Wang Ren would have dropped dead countless times already. Ah, they definitely can, but not everyone can learn how, he thought, enjoying the small heat in his chest. He also poked somewhere, though the cursed system blared irritatingly. [!!!] You are no fun, System. You have even stopped bothering to answer properly. […] Heh, you didn't help 'him' as much as you promised, and you are acting like a pampered young lord? Pathetic.

"You don't care about your disciple's life anymore?" Guan finally found his voice.

"Looks like you and I aren't so different, Brother Ren." Wang Ren simply lifted his brows. The cursed system could be left for later; after all, it wasn't going anywhere.

"Worm," he uttered calmly, shaking his head. And just as he expected, Guan gritted his teeth and turned to Liuxue, only to meet with a pair of massive golden eyes glaring straight at him. Liuxue was nowhere to be found. And in her place, Tyrant stood in eerie silence, one finger of its raised hand gripped by Guan. Guan's face changed shades faster than a chameleon could change colors.

"Pfffft!" Wang Ren didn't even hesitate to rub salt in the wound.