Chương 77: Disappointing...?

..?

Wang Ren fell like a butterfly. He landed without a sound. Or, to be more exact, except for the wet squelch of the head hitting the ground and bursting like a rotten melon. He didn't bother glancing; instead, he let go of the breath he was holding. His body settled back in an instant, the redness fading as a huge cloud of steam rose. His eyes searched for that hypocrite's presence. Losing such a space root tool that was so easy to control must be painful, he guessed. Hmm? He really left? He found nothing.

Other than the quickly fading presences of the other Eldests, of course. A bunch of hyenas, as he called them. A stray shot was enough to scatter them. Wang Ren clicked his tongue. He turned around to another pool of blood, filled with scattered snake corpses.

"I had warned you, Guan Cheng'an. And you didn't listen. Tell your master to stop sending his dogs after me," he whispered into the wind, trusting it knew who to send. Then let the phantom figure standing behind him fade. Tyrant had done a good job. This is it, big brother. I'm leaving that cockroach bastard's true body to you. Kill him when you get the chance. Don't be me, who pitied his fate and let him go. He couldn't help but cast a yearning glance at the sky behind the canopy.

Closed his eyes and took another deep breath until his chest swelled up to the limit. Don't forget to keep your promise, System. Or you'll wish you never met this arrogant son of heavens. When he exhaled… The golden light spilling through his eyelids faded. His head slumped for a split second, then a pair of gray eyes snapped open. They were blurred. Overshadowed by a smoke-like curtain, an attempt to destroy a painting by throwing black paint on it.

Yet a stubborn, glassy light gleamed deep within, resembling a tiny spark left after the fire was put out. You are still alive… Ren's gaze took in the whole scene. A chaotic flood of memories assaulted his mind for a brief moment, before something intangible reached into his mind and pulled some of the parts out. Only then could he felt the new memories settle nice and cozy. His heart beat calmly. His hands didn't tremble. But a twitch in his left eye gave away the turmoil passing through him. He bit his inner lip.

Even with deliberately hidden parts, the truth couldn't be clearer. You didn't die… but still left all this mess to me, you fucking brat! And you even dared to give me such a cheap pep talk?! Just burn brighter you fucker ha? Your sister! I'm gonna burn that shiny ass of yours! An unwilling yet, at the same time, relieved roar echoed within him. Unfortunately, and like usual, the world didn't give him time to let the news sink in. And why would it do that? Life was going on, with or without him.

A burning ship smashed apart the canopy, bringing light to this accursed forest blanketed in darkness for years. It stopped right above him as the cannon above automatically started sweeping around for any poor idiot who dared to step into its range. A wry chuckle left his lips.

"Y-you!" Demoness hissed through gnashed teeth. Standing at the prow, clad in fiery red war robes, she looked like a fierce, unforgiving goddess of war. The blood on her hands and splashed on her face supported her image. Kinda hot, he had to admit it. Especially with her wailing mask. His heart skipped a beat. Wait, why do I find her so hot? He felt the words poking playfully, then their warmth faded. Keep your pants on yourself, brat!!

"I knew you were up to something! I knew it!" She transmitted her voice full of wrath and jumped in front of him. The poor ground, already littered with craters, gained one more. And the space around her vibrated intensely, obscuring others' sight for a split second. She made a throat-slashing gesture.

"I'm gonna deal with you later." If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Yet to outsiders, she was just a worried subordinate, checking him carefully.

"Leader, are you injured?" Ren shook his head.

"I'm fine. What about you and Ruolan?"

"They tried to ambush us, a bunch of fools they are." She snickered.

"Ruolan is fine, though covered in shit. She is taking a shower… and most likely cursing you."

"I may or may not have deserved it," he said, shrugging. He didn't linger on the topic.

"Check the enforcers, please. As for those four… those three, take them away." She raised a brow. But Ren didn't give her a chance to open her mouth. He sighed and turned around. Liuxue was sitting on the throne. She had pulled her knees to her chest, head lowered, and for the first time, he saw not an iceberg, but a vulnerable girl. She would be a bright sixteen-year-old girl hanging around with her friends and preparing for university exam if she were in his old world. She could smile without a care in the world.

But here? She had to face the untold terror of a sadistic monster. And her greatest shield had done nothing but serve her on a— She suddenly raised her head, as if sensing his gaze. Their eyes met. Worry clouded his mind just for a second before Ren steeled his resolve. He had messed up, and he had to own it. He took a step, feeling his foot sinking despite the solid ground. He struggled to pull it back and took another, each one getting heavier until he stood right in front of the throne.

Considerably, it lowered itself. She watched him, her thoughts unreadable.

"Liuxue… I'm…" Sorry. The word stuck in his throat as she suddenly lunged at him. Her hands wrapped around his neck, clumsy but determined, while she buried her head into his chest. Something hot and wet touched his skin. She is… crying? Ren raised his hands, but didn't know where to put them. Seriously, what to do in such a situation? His memories didn't carry an answer; his knowledge base was lacking. As though frustrated at his wooden reaction, a warm feeling rose around his hands.

The jubilant spiritual energy instantly followed the warmth and pushed his hands, making him hug back. Under its guidance, he rubbed her back slowly.

"Shh… It's alright now; it's alright. You are safe and sound." Words left his mouth, reassuring and gentle. They absolutely didn't come from him. But all Ren felt was gratitude. … In a far corner of the Evernight Forest. A slender figure reached for support, his body slumping to the ground. His hand slid, leaving bloody marks on a bark he tried to lean on. Roses bloomed and withered around his body. For every beauty, something had to pay a price.

The bark lost a part of its vitality until it gave way under its touch like rotten wood. The ground followed next, parts of it crumbling into dust in no time.

"Wang Ren… you fucking monster…" he whispered, a broken chuckle escaping despite himself.

"You had to kill the only man who could be my ticket to get out of this situation… What a grand kingly benevolence, what a majestic sovereign's compassion! You are good, Wang Ren, you are good. Haha… hahahaha!" The chuckle turned into hysterical laughter, and he didn't even realize the blood spilling on his pristine robes. His serpent-like eyes shifted into the distance, as though he could pass through it and see that nightmare-worthy figure… The man he yearned to be.

His laughter evolved into wheezing, then into intense coughing. He vomited dark blood mixed with innards, and only then could he take a breath, his body sliding and slouching into the flowers. The roses had already created a flowerbed, yet they still continued to bloom instinctively, trying to patch up his injured soul. It was futile.

Getting his two primary clones obliterated by a Will Manifestation, something that should be only available for Soul Formation cultivators, wasn't something he could recover from easily. It might take months, even years. He turned and stared at the canopy. His eyes were pitch-black, without a hint of glassy glimmer. There was no Guan the Viper Himself here. He was only… Guan Cheng'an in this darkness. Eyes closed halfway, his sight was blurry with tears. He didn't know why they were teary.

He was known by many names, yet none knew his true name, not even his own father. He had done a great job of erasing it from everywhere. Even he was on the brink of forgetting. Yet one figure hadn't forgotten.

'I had warned you, Guan Cheng'an. And you didn't listen. Tell your master to stop sending his dogs after me.' Guan, the surname of the East Border's greatest cultivation clan, Cheng meaning to shoulder or to bear, and An as peace. The bearer of peace for the Border Region. The one who was going to carry the peace for that godforsaken land wrecked by endless wars. He needed to be strong, stronger than anyone seen in that land. That was the only way for him to fulfill his destiny.

A burden placed on his shoulders the day he was born. And he was nothing but a disappointment. After using every possible method at hand, even after he had resorted to committing every necessary evil he could just to progress a bit more, dancing along the lines of demonic cultivation, he was still— [You are a failure for the name you carried. Disappointing.] The words of that legendary figure, uttered with utmost disdain, echoed in his ears. How glamorous those golden eyes were! He could never forget.

The pity he saw in them was far more painful than being a failure. Do I have to take that step nevertheless?

"And I even dared to delude myself into thinking the First Light might fall too… as if he is a desperate pawn like me, struggling beneath the titans' feet…" He couldn't help but let out another bitter chuckle. He had lost his one chance to turn the tide back and finally rise as a player. But if I do that… there's no turning back. C-Can I truly let go of the last remaining scraps of my… humanity?

"As a poisonous snake, you are hesitant. That is, Viper, an unforgivable sin for a man of your stature," whispered a flat voice coming from somewhere he couldn't pinpoint. Guan Cheng'an shivered like the pathetic worm he was.

"Come to think of it, this poor monk always wondered why you were so sure Junior Brother Wang was corrupted… I see now. You thought you sensed your kind in him." The voice continued at a leisurely pace, circling around him, a hint of amusement surfacing in its tone.

"H-Have mercy…" Guan Cheng'an stuttered. He straightened as much as his body allowed, eyes frantically sweeping around.

"I—""Amitabha, silent now." Suddenly, a large palm covered half his face, leaving only his eyes wide in terror. A fierce heat invaded his skin, flooded into his veins, and scorched his flesh.

"This poor monk has had no alms for a long time. Shall your soul be a worthy feast, purification may find you worthy." The last thing he saw was a sickly smile splitting open above him, pearly teeth descending toward his face.