Chapter 139: 80-82
Chapter 80: Offer
Some nervous expectation in his chest, a slight tremor around his hands. Nothing too big, to Lei's thinking. It took him a moment to steel his heart and give a nod to the young guards that stood by Master Li's tent before he entered inside with Little Mei.
The moment they stepped beyond the guards, Little Yao took off from Little Mei's shoulder and instead hid behind the little girl's legs.
What welcomed Lei inside was a group of black-robed people who were talking with Master Li and Zhu Luli, with Fatty Lou standing completely still at the side. Lei's eyes were instantly drawn to the middle-aged man, face creased with a frown and one hand placed tenderly over Zhu Luli's arm. The other men seemed to drink in his expression, as if waiting for a command or a slight sign to make themselves useful.
Lei used his Spiritual Sensitivity skill on them right away to check if there was anything abnormal about these people. He could already feel how deep their foundations were and that their meridians were full of spiritual energy.
Thankfully, the skill let him know that these were, as expected, real cultivators who had no mana or anything as such in their bodies. And from the way Master Li kept a gentle smile on his face, they didn't seem to harbor any bad intentions either.
"Oh, here's our young hero!" Master Li said the moment he laid his eyes upon Lei, raising a hand and gesturing for him to come close. He then turned to the middle-aged man who was likely Zhu Luli's father. "Here, Esteemed Scholar, this is the chef we were talking about. It was thanks to him that Jiangzhen still stands today. Our people owe him their lives."
When the middle-aged man swept an eye at him, Lei froze. There was something strange about the man's eyes. Some sort of force seemed to be prying somewhere deep into his soul. His long, dark hair had a few strands of gray mixed in them, and a frown stretched his lips thin, but other than that, Lei thought the man's lines had a gentle, scholarly air about them.
He looks genuinely curious. I guess that's a good thing.
"So you're that Lei who my daughter couldn't stop talking about, eh?" the man said in a straight voice, glancing back at Zhu Luli as if to check her reaction. She stood perfectly still, to which the man gave a long sigh. "Come closer, young man. Let me take a look at you. It's not every day that you hear of a chef saving a mortal city from a bunch of outsiders."
Lei's eyes strayed toward Zhu Luli at the mention of 'outsiders.' It was one thing to hide the real identity of those people from Jiangzhen's normal population, but they'd already decided to tell everything to the authorities. And as a patriarch of one of the strongest clans in the Empire, Zhu Luli's father had everything to be considered a real authority.
Perhaps he's even more.
As a response to his questioning look, Zhu Luli waved a hand at him, which was enough for Lei for now. Breathing in deep, he took a step and stood before the man.
"Interesting," Zhu Luli's father said as he weighed him up and down. Lei felt his skin prickle under his gaze. The Maiden's Flame that slept deep in his heart stirred slightly, but Lei pressed it down with a mental command. It was still tired after that last battle and needed a good rest.
"You have strange bones," the man said after a moment, looking a touch confused. "As a Qi Refiner, you're clearly a step away from the Qi Condensation Stage, but your bones and muscles are hard enough to rival even the Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators. You must be using some kind of Body Tempering manual, and not a bad one, either. I can sense a certain warmth around your meridians as well, an internal source that feeds your paths constantly. Is that related to—"
"Father," Zhu Luli said, rolling her eyes at him. "You always say everyone has their own secrets. Clearly, Brother Lei has his own as well, so please chain that scholar side of yours and focus on what's important. You were going to say something to him, right?"
"Uh…" Zhu Luli's father stared at his daughter and sighed heavily before giving a reluctant nod. When he turned to Lei, the man seemed to have aged a good ten years in a moment's time. "It's never easy to deal with an unruly child. Even harder when she's a stubborn one, but I have learned my lessons. Learned them well, I'm afraid."
He gestured for Lei to take one of the chairs, then, when Lei sat rather awkwardly with the other black-robed men, Zhu Luli's father instead rose from his seat and clasped his hands behind his back.
"I'm an old man. I have lived through many a hard time. I've seen this Empire rise from the ashes and fall back to the depths yet again. I've seen grand Immortals take to the skies, even sent a few of them off with these old bones of mine. I've experienced great pain and love, both in equal measure. Time has given me precious gifts. The same time took them away as well," he said, this time with a voice tinged with a heaviness that thumped in Lei's ears.
"But these few years that I've spent apart from my daughter have been the hardest times of my life. I can't take it any longer. I have not in me to bear another month, let alone another year, without her scent any longer. Therefore, willingly or not, I'm taking her back with me. There's nothing in the wide circle of the world that could change that."
"Sir…" Lei muttered, slightly shaken by the intense look in the man's eyes. There he saw a deep-rooted pain, an agony that was beyond mere longing. It was as though the man had a part of his heart missing, and now that he was whole again, he'd never wanted to return back ever to that state. "I'm—"
"I'm not done, young man. You will listen, and you will listen well," Zhu Luli's father said with a sweep of his arm. He continued with that same heaviness in his voice. "I'm a lucky man, and yet I'm cursed as well. The Heavens gave me a genius. They also made her just as stubborn. I'm not familiar with the things you've been through together in this forgotten part of the Empire, and yet my daughter seems to be quite fond of you. To the point that she refuses to be parted from you or those kids that she couldn't stop talking about."
Heat rushed to Lei's head, and his heart thumped in his chest. When he looked at Zhu Luli, he saw her hiding her face behind her hands.
"Therefore, I've decided, after much thought, to bring you lot with me as well. But do hear me before making a hasty decision, as this is not the gift that you think it is," the man said, shaking his head. "Many people think of the capital as the greatest city that's ever been built on this continent. The one true Immortal City that rises over the others. But few know that it is a den of hidden dragons and tigers, a place where the most elite of this Empire vie for supremacy."
The man nodded to his own words, an array of complex emotions flashing behind his eyes. Fear. Rage. More importantly, a deep uncertainty, which Lei felt true in his heart.
"That is the city of Immortals and Kings, constantly under the watch of the Jade Throne that creeps ever closer to the Heavens. Only the most prodigious academies and sects reside there. And the same is true for…" He paused all of a sudden, glancing at Lei with a strange glint in his eyes. "Restaurants."
"Eh?" Lei blurted out.
The man nodded. "It is true. You may think of yourself as a great chef, but I've dined at the tables of true masters and thus know how deep some of them are in their Dao of Cooking. As per my daughter's request, I shall give you a restaurant and the kids the chance to attend the entrance exams of those sects, but I'm afraid this is the most I can do for you. Whether you're successful or not will depend on you."
"You…" Lei muttered, disoriented as he rose shakily to his feet, staring at the man's face as his mouth parted. For a second, he didn't know what to say or what to think. "You're giving me a restaurant?!"
"Not just a restaurant," the man snorted with disdain. "I'll give you the Golden Crow's Den. Do know that it is one of the most glorious establishments that belong to the Ji Clan. They owe me a rather big debt, which I'd planned to sit on for quite some time, but might as well cash it now. However, they would take their chefs and staff with them the moment I force them to give me the place. So, my question is, knowing the Immortals and Sages often dine there, do you think you can handle it?"
"Me? Sages and Immortals?" Lei said as shivers trickled down his spine. He stood there for a moment, all confused and shaken, his mind too fuzzy to think it through.
His eyes searched for an answer around the tent. Master Li was smiling. Beside him, Zhu Luli looked at him with expectant eyes, but it was Fatty Lou he couldn't help but turn to.
His brother-in-arms was trying to keep himself still, but Lei could see how his eyes widened at the words. It looked like even he hadn't expected this offer. His whole face was flushed with excitement, and the fat under his chin wriggled impatiently.
Lei gave him a slight nod. This… This was a huge opportunity. Not only for him but for the kids as well. They were already thinking about trying their chances at Lanzhou, knowing it would take time to come up with enough funds to open a restaurant. The trouble was, they had no one to depend on in that place. It was a big question mark whether they could find their footing there or not.
On the other hand, the notion of opening a big restaurant in the capital scared Lei. He didn't have much experience with the restaurant business, let alone one that would serve Immortals and Sages. Could he do it? Could his dishes satisfy such rich palates?
A warmth washed over his chest and up his head. The Maiden's Flame roared against the swirling mess of his thoughts, then forced them to settle down and allowed Lei a moment of peace.
Right.
He was being a fool acting like this. So what if he only had some experience with a little restaurant? In his past life, he was a Michelin-starred chef, a damned good one who studied the field like a maniac. All his life, he yearned for such an opportunity, a big stage to show his talents.
And then there's the quest.
He checked it once again.
[Quest Available!]
[The Chef's Grace]
[Difficulty: ???]
[Rewards: ???]
[Description: You have come to hear your own Dao in these turbulent times. It now beckons you from the depths of your soul. Only through using and sharing this gift can your heart grow, and so shall grow the seed in your soul. Your world needs it even if it may yet not understand the gravity of its importance.]
The moment he checked it, he remembered Voilanth's words. That man seemed to be obsessed with fate. To him, everything that had ever happened in the Three Realms had a meaning.
This quest, and now the offer from Zhu Luli's father…
Lei felt it.
It was fate.
He needed not think anymore to make a decision.
"I can do that," he said, fists clenched tight around his robe. "Bring me the Emperor for all I care. I can cook for him as well."
Chapter 81: Epilogue
It was yet another day in the Crack, and things seemed as chaotic as usual. Streaks of light stretched far away into the distance, where they blended into a swirling vortex of energy. Beyond, another vortex of pure energy churned almost in defiance against it, sending clouds of ethereal fog about it.
A man standing atop a large meteor trained his gaze upon the duality of the spheres. The Eternal War continued for thousands of years, or so they said. He wouldn't know. It'd been but centuries since he took part in this conflict, and there were still many things he didn't understand.
That didn't change the reality of the situation, however. There were whispers being exchanged under shaded hands, rumors about how the final reckoning was drawing close, that unlike the last few clashes, this time the ants that managed to seep through the punctured space-time holes wouldn't be enough to satisfy the Endless Hordes.
The Everquest was forcing their hands to make a final, true attack on the Three Realms to secure the Heavenly Dao for good.
Nowadays, battles between Celestial Immortals and the equivalent forces of the Endless Hordes, who were called Heralds, had become fairly common. Rarely did any of the parties involved lose their lives in the conflict, but it was the intention that was the most important. If the System had grown desperate enough to force its precious Heralds into conflict, then the rumors were likely true.
Even now, it was whispering into his ears, promising him things beyond his dreams, its voice hissing like a venomous snake. Worlds. Planets. Wealth so grand that it was enough to spark the notion in his mind that perhaps he could even buy some peace with it.
Strange thoughts. Dangerous thoughts. Invasive thoughts. They hung people for less around this part of the Three Realms.
But he wasn't particularly bothered by the idea of death. One grew quickly out of it when years had become meaningless. Time, after all, meant little here, a concept over which quite a few Daofathers held sway.
Trouble was, he wasn't sure what to make of it. Or rather, he was doubtful whether it was truly the lesser evil he'd decided to serve under. Lately, he found himself thinking more and more about them. Was the Immortal Path truly any different than the System's so-called freedom? Would it be such a terrible fate if the System conquered the Heavenly Dao and claimed it as its own?
He hadn't any clue, but Daofathers and Daomothers seemed pretty sure that the only outcome to such a fate would be their doom. Hardly a surprise, considering they were just as desperate to create abominations to throw at the System, hoping it would stick.
Sighing out a long breath, he turned ever so slightly and cast his gaze upon the thousands of worlds that stretched beyond the veil. His eyes glanced over the smaller ones, his gaze lingering a moment longer on a blue sphere that hung there like a tiny piece of sapphire before he focused on the 99th world that stood closer to the Crack than the others.
His Divine Will reached from inside the Crack and through the invisible pathways, coating the grand world—a feat that any True Immortal could do with ease. There, he focused on the Eastern Continent, a faint smile stretching his lips.
Already he could feel the familiar auras of friends of old. There, on the Jade Throne, sat a stubborn child that refused to adhere to the wisdom of his predecessors. An array of people served him, among which were friendly faces and hostile ones, hidden under their sheep-like skin. Power and authority. Greed so stark that it filled their eyes with a glint full of spite.
Beyond the capital, thousands of tiny dots scurried about the borders, always planning, thinking themselves too clever. Their thorns reeked of rot and death. It seemed that old Snake had its way in the Endless Hordes and once again sent its Legion to the same nest, even though it faced a brutal defeat in the past.
He was scarcely surprised. Vipers were vindictive in nature, after all.
A sudden jolt jerked him back when his gaze settled on a far mountain. It was cleaved across with what seemed like a sharp saber, its peak already crumbled and vanished halfway into the earth. No sign was left of his old friend, the one he'd caged there against his will.
Yet another regret. It seemed he was full of them lately.
Still, he smiled as he sensed a curious streak of Dao near the Anguished Mountains, coming from a tiny city that sprawled beyond it. It was one of the few places that lacked the signs of that venomous Viper.
But no… There were signs of it there, the touch of its thorns unmistakable in the air. Yet they were faint and were diminishing slowly as the spiritual energy cleansed the filth. Somehow, someone must've unearthed them and crushed their cores.
Who? It was not yet time for the reckoning. Even as impatient as it was, that Viper would never allow its spawn to act on their own.
"Oh?" he muttered, slowly rising to his feet. He brought his sword down and stabbed its tip into the meteor underneath his feet, leaning over the handle to gaze across the distance. His smile slowly widened until he barked out a laugh.
"Haha! So it is a fellow of mine?"
He shook his head as his eyes searched for the owner of that unique streak of Dao. He found him there in that little city, working before a set of stoves, little children aiding him as he prepared a… soup?
It looked like chicken soup, one that carried a hint of mana and spiritual energy both. He was deliberate with his moves, fingers moving about the counters with a certain deftness. Almost a Swordmaster of his own, and yet his stage was the kitchen rather than a true battlefield.
Under those gentle lines, however, a fire burned. So strong and full of vitality that even he could feel its warmth from here.
"A new Chosen to fill my place…" he muttered, thoughtful.
Then slowly, another smile bloomed on his face. He'd been waiting to see who would be unfortunate enough to be tasked with the job he failed to accomplish. Who, indeed, would fill the gap he'd left in that world?
The other grand worlds all had their Chosen, chained with a fate that was bound to be lonely and full of grief. He himself experienced the same, and in the end, the heaviness of the responsibility had proved too much for him. Eventually, he had to leave to join the Daofather in the Crack. His inner demons forced him to vacate the seat.
"A fire and a stove…" he said, one hand under his chin. His eyes widened when it dawned on him. "A chef! He's really a chef! One with a fire burning in his heart!"
His skin prickled all of a sudden, mind reeling as realization struck him. There was only one Master who would take a chef as their disciple. A most gentle one, and yet terrifyingly strong as well. Most knew her for her cooking, her eternal grace, and the endless love she bore for all the living in the world.
However, only a few knew that she was the Paragon of Flames as well.
"Daomother Xiang has finally accepted a new disciple, then?" He shook his head. The last time that happened, things went… wrong. Her disciple betrayed her and chose the System instead. That bastard was still out there. "Interesting… We'll see if this is a gift or a curse."
Space warped nearby. Lights coalesced into a figure with shoulders wide like a bear and a face fitting his size. Long, black hair mixed into his thick beard. His teeth seemed to be hacked straight into his stubble, shining white in the dark of the cosmos. A deftly crafted sword was clasped in his hand.
"What is it?"
The bearded man hovered near him and bowed his head. A smile strained on his lips as he looked up.
"Daofather has summoned you, Senior Brother Xia," he said, looking relaxed. "I think he's worried that you're spending too much time on your own nowadays."
"Worried, is he? Then lead the way, Junior Brother," he said, giving him a nod. A smile parted his lips as he turned for one last time to gaze at his old world. "I can finally be at ease. Fellow Brother, I'm counting on you. Show me what a chef can do to change that world."
Then together with his Junior Brother, they vanished into the space, leaving behind streaks of blurred lights.
Chapter 82: New Beginnings
The wind whistled loudly over the clouds, a stretch of crimson light rising up in almost slow deliberation across the distance, sprinkling specks of glitter around the Crimsonbeak Eagle. It was a spectacular beast, saddled with quality leather and feathers groomed to a glinting perfection, its back wide enough to easily carry a hundred people.
It was a warm day, and it kept getting warmer still as they neared the capital. Lei was fine with it. Weather wasn't something he'd paid any attention to back in the day, but here, in this xianxia world, even seasons had their own quirks about them. As far as he'd heard, winter could be particularly strong.
That brought the old pair to his mind. Three months had passed since they'd parted. Master Li and Granny Xu had decided to stay in Jiangzhen for a little bit longer. The old master had told him that he had a debt to pay, and once he made sure the city was on its feet again, he might join them in the capital.
Lei already missed them. The kids, not so much. Between gazing across the clouds from miles high or, on occasion, perching over some giant mountain for a hefty lunch, they had hardly the time to think about what was left behind. Part of that was because Zhu Luli's father, the famed Heavenly Scholar, turned out to be a softy when it came to kids. It rather seemed to Lei that the years he'd spent away from his daughter had done a number on the man, and now he just couldn't say no to anyone who was a great deal shorter than him.
Not that Lei complained. He was more than happy to have found a man such as Zhu Qiang caring for the kids.
Zhu Luli didn't seem to be cherishing this reunion, though. Now and then, Lei caught her peering out into the wide skies with one hand over her chin, eyes narrowed in deep contemplation, all sorts of emotions flashing behind them. The hesitancy and the vacant uncertainty with which she carried herself nowadays was a strange look on her. But Lei couldn't get a clear answer whenever he tried to probe her to talk about what made her so uncomfortable.
He guessed it was the capital—or rather, what was inside it. What was once lived and left behind.
Speaking of the capital, Zhu Luli's father had a habit of reminding Lei about the peculiarities of that place and how everything had a different shade there: people and business, or even the sky and the weather. It was separated clearly from the rest of the Empire and became almost like a world of its own.
Can't expect less from the one true Immortal City, can you?
He smiled as he felt the wind warm on his face.
"So, have you decided what we are doing next?" came Fatty Lou's voice, who was lounging beside him, arms over the bamboo railing. These few months hadn't been easy on him, Lei knew, but he started looking a touch better over the last few days. Today they'd be arriving at the capital, after all.
"Restaurant business," Lei said, giving him a look. He had little idea about the restaurant Zhu Luli's father would be giving him and much less about the customer profile in general. He hoped, at least a part of him, the mention of Immortals and Sages had been made to punctuate some dramatic point rather than aiming to show the truth.
And then there was the problem of supply lines, ingredients, and the lack of professional staff. His little kitchen team might've been enough to entertain a bunch of Body Tempering Stage cultivators, but they were closing in on a wolf's den, and he would rather prefer to not push the kids into their claws.
"Manager," Fatty Lou said, licking his lips as if he tasted the very word with his tongue. No doubt he liked it. "I daresay it's an honorable job around there in the capital, no? Who knows, perhaps I'll become a high-nosed bastard and swing these fingers of mine like how the very best of our Empire often did, eh?"
"With bravado?" Lei said.
"And a good deal of contempt." Fatty Lou nodded. "You've got to be practical about these things, Brother Lei. Can't half-ass something so important, right? We are to become big men in a big city now and have to act a certain way to fit the description. No more hiding in the kitchen for you, as well. I've heard chefs in fancy places often attend in person to distinguished guests."
"They do that, yeah," Lei said, a tiny fraction of a memory flashing in his mind. There, he saw himself, back bent low, fingers clasped tight before his waist as he waited for a particularly large man to commend the chef for his expertise. The only times Head Chef Lorenzo sent his prep cooks or line chefs to the tables were the times that the customer proved to be a fool of sorts.
"Did you two speak about the business side?" Fatty Lou muttered, hardly aware of the flashbacks in Lei's churning mind. "I know he's the Heavenly Scholar and all, but I don't see him gifting an expensive two-story building just for his daughter's sake. It wouldn't be very scholarly of him, you know? They ought to be cleverer than that."
"Or, he can be just that rich?" Lei said, gazing for a second toward the head of the eagle where the father and daughter pair stood watching the empty skies. The Zhu Clan's bodyguards managed a lazy line around their backs, though Lei had been told it was just for the show of it. According to Zhu Luli, the eagle was stronger than anyone here, save for Zhu Clan's Patriarch himself.
"You don't get rich by squandering your wealth," Fatty Lou said, hardly convinced. "Surely he must be seeking some sort of cut. Half and half, perhaps? I don't know the economy down in the capital, but we might have to fall back on our old practices."
"Like?"
"The thing you've said that I did without knowing what it's called. I don't remember the exact word for it, but it was something like market… Marketing?" Fatty Lou said. "I think it was marketing."
"It is," Lei nodded and cracked a smile at his brother-in-arms. He then turned, slinging an arm over Fatty Lou's shoulder and pulling him close. "Let us first breathe the air of it, okay? Then we'll decide on our plan. I can see the gears grinding behind your eyes, but hold them for a while. Enjoy the scenery. You've told me you'd always wanted a palace over the clouds, no? Here, treat this as a preview."
Fatty Lou sighed wearily at him. "It is pretty, but I'd rather have my pockets full than get stuck on a dream that might be way over my head. We have grown, have we not? My feet are on the ground now, not seeking some Immortal's wisp out in the skies."
You sure have a point, brother.
Lei breathed in the morning air and shook himself off. There was no point in thinking too much about certain things. Time, he thought, would show them the way.
At least, that's what he hoped.
…..
The capital was a terrible beast, its claws reaching further away and clasping around mountains and rivers, choking innumerable buildings in their tight hold, squashing them together in surprisingly complex and yet orderly lines of streets that gleamed with all sorts of trouble.
Lei had never thought he'd see so much color in his life. Golden, crimson, and green lights sparkled everywhere. And much jade, he had to say. Some of the tiles were entirely made out of it, the color changing from white to green, then green to gold as the eagle coursed freely over the city.
Ahead, a monster of a hill looked down upon the marbled and wooden buildings below. Built on top of it was a sprawling, stretching set of pagodas shaded by ethereal clouds. Bits and pieces were all Lei could see through them. The famed Emperor rested well, close to the Heavens, all right.
Too much of anything was bad for health. Here, it felt like there was too much of everything. Ants crawled across the streets, thousands of them all clad in fancy robes and blinking over the paved roads. Spiritual beasts were in a rush to serve their masters or show their obedience in ways that left some crowds sighing in awe.
There was traffic in the air, but most of the flying creatures stayed purposefully clear of the Emperor's Hill, skirting in big circles around it to land in designated places. Zhu Clan's eagle, a mighty beast that easily towered over the rest, chose a fairly empty route that led them toward the eastern side of the capital.
Lei could hear the kids whistling behind him, and taking a glance over his shoulder, he saw the middle-aged man waving a proud hand over to the right side, where rows of red buildings stretched in orderly lines. Each and every one of them had Zhu Clan's tell-tale symbol of a golden-crowned eagle, its claws terrifyingly sharp and feathers as hard as steel.
The encirclement seemed like it was separated from the rest of the city. When Lei stared into the distance, he saw similar places around the eastern side of the capital. It looked like the heavyweight clans that belonged to the Empire all got their own yards scattered there, as though an ununified army that the Empire didn't feel too comfortable dealing with but couldn't bear to part with either.
It didn't slip past his notice that none of these camp-like settlements were too close to the Emperor's Hill. A trench-like clearing stretched before them, which also circled the hill, dotted with guards and beasts, all clad in the Empire's golden colors. They watched constantly from the high walls like sentries with real trust issues, the clans going about their own days.
It must be hard to trust people when everyone is a freak of nature here.
Zhu Clan's settlement was one of the closer ones, resting nearly face to face with a fifty-foot wall of pure gold, its gates nearly tall enough for Zhu Clan's people to see eye to eye with the Emperor's gold. Though Lei could tell there was a clear difference in their heights.
"What a horrifying mess," Fatty Lou muttered from beside him, eyes growing wide. "Makes you feel like an ant. Punches you straight in the face. Almost like the Emperor himself is declaring to the whole world that he's the one true Immortal in here and we are his mere subjects."
Lei hummed his approval, slightly shaken by the magnitude of the capital himself. Hidden tigers and dragons. There sure was enough space for them in the capital.
"The Emperor is not a Celestial Immortal," came a voice, thumping in his head. Zhu Qiang walked over to them and swept an eye across the endless scene. "He's but a simple man, an usurper whose mind was taken by a venomous snake."
"Eh?" Fatty Lou stared at him.
The man didn't seem aware as he continued. "Point a child to an empty throne, and even he can crawl his way up to it. The real question here is different. Does he have shoulders wide enough to haul the heavens by himself? Does he carry the virtues with which we have built this world? Tell me, is entrusting the throne to a child a sin against the people of this world, or a terrible offense to that poor kid whose soul has yet to mature?"
Lei felt his gaze on his back. His skin prickled as the demand grew heavy around his shoulders. Then a strangeness crawled over his heart when he saw the expectation in those eyes. Perhaps this question had nothing to do with the Emperor or his terrible fate. Perhaps it was about him.
"Fate has its ways, don't you think, Master Qiang?" Lei answered, Maiden's Flame easing his heartbeats back to smooth.
In these last months, there was one thing he came to know. Zhu Clan's Patriarch always had an underlying purpose to his words. From the way he commanded Lei to call him Master to the ease with which he granted a fancy restaurant to him, every move of his was planned in a twisted way.
"Not wrong, young man, but not entirely right either," the man said, eyes sharp as an eagle. "Fate sure has a part in our lives, but do remember it's guided by one's own course in life. Therefore, we mustn't take anything at face value. We must question and suspect that even something as innocent as gold can be used in a despicable way. And thus, we must work, however the task seems so insurmountable to our bare eyes, to ensure even in defeat we don't get burdened by regret."
"I…" Lei paused, thinking about his words. He wasn't sure if the Patriarch was talking about the restaurant, the gift he unwillingly parted with to Lei, or if the man was outright suspecting his virtues here. It could be that he wasn't convinced about Lei's notions either.
In the last three months, they had, perhaps, a few talks, most of which involved Zhu Luli. And Lei noticed the man was especially careful in his daughter's company. But now that they were in the capital, the real Heavenly Scholar might be revealing his true colors.
"I have my regrets," Lei started, peering down at the giant city. "I have my rights and wrongs. Life had pushed me, and on more than one occasion, I gave in, stood silent, and watched everything go by. I blamed people for my own selfishness. I ran away from things I thought were too hard. Tried to pretend it was the world around me that was plagued by some invisible sickness. I chose the easy way."
The man's aura weighed him down, dark eyes glinting deeply. Lei didn't avert his gaze. There was warmth in his chest as he faced him.
"But I've done good things, too. Things I'm grateful for. Things I would've done the same way had I been given the chance. I promised myself I'd become a better man, and I can say I'm making good progress here. So if you're thinking that some hard work and a group of cultivating fools are going to scare me, then you're terribly mistaken. Don't think you've noticed, but I brought everyone here with me, and that means I intend to stay."
"That…" the man muttered, eyes narrowed down.
"Did I pass?" Lei smiled at him.
"You?" Zhu Qiang shook his head and sighed out a long breath. He turned toward his own clan's settlement, one finger tapping the railings of the bamboo saddle. There was a tiny smile on his lips as he said, "Time will tell, young man. Time will tell."
That was good enough for Lei.
Weekly Power Status
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