The sunshine extended for kilometers; the day was hot.
Ling Chen however, was feeling incomparably cold. It was a coldness that stemmed from the death of his heart.
He was the youth leader of the Ying Clan, a genius young man who had a qi level of six, the winner of last year’s clan combat competition and the winner of this year’s clan combat competition. People have been crowning him with haloes for many years, promoting him to be in a respected position where he became the star in all the elders’ eyes.
His hair hung loosely, and his gaze was sluggish. As if he lost his soul, he stood there with a red palm print on his cheek.
“I lost, I completely lost…” Ling Chen’s head was heavy, and his confidence was completely shattered. He only made two offensive moves. Although the first one was completely broken down by Ling Xian, he thought Ling Xian simply got lucky. Even if it wasn’t luck, Ling Xian was not worthy to be his opponent.
When he made the second move, he was full of confidence too. He thought he would be able to defeat Ling Xian after suddenly reaching the seventh stage of the Tidal Wave Technique. However, it was easily counter-attacked by Ling Xian. The mental blow he received as a result of the event made him clearly realize how laughable he was to think that Ling Xian was simply lucky.
He had a qi level of six, and Ling Xian was only five. With an entire level of difference between them, he lost after summoning only one technique.
The Tidal Wave Technique that he dedicated his life to was defenseless and turned to dust before the heaven shadowing palm. If this was the result when his level of training was higher than Ling Xian’s, does it mean that once Ling Xian reached the same level of training as him, he wouldn’t even be worthy of competing with Ling Xian?
Thinking about this possibility, Ling Chen’s heart turned even colder.
“Laughable, this whole situation is laughable!” Ling Chen’s nerves were shaken out of him, as his entire body emitted a dead presence. The arrogant and cocky vibe in him was long lost. He mumbled to himself, “all I could think of was to make him lose his face and destroy his reputation. I cannot believe that in the end, it was me who was beaten to a point where I cannot be rebounded to prominence.”
“If you knew what would happen today, you never would’ve done what you did.” Ling Xian sighed softly. “If you didn’t provoke me and tried to ruin my reputation, then you would still be enjoying your title as the highly-respected youth leader. You would not look as beaten as you do now.”
After that dramatic turn of events, the genius Ling Chen was now considered a waste. Even though he was still well-trained, his resolve broke and he could not put it back together. With this determination gone, his entire life will be haunted by the day Ling Xian mightily defeated him.
Ling Chen snapped up his head, and his eyes were filled with bone-deep hatred. He sneered, “There is no need to talk anymore. The strong dominates the weak, and I do not need your pity. However, I want you to remember that one day I will beat you to the abyss and avenge the humiliation I received today!”
“You still can’t differentiate the good from the bad, and you still don’t know how to self-evaluate. It was you who went over the line, and yet you dump all the responsibilities onto someone else.” Ling Xian frowned. “If you think what happened today was me intentionally humiliating you, then I have nothing to say to you.”
If Ling Chen could truly accept his defeat and view Ling Xian the way he sees everyone else, then Ling Xian would only be a barrier that he has to overcome during his journey to Immortality. If he thought that way then maybe he could one day repair his Taoism resolve and achieve greatness. However, all he could think about was how much he hated Ling Xian and how humiliating that slap was. Unfortunately, he was going to drown in this hatred his entire life and not move an inch further in his pursuit of Immortality.
“I am the youth leader of the Ling Clan, and you are in no position to lecture me.” Ling Chen’s face was full of the devious grudge. “Remember, one day I will return the humiliation you brought me back to you. I will make sure you taste the pain of being beaten out of your mind!”
Ling Xian’s gaze turned cold, and he had the thought of killing him.
Just then, Ling Tian Qing jumped down from the stage and slapped Ling Chen on the other cheek. This slap was a lot lighter than the heaven shadowing palm’s slap. After all, Ling Chen was his son, and he didn’t have the heart to hurt him too much.
“Father…” Ling Chen froze and then screamed crazily, “You hit me? You hit me because of a collateral sibling?!”
Ling Tian Qing looked at his beloved son with a pained look on his face. He had no choice but to toughen up and warn his son, “I hit you to wake you up! Look at the way you are! Arrogant, imperious, and smug, you do not even try to see how you are at fault here! What has Ling Xian done for you to want to ruin his reputation and make him die suffering? How did I raise such a deviate son?”
“Father, to put it gracefully, he is a collateral sibling of the Ling Clan. To put it bluntly, he is a slave of the Ling Clan. So I want him to suffer. What’s wrong with that? To even associate myself with him means I see some value in him. I can’t believe you are lecturing me because of a slave.” Ling Chen was over-emotional and did not choose his words carefully. He didn’t even notice what he had said until he realized the change in the way everyone looked at him.
The statement he made was not something that should be said out loud.
In all honesty, the ancestors of most collateral siblings were slaves of the Ling Clan. Because of this, even today, the direct descendants of the Ling Clan often teased and taunted them. They also did not view them as part of the family. This was the unwritten rule and natural instinct of the clan. Even though both sides knew the story, it was not a story that was talked about.
Because of this, the statement Ling Chen made lifted the veil off of the hidden truth. What welcomed him was the crowd’s anger.
The direct descendants were forgiving towards what he said and merely frowned. After all, mocking collateral siblings and calling them slaves was something everyone did in private.
The collateral sibling, however, were more than pissed off. In their minds, their ancestors have worked hard and even sacrificed their lives for the Ling Clan. How dare the direct descendants treat them like slaves, mock them and not even see them as humans?
Every one of them was enraged. Their eyes screamed fury. If the clan leader was not standing right there on the stage, they would’ve dashed forward and tore Ling Chen to pieces.
“You fool! Why would you say that publicly? Now we are in trouble. If we don’t manage this well, the accumulated anger between the direct descendants and the collateral siblings will finally explode!” The second elder Ling Tian Jiao was distressed.
“I trust that our brother will handle it well. Since we can’t turn back time, there is no reason to be irritated.” Ling Tian Xiang was also frowning. This was a tricky situation. Ever since the creation of the clan, the collateral siblings and the direct descendants have had conflicts.
The direct descendants have always been above everyone else. They could enjoy plenty of resources and always made fun of the collateral siblings as a pastime. The collateral siblings on the other end could only collect a pitiful amount of monthly wage to support their training. Not only did they have to endure the mockery from the descendants, but they also had to face many types of discrimination. Their hearts filled with dissatisfaction.
In reality, all they wanted was fairness. However, there was no fairness in the world.
It was, for this reason, that conflicts accumulated little by little. But because both sides had scruples, the situation remained controlled.
However, Ling Chen’s one statement today acted as a catalyst that ignited all the piled-up conflicts.
“Leader, why would he call us slaves? Explain yourselves!” A person from the crowd suddenly asked, and the rest of the crowd roared after him.
“Is it true that, as the clan leader, you think the same way as him? If not, give us an explanation!”
“For the Ling Clan to have the achievements it does today, our ancestors made great contributions that should not be ignored. After all we have done, you still see us as slaves?”
“This is so hurtful. When there were dangerous missions, we were always the ones you sent. Why are you direct descendants the only ones enjoying all the glory and riches? Why? Give us an explanation!”
The atmosphere turned tense. Every single collateral sibling carried a dissatisfied face and asked for clarifications.
Ling Tian Qing’s face was heavy, and his headache grew. He did not expect his son to say something so vulgar, and now he was stuck in a situation where he could not move forward or backward.
What kind of explanation?
Do they want him to kill Ling Chen?
“You bastard! Look at what you’ve done!” Ling Tian Qing wanted to slap him so hard, but it was his own blood and bone after all, how could he have the heart?
“I…” Ling Chen realized that he had misspoken. However, it was too late. He staggered backward, afraid that those agitated collateral siblings would slaughter him here and now.
“What did I teach you as you were growing up? The Ling Clan is an entirety that should not be separated into collateral and direct siblings. I cannot believe you would think of your collateral sibling as your slaves. How did I raise such a bastard!” Ling Tian Qing’s heart was filled with hatred and resentment.
The words he said was not just an act. He did firmly believe in that concept, and it was the way he taught Ling Chen.
Sadly, a tiger father raised a dog son.
“Clan Leader, do something to resolve the situation today. I’m afraid that if you drag it on, the people will riot,” Ling Xian opened his mouth and said.
Ling Tian Qing sighed, he could somehow suppress the opinions expressed by the collateral siblings as long as their father ancestor do not come out. However, if Ling Xian were the one talking, it would be difficult to ignore.
Because Ling Xian was the victim and he demonstrated his rare talent, Ling Tian Qing knew that once Ling Xian grew up, he would become invincible and can protect the Ling Clan for a very long time.
On top of that, whether or not the Ling Clan could overcome the next crucial and dangerous situation was highly dependent on him.
How could he not value Ling Xian’s opinion highly?
Just as Ling Tian Qing was stuck in the middle and was not sure what to do, a ghost like shadow swept over and stood in the middle of the arena.
It was a white bearded slouchy old man dressed in a linen robe.
“Uncle Yun, why did you come?” Ling Tian Qing quickly walked before him and bowed.
The elderly helped him up and laughed. “I am merely a slave, and you are the Clan Leader of the Lings. Don’t torture me like this by showing me an excess amount of respect. “
“Uncle Yun must be kidding. In the entire clan, who would call you a slave?” Ling Tian Qing asked.
“Hehe, the youth leader just did.” The elderly faintly smiled.
“This...” Ling Tian Qing was embarrassed. “My dog of a one has been vile. Please don’t be angered by him. I will teach him a lesson later.”
“Alright, I will not waste too many words and get straight to the point. I am present here today to pass on a message from the master.” The elderly waved his hand, and a piece of paper floated up in midair. It then flew into Ling Tian Qing’s hand.
“The master has been staying in the back mountain and watching every single detail that happened here today. The paper carries advice for what he suggest you do. You may choose to listen or you may not, it is completely up to you. After all, you are the leader of the Ling Clan,” the elderly said sternly.
As soon as his voice faded, his physical body disappeared as well. The only thing left was the xuan paper in Ling Tian Qing’s hand.
There was only one word on it.
Dethrone.
Dethrone.
Ling Tian Qing bitterly chuckled.
The advice given to him was to dethrone Ling Chen from the youth leader position.
What Ling Chen did today, discounting his offensive statement, was already enough to make him lose the leader position. Even worse, the statement he casually made ignited the accumulated conflict between the siblings. If he were dethroned, it would be easier to calm the public.
“The master must be very disappointed in Ling Chen…” Ling Tian Qing sighed deeply. He knew that he was definitely very disappointed in his son. Forgetting his ruthless and unreasonable actions toward Ling Xian, the statement Ling Chen made almost caused Ling Tian Qing to pass out from anger.
Treat the collateral siblings as slaves?
Though this mindset was common among the direct descendants, who ever dared to say it in public?
Ling Chen was the only one.
A person with this amount of stupidity, if stepped up to be the Clan Leader, the Ling Clan would be one step closer to extinction.
Ling Tian Qing painfully looked at his beloved son, and he hesitated for a while because he finally collected enough resolve. He gestured for the crowd to quiet down.
As the Clan Leader, he has always worked conscientiously and diligently, and therefore the clan had a lot of respect for him. With his one gesture, the entire crowd silenced. Every single collateral member of the family was staring at him straight in the eye. They anticipated what he would say next and waited for the answer that would either satisfy or disappoint them.
“The Clan is an inseparable entity. Direct descendants or collateral siblings, our last names are the same. Ling is not only a name. It is also a responsibility, even more so than that it is an honor. The true meaning behind the name is the people; it is you! Your ancestors shed their blood and sacrificed their lives to trade for the glory Ling Clan has today!”
Ling Tian Qing paused before he continued. “This land is sacred, but it is also cruel. There has been too much bloodshed from our warriors, and too many loyal spirits were devoted from them. It is because of them, is our land is sacred and untouchable. It has been our clan’s land since the beginning, and it is a 137-year-old divine land!”
“Tell me, are you willing to protect it and defend it with your lives?” Ling Tian Qing’s voice was piercing.
“We are!”
The crowd yelled in unison, loud enough to strain their voices.
Looking at the red-faced and excited youths, Ling Tian Qing nodded in satisfaction. “Very good. Since you are all willing to sacrifice your lives to defend the Ling Clan, then the clan will make sure you do not serve in vain. You bleed for the land, and the land will not make you cry. You compromise the good things in your lives to defend the land so the land will not void you of brilliance. The Ling Clan’s glory needs all of your hard work, your effort, and your teamwork. The land really does need you!”
“Yes! Leader, you are right. We swear to protect the Ling Clan until we die!”
“Yes! We will train harder, and work harder to bring more honor to our clan!”
The crowd cried. The immature young boys felt the blood pumping in their veins along with Ling Tian Qing’s speech. Red-faced, they cheered as if the glory of the Ling Clan really depended on them.
“What a pile of rubbish. Ling Tian Qing never even addressed the main issue,” Ling Xian shooked his head. Ling Tian Qing’s emotionally manipulative speech could sweet-talk others, but it could not convince him.
What he wanted to hear was for Ling Tian Qing to explain himself to the collateral siblings. Fortunately, Ling Tian Qing did not disappoint him. “Alright, I owe you all an answer!”
Ling Tian Qing inhaled and repressed all the emotions he felt before he yelled out, “I have decided to dethrone Ling Chen from the youth leader position!”
Like a rock that created thousands of ripples, the arena was quiet at first, and then the crowd erupted.
“Yes! Dethrone him! He has been a grain of sand in my eye for a long time!”
“Good decision. What kind of guy is he? Because of his title, he mocked and offended us. Let’s see how he can remain arrogant after this!”
“This makes me so happy! This kind of person does not deserve to be the youth leader. Clan Leader sure is intelligent. No wonder he steers the Ling Clan.”
Ling Chen, as if struck by lightning, froze in his spot. When he realized what was happening, he shouted like a maniac, “father! You misspoke, didn’t you! I am the Ling Clan’s youth leader! How can I be dethroned so easily?”
Pia!
Ling Tian Qing slapped his son and shouted, “you are dethroned because of your mindset, because of what you said, and because I am your father. Why can’t I dethrone you?”
“No!” Ling Chen screamed at the top of his lungs, “I am the youth leader! I am in a respected position! What was wrong with me calling them slaves! What was wrong with what I said!”
“You still dare to keep talking?” Ling Tian Qing’s heart bled as he watched his beloved son behave in such a manner. Finally, he became more determined and said in an authoritarian tone, “you are no longer the youth leader. This is not a joke.”
“Impossible, this is impossible…” Ling Chen’s eyes lost their soul. He only allowed himself to be so arrogant because of his leadership position in the clan. If things went smoothly, he would’ve been the next clan leader after Ling Tian Qing. He was supposed to rule the entire clan, and nobody could overrule him.
However, accidents happened and he was deprived of the right to become the next leader.
The mental blow was almost unacceptable to Ling Chen. The pain he felt was worse than being defeated by Ling Xian.
“Ah!”
Ling Chen cried as if his organs were being torn apart. The air was filled with desperation.
Ling Tian Qing felt a pinch in his heart. He then hit Ling Chen’s chest with his fist and knocked him unconscious. Then he gestured for a few people to drag him away.
“Send him to the Cliff of Reflection, and tell him he is not allowed to step out from there for three years.”
With a faint sigh, Ling Tian Qing seemed to have aged 10 years in an instant. However, for his clan and to please the people, he had to do what he had to do. Dethroning Ling Chen’s youth leader position, forcing himself to self-reflect, and stripping away his freedom for three years was a hefty penalty. It was heavy enough for the collateral siblings to calm their anger.
“Those who commit too many sins are doomed to fail,” Ling Xian mumbled to himself. He showed respect to the leader and said, “Leader you are wise, and I really admire you. I believe that under your leadership, the Ling Clan will walk further and further and become more and more glorious.”
To everyone’s surprise, Ling Tian Qing waved his hand and bowed before Ling Xian in front of everyone. He said in a serious tone, “If a son is uneducated, the father is the blame. I apologize on his behalf for what happened here today. I hope you can forgive us and not hold grudges.
“Leader you have exaggerated the situation. I am not someone with a small heart. You have punished him severely. Let the wind carry away the unpleasant events.” Ling Xian quickly helped him straighten up. He was the Clan Leader after all and to bow before him, even if he was acting, was very difficult to do.
He could tell anyways that Ling Tian Qing was not acting for his own good. He really meant what he said.
“I am relieved to hear you say that. It is no wonder you are a genius who awakened a guiding law. You have a broad mind and a big heart. More than a hundred times better than my son.” Ling Tian Qing smiled lightly, he relaxed.
Even though he was not acting, the fact that he bowed was very intentional because of Ling Xian’s special abilities. Even though he would still severely punish his son if the person Ling Chen offended was a regular clan member, he would not have bowed down before everyone else.
It was not a matter of morality, but a matter of identity. He was the current leader of the Ling Clan, and by simply stomping his feet, the entire City of Qing would shake. How could he so easily bow down to a regular trainee?
It was a matter of reputation. Have you ever seen an Emperor bow down to his people?
Ling Xian was different. He has a rare talent which determined his bright future. Even though he was a commoner, he was someone who could easily overtake the palace with a horse and sword. Therefore, he could not be treated like a commoner.
“Leader you have flattered me.”
Ling Xian smiled. Everything was under his control now. The use of the Heaven Shadowing Palm was a move he purposely exposed to the leaders. After all, Ling Chen was the youth leader, whose position was very high. He had to use a move that would gain him respect once and for all. If he didn’t show them some real skills, he might’ve been taken advantage of.
What it boils down to was that he did not have enough fundamental skills.
If he was truly organically strong, what could they have done if he killed Ling Chen? Who could’ve said a word?
Even still, he really believed in himself. With his natural talent, he could train to achieve a terrifying level of greatness within two years. He wanted to truly be on top of the City of Qing.
“What happened today to Ling Chen was not necessarily a bad thing. Dethroning him from the youth leader position and forcing him to reflect on himself may help him step out of the traumatizing experience today. Maybe in the future, he would be reborn into a better man and achieve even greater accomplishments in training.” Ling Tian Qing stared at the handsome Ling Xian and then thought of his bastard son. He couldn’t help it but exclaim silently. If Ling Chen had half of Ling Xian’s excellence, he would die happy.
Reborn into a better man?
Ling Xian shook his head and laughed. Based on the shady way Ling Chen acted, the only outcome that could happen was him getting worse.
“I wish him the best. I have some other affairs to attend to so I will leave now.”
He attempted to exit the arena, but Ling Tian Qing stopped him.
“You placed first in the combat competition, so you cannot leave yet. At least accept the reward before you go.”
“First in the competition?” Ling Xian was startled. Then he remembered that because he defeated Ling Chen, who was the winner, he was technically the winner now. Does it work this way? He never really registered to participate.
Ling Tian Qing didn’t wait for him to respond. He coughed harshly to get everyone’s attention and beamed. “I now announce this year’s clan combat competition winner is Ling Xian. Any objections?”
“No objections. Other than Ling Xian, who deserves to be number one?”
“Ling Chen was the real winner of the competition this year, and Ling Xian defeated him!”
“Yes, he beat Ling Chen with two moves. Within the youths of the clan, who could’ve done that? He is number one. The one and only!”
Below the stage, loud cheering and clapping erupted. One by one they screamed Ling Xian’s name as if he was the reason for all their glories.
It was hard to blame them for their excitement. Ling Xian was a collateral sibling, and his achievements added honor for everyone in the collateral family.
In the entire history of the Ling Clan, he was the first collateral sibling to win the combat competition.
This accomplishment was definitely one that has never been achieved!
Instantly, the entire arena was filled with applause and cheers. Everyone stared at Ling Xian, who was standing on the stage. Their gazes were full of admiration, excitement, and jealousy.
The young boys were almost worshipping him while the girls hazily stared at him. They were all at the age of understanding romance. The vague prince charming image in their hearts was slowly being molded into Ling Xian’s face.
Ling Xian’s cloak was as white as snow, and his hair was as black as ink. He stood on the stage, and a grin escaped his lips.
At this moment, thousands of people cheered him on!
At this moment, thousands fixated their gaze on him!
Comentario de párrafo
¡La función de comentarios de párrafo ya está en la Web! Mueva el mouse sobre cualquier párrafo y haga clic en el icono para agregar su comentario.
Además, siempre puedes desactivarlo en Ajustes.
ENTIENDO