Violent much? Not really for us, though. All of this bloodshed is pretty standard in our cultivation world. But I must say, just because were used to it, doesn't make it any less shocking. I guess you must focus on the positives to have a bright outlook on things.
The healers of Tianlan were miracle workers, mending the masters' shattered legs as if they had never been snapped at all. If only they could do the same for the spirit, because they were definitely crushed into a million pieces.
Poor Master Qinghe, by the way, was beyond the reach of even the finest medicinal arts, already on his way to be buried six feet under.
Liangyu and I sat in Master Juechen's office, waiting for him to say something. Anything.
"So… what do we do now?" I asked, because someone had to.
Master Juechen slowly looked up and stared at me as if all life had drained out of him. As if Longwei hadn't just slapped him, but had reached inside and pulled out his will to live. "Nothing. What is left to do? For centuries we've tried to bring him down, and at this point I'm exhausted."
Liangyu leaned forward with earnest devotion, trying to be supportive. "Master, we mustn't give up. Your humble student is always ready to fight harder and press on."
"As much as your youthful passion flatters me, Liangyu, I do not see any other way," Master Juechen replied with dry and raspy voice.
I couldn't even blame the old man. Spending centuries hunting a man who treats your best efforts like a mild inconvenience would break anyone. I probably would've packed it in after fifty years and opened a noodle shop.
Still, I could see the pain in Master Juechen's eyes. The slap that morning? There was definitely history there. I'd heard rumors that Longwei had once walked these halls as Juechen's prize pupil.
'Was it Master Juechen who pissed him off?' I thought. 'But I don't think so. Assuming that Longwei did what he did solely on the reason of being pissed off, I don't really see Master Juechen as someone with malicious intentions. Sure, you shouldn't be trusting anyone if you're wise, but I've known Master Juechen for years, and he doesn't really strike me as a bad person.'
Regardless, I didn't like the way Longwei treated Master Juechen. I didn't like the way he treated any master as a matter of fact. My blood simmered when I thought of Longwei. It was the smirk. The one which had 'I'm better than your entire bloodline' painted on his face. I'll admit I'd been terrified at first, given that it was my first impression of him involving a lot of violence and murder. But now, that fear was curdling into a deep resentment. And it felt old. Like a grudge I'd inherited from a past life.
"Master Juechen," I said, my voice firmer. "Now that Liangyu and I are officially members of the Azure Flame Sect, are we free to make our own path? Provided we consult you first, of course."
Liangyu shot me a warning glance. He knew I was about to propose something reckless.
"What kind of path?" Master Juechen asked.
"The masters of Wanshou Nation are tired. All around the world, even. And we get it," I said. "But the nation is about to see a surge of 'young blood'. Idiots like us who don't know any better than to be brave. If the old guard is stepping back, will you give us leave to go after Longwei ourselves?"
Master Juechen let out a short, bitter chuckle. "I admire your courage, Ziyang. But you will most assuredly die trying."
"Then so be it." Liangyu joined in, trying to impress. "We've studied long and hard as martial students to try and do some good and make the world a better place haven't we? If we are to dedicate our life to something as worthy as taking Longwei down, then we shall."
Master Juechen sat in a moment of silence for quite a while, staring outside the window with an expression of profound pity on us, then spoke. "Fine. Do what you will. Do you need anything?"
"Of course, Master." I said. "Let me start by saying there's no doubt Longwei is hiding something about his unimaginable power. That suspicion became a certainty just this morning. When we recovered the Spirit Devouring Pearl, not only was it not warded by any traps, we carried it back to Tianlan without interruption. There were no attacks, no disturbances. Only after we reached the academy did Longwei show up. May I ask, Master Juechen, upon taking hold of the pearl, even if it was for mere seconds, were you able to verify its authenticity?"
Master Juechen rubbed his temple, then shrugged. "I couldn't examine it properly. But it felt genuine to me."
"Alright. In that case, there are only two possibilities. Either Longwei switched the real one with a darn good fake, or the pearl, a literal god-tier artifact, couldn't even make a dent in his power. Either way, he was there before us. He let us take it just so he could show up and humiliate us. He wants to be left alone, but he's trying too hard to prove he's untouchable. Why?"
"So what exactly do you propose?" Asked Master Juechen.
I make fun of Liangyu trying to impress his seniors and masters but to be honest, I had that feeling too, to a certain extent. You don't become the best of Tianlan without at least a little bit of a sense of duty and loyalty. Among all the masters here, I was drawn towards Master Juechen the most. To see him defeated like that, it didn't sit right with me. Besides, like Liangyu said, we're only ever trying to do good right?
And so I answered, "I wish to put together a team. A team to bring down Longwei. I assure you, Master Juechen, you will see the day Longwei is in shackles. And we'll be the one to do it."
Master Juechen didn't talk for a few moments. The way his expressions altered every few seconds, it definitely seemed like he was thinking about how naive I was to suggest it. He was probably thinking, 'What hundreds of martial masters couldn't do in multiple lifetimes, this guy thinks he can do it in just one. What a joke.'
But hey, there's nothing wrong with trying right? And fortunately, that's probably what Master Juechen thought so too, because he finally exhaled and said, "Alright. Go ahead."
I looked at Liangyu and gave him a slight nod. He was prepared to do it. "So, what's our first step?" He asked.
"We start with people we trust," I said. "First recruit those we know well. After that, we widen the search across the nation for potential allies among both peers and masters. This isn't a mission with a deadline. Many have rushed in half-prepared and failed, so we won't repeat their mistake. Even if it takes years to be ready, then so be it. Careful planning and steady training will be our advantage."
"Good plan," Liangyu said. "Who do we recruit first, then?"
"Feng Jian."
"Oh, that's a good choi- WHAT!"