The aged Sect Master picked up his tea and took a slow sip, letting the savor and scent of the high-quality brew permeate through his tongue and nostrils. It was said that the price of a single catty of these leaves could nourish a multitude of people for an entire year. Its value was exceedingly high, an extraordinary contrast to his childhood, when at times he had to catch rainwater from the eaves of others' houses just to quench his thirst. It was a difference of limitless extremes.
This tea was known as "Silver Needle White Hair" (白毫银针 - Bai Hao Yin Zhen), renowned as the King of White Teas from the land of Fujian. It was crafted from the tender buds of tea plants before they had even blossomed; they were slender as needles and silver-white because these young shoots were covered in a soft, white down. The harvested buds were dried in the shade, without fermentation or exposure to high heat, to preserve the flavor and purity of the original essence. The process to obtain this tea was so painstakingly difficult and the rituals so complex that it became nearly sacred, resulting in a price that was immensely high. Only those of Imperial rank, high officials, and the wealthy and powerful could hope to savor its scent and flavor.
When brewed, the liquid was a clear, pale yellow, with a sweet and gentle flavor and a delicate aroma resembling flowers. Both the taste and fragrance would linger upon the palate, creating a lasting refreshment and a sense of tranquility, vigor, and joy.
Such clarity, vigor, and joy were undoubtedly essential for the aged Sect Master. The more power and authority one wielded, the more one needed to use one's mind for careful deliberation and decision-making, as well as pondering various affairs. Drinking a tea that could assist in making his spirit feel refreshed and clear was a matter that did not carry too high a price for him, the one who occupied the dais as the Master of the Divine Eagle Sect.
His eyes fixed with wrapped attention upon the figures standing below in a posture of scrutiny, while his heart was filled with immense skepticism. These five individuals comprised the highly capable Chief Steward, surnamed Liang; the valiant 'Second Brother' who served as the Left Vice-Master; the skillful 'Third Brother' as the Right Vice-Master; and two other attendants whose names and countenances he did not even deign to commit to memory, knowing only that they were carefully selected for their backgrounds and behavior to serve him.
The first three were his most trusted lieutenants, while the other two were subordinates vetted and trained according to the strict regulations of the sect he himself had established. Nevertheless, a deep-seated anxiety gnawed at the old Master's heart... could these men truly be trusted? He had learned through hazardous experience that the closer one is, the more one ought to be on guard—memories of past events always reeking with the fishy stench of blood.
The aged Sect Master gently stroked the 'Eagle Throne,' his seat of authority upon the highest floor of the 'Cloud-Soaring Tower.' Crafted from ebony (Wu-Mu), it was jet-black, dense, and remarkably heavy; to sit upon it was to manifest a sense of formidable grandeur and stability. It was carved in the likeness of an eagle with its wings outspread to enhance its illustrious splendor, adorned with precious gems for eyes and gold inlays etched deep into the wood. Such a magnificent and high-value chair was fit for an exalted Master, yet the old Master often felt it to be unsteady and fragile. Whenever he ascended to his seat, there were moments when he had to exert all his effort to suppress the trepidation in his own heart.
The adage, "the higher one stands, the colder the wind blows," is a truth beyond all doubt.
This Eagle Throne was originally situated in the Great Hall of the sect's Forward Command Building. It had served as the seat of authority since the era of the second-generation master, "Golden Eagle" Lin Xiu, who had personally ordered its creation. Later, the "Heavenly Blade Eagle" commissioned a new throne crafted from Agarwood (沉香 : Chen Xiang) brought from the distant regions of the South Seas (南海 : Nanhai).
Because he favored the exquisite fragrance of this wood, which was precious, rare, and remarkably sturdy, he chose it for his own regalia. The wood possessed such immense weight that it would sink instantly if cast into water. It was carved into the likeness of an eagle in a magnificent pose—beak open in a fierce cry, claws extended, and wings spread wide—to manifest his formidable power and prestige. The throne was further embellished with jade, gold, and precious gems. Having assumed this new seat, he ordered the old throne to be hoisted to the summit of the Cloud-Soaring Tower, proclaiming it an act of utmost reverence and veneration for the late Master.
A profound silence enveloped the area as the aged Master gently stroked the armrest of the throne. His eyes were cast downward as he reminisced about the past and the late Master, Lin Xiu. He had revered and adored this man as if he were his own blood sire; the first two years of his life within the sect were arguably the most blissful moments of his hazardous existence.
During those years, he learned much. Being a quick-witted child with sharp intuition, and possessing a foundation in reading, writing, and the circulation of internal energy, he was able to master his lessons with extraordinary speed. Sect Master Lin doted upon him, and in his capacity as a personal attendant, the young boy was always at his master's side, never more than a step away. Consequently, he received specialized instruction, absorbing the Classics and martial arts while simultaneously learning the subtle complexities of managing the sect's affairs, both internal and external.
This led to his skills improving by leaps and bounds; Sect Master Lin, observing such progress, favored and doted upon him even more.Chen Shuyuan vividly recalled how the Master would often address him with the affectionate name of "Chen Chen." (陈陈) However, after two years had passed, the Sect Master's wife gave birth to a son, and the attention bestowed upon Chen began to diminish, dwindling further with each day of the infant's growth.
The sorrow of losing his significance left Chen Shuyuan in a state of deep despondency, yet he knew it was an impossible dream to expect the Master to favor him over his own blood sire.Though his heart was aggrieved, he forced himself to maintain a constant smiling expression.
Frequently, he was compelled to assume the role of a nanny—cradling the infant during its fits of wailing, and watching over its first crawls and steps.There were even moments when he had to cleanse the babe's filth and bathe the child, forcing himself to endure it all.Despite the displeasure and biting envy within, he manifested only a joyful countenance, reminding himself that since he lived under another's roof, he had no choice but to accept his lot.
Yet, as the adage goes, "Jealousy is like wildly growing weeds"; the more he suppressed his true feelings, the more intense the rancor became.
Outwardly, he appeared radiant and yielding to the child, but inwardly he suffered a gnawing pain; at times, he even wished for the boy's early demise to end his torment.Nonetheless, he was forced to tolerate the situation.One benefit was that by endearing himself to the child, the Sect Master placed more trust in him and offered frequent praise, which served to slightly alleviate the smoldering envy in his chest.At times, he strove to view the boy as a beloved younger brother, yet another part of his mind knew clearly that this was no brother, but rather... the "Young Master"!
Moreover, when he reached the age of sixteen, he volunteered to enter the fray for the first time alongside the sect's top experts. Their mission was to drive out the Fragrant Wood Sect, led by a man named Gao Bowen (高博文), who was bestowed with the moniker "Golden-Shelled Venomous Turtle" (金甲毒龟 : Jin Jia Du Gui) and had encroached upon the domain of the Divine Eagle Sect.
He hoped that by returning with meritorious deeds, Sect Master Lin would favor and dote upon him even more. Although his martial prowess at that time was far from being in the first rank, he hazarded his existence in a desperate charge, aiming to distinguish himself through illustrious exploits.
Initially, the Divine Eagle Sect appeared to hold the ascendancy. Gao Bowen's skills were not supreme, but he was versed in the art of poison and was deviously cunning. The men of the Divine Eagle Sect were lured into a snare within an alley, intended for a total slaughter; they were on the verge of being showered with poison-tipped crossbow bolts by the Turtle's minions.
Chen Shuyuan, possessing a small and slender frame, managed to squeeze through a crack in the wall.Braving death, he scaled the heights of the wall and flung himself into a fierce assault against the crossbowmen stationed upon the ridge. The venomous formation fell into disarray, granting the Divine Eagle Sect's experts time to escape the trap and launch a counter-offensive, reclaiming the advantage until Gao Bowen was forced to seek refuge in flight with his underlings.
At that moment, Chen Shuyuan viewed Gao Bowen's head as a prize; thinking only of attaining widespread renown, he exerted his full speed to soar across the ridge of rooftops. Seeing an opportunity as the Fragrant Wood Sect dispersed, he dove down like a hawk, intending to cleave the Sect Leader surnamed Gao in two!
But... though Gao Bowen was not an invincible master, as a Sect Leader, his skills were by no means ordinary.His moniker, the "Golden-Shelled Venomous Turtle," was earned because he possessed a bizarre shield crafted from a special, thin yet incredibly resilient iron, concealed beneath his cloak upon his back. Hearing the sound of a blade slicing through the void from above, he ducked his frame, using the shielded portion of his back to withstand the strike while circulating his internal energy to surge upwards in a counter-strike.
Chen Shuyuan, who was in a state of self-complacency regarding the success of his strike, was suddenly struck by the powerful force of the shield.His body was sent flying for several fathoms until he crashed onto the earth, coughing up a copious amount of fresh blood!
"Accursed brat! Are you not but a lowly cur following at the heels of that man surnamed Lin?!" Gao Bowen roared."Excellent! I shall strip the flesh from your countenance and dispatch it as a tribute for that foul Eagle's amusement!"
The Golden-Shelled Venomous Turtle let out a sinister laugh, brandishing the short sword in his hand as he pounced to hack at Chen Shuyuan!
Yet the youth had not squandered his tutelage under an expert; he twisted his frame and rolled away, narrowly evading the weapon.Though the blade missed his countenance, it nonetheless etched a deep gash across the center of his back.Gore flowed unceasingly, marking an extremely close shave from the gates of hell!In the instant the Sect Leader surnamed Gao prepared to deliver a following thrust, the experts of the Divine Eagle Sect arrived in a clamor, causing the Golden-Shelled Venomous Turtle to halt in his tracks.
In that moment, Chen Shuyuan sprang from the earth and rammed into Gao Bowen's frame, pinning him against the wall. He then planted his foot squarely into the chest of his adversary, propelled himself into mid-air, and brought his blade down with a rock-shattering force!Before the Sect Leader could revolve his body to meet the attack with his shield, the blade struck!His skull was cleaved into two sections down to his throat!Gore and brain matter surged forth, splattering in all directions as his frame collapsed onto the ground, reduced to a motionless corpse.
It was that very stance—hacking downwards with his blade from the heavens—that earned Chen Shuyuan the illustrious moniker of the "Celestial Sword Divine Eagle" (天剑神鹰 – Tian Jian Shen Ying).