Chapter 116: The Grand Scheme
Indeed, Yao Shen confirmed, his tone echoing a serenity that could not be falsified. It is as the wise Elder of the Zhu Family says. Lumenite a known monopoly of the Dwarven Mountain Region, an extremely volatile and delicate ore that could not be forged even if it was stolen. Please, Yao Shen gestured to the back of the room with his right hand, before moving towards the pointed direction.
His unguarded, unarmored back was offered to the Elders and the Patriarchs, but the latter did not so much so as flinch at the thought. Zhou Hui, Kang Long and Lei Weiyuan remained rooted to the spot, their silence only serving as an oppressiveness that weighed down on the Sky Division Elders.
Wenjun Long had claimed an unassuming spot to the side, his back hugging the wall as he silently cultivated. Whatever his role had been in the conspiracy that ensnared them all, it had been completed.
Trepidation was written all over the Elders faces, requiring Meili Zhu to take a cautious step forward if only to snap the others out of their reverie.
A minute later, they had crossed the distance. Standing behind Yao Shen who seemed to be taking in the sets of full-plate Lumenite Armor with a sense of accomplishment, Meili Zhu could not help but let her thoughts drift to a startling observation she had made the moment she entered the chamber.
Five unclaimed sets of Lumenite Armor.
Five Elders.
Despite the reservations Meili Zhu felt, despite the calculations of terrible consequences that could be brought down upon the Azlak Plains by mere virtue of this heretical armor existing, the all-consuming political storm that such an expos would bring all of her inhibitions and reservations, the desperate warning her instinct, honed across battles across both the cultivator and political worlds, all of it failed before a single emotion.
Desire.
Oh the possibilities of owning a set of an armor that was rooted more in mythology than in reality in the context of the Azlak Plains were enough to set her age-worn, shriveled heart aflutter again.
Her gaze swept from her left to her right, taking in the expressions of the Elders that were too consumed by strong emotions to maintain their usual projection of composure and poise.
Wenyan Ren, Elder of the Forging Hall, gazed upon a single set of Lumenite Armor with an expression that could only be described as reverent exuberance, his hands trembling and his right leg softly tapping the floor below as he tried to process what it exactly was that he was witnessing.
Liewei Hu, the Patriarch of the Legacy Family that had the greatest hand in shaping Yao Shens fate and legend, concealed his fear behind a disbelieving expression.
Jiayi Songs lower lip quivered in nervousness, as she was confronted with the bitter realization that she had been embroiled in plans and schemes far beyond her own. The hesitation written all over her expression spoke of escape, but where could she run to when such meticulous thought had been put into whom the secret would be revealed to?
How far would Yao Shen go to guard a secret that could put the entirety of the Azlak Plains in jeopardy, if it was ever brought ot the light of day?
Meili Zhu knew the answer to that question.
It was Jie Tang, Body Cultivator and Elder of the Divine Might Hall, that had reacted in a manner that Meili Zhu could only describe most admirable, with herself included in that comparison. He was studying the Lumenite Armor with a hawkish, predatory focus, both with his visual acuity and divine sense. While the rest of them stood overwhelmed to varying extents, Jie Tang sought to find a way to defeat this new creation.
Please, Yao Shen cut through the coalescing anxiety amongst the Elders, his easy tone indicating that their reactions had been expected more than not. Feel free to inspect the creations I have dedicated the whole of last year to. Many of you have been curious about my continued absence and rightfully so. This is my answer.
Before Meili Zhu could take time to think upon the offer, Jie Tang strode forward without hesitation.
His actions seemed to snap Wenyan Ren out of his reverie, snapping him to a course of action that any human blacksmith would not be able to resist from following. Wenyan Ren knew, of course, of the infamous volatility of the Lumenite Metal. He knew of the impossibility in Yao Shens words, of the absurdism in his claims as a human claimed to have discovered the secrets of forging the sacred ore of light.
Regardless of the veracity of Yao Shens claims though, the article placed before him was genuine. Wenyan Ren did not have a high opinion of the Grand Patriarch of the Modern Sect, but as a blacksmith he would not be able to face his ancestors if he did not seize the opportunity presented before him.
If it was a trap, then it was one Wenyan Ren could not help but fall into.
Meili Zhu, Liewei Hu and Jiayi Song watched from the sidelines, their own concerns shackling them from moving forward.
Their keenly observing gazes locked onto Wenyan Ren, the most qualified amongst them to discern the intricacies of the Lumenite Armor.
While Jia Tang studied the armor from a steps worth of distance, Wenyan Ren allowed the tips of his fingers to gently brush the armors surface, moving downwards from the helmets surface to the chestplates sloping curvature. His expression changed drastically as he snapped his hand away, a deep, heaving breath indicating his surprise. Cautiously, with trembling hands, he brushed his hands again, focusing on the lower half of the chestplate.
This, He uttered. This is. Are these greater runes? Wenyan Ren asked, his expression strained from disbelief.
You will address Grand Patriarch Yao Shen with his given title, Zhou Huis sharp, rebuking tone cut in before Yao Shen could answer, to the surprise of all five of the Elders present.
Even Meili Zhu had to resist the temptation to turn her gaze in Zhou Huis direction, having sensed the iron in his tone.
Wenyan Rens cheeks had flushed red with embarrassment, his left fist clenching and then unclenching as he tried to reign in the rage at being belittled so, called out before his fellow Elders and by his Patriarch.
A question had been asked, asking him to choose between his defiant pride as a cultivator and his hunger for knowledge as a blacksmith dedicated to his craft.
Through gritted teeth and a sullen expression, Wenyan Ren spat out the title, Grand Patriarch Yao Shen, he said. Are these greater runes?
That is the question you ask, Yao Shen began in response, his hands now leisurely clasped behind his back as he walked towards Wenyan Rens side with unhurried steps. But that is not the answer you seek. All of you, He addressed all the Sky Division Elders in attendance. You are curious why I reveal a secret to you that could result in my undoing. History too, will ask this question, if the plans I have so ambitiously set into motion reach fruition. The answer, unsurprisingly, is to prevent the undoing of us all.
Pray tell, Grand Patriarch Shen. What do you mean by that statement? Meili Zhu asked, having reached a similar conclusion on her own.
My fellow Daoist, Wujing Yang of the Tower of Radiance had informed me a year ago that Gavril Arkael of the Ancient Codex would seek revenge. Not against me in-person, for harming a Soul Emperor requires a higher price than he can afford to pay. But that insidious creature understands the nature of my humanity while long having discarded his own. He understands well how to make me hurt and he knows a fact for certain- the Azlak Plains does not have the strength to defend itself without my presence.
The Elders had many questions, but none found the strength to voice them.
The pedigree of their legacy, the strength they had cultivated across decades and the experience they had gained dancing on the precipice of life and death all of that and Yao Shens words still rang true, so bitterly true.
That is why I must leave, Yao Shen explained. I will display both my fearlessness and the certainty of my departure by entering the Gorge of Death, the land of endless shadows where none have returned from.
Yao Shen, that is a suicidal endeavor! Jiayi Song exclaimed, her response almost instinctive from having merely witnessed that primordial terror from after. Those were no shadows, Jiayi Song knew, as well as any other Elder in attendance.
One of the inherited mysteries of the Azlak Plains was not to be underestimated.
Is it? Yao Shen cocked her head at Jiayi Song, finding himself surprised by the Elders candor. Perhaps Jiayi had a gentler nature to her than Yao Shen had assumed, his own perception colored by his biases towards the legacy families.
O-Oh, She stuttered, as she took stock of the room, the mythical armor sets that should not exist in the Azlak Plains yet multiples lay there, resting on unadorned wooden stands. Forgive me for the slip of tongue, Grand Patriarch. But, if I may ask why?
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
Gavril Arkael undoubtedly has spies in all three of our Modern Sects divisions. Perhaps even a few Elders have defected to his side, perhaps they had always been defectors. He will not be deceived unless I undertake an act driven by bravado that is worthy of the Soul Emperor upstart that bested him in single combat and the gorge of death is the only pursuit I deem ambitious enough to outright convince him. It is bait and it is obvious bait at that, Yao Shen explained.
Spies, Meili Zhu trailed off, her mind calculating the Elders of the Sky Division that she had interacted with across years and decades, calculating the ones most likely to defect to the path of taboo spurred on by Yao Shens ascension. Grand Patriarch Yao Shen, the fact that you reveal this to us implies that you consider us above reproach.
Mmmm, Yao Shen hummed. You five are from the ancient legacy families, the ones that founded the Heavenly Sky Sect now known as the Sky Division. The shape and form may change, but you wish to see the sect remain standing- to that end, you will not betray my cause. Elder Meili Zhu, what do you think about my assessment?
Jiayi is cold in the eyes of those that do not know her well, but she possesses a sincere heart. Her personality is ill-suited for concealment and great betrayal, Meili Zhu began, as her gaze flitted from one elder to the next in the order she addressed them. Wenyan Ren is a proud man that seeks to reach the heights his ancestors yearned for. Pride can be a double-edged sword, but it also brings clarity to intent. He would wait years and decades, even centuries for an opportunity within the established system, but he would never consider overthrowing it, Wenyan Ren locked eyes with Meili Zhu, his gaze deep. He would indeed not consider overthrowing the system, as long as an opportunity still existed for him to rise within it. As long as Yao Shen did not usurp all for himself.
Liewei Hu is bound to you, Patriarch Shen, as you are to him. In a way, you are cousins, for you were no less than your masters adopted son. That bond is both leverage and emotion, a way to repair ties that should have been far stronger. That makes him the least likely to betray you, Liewei Hus gaze too, met Meili Zhu, but his remained indecipherable.
As for Jie Tang, as long as you do not seek to disturb his role and powers within the Divine Might Hall, he will not stand against you. Far more than any present, I believe that Elder Jie truly understands what it means to fall in love with the Dao, to enjoy even the bristling pain of body cultivation and finding joy not in the result but in the process.
What about you, Elder Meili? Yao Shen asked, his gaze boring down upon the assassin-cultivator.
My blade, my actions and my sins, Meili Zhu replied with that saccharine tone of hers that Yao Shen had grown to be weary of, have, are and always will be in service of the sect, Grand Patriarch Yao Shen.
Then, she did a thing that no one present, not even Yao Shen, had anticipated.
She knelt down on one knee, drawing a startled grasp from Jiayi Song and the shocked stares of the other four Elders.
Before I stepped into this chamber, I was unsure. Strength alone does not make a ruler. Neither does cunning, ruthlessness or resourcefulness in isolation. Ascension to Soul Emperor in a land barren of one for centuries. Uniting the three sects under one banner yet managing to not turn out a despot. Defeating a Demon Soul Emperor in single combat who far outclassed you in age and experience. And now, finally, accomplishing the impossible. You have displayed all four qualities, Grand Patriarch. My blade falls at your command, Yao Shen noticed the subtle change in her inflection, the way she toned down the frivolous sweetness in her tone and shifted her vocal chords to convey humility.
There was only a single emotion wrapped around her, a thick, rapidly growing cloud of a regal reddish-gold.
Ambition.
She sees through my intent, Yao Shen thought. The other Elders are too caught up in their own calculations seen through their own paradigms. They would never give up an advantage as vast and powerful as Lumenite Armor, so they cannot imagine me doing so. But Meili Zhu recognizes the difference, sees that I will not fear any of the Elders present even if they did ascend to Soul Emperor through the opportunities granted to them via access to the Lumenite Armor. So she bends the knee to me before the others even understand the full importance of what is happening and offers me her allegiance.
Rise, Elder Zhu, Yao Shen permitted.
Meili Zhu obeyed, standing as tall and dignified as ever as she faced Yao Shen, though he noted that her eyes did not meet his own.
Do you understand what offering your blade to me implies? Yao Shen asked, his expression stern as he looked at the Elder with the dignity of a ruler.
Yes, Grand Patriarch Yao Shen, She replied calmly, not a trace of defiance in her tone.
She is old growing older, Yao Shen thought. She was resigned to her death, yet with this armor, a world of possibilities will open up for her. Ambition, the possibility of ascension. But even if she fails, it is of no import. She acknowledges me now, understands that trying to pry into secrets that could cause the deaths of even Soul Emperors is too dangerous, my own strength too unfathomable. By pledging allegiance to me before I have even asked Sulan, was it? She wishes to secure her daughters future.
Very well then, Yao Shen spoke. One of the five sets of armors is yours to keep, for as long as you answer the call to defend not only your division, but the Modern Sect as a whole.
Before Meili Zhu could even thank him for the generous gift, Wenyan Rens shell-shocked exclamation cut into the conversation, What! Elder Zhu what is this? What is happening., He trailed off, clearly lost.
Liewei Hus expression had turned equally confused, Jiayi Song held a floral handkerchief to her mouth to conceal her expression in a dignified way and Jia Tongs gaze bore into Meili Zhus serene visage.
I believe I explained already, Yao Shen answered. The Demons believe you all the Elders of the Azlak Plains to be incapable of defending yourself. Children frolicking in their backwater villages, easily destroyed with a flick of their finger. And they are not wrong, Yao Shen said the shocking words, words which were no less than an insult to all present.
However, before any could protest, he continued, There is no shame in that. In fact, you all should be proud. In a world where twisted depravity is rewarded, you stuck to the light. You believed in the righteous path, even with all its flaws. It is true, that the demons have unnatural strength. This, Yao Shen gestured to the Lumenite Armor. ... Will even the playing field. Five Elders from the Earth and Flame Division, deemed trustworthy above all by their own sect leaders, have received this armor. I will not tell you their names, but believe me, when the bait is thrown and the call is sounded, they will come. As sure as the demons, who will die not knowing the terrible force they are contending with.
Silence reigned in the hall, as the four Elders stood dazzled by the extent of Yao Shens conspiracy.
Not five but fifteen, no, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen sets of Lumenite Armor! They thought and even Meili Zhu, who had already seen such a possibility as a likelihood, was shocked at the sheer breadth of Yao Shens resources.
Madness. Yao Shens ambition was nothing short of madness.
Grand Patriarch Yao Shen, It was Wenyan Ren who cut through the oppressive silence blanketing the room. What is the purpose of those runes.
Astute, Yao Shen replied with a deliberate slowness, as the corners of his lips curled upwards. The other purposes, the Patriarchs will brief you on before you leave. The most important one, however, is a self-destruct rune.
Meili Zhus expression remained serene at that revelation, even as her inner self sagely nodded in confirmation, There it was. The catch.
Wenyan Rens expression twisted into shock followed by rage, as he addressed Yao Shen, Grand Patriarch Yao Shen, leaving alone the sacrilege upon the divine ore, you wish to send us into battle wearing armor you can self-destruct at any time?
Yes, Yao Shen replied bluntly. Know this if you must, Wenyan Ren. The secret of the lumenite ore deposits rests alone with me, Yao Shen. The secrets of forging the lumenite ore also rests alone with me, Yao Shen. The Greater Runes imbued into this armor also is a secret that solely belongs to me. I am a Soul Emperor and they cannot dispatch another Soul Emperor to kill me under the pacts law. They will no doubt find ways, both diplomatic and treacherous, to force me to give them whatever ore that may or may not remains, whatever armor I have in my possession along with an oath never to share it again. You all will share in none of the blame for this Lumenite Armor, so I must find ways to protect myself from this outcome.
What are the conditions for self-destruction? Jiayi Song asked.
Leave the Azlak Plains with the Lumenite Armor and it will explode. Try to tamper with the runes and it will explode. Betray the sect and it will explode. Cultivate demonic qi and it will explode. Fail to answer the call of the Modern Sect and it shall be stripped away from you. Besides that, the Lumenite Armor is free to use as you please, as long as you do so covertly. There can be no witnesses that are not under your direct command, but in return you gain a terrifying power whose value out encompasses every disadvantage I have listed- not even a Soul Emperor can kill you.
Yao Shen finally revealed the single greatest card he had to play.
All the unasked questions that remained were answered at that moment.
Why had the three patriarchs sworn their loyalty to Yao Shen?
Why had Meili Zhu bowed the knee even without Yao Shens ask?
Why was Wenjun Long, an obstinate old patriarch, suddenly so devoted to Yao Shens call?
Who could resist?
Who could resist the allure of such a gift?
Who could not help but respect one who kept making the impossible possible?
Most of all, how could they.
Not be afraid of Yao Shen, who kept revealing one terrifying talent after the next?
This was what he revealed out of political necessity.
What else did he still keep concealed under his sleeve.
Did they want to find out?
It was Liewei Hu and Jiayi Song that reached the answer to that question at near the same time, as they knelt in unison.
Wenyan Ren had his gaze transfixed by the armor, the sheer possibility that it could be his never even crossing through his mind up until this moment.
What would happen if he refused to kneel where three of the five Elders had already?
He had no doubts that Meili Zhu would kill him without hesitation if Yao Shen ordered it as a test of her loyalty.
Deciding that the allure of the divine armor and the possibility of not having Meili Zhu as his enemy was worth more to him than his defiant pride, Wenyan Ren too, knelt.
If I swear loyalty to you, will the nature of my duties change? Jia Tang asked, his expression carrying the steadiness of a body cultivator.
No, Yao Shen replied. I ask you to keep an immensely valuable secret and forcing you to do things you do not wish to only gives you reason to act out against me. Answer the call when the time comes, Jia Tang. That is all I want of you.
Finally, Yao Shen thought, as Jia Tang, too knelt before him.
His preparations were finally complete.
The Demonic Path would never see it coming.
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