“Ehem, young man, congratulations on passing the first test.”
“The first test?”
Li Shen grimaced as he tried to get up, but he immediately decided to remain in a sitting position. His entire body was in pain having been pushed to its limit.
“That’s right, that was only the first test of seven.”
The old man had an air of mystery around him as he looked at Li Shen with a serious expression.
Li Shen looked at this old man with a thoughtful expression before he said with a sus smile.
“Okay, I have to pass six more tests, I can do that.”
The old man’s face faltered for a moment, but he was fast to recover. Though not fast enough for Li Shen to miss it.
“These tests are even more dangerous than the one you just face. The potential of death is extremely high. So here is the proposal I have...”
Li Shen’s face turn serious, and he looked like he was completely focused on the old man’s words.
“Since you’re the first disciples in a long while to selected enter this place, I’ll grant you some of the treasure inside this Palace. There’s no need to sacrifice your life for this inheritance when you have so much potential. Just see this as this old man’s unwillingness to see such a genius of our sect die.”
The old man then let out a sigh while he turned his head to the side. It seemed like he was genuinely concerned for Li Shen’s well-being.
However, Li Shen only snorted internally, but something about the old man’s words made him pause.
'Sect? What Sect?'
“Senior, before I accept your offer can I at least know what this place is?”
The old man hearing that looked at Li Shen confused.
“You don’t know what this place is? Aren’t you a disciple of the Four Divine Beasts Sect?”
“Uh…”
Li Shen blink and he didn’t know how to respond to that.
“Senior, I’m not a disciple of such a sect, I'm-”
“What?! You aren’t a disciple of our sect?!”
The old man looked completely stunned, but his face quickly morphed into a dangerous expression. To think he would be worried about losing the inheritance to an outsider.
His worry completely vanish as he said.
“Young man, have you snuck into our sect?
He then waved his hand dismissively while saying.
“Leave immediately and I won’t take action.”
Li Shen was confused by this old man’s words. He couldn’t read his emotions since he realized that he wasn’t human, however, Li Shen could tell this wasn’t him acting like a greedy old man anymore.
“Senior, I don’t understand, where do you think we are?”
The old man frowned.
“Child what are you asking? This is the ancestral grounds of the Four Divine Beast Sect where our legacy resides. You are currently inside this Palace to receive that legacy. But it turns out you aren’t a Chosen disciple of our sect, just an outsider. I don’t know how you reach here but I’d advise you to leave immediately.”
‘It’s like I suspected before, he doesn’t know this place is in my clan.’
“Senior, I don’t know about the Four Divine Beast Sect nor have I ever heard about them before. I entered this place because it’s in my Clan’s training grounds.”
Li Shen tried to break the news to the old man as gently as he could, but it obviously didn’t work.
He could see his face go through numerous expressions at once.
The old man didn’t deny Li Shen’s words for some reason, but instead, a hesitant expression appeared on his face.
“What is your clan’s name?”
Li Shen could see the struggle in the old man’s eyes and he kind of understood what was going on. Li Shen dropped all his facade and said honestly.
“Respected senior, my clan is called the Li Clan. Though I say we are a clan, we are also a Monarchy. My name is Li Shen, the Second Prince of our Li Imperial Family that governs this continent, the Maple Continent.”
The old man hearing those words had his body shake intensely. He suddenly closed his eyes and raised his head to the ceiling.
Li Shen remained silent as he did.
After a few moments, the old man finally opened his eyes and looked down at Li Shen.
“I saw the signs but I did not want to admit it. I was in denial, but here the truth is in front of me.
"My Sect has really fallen."
Suddenly, the old man began laughing, but it was void of any joy. It sounded helpless, and at the same time full of anger and indignation. There was also a deep sense of sorrow no words could express.
As he laugh the Palace started to tremble.
Li Shen didn’t move and only looked around as the scenery changed.
The once smooth and reflective tiles become nothing but decrepit-looking slabs of broken jade stones. The high walls with carvings of majestic dragons roaring at the heavens faded away to reveal what was really behind them. A Palace that was barely standing.
As the illusion faded away, the true appearance of the entire Dragon Island was revealed. It was nothing more than ruins.
Overgrown weeds infiltrated each roofless Pavilions in the Palace. The only thing that was relatively intact was the main Palace he was in. The massive golden doors looked the same but it was a stark contrast to the cracked walls that were attached to them.
It seemed the material used to make the doors was special.
After everything was revealed Li Shen only calmly looked on. He knew this was the case because of his Heavenly Eyes.
He soon turned to look beside him at a withering flower growing from between the broken tiles.
Li Shen reached forward and brush it lightly with his fingers. The flower once withering appearance slowly reversed to resemble a lush and beautiful flower. Its petals swayed in the light wind that shifted Li Shen’s hair as if it was saying thank you to him.
Li Shen smiled, he had only manipulated the Qi in the surroundings to enter and revive it.
The old man who was watching commented.
“Your manipulation of Spiritual Qi is strange, it almost seemed as if it was being controlled by its creator from it was following your will.”
Li Shen turned to the old man and cracked a half smile.
He knew he was just saying that to emphasize his manipulation skill, but parallel to that was him likely being the first to discover its source, Chaos Qi. He’d like to think he was the one who invented Spiritual Qi cultivation, but honestly, he arrogant to be as sure as he was before.
His research was leading to the conclusion that once the Chaos Qi entered his body he would start comprehending the laws within them like how the Gods did it. But he never thought about doing it stage by stage. Thinking about it now he realized that was the only outcome when cultivating Qi, but he hadn't thought about it back then.
Maybe his researcher was indeed found by someone who had taken his vague ideas and refined them.
However, this was just Li Shen thinking modestly. The fact that it took until this Era to have a stable path for Qi Cultivation just showed how innovative and ahead of its time his idea of Qi Cultivation was.
He was the Founder of Qi Cultivation. The thing having been literally founded on his initial research of the idea.
The old man after commenting on Li Shen’s Qi manipulation, sighed before he looked around at the ruins Palace.
“I-”
He tried to speak but he couldn’t find the words.
He was in denial that the slow deterioration of this place wasn’t the sign of his sect's downfall. He blocked out any possibility of that being the case and using his own methods he reconstructed the Palace to resemble what it once was.
In fact, the other Islands were in a similar situation.
But how could he have admitted his sect had fallen? The dragon was the symbol of their pride in existing. Nothing should have been able to destroy that pride.
But Li Shen’s confirmation was like a sledgehammer that came and demolished what little hope he had.
Li Shen watched as the old man turned to walk towards the end of the hall to the dragon throne. It was like the rest of the building was the size that a giant would have sat on.
The old man suddenly dropped down to his knees in front of the throne.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
His head met the floor as he kowtow three times.
“Disciple Go Su asks for the Ancestors' forgiveness! I was not able to protect our sect from destruction, and I was even blinded by my greed that I plotted to take the Legacy you all have left for myself. I will repent by fulfilling my duty as the guardian of the Legacy to find a worthy successor to inherit it!!”
Li Shen watch as Go Su kowtow and he didn’t know how to feel.
He wasn’t sure why another sect’s inheritance grounds were in their clan but hoped it wasn't because his clan founder had plundered it. Worst, he hoped they weren’t the ones responsible for this sect’s destruction.
After kneeling for a few minutes in front of the throne, Go Su stood up and came over to Li Shen.
Li Shen finally had the strength so he stood up to face him, a hesitant expression on his face. He wasn’t sure how Go Su was going to react now knowing the truth.
He looked at Li Shen for a moment then said.
“I am disconnected from the outside world, and the connection between this and the other legacies has eroded. Tell me, are the other legacies here in your clan?”
Li Shen nodded slowly.
Go Su could then be seen releasing a sigh.
After, he then cupped his fists and bowed towards Li Shen.
Li Shen was taken aback as he said.
“S-Senior, why-”
He went to stop him, but Go Su cut him off and said.
“It was thanks to your Li Clan Patriarch keeping his promise that our Legacies were able to survive this long.”
Li Shen's eyes narrowed at that, he realize there was something behind his words.
“What do you mean?”
Go Su lifted his head and said.
“Your Clan Patriarch had visited our Continent and made friends with our Sect Master. He would eventually become her only sworn brother.”
**
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