Eternal Reverence Chapter 1: Li Fu Chen
“Li Fuchen, you still wouldn’t be my opponent even after you train for ten years.”
Crash!
On the training grounds, the delicate looking Li Fuchen was seen flung off the stage, and the one who threw him was a juvenile clad in green clothes.
“Heh. As I expected, you were defeated in three moves.”
“This is already the seventh time that Li Fuchen has been defeated by Li Yunhe within a year!”
“Ain’t that right! Just last year, Li Fuchen was considered a genius and had always suppressed Li Yunhe. But unexpectedly, after a year, the genius became inept. Not only did his abilities not improve at all, it seems stupidity set in. Knowing that Li Yunhe was not someone he could defeat, he still accepted Li Yunhe’s challenge.”
“You have wronged Li Fuchen; he always had a proud personality and never cowers from a challenge.”
“Hai, blame it on Li Fuchen’s fiancée Guan Xue. There isn’t anyone who doesn’t know that Li Yunhe likes Guan Xue as well. The three of them grew up together, but Guan Xue was already betrothed to Li Fuchen, making Li Yunhe extremely unhappy.”
The mocking laughter that came from all around rang in the ears of Li Fuchen, causing him to start breathing erratically.
A year; everything happened a year ago.
A year ago, within the Li Clan, he was rated a prodigy. Li Yunhe was never regarded as his rival.
Out of the blue, his talents seemingly vanished. More like his talents were unusable; everytime he tried to concentrate, he would have a splitting headache. The pain rendered him unable to cultivate in peace. After a duel, Li Yunhe realised Li Fuchen had not improved at all, he then began to repeatedly challenge Li Fuchen.
With his fists tightly clenched, Li Fuchen looked to the sky with an unyielding heart.
“Wretched heavens, when have I ever offended you? Why would you take away my talents? Do you not know that in this world, having strength reigns supreme and the consequences of not having any talent?”
Li Fuchen’s heart was enraged.
A pity the heavens could not hear the voice of his heart.
Staring down at Li Fuchen with a sneer, Li Yunhe felt domineering. He had always felt jealous of Li Fuchen, jealous that his father was the Patriarch of the Li Clan. Regardless of resources or treatment, it was all better than his own. If his own father had been the Patriarch, his growth would have definitely outshone Li Fuchen’s.
Now that Li Fuchen had fallen from grace, the Patriarch can no longer be biased. It was a known fact that the Patriarch does not have the final say in the Li Clan. Behind, there was a committee made up of clan elders. Once the committee made a decision, even the Patriarch would not be able to change it. However, most of the time, the Patriarch was able to make decisions, as the elders seldom interfered with the daily household affairs.
“Li Fuchen, I advise that you forget about Guan Xue. Such an inept person like you isn’t good enough for her!”
Once he was done berating, Li Yunhe turned and left the training grounds.
The bystanders all left one after another, leaving Li Fuchen by himself.
There was a pavilion in the distance, standing in it was middle-aged man wearing white, witnessing the whole commotion.
“Fuchen, though Father is the Patriarch, even I can’t help you in this situation; you have to rely on yourself.”
As a father, seeing Li Fuchen get bullied, he felt worse than anyone else. But he was clear: if he had helped his son, Li Fuchen would have suffered more humiliation and hate from the others. In this world, where the strong reigns supreme, and where ranks are highly desired, everything was about one’s abilities. Help from others could make one look good on the outside, but in the dark, everyone would hate him.
***
Deep in the night…
Li Fuchen sat on a futon, meticulously cultivating the Red Jade technique.
Red Jade technique, Li Clan’s only high-tier yellow class cultivation technique that has a total of seven ranks.
A year ago, Li Fuchen had already cultivated it to the third rank. But since last year, there hadn’t been any measure of progress. As for Li Yunhe, he was able to use that one year’s time to advance to the fourth rank, thus being able to suppress him.
“Ahh!”
Even after trying numerous times, the pain in his head still haunted Li Fuchen, causing him to howl in pain.
This kind of pain was much worse than any bodily ache by a hundred times; its source of pain emanated from deep within the soul.
Drenched with sweat, Li Fuchen lifted his eyelids unwillingly, as blood trickled down his lips from him biting with force.
“Why is it still the same?”
Till now, Li Fuchen had yet to understand what exactly happened to him. The fights he lost were already a shock to him, but this verdict of losing his talent without any reason was yet another one. Just like the venom from a snake slowly corroding one’s bone marrow; by the time you realized it, the entire marrow is already completely gone.
***
As the night dissipated, daylight broke.
As dawn broke, a distinguished guest arrived at the Li Clan's estate. It was none other than the Patriarch of the Guan Clan, Guan Yue.
Within the solemn conference hall, Li Tianhan, clad in pristine white robes, extended a warm, impassioned welcome to his visitor.
“Guan Yue, what brings you to our humble abode today?”
Guan Yue, a man of imposing stature, nearly eight feet tall, with the broad shoulders of a tiger and the sturdy build of a bear, let out a hearty, albeit slightly awkward, laugh. “I found myself with some free time, so I decided to pay a visit. How has Fuchen been faring?”
“He is… much as he has always been. The loss of his talent has weighed heavily upon him. I can only hope he finds the strength to endure it.”
A somber expression settled on Li Tianhan’s face.
“There is no need for haste. This might merely be a temporary setback; I have faith he can surmount this challenge.”
After a moment's hesitation, Guan Yue produced a jade bottle from his person. “Within this lies a Reinvigoration Pill. Perhaps it might prove beneficial for him.”
“A Reinvigoration Pill?”
Li Tianhan, instead of accepting the offering, regarded Guan Yue with a look of profound bewilderment.
The Reinvigoration Pill was no ordinary medicinal concoction; it was a high-tier, yellow-grade elixir, with a single dose valued at thousands of gold coins.
Although Guan Xue, Guan Yue’s daughter, had been betrothed to Li Fuchen since their youth, no formal ceremony had ever taken place. The offering of such a rare and valuable elixir now, therefore, deeply perplexed Li Tianhan.
Guan Yue's brow furrowed slightly. “It is merely an elixir. Is it not to your satisfaction?”
“This has nothing to do with the elixir itself. Guan Yue, is there something else you wish to convey?”
Having been friends for many years, Li Tianhan could sense that Guan Yue was withholding crucial information.
Placing the jade bottle carefully aside, Guan Yue finally spoke, his voice tinged with reluctance. “Tianhan, I must confess, there are matters of consequence I need to discuss with you today.”
“Speak freely! You have my undivided attention!”
A premonition of unease began to stir deep within Li Tianhan’s heart.
Clearing his throat, Guan Yue continued, “Just a week ago, my daughter, Guan Xue, achieved a breakthrough in her cultivation, reaching the seventh level of the Qi Realm.”
“The seventh level of the Qi Realm?”
Li Tianhan gasped, a sharp intake of cold air. Guan Xue and Li Fuchen were both fourteen years of age, yet she had already ascended to the seventh level of the Qi Realm.
Were it not for his long-standing friendship with Guan Yue, Li Tianhan would have readily dismissed such a claim as a jest.
It was common knowledge that at the age of fifteen, the Li Clan's current prodigy, Li Yunhai, had only reached the sixth level of the Qi Realm. Li Fuchen and Li Yunhe, in comparison, were merely at the fourth level—a staggering difference of three entire levels.
Li Tianhan inquired, “If my memory serves me correctly, was she not just celebrating her breakthrough to the sixth level half a year ago?”
Guan Yue offered a wry, bitter smile. “My daughter possesses exceptional talent. She has even cultivated our Guan Clan's Water Moon technique to the sixth level. You, of all people, should understand that certain techniques are considerably more challenging to master than simply advancing one's cultivation level. Those who can cultivate the Water Moon technique to the sixth level are invariably destined to reach the Origin-Returning Stage.”
A pang of envy shot through Li Tianhan’s heart. “How truly unfair!”
“My dear brother Tianhan, my daughter has been accepted as a disciple of the Cang Lan Sect. Therefore, I am afraid this betrothal can no longer proceed.” Guan Yue decided it was time to be direct, shedding any pretense.
Li Tianhan's eyebrow twitched perceptibly. “They are still young. Matters of marriage can always be revisited at a more opportune time.”
Guan Yue’s tone became earnest. “This sentiment is also shared by my daughter. I humbly request your understanding and approval, Brother Tianhan.”
A flash of anger ignited Li Tianhan’s expression as he fixed Guan Yue with a stern gaze. “What is the meaning of this!? Does the Guan Clan intend to renege on their sworn oath? It was the Guan Clan who initiated this betrothal, and now it is your clan that seeks to dissolve it. What do you take my Li Clan for?! Is this how you treat me!? Do you believe that because the Li Clan has weakened in recent years, we are no longer worthy of an alliance through marriage with your esteemed Guan Clan?”
“Brother Tianhan, our Guan Clan will endeavor to compensate you for this unforeseen circumstance. Please, accept this Reinvigoration Pill for now. In a few days, the Guan Clan will formally present our finest inn in Yunwu City to the Li Clan as a token of our sincerity.”
A wave of relief washed over Guan Yue; he had conveyed the primary purpose of his visit.
Indeed, Guan Yue’s reasoning was not entirely without merit. An alliance through marriage necessitated a certain parity of value. The Li Clan had not seen any of its disciples recruited into the Cang Lan Sect for the past decade, whereas the Guan Clan's prestige had steadily risen, with a new disciple accepted into the Cang Lan Sect every couple of years.
This year, Guan Xue had become a disciple of the Cang Lan Sect even before the official selection process commenced. Such early acceptance was a clear indicator of exceptional promise. Had this not been the case, the Guan Clan would never have been so hasty in withdrawing from the betrothal, particularly given that the Li Clan was still recognized as a major power, even surpassing the ascendant Guan Clan in overall strength.
Regrettably, Li Fuchen had become a profound disappointment. While he had once possessed remarkable talent, a year prior, whether by fate or some other cause, his innate abilities had inexplicably vanished. Now an inept cultivator, how could he possibly be considered a suitable match for the burgeoning star of the Guan Clan? This was the crux of the Guan Clan's inability to accept the continuation of the marriage arrangement.
Furthermore, Guan Xue harbored no desire for this engagement. This was not the first instance where she had petitioned for its annulment to Guan Yue. While he had managed to quell these requests previously, he now felt he had shown sufficient deference to the Li Clan.
“My Li Clan shall accept neither the pill nor the inn. We will not be appeased by anything less. Brother Guan Yue, this marks the final time I shall address you as such. From this moment onward, our ties are severed.”
Li Tianhan felt his heart grow cold. The Guan Clan's ascent thus far was significantly aided by the unwavering support of the Li Clan. Yet, he never anticipated the Guan Clan would betray them so readily.
“Brother Tianhan, since we have reached this deadlock, there is naught more to discuss. It is our Guan Clan's failing this time. I bid you farewell.”
Releasing a profound sigh, Guan Yue rose from his seat and departed without delay.
“Take your pill.”
With a subtle surge of Qi, Li Tianhan waved his hand, sending the bottle soaring back towards Guan Yue.
Catching the bottle, Guan Yue left in stony silence.
***
Crack!
The instant Guan Yue exited the hall, Li Tianhan violently crushed the armrests of his chair, his face contorted in rage.
A few days later, a messenger from the Guan Clan arrived, formally proposing the dissolution of the marriage. By this juncture, the entirety of Yunwu City was abuzz with discussions surrounding this very affair.
Unbeknownst to many, the Li Clan and Li Fuchen had subtly transformed into objects of widespread ridicule.
After their evening meals, townsfolk would invariably converse about either this event or Guan Xue's impending affiliation with the Cang Lan Sect. Deep within their hearts, everyone recognized that the Guan Clan was poised for an extraordinary rise, as gaining acceptance into the prestigious Cang Lan Sect was an exceptionally rare honor, a feat only whispered about in legends spanning centuries.
Notes:
Qi Realm Progression:
Qi Training (Qi) Realm
Origin-Returning (Origin) Realm: The ability to manifest Qi emerges.
Earth Shattering (Earth) Realm: Control and release of Qi becomes possible.
Heaven Dipper (Heaven) Realm: Individuals gain the capacity for aerial movement.
Reincarnation Realm: The primary life spirit is solidified, extending lifespan to 250 years.
Battle Spirit (Ancestor) Realm: Spirit energy coalesces into a true soul. Post-mortem, this soul can persist, allowing for the seizure of a new body for reincarnation. Lifespan extends to 500 years.
Primary Sea (King) Realm: Mastery over a portion of the fundamental forces of Heaven and Earth. Lifespan reaches up to 1000 years.
Law Phase (Emperor) Realm: One's sword intent can be refined into tangible threads. Cultivation of the Law Phase becomes achievable. Minimum lifespan is 5000 years.
Soul Merge (Saint) Realm: The path to one's core is illuminated, manifesting a green spirit color. Elite Saints exhibit a blue spirit hue, indicating an evolution of their bloodlines. This lineage grants descendants benefits for nine generations, carrying the Saint's blood. Lifespan extends to 100,000 years.
?? (God) Realm
Technique Classification (e.g., Red Jade Technique):
1 Star – 9 Stars