A vast citadel containing various limestone buildings surrounded by coal-black walls stood at the edge of a dilapidated blacken rampart. Crimson banners, displaying a scarlet dragon insignia, were aligned on the sides of its small pathway leading up its wooden entrance. Two-armed foot soldier guarded the entrance marching back and forth from their post. Their gold platted vermillion armor made their lavender surcoat emblazoned with a twin dragon coat of arm noticeable from afar. Moonlight reflected off their ornate horned helms as they stopped and stood still. With a swift movement, they held their steel-tipped spears towards their chest and turned around to face the citadel’s entrance. Slowly, they began striding towards it. When the two guards left, two other guards came marching out of the citadel’s grounds. It was their turn to watch the entrance for the remainder of the night.

Beyond the citadel’s gated entrance, there were small jewel-encrusted torches, whose azure flames gleamed brightly in the dark, adorning the walls of the brownstone buildings. The Romanesque buildings within it were old, vines growing from their various facades. In the middle of this, stood a marble domed temple, the Temple of Light. Although it was a one-room establishment, it was vast. Four ring-shaped platforms of different depth were built into its marble floor. Each of these platforms had stairs carved into them. The outer and inner rings were unadorned. Sculptures of past patriarchs of the clan were placed near its walls.

Towards the center of the room, vacantly stood the elder council’s wooden seats. The position of these seats formed a semi-circle that was facing an ornate seat with leather cushions, the patriarch’s throne, that was built upon an elevated ring-shaped platform. Near it, three lanky old men were having a heated conversation. The echoes of their shouts filled with indignation and fury reverberated around the room.

“When is the patriarch coming back? We need him to be here!” bellowed a hatchet-faced elder, while stroking his long white goatee with his weather-beaten hands.

“Chen Liu stop creating a commotion! You know that everyone living on these grounds will be able to hear us. We don’t want them to know what we think the patriarch did…Anyways, Chen Xu said that he will bring him to us. Let us put trust in him, just this once! If he fails, he will pay dearly with his life…” viscously said a craggy face elder, while his lips parted into a hideous smile.

“Chen Ku, why are so trusting of that boy? You know he lied to us many times!” yelled Chen Liu, while pointing at Chen Ku, his fierce gaze burning with intense hatred. His arm was trembling uncontrollably. He resented Chen Ku for everything he did for him up to now. Not only did that bastard allowed Chen Xu to leave his grasp without any punishments after he pickpocketed him, but he was also now supporting Chen Xu, even trusting him, to bring in Chen Guo. Thinking about all the instances that Chen Ku double-crossed, his face reddened to the point where his veins became visible. As he was about to continue refuting Chen Ku’s claims, Chen Ku interrupted him.

“Chen Liu, I don’t trust him, but do you know anybody else that will help us bring in the patriarch for questioning? Do you? Because I know he is the only person that he trusts. You know that he will help us bring him in.” said Chen Ku, while looking at a place somewhere over his shoulder. His stern gaze was fixed on the wooden door of the Temple.

“Chen Guo and Chen Ku stop arguing its distracting! We are here not to argue between ourselves, but to wait for them.” said Chen Fu as he cast a glance towards the door. Although he understood the bitter hatred that Chen Liu felt from Chen Ku, he knew that it was unfounded. He was the one manipulating Chen Ku from behind the scenes. Disliking both these elders, he had long ago decided to get rid of them by becoming the Chen Clan’s Patriarch, but, unfortunately, this Chen Guo beat him to it, prompting him to create various schemes for his downfall. Even though he felt a bit of remorse for using them for his own ambitions, he still did not dare to tell them about it.

“Chen Fu, why are talking? This has nothing to do with you!” screamed Chen Liu at the top of his lungs.

“Chen Liu, you…Wait! They are here! Look towards the door!” happily yelped Chen Fu as if he became completely oblivious of Chen Liu’s harsh words.

Chen Liu and Chen Ku with a surprised look on their faces turned their gaze towards the wooden doors of the Temple. There, at the edge of the outer ring, stood two men. As Chen Liu and Chen Ku squinted their eyes, they noticed that these two men were Chen Xu and Chen Guo. Chen Guo was unusually well-dressed. Looking closely at him, they observed that he was carrying a child wrapped in a long emerald green cloth.

“Hey, what is going on here?” asked Chen Xu, as he took a quick glance towards Chen Guo, while casually nodding his head at him.

“We heard several shouts coming from here and thought that someone was in trouble. We did not expect to see you, elders, arguing in the Temple!” exclaimed Chen Guo as he silently walked down the stairs. Chen Xu closely followed him from behind.

“Okay…Chen Guo, you know why we are here, today! We want to know your whereabouts for these past few days. Not only do we want to know, but also the whole clan wants to know...After all, you are our patriarch!” remarked Chen Fu with a smirk on his face.

“Yeah, Chen Guo! Where were you?” asked Chen Liu and Chen Ku in unison.

“Okay, it is better, to tell the truth now then never! Umm…If I remember correctly…I was trying to cultivate my lifeforce and enter the Diwang Level! I cultivated for a few days in a cave near the Urdur Mountain Range…Afterward, when I realized I could not break through, I went and searched for a spiritual herb that grew in the ancient capital of the Jiyan Empire. That is where I meet in the shadows, an ancient creature that I thought was long gone, the fallen Wolf King! As I tried to escape that beast, I stumbled across a newborn baby. The mother was dead. I had no choice, but to take him with me and I used my Recall Talisman to come back to Chen Clan’s base.” said Chen Guo as he tried to maintain his composure. He knew that he must remain relatively unemotional through this, if he wanted to convince these elders that he told the truth about his whereabouts for the past few days and not lies.

“Are you sure you are telling us the truth? We would not want to find out that you helped out your outcasted slut of a daughter, during these past few days, that betrayed our clan for that peasant!” carefully sneered Chen Fu as his eyes crossed that of Chen Guo. He knew that the patriarch could not harm him, here. He had the backing of the whole clan regarding the matter of the patriarch’s daughter. If Chen Gou tried to get rid of him, the Chen Clan’s members will take it as a sign that he is siding with his daughter’s actions. This would land the patriarch in deep trouble, even to the point of being murdered for it.

“Humph! Do you take me as fool, why would I want to speak to my daughter! She betrayed me and the clan!” screamed Chen Guo, while trying to remain calm. His cold gaze burning with intense hatred at Chen Fu. He dared to mock his daughter, Cui’er. His killing intent started spilling out into his surrounding as he thought of ways to kill or torture him and his family. Feeling it leaking out of his body, he slowly regained his composure. Sweat started pouring out of his face. He knew that was a close call. Promising himself to exact his revenge on Chen Fu when he had enough power and backing, he turned around and started walking towards the entrance of the Temple.

“Where do you think you are going, Chen Guo? I have a Kius Sphere with me! You know what it is. It will allow us to inspect your movement that you made for the past few days! Now come here and put your hand on it!” yelled Chen Fu as he pulled out a cyanic sphere. A deadly yet soothing aura emanated from that object.

“Yeah, let me…Wait!...Why should I do this test? I told you the truth. I never signed anything telling me to undergo testing to prove that my word as a patriarch was the truth. Are you questioning me, Chen Fu? I still have the power to strip you of your post even if I get despised by the whole clan for doing it!” calmly exclaimed Chen Guo while revealing a devilish smile.

“…Chen Guo…I do not have the power to get you to perform this test….You may go, patriarch...But be warn that I will watch your every movement for now on!” said Chen Fu as tried to contain his anger. This Chen Guo was tough nut to crack. He only needed to find something about him, anything that would lead the whole clan to cast him out like they did to his daughter.

As Chen Guo left the Temple, Chen Xu paid his respects to the elders. Noticing the elders dismissive looks, he smirked and ran after Chen Guo. Once they had left the Temple’s grounds, Chen Guo let out a deep breath. He was relieved that his lies were not caught by the elders. Sighing in exasperation, Chen Guo thought of his encounter with the elders. He understood that he had underestimated the scheming of Chen Fu. He had almost been tricked by him in performing that accursed test by using his vulnerable point, Cui’er, as a distraction.

“Chen Guo that was close call! You almost slipped out your secret! Anyways, it is almost morning, do you want to go to the Temple of Will to see this year’s ceremony?” asked Chen Xu, his previously worried expression quickly changed to that of excitement.

“Yeah, why not? Lead the way, my friend!” laughed Chen Guo as he followed Chen Xu.

“Chen Guo, did you hear about the new young lady of Wang Clan? She was just born a few days ago! Many of the other clan leaders tried to betrothed their young sons to her, but they were mercilessly pushed away. Do you think we should try to propose a betrothal with their daughter?” casually asked Chen Fu in a flippant tone.

“Maybe...We will see Chen Xu. The Wang Clan is a strong clan…They would be looking for a strong alliance or something of equal value…For now, we have bigger problems to tackle than that.” said Chen Guo, while stroking his beard.

Looking at his sleeping grandchild, he knew that this child’s road will full of peril. He did not want Cui’er’s son to experience this. Thinking of ways to protect his grandchild, he finally decided to adopt him. Once he became his child, he would immediately become the young master of the clan. Not only would other people view him in a positive light for this act, but it will also prevent his grandchild from being targeted or killed by others, while in his youth. He sighed as he continued walking behind Chen Xu. His hardships have yet to start, but for him, it will be all worth it to redeem himself by showing his deceased daughter that he will not abandon her son as he did to her….