Chapter 17 - Troubles

Falven perfectly knew what was going on, even if he had secluded himself for a few months the spreading rumours had reached him.

Falven was in his 20s, not a youngster anymore, and still his cultivation stage was only Soldier Recruit, the very beginning of the cultivation journey. Someone with a so poor talent had no way to be a master Dao Imprinter because he would need profound laws a trash talent like that would never comprehend.

His situation had also been used to tarnish elder Devil Destroyer’s reputation and to shame Roaring Lion and Gentle Waters. The internal struggle for resources had pushed some disciples to exert any means to halt the advance of their competitors and the two very young and promising cultivators were perfect target.

The youth kept ignoring the outer sect disciples, as if they were just pebbles on the street, continuing to advance forward.

“Good, let’s not beat around the bush, at least you’ve made us spare time. A trash of your age still at Soldier stage, not worth to be our core disciple, just a fucking leech!”. At Turp’s signal his four henchmen advanced, ready to beat the youth.

“Excuse us senior brother for not being polite, we’re so lucky to admire your techniques we may not restrain ourselves, least we risk our life because of your fierceness” one of them taunted, followed by the laughs of the others.

“It seems my reputation has touched the very bottom if I’m being derided by nobodies even the author and the readers don’t care for their names”.

While a palm came crushing he moved, activating the 3 primordial steps. The first step avoided the incoming attack, the second step brought him close to the aggressor from the side that wasn’t covered by his companions, the third step supported and henanced his own move.

His fingers were joined together, as if his palm was a mortal blade. Through a karate chop move the chi charged palm drenched in slaying laws hit the neck of the aggressor. The boy couldn’t move as swiftly as him and was taken by surprise, KO'd with a single attack he lost consciousness on the spot.

“He’s a Veteran Soldier who’s effectively performing the movement technique of our sect, the rumours were incorrect boss”. One of the three remaining henchmen exclaimed. Turp glared at his opponent with a more serious look “Don’t panic, attack together and force him to open his defensive stance. As a peak Veteran Soldier as long as I can lend my attacks he’ll be mincemeat”.

The three Specialist Soldier disciples moved at the same time, aiming to trap their opponent in a net of attacks. The 3 steps were primordial, the most basic and essential movement, for the most primordial needs. Each steps was different and at the same time each step was identical. Falven took other 3 steps, all three focused on evading the incoming attacks this time, in form identical to the first one of the series.

He quickly moved away and another three steps series smoothly ensued the first one, aiming to confront the leader of this puny and miserable punishing expedition. His henchmen couldn’t keep up and soon lost their target, who was now moving behind their backs.

Turp activated his chi to the limit, throwing a punching chi projection to the incoming youth. The first step eluded the attack, the second step lead closer to the target, the final step swiftly moved to the open side for a swift ending blow.

Another blade palm came crushing down, hitting the neck of the first outer sect disciple. The chi flame pumped pure chi drenched in asura laws, which entered the boy’s body and ravaged his meridians. The hit was not fatal, but brutal enough to make him lose consciousness and cause inner damage, forcing him to halt his cultivation and rest for a few months.

“Very well, I’m quite a busybody so I’d prefer you three carry your knocked down companions elsewhere. I hope I don’t need to beat you up to convince you all, I’d be then forced to lose more time to call someone to carry the trash away from my land. At least alive and walking trash is still somewhat useful, it can scram by itself”.

The outer sect disciples had terrified expression, they silently packed their two senseless companions and scrammed, hoping to never face that monster again.

Falven was unscathed after the fight, no, after sweeping the trash outside of his Soaring Hill and quickly resumed his stride towards the Bestowment Palace. That was the place where disciples could try to pick up high ranked weapons.

The Bestowment Palace had a majestic and ancient appearance, old blocks of stone full of mysterious runic patterns sustained the building. Its planimetry was like an enormous cathedral, a long and wide corridor would eventually lead to the a tall tower, where the highest ranked weapons were stored.

Many disciples were coming in and out, lamenting their bad luck or rejoicing with excitement. His vestment as a core disciple garnered a great deal of attention and soon mocking whispers followed his arrival.

“Look, he’s the luckiest one ever, a 20 year old guy still at the soldier stage is our core disciple, disgraceful! I wonder in which way he’s tricked elder Devil Destroyer” “Tricked, do you really believe that a cunning fox would be tricked by that sorry excuse of a cultivator? Probably he’s just her sex-toy or a relative, such an abuse of power brings shame on her and on the core elders council” “I’ve heard he’s a Master Dao Imprinter, being the core disciple is part of the contract he signed with the sect” “Another pitiful story, a 20 year old master Dao Imprinter nobody has ever heard about coming from a fantasy land. Can he even draw advanced imprints with his puny cultivation? I bet my reputation as a cultivator that this is just a facade for giving him a spot as core disciple”.

The rumours were spreading like a tide in the sect, fanned by some malicious characters who were leveraging the jealousy and skepticism against the new core disciple.

Falven was used to be the eye of the tempest, but he had never liked such senseless criticism and his mood was getting worse by the second.

“Core disciple Fate Destroyer, I welcome you to the Bestowment Palace. Are you trying to test your luck under the Heaven generous gaze?”. A Knight protector showed up, bearing no apparent ill intention. Even if he was neither submissive nor servile, he showed a polite enough welcome.

“Heaven generous gaze? Since when Heaven’s gaze was generous in spite of vile and mean. But yes, it’s my intention to test my luck inside the palace, hoping my skills allow me to achieve a satisfying result. I’ll be in your care, protector Ferv”

The name of the protector was one of the many things Gentle Waters had taught him. Ferv’s expression was utterly ugly at this moment, but not only him. Everyone else had a terrified and darkened look, they were all glaring at Falven. This was a very different kind of disrespect, it was not jealousy or scorn, it was shame, hatred, shock and fear.

It took some time for the protector to regain his wits and find the courage to mutter the right words “Fate Destroyer, what did you just say? I hope your words had a different meaning from what everyone has perceived, for sure you didn’t mean to slender the magnanimous Heavens”.

“My words mean what I do mean, I’m not a clown who goes fooling around spiting nonsense. I’m going inside to procure a worthy enough weapon, hoping the assortment won’t frustrate my expectations”. Falven’s mood was worsening more and more, again with this crap about the Heavens, he was tired of dealing with such fools.

While the guy went inside, angry looks followed him “Daring to insult the Heavens, he’s a wild dog who bites the hand of the benefactor who feeds him. If this continues the Heaven Punishment will fall on us all, bringing the sect destruction. He’s not only trash, but also a calamity. Something must be done”. Many others voiced their approving opinion, the crowd of disciples was ready to not let this go “Heavens shall bless us with their wise light and be witness of our solemn promise, we’ll eradicate anyone who dares to disrespect their perfect existence!”.