The stunned quiet in the Lu family arena lasted only seconds before exploding into disorder.
Unbelievable! How could a trash beat Senior Brother Hao?
There has to be some trick! The contest has to be declared invalid!
He must have employed a banned method! Grand Elder, look into this!
Hao's supporters' inability to accept the terrible result fueled the crowd's anger. Hao himself, on the other hand, lay spread out on the edge of the platform, blood running from his mouth, his eyes empty with bewilderment.
Frozen, Grand Elder Lu's face alternated between amazement, rage, and suspicion. Overseeing the family's younger generation, he had put a lot of effort into Hao since he thought he was the future of the Lu family. Now, with one stroke, the family's "waste" had vanquished his cherished apprentice.
"Silence!" the Grand Elder at last shouted, his voice piercing the chaos. His hard stare was on Zhen, who stood quietly in the middle of the platform. Zhen Lu, tell me why. With your broken meridians, how did you so abruptly show such strength?
Zhen looked the elder in the eye. Is it really that difficult to believe? Maybe I was only misunderstood, not really broken. Or maybe..." his lips curled into a small grin, "I've only been concealing my talents all this time.
The Grand Elder's eyes narrowed menacingly. Nonsense! When you were younger, this elderly man looked at your meridians personally. You could not develop normally.
Time changes, Elder. Zhen shrugged casually. Still, according to the contest regulations, I have won rather fairly. Or does the Lu family disregard its own customs?
Zhen's daring shocked the audience. No one has ever spoken to the Grand Elder in this manner.
A soft but forceful voice pierced the tension before the Grand Elder could answer. The lad is correct. He triumphed just.
The throng split as a senior man with a walking stick gradually approached the podium. Though he seemed old, he walked with unexpected elegance and had a clear sense of strength around him. As he walked by, the family members bowed politely.
"Patriarch!" the Grand Elder said, hurrying to bow and gather himself.
The eldest and most prominent member of the Lu family, Patriarch Lu seldom showed out at public gatherings. His arrival now indicated the unusual character of what had happened.
With unexpected quickness, the Patriarch climbed onto the platform and looked at Hao momentarily. He said, turning his piercing look towards Zhen, "He'll recover." Fascinating. Quite fascinating, really.
Zhen bowed in deference. Though his former life was noble, he saw the need of appropriate etiquette in this fresh start. Head of family.
The old guy walked carefully around Zhen, his gaze appearing to pierce through bone and flesh. Your meridians have shifted. Not only unblocked but also... changed. As though rebuilt from their core. He rubbed his beard in contemplation. Having lived for over three hundred years, this elderly guy has never witnessed anything like this.
Whispers spread around the audience. The Patriarch's remarks verified that something amazing had occurred to Zhen.
The Patriarch suddenly said, "Come with me." You will not be there for the contest. You have already shown yourself today.
Ignoring the answer, he left the stage and began going toward the back of the estate where the ancestral hall was located. Silent Zhen followed, conscious of the hundreds of eyes on him with fresh wariness and interest.
Though the day's excitement had obviously already peaked, the Grand Elder behind them declared the ongoing contest with some reluctance.
Imbued with centuries of spiritual energy from generations of gifts, the Lu family ancestral hall was a magnificent dark wood and stone edifice. Incense smoke curled lazily around tablets with deceased ancestors' names.
Inside, the Patriarch sealed the hall from eavesdroppers by activating a formation with a wave of his hand.
"Now," he turned to Zhen, his expression solemn but intrigued, "tell me the truth, boy. What became of you? And don't bother with falsehoods; these ancient eyes have seen too much to be fooled.
Zhen weighed his alternatives judiciously. Though a calculated partial truth could help him, whole revelation was neither feasible nor required.
Patriarch, I went through what I can only call an awakening, Zhen started. During meditation last night, I came upon something inside me—a dormant force unlike anything mentioned in our family chronicles. Connecting with it caused my meridians to start rebuilding.
The Patriarch blinked back surprise. A bloodline awakening? Our Lu family, however, hasn't experienced such events in five generations...
Zhen responded honestly, "I don't know whether it's connected to our bloodline." The energy seems... primal. Ancient beyond calculation.
The Patriarch ordered, "Show me."
Zhen agreed and reached out his hand. Focusing within, he let a tiny bit of his chaos energy show—just enough to be seen but not enough to expose its actual character. Above his hand, a tiny vortex of swirling energy appeared, continually changing hue from deep purple to total darkness.
The Patriarch, usually calm elder, gasped in astonishment. This is... not feasible! He staggered back a little. Energy of chaos! But that's only a tale from the time of creation.
Zhen pretended to be shocked. Patriarch, you know this energy?
His gaze fixed on the spinning vortex, the old man steadied himself. Our family's limited archives contain ancient writings—writings I have never disclosed to anyone. They talk of the primordial chaos from which all creation sprang and of entities who might use this basic power. He gazed at Zhen with fresh seriousness. Your significance much surpasses anything this little family could have envisioned if you really have chaos energy.
Zhen waited quietly as the Patriarch traversed the corridor, grumbling to himself, and dispelled the energy. At last, the elderly man turned to face him.
From this day forward, you are not only another family member. You will be my direct disciple—the first I have taken in fifty years.
Zhen even found this to be surprising. Being the Patriarch's disciple would give him notable benefits and family safety.
Patriarch, I am honored.
The old man replied with a wry grin, "Don't be too honored yet." This is not only favoritism. You are both chance and risk for our Lu family.
"Risk?" Zhen lifted an eyebrow.
Powerful as it is, chaos energy is sought after. Should word get out, every significant faction and concealed power will pursue you. Some would want to hire you, others to research you, and some... " he said solemnly, "some will wish to kill you as a possible danger. We have to go very carefully.
Walking to a hidden wall panel, the Patriarch put his palm against it. A little, dust-covered chest was exposed by the panel sliding open.
Passed down through generations of Lu family patriarchs, this has been waiting for someone to use it. He opened the chest and took out a little, plain bronze medal. Legend has it that an ancestor who met a chaos practitioner millennia ago left it.
He gave Zhen the medallion. Zhen felt a resonance with his chaos energy the minute his fingers touched the bronze. Invisible to normal vision, arcane glyphs around the edge of the pendant flickered softly in reaction to his touch.
Ding! Found the Chaos Concealment Medallion. This item hides chaos energy from discovery. Would you want to tie it to the system?
Zhen thought quietly, "Yes."
"Binding successful!" Added to inventory: Chaos Concealment Medallion. Present concealment effectiveness: 85%. System level and user's development will determine efficiency.
The Patriarch said, oblivious of Zhen's inner conversation, "This medallion is said to hide special energies from detection." Though it might not be strong, it could be crucial for your protection.
Thanks, Patriarch. I will value it, Zhen said honestly.
The elderly man agreed. Your training now, then. We have to be strategic. Publicly, you will be my disciple learning orthodox cultivation techniques. Privately... " we will investigate what your chaos energy can accomplish. " his eyes sparkled. But keep in mind that total confidentiality is absolutely vital. Not even the Grand Elder knows the reality.
I get it, Patriarch.
Well. Our start is at dawn. For now, I'll have you transferred from that shameful woodshed to the Inner Compound. Your situation has altered; lodgings should show that.
Zhen could sense inquisitive gazes trailing him as he left the ancestral hall. His unexpected rise would be widely reported, causing both envy and doubt. But to him, these small politics were unimportant. What counted was that he had obtained relative safety and resource access.
The Chaos Body Refinement Technique he had obtained from the system would greatly speed up his cultivation, and now with the Patriarch's backing, his ascent would only hasten.
"Oh, and Zhen," the Patriarch said as they proceeded, "get ready. Word has come to me that the recruitment envoys of the Celestial Sword Sect will come within the month. Given the circumstances of today, I doubt they would be interested in Hao but rather in you.
Zhen nodded quietly, but inside his head was racing. Connected to upper domains, the Celestial Sword Sect was one of five key powers in this area. It was especially true given his lack of strength to shield his secrets from really strong cultivators, hence it was both chance and danger.
Patriarch, I will be ready.
Zhen looked at the darkening sky as the sun set over the Lu estate, throwing long shadows over the courtyard. Somewhere out there, across the great distances, his past life betrayers carried on, oblivious to the reappearance of his foe.
He reasoned, "Just wait." It's merely the start.
Ding! New task: Win over the envoys of the Celestial Sword Sect and get an invitation to the sect.
Reward: Chaos Infusion Technique (Tier 2 chaos cultivation system)
"Time limit: thirty days"
Reading the alert, Zhen grinned. The duties of the system exactly matched his own objectives. He would recover all he had lost—and more, step by step.
His road of revenge and recovery had really started.