Chapter 106 – No Choice

  Jun De recalled his time with the old Elder Shen fondly as he sat in silence and watched Shen Weifeng pace in front of him, his eyes bright with a reckless gleam as the older man planned their training routine.

  The night air was cold, despite the protective array around Jun De’s courtyard, and he pulled his robes closer around him as he waited for the other man to speak.

  For a moment, Jun De’s mind drifted away from the present and back to the Elder Shen that he had once known.

  He remembered their quiet afternoons spent beneath the peach trees in Jun De’s old courtyard in the outer Sect, watching the steam rise from their cups of fragrant tea as they spoke of cultivation, or the Dao, or just life in general.

  Elder Shen’s voice had always been steady, patient and wise with the weight of years. Whenever Jun De struggled with something, Elder Shen had been there to guide and advise him. When Jun De doubted himself or was unsure of what he was doing, Elder Shen's gentle words would reassure him.

  The man had been both a friend and mentor, someone that Jun De respected more than anyone he had met within the Sect, including Mu Yanyu and the Sect Master himself.

  But now, Jun De barely recognized the man. The calm and restraint that had been so characteristic of Elder Shen had been replaced with a fiery temperament and fury at how they had been treated. His wisdom was now drowned out by a thirst for power that demanded they break themselves down in order to become stronger.

  Jun De’s chest tightened as he watched the older man, wondering what had changed. Did simply reaching the Foundation Establishment Stage irreparably change him, or was there something else happening?

  “On your feet! We’ll start with climbing the mountain!” Shen Weifeng’s voice cut through Jun De's thoughts, and it took him a moment to recall where he was and what had happened.

  “Elder Shen, what’s come over you? Why are you so intent on fighting him? Zhang Yuehong isn’t worth your time. Is it really just because of the insults the two of you threw at each other? When we were in the Outer Sect together, I never thought you would take anything like this so personally.”

  The question cut through the night air, and for the first time since they had left the restaurant, Shen Weifeng actually stopped moving.

  His back was to Jun De, his shoulders stiff, and his breathing was ragged as if he had run a marathon. Silence stretched until Jun De wondered if the former Elder would answer him at all.

  Then, slowly, Shen Weifeng spoke in a voice that was edged in steel.

  “You don’t understand yet, Jun De. The Outer Sect is peaceful, almost idyllic. Before the expedition to the Inheritance Site, no one amongst the Elders bothered to prepare the Disciples for the world of Jianghu. You could afford to ignore petty rivalries there, because the rules of the Sect were absolute. It embodies the spirit of ‘Tranquillity’ that the Tranquil Mountain Sect is known for.”

  Shen Weifeng turned toward Jun De, and his eyes were hard.

  “But the Inner Sect is war. Every day, every breath. Whether it’s for resources, techniques, spiritual herbs, or just a little stronger spiritual energy to cultivate, everything is a battle. And it isn’t fair, or balanced. Those with the backing of great clans, or the personal Disciples of powerful Elders, hold power like a blade to the throats of everyone beneath them.”

  “If you yield to them even once, they’ll make you kneel forever.”

  Jun De’s frown deepened, and he was searching for the words to refute the statement when Shen Weifeng pressed on.

  “I had thought that having Vice Sect Master Mu Yanyu’s backing would keep them from targeting you. Or perhaps people would remember my own connection to the Shen Clan, as distant as they are, could be protection enough to remove us from Sect politics.”

  “But I was wrong.” Shen Weifeng stepped closer, and his eyes bored into Jun De’s with raw, unflinching conviction.

  “Do you think it was a coincidence that they chose tonight to suddenly appear at that restaurant and issue a challenge? Zhang Yuehong may be a bastard, but he is cunning. I have no doubt they sought us out in public to set this entire situation up.”

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  “What better way to make his young cousin look the hero than stomping on the newly promoted talent, Jun De. The person who is said to be the most talented young man in his generation.”

  “I…I didn’t think about that. Is a ranking or reputation really that important?” Jun De asked, and Shen Weifeng’s anger slipped as a familiar smile returned to his face as he took in Jun De’s naiveté.

  “For many cultivators, especially those from Clans, ‘face’ and reputation are all that matter. You’re rare in this world, Jun De, for not concerning yourself with it.” Shen Weifeng replied, patting Jun De on the shoulder.

  “But, if you let that brat Zhang Yuehai and his clan trample you, even once, it won’t matter how talented you are. It won’t matter if Elder Mu favours you. The others will all see you as weak. They’ll exclude you from opportunities, cut off your access to resources, even cripple your cultivation path before you can even begin.”

  “I won’t let that happen to you. I won’t watch another talented life get wasted the way mine was. You will reach Foundation Establishment, and far beyond it, and no one is going to stand in your way.”

  Shen Weifeng promised, and Jun De felt the weight of his words settle heavily on his chest. He now knew that the Elder he had known was still there, buried under years of failure and bitterness, but what remained had been reforged into something fierce and uncompromising.

  “The only way forward is to fight! To stand tall when they try to push you down! If you won’t, you’ll end up a broken old man like I was, filled with regret. That’s why we’re going to train, that’s why this matters so much.”

  “It's not about pride, or ‘face’, or reputation. It’s about survival.”

  Shen Weifeng stood in front of Jun De, waiting for his response.

  “Let’s fight.” Jun De said with more conviction than he felt.

  Before Jun De knew it, a boulder the size of a small ox was strapped across his back with a rope made of strong fibres harvested from the spiritual fields.

  Jun De and Shen Weifeng were climbing up the side of the mountain, and whenever Jun De felt that it was too much, he would look over to see Elder Shen, years older than him, carrying a boulder double the size without complaint.

  The climb took them most of the day, and by the time they reached the peak they were aiming for, Jun De’s lungs burned, his legs trembled, and every step he took was an exercise in sheer willpower. Shen Weifeng, on the other hand, tossed his boulder down with a laugh as if they were strolling through the herb gardens.

  The medicinal baths were worse, even when compared to those that Elder Mu Yanyu had recommended. Shen Weifeng prepared them with herbs taken from his own garden that glowed even in the sunlight.

  When he tossed the plants into the wooden tubs, the liquid would hiss like boiling oil when it mixed with water and terrible-smelling bubbles would erupt from the surface. When Jun De first submerged himself, he felt as if acid were eating through his skin. His flesh blistered, and his veins bulged.

  Even the Dawnheart Flame grew uncomfortable, which is the only thing that Jun De took pleasure in. The last time he went through excruciating training, the little Flame enjoyed it immensely.

  It was about time that it shared his misery.

  “Good! If it feels like death, that means it’s working! That burning is your bone marrow being transformed!” Shen Weifeng said, laughing as he tossed a few more herbs into his own bath and leapt into the wooden tub.

  But the most extreme training came only a few days after they started. Jun De sat in his courtyard on a cultivation mat across from Shen Weifeng. They were both covered in sweat from a spar where Jun De had been told to go all out against the former Elder.

  Jun De was shocked when Shen Weifeng shrugged off everything he had thrown at him with his physical strength alone.

  “You want to grow strong enough to crush people like Zhang Yuehong? Then there is only one path.” Shen Weifeng lifted his hand and cracked his knuckles.

  “You will have to break yourself, Jun De. Every bone in your arms and legs. We’ll grind them into powder if we have to, and then let them heal. Over and over again. Each time we repeat the process, they’ll be harder, denser and stronger.”

  Jun De stared at the former Elder, unsure if the older man was serious or not.

  “You want me to break my bones and repeat the process. On purpose?!” Jun De exclaimed, and Shen Weifeng nodded as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

  “Of course! Do you think I got strong enough to fight the most talented cultivators of my generation by lazing around in comfort?”

  “No! Real power comes from agony and hard work! You need to claw your way through torment until the heavens have no choice but to acknowledge you. I did this when I was young, even without the support of my Clan.”

  Shen Weifeng scoffed and shook his head. His eyes rested on Jun De, and he could read every flicker of doubt in Jun De’s expression.

  “I can see that you’re unsure about this method. That’s natural. No one embraces this kind of path without hesitation. So, take a few days to think it through. Decide for yourself if you truly want to pursue it.” Shen Weifeng’s tone softened, and Jun De relaxed as he recognized the old Elder Shen in the other man’s voice.

  Jun De nodded.

  With that, Shen Weifeng extended his hand; the gesture was almost casual and reassuring. Jun De didn’t even pause to question it. Out of trust for his mentor, he reached forward and clasped the older man’s hand.

  The next instant, Shen Weifeng’s grip tightened like a vice.

  Jun De’s eyes widened in shock as he felt his bones groan under the pressure, then snap one after another like brittle twigs. His hand crumbled, while Shen Weifeng exerted his Qi to channel the energy through Jun De’s arm.

  The pain surged a heartbeat later, and Jun De felt white-hot agony race up his hand and arm, and his vision swam as he nearly collapsed.

  Shen Weifeng grinned with encouragement as he assessed the damage he had done.

  “See? That wasn’t so hard. Now, let’s not leave the job half done. Give me your other hand, and we’ll make them both stronger than ever.”