Death… and me

The elder said lightly and watched the teacups nostalgically and gently. At this moment, he even looked like he was in high spirits. As if at this instant, all these brothers were happily gathered here, laughing as they chattered on, and calling 'brothers' or 'sister-in-law'.

The elder looked like he was looking at another person.

Chu Yang knew that the elder was not looking at him, but his second brother.

Chu Yang listened quietly, and suddenly a sense of sorrow overwhelmed him.

If there was one day when Mo Qingwu, Gu Duxing, Ji Mo and those people closest to me had left the world one by one, till I was left alone with no friends or accompanies, would I be the same as this elder?

I would have to spend all the long years alone. While being lonely and dreary, were the only things that accompany me through the never-ending time and the memories that were inscribed in my heart?

If this were to come, how would I tolerate it?

"For ten years before this foremother of yours passed away, she would spend all her time in the tea field, and she had personally plucked and produced 1500 kilograms of tea leaves! She knew that I would not be used to drinking the tea made by others. So, she would personally make tea for me."

The elder laughed and said, "The last request she made before she passed away was… If I were to die, I would have to die after I finished drinking these tea leaves. Every day, I shall only drink tea made with five grams of tea leaves. If I died before I finished drinking them, she would ignore me underground."

The elder pointed to the teacup in Chu Yang's hands, "Every day, I would only drink a pot. I made another pot of tea today because you came, and I've already exceeded using the required amount of tea leaves. So I shall not drink tea tomorrow. She would be angry if I drank too much."

He pointed to the wall behind him smilingly, "She's watching."

Chu Yang's throat moved a little. He quietly watched the tea in front of him. He suddenly felt that it embodied the elder's love towards his wife, and dared not to drink it.

He did not know why he was called up here by this elder.

At this moment, he only wanted to be a qualified audience of this elder.

To be a witness and a subject to the edification of love and brotherhood that would never change and would last on forever.

Both of them were silent, and time just passed like this quietly.

"Why didn't you drink the tea?" the elder asked after a long time.

"Tea is… love, I can't bear to drink," Chu Yang raised his head and said softly.

"You have to drink it because tea is love!" the elder looked seriously at Chu Yang, "If you don't drink it, it's not that you can't bear to drink it. It would be cruel of you and a blasphemy!"

"Yes!" Chu Yang's whole body shuddered and suddenly understood!

"Tea is life," the elder said quietly, "When it's time to drink it, you must drink it! Never wait for the tea to turn cold. If you drink it then, it would not be of the same flavor. At that time… there would only be regret."

He gazed deeply into Chu Yang's eyes and asked, "Do you understand?"

Chu Yang pondered attentively for a long time and revealed a trace of enlightenment in his eyes, saying, "I've understood!" He suddenly realized that the elder was using this cup of tea to teach him the truth of life, the inspirations given by nature, as well as the realm of martial arts!

But, in order to enter this realm, one must enter into a story to feel it personally, then, at the final moment, this kind of sudden and unexpected way would deliver him a shocking blow!

Deliver him an epiphany as though he had become a Buddha!

Reverence and admiration involuntarily rose within Chu Yang's heart. The elder did not use his advanced cultivation, but in a natural way, he slowly introduced Chu Yang into an epiphany. And the elder did so effortlessly!

This kind of realm and technique was marvelous.

The elder revealed a sense of gratification as he saw that Chu Yang understood.

Chu Yang raised the teacup and slowly took a sip. The tea was still warm and tasted excellent. Chu Yang only felt a clear, aromatic stream, carrying with it some fragrance, enter from his throat into his stomach. His body felt comfortable throughout.

He could not help but praise, "Good tea! Foremother is surely a saint in tea-making!"

The elder became happy at once, and he even appeared a bit proud, saying "Your foremother was precisely known as a Tea Saint!" It seemed that having someone praising his wife's tea was already his highest achievement! He was full of pride!

"She's worthy of that name!" Chu Yang said heartfeltly, "If Elder is willing, I really want to…"

"Don't mention it at all!" the elder was not satisfied, "But your thought is a nice one," Even though he appeared to be discontented, his pride could no longer be concealed.

"What a pity!" Chu Yang stamped on the ground and let out a long sigh.

The elder laughed and said, "I called you here today for three reasons. Firstly, you're young. Secondly, your level of cultivation is considered to be acceptable. Thirdly, you're a blessed person. Additionally, you look good to me. Lastly, I want to help you to achieve something!"

Chu Yang said, "Oh?"

"Although you're young, you're already a first stage Martial Emperor. If the spiritual qi that is bothering you is absorbed by you, your cultivation would be able to advance by leaps and bounds!"

The elder squinted his eyes, "For this kind of inheritance of spiritual qi, there may not be even one in hundreds of thousands of years. Even if there is, the person's spirits would be washed away by the overwhelming energy, and he would become a fool… The divine spirit has been passed on front ancient times till this date, which shows that it's not an ordinary thing! But you withstood it!"

"After you finished digesting it, you would be the first person in the entire universe to have divine spirits! It's such a blessing, isn't it?" the elder said.

Chu Yang smiled bitterly in his heart, If you knew how much I suffered because of this… you wouldn't think that this is a blessing…

"You're so young and not even 19 years old yet, but still you are a first stage Martial Emperor now. Of course, there are plenty of 19-year-old Martial Emperors. Your brother Chu Tenghu is already a third stage Martial Emperor, but he is younger than you."

The elder said, "But, he was grown in a greenhouse and has never gone through hardships. Although he is scheming, he only schemes against his own people in the clan. He has narrow and evil perspectives, and isn't a hero! But, you attained the position of a Martial Emperor in the Lower Three Heavens. You were alone and couldn't rely on anyone! This is an indication of your intelligence and staidness! The other few juniors will never be better than you just by this point!"

He revealed some disparage in his tone.

Chu Yang smiled and did not say anything.

He thought it was inappropriate to say anything in response to the elder's words.

But the elder did not let him go. He squinted his eyes and asked softly, "The King of Hell Chu, Throne Chu, Pavilion Master Chu. These are all referring to you, am I right?"

Chu Yang almost jumped up!

In one sentence, the elder had pointed out three identities of Chu Yang. The King of Hell Chu was his own nickname, Throne Chu was his official position in Lower Three Heavens, while Pavilion Master Chu was his position as a pavilion master of Heavenly Armament Pavilion!

How did he know all these things? Besides his father and mother who knew half of it and Chu Feiling who knew the other half, other people, even Chu Xiongcheng did not know.

And Chu Feiling and Chu Feiyan would absolutely never confront each other!

The elder squinted his eyes and smiled, "I've heard everything you told Chu Feiyan. You must know, in this house, I'm able to hear everything as long as I want to. There are no obstacles blocking me in doing so. But, while you have just returned back, you're the only person whom I'm most interested in."

Chu Yang looked at the elder in shock.

The elder continued, "I've also heard some conversation you had with your father."

Chu Yang was astounded.

The elder laughed, "I saw you before in the Far North Wastelands of the Middle Three Heavens. I also met Elder Ning once." He smiled, "You should have understood by now. Back then when I killed the Ling clan and stole their possessions, the one who protected me was Ning Tianya, Elder Ning."

Chu Yang suddenly saw the light.

In the Far North Wastelands where there was a countless number of experts, it turned out that there were still many of them that he did not meet before. And it turned out his own elder was also there back then.

He involuntarily heaved a sigh of relief, and thought, "It's lucky that you only called me The King of Hell Chu, Throne Chu, Pavilion Master Chu, but didn't call me Sword Master Chu. Otherwise, I would really faint…"

The elder looked at him quietly, "You don't have to worry that I would divulge your secrets. It's your own business in wanting to keep a low profile, tolerate and have forethought. But ever since I learned about you, I've known that the future of the Chu clan is on you!"

Chu Yang blushed, "Elder, you've spoken too seriously."

"I'm not serious!" the elder smiled coldly, "So, when it's time to kill people from the Chu clan, don't ever be soft-hearted!"

Chu Yang was taken aback. At once, he looked up, but what greeted him were the elder's eyes which seemed that he had already had a thorough understanding of the world.

"Remember!" the elder said deeply, "The clan is a support, but… more often, it's a tool! If you can't build the clan into a solid piece of iron, then you shan't rely on the clan! Don't tell any secrets to the clan! If you do so, you would start to fail while you're on the verge of success! Do you understand?!"

While the elder was talking about their own clan, these words were said so coldly and death was in the air!

"I've understood! But…" Chu Yang twitched his face.

"There shouldn't be any 'but'!" the elder interrupted him, "There are some people who are purely useless and utter failures! What is there to cherish about them?" he said coldly, "You may worry that if you kill these people, your parents and your grandparents would be upset… But I'll tell you: If you don't want them to be upset, then it would cost the Chu clan's future and your own life, and even the lives of the entire clan!"

Chu Yang looked serious at once, "I've understood!"

"I'll give you something when you leave here. You shall pass this to Chu Xiongcheng, and he'll understand what I mean," the elder closed his eyes slightly.

"Yes," Chu Yang said. He suddenly thought of a thing and asked, "Elder, may I know since foremother… how many years have there been?"

"703 years," the elder said softly.

"May I know what's your level of cultivation 703 years ago?" Chu Yang asked.

"When I was young, I had a fortuitous chance to eat complete golden ginseng," the elder smiled, "I was a fourth stage Martial Saint 703 years ago!"

Chu Yang was astounded, "Then, you…"

The elder smiled, "Do you want to ask me for my current level of cultivation? Haha… I'm at the peak of a fifth stage Martial Saint."

Chu Yang became silent. He did not want to ask this, but: Why did you only break through one stage? Now that the conversation had carried on to this point, Chu Yang did not want to conceal his question and so he asked.

The elder's face was full of sadness, "If I wanted to have a breakthrough, I would have long become a Martial Warrior! I may not reach to a third stage Martial Warrior, but I could definitely reach a second stage Martial Warrior. But I tried very hard to suppress my cultivation from breaking through. For this breakthrough of one stage of Martial Saint, I only did so with the sole purpose of elongating my lifespan so that I can complete the task of finishing the 1500 kilograms of tea leaves. If I continue to breakthrough… I'm afraid… I'll not have any tea to drink anymore… But now, I'm going to break through the bottleneck that I've suppressed for 450 years… It's really distressing."

Chu Yang gasped with astonishment, and he suddenly felt empathetic towards the elder.

He finally realized, "Are you practicing the martial path of sentiment?!"

The elder gazed at him and finally smiled, "What do you think I called you here for?"