Modern Patriarch
Chapter 83: The Tower of Radiance

Yao Shen had only managed to recuperate about two tenths of his Qi reserves when his Divine Sense picked up on the presence of a cultivator entering its range.

His expression immediately warped as he snapped back onto his feet in a blur of motion. The Bell Artifact was concealed in his Soul Lake without any hesitation and Yao Shen was primed to deploy his Human Dao Domain at a moment’s notice. He wasn’t surprised to find his Divine Sense strands shattering upon making contact with the intruder, but the very fact that they could, told him enough.

A glimmer of radiant golden light caught Yao Shen’s attention, the intensity of the Qi surge that followed being enough to alarm him. His Human Dao Domain barely managed to spring to life in time for greeting his new visitor, the unknown cultivator’s astounding speed taking him by surprise.

One moment, the intruder was a mere flicker of golden light in the distance. The next, his physical form had broken down into countless rays of light that shot forward at speeds that surpassed Yao Shen’s cognition. There was a trail of diffused light in his wake, a haze of golden clouds that outlined the linear, downward sloping path the unknown cultivator had taken.

It was only a brief delay that allowed Yao Shen an opportunity to react, as the streaks of light reformed into the vague silhouette of a person. Gavril’s blood escape had been fast, but as Yao Shen found himself face-to-face with a cultivator dressed in flowing silver robes that were reminiscent of his own, barring the intricate golden embroidery sketching out a breathtaking motif—- depicting a tower that was similar to Silveni’s Heirloom in some design aspects, hallmarked by tall arches and thin columns that seemed too fragile to be able to bear the weight of Yao Shen’s residence, let alone the depicted tower that was artfully piercing through a sea of clouds.

The cultivator’s silver hair fluttered with the breeze that his own abrupt arrival had generated, his boundless gray eyes taking in Yao Shen’s visage as he returned the favor. Even while being nestled in the comfort of his Domain, Yao Shen could not shake the strong sense of unease he felt at meeting the man’s gaze.

It was not the pristine visage, eerie gray eyes or even the powerful Qi fluctuations that already placed the threat he posed at an equal, if not superior level to the one Gavril had, that was the source of his alarm.

The cultivator before him could have chosen to approach him in any number of ways with the advantage of his overwhelming speed, but instead he had chosen to reappear merely ten meters before him— comfortably within his range of attack. And yet, Yao Shen’s intuition told him that the cultivator before him was capable of evading any attack he was capable of in peak condition, let alone when he was down to a mere two tenths of his Qi Reserves.

Yao Shen felt completely seen through, even though it was unlikely that the cultivator before him knew much about the Azlak Plains recently ascended wild card. The first time Yao Shen had felt a sensation akin to the one he was currently experiencing, was the time when he had first gazed upon a Nascent Soul Elder that was leisurely sailing through the skies with the clouds as his playground, while he was a mere Qi Establishment Cultivator that could barely empower his own body with the meager thimble of Qi it could manage.

Even Gavril had not been so self-assured, for if he had absolute confidence in his own Domain, he would not have stepped out personally to deal with him. Despite his overwhelming strength, it was a weakness that the Demon had displayed— a fatal weakness that had led to his eventual domain.

“You must be the new Soul Emperor,” The Cultivator finally broke the silence, his tone formal as he addressed him.

“I am Yao Shen of the Modern Sect,” He replied calmly, anticipating a response.

“I apologize for my tardiness, Yao Shen of the Modern Sect,” Yao Shen’s fellow Soul Emperor bowed, if only slightly, to express his regret. “I am Wujing Yang, First Floor Master of the Tower of Radiance,” he introduced himself without missing a beat, his back now held straight.

‘One of the Eastern Righteous Path Sects,’ He thought, without letting any of the relief he felt show on his visage.

“You are here for the Demon, then,” Yao Shen plainly stated, allowing a bit of resentment to intentionally leak into his tone.

“Indeed,” Wujing Yang confirmed with a sympathetic nod. “The concentration of Blood Qi in this area was strong enough for me to ascertain the demon’s general whereabouts. Keeping the Ancient Codex in check is the Tower of Radiance’s responsibility, but we never imagined that Gavril Ar’kael would expend a vulnerability in our information network to infiltrate the Azlak Plains, of all places,” He explained. “Is your soul injured?”

“No,” Yao Shen replied.

“Was anything stolen from your person or from one of the sects under your command? Even an insignificant old or damaged artifact?”

“No.”

Wujing Yang’s composed expression finally cracked a little.

“Where is Gavril Ar’kael then?” sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ NøvᴇlFirᴇ(.)nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

“He ran,” Yao Shen coolly replied.

“He…. ran…?” Wujing Yang repeated the words after him, allowing them to slowly roll off his tongue as he tried to digest the meaning behind them.

“I defeated him. Every soul in his Domain was shattered, along with the dozens he had grafted onto his soul. Though as you can see, the battle depleted my Qi Reserves and I was in no condition to chase after him— not that I could keep up with his blood escape, even if I wanted to.”

Wujing Yang’s expression turned serious and for a moment, there was a flicker of worry in his gaze.

Yao Shen didn’t react as a small metallic cube phased into Wujing Yang’s palm, before he held it out to him.

“Pass a Divine Sense strand through this cube. Now,” Wujing Yang’s words were spoken with an air of finality that carried with them an undertone of warning.

“Why?” Yao Shen asked.

“I cannot tell you.”

“And if I refuse?”

“Then I will have to incapacitate you. If I deem that incapacitation is too large a threat to my person, then I will be forced to kill you,” Wujing Yang stated.

“Very well,” Yao Shen replied, having more or less caught on to the Light Cultivator’s intentions.

There was no resistance as his Divine Sense passed through the small metallic cube, but the reaction was immediate as it’s exterior shifted from a metallic silver to a light blue.

A few moments passed in silence, before Wujing Yang finally issued his judgment.

“No signs of soul manipulation or corruption,” Wujing Yang replied, allowing himself a relieved exhale. “And as for your identity, your domain is proof enough.”

Yao Shen nodded, taking no offense at the inspection after having it’s purpose revealed.

“I have many questions, Yao Shen of the Modern Sect,” Wujing Yang allowed his gaze to sweep up and down his silhouette, as if he still could not fathom what he had been told. “But for now, it could not have been long since your fight with Gavril Ar’kael has concluded. Tell me, which direction did he flee in?”

“What will you do if you catch him?” Yao Shen asked, his expression stern.

“For a week or two, we will employ a variety of non-intrusive ‘investigative techniques’ to extract as much intelligence as we can before the Ancient Codex formally invokes the pact. Though we will have no choice but to return him and the pact forbids us from significantly harming Soul Emperors in our captivity, the price paid would be steep considering that it was the Demon that had forced his way into righteous path territory. Your sect, of course, will receive a part of the compensation.”

“I am not a signatory of this pact of yours. What happens if I kill him?” Yao Shen allowed the murderous rage he felt towards Gavril to bloom in full display, not having forgotten the threat the vile demon had issued towards his disciples.

Wujing Yang paused for a moment, his expression thoughtful as he considered the question.

“If you had killed him in the midst of your duel, it would have been likely that there would be no reprisals for your actions, given Gavril’s status as the issuer of the duel in enemy territory. But chasing and hunting him down would not count as an extension of the duel and nor would it be legitimate self-defense. In that case, the Righteous Path would have no choice but to disavow you and strip you of your sect’s leadership.”

Yao Shen could have chosen to vent his fury onto the Eastern Righteous Path representative. He could have rallied against Wujing Yang, used his bell artifact to make him back away before going on his own in an attempt to slay the demon. But all that would accomplish was the end of his tenure as Patriarch, stripping him of every bit of power and influence that he had worked so hard to attain.

The cultivation world was unfair.

Yao Shen had known that from the moment he had resolved to bring his vision into reality.

No one, not even the most powerful of cultivators, was above the game. But if Yao Shen had no choice but to participate, then he would choose to excel in it.

“Eighty percent,” He stated placidly, all traces of anger and fury evaporating in but an instant.

There was a brief moment of hesitation, a hint of surprise as he managed to catch Wujing Yang off-balance.

“Fifty percent. It would be more than enough for a sect as small as yours.”

“Seventy-five,” Yao Shen countered.

“You do not understand the breadth of the sums at stake here. Fifty-five.”

“Sixty-five. You get the honor and prestige of capturing a Soul Emperor and my sect gets a share in the resources for the anguish caused to us by the Tower of Radiance’s lapse in judgment.”

It was through pursed lips that Wujing Yang replied, “Very well. I accept the terms in my formal capacity as a representative of the Tower of Radiance qualified to make that judgment.”

Yao Shen didn’t hesitate for a second as he transferred every bit of information he had on the demon, coupled with flashes and stills from his memory that displayed the manner and direction in which Gavril had escaped.

“Thank you, Yao Shen of the Modern Sect. Expect me in a fortnight or two, we still have much to discuss,” Those were the last words that Wujing Yang left him with, before he diffused his physical body into rays of light.

In a few moments, he had vanished out of his line of sight.

If anyone could catch the Demon, it was a Soul Emperor of the Light Path.

Sᴇarch the NʘvᴇlFire.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.