Chapter 103 : A Traitor's Return and a Clan's Resolve

Before Eldrin Chen could speak, the Wei Clan Patriarch stroked his long beard and continued.

"Not long ago, this man came to our Wei Immortal Clan. He claimed your Chen Clan had discovered a Mystic Iron Ore Vein and wished to sell this information to us."

"Such a person, who betrays his own ancestors and lineage, is truly beneath contempt in my eyes."

Varen Wei declared with righteous indignation, "Our Wei Clan and your Chen Clan are both Foundation Establishment Immortal Clan [powerful clans whose leaders have reached the Foundation Establishment realm] within the Chu Nation. Naturally, we would not allow such a scoundrel to run rampant. Therefore, today we have specifically returned him to your Chen Clan for your own judgment."

Upon hearing this, the members of the Chen Immortal Clan could not help but look towards Chen Cyrus. His face was as pale as paper, etched with despair and terror.

In that moment, understanding dawned on everyone. Their expressions turned ashen, a mixture of fury and profound disappointment at his failure to live up to expectations.

Eldrin Chen cast a glance at Chen Cyrus, his countenance calm. With a silent gesture, he signaled for the others to take him away. Only then did he invite Varen Wei to share tea on a nearby mountain peak.

"This Mystic Iron Mountain Path-Field [a cultivation field established on a mountain rich in Mystic Iron] has only recently been established, so conditions are rather desolate. I hope you can forgive its simplicity."

"Not at all, not at all."

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the three Foundation Establishment Cultivator [cultivators who have reached the Foundation Establishment realm] took their seats. Eldrin Chen poured a cup of tea for Varen Wei before expressing his gratitude. Support the author by reading on audio-novel[dot]com.

"It is a family disgrace, to have produced such an unfilial descendant. I apologize for the spectacle, Fellow Daoist Wei."

"Not at all, not at all."

Varen Wei accepted the tea, took a shallow sip, and then smiled faintly. "We are all fellow cultivators of the Human Race. This was merely my duty. However, today's incident has significant repercussions. I hope you, Fellow Daoist, will take it as a stern warning."

"Your reminder is well taken. This individual will be severely punished to uphold our clan's discipline."

Eldrin Chen nodded. He displayed no anger; his expression remained placid. Yet, the calmness in his eyes felt far more intimidating.

Only the weak resort to bluster. With the passage of years, a man of his decisive methods learned to keep his emotions veiled before outsiders, his true feelings hidden beneath an unreadable surface.

The three Foundation Establishment Cultivator conversed pleasantly atop the mountain peak. After half a shichen-time [a conventional short duration, roughly fifteen to thirty minutes], Varen Wei did not linger. He rose and bid farewell to the two.

As they parted, Eldrin Chen escorted him for a stretch of the path. With a smile, he finally said, "Today's favor, I, Eldrin Chen, will remember."

"One day, I shall surely visit Tian'e Mountain to express my gratitude in person."

"Then this old man will surely prepare a warm welcome."

Varen Wei said with a smile, before finally turning and transforming into a streak of light that flew into the distance.

After he departed, Eldrin Chen and Lior Chen exchanged a glance, then swiftly flew back to the Mystic Iron Mountain Path-Field.

Upon returning to Mystic Iron Mountain, the two found Chen Cyrus in the main hall. The young man's face was already bruised and swollen. Beside him, his Nian Generation elder brothers, Eternal Remembrance Chen and Remembrance Sun Chen, stood with faces dark as iron, breathing heavily—clear signs they had just finished giving him a thorough thrashing.

Lior Chen shot him a look, his voice thick with disappointment. "Cyrus, you have some nerve!"

"How could you dare?"

The Third Elder was so furious his stomach ached, his complexion having turned pale.

Pale-faced and trembling, Chen Cyrus threw himself at Lior Chen's feet, clutching his leg as he sobbed and pleaded.

"Uncle Lior, I was momentarily blinded by foolishness! I beg you, please forgive me this once!"

"My grandfather was once a Clan Elder! He fell in battle during the Beast Tide! I beg you, for his sake, spare me this time!"

"How dare you bring up your grandfather, Eternal Cry?" Lior Chen kicked him away, his anger flaring anew as he delivered another slap. "You worthless wretch! Is this how you honor his memory?"

He spoke, still lunging forward as if to continue kicking him, but Eldrin Chen blocked his path.

"Enough. There is no need for further blows."

Eldrin Chen spoke, rising to his feet and stepping before Chen Cyrus. His expression was calm as he inquired.

"Why did you do this?"

"You need not say it. I already know. Was it for that Foundation Establishment Pill [a precious elixir that allows a Qi Refining cultivator to attempt a breakthrough to the Foundation Establishment realm]?"

He stated it as an undeniable fact, his gaze sharpening as a palpable killing intent radiated from his very being. Original English translation available at audio novel.com.

Everyone present suddenly felt their hairs stand on end, a profound sense of dread washing over their hearts.

Witnessing this, Third Elder felt his heart lurch. A single, chilling thought surfaced: "Cyrus's life cannot be saved."

Lior Chen had initially intended, out of respect for Cyrus's ancestors and because no irreversible harm had been done, to spare his life and merely cripple his cultivation.

But he understood clearly now. With Eldrin Chen's killing intent unleashed, unless the Old Patriarch himself came to plead for mercy, no one could possibly save Chen Cyrus.

"Eldrin, I was wrong, and I admit it."

Chen Cyrus felt a killing intent pierce through him and could only grit his teeth, saying, "I am already over fifty-four years old. If I miss this chance, I fear I will never obtain a Foundation Establishment Pill [a pill that aids in breaking through to the Foundation Establishment realm]."

The reason he had leaked the information to the Feng Clan was precisely so they would seize the Mystic Iron Ore Vein [a vein of ore imbued with spiritual energy, used for crafting magical treasures], preventing Seraphina Chen from obtaining the Foundation Establishment Pill. In that case, he would once again be the most suitable candidate for that pill.

His calculations were shrewd. The Yu County cultivation world and Solar Province had little overlap. By informing the Feng Clan of Boyang County, he thought the clan would likely never trace it back to him.

What he never anticipated was that the Feng Clan, deeming the Chen Clan a force not to be trifled with, would capture him and deliver him back as a gift of goodwill.

"All of you, leave us."

Eldrin Chen closed his eyes and spoke abruptly.

Hearing this, Eternal Remembrance Chen, Chen Remembrance Heaven, and the others nearby hurriedly exited. Lior Chen exchanged a glance with Eldrin Chen before finally leaving as well.

Only Eldrin Chen and Chen Cyrus remained in the great hall. Eldrin spoke, his expression calm.

"You are no longer a child. You should understand that some actions are forbidden!"

"Since you have betrayed the clan, you should understand that a price must be paid."

"Eldrin, I know I was wrong." Chen Cyrus's face twisted with anguish. "Please, spare me."

"Spare you? How could I possibly spare you?"

Eldrin Chen could no longer contain the fury boiling within him. With a furious roar, he backhanded Chen Cyrus with enough force to send him sprawling.

He seized Chen Cyrus by the collar, his eyes blazing crimson. "Spare you, so that everyone else can follow your example? So they can all sell out the clan for their own gain?"

"Answer me! In all the years the clan raised you, did it ever once fail you?"

"...No."

"Answer me! Have you honored the clan's grace in nurturing you? Have you honored the elders who taught you cultivation since childhood, who sheltered you from every storm?"

"I..."

Chen Cyrus could only stammer, his gaze vacant and distant, a shimmer of unshed tears glistening in his eyes.

Eldrin Chen seized him and pulled him close, his voice trembling with mounting fury. "You worthless fool! You think you've grown some backbone? You dare to betray your own clan?"

"At least Seraphina Chen has rendered great service to the family. What are you? Nothing but a parasite living off the legacy of your ancestors! If you have the guts, go out and earn greater merit for the clan yourself. If you do, I'll be the first to give you a Foundation Establishment Pill [a precious elixir that aids in breaking through to the Foundation Establishment realm]."

"The Third Elder already promised your lineage priority for the next Foundation Establishment Pill. What more do you want?"

"If you have the audacity to sell out your family, why do you lack the courage for Self-Achieved Foundation Establishment [the arduous path of reaching the Foundation Establishment realm through one's own cultivation, without relying on elixirs]?"

"In my eyes, Uncle Verdant River and Uncle Verdant Bud are a hundred times the man you are."

With those words, Eldrin Chen flung him to the ground, his tone turning icy. "This Foundation Establishment Pill was left by Uncle Verdant River. He would rather die than use it himself, insisting I bring it to you juniors."

"You were raised by Uncle Verdant River. Do you think you've lived up to his expectations?"

"Uncle Verdant River..."

Chen Cyrus's eyes welled with tears, memories flooding back of the years Clear River Chen had personally mentored him, managing the Sunward Market [a trading hub operated by the Chen Clan] and treating him like his own son.

Finally, his composure shattered. He fell to his knees, tears streaming down his face. "I was a fool," he choked out. "I have failed the family's hopes."

"Kill me!"

"Indeed, you cannot live."

Eldrin Chen's gaze was icy, his expression frigid as he stated, "To let a traitor like you live would be a betrayal of every clansman who has fought and died for our family."

"Take your own life."

Chen Cyrus gritted his teeth, drew a dagger, and with his final words pleaded, "I, Chen Cyrus, deserve death a thousand times over. I only beg you, do not bring harm upon my family."

"Consider this my final request."

"I grant it." Eldrin Chen gave a slight nod.

Seeing his assent, Chen Cyrus gripped the dagger, clenched his jaw, and drove it towards his own throat.

"*Clang!*"

A sharp metallic ring echoed as the dagger was sent flying. Eldrin Chen withdrew his finger, turned away, and spoke with cold finality.

"Uncle Eternal Cry gave his life for the clan. You are the last of his direct line. Today, I shall spare this one thread of Uncle Eternal Cry's bloodline."

"This..."

Chen Cyrus could scarcely believe it. The notoriously decisive Eldrin Chen, whose Slaughter was swift and final, had actually spared his life.

From the other side, Eldrin Chen's voice was icy cold as he continued with chilling indifference, "Remember, Chen Cyrus is dead. You are never to set foot within the borders of Border Province again."

"As for your mortal family, I will send them to the Meng Clan and entrust them with their care."

"Eldrin, I was a fool. I have failed our ancestors."

Chen Cyrus fell to his knees, weeping uncontrollably. Before departing, he choked out through his sobs, "Should the clan ever face calamity, I, Chen Cyrus, will return, even if it means my body is crushed to dust and my cultivation shattered, to repay this debt of nurture and upbringing."

"Hmph—"

Eldrin Chen snorted coldly. With a frigid gaze, he tossed a porcelain vial toward the kneeling man. "This," he stated, his voice devoid of warmth, "settles your outstanding clan contribution points."

"Take it and get out."

Chen Cyrus wept as he accepted the porcelain vial. Under the cover of night, he descended Mystic Iron Mountain [a mountain rich in mystical iron ore], taking three steps for every one look back. When he finally opened the vial, he found a single Essence Gathering Pill [a foundational pill that helps gather and refine spiritual energy] resting inside.

It turned out Eldrin Chen had found time to refine a batch of Essence Gathering Pill for Seraphina Chen. Remembering him, Eldrin had set one aside.

Gazing at the pill, he fell to his knees, clutching a handful of soil, choked with emotion and unable to speak.

"I, Chen Cyrus, am truly not a man!" he cried out in self-loathing.

"..."

After Chen Cyrus departed, Eldrin Chen summoned forth the Purple Sun True Flame Furnace [a divine furnace conjured from the essence of the purple sun's true flame] to stage the scene. He refined a pile of charred, bloody remains—the supposed ashes of the execution—before calling the others back in.

The sight of the charred bones and ashes sent a jolt through the assembled crowd. A wave of grim satisfaction washed over them, swiftly followed by a chilling sense of awe at the power on display.

His gaze sweeping over the fearful assembly, Eldrin Chen pronounced the final judgment. "His name is to be struck from the Clan Genealogy [the sacred record of the clan's lineage]. His descendants are to be exiled into the Great Wasteland [a vast, barren, and perilous wilderness]. They shall never again be recognized by the Chen Immortal Clan."

The faces of the crowd paled. Over the years, Chen Cyrus had taken seven or eight wives and concubines, fathering close to a hundred descendants. As mere mortals cast into the Great Wasteland, their chances of survival were virtually nonexistent.

After the others had collected the supposed remains of Chen Cyrus and filed out of the great hall, only the Third Elder and Eldrin Chen remained, standing in silence amidst the echoing emptiness.

The Third Elder cast a glance at Eldrin Chen, seeming as if he wished to say something, yet in the end, the words remained unspoken.

Gazing at the vast, desolate Great Wasteland in the distance, Eldrin Chen shook his head and said, "Does the Third Elder feel my methods were excessively cruel?"

"Executing Chen Cyrus was not unjust," Lior Chen replied with a slight hesitation, then continued, "But as the saying goes, the punishment should not extend to the family…"

"I understand."

Eldrin Chen nodded in acknowledgment, yet countered firmly, "But those who betray the clan must receive the most severe punishment."

"If we fail to instill fear and deterrence in people's hearts, then everyone, for their own gain, will follow this example. Sooner or later, it will bring calamity and utter ruin upon our family."

"Today, we have exiled the lineage of Chen Cyrus. Yet, in the future, this act may save the lives of countless thousands within the Chen Immortal Clan."

"Therefore, no traitor to the clan can ever be tolerated or spared!"

"This…" Lior Chen stammered, finding no words, and finally sighed. "Perhaps you understand the hearts of men better than I do."

As he spoke, the Third Elder shook his head once more. "When I returned to Green Chariot Mountain, I urged him to wait a little longer. I promised that when a Foundation Establishment Pill [a pill that aids in solidifying one's cultivation foundation] became available, his lineage would have priority in acquiring it. I never imagined he would still be so foolish."

Eldrin Chen did not answer, instead turning his gaze towards the distant horizon, a faint sigh escaping his heart.

Having overseen the clan's affairs for many years, Third Elder possessed a gentle disposition, always leaving room for compromise in his dealings.

While this approach was effective in mediating disputes among the clan's cultivators, fostering a sense of fairness in resource allocation, it lacked the necessary force of deterrence in critical moments.

Lior Chen's words were indeed well-intentioned and persuasive. In ordinary matters, or with a different person, they might have succeeded. However, affairs concerning the Path [the fundamental principle of cultivation and existence] required a balance of grace and authority—offering promises while also awakening Chen Cyrus to the folly of certain actions. Enjoyed this chapter? Read more at audio - novel . com.