Chapter 7: The Three Reverend Grandpas
In a vast drought plains, the temperature was hellish, the wind was so dry and that it gives a cut sensation on the skin. Under the blood sun, a huge single tree that has been erecting like from the ancient times already was the only thing that can be seen in this dead place.
10 SP would be depleted per second. As Ai Zhen made his way to the gigantic tree, strangely, he observed that the branches of this tree was patterned like a leaf where the branches that grew from the main branches acts like the leaf veins. It was magnificent to see yet disheartening at the same time because the tree has already withered.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" An old man's voice caught Ai Zhen's attention away from the lifeless tree. As he followed the trail of the voice, there he saw an old man wearing a white daoist robe with red linings on it. The old man was sitting on a platform that was erected beside the base of the tree.
"Greetings, daoist." Ai Zhen cupped his hands as he greeted the old man in a respectful manner. "It is indeed beautiful, magnificent even! May I know what tree is this?"
The old man smiled as he got a good impression of Ai Zhen. "Come on here, young immortal. It's hot out there." The old man gestured to Ai Zhen to come in the shady part of the tree. "This was supposed to be what you call the Tree of Life. They said that it was supposed to be on the brink of becoming mature, and was waiting for its tribulation in order to become a full fledge Tree of Life that can bare the fruits of Life." The old man glanced at the tree from the bottom to top.
Ai Zhen was shaken when he found out that this was a one of the mythical trees. Back on his previous life, in the record of his divine body art cultivation, the fruit of life is one of the ingredients to create the Divine Body Pill.
With a divine body pill, a normal person with a normal physique can attain a flawless divine body.
Before Ai Zhen could ask what happened to the tree, another old voice sounded over and this voice is coarser the previous one. "You are still sentimental as ever, Soul. This young man did not come here to hear all these things from you."
The old man in a white daoist robe only chuckled when a hunch backed old man appeared from the right side of the tree. "Old Spirit, you are still grumpy as ever. Apologies to that young man."
"No need for apologies, daoist." Ai Zhen replied and cupped his hands towards the hunched back old man who was wearing a blue daoist robe with white linings on it. This man was slowly making his way with his cane as Ai Zhen greeted. "Greetings, Daoist."
"Hmph! Call me Reverend Spirit." The old man in blue daoist robe snorted as if he doesn't know what a daoist is.
"You can call me Grandpa Soul." The old man in white daoist robe smiled warmly as introduced himself. "What's your name, young immortal?"
Reverend Spirit smacked his cane on the hind legs of Grandpa Soul, angry for his amiability. "Put some prestige on yourself, Soul. You are disgracing our reverend titles."
"Oohh! Another trial taker?" A vigorous old voice sounded over before Grandpa Soul can retort at Reverend Spirit.
"Body, wear your robes properly before I smack your head with my stick!" Reverend lashed out at the incoming old man whose upper body was like a sculptor. His red robes with blue linings on it were unworn and was loosely hanging on his waist.
"Tch. Annoying old man." The vigorous old man with a red daoist robe just clicked his tongue and only gave an annoyed glance at Reverend Spirit.
"What?!" Reverend snapped.
"Now, now. You are in front of a guest, remember your prestige, Reverend Spirit." Grandpa Soul tried to calm Reverend Spirit down as he playfully stated the word prestige and his name.
Hearing this made Reverend Spirit anger boiled inside him but nonetheless, he calmed down as prestige might be much important to him.
"Haha! You can call me Granddaddy Body. I am your granddaddy, young man, remember that" Granddaddy boisterously introduced himself as he put his hands on his waists. "You can only call me by my actual name, Reverend Body, if you can defeat me."
"It's nice to meet you, Granddaddy Body." Ai Zhen's mouth were twitching in annoyance as he bowed and cupped his fists towards Granddaddy Body. 'Granddaddy, my ass!'
After greeting the old man, Ai Zhen caught sight of a ragged golden haired young man. As the three noticed his eyes, their sight also followed.
"Ah, let me introduce you to my new disciple. He calls himself, Lion King. You immortals have a funny way of naming yourselves. Oh yeah, what's your name by the way?" Granddaddy Body gestured to his disciple to come near as he asked Ai Zhen casually for his name.
"His name is Ai Zhen which has a meaning of, 'Truth, and only the truth." Before Ai Zhen could respond to the question, Grandpa Soul winked at him as he answered right away.
Ai Zhen was surprised with Grandpa Soul's response. He never thought that there could be a profound meaning within the combined name of the late Ai Yun and his. Come to think of it, his name has a meaning of, "The unfettered truth." And as he delved into the memories of the late Ai Yun's, he found the meaning behind the name which is "Hidden truth."
"What a good name!" While this was happening, Granddaddy Body exclaimed. Reverend Soul also agreed as he nodded silently.
"Thank you, Grandpa Soul, for giving a profound meaning to my casual name." Ai Zhen deeply bowed each to the three elders. "Thank you also, Granddaddy Body and Reverend Spirit for agreeing. I feel like a part of my dao path has been cleared up.
'That's right. I only want the truth and only the truth which got me into this kind of fate." Ai Zhen's eyes brightened up as his sword-like eyebrows showed resolve. His innate aura and prestige as the previous legendary cultivator awakened inside of him.
Even though this aura and prestige only showed for a moment, Granddaddy Body was able to acknowledge the young man in front of him while Reverend Soul reevaluated his impressions.
"Haha! Good lad! You can now call me Grandpa Body." Granddaddy Body who claimed himself to be Grandpa Body was slapping Ai Zhen's shoulder vigorously. "Since you are here, which dual cultivation are you trying to acquire?"
"Eh?" Ai Zhen was taken aback from the attitude of Grandpa Body. "Well..I'm here for the trinity cultivation trial."
The three figures in front of Ai Zhen was astonished for they were not expecting the young man's answer. It was already surprising that there was an immortal who was qualified to be a dual cultivator yet another immortal that came in their place right away, and this one came for trinity cultivation, it really shocked the old hearts of these three reverend grandpas.
The three figures went silent for a while.
"Why not make yourself acquainted with your fellow immortal cultivator over here?" Grandpa Soul gestured to Ai Zhen and the young man called Lion King to his platform. "You two can rest there for a while as we discuss on how we should go about with your trial."
"Thank you, martial uncle Soul." The Lion King bowed and cupped his fist to show his appreciation.
"Rest up, Little Lion." Lion King faltered as Grandpa Body's hand slapped hard the young man's back. "After this, we'll continue our training." The stoic ragged body of Lion King shivered when he heard this.
The two immortal cultivators sat at each side of the platform. Ai Zhen was enjoying the feeling that the platform was rejuvenating his body and mind. The two sat quietly as the three elders made their way to the Reverend Spirit's platform. Despite that it's just at the other side away from the two immortals, they were still not able to hear any of their discussion.
Minutes passed by, the silence between the two young men were now becoming awkward, or so what the golden haired immortal thought. On the other hand, Ai Zhen was simply enjoying the serene nostalgic feeling.
"So your name is Ai Zhen." Lion King finally broke the silence.
"Yes, that's me." Ai Zhen nodded as his eyes were still closed, enjoying the serenity.
"I never heard that there was such a genius in the Ai Grandmaster Clan, and to think that an offspring from a mere Grandmaster Clan would display his name to the world openly." The young man displayed a haughty tone and eyed Ai Zhen with displeasure.
"Huh? What is this mere Ai Grandmaster Clan??" Ai Zhen eyed the Lion King back with confusion.
"Hmph!" Lion King harrumphed as he continued with his piece. "Don't play dumb on me, you lowly.."
"I am who I am, and I am what I am. Don't group me with these unknown..things. And please don't act high and mighty on me, you're just a dual cultivator. Nothing special. Just someone who I can step on even if I am a single cultivator." Before the young man could finish, Ai Zhen cut him off right away.
"You!!" When Lion King was about to snap back, he felt a chilling sensation as he saw the jet black eyes of the young man that could drown him into nothingness, who was now standing in front of him. The only thing that he can do was swallow back his words as his back drenched in cold sweats from the dreadful feeling.
Just right after the farce, the three elders got back. Ai Zhen' bloodlust disappeared right away and greeted the three elders. "Grandpas!"
"Hmph!" Who said that you can call me Grandpa?" Revered Spirit harrumphed as he was slightly against towards the attitude of the young man.
"You're right." Ai Zhen cupped his hands as he apologized for his impudence. "My bad, Reverend Spirit."
"You can call me Grandpa if you are able to make me acknowledge your skill." Reverend Spirit snorted.
"Haha! Young man, you really have quite a spunk there. I'm liking you even more and more." Ai Zhen shivered as he heard Grandpa Body said it in a different way.
"You flatter me, Grandpa Body." Ai Zhen replied awkwardly.
"Now, now.." Grandpa Soul clapped his hands as to get everyone's attention. "Body, you should sort your inheritance with your little disciple first."
"Right." Grandpa Body nodded annoyingly. "Tch..Spirit lend me a hand."
"Hmph!" Reverend Spirit unwillingly went to Grandpa Body's platform to help pass the inheritance to the golden haired young man.
"Come on, little Lion." Grandpa Body slapped the young man's back as he lead his disciple to his platform. As they made their way, he added, "Don't be cocky. You have to work even harder for you to have a chance to catch up to that young prodigy."
Lion King was shaken when heard this from his master. He knew who was his master referring to but he just can't believe that, that guy was that of a genius. He really doesn't want to believe it. He will not believe it. He will show to his master that he was wrong.
When Grandpa Body saw the reaction of his disciple who was gritting his teeth and clenching his fist hard, he only smiled adoringly as he also resolved himself to give all his support to his disciple's dao.
"Alright." Grandpa Soul took Ai Zhen's attention from the three leaving figures. "Now that they have left, I'll give you a rundown on how Heaven and Earth laws work on this world so that you'll have a chance on passing our trial."