CG Chapter 182: Plans Change, Tides Shift
How would one ensure that the Patriarch of a great clan does not perceive him as a threat? The simple answer is, you do not. Instead, Aretius forced his hand using the same power the Patriarch was so proud of. By using Righteous Ki through his own speech, he delivered an almost perfect display of righteousness. The key here is "almost."
Li Muren's gaze wandered around the hall, looking at the clan he had worked so hard to bring from the depths of an insignificant clan to its current heights.
The figure of the masked young man was engraved into his mind. At that moment, he sensed that his path, and more importantly, the path of the clan's entire future, was about to diverge. The significance of this choice might be more important than when he left everything to travel to Great Shen. One choice could change the fate of an entire clan.
Internally, a turbulent storm of schemes was brewing. 'Not bad. It turns out the young snake has already shed its scales, transforming into a giant dragon.' He paused, giving Aretius a second-long glance. 'Nevertheless, you are still too inexperienced to play with this lord. To obtain the position of an elder without the obligations of one could be said to be your skill, and my underestimation of you. Unfortunately, there are still some oversights in your act. I would not blame you, since you comprehended Righteous Ki at such a young age.'
At that very moment, Aretius glanced back at Li Muren, who was sinking into profound contemplation. He briefly grinned under his mask before turning back to the cordial gathering of elders, each of whom harbored a hidden smile as they inquired about his skills.
The Patriarch thought he was the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware that he was stalking an oriole. The perfect act and play were all for the Patriarch's own eyes.
Before, Aretius would have needed to offer his skill in exchange for the Li Clan's resources. By giving the Patriarch the chance to come to his own conclusions, he would ensure that most of the resources he needed would be given to him without even asking for them. He even guessed that the Patriarch would attempt to gain his allegiance by any means necessary.
The sands of time continued to fall, and the Li Clan truly entered a state of stillness, with nearly all of the juniors being dismissed, followed by the elders. By the time only Aretius and the Patriarch remained in the hall, a thick air of schemes enveloped the stagnant pool of the empty corridor.
Before this air could turn into mist, as the two gazed into each other's eyes without a word, the Patriarch spoke in a kind tone, akin to that of an elder guiding a junior.
"Your talent is destined to place you beyond the masses of your generation. If I were blind to this era, it would not be an exaggeration to say that your fate is to enter the gate of Three Supremes."
A deep sigh came from his mouth, as if he were truly heartbroken for the fate of Aretius. "Alas. It is both your fortune and misfortune that you were born in such a turbid time. The currents will either take you down with them, plucking you out from your roots before you get the chance to grow and turn this talent of yours into true power; or, if you are lucky enough to gain a sheltering tree to hide under, you could use these times to temper yourself, mold yourself into an unparalleled sovereign, and position yourself as a true legend of the Jianghu."
Aretius remained silent throughout all of this. The Patriarch's downcast expression and all of the information he was offering did not stem from kindness.
He wanted to position himself as that exact sheltering tree; he wanted Aretius to hide under the shade of the Li Clan, so he would be indebted to them. Once this young seedling had grown, the time for the harvest would come, as the Li Clan would use the same trick he had employed.
The Patriarch thought he could force Aretius's hand using the same righteousness Aretius had used against him. Unfortunately, if that were to truly happen, all of his plans would be for naught, as the Righteous Ki he displayed stemmed from Aretius's own pure Dao.
According to the understanding of the Patriarch and nearly everyone else, Righteous Ki could only be obtained by having the purest of intentions: to hold a level of true righteousness in your heart and walk toward it, even if all living beings attempted to hold you back.
Even the Patriarch's own Righteous Ki only broke through after he had returned to the Li Clan, displaying his complete devotion even when he had the chance to reach a higher mountain. However, to him, it was all worthless, a rotten world without life.
Such devotion was rare even in the Righteous Path, and it was even more profoundly scarce in the Demonic Path. Devilheads and demonic cultivators tended to be more susceptible to external influence, given that their extreme desires were the main reasons they fell into the Demonic Path.
These desires polluted their intentions, causing internal strife and contaminating their Dao hearts. Some strove to be regarded as heroes even after slaying villages, while others had a heart for the world yet remained paralyzed by inaction, refusing to take even a single step forward.
From the very beginning, Aretius's Dao heart was pure, free of any imperfections. It was the same Dao heart, tempered by countless lifetimes in which he was forced to face himself. With such absolute, deafening quietness, one would have no choice but to listen to the sound of one's own true nature.
The Patriarch glanced once more at Aretius. "I welcome you once more to the Li Clan. One of my clan's juniors will guide you to your quarters."