Chapter 3: Behind the Awakening

From the head part of the turtle shell, a hand came out. Soon, a man came out entirely! Eyes wide, the little girl was thrilled. While the light was dim, she actually recognized his face!

She met ‘him’ almost everyday!

“So it’s actually front-gate ancestor! You finally woke up!”

“So loud, hush it!”

“Uhh,”

The man who had come out, was An Shan.

His appearance however, was younger. Noticing his hand, he felt his face. Taking out a mirror from his spatial ring, he examined his face. White skin, semi-long black hair tied to the back, he could honestly call it above average, em. But what was important was, he had turned younger, a lot younger. His appearance right now barely qualified him as a twenty-year old.

While it was common for Ancestor-level cultivators to alter their appearance, he had the feeling of fresh vigor, superior to any of the effects from appearance change techniques. His white robe looked brand new, clearly third sister had changed his ragged robe while he was unconscious. Storing his mirror back, his eyes landed on his second brother’s legacy treasure, the green turtle shell. Glimmering, its glory did not wane even after a long time.

“Must be the effect of this, hm?”

He finally realized the odd little girl lying on top of the shell. In pink robe, with plum cheek, shiny black hair tied to her back. Her eyes were glittering, face hopeful, as if witnessing her saviour after being lost in the wilderness for many days.

His eyes landed on the small jade token on her hands. He waved his finger a little, and the jade token came straight into his hand. It had trace of blood on it.

“Ah, Ancestor…”

“Where did you get this, little girl?”

“I’m not little girl, Ancestor! Did you forget Xiao Mei? That’s cruel,”

“Alright, little plum. How did you get this?”

“I, un, borrow!”

“What’s with the pause? From who?”

“Uhh, my dad?”

“You’re clearly lying…”

“Ancestor, please help!”

She shouted, the sound wave burrowed deep into An Shan’s sensitive ears. His hands moved, squeezing her chubby cheek. His eyes twitching, he said it slowly;

“…Do not shout, alright? I’m not young anymore, but I can listen well. You shout anymore, I’ll make sure your cheeks really become plums,”

“Aw, whittte,”

“Hmph, I have a few questions. How long was I in Soul Severing— Sleep?”

“Um…?”

Her eyes went up, she shook her head. Clearly, she had no idea. While she recognized his face, the other details did not stay with her. He let go of her cheeks.

“Fine. Do you know who Patriarch An Tian was?”

“Ehhh, never heard of him. Was he famous?”

“…Do you know anything at all? Do you know who I am?”

“Of course I know! Xiao Mei’s not an idiot, you’re an ancestor! Someone awesome! Deserving respect! Heaven-shaking!”

“If that’s true, how come you’re being overly familiar? Is that how you speak to your ancestor?”

“What do you mean, ancestor? We’re old buddy! We meet everyday, I speak to you everyday. Eh, no, not quite? Ah yeah, I spoke to your avatar! You’re the front-gate ancestor, you treat Xiao Mei very well. Un, you listen to Xiao Mei without complaining, we’re buddy-buddy,”

“What nonsense you’re talking about?”

“But ancestor, you’re so small. I thought you’re bigger?”

“Hearing that from a pipsqueak like you…”

He had headache speaking to this little girl. What do you mean small? I’m 171 cm, mind you! That’s above average here in this continent, by one whole centimeter!

“But I’m glad, ancestor. At least with your size, you wouldn’t have problem finishing your business without others looking, em!”

“What business, you…”

Drowsiness took over him, he held his forehead. Palm towards her, he prevented her from speaking too much. He sighed, it was foolish trying to get accurate information from this little…

“...Nevermind, I’ll ask the simplest question. Let us clear this up, was it you who woke me up?”

“Uh-huh,”

She nodded. Observing her, he did a soul search.

He felt a pleasant vibration. Her soul resonated with his, thus he confirmed her as his descendant. But how did such a small child wake him up? Did the other ancestors or the patriarch send her? Bah, who was it, stupid enough to send such a child on such an important errand? First things first, he decided to at least ask.

“So, who send you to wake me up?”

“Uh, un, no one?”

“What do you mean no one?”

“I came here by myself?”

“…”

He was dumbfounded.

How could this be? She did not seem to be lying, no traces of Soul-Manipulation either. What happened to the security formation? What happened to the Imperial Guardians? Turning his head, he saw the six of them there, standing still. He flicked his finger, sparking a little of his Qi into the air. The statues trembled.

Turning to him, they kneeled and saluted.

Ka, ka!

The ground quaked as their knees reached the ground, and another when their hands met in a salute. Xiao Mei staggered, eyes lit up as she witnessed the impressive statues kneeling, as though Grand Generals reporting to their sovereign.

Their red eyes glowed, announcing their allegiance.

“Strange, they’re still functioning. How did you get up here, Xiao Mei?”

“Ah, uh… I walked pass them?”

“And they just let you be?”

“W-well, they almost chopped my head off… But they didn’t!”

“Yes, I can see that, pity. The question is, why?”

“Uh, un, maybe cause I’m too cute?”

“…”

His eyes twitched. Where did that confidence come from, he wondered.

While the guardians would not kill his descendant so easily, it would not be easy to gain their approval. That was, unless, she truly believed she had the right to intrude! And her intention must not be malicious, not in the least. If there was even a hint of that, the Imperial Guardians would not be so merciful. Well, considering her age, it could very well be a case of naivety, he thought.

What puzzled him was, there ought to be powerful defensive formation set up, even hiding his presence. His sworn siblings would not put him here without adequate protection, one which would last for a long time. If this girl really came here alone, how come she was not barred from entering?

He looked at the girl, from head to toe.

She was at Purification Stage. Passing here alone? What a joke! She was truly a child, and her being here alone did not make sense at all. In order to deal with the defensive formation, she ought to know the complicated key strokes. Even with knowing that, she needed to be in early Titan-Star Stage in order to pass through the lowered defensive formation, at the very least.

While it might not bear fruit, he asked nonetheless;

“Alright, you pass through them. But how did you pass through the defensive formation?”

“Eh? What’s that?”

“…This little,”

She showed a puzzled expression.

Clearly, she had no idea what he was talking about. While he wanted to get mad, he could not. Although he wanted to spank her for clearly being naughty, breaking so many sect’s rules, he still needed to grasp what actually happened. Carefully examining the jade token, he confirmed it was original, imprinted by him. Her blood had entered it, and with her being near and with her honest intention of waking him up, the jade token unsealed his soul.

Was it all a coincidence? For such a small child in Purification stage to wake him up? While the token had unsealed him, the final push actually was her loud shout. It forced his soul to cancel the severing. In simple words, waking him up.

He activated his soul search, his intent scanned through his surroundings. There were signs of powerful defensive formation carefully laid out around him. Runes of the highest quality fully enclosed the whole underground chamber. At first glance, they had the appearance of fully functioning. Yet in a second, he frowned. All defensive formations actually had been deactivated, not lowered. Traces of someone’s meddling could be found here and there, yet who it was, he had no idea. What was clear, he or she was no ordinary expert.

And it was recent.

Nonetheless, of all the formations, half of them were still functional. These were formations specifically designed to hide his presence, effective even against other Soul-Titan’s Soul Search. Whoever it was that deactivated the defensive formations, clearly did not wish others to know him being here.

His Soul Search extended beyond his chamber, rising several hundred-metres up to the surface. Near the surface, he sensed several powerful presences. He slowed down, careful not to be noticed. There were eight of them, currently in the middle of Soul Severing. Accompanying them were twenty-four people, still in Heavenly-Stars stage, but already half-step into Titan-Stars. He refrained himself from searching through their soul, especially so for the eight.

‘Eight Titan-Stars, one half-step into Soul-Titan… They’re our sect’s current Ancestors? That’s quite lacking, honestly. Hm, are they injured? No matter. Did one of them, or several of them undo the formations? If their intent was honest, there’s no need to do things through the backdoor like this. Could there be a traitor,”

He frowned. For what reason would his successor secretly deactivate the defensive formations placed to protect him, aside from malicious one? The thought of having a traitor in his own sect dawned on him. It was not a pleasant feeling. Then again, it was impossible for all of them to betray him. He still could not come into proper conclusion, he was missing crucial information.

He put fingers on his chin, still trying to figure things out.

Seeing him in deep thought, Xiao Mei was a bit hesitant to speak. She thought she knew him, but the ancestor turned out to be quite imposing. With him being stern, she was intimidated. Yet after some time, she braved herself;

“Front-gate ancestor, please help…”

Noticing the meek voice, he turned to her.

With him paying attention, her eyes glittered. She had the face of a child pleading for a favor. He sighed. While she had clearly broken sect’s rules, she was still his descendant. Meeting her for the first time, he had this urge to be soft on her, pampering her for all the time lost. It was a feeling only old men or women had, specific towards young ones who inherited their blood.

Such feeling was strong, youngsters could hardly understand it, hmph.

“Alright, let’s leave your punishment for later. What is it?”

“Ancestor, please save Elder Sister Shuren! All those no-good elders’ already—”

“Alright, alright. Calm down and explain… Actually, get down here,”

Flying up, he lifted her down from the turtle shell. Gently, like a proper grandpa, he had the girl sat on her knees, showing proper etiquette.

Relieved he was ready to listen to her, she explained her reason. The very reason for her to trespass on this most forbidden ground of the sect…

…

=== Chapter 3 ‘Behind the Awakening’ End ===