Right, so the messenger had just blasted through the Inner Sect with his voice? "Lin Feng! Head Elder's private hall. Now!" Such a command usually signified either "you've got a lot of trouble" or "you're going to receive some seriously annoying 'guidance.'" Old Lin Feng, that little guy? He would've probably freaked out in a minute. But Raijin, who is now in Lin Feng's body? Just another Tuesday. He gave Mei Hua a short, almost cheeky look and went on his way.
The walk there? It was... different. Not just the Inner Sect's scenery, all those tidy paths and gardens that were well-kept. No, it was Lin Feng himself. His torn robes were still hanging on his ankles, of course, but his gait? It was not a servant's shuffle anymore. It was measured, intentional. The pace of a master. He wasn't going towards them; he was going among them, unseen. The Cosmic Origin Pearl was vibrating slightly, a sweet little secret in his core. He was prepared.
As one would expect, the Head Elder's private chamber was off the charts in terms of luxury. The whole shebang - high ceilings, delicate carvings, masterfully crafted details, and the like. It gave off a scent of old incense and…power. Actually, it was not just the Head Elder. Old Man Chen, the frozen-faced one from the assessment who seldom showed any sign of feeling, was also there. As well as a few other aged elders that Lin Feng vaguely knew. They were all gathered, their expressions mixed between curiosity, suspicion and, of course, that conspicuous trace of greed that the Head Elder's eyes revealed, around a polished, heavy table.
"Lin Feng," the Head Elder softly said, but with his usual authority that was still discernible and making the steel reverberate through his words. "Come here." He motioned with his hand towards a chair next to him that was vacant.
Lin Feng deliberately sat down with a straight posture, seeming more in control rather than a bit overwhelmed as he was. This was no longer the newly promoted disciple who was gone. To the sect's highest authorities, this was simply an interrogation, not a friendly talk. They wanted to hear what he had to say. And be in charge of it.
"Your… performance during the examinations was, no doubt, extraordinary," Old Man Chen said, but his voice indicated dissatisfaction. His gaze was so piercing it was like he was throwing knives. "Particularly if we take into account your recent life conditions." He merely gave a glimpse of his distrust before finishing.
"Indeed," an elder agreed. "A spiritual root in shards. Yet, on the platform, you managed to get to five rings. Tell us how you managed that, boy."
Lin Feng sighed within and reluctantly gave in to the half-truth. 'Elders,' he said carefully, 'After a… really bad incident that left me stunned, I was quite surprised to consider that my cultivation was finished. In fact, I had the impression that my spiritual root was dead… I lost my way and then got hold of a broken ancient art.' He stopped for a moment, signaling them to think.
'Actually it was a secret for those whose spiritual roots had been damaged to such a degree that the source of the spiritual energy would be other than the traditional one, and the method would be more… and painful. It wasn't devastated, but simply sleeping. And what was released… was this technique,'
He was presenting the story as a hard one, a lucky accident. The elders were glancing at each other. It was hard for them to believe that? On the other hand, the evidence was in the five rings. They didn't have a choice. Also, the "punishing and unconventional" part? That was the perfect thing. It meant there wouldn't be any other disciple who would be dumb enough to "destroy" their roots to find the "hidden way of cultivation" or even look for such "secret technique."
The Head Elder gently rubbed his beard. "A root that was once sleeping… a very peculiar assumption. And this method? Are you capable of doing it again? Could one hold one part of it?" His gaze became sharper, as a clear demand.
Lin Feng made a show of shaking his head in regret. "Elders, it was a last resort and an almost spontaneous move on my part. The whole process is highly energy-demanding, and the very small part that remains in my memory is what I used for the first activation. I didn't quite succeed in the first activation. To do it again, I think it is not within my capacity, and maybe it is too risky for others," total deception obviously, the Cosmic Origin Pearl had it all, but they didn't have to know that.
The elders murmured in discontent and exasperation. They were longing for the cheat key, but he had deliberately put it out of their reach. One by one, their faces filled with wrinkles as they debated what to do next. Then the Head Elder sighed and said, "Very well, no matter how it came from, your talent remains unchallengeable. As an Inner Disciple you will have your needs met, be given the right guidance. But," and the moment had arrived, "due to the... peculiar nature of your spiritual root, and also as a measure of your own safety, you will be reporting to me only for cultivation progress. Moreover, we shall supervise your cultivation practice."
Exactly. The leash was there. They were dying to track his movements. Control his growth. Lin Feng just gave a slight nod to signal that he was acting as the innocent disciple. "Under the Head Elder's command."
He walked away from the hall where the quiet of the Inner Sect was once again a heavy blanket over his shoulders. They believed they had trapped him, that they were in control of him. But they could not be more wrong. They did not even realize how strong he was. The teachings of his betrayers? They were about not trusting anybody. He had just supplied them with enough truth to satisfy their suspicions, and enough enigma so they could not guess his next move. They wanted him under their control? He would take their attempts as a step to go beyond them. The game was not over yet and this round, Lin Feng was winning already.
End of chapter 11