Chapter 391: Like Father, Like Son
Most of the disciples who had chosen the Death Road had survived and come out from the Cloud Road. The result wasn't as they expected because Zen was the first one who got out, but both Lady Long from Iridescence Sect and the old man from Auspice Sect were still satisfied since their disciples made it out of the Death Road alive. It was generally a happy ending for everyone.
While the rest were celebrating their own victories, the leader of Brumous Sect was quite displeased. He could not help but frown and then asked, “Hold on, Zade is still not here. Where is he? Why isn't he here?”
Hearing Zade's name rang a sad bell in the ears of every disciple present at that moment. Everyone stared at the leader of Brumous Sect in silence. Their eyes were speaking, but they couldn't seem to find words to express what they knew. Frank looked around to see who would break the news about Zade. However, when he realized that no one was brave enough to say a thing, he finally spoke, "The Death Road has claimed his life.
Zade was swallowed by the Dark Devil Phantom when he was picking a herb."
When the disciples started to come out from the Cloud Road one after the other, the leader of Brumous Sect had the bad feeling that Zade didn't make it. As he watched the disciples come out, he was becoming more convinced that Zade didn't survive the Death Road. He knew already, but he wanted to hear it from the disciples, and Frank's words were the closure he needed.
The world of cultivators was cruel. Even the toughest disciple in the world could meet his demise at any moment with one wrong judgment. Though Zade was courageous enough to try for the Death Road with Frank, his strength was not enough to survive given that he was only at the fourth place in Brumous Sect.
It was a gamble for Zade to take the Death Road this year. He could win and if he did, he could at least be in the sixth place in the Cloud Road. Unfortunately, luck wasn't on his side this time and being part of Frank's team didn't assure him of success. He failed at the expense of his own life.
The leader of the Brumous Sect was disappointed, but he couldn't do anything at this moment. He didn't know that Zade's greed would cost him his life. If only he wasn't so greedy to pick the black herb, he would still be alive by now.
After telling what he knew, Frank then turned his gaze at Zen. He vowed that he wouldn't let him get away with it easily. Moreover, he was curious at what happened to Zen at the Death Road. Everyone else also fixed their eyes at Zen. They were still saying nothing, but their gazes were saying so much that got Elder Fernandez wondering. Frank noticed the change in Elder Fernandez's expression and took the liberty to explain, “Elder Fernandez, forgive me for speaking. But I would like to tell you the reason we're all staring at Zen. From what we have witnessed in the Death Road, he is supposed to be dead. But it's a wonder that he's here with us now unharmed.”
“Dead? What do you mean? What happened to him in the Death Road?” Fernandez asked curiously.
“The last challenge in the Death Road was to climb up the floating stones in a huge abyss. We were all there taking that last challenge and we saw him being dragged down by a Cloud Hall disciple. We couldn't be mistaken. It was him, and I believe everyone else saw it, too!” After he spoke those words, Frank looked at Zen and slyly smiled. He knew that Zen would not tell him the truth if he asked the latter himself. But Zen wasn't stupid to defy Elder Fernandez. Frank was sure that Zen would tell the elder the truth if the elder asked Zen directly.
“I see. Well, Zen said that he fell into an abyss, but he missed that part where he was dragged down by someone,” Fernandez said as if trying to comprehend what really happened.
Earlier, Zen didn't want to tell everyone about what happened, and Fernandez respected his decision. But now that they heard half of the truth about what happened, everyone else including Fernandez became curious. The ball was now in Zen's hands to say something about him being dragged down by a mysterious Cloud Hall disciple.
The attention the topic was getting fired up Frank. He liked that Zen was not in the hot seat and the fact that the latter could not lie in Fernandez's face. He slyly smiled again and continued, “Again, pardon me for saying. But it is also likely that Zen hasn't told you about the flood dragon down the abyss.”
“A what?” Fernandez was surprised upon hearing this. He hadn't moved on from the fact that Zen was dragged down by a mysterious Cloud Hall disciple, and now he was hearing another amazing event at the Death Road.
Earlier, Fernandez and the leaders of each sect had learned from the Picture Slab that there was a huge dragon on the Cloud Road. They saw the rays of lights appeared in the sky and the Cloud Road seemed slightly different.
They had never expected that the flood dragon was originally down in the abyss.
“As soon as we entered the abyss, we were chased by that flood dragon. Apparently, the flood dragon wanted to devour us, and our instinct told us to run. Zen, on the other hand, was dragged down to the mouth of the flood dragon by that Cloud Hall disciple. We didn't know why, and we assumed that they both died. But we were surprised to see that he had not only survived but also completed the trial ahead of us all. It was strange, but I am not in the position to ask Zen myself,” Frank said to Elder Fernandez. He was suggesting that Elder Fernandez had the right to ask Zen about what happened. Frank grinned at Zen and was waiting for his response.
But to Frank's dismay, Zen remained calm and indifferent as if he didn't hear a thing that Frank said.
Unlike with Zen, Frank's word aroused Fernandez's curiosity and that of the rest of the sect leaders.
From what Frank had said, they concluded that Zen had a connection with the flood dragon and the Cloud Hall disciple. If not, how could Zen have survived that fall unharmed?
Even Fernandez himself would avoid such a full-grown flood dragon at all cost. With his strength, Fernandez could survive that flood dragon, but not without a scratch. So, how did Zen survive from the mouth of the dragon unharmed? Perhaps Zen was indeed lucky. Even so, he could at least have some scratches, or wouldn't finish ahead of everyone. The only viable reason was that Zen had some connection with the flood dragon.
Kenneth became curious about it as well. He was eagerly waiting for Fernandez to ask the question so they could all finally hear the truth from Zen.
Without waiting for Fernandez to speak, Zen took the initiative to explain himself. First, he made a palm-and-fist salute, then said, “Elder Fernandez, please forgive me. It's not that I don't want to tell you the truth, but I made an oath with that disciple not to tell anyone anything.”
It was clear that Zen wouldn't say anything. It seemed that he wasn't lying either about the oath. And with that, everything that Frank said to get the truth from Zen was put in vain. Zen knew what Frank was thinking and thought that it was naive for Frank to do such a thing.
Fernandez looked at Zen and pondered for a while. He took a deep breath, then he said, “Zen, I will respect your decision to honor your oath and I won't force you to tell. But I must ask, who is the disciple who dragged you down that flood dragon's mouth? Is he really a Cloud Hall disciple?”
Zen knew that it was imperative that he told Elder Fernandez about the identity of the said disciple because it concerned the safety of the whole Cloud Hall.
“He said that he was from Cloud Hall and I believe it. But as to his real identity, I'm afraid he didn't tell much,” Zen said as he shook his head.
Fernandez sighed and said, “You know that the Cloud Road is the place where our elite disciples are tested and selected. But I also believe that everyone has his own secret, and we must respect it. I will drop this matter, for the time being, Zen. But I hope you can give us an answer in the future.”
Zen nodded and smiled. He was relieved that Elder Fernandez didn't push more about the issue for the time being. As he stepped aside, he swiped a look at Frank.
Frank was dismayed. He saw the proud look at Zen's face as Elder Fernandez politely dismissed the issue. Frank felt indignant seeing that Zen got away with it easily.
But what Frank didn't know was that Zen was now Elder Fernandez's apple of the eye. After the Cloud Road test, Zen's future potentials and importance had already surpassed Frank's. With this, Fernandez was unwilling to offend Zen by pushing him to tell the truth. For Fernandez, there was a time for everything, and that matter was none of his business for now. Moreover, now that Zen was a Cloud Hall elite, Elder Fernandez wanted to be on his good side.
Elder Fernandez's words were final. The topic was finally put aside for the moment, and no one would know what really happened to Zen inside the flood dragon.
After everyone had settled, the disciples stood behind their leaders and waited for the rest of the disciples to get back from the Cloud Road.
After a few hours, a dark figure suddenly flashed from a distant ruin. With its speed, no one could tell who it was.
Fernandez nodded when he saw the dark figure. He smiled and said, “Well, this is a surprise. I didn't expect Emanuel to come anyway.”
Upon hearing it, Frank looked carefully. When he finally recognized who the dark figure was, he shouted, “Father!”
Judging from his restrained imposing manner, it was hard to tell how strong he was. But it was safe to assume that he was at the same level as Elder Fernandez.
“Fernandez!” As he arrived, Emanuel made a fist-and-palm salute to Fernandez. The latter immediately returned the salutation.
Other leaders also acknowledged the presence of Emanuel and made their salutations, “Master Zhuo!”
“I'm glad to be here, everyone,” Emanuel gave them a slight nod. Then he immediately turned to his son and asked, “Frank, how was the trial? Tell me, what place are you in this time?”
Before he could even greet his father, Frank's face turned clouded upon hearing the question. He could not afford to look at his father as he said, “I only take the third place.”
“What? Did I hear it right?” Emanuel was surprised knowing that his son only made it to the third place. For so many years, Frank had always made it to the first place, and Emanuel was never expecting any less from his son.
Frank was born into a wealthy family. Everything was specially supplied to his family. They even had the red rice called dragon blood rice which contained vital energy which if you had eaten for ten years, its benefits would show up.
The dragon blood rice was so expensive that it was impossible even for the emperor from the Burning Sky Palace in the Eastern Region to eat it in every meal.
But Frank always had dragon blood rice in every meal. It was common for their family.
Frank had all the best things in life–from the rice and other food, to the cultivation methods, and the people who taught him. It could be said that Frank had lived an abundant life from the day he was born.
Emanuel had poured all his heart into his son. He made sure that Frank would get all the best things to help him become better. And Frank, in return, had not disappointed him. He had inherited Emanuel's talent in learning the consummate spear intent.
With such excellent cultivation base, it was expected that Frank would always win the first place. He did for the past years. But something unexpected happened this year, and Frank had finally had the bitter taste of failure for the first time in his life.
Emanuel was quite concerned about this year's trial at the very beginning. However, with his busy schedule, he couldn't arrive in time. But as soon as he got things done, he rushed here to hear the good news from his son. He could even taste the pride of being the father of the most elite Cloud Hall disciple and could not wait to see that envy in each sect leader's eyes. But to his dismay, his son only made it to third place.
Emanuel was rather disappointed. It was as if cold water was poured on his head when Frank told him the bad news.
He was confused at that time. He couldn't think of any other disciple who could outshine his son if that kind of disciple ever existed in this lifetime. Could it be Lennon from the South Wang-Zhao Family? But how was it possible? No one in the Cloud Hall could outperform Frank. Even if they tried their best to improve, Frank was still way ahead of them. How could any disciple from those second-level sects have such strength?
“Tell me, who made it to first place?” Emanuel asked.
Frank pointed to Zen who was standing not so far away from them.
Emanuel looked at the direction his son was pointing at. He was expecting someone at his same level. But to his further dismay, it was only a disciple at the fourth grade of nature level and his name was Zen.
Watching from his position, Fernandez sensed that something bad was about to happen. He knew Emanuel's temper and that the latter was not a magnanimous person to allow others to outperform Frank. Fernandez was worried that Emanuel might try to embarrass Zen.
Kenneth had also noticed that, but as a steward of Cloud Hall, he had no say in Emanuel's presence. He had only hoped that Fernandez would intervene in time.
Then Frank whispered something to Emanuel, then everyone saw a subtle smile crossed Emanuel's face. He then made his way towards Zen with that smile on his face.
He could still not believe that the disciple who outranked his son was only with the fourth grade of nature level. It was the most ridiculous thing he had heard so far in his life. With what Frank had told him about the trial, Emanuel was now pretty sure that Zen won the first place with just mere luck.
“So, Frank told me that your name is Zen. Is that right? I owe you congratulations on winning the first prize. Now that you have become one of the elites of Cloud Hall, we will focus on training you,” Emanuel said. “But my son has told me something about the Cloud Road that concerns me. And I believe, for the sake of the Cloud Hall, you should explain to us everything that has happened during the test and how did you become the first one out of the Cloud Road.”