Eternal Reverence

"Li Fu Chen, you still will not be my opponent even after you train for ten years"

Crash!

On the training grounds, the delicate looking Li Fu Chen was seen flung out of the stage and the one who threw him was a juvenile clad in green clothes.

"Heh, as I expected, defeated in three moves"

"Within a year, this is already the seventh time Li Fu Chen was defeated by Li Yun He right?"

"Ain't that right, just last year, Li Fu Chen was considered as a genius and had always suppressed Li Yun He. But out of expectation, after a year, the genius became inept. Not only did his abilities not improve at all, it seems stupidity set in, knowing that Li Yun He was not someone he could defeat, he still accepted Li Yun He's challenge."

"You have wronged Li Fu Chen, he always had a proud personality and never cowers from a challenge."

"Hai, blame it on Li Fu Chen's fiancée Guan Xue, there isn't anyone who didn't know Li Yun He liked Guan Xue as well. The three of them grew up together, but Guan Xue was already betrothed to Li Fu Chen, making Li Yun He extremely unhappy."

The mocking laughters that came from all around rang in the ears of Li Fu Chen, causing him to start breathing erratically.

A year, everything happened a year ago.

A year ago, within the Li clan, he was rated a genius, Li Yun He was never regarded as his rival.

Out of the blue, his talents seemingly vanished. More like his talents was unusable, everytime he tried to concentrate, he would have a splitting headache. The pain rendered him unable to cultivate in peace. Once Li Yun He realised Li Fu Chen had not improved at all, he then began to repeatedly challenge Li Fu Chen.

With his fist tightly clenched, Li Fu Chen looked to the sky with an ache in the heart.

"Wretched heavens, when have I ever offended you, why would you take away my talents. Do you not know in this world, having strength reigns supreme and the consequences of not having talent."

Li Fu Chen's heart raged.

Pity the heavens could not hear the voice of his heart.

Staring down at Li Fu Chen with a sneer, Li Yun He felt domineering. He had always felt jealous of Li Fu Chen, jealous that his father was the Patriarch of the Li clan, regardless of resources or treatment it was all better than his own. If his own father had been the Patriarch, his achievements would have definitely outshone Li Fu Chen's.

Now that Li Fu Chen had fallen from grace, yet the Patriarch was not to be biased. It was a known fact that Li clan was not just following the Patriarch, there was a committee made up of clan elders. Once the committee made a decision, even the Patriarch was not able to change it. However, most of the time the Patriarch was able to make decisions, as the elders seldom interfered with daily tasks.

"Li Fu Chen, I advise that you forget about Guan Xue. Such a inept like you isn't good enough for her!"

Once done berating, Li Yun He turned and left the training grounds.

The bystanders all left one after another, leaving Li Fu Chen by himself.

There was a pavilion in a distance, standing under it was middle-aged man in white who witnessed the whole commotion.

"Fu Chen, though Father is the Patriarch, even I can't help you in this situation, you have to rely on yourself."

As a father, to see Li Fu Chen get bullied, he felt worse than anyone else. But he was clear, if he had helped his son, Li Fu Chen would have suffered with more humiliation and hate from others. In this world where strength rules supreme, everything is about one's abilities. Help from others could make one look good on the outside, but in the dark, everyone would be hating them.

***

Deep in the night…

Li Fu Chen sat on a futon, meticulously cultivating the Red Jade technique.

The Red Jade technique, Li Clan's only yellow class high tier cultivation technique with a total of seven layers.

A year ago, Li Fu Chen had already cultivated it to the third layer. A pity that since last year, there hasn't been any measure of progress, but Li Yun He was able to use this precious year of time to advance to the fourth level, thus being able to suppress him.

"Ahh!"

Even after trying up-teem times, the pain in his head still haunts Li Fu Chen, causing him to howl in pain.

This kind of pain is much worse than any bodily ache by a hundred times, its source of pain emanated from deep within the soul.

Drenched with sweat, Li Fu Chen struggled to lift his eyelids, as blood trickled down his lips from him biting with force.

"Why is it still the same?"

Till now, Li Fu Chen has yet to understand, what exactly happened to him. Even though losing fights is already humiliating enough, but this verdict of losing his talent with no reason is even worse. It just like the venom from a snake slowing corroding his bone marrow and only realizing it when all the marrow is gone.

***

As the night is dissipated, day broke.

Early in the morning, a guest had came to visit the Li clan. It was Guan clan's Patriarch, Guan Yue.

In the conference hall, suited in white, Li Tian Han passionately went forward to welcome his guest.

"Guan Yue, what wind blew you here today?"

Guan Yue's height was close to eight feet, having the back of a tiger and waist of a bear, he laughed awkwardly: "I was free today, so I came over to have a look, how is Fu Chen lately?"

"He.. Still the same as ever, the loss of his talent has been hard on him, I hope he can endure it."

Li Tian Han's face bore a sad expression.

"No hurry, it may only be temporary, I believe he can overcome this."

Hesitating, Guan Yue took out a jade bottle, "There is a reinvigoration pill inside, perhaps it may be beneficial to him."

"Reinvigoration pill?"

Li Tian Han did not receive the pill, but instead offered a puzzled look.

The reinvigoration pill was not like any common elixir but a yellow class high tier elixir, just one was worth thousands of gold.

Even though Guan Xue was betrothed to Li Fu Chen since young, but no ceremony was ever held and to give such a rare elixir, it confused Li Tian Han.

Guan Yue wasn't pleased: "It's just an elixir pill, is it not to your liking??"

"This isn't about the elixir. Guan Yue, do you have something to say?"

Being years of friends, Li Tian Han knows he is hiding something.

Placing the jade bottle aside, Guan Yue reluctantly spoke: " Tian Han, this time I do have issues to discuss with you."

"Out with it! You have my attention!"

Li Tian Han felt a nagging unease welling from the bottom of his heart.

Clearing his throat, "Just a week ago, my daughter Guan Xue's cultivation broke through to the seventh layer Qi Training(Qi) stage."

"Qi stage, seventh layer?"

Li Tian Han took in a breath of cold air… Guan Xue and Li Fu Chen were both 14 this year, yet she broke through the seventh layer of Qi stage.

If not for being old friends with Guan Yue, Li Tian Han would thought that he was joking.

One must know that at the age of 15, Li clan's current number one genius Li Yun Hai was only at sixth layer of Qi stage, Li Fu Chen and Li Yun He were only at the fourth layer, a difference of three whole layers.

Li Tian han asked, "If I recall wasn't it half a year ago, that she just broke through the sixth layer?"

Guan Yue laugh bitterly, "This girl is gifted, even to the point of cultivating our Guan clan's Water Moon technique to the sixth layer. You too should know, that at some point, techniques are much harder to cultivate than Qi stage. Those that can cultivate Water Moon technique to sixth layer, without exception are minimally able to reach Origin-Returning(Origin) stage, none of them are retained at Qi Training stage."

Li Tian Han feeling envious in his heart, "Talk about unfair!"

"Brother Tian Han, my daughter has been recruited as a disciple for the Cang Lan sect, so I am afraid this betrothal is not able happen." Guan Yue felt he didn't need to hide anymore and was more blunt.

Li Tian Han's eyebrow twitched, "They are still young, matters regarding marriage can be discussed in good time."

Guan Yue gave a serious tone, "This is also what my daughter wishes for, I hope for Brother Tian Han's approval."

Anger flashed across Li Tian Han's face, looking sternly at Guan Yue, "What is the matter!? Does the Guan clan wish to break their oath? It was the Guan clan who initiated this betrothal and yet it’s the Guan clan that is withdrawing it, what do you treat my Li clan as!? Is this how you treat me!? Do you feel that, the Li clan has weakened now and not worth to be joint in marriage with your Guan clan?"

"Brother Tian Han, my Guan clan will make it up to you. Please keep this reinvigoration pill first, a few days later my Guan clan will offer our best inn in Yunwu City to Li clan."

After saying all of this, Guan Yue felt relieved.

Yes, what Guan Yue said was not incorrect, a union in marriage needs to have it's value. The Li clan for the past ten years has not had anyone recruited by the Cang Lan sect, yet Guan clan value is rising with disciple accepted into Cang Lan sect every other year.

This year Guan Xue became a disciple of Cang Lan sect even before the annual selection, and any disciple recruited in advance possessed great promise. Had it not been for this, Guan clan would never back out the betrothal in such a hurry. Because Li clan was still considered one of the four major clans and still stronger than the rising Guan clan.

Sadly Li Fu Chen was a disappointment, he did actually possessed great talent, but a year ago, be it karma or not, his talent suddenly vanished.. Now being a inept, how could he still be matched with the shining star of the Guan clan, which is why Guan clan couldn't accept the marriage.

"My Li clan will accept neither the pill nor the inn, we will not settle for anything else. Brother Guan Yue, this is the last time I will address you as Brother, from now on, we no longer have any ties."

Li Tian Han feel his heart harden, the Guan clan's progress till now was because of the ample support from the Li clan. But he never thought that the Guan clan would burn the bridge after crossing the river(describing ungratefulness).

"Brother Tian Han, since we have reached this impasse, there is nothing more to say, it's my Guan clan at fault this time, I bid you farewell here."

Taking a deep sigh, Guan Yue rose from his seat and promptly left.

"Take your pill."

Li Tian Han waved his hand, using qi subtly and sent the bottle flying towards Guan Yue.

Reaching out to receive the bottle, Guan yue left in silence.

***

Smashed!

Once Guan Yue left the hall, Li Tian Han crushed the armrests of his chair, face black livid.

Few days later, Guan clan sent a messenger for the dissolution of the marriage, by this time the whole Yunwu City was abuzz with the news of this matter.

Imperceptibly, Li clan and Li Fu Chen had become the laughing stock.

After meals, people discussed either about this, or about Guan Xue joining the Cang Lan sect. Deep down everyone knew Guan clan would experience a meteoric rise to the top, as being accepted in advance to the Cang Lan sect was a rare occurrence only heard of hundreds of years ago.