The Eternal Sin

The Wool Surgeon’s Needle flickered like a streak of silver lightning around Meng Kai’s body, threads of vitality stitching the final flap of skin upon his mangled shoulder. His breathing slowly stabilized into an even rhythm, though his face remained pale as paper.

Jiang Chen withdrew the needle at last and looked down at the boy who had just watched his aunt explode into a storm of self destructing Qi, a cold smile touching his lips.

He lowered himself into a squat before the trembling Meng Kai and patted his shoulder, his gaze level. "You have a sturdy constitution, slave. To survive such an explosion and the loss of so much blood... perhaps this world truly does have a place for cowards."

Meng Kai flinched at the contact, his eyes hollow and leaking tears that he lacked the strength to wipe away. He was a broken vessel, his spirit crushed by the realization that he had betrayed his own blood only to live another day, and that too as a slave.

Jiang Chen ignored the boy’s despair, his voice dropping into a inquisitive tone. "Tell me, how much longer will the Silent Void Talismans remain active? I would hate for a wandering patrol to stumble upon our little heart to heart prematurely."

Meng Kai swallowed hard, his throat feeling as though it were filled with dry sand.

"It... it should last until dawn," he replied, his voice unsteady.

Jiang Chen nodded slowly. ’Until dawn... that is enough time to think and act on the situation.’

"Does anyone else know about tonight?" Jiang Chen asked.

Meng Kai shook his head quickly, almost desperately trying to appear useful. "No. No one. We... we made sure of it. No one was supposed to know. My aunt... she was consumed by greed. She wanted your inheritance to pave a golden road for my cultivation, possibly hoping to force a breakthrough into the Foundation Establishment realm in the coming years. She said if others knew, the share would be too small."

Jiang Chen’s gaze lingered on him for a moment, as though weighing the truth of those words.

Meng Kai clenched his fists weakly and submissively lowered his gaze.

"These beads, what do you know about them?" Jiang Chen continued.

"They are a spatial treasure called Space Swapping Beads. Each bead allows a short range exchange within about fifty meters. There are twenty four in total. Each use consumes one bead," Meng Kai whispered.

Jiang Chen extended his hand. The bracelet of bluish beads rested in his palm, its surface faintly glowing under the dim light. Some of the beads shimmered with a deep azure hue, while many of the spheres had lost their luster, turning glassy and transparent like the eyes of a dead fish.

"Those... the transparent ones," Meng Kai added cautiously, "they have already been used. They can be recovered instantly if nourished with yin essence, the process is faster. Otherwise... it takes about a week for each bead."

Jiang Chen observed the bracelet for a moment before slipping it onto his wrist without another word.

For the next hour, he acted as an interrogator, stripping away the layers of Meng Kai’s life. He questioned the boy about the inner workings of the Meng family, the political influence of the deceased Meng Ruyan, and the standing of the enforcer Liu Chanshin. By the time he was finished, each piece of information was placed within the broader framework of his understanding, forming a clearer image of the forces at play.

Only then did Jiang Chen began mapping out his next actions.

Liu Chanshin’s death would surely trigger a formal inquiry by the Enforcement Hall. Meng Ruyan held a lucrative position in the Martial Scroll Hall thanks to her Meng family backing her, especially with the Meng family having a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator leading them.

Jiang Chen’s eyes narrowed subconsciously. ’How could I use this situation to gain the most benefits... hm, should I report this incident directly to the sect and present myself as the survivor? Then I could make it seem as though I magnanimously forgave Meng Kai, which would further elevate my standing within the sect, making me seem truly an embodiment of righteousness. In that case, the elders of the Enforcement Hall and the Meng family would have to compensate me publicly to preserve their face.’

Jiang Chen considered the recording disk he had in his storage ring. It was the same recording treasure Sun Jian had distributed to every participant in the Jade Heart Plantation mission to record their merits. Jiang Chen had kept it, and when the trio came to ambush him, he activated it from inside the divine concealment array and recorded everything, so he had concrete proof to show that he was indeed the victim.

Jiang Chen’s eyes suddenly darkened. ’No, even if I am the victim, I cannot do this. I just do not have enough strength to stand against the Enforcement Hall or the Meng family, who are very protective of their reputation.’

Yes, Jiang Chen was a victim here.

Yes, he had done nothing wrong.

But he was still at fault.

His fault?

Weakness.

’Strength dictates truth, not the other way around. Evidence is only valuable when one possesses the power to ensure it is seen and taken into account. Without that it becomes a liability.’ Jiang Chen sighed inwardly.

He understood that in a world governed by the law of the jungle, the "truth" was merely a tool for the strong. If he presented this evidence, there was a high probability it would be destroyed before it reached a neutral party. He would be ambushed, silenced, or simply "disappeared" by the very people who preached of virtues and justice.

Even if he were proven right, there would be severe retaliation from their side in the future. How could a small figure like him take on the retaliation of such forces? He would be crushed like a mantis attempting to block a chariot.

’This makes the situation a lot trickier. Perhaps... the wiser course is to bury this matter and act as though the night was silent. After all, I have already gained a slave and the Space Swapping Beads. It makes sense to forget the incident, no matter how I look at it.’

’Even if an investigation into Meng Ruyan or Liu Chanshin were to occur, the chances of it leading back to me are extremely low, since they were the ones who initiated the ambush and most likely took precautions so that my death would not lead back to them. And even if the investigation did, for some unknown reason, lead back to me, I could use the recording artifact as leverage to negotiate and resolve the matter in a way that benefits both sides.’

Jiang Chen’s eyes lowered.

Most who understood the precariousness of his situation would call this outcome a victory.

But Jiang Chen was unwilling.

’Am I to be content with these scraps? Should I bow my head and hide in the shadows just because a few old dogs have larger teeth? Tsk, If I do not seize this opportunity to leap forward, I am no better than the mediocre ants I despise.’

Jiang Chen abruptly laughed, scaring Meng Kai nearly into a heart attack.

"Slave," Jiang Chen said, his voice dropping into a tone that made the boy’s hair stand on end. "Your aunt loved you, did she not? She brought you here to give you a future. She died because you were too weak to protect her and too afraid to be a corpse. Look at this mess. Do you think your family will welcome you back when they realize she is gone and you are whole? They will smell the betrayal on your skin. They will hunt you more fiercely than I ever could."

Meng Kai let out a broken sob, his head thudding against the floor. "I... I had no choice. You made me... you made me do it!"

"I made you choose, and you chose yourself," Jiang Chen corrected him firmly. "But do not despair. As long as you remain useful, I will ensure your survival. But understand this clearly... from this moment onward, your life is no longer your own. If you wish to live, you will follow where I lead."

Meng Kai nodded frantically, his gaze never daring to meet Jiang Chen’s.

The seed of fear had already taken root within him, but Jiang Chen could see it was still shallow, like grass without deep roots. Fear alone could not be trusted, but fear entwined with dependence would sink into the bones and marrow. A slave who merely feared death might still gamble on a sliver of escape, but one who believed his very survival depended on his master would bind himself willingly.

Jiang Chen rose to his full height, his shadow falling on Meng Kai’s face. He gestured for the young man to rise, watching with cold indifference as the youth struggled to find his feet, leaning heavily against the scorched wall.

"Where... where are we going?" Meng Kai asked, his eyes filled with a deep sense of terror. "The morning is coming... if we are seen together..."

Jiang Chen smiled, a thin, sharp line that did not reach his pitch black eyes. "To battle a giant, one must have a giant of their own. We are going to the inner sect. We will pay a visit to inner disciple Sun Jian."