The Eternal Sin

The hour before dawn, the sky was a dim expanse washed in pale indigo, where the last stars flickered weakly, as though reluctant to withdraw.

The mountain of the Heavenly Tiger Sect rose layer upon layer into that fading darkness, and upon its higher reaches, the inner sect lay bathed in a denser tide of spiritual essence. Here, the spiritual essence was so dense that it manifested as a thin, silvery mist that clung to the eaves of jade-tiled pavilions and wound around the trunks of ancient scholar trees.

Jiang Chen and Meng Kai stood before a courtyard enclosed by walls of pale stone veined with faint gold. A plaque hung above the entrance, the name Sun Jian written in vermilion blood, radiating the power of a dormant volcano to any who dared look upon it.

Jiang Chen’s demeanor was cool and calm, as though the madness of the night had left no trace upon him.

Behind him, Meng Kai followed with uneven footing. His face remained pale, his eyes sunken and restless, darting toward Jiang Chen from time to time with a fear he could not suppress.

A female cultivator stepped out of the residence. Her robe flowed in layers of soft blue, embroidered with patterns of drifting clouds. Her aura was restrained, yet unmistakably powerful, the pressure of the fifteenth layer of Qi Condensation palpable.

Her gaze swept over the restless Meng Kai with brief disdain before settling on Jiang Chen’s calm, expressionless visage.

"Senior Brother has granted you an audience. Follow me, and do not let your feet stray from the path, lest the defensive arrays mistake you for intruders," she said, her voice cold like ice.

Jiang Chen nodded and followed her into the heart of the estate, Meng Kai trailing behind like a shadow. They passed through the courtyard and into the inner grounds. The path beneath their feet was carved from smooth stone that reflected the flickering light of spirit lamps crafted from dragon oil. Spiritual herbs grew along the sides, their leaves glistening with dew that shimmered like pearls.

As they approached the central meditation hall, the temperature began to rise steadily until the air shimmered with a golden distortion.

Inside the vast hall, the figure of Sun Jian was suspended three feet above a platform of black stone. The young man was immersed in meditation, his figure upright and still as a mountain peak. Nine miniature suns, each the size of a war elephant, hovered in a slow, revolving orbit around his body. Their flames folded inward upon themselves while emitting waves of heat that bent the space around them.

Jiang Chen’s eyes narrowed slightly.

’Foundation Establishment.’

Even at a glance, the difference between realms was as vast as heaven and earth.

The woman stopped at the edge of the platform and bowed lightly.

"Senior Brother, they have arrived," she said politely.

Sun Jian opened his eyes, and for a fleeting second his pupils were twin vortices of molten gold. He was a man of striking, sharp features, with hair as dark as a raven’s wing, tied back with a simple silver ring, and muscles as though they were carved from stone.

The pressure emanating from his Foundation Establishment realm was like the weight of a star descending, causing the floorboards to groan and Meng Kai’s knees to buckle. Jiang Chen felt as though his very blood were being brought to a boil, yet he stood his ground, his spine as straight as a spear.

With no hurry, Sun Jian performed a complex mudra, and the nine suns collapsed into his pores with a soft, vacuum-like hiss. The stifling heat vanished instantly, replaced by cool mountain air.

"Junior Brother Jiang, this is our first meeting, yet I have heard your name more than once," Sun Jian said, his voice resonant and clear as he sat down on the black stone platform.

Jiang Chen bowed deeply. "Senior Brother flatters me. This junior is unworthy of such attention."

Sun Jian waved a hand dismissively, his gaze drifting over to the shivering Meng Kai. "I believe I know every face that works beneath my banner, yet this young man is a stranger to me. Junior Brother, do you intend to introduce him as a new member?"

Jiang Chen smiled lightly. "Senior Brother is perceptive. However, this person is not here to join."

"Oh?" Sun Jian’s brow lifted ever so slightly, interest flickering in his eyes.

Jiang Chen lowered his gaze briefly. "This junior has come to present a gift."

A soft chuckle escaped Sun Jian as he tapped the stone platform beneath him. "A gift..? That is unexpected. Usually, it is the other way around, with juniors wishing to gain some blessings from me. Hm, but seeing that you have come at such an early hour, this must be interesting. Speak."

His tone was light, yet his eyes had sharpened imperceptibly.

"This concerns an incident that occurred earlier tonight," Jiang Chen replied calmly.

He then began to recount the events of the ambush, his words painting a vivid picture of the night’s violence. He described the attack, the forces involved, and the danger he had faced, though he was careful to omit any detail that did not serve him.

Sun Jian listened without interruption.

When Jiang Chen finished, a faint silence lingered.

Then Sun Jian nodded. "To survive such a situation is no small feat. Junior Brother Jiang, your ability is commendable."

But his gaze suddenly shifted away, as though the matter had already lost its weight. He said indifferently, "However, you would be wise not to pursue justice in this matter. The forces involved possess deep roots, and for a junior to seek retribution against the Enforcement Hall or the Meng family is akin to an egg striking a stone. To walk away alive is already a gain."

The words spoken were gentle, but the meaning beneath them was clear.

Do not involve me.

This Foundation Establishment expert had no desire to embroil himself in a multi-faction conflict for the sake of a mere outer disciple, regardless of who that disciple might be.

"And the gift?" Sun Jian asked casually.

Jiang Chen smiled lightly, a thin line of confidence forming. "Senior Brother, I believe you misunderstand."

Sun Jian did not speak, but the smile on his face thinned.

Jiang Chen noticed that, but continued speaking anyway. "This junior is a weak person, a mere leaf in the wind, and I am fully aware that I cannot stand for justice, much less extract a single thing as compensation from these behemoths on my own. But Senior Brother is different."

Jiang Chen lifted his gaze. "Because when I speak, it is a matter of grievance. When Senior Brother speaks, it becomes a stance. You are a Foundation Establishment cultivator, a true talent of the sect, and the favored son of the esteemed Core Formation Elder Sun Yifeng. If you were to act to seek justice, or rather, if you were to cast a shadow of doubt upon the reputations of these factions, they would be forced to listen. They would have to wonder if your actions represent your own will or the silent disapproval of your father."

Sun Jian’s fingers tapped against the black stone platform, his eyes reflecting those words.

Jiang Chen pressed on. "The Enforcement Hall, for instance, under normal circumstances, may be a difficult fortress to move against, and they would not even spare a glance at something like this. But now is not a normal time."

"Their reputation has already been shaken by the incident at the Jade Heart Plantation. At such a delicate time, they would prefer to avoid attention. What they fear right now is not the loss of resources, but unwanted noise. If this matter gains even a little attention, it will not remain small. So they will not aim to resolve it publicly, but will instead seek to make it disappear in the shadows."

Sun Jian’s brows knit slightly, as if he had not considered this angle before.

Jiang Chen’s gaze shifted slightly. "And when powerful people deal with powerful people and wish for something to change, they rarely rely on force. They rely on exchanges that are mutually beneficial."

Jiang Chen did not pause this time, his words flowing seamlessly into the next point.

"The Meng family is even simpler," he said, pointing a finger toward the kneeling Meng Kai. Whose shoulders stiffened under the gesture, his head lowering further, as if he wished to disappear into the floor.

"From this person, I learned that the Meng patriarch is the only Foundation Establishment cultivator in their clan and he is old. Everything rests on him alone. Once he falls, there is no one left to hold the family together. Senior Brother should understand what that means. There are many at that level who have been waiting for such an opportunity. The moment he shows even a trace of weakness, they will descend and tear the Meng family apart."

Sun Jian’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Jiang Chen spoke calmly, as if laying out an unavoidable conclusion. "So what is the Meng family patriarch’s situation now? He is already standing at the edge. His lifespan is running thin, his enemies are watching, and his family has no successor at his level. Every decision he makes must be careful and avoid drawing attention. This upcoming auction is not merely an opportunity for him, it is a must. Either he gambles on some rare treasure to prolong his life, or he pours everything into forcing a junior to break through, just to keep the family from collapsing the moment he dies."

Jiang Chen let those words sink in before continuing. "That means the Meng family patriarch’s focus is already tied up. His resources are gathered, and his situation is extremely tight. And it is precisely because of this that he cannot afford any external disturbance right now."

Sun Jian’s fingers slowed their tapping.

A faint chuckle escaped Jiang Chen. "Now, if news spreads that his own juniors are acting recklessly, provoking trouble within the sect, what happens then? His enemies will take it as a sign that the Meng family is already losing control. His allies will begin to question his authority and start to distance themselves. Whether the matter is big or small will no longer matter. The moment it becomes visible, it becomes dangerous."

"So he cannot let this disgraceful incident of his juniors become visible. He cannot let it drag on. And he certainly cannot afford to handle it in a way that warrants attention."

Jiang Chen’s eyes gleamed with a cunning light. "In that case, there is only one choice left to him. End it quickly and quietly. Pay the price before the situation has the chance to grow beyond control. Senior Brother does not need to ask for anything directly. In fact, it would be better not to. If the pressure is applied correctly, the Meng family will come forward on their own, offering what they believe is sufficient to settle the matter. And when someone offers of their own accord, they tend to be far more generous than when they are asked."

Jiang Chen finally lowered his gaze, his posture respectful once more. "This, Senior Brother, is the gift I wished to present. Whether to accept it or not, I leave it entirely to your wise judgment."

Sun Jian’s fingers had stopped tapping the stone platform entirely by this point, his expression unreadable as always, but within his mind, a storm was brewing.

And that storm was all thanks to Jiang Chen alone.