The Eternal Sin

Sun Jian’s laughter gradually subsided, though a trace of amusement lingered in his eyes. He studied Jiang Chen for a moment, then gestured with a magnanimous wave of his hand.

"Since you have shown such faith in my character, it would be unseemly for me to let you walk away empty-handed. Speak, Junior Brother Jiang. What is it that you wish for?" Sun Jian said, his voice resonant and full of grace.

Jiang Chen did not hesitate, his eyes remaining as calm as a deep well. "Senior Brother is generous. This junior has a request regarding the aftermath of tonight. I ask that you use your influence to make it appear to the Meng family and the sect that this person, Meng Kai, was either uninvolved in the ambush... or that he was killed alongside the others."

Sun Jian’s brows lifted slightly.

Jiang Chen added quickly. "I intend to keep him as a subordinate."

Sun Jian glanced at the unconscious Meng Kai, then back at Jiang Chen. He stroked his chin thoughtfully, the golden light in his eyes dimming into a calculating glint. "It would be a considerable hassle to make it seem he was not involved, especially since this recording disc is irrefutable proof of his presence. It is far more efficient to declare him dead."

Jiang Chen nodded in understanding. To the world, Meng Kai now had to become a ghost. He had previously harbored a small hope of keeping Meng Kai’s identity intact to eventually exert influence within the Meng family, but Jiang Chen was a realist who understood when a path was blocked.

As for his main intention for keeping subordinates, it had never been purely political anyway.

"But if he is made to seem dead, then he will require a new sect identity and a new face to walk the sect grounds," Jiang Chen added thoughtfully.

Sun Jian waved a hand lightly. "A new sect identification plaque is a simple matter. I shall have one sent to you within two days at most."

His gaze then shifted to Meng Kai, and a faint smirk touched his lips.

"As for his appearance... that is an even simpler matter."

Without a word of warning, Sun Jian’s palm ignited with white-hot solar fire and shot forward, ruthlessly seizing Meng Kai by the face.

A horrific scream tore through the hall as the boy convulsed violently, his fingers clawing at nothing, then at his own face, only to tear away strips of half-burnt flesh. The fire in Sun Jian’s palm sank deeper, searing through skin and into muscle, charring the layers of fat beneath with a sickening sizzle. His eyes bulged, veins flushing red under the unbearable heat.

Sun Jian then unhurriedly withdrew a vial of emerald-colored healing liquid and poured it directly over the raw, steaming wounds.

The medicine hissed and bubbled as it touched the burned tissue, forcing the skin to knit together in a crude, uneven mass of scar tissue. When the smoke cleared, Meng Kai lay gasping on the floor, his once-handsome features replaced by a horrifying mask of melted skin and twisted ridges.

There was no trace left of who he once was. He was utterly, bone-deeply unrecognizable.

Sun Jian turned to Jiang Chen with a prideful smile. "How is that, Junior Brother? Can you still recognize him?"

Jiang Chen looked at the mangled face of his slave, his expression remaining perfectly flat. "He is easier on the eyes now."

Sun Jian burst into a round of hearty laughter, and Jiang Chen joined him with a polite smile.

Internally, however, Jiang Chen’s heart remained like a block of ice. His request for a disguise had not been solely for Meng Kai, but also an indirect attempt to draw out a high level illusory technique or a disguising treasure from Sun Jian. But by resorting to such a brutal method, Sun Jian had effectively rejected his request while simultaneously making an example out of the boy as a reminder of his authority.

"Is there anything else?" Sun Jian asked, the amusement still dancing in his golden eyes.

Jiang Chen paused for a brief moment, looking down at his scorched robes. "Due to the earlier ambush, my residence has been reduced to ash. I can no longer dwell in that place. If you could find me a new residence, that would be appreciated."

Sun Jian nodded slightly. "That is a reasonable request. I can allot you a private cave abode at the highest point of the outer sect, near the boundary of the inner peaks. The spiritual essence there is the densest the outer sect has to offer, and it is well guarded by patrols as well."

Jiang Chen directly shook his head.

Sun Jian’s brow furrowed, a flicker of irritation crossing his handsome face. "What? Not satisfied? Do you so dearly wish to enter the inner sect?"

Jiang Chen shook his head again and said firmly, "I want to stay in the Jade Heart Plantation."

Sun Jian fell silent, his golden gaze narrowing as he observed Jiang Chen with open intensity, as if trying to peer through the layers of the youth’s skull to find the hidden scheme within.

Yet after a long silence, Sun Jian gave up on it and nodded.

"Very well. He Lan, make the necessary arrangements," Sun Jian commanded the 15th-layer female cultivator standing by the door.

"Yes, Senior Brother," He Lan replied with a bow.

Sun Jian then turned back to Jiang Chen, a contemplative look in his eyes. "You are proficient in the art of formations, are you not? Mm, If my memory serves me, you rescued your comrades during the mission by breaking through a formation barrier that had trapped them."

Jiang Chen inclined his head slightly.

Sun Jian continued, "In that case, how about this? I will give you a month or two to familiarize yourself with the protective arrays of the plantation. After that, you shall be assigned the role of an assistant formation master, responsible for setting up and inspecting the minor barriers around the spirit fields."

Jiang Chen’s eyes lit up with genuine surprise. He stepped forward and cupped his fist in salute. "This junior thanks Senior Brother. I will not fail your expectations."

Jiang Chen had long been eyeing a position within the Jade Heart Plantation. He had expected to do some errands to get into that place, but to have Sun Jian hand it to him as a reward was a stroke of good fortune he had not anticipated previously.

Sun Jian’s ability to reward was indeed not too shabby.

Sun Jian thought to himself, ’From everything I have gathered and observed so far, especially how willingly he surrendered that high grade technique to the sect, it is clear that Jiang Chen’s priority is simply staying safe and secure. He is the kind of person who is naturally inclined toward loyalty, but it is mostly a ’you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours’ situation. As long as he feels his interests are being taken care of and he is getting a fair deal, he will be a perfectly obedient follower. Giving him this reward is a smart move, as it should be exactly what is needed to keep him firmly on my side in the long run.’

Watching Jiang Chen’s evident satisfaction, Sun Jian suddenly felt a sense of smug accomplishment.

’Handling these common-born geniuses is no different from handling dogs. Heh, even someone as clever as this person becomes giddy when tossed a large enough bone.’ Sun Jian smirked inwardly.

But what Sun Jian failed to realize was that if such an analogy were used for Jiang Chen, it would be flawed.

Jiang Chen was not a dog that guarded the hand that fed him. He was the kind that would one day bite it.