(Bu Cai POV)
Seeing him grin at the fact that I could dodge him, only made me angrier.
I was about to talk some sense into him when he started to speak,
"Young Master truly given me another surprise this time, not only could you perform so well on the training. You even became a sensation throughout the city!"
"You couldn't imagine how shocked I was after hearing that our young master actually got one of the top positions in the tournament and was even able to keep up with the infamous Song Ju!"
My anger subsided a little after hearing his praises and I lifted my head up higher whilst replying,
"Hmph, Of course I would shock the city. My name wouldn't be Bu Cai, if i didn't shock everyone with my unparalleled skills."
"Seems like you have severely misjudged my talents Hou."
Just as I was about to keep praising myself, Hou burst into laughter and interrupted me,
"HAHAHHA, I knew well how much you were capable of after watching you train for months. Don't think I don't know that you have definitely used some incredibly impressive herb or technique to improve your self. Now Spill it you little brat!"
"How could you go against your parents teachings and accept bribes from people as insidious as members of major sects?!"
He soon grabbed onto my ears and pulled tightly,
"This is on behalf of your father, I just came back not too long ago from telling him about how impressive you are and here you are making silly mistakes like getting into debt!"
"Which sect was it!"
Just as I was about to scream from the pain I shouted out to him,
"WAIT, I CAN EXPLAIN!"
...
"NO LOANS, I PROMISE!"
...
After hearing, this the iron grip on my poor left ear loosened and the pain stopped, and he then asked,
"Well then, if you say it like that I can't help but think you have done something much worse, perhaps steal?"
"Maybe you promised to do something unreasonable?"
...
"OI!"
I intercepted his defamation, and began to speak,
"You senile old man, you are just like my stupid father! Do you really take me as someone who would put his future in jeopardy over some herb?"
I did indeed do such a thing, but that was unintentional! How was I supposed to know cockroach was gonna become a 'Return Of The Immortal Emperor" troupe due to a fucking small scam?!
"I got that herb through just means!"
"And that just mean is MY luck!"
"Do you really think a Son Of Heaven like me would not be blessed!"
"just you wait, In a couple years you'll be taking loans from me!"
He looked at me incredulously and said,
"Are you sure you didn't do anything sketchy?"
"I am not doubting your words young master, but a herb that could improve your strength in such a major way is surely something that is not cheap."
I replied,
"Of course. I can promise on my name."
"Now that we have gotten over this, why don't you start telling me about how mother and father are doing?"
I then opened my door, and we both headed in for a talk.
He then told me about how everything is going fine, and that they both miss me, and hope that they can see me soon.
Chang Wu is still being the arrogant bitch he always is, and that father of mine has recently gotten even more powerful through comprehending something.
That old man must have gotten depressed over my disappearance and hence caused him to have enlightenment.
I genuinely felt the happiest I have been all the time here by being able to hear about them.
Although this place has it's entertainment, luxuries, and interesting sights.
At the end of the day, it still isn't my true home...
*Sigh* When will I be able to return in peace.
I still have a bunch of stress piled on my back:
-Having to fit in with the Chen Family.
-Getting Shields *Cough* Young Masters on my side to distract Long Tian.
-Gain enough strength to oppose Mr. Godking...
Pain.
...
Soon the conversation steers towards me again, I answer that everything is fine and I blurt out that I chose to go to the Chen Family to be nurtured...
*Silence*
What's wrong?
Hou's eyes widen and he screams louder than I would have ever expected this man's vocal cords could ever take him,
"WHAT?!!"
He seems to be trembling from, fear?
Am I missing something?
Isn't this supposed to be a time to rejoice, and jump up and down, over the fact that I coped us some top tier connections and backing?
He takes a bit to calm down and says in a grave voice,
"There is no more turning back for you now Young master..."
WTF, Why are we talking like I am about to die?
"Although I am unsure why they would allow you to join them, this is certainly a major boon for us."
"However it can also be called a calamity to you..."
*Gulp* Hey Hou, what you trying to say here?
Am I going to be tortured or something, That Chen Guanting guy didn't look like too bad of a person.
Sure he can read minds, sure he threatened a child like me, But he isn't the devil... right?
The sudden change in atmosphere also made me start to feel trepidation for his next words.
He says in a grim voice that carries some pity,
"The Chen Family; Although regarded as mighty Grand Dukes in the Empire who hold more authority and power than any other of the major forces, they also have to bear something no other family does..."
"The burden of being the dogs of the Royal Family."
He then paused for a moment.
Hey, What the fuck?
What's with all the pauses?
Are you purposely trying to make this a bigger deal than it actually is?
It's not like being under the order's of the royal family is too b-
Hou disrupts my thoughts by continuing,
"Although on the surface this may sound fine, It is a prospect that leads to a deep hole of dirty secrets and webs of lies and deceit, that is all piled up on countless corpses of innocent and evil alike."
"Although I am not aware of all the details, as someone who has heard things and seen things during my time, I can assure you that once you get entangled in this mess there is almost no way out."
...
What the fuck is this?
Some secret backstory that Long Tian skips over due to his over powering might?
As I become more confused by his seemingly nonsensical words, he stands up abruptly and speaks again.
"I will tell Master about this, although we won't be able to do much it is still better for your father to know of it."
Don't leave me hanging like this!
"Wait! Isn't every family is bound to have a dirty secret or two?"
" It can't be that bad... right?!"
...
He looks back at me just as he was about to open the door, and says something that opened the door to a whole new world of speculations, that could complicate my killing of Long Tian.
It also changed my perspective of the seemingly simple major forces and the empire as a whole,
"How could such peaceful times exist for millenia in a world that revolves around survival of the fittest?"
"How could an Empire last for such a long time without falling or changing ruler ship at all?"
"An empire is built off the foundation of many sacrifices and corpses, not just the founders, so how much bloodshed was made for such peace?..."
"That is all that someone as young as you should know, perhaps I have talked too much in fact. Your father never wanted you to get caught in this mess."
"Goodbye Young Master..."
He then left with short goodbye.
Is this what it is meant by never judge a book by it's cover?
I've always envisioned this to be some real life novel where everything is just about the MC and his breeze through life. Therefore I have looked at everything superficially and taken these major forces as mere stepping stones, who are just two dimensional characters who will act just like depicted in the novels; Dumb, arrogant and shallow.
But now reality has truly struck me.
This isn't some sort of Xianxia novel that is filled with some simple villains and one sided people.
Although some parts do follow the general idea.
This is a real world were everything uncertain and gruesome is hidden under a veil.
...
And I am now in the middle of this clusterfuck, with an added burden of dealing with Long Tian.
Fuck. My. Life.
-----------------------------------------------
Author's Note:
Hello! I wanted to set the mood of the novel as a bit more real and not just comedic.
Hope you enjoyed this slight twist where we get to peek into the usually overlooked side of the World of Xianxia.
And don't only see the part where the MC solos everyone through his cheats and plot armour and then rapidly moves onto next map.
Remember, Xianxia for someone like Bu Cai will be a lot more realistic and different than usual murder hobo lucky MC's who get everything they want.
Also done this to further show some maturity in Bu Cai and make him realise this isn't just some real life simulation of a cheap novel.
Will Bu Cai be able to handle the dual issues of the true faces of major forces as well as defeat Long Tian, or will he crumble?
Could this just be a distraction of plot, Or is it truly what Xianxia is like?
P.S If you could do me a favour and point out any grammatical errors or plotholes that you feel aren't right and comment them, then it would really help me make sure the novel is consistent in story and understandable for everyone.
Thanks for reading and i hope you enjoyed, any suggestions or feedback is appreciated.
Bye!
Armour Breaker XXth
' I'm somewhere between a universe's cockroach and a clusterf*ck.
'' For every armour that falls, another ten rise up to take their place ~ ''
That's a big load of crap as long as you aren't the one they save. '
Honestly playing this like it's a game is a defensive measure, let's look at his modern self... While we seem rather jaded and unaffected by global issues with indifference, it's another story to be able to do things in a survival situation, sure people can step up, but who the FK really wants to be like that poser bear grylls?
In reality we wouldn't train our ass off like Rock Lee! FK that ..we are lazy sobs that would happily be someone's fktoy for an easy mode life of no worries!
We want ... No troubles, needs met...no boredom, some happy some spicy sweet sour butter umami and bam...life set game match over!! boom self actualization achieved! There's a point in this second Life which asks is this sh*t worth doing or isn't it??
So therefore the old "FK it" mentality will inevitably rear it's head making you decide to go for it or not. Simple
Thanks for the chapter,
HAHAHA, his parents were like, Oh my his doing really really well dear.... f*ck.
BOTH PARENTS: ...(that con artist scammed the sh*t out of somebody alright.)
kingdoms are interesting in cultivation stories, not only do they have to handle the House of Cards type sh*t we have here, but they also have to manage sh*t like karma and destiny.
Typically the relationship between a ruler and the kingdom works like the dynasty is a form of cultivation. Say the king builds the kingdom, thus making the ruler the focal point of the fate of the people, if the ruler manages to get a retainer with a destiny, said destiny is linked to the kingdom and ruler. The kingdom essentially eats the luck of the retainer...though this means it eats both good and bad karma.
A kingdom is not only geopolitics and economics, but it is also a balancing act of good and bad karma. Typically good karma is obtained by saving mortals and people that the Heavenly Dao has invested in, the opposite is for negative karma.
Now how does this make killing Long Tian harder?
If he is chained down by the rules of the Empire, and is in a force that revolves around keeping order and he is monitored by them. Will he really be able to scheme against and try and kill someone like Long Tian, who is a heir to one of the major powers and publicly the No.1 most talented person?
I was more focusing on the none mystical aspects (like having to be responsible, and not make any rash decisions) of being tied to a force like the Chens, rather than Karma.
He also has to do everything he is told, and cannot freely focus on killing Long Tian due to his other responsibilities.
So all of this makes it quite alot harder for Bu Cai to end Long Tian.
I mean, if he becomes a cripple or whatever in the future, this could lead to further complications aswell,
How could a member of a distinguished and powerful family kill someone who was the heir to a major power and a cripple without any reason, Wouldn't it instantly create an even worse reputation for the Chen's from both the public and other forces?
And then Bu Cai is only limited to doing things in absolute secrecy meanwhilst getting through the plot armour.
Thats how I envision it to make it harder for Bu Cai.
Hope that makes sense.
But you do have a point with Karma and Destiny, as I never thought about those when making this world therefore for this world TBH.
I won't implement karma or destiny as I think it is way too late for that as It would already contradict the whole Long lasting empire thing.
However I will keep that in mind for the next world.
Thanks for the comment, and I hope that helped making things a bit more clear.
TFTC!