The weight of death

The night was cold in the Feng Clan.

he willow trees in the ancestral courtyard swayed in the wind, their leaves rustling in a mournful whisper. The pale moonlight fell onto the golden roofs of the ceremonial hall, illuminating the shadowy figures gathered there. The air was thick with the smell of incense, a bitter, suffocating fragrance.

In the center of the hall, on a platform of black jade, lay the body of Feng Lian Bai Xu.

Death had given him a solemn countenance. His face was pale, his features rigid and still. The glow of his life had been extinguished, leaving only a deathly silence. Around him, the elders of the Feng Clan stood motionless, their expressions unreadable.

Bai Zhen stood beside the corpse.

He could not hear the murmurs, did not see the furtive glances. His world had become a silent vortex of guilt and emptiness. His elder brother was dead. The man who had always protected him. The pride of the Feng Clan. His only brother.

And he was alive.

The thought ate away at him like a slow poison. He tried to tear his eyes away from the body, but he kept coming back to it. The last moments still swirled in his mind. The blood dripping onto the ground. His brother's gaze growing dull. His voice fading into the night breeze.

His fist clenched involuntarily.

"Bai Zhen." Grand Elder Feng Ruang's voice broke the silence.

Bai Zhen looked up. The old cultivator sat in his lofty position, the sleeves of his dark blue robes fluttering slightly.

"The ceremony is over. The Feng Clan moves on."

Move on?

Bai Zhen felt something snap inside him. His brother had died, and that was it? Just empty words? Just moving on?

His heart burned with indignation. But he kept quiet.

Grief didn't matter. In the end, strength was everything.

------

Days passed.

Bai Zhen trained tirelessly as he awaited his talent test. His once-lazy body was now being pushed to its limits. Every punch made his fist throb, every kick sent waves of pain through his legs. But he kept going.

Strike!

Another strike!

The air was cut by his fists, but his heart remained heavy. None of that mattered. His brother trained too. His brother was strong.

And yet his brother died anyway.

"This is pathetic." A cold voice came from behind.

Bai Zhen turned around. Feng Hao, a distant cousin, was standing there, his arms crossed. His gaze was indifferent, but it carried a hint of mockery.

"Your brother was a genius. But you? You only have one name."

Bai Zhen said nothing.

Feng Hao walked over.

"I thought you would try to get revenge. But look at you. Just a dog barking at the moon."

Bai Zhen felt anger boil inside him.

"Say that again." His voice was low, but sharp as a blade.

Feng Hao smiled.

"Are you going to attack me? Prove yourself an impulsive idiot."

Silence filled the courtyard.

Bai Zhen felt the blood pounding in his temples. Every part of his body wanted to rush forward, to punch that arrogant face. But then…

He took a deep breath.

No.

Attacking Feng Hao wouldn't make his brother back. Attacking Feng Hao wouldn't make him stronger. Strength wasn't just about crushing enemies.

He turned his back and walked away.

"Is that it?" Feng Hao's mocking voice echoed behind him. "Is Bai Xu's brother nothing but a coward?"

Bai Zhen didn't look back.

Feng Hao didn't understand.

But Bai Zhen was beginning to understand.

-----------------------

The elder's voice rang out loudly.

"Next."

The room where the Feng Clan's tests were held was a vast hall, with black jade pillars carved with dancing dragons. The air was thick with martial energy, and the blue torches around it cast distorted shadows across the polished white stone floor.

Several young men were gathered in the center of the hall, their gazes mixed with anticipation and excitement. Today was the day of the martial talent test, a crucial event that would define their future within the Feng Clan.

In the center of the room, a raised platform held a large translucent crystal, the Martial Blood Gem. This ancient artifact would assess each candidate's body and reveal their innate talent for cultivation.

High on the platform, seated on an ebony chair decorated with arcane symbols, sat Grand Elder Feng Ruang. His gaze was impassive, his wrinkles creased by time and experience. Ahead of him, one of the examiners read the names on the list.

"Next candidate, Feng Hao."

A young man with an upright posture walked up to the platform. His gaze was sharp and confident. He knelt before the Martial Blood Gem and pressed his palms against its cool surface.

The gem glowed faintly. A stream of brown light spread from within it, like roots spreading through the soil.

"Silver Body!" the examiner announced.

A buzz spread throughout the room. The Silver Body was a near-ultimate talent. With this talent, it was likely that if one reached the Martial Saint level in the future, depending on luck, one could even reach the Great Martial Saint level, becoming one of the pillars of the clan and a giant within the empire.

Feng Hao raised his chin, pleased with the looks of surprise around him.

"Next, Bai Zhen."

The murmuring ceased. Everyone turned their gazes to the black-haired youth who was slowly walking up to the platform.

Bai Zhen kept his face tense as he knelt before the gem. His hands touched the crystal-clear surface.

For a brief moment, nothing happened.

Then, the chamber was filled with an overwhelming flash.

An intense golden light exploded from the gem, illuminating every corner of the room. The air trembled, as if space itself was bending under the pressure of this energy. The golden glow grew, forming a resplendent aura around Bai Zhen.

There was complete silence.

The elders exchanged shocked glances. The examiner turned pale.

"Golden Body…"

The words were whispered, but they echoed through the hall like thunder.

The commotion was immediate. Disciples gulped. The younger ones trembled. Even the elders kept their gaze fixed on the golden glow that still pulsed around Bai Zhen.

The Golden Body was a legendary talent. Only one in tens of thousands of cultivators were born with such a gift. His father, Feng Tian Bai Yu, possessed a Silver Body, a talent that had taken him to the perfect Great Martial Saint stage. His older brother, Bai Xu, possessed a Pseudo-Golden Body, and was already considered an absolute genius.

But Bai Zhen… he surpassed them both.

The glow finally began to dissipate. Bai Zhen lowered his hands, his gaze still serene, but his heart was beating at a rapid pace.

Grand Elder Feng Ruang slowly stood up. His gaze pierced Bai Zhen like an invisible blade.

"All of you," his voice was deep, reverberating throughout the hall,

"will swear a martial oath, pledging not to reveal anything you have seen today."

The silence deepened. No one dared to question him.

The old elder turned to Bai Zhen, his eyes now carrying an indecipherable glow.

"From this moment onwards, your talent will be announced as Silver Body."

Bai Zhen looked up.

"Why?"

Feng Ruang closed his eyes for a brief moment, as if pondering the question.

"Golden Body talent is only permitted in the imperial family, your brother possessed a Pseudo-Golden Body, and thus became a target before he even matured. Do you understand what it means to possess an even greater talent?"

Bai Zhen fell silent. He understood.

The old elder narrowed his eyes.

"But still, a talent like yours cannot be completely hidden. Therefore, announcing it as Silver Body will keep you recognized as a genius, without attracting the wrong attention."

He took a step forward, his voice lowering but carrying an undeniable weight.

--------------------

The Feng Clan's ancestral hall was shrouded in darkness. The spiritual lamps burned dimly, casting distorted shadows on the black jade pillars. The bitter aroma of burning incense hung thick in the air, thick as poison.

Tian Yuan sat in the position of honor, a broad-shouldered man with sharp eyes like the blade of a sword that never rusted. Across from him, his brother, Feng Tian Bai Yu, stood motionless, his long fingers resting on the armrest of the chair.

Between them, Bai Xu's death lingered like a faded memory.

"The Martial Saint has been captured." Bai Yu broke the silence, his voice sharp as ice cracking underfoot.

Tian Yuan didn't react immediately. He simply picked up a cup of medicinal wine from the table, swirling the thick liquid between his fingers.

"And the Great Saint?"

"Injured." Bai Yu replied, his eyes narrowed. "Not fatally, but enough to leave him vulnerable. He fled, but he left a trail of blood for three leagues."

Tian Yuan let out a sigh.

"A wounded dog is more dangerous. He knows he can't face us directly, so what will he do? Look for allies? Hide until he recovers?"

"It doesn't matter." Bai Yu said coldly. "He's out of our reach right now. The problem now is the Martial Saint we have in our hands." 

"Has he said anything useful yet?"

"Nothing but empty pleas and worthless promises. He pretended to be a simple mercenary."

Tian Yuan let out a light laugh. 

"They always say that. To what extent did he resist?"

"Physical torture didn't break him. The poisonous refinement eroded his vitality, but not his tongue. He endured better than I expected."

Tian Yuan's cup made a light sound as it was placed on the table. 

"Then there's no loyalty in this. Only fear."

Bai Yu nodded.

"Exactly. It's not a matter of honor or devotion. He fears something more than he fears us."

A heavy silence fell over the hall.

"That brings us to a decision," Bai Yu continued, his voice low. "We need to get the truth out of him. If he doesn't cooperate, there's no point in keeping him alive."

Tian Yuan drummed his fingers against the table, a dark thought taking shape.

"The touch of blossoming."

Bai Yu's gaze hardened slightly.

"High risk. If we fail, he dies before he can reveal anything."

"If we don't try, he dies without revealing anything anyway." Tian Yuan countered, his tone casual but ruthless. "You know that as well as I do. We don't have the luxury of hesitation."

Bai Yu remained silent for a moment.

"The process needs to be conducted precisely. Any mistake and he'll turn into a vegetable."

"Then we'll find someone who can do it properly."

The decision was sealed there.

The captured man's life was no longer his own.