A Gatekeeper & The Celestial Sovereign - Chapter 69

“I hate Zhang Lu.” someone muttered.

“He always gets the best grades in our class.” Another child said.

“It’s annoying, he tries too hard to be the teacher’s pet all the time.”

“He looks like a girl as well,” a boy sniggered, “If he wasn’t close with Zhao Detong, I’d show him a thing or two, he’s only from some second rate family that owns a few high class restaurants. Nothing big.”

“Haha, I heard his family used bribery and a connection to get him into this school, or else how could someone like him be here with us,” a girl sniggered.

Mao Lu pretended not to hear them as he stared at his maths textbook.

He was used to the petty and spiteful comments from the other kids at school. Even though his family was wealthy they couldn’t be compared to the super bourgeoisie. To these children of ministers, generals, and old money who were heirs to large corporations he really was nothing.

“Sorry about that everyone” Their teacher apologised as she came back into the classroom, “I didn’t mean to step out of the lesson for that long.”

The teacher looked at the board, “Ah where was I?” she mumbled.

“Ah yes, let’s have someone step up and try to solve this problem.”

She looked around the room briefly, “Zhang Lu come up here and show everyone how to do it.”

Mao Lu felt the heat of everyone staring at him.

He slowly travelled from his seat to the board.

The question was easy, only a problem on probability, although for their age group this question was a bit advanced, but for Mao Lu who studied every day it was simple.

He showed his working out clearly in white chalk.

The teacher clapped. “Everyone, clap for Zhang Lu. As usual he’s such a star and definitely the best in the class when it comes to Maths, you should all learn from his example,” She said proudly.

As Mao Lu turned to go back to his seat, he noticed several hateful glares. He ignored them.

“It doesn’t matter to me” he thought. Yet a moment later he heard that voice again. It laughed in his head.

“Yeah right, like it doesn’t matter to you. We both know how much they hurt you. You care about the opinions of others far too much.”

Mao Lu shivered, “Where is this voice coming from?” he wondered as his eyes darted across the classroom.

Was it really coming from his head? “Am I going insane?” he wondered.

Soon the bell rang. A few seconds later Zhao Detong ran into his classroom.

He slung his arm over Mao Lu’s shoulder.

“Man, it sucks that we’re in different classes” Detong sighed, “I swear I’ll get my grades up so that we’re together in the same set soon, I promise.”

Mao Lu picked up his books and packed his bag, “You should be raising your grades for yourself, not for me.”

Zhao Detong laughed loudly, “I’ll raise it for both you and me.”

He then grabbed Mao Lu’s hand, “Let’s get out of here” he said as he pulled Mao Lu out of the classroom, running with him down the corridor.

As they ran together a strange ringing sound filled Mao Lu’s ears.

His eyes became blurry.

He blinked and rubbed them, and when he opened them again, the scenery had changed.

“Zhang Lu, pay attention will you, why are you spacing out so much when I’m talking to you?”

“Huh!” Mao Lu looked around himself in confusion, hadn’t he been at school, why was he home now?

He was in his room; his Father was standing there holding some papers in his hands.

“Lu this report card isn’t acceptable. Do you think these grades are good enough? DO YOU!?” His Father shouted.

Mao Lu flinched, every time his Father came home from work, he was always in a bad mood. Even though the business had been doing well his Father always seemed on edge.

Lu felt tears brimming as he shook his head quickly, “No I don’t think they’re good enough.”

“IF YOU DON’T THINK THEY’RE GOOD ENOUGH THEN YOU SHOULD TRY HARDER!!!!” His Father exploded, Zhang Hou’s face scrunching up in rage.

“How many times are you going to be ranked second, I don’t care if it’s out of your entire year group, you should be ranked first in EVERYTHING! Do you know how much money I spend to send you to that private high-class institution?!” His chest pumped up and down as he yelled. Mao Lu could smell the strong alcohol stench from his breath and his spit flicked on him.

“When I was your age, I had nothing to my name, I had to build everything I have now from scratch. You have no idea how hard it was or what difficult decisions I had to make. You have a silver spoon in your mouth, but that doesn’t mean you should slack off. Don’t go playing games and hanging out with your friends. THEY’RE YOU’RE COMPETITION! Their parents laugh at our family because we’re not as rich as them, they’re not your friends Lu. They’re your rivals!”

His Father then ripped up his report, throwing the shredded pieces on the floor.

“If you ever get grades like this again don’t even bother showing me the report card. Now give me your palms,” he ordered.

Mao Lu trembled, and he shook his head.

“Are you disobeying me! I said give me your palms!”

Lu shook like a leaf as he extended his hands outwards. His Father brought out a long stick, the moment Mao Lu’s palms were on display he began hitting him with it.

Mao Lu flinched and cried, but he didn’t dare move his hands away, it would only get worse if he did that.

By the time, his Father had finally got all his anger out of his system, Mao Lu’s palms were bright red and swollen.

His Father grumbled to himself as he left Lu’s room, slamming the sliding doors behind him.

Mao Lu shivered and cried. His head felt all jumbled and confused. On one level he was self-aware that he was inside the Tempering Heart Trial, but on another level, he felt so absorbed in the memories that all of this felt real to him. His mind was split between being eight-year-old Mao Lu and 24-year-old Mao Lu.

At this moment he felt he was losing himself in the memories, that his consciousness was fading away inside of it.

“It’s not fair is it, Zhao Detong could be ranked last and his parents would still be happy, yet you’re ranked second and your Dad hits you. And your Mum never comes to help and never tries to stop him.”

“All the time you just bear with it, pretending everything is fine. You try to be the best son and the model student. Always trying to meet everyone’s expectations.”

“When your parents died, when all your wealth was gone, when no one was demanding anything from you. That was when you were happiest.”

“You wanted all the responsibility to go, you wanted to be free.”

“Shut up! SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP!!!!!” Mao Lu grabbed his head and yelled.

“You’re wrong. I wasn’t happy!! I wasn’t!”

“Such a liar, don’t you remember praying for it?”

The scenery changed….

“You absolute piece of shit, should I just put you up for adoption? How dare you come third in that archery tournament! Do you know how humiliated I felt watching that? Do you know how much money I pay for your lessons!?!”

His Father was shouting at him again. This time Mao Lu was older, thirteen to be exact.

His Mother was sitting on sofa reading her book, pretending nothing was happening.

His Father had his belt in his hands.

Mao Lu was gripping his fists so tight that his nails dug into his palms and blood oozed from them.

His Father whipped him again and again. The silver buckle of the belt slamming hard against his bare back, leaving visible red welts.

“Don’t you remember” The eerie voice said as Mao Lu continued to get whipped. “How you prayed to God in this moment, asking for divine punishment towards your parents. You said ‘Why do I have to marry that horrible girl, why do I get punished for doing nothing, why is everyone else so much happier than me? I wish they were all gone or dead or suffering. I wish they felt my pain.’ that’s what you wished for. And when your wish came true you felt happy.”

“Stop pretending Mao Lu, stop being fake, stop being such a liar. We both know that on the inside you’re just bitter. ”

“Bitter…I’m… I’m not like that. I’m not,” Mao Lu mumbled.

His mind was in even more of a jumble.

He felt like he was slowly being driven mad.

“You can’t crack now” the voice chided, “This is only the beginning, we haven’t even seen your real darkness yet.”

_________

Chàng Bo’s eyes fluttered open.

Everything was dark, even with his keen eyesight he couldn’t make out anything, this space was devoid of any light.

He struggled in bewilderment, but he couldn’t move his limbs, and only ended up wiggling a little like a worm.

A rattling sound, like chains shaking, could be heard as he struggled.

After a while he ceased struggling and tried to recall how he got into this situation, “Mao Lu had left and then…”

Chàng Bo remembered his sight going blurry, falling over, and being carried away. “I was kidnapped. But by who? And why?”

Chàng Bo gritted his teeth, “Could it be whoever poisoned me? Did they find me? But how, even though it was announced that I’m being Companioned to a Gatekeeper, nobody knows which Gatekeeper or which Realm I’m in. How could they have found me?”

“Damn it! Damn it!! Damn it!!” he yelled.

“You’re awake, that was faster than I expected. Your immunity and recovery are far stronger than a regular practitioner at the Dao stage.” came a surprised voice.

Chàng Bo’s eyes darted around in alarm. “Who are you!? Show yourself!” he growled.

“No need to sound so angry, I was going to show myself you know.” Creed tutted as he clapped his hands.

The darkness around Chàng Bo disappeared as light illuminated the strange chamber that he was in.

He realised that he was being suspended by iron chains that faded into the distance. They were wrapped around his arms and legs.

Around him was a misty grey fog, and through that fog he could see glass walls.

Through those glass walls he could make out a large horned face.

“Are you happy now?” The large face asked.

“Who are you?!” Chàng Bo growled.

“You know you really shouldn’t answer a question with a question, it’s bad manners, but due to the circumstances I’ll humour you. My name is Creed, I am the servant of Gatekeeper Argenti.”

Chàng Bo’s brows furrowed in confusion. “I know of you, out of the four Grand Pill masters you’re ranked 1st, you’re also known as the Demonic Creator. You’re a famous Saint stage Practitioner. Why are you doing this to me? I’m just a Dao stage practitioner, and I’m sure I’ve never offended a Master like you before.”

Creed sighed, “Gosh you’re making me sound like one of those intolerable bastards that pick on weaker practitioners. I’m not doing this to bully you. I was ordered to do this.”

Chàng Bo shook with anger, “Gatekeeper Argenti, did she make you do this! WHY?”

Creed sighed again, “That is something I can’t explain to you. Just know that I have currently separated your soul from your body and placed you within my soul sealing jar. Soon I will be interrogating you and your answers will determine your fate. In my Soul-sealing Jar you cannot lie.”

Chàng Bo felt exasperated, “Interrogation! For what? What have I done?”

He shouted this but Creed simply sighed, clapping his hands, and shrouding Chàng Bo in darkness yet again.

“Oi Oi!!!!!! Come back here!!!!!” Chàng Bo yelled.

_________

Creed sat back and stared at the pinball sized jar in his palm. He listened to Chàng Bo’s shouting, “Argenti always makes me do the dirty work.” he moaned.

_________

Mao Lu found himself in an empty classroom. He had a spray can in his hand and was writing on a desk in white paint, “Fei Bing Bing is a slut.”

His hands shook as he realised what he was doing.

He remembered this moment, he was 15, and he was tired of seeing Bing Bing flirt with Detong. He’d started spreading rumours about her at school and writing bad things about her on her desk or on her locker.

“Did you forget that you used to do things like this.” the voice hissed.

Mao Lu dropped the spray can.

“Bing Bing never did find out it was you. She was so upset by all of it she came and cried to you all the time. You even comforted her so many times. She dropped almost all of her female friends because she believed they were doing this to her. Not once did she suspect you or doubt you.” The voice seemed to find this amusing, but Mao Lu just felt sick.

“You tried to forget and devoted yourself even more to your friendship with her, but you were only motivated by your guilt.”

Mao Lu’s hands shook for a while but then he clenched his fists.

“You’re right. I was only motivated by my guilt. I never really liked Fei Bing Bing. I always felt like she was stealing Zhao Detong from me.”

“I was jealous because everyone at school loved her whilst they hated me. I was jealous because her parents were so different from my parents. I admit it! I’m petty, I’m a liar! I get jealous easily, I want attention! I want love. I wanted my parents to be proud of me and I did secretly hate them!”

Mao Lu’s eyes glowed, “My mistakes, my experiences, and my negative emotions I shouldn’t turn my back on them, I should accept them, and I have learned from them.”

The voice paused and then laughed a little, “I’m glad you’re accepting the obvious things, but like I said before this is only the beginning.”

.