Journey Of An Unknown - Chapter 12

Zou Shen retraced the white Qi into his finger and then looked around to notice the world seemed livelier. He was surprised at this change he knew that he had done something to cause this change. He soon was interested in how he caused this change it might carry more mysteries and unlock new branches in his own path of cultivation.

Ren Song greeted Zou Shen, “My name is Ren Song, I would like to talk to you about some things if you don’t mind. It is very important that I talk to you about it.” He wanted to ask Zou if he wanted to be the Iron Mountain Empire’s guardian.

Zou Shen was looking calm and refreshed as he heard Ren Song greeting. “I am Zou Shen; I will listen to your request if it doesn’t take much time.”. He was in a hurry as he realized it was dusk now and he had to reach the old lady tailor to collect his dress. He could finally leave this city and continue his journey to Feathers Peak.

Ren Song nodded as he thought that Zou Shen needed to discover the secrets of the sword by himself. Even Ren Song wanted him to discover it quickly but knew he couldn’t force the issue.

“I want to ask if you would like to be the Guardian of the Iron Mountain Empire? Your position will above the emperor and you can use the Iron Mountain Empire resources as you please. Even if the Empire does not fully submit to you my Ren Clan will fully submit to you in service.” Ren Song asked

Zou Shen the question slowly and stated the power that came with the position to influence his decision on the matter.

Zou Shen was shocked when he heard the question and then the incentives; he didn’t think he would get such an offer from this burly muscled man in front of him. He thought about it for a while and the obvious result came to him soon.

“I cannot be your Empire’s guardian. I have just set foot on my own path of cultivation. I can’t protect others when I am lacking strength to protect myself, let alone an empire with many people living in it.

I cannot also take your Ren Clan service as I want to free by myself and alone to again walk my own path. It is the same reason of declining to become a guardian.” Zou Shen was clear he was not strong enough now. He needed time and experience to learn more about himself alone to find his strength.

Ren Song was shaken the rejection, but he still wanted to try get a Yes from Zou Shen. He could not give up also for his Empire and his family duty.

“Sir Shen, you can have your freedom, it’s just this was something the Iron Emperor’s wanted for the Iron Mountain Empire when he founded it. Our family is also duty bound to the oath our founder took when was given this sword to take care of. I hope you can understand our situation, we will not say anything to any demands or conditions you put forward on this matter.” Ren Song didn’t give up and he even put his side of the story forward. He had realized that Zou Shen wanted his own freedom more than anything else, if he was tied to an empire it would stop his growth. Even they needed a strong guardian for their empire and trying to tie down Zou Shen with positions of power was useless to him and them.

‘This person is not giving up is he, making it hard for me to reject outright.’ He could also guess the thoughts of Ren Song.

He would also feel bad leaving the person in his own after he gave the sword only for the sword design. To him the sword design didn’t hold much value, he could draw many more of it. Still the deal was made using a single design. He didn’t even decline Zou when he asked for the sword, even if he knew that the sword was precious to his clan and empire. He could also see the barrier was set up by Ren Song, so he knew he also protected him during his very difficult ordeal. He knew if he lost even a bit of concentration, he would die on the spot failing the ordeal.

Still he would be entangled into the politics of the Iron Mountain Empire and the continent if he agreed outright to the request. He still had to consider himself, he wanted to free to do what he wanted to and discover his own strength soon without anything bothering him.

Still he could feel for the Ren Clan, they would be lost and would have failed on the oath they took for their empire. Just because he wanted to be selfish and think about himself. He would cause the downfall of an empire and the people living in it. Still he needed to be selfish to be strong in this world and to gain power.

Zou Shen was now standing in the backyard thinking deeply about this matter, he wanted to be free, but he also could not ruin the clan or an empire altogether when they had helped him to gain power without question. He looked at the sky and then closed his eyes to meditate for few seconds. He then opened his eyes as his eyes showed his mind was clear and he finally decided on the matter.

“I will be your Iron Mountain Empire’s guardian. I still want my freedom no matter what; I need to get stronger by myself. I have my own path to walk now and you will have to deal with selfishness on this matter.” He answered clearly to Ren Song in a slow and clear, so his point got across.

“Just remember even if I am your guardian doesn’t mean you can fool me and use me for your gains. I will destroy your clan and your empire if you try to think of even backstabbing me.” Zou Shen tone

changed to being loud and clear. He was warning Ren Song to not even think of trying to use him.

“Remember that, as for the Empire and your Ren Clan you can think about it yourself. From what you say about the Iron Emperor’s vision was for me to just protect the Empire in dire times.” He spoke out loud what Ren Song was not telling him right now.

“You will not let any knowledge leak about me being your empire’s guardian. In simple sentence, we both will work separately. I will not use my identity as the Guardian of Iron Mountain Empire, and you will not use my name for any purpose either. You can use the title of the guardian but not my name. Am I clear on this matter?” He ended his answer and let Ren Song think about his reply.

To Zou Shen surprise Ren Song replied quickly, “Yes I agree to all you have said. I have nothing more to ask from you. If you still need something, our Ren Clan will still be of service. We will handle the empire’s affair on your behalf.” Ren Song was very relieved by the final answer of Zou Shen, he had succeeded in getting a guardian for his Iron Mountain Empire. All the conditions Zou had put forward Ren Song would never question even if it was full control over the empire and his clan. He had already guessed the character of the empire’s guardian and the answer put forward also showed that if he and his clan didn’t do anything stupid their empire would have a guardian.

Zou Shen was amused by the quick reply to his answer. ‘Is the situation that fragile in the Iron Mountain Empire that he would agree to my conditions without question. The Ren clan sounds like they are duty bound loyalists to the empire no matter what.’ Very soon he had a very sinister idea he wanted to try out the morals of the Ren Clan.

“Ren Song, I want your Ren clan to clean the impurities from the Iron Mountain Empire. I will sometime in the future travel to on my own to check things out. Just don’t put the empire in peril when you are doing the cleaning.” He wanted to try giving this casual order to see how Ren Song would react to this order he casually gave out.

When Ren Song heard the order from the Zou Shen, he was very happy. He knelt with one knee towards Zou Shen with reverence like he was the ruler of his empire and he his loyal servant. In a way he was the ruler of the Empire high above the emperor as deemed be the Iron Emperor himself. He also planned to clean the empire of people wanting to destroy the empire in their greed for power. There were other powers in the Iron Mountain Empire now who coveted the empty throne as the new emperor died just two decades into his reign. He had no heirs so no one could succeed, the royal family was being torn apart by everyone wanting to claim the throne. They looked for the help of outside powers to claim the throne for themselves.

Ren Clan was very quiet not taking any sides no matter what. Still their Ren Clan choice was important in the matter of the throne. In the end people of the empire fully trusted the Ren Clan to uphold the Empire and its people above anything else.

To the many powers and royal family members if you had the blessing of the Ren Clan, you were assured the throne. Little did they know of the Guardian of the empire who was given more power over the empire than anyone else by their very own Iron Emperor. It was a secret between the Emperor and the Ren Clan even the previous emperors when taking the throne didn’t reject the power held by the Guardian of the empire. If an emperor questioned this rule, they would be removed from power by the Ren Clan.

The empire grew in strength because of this selflessness by emperors who ruled the Iron Mountain Empire and the Ren Clan by their side. The emperors knew of the reason for the rule and powers which were given to the guardian. Sadly there was no Guardian since the empire was founded so the job of protecting the empire fell into the emperor and the leader of the Ren Clan. The emperors knew Ren Clan were hard at work to raise this burden from these two powers to focus fully on the growth and rise of the empire.

Ren Song felt elated that he had been given the job that he wanted to do but could not do without authority as enemies would call them murders or usurpers. Now that he had been given the go ahead, he could do it openly and no one would question his actions. He also understood the words

Zou Shen said, he knew not to cause so much unrest that the empire collapses on itself. He was also not allowed to just go on a murdering spree filling the empire with blood. He had to remove the right people and not hard the innocent.

Luckily, he had already called his son the current leader of the Ren Clan to discuss this matter, now he was given the green light he didn’t need to think of when the time was right but how to do it cleanly and efficiently. Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click www.webnovel.com www.webnovel.com for visiting.

Zou Shen shuddered when he looked at the eyes of Ren Song as he knelt with reverence. ‘Did I give a fanatic monster the green light to kill with authority. I can only hope he understood my words clearly. Otherwise I might feel too bad about it.’

In the end it was a test for the Ren Clan given by him, he didn’t care about the body count. He had his own journey to go on. This could also be seen as him doing the Job of the guardian. Zou Shen just didn’t know about the Iron Mountain Empire, about the empty throne and the power struggle. He could only guess that the situation in the empire was not good that the Ren clan was desperate for a Guardian. They wouldn’t let him go easily, but also couldn’t force him as who knew when the sword chooses the next owner. Specially after Ren Song saw a glimpse of the true power of the sword by himself.

Both parties had finally arrived at a conclusion on the matter. Soon the Iron Mountain Empire would go through cleansing and change. With Zou Shen order the silent observer Ren Clan soon enter the battlefield in the politics of the empire. Ren Song was madly laughing inside in joy as he thought of the past two decades, he had seen the greed of people tear his dear Iron Mountain Empire from inside out. He could finally let loose the rage his clan was building inside seeing the state of their empire on the culprits.

Zou Shen was right Ren Song was a monster meant for the battlefield not a place like this shop.