Tfw You Are The System - Chapter 20 Ah Yes Lets Throw My Disciple Into A Dangerous Trial Because I forgot The Basics Of Cultivation

On a crowded street, a cloaked figure flitted nimbly through the waves of people. Nobody noticed his presence, their minds barely registering his existence.

As Lan Wei was nearing the trial location, he darted towards a nearby alleyway and turned into an even smaller alleyway on the side, unseen. Despite the sunny nature of the afternoon, the buildings created a gloomy, shadowy, darkness. Taking off his hood, he began to wash off his makeup. Reaching under his clothes and towards his chest, he peeled off an illusion charm, which disappeared into faint golden sparks.

Han Xue traded him the charm in return for a wink, which Lan Wei gave, albeit reluctantly.

From the thin and gaunt looking youth came forward a lean and built teen with high cheekbones and eyes of steel. He shone with a noble demeanor.

Lan Wei looked in his hand mirror. He looked almost identical to his father, all but his eyes. On the battlefield, it wasn’t just Lan Zhan who ruled with an iron fist. His wife, Zhang Liuyang, was the Iron Maiden. She who ruled alongside her husband as an equal. Some would even say that the Iron Maiden was more of a force to be feared than her husband, for mercy swung both ways and a form of mercy was death, which she gave with her iron blade.

Lan Wei’s hands went to his hip, to the blade that his Teacher entrusted him with. He drew it out with a flourish, the blade humming gently in his grip. A electric green light swirled among the mystic runes written on the blade, and the emerald green gem embedded within the pommel pulsed with a hidden power.

“Lan Wei, only the Master of the blade understand it’s True Name. These blades have a soul, and will choose their own Masters. Even without knowing it’s True Name, the power in this blade is not to be underestimated. Take care.” Wen Ning said earlier that morning.

“Teacher, will you be coming?”

“I will only teach you after you have learnt the basics.”

Lan Wei felt disgruntled, but he had nodded in understanding and left straight after.

He sheathed the blade, plunging the alley back into darkness.

When Lan Wei arrived at the trial location, his mouth almost dropped in awe.

A ten story tall pagoda seemed to flicker into view. Depictions of ancient legends and fearsome beasts were carved on the sides of the pagoda, rimmed in red and edges shone with gold. Even the roof was made out of golden shingles, and at each point of the pagoda there was a head of a different God level beast, of which Lan Wei could see three – phoenix, qilin, and nine tailed fox. He could barely see the tenth level, and rubbed his eyes as he watched the building almost shimmer out of existence. The base of the building was surrounded by people, all clamoring to be at the front of the platform that stood directly in front of the building.

He moved closer, past the pop up stalls that claimed to sell miracles and potions for the trial. Complete BS, those stalls. As he joined those waiting, he noticed the magical barriers that surrounded the pagoda. No wonder he couldn’t see it from far away. A building this tall could be seen throughout half the city.

Lan Wei held his breath as he looked up at the platform.

It was time for the trial to begin.

—

Wen Ning sighed. It wasn’t that he could not teach the basics, but rather, the way the Immortal Realm learnt was too dangerous for those in this lower realm.

He did not want to put his only pupil in danger, so it was definitely because of that reason, and not because it had been so long since he learnt the basics that he forgot half of it.

Right.

He shifted uncomfortably.

Please be nicer to old people! He didn’t mean to forget…

—

In the Lan Manor.

Lan Fei slammed down his fist in frustration. A massive crack appeared at the centre of the desk as his new red wood table split into half. Dust and splinters littered the floor.

“How can this be!” He paced around the study. His seemingly elegant features contorted into something more sinister. Violent. A malevolent demon.

He strode to the doors and slammed the door open. A maid outside squeaked in fright and dropped the tray of snacks she carried. She quickly looked down. Her face turned deathly pale and she grabbed her trembling fingers, trying to make them stop.

Lan Fei’s anger within his eyes all but vanished, leaving a emptiness like the bitter chill of a frosty gale in a snowstorm.

He set his sights on her, and with a calm grace, he paced slowly around her; a tiger who had found his prey. His finger trailed across her back, almost in a caress. He picked up a strand of her hair, twirling it around his finger.

With a vicious yank, he made her kneel. In an instant, her fair white skin was stained with red.

The maid cried out in pain, but quickly stifled her sobs, her whole body trembling violently. Blood gushed from her forehead, staining the floor. He watched in glee as her blood flowed like strawberries on a summer’s day, that shade of beautiful red.

A cold smile played on his features.

“I will free you,” he said with a gentle smile, tilting the maid’s head to face him. The sun shined upon him, giving him a ethereal halo, the brightness almost blinding her eyes.

No longer a malevolent demon, but something even worse – a archangel who was never pure, but one who stained their hands in the name of something higher and hid his bloodthirsty hands under a ring of a bright halo.

Her eyes widened; her lips trembled with a quiver as tears kept flowing.

She tried to shake her head, but Lan Fei’s grip was tight and she felt her vision spin from her blood loss.

Suddenly, in a last ditch effort to escape, she tried to fumble out of his grip, a sudden burst of adrenaline.

Naturally, this made Lan Fei even more angry.

He crushed her head and flung her body away. He could always get another maid.

Lan Fei made sure his reputation wasn’t sullied. He kept all the servants who knew about the incident and placed them by his chambers. Their family’s lives at danger, and with the danger he posed, none of them dared to speak a word of his absolute ruthlessness.

He looked towards the sky and spat out between gritted teeth, “I should’ve killed him when I had the chance.”