Near the freshwater pond, Tang Zi lit a small campfire and placed tender meat on it. Kent sat on the other side. Tang Zi appeared busy doing all small tasks and finally settled before Kent. Kent, with a joyful smile, was focused on feeding his baby dragon tiny pieces of freshly cooked meat, each piece eagerly snapped up by the little creature.
Across from him, Master Tang Zi, his expression heavy with emotion, silently poured wine from a glass bottle that exuded a strong, aged aroma. The rich scent of the wine mingled with the crisp night air, adding a layer of warmth to the serene setting.
As Kent indulged in the moment, feeling a rare sense of peace, he suddenly noticed the change in Master Tang Zi’s demeanor. The usual lightness in Tang Zi’s eyes had given way to something deeper.
When Tang Zi handed him a cup of the potent wine, his serious tone caught Kent off guard.
“Kent,” Tang Zi began, his voice steady but laced with emotion, “you’ve learned everything I could teach you in mere months. Without much effort, you’ve mastered my techniques and absorbed the skills that took me decades to refine. But there’s something more you need. Something that can only be found through a serious fight, a challenge that will awaken the beast within you.
“As promised,” Tang Zi continued, taking a deep breath, “I want to tell you the story of your past. To understand your purpose in life, you need to know everything from the beginning.”
Kent paused, the cup halfway to his lips. His heart pounded in his chest, the long-suppressed desire to know his past surging to the surface. For months, he had pushed aside the questions, the urge to understand where he came from and what his purpose in life truly was. But now, the time had finally come.
With a nod, Kent set the cup down and looked directly into Tang Zi’s eyes. The fire crackled softly between them, casting dancing shadows that seemed to mirror the turbulent emotions stirring within him.
Kent leaned forward, his attention fully captured.
“I will start from your mother’s side of the family. Your mother’s family, the Clark family, was once the number one prime family under the Wizard Association of the Blue Planet, they were respected, revered, and feared.
Your mother, Madam Clark, was not just a powerful mage; she was one of the most talented fighters of her generation. She, alongside the Supreme Fist Magus, dominated the magical world. They both obtained Elemental Demigod inheritances during the Immortal Beast Spirit Gathering.”
Tang Zi paused, allowing the weight of his words to settle in. Kent’s eyes widened in awe, absorbing the revelations about his mother.
“Your mother helped fist magus to secure his position as the Supreme in wizard association by giving up her spot in the association. At that time, Fist Magus took your mother as God-Sister and pledged his life to her.”
Kent’s throat tightened as he listened. He could picture his mother, strong and resolute, making such a choice.
“I first met your mother and the Fist Magus at the Nine Realms Tournament,” Tang Zi said, his gaze distant as if he were seeing the past unfold before him. “It was the place where your parents’ paths first crossed. Madam Clark and the Seventh Realm’s prince, Ryon Quinn, were both rising stars in that tournament. They were destined to face each other in the finals.”
A slight tremor ran through Tang Zi’s voice as he continued. “But before the finals could take place, Prince Ryon sent a marriage proposal to the Clark family. Your mother accepted due to family calls, and for the sake of family pride and customs, she withdrew from the finals, allowing Ryon to claim victory.”
Kent’s hands clenched into fists as he heard this. The idea that his mother had given up her chance at greatness, at proving her strength, for a marriage she might not have even wanted—it was almost too much to bear.
Tang Zi’s voice grew softer, almost tender, as he spoke of Kent’s parents. “Your mother’s decision wasn’t just about duty. She believed that through her marriage to Ryon, she could strengthen the ties between their realms, bring peace and unity. But in doing so, she also sealed her fate and yours.”
“By winning the 9 Realms Tournament, your father ascended to the position of patriarch of the Quinn family. This victory didn’t just elevate his status—it marked the beginning of his relentless pursuit of power. Soon after, he set his sights on taking control of the entire Seventh Realm, and it was during this time that my family, the Zi family, became his target.”
“My Zi family once controlled a quarter of the land and power in the Seventh Realm. We were a strong and respected family, known for our mastery of inner spirit transformation. We could have defended ourselves in open battle, but your father didn’t seek a fair fight. No, the Quinn family chose the path of cowards.”
Tang Zi’s face twisted with anger, his eyes turning bloodshot as he relived the horrors of that night.
Without any warning, your father sent his army against us. They came in the dead of night, like shadows creeping across the land. By dawn, my entire family was gone. My wife, my sons, my daughter—they all perished. My home, my life, was reduced to ashes in a single night.
He paused, his fists clenching as he struggled to contain his emotions.
I fought like a madman that day, Kent. I took more than a hundred thousand lives of the Quinn family’s army. My rage was all-consuming, and for a moment, it felt like I might avenge my family. But they were prepared for me. They used potions—cowardly poisons that sapped my strength and left me unconscious.
Tang Zi’s voice cracked, and for a brief moment, the hardened warrior looked vulnerable, broken by the weight of his memories.
–
TQ for unlocking privilege-chapters.
