Chapter 32: Abandoned
It was dark, silent, and ridiculously cold. Lucien felt like he been pulled down into the darkness by an unknown force! Something he is unable to fight against.
'Is this what it means to be dead?' Lucien muttered in his mind.
'Did I actually die, for the sake of power?'
'No, I have no regret! The Emperor and Instructor Fei were depending on me, I didn't want to disappoint them… I know I failed and died but then, I gave it my all… I am sure they understand'
'But darn it, bro! Why does it hurt so much? Shouldn't peace come after death?'
He could still feel some strange energy surging through his body, destroying his magic circuits by the second, most likely crippling his cultivation but it didn't matter much to him since he's already dead. If he were alive he would have worried about this but since he's dead, it didn't matter much. He only complained because he found the pain numbing and irritating.
[You still feel the pain because you are not yet dead…]
A strange text appeared in a strange language but strangely Lucien could understand it. He yelped in surprise as he started to feel the pain subside but he has this feeling that it was still there! The strange energy has not been completely purged.
"What are you? What the hell is this?" Lucien cared little about the pain and focused on the strange text.
[I am the power you sort, the power which will guide you to the peak of this world…]
Seeing this text, Lucien couldn't help but frown. Whoever created this must have been one cocky but powerful mage. Lucien isn't dumb so he had a rough understanding of what the texts meant. However he couldn't understand how a bunch of texts would be able to guide him to the peak of this world and even if what it said is true, then he would rather die than live!
"If I am not dead, that means my affinity to magic will be cut short… my cultivation is almost as good as crippled… I can't live like this! I cannot be weak!" Lucien growled.
[Your condition is not permanent and can be cured…] The system and a dry reply.
Before Lucien could speak more on the matter he felt a strange force pull him up! Before he could even react his eyesight was blinded by a strong light!
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"He's awake!" A voice echoed in his ears making his head hurt.
The light penetrating the familiar yet spacious room, through the window kept hitting his eyes directly, he had to use his palm to block it.
"Come on boy, tell me how do you feel?" a familiar voice reached his ears but this time it wasn't as loud as before.
Lucien ignored the question and searched for the source of the voice. He saw a middle-aged man adorned in a bright blue kimono. He had a very attractive goatee and well-trimmed silver hair neatly combed backward. He could be considered handsome and beside the man was a fair-skinned petite lady who looked like someone in her early twenties but Lucien knew she was much older. She wore a silver Chinese kimono but even that failed to hide her alluring figure. Her beautiful face looks pretty even as tears rolled down her cheeks uncontrollably.
"Why is my mum crying?" Lucien couldn't help but ask as he struggled to sit up.
Judging based on the look on his dad's face, he could tell something was wrong and as the man, he was suppressing his emotions but his mum couldn't.
'Why are they crying? I am alive, shouldn't that be enough for them to be happy?'
'Or did something worse happen?'
Lucien's thoughts ran wild until a loud banging sound could be heard and an elderly man stepped into the room with a stern look on his face. The man looked more frustrated and sad than happy!
"Grandfather!" Lucien blurted out.
Right now he was sure he was in the Raizen castle.
"How are you feeling my boy?" Lukas Raizen said while trying to force a smile.
Lucien didn't know why but the mood in the room was rather gloomy, quite different from what he expected. Shouldn't they be happy that he survived?
"I feel okay but tired…" Lucien answered slowly.
"Good… Can you release your lightning element… just a little… nothing too fancy" Lukas said with a stern look on his face.
Listening to the request, Lucien felt it was strange, but he stretches forth his hand and shut his eyes in a bid to summon his lightning element. Just like a bottomless pit, Lucien felt empty! There was nothing there! Even his link with the Raizen God beast had greatly weakened so much that he almost couldn't sense it anymore!
"There is nothing there… I have no power" Lucien muttered slowly with a blank look on his face.
It was only then that the images of his past start rushing in! It was only then that Lucien remembered his cultivation was greatly affected by the dangerous light spear that hurt him.
"Since you have no powers, no strength, you are hereby stripped of your position as my successor… The clan space ring and the clan sacred heirloom have been taken away already… In a week, there will be a clan meeting… there your fate will be decided… until then I advise you stay here!" Lukas said coldly.