DDD Chapter 138: Painful Truth (Patreon)

To my surprise, when I arrived at the entrance to Big Sis Sidra’s courtyard, I saw that she wasn’t alone. Lucius was there as well. I saw no traces of his icy mask. Instead, he wore a grim expression on his face. Big Sis Sidra, on the other hand, appeared calm and relaxed. So, whatever was going on, it was serious but nothing disastrous.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, looking between my eldest sister and my cousin.

Big Sis Sidra gestured towards the main residence of her courtyard.

“Let us talk inside,” She said. “I’ll brew us some spirit tea.”

Lucius and I nodded, before we followed my eldest sister. She led us to the dining room, before she headed towards the kitchen to brew some spirit tea. After Lucius and I sat down at the dining table, I looked at him.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

Given the situation, I had my suspicions.

“It’s my parents.” Lucius said in a bitter tone.

I sighed. Of course it was.

“What is it this time?” I asked in a resigned tone.

“They want me to use my boon from the North King in order to force you to release Zayne.” Lucius said.

I stared at him in confusion. The North King? Why would he get involved in this matter? Then it dawned on me. Lucius won the Rising Heroes Tournament. This earned him a lot of glory and prestige, as well as a substantial prize. Part of that prize included a boon from the North King himself.

“That’s your prize!” I said. “They have no right to demand that of you.”

Lucius snorted.

“It doesn’t matter,” he said, “They demanded it of me anyway.” He sighed. “And I’m not in a position to refuse them.”

I frowned

“Why not?” I asked.

Lucius hesitated before answering.

“Vera River Heart.” He said with a soft smile on his face.

I had never seen my cousin wear that expression before. A memory floated to the surface of my mind. Several months ago, back when Willow first revealed that she and I were technically betrothed to one another, she mentioned that Lucius was in love with someone else. Rather, she believed that he was. I suspected that this Vera River Heart was that someone else. Lucius’ next words confirmed my suspicions.

“Vera… Well, she’s the love of my life.” He said. “We’ve wanted to marry each other for a while now, but my parents opposed our union. It’s because she’s an illegitimate daughter. It took years of effort to change their minds and gain their permission.” His expression hardened. “However, earlier today, they threatened to withdraw their permission if I didn’t use my boon from the North King to get Zayne back.”

I stared at him in disbelief.

“They would go that far?” I asked.

Lucius nodded.

“It appears that Zayne is more important to my mother than I realized.” He said. “And you know how much my father dotes on her.”

Big Sis Sidra returned at that moment, carrying a tray with three tea cups atop it.

“I suspect I know the reason why.” She said.

My eldest sister placed the cups of tea on the table, before sitting down next to me. I took the cup in front of me and studied it. This particular tea had a calming and soothing aroma. I took a sip. It spread a relaxing warmth throughout my body, easing my worries.

“Please elaborate, Senior Sidra.” Lucius said. “Why is my mother so eager to get her hands on Zayne again? I know she turned him into a human cauldron, but that doesn’t explain her… Desperation.”

Big Sis Sidra took a sip of her tea before answering.

“Keep in mind that what I’m about to tell you is speculation on my part.” She said.

Lucius nodded.

“Many demonic cultivation techniques allow their practitioners to gain a lot of power within a short amount of time,” Big Sis Sidra said, “However, each one comes with its own drawbacks. Shaky foundations, flawed cultivation bases, etc. I believe that your mother has become dependent on the pills that Zayne creates. So much so that it’s possible she can’t even cultivate without them.”

Lucius stared at Big Sis Sidra with a horrified expression on his face.

“But she’s not the one practicing a demonic cultivation technique!” He said.

Big Sis Sidra raised an eyebrow at him.

“Are you sure about that?” she asked. “Do you know what cultivation technique your mother practices?” She shrugged. “Besides, there are plenty of demonic supplementary techniques. Your mother may know one that is a companion to Zayne’s cultivation technique.” She snorted. “Stealing another’s cultivation comes with consequences, especially for an amateur who doesn’t know what she’s doing.”

Lucius opened his mouth to answer, but no words came out. I barked out a laugh.

“By the ancestors,” I said, “Clan Wind Dance is rotten to the core. The acting clan head is full of greed and ambition, and his favorite wife might be a demonic cultivator.”

Lucius glared at me.

“This is all speculation.” He said. “We don’t know for sure that my mother is a… Demonic cultivator.” He narrowed his eyes at me. “Besides, even if she was, you’re a demonic cultivator yourself. You’re in no position to judge her.”

I snorted.

“No, but I’m not a self-righteous hypocrite about it.” I said. “Besides, I may be a demonic cultivator but I wouldn’t turn someone into a human cauldron.”

Big Sis Sidra sighed and gave me a fond smile.

“Yes,” she said, “You’re too kind for that.” She glanced at Lucius. “I wonder how that came about. He certainly didn’t get it from our side of the family.”

Lucius and I glanced at one another, before looking away.

“We’re getting off topic.” Lucius said. “We need to figure out what to do with Zayne before the feast tonight. Otherwise, it’ll be too late.”

A part of me wondered if Lucius really would give up on Zayne for the sake of this Vera River Heart. I would, but I was far more selfish than Lucius. Besides, I hated Zayne. I was only going this far for him because Lucius asked me to.

“In that case, what are we waiting for?” I asked, standing up. “Let us talk with Zayne and see what he thinks.” I looked at Lucius. “You’re the one who wanted to leave the choice up to him.”

Lucius set his lips in a straight line and nodded. Big Sis Sidra sighed.

“I didn’t even get to finish my tea.” She said, melancholic.

***

A few minutes later, the three of us found ourselves in Zayne’s room. Compared to when I last saw him, he looked worse for wear. He was thinner, to the point that his cheek bones became more pronounced. His eyes were dull, almost devoid of life, and his hair was a ragged mess. All in all, he looked nothing like the arrogant young master he once pretended to be.

Zayne glanced in our direction as we entered. When he noticed Lucius, life returned to his eyes and he grew more animated.

“Lucius!” He cried out. “You’re here to save me!”

Well, that was true, though not in the way Zayne assumed.

“Yes, Zayne,” Lucius said, a complicated expression on his face, “I’m here.”

Zayne rushed over and embraced Lucius, crying out in gratitude. That wasn’t an exaggeration. Tears were streaming down his face. Big Sis Sidra and I stood off to the side. We shared a look, smirking at one another.

“Thank you.” He said, over and over again.

Lucius sighed.

“Before we go,” he said, “There is something I need to tell you.”

Zayne pulled back, wiping the tears from his eyes.

“Can’t it wait until we leave this place?” he asked. “I can’t stand it here anymore. Do you know what it was like, being trapped and confined by demonic cultivators with only a literal snake as my only company?”

I rolled my eyes.

“Oh, stop whining.” I said. “You’re acting like we tortured you. The worst thing I did was give you a beating that one time.”

Zayne threw a venomous look my way, but didn’t respond. It appeared that he had learned some restraint. A little disappointing. I wanted an excuse to punch him again.

“Darian,” Lucius said, giving me a disapproving look, “Let me handle this.” He turned back towards Zayne. “To answer your question, no. What I need to tell you can’t wait. You’ll understand what I mean after I finish.”

Lucius proceeded to tell Zayne everything. How Senior Lucille turned him into a human cauldron, how the changes were permanent, and what his options were going forward. Zayne, predictably, denied Lucius’ words.

“You’re working with Darian, aren’t you?” He shouted. “I can’t believe it! Collaborating with demonic cultivators? How could you, Lucius? I thought you were better than that!”

I pinched the bridge of my nose. Why were we going through so much trouble for this idiot again? In my case, it was because I pitied him. However, if I had known this was how things would end, I… Well, I still would have made the same choice. However, I would have beaten Zayne a second time for good measure.

“Zayne,” Lucius said with a frown, “I’m doing this for your sake.”

“Liar! You’re doing this to get rid of me, aren’t you? You were always jealous of my relationship with Auntie Lucille.” Zayne shook his head. “She would never betray me like that. No. She… She was the only one there for me, the only one who understood.”

I sighed.

“Will you think, for once in your life?” I said, unable to hold back my irritation further. “If Lucius wanted to get rid of you, he wouldn’t go through all this effort. He would’ve asked me to kill you and dispose of your corpse.” I nodded towards Lucius. “Or he would have killed you himself and blamed it on me. Don’t overestimate your worth.”

Zayne glared at me and clenched his fists, until his whole body started trembling.

“You know how cruel and ruthless my mother can be.” Lucius said in a low voice. “You must have witnessed it yourself.”

“So?” Zayne snapped. “Auntie Lucille might be cruel and ruthless to others, but she cherishes family.”

Lucius shook his head.

“That isn’t true.” He said. “All she cares about is herself. Everyone else is merely a means to an end to her, myself included.”

Lucius wore a forlorn expression when he said those last two words. My heart ached for him. While Mom wasn’t the best mother, I never doubted that she loved me. Perhaps I hadn’t been the only one who suffered while growing up on Mt. Wind Dance.

“How could you say that about Auntie Lucille?” Zayne asked, shocked. “She’s your mother!”

Lucius’ expression hardened.

“It’s because she’s my mother that I’m well aware of her faults.” He said.

Zayne opened his mouth to respond, but Big Sis Sidra spoke up first.

“We don’t have any time to waste,” she said, “So I’ll intervene now.”

Zayne looked at my eldest sister and his eyes grew wide with fear. Either he hadn’t noticed her before now, or he pretended not to.

“Na-Nascent Soul?!” He cried out.

“Yes,” Big Sis Sidra said. “So, if you don’t want me to refine you into a pill, shut and listen.”

Zayne stared at her, frozen in place.

“There is a simple way to prove whether or not Cultivator Lucius is telling the truth.” My eldest sister continued. “Cultivate for a bit. It doesn’t have to be long. An hour will suffice.”

Zayne swallowed.

“I… I can’t cultivate.” He said. “Not in these conditions. My mental state is…”

He trailed off without finishing his sentence. Not that he needed to. It was obvious that his mental state wasn’t the best right now.

“Then stabilize your mental state.” Big Sis Sidra said. “I suggest you hurry.”

I gave her a sardonic look.

“Yes,” I said, “Because that will help him stabilize his mental state.” I sighed, before looking at Zayne. “Think of it like this. Regardless of what you choose, I’ll let you go. Whether you believe us or not, it doesn’t matter. You’ll be free.”

Zayne took his eyes off my eldest sister and faced me. He gave me a skeptical look.

“Do you promise?” He asked.

“I promise.”

Despite this, it was clear that Zayne didn’t believe me.

“Fine,” he said, “I’ll try my best. It’s not like I have much of a choice.”

“No, you don’t.” Big Sis Sidra said.

Zayne looked at her again and swallowed.

“Wi-Will you at least give me some privacy?” He asked, his voice shaking.

My eldest sister nodded and left the room. Lucius and I followed her out.

“I have some business to attend to.” Big Sis Sidra said. “I’ll return in an hour.”

With that, she left. Lucius let out a wry chuckle.

“Your maternal family is… Interesting.” He said.

I snorted.

“I know.” I said. “Still, they’re good people.” I paused. “No, that isn’t true. In fact, I suspect they’re terrible people. However, they’re good to me, and that’s all I care about.”

Lucius gave me an odd look, before he chuckled and shook his head.

“Oh,” I said, “I forgot to say this earlier, but congratulations on winning the Rising Heroes Tournament.”

Lucius smiled and nodded at me.

“Thank you, Darian.” hHe said. “I needed to win, in order to redeem myself in Peak Master Righteous Fury’s eyes. However, even if that weren’t the case, I would have tried my best anyway.”

“As well you should.” I said. “I’m proud of you.”

“And I’m proud of you as well, Darian. You’ve grown strong over these past six years. It won’t be long before you surpass me.”

My cheeks heated up with embarrassment and I looked away.

“Even if I do, it won’t happen anytime soon.” I said. “I still have a long way to go.”

The two of us fell into a comfortable silence.

“Tell me about Vera River Heart.” I said a few minutes later. “If she’s going to become family, I might as well learn a bit about her.”

Lucius raised an eyebrow at me.

“Are you sure?” he asked. “Once I get started, I won’t stop unless you make me.”

I gestured for him to go right ahead. With that, Lucius told me about the love of his life.

***

For the next hour, Lucius gushed about Vera River Heart. In his eyes, she was the sweetest, most beautiful woman there ever was. Everything about her was perfect, from the tips of her toes to the top of her head. I learned more about her in that hour than I expected to, or wanted for that matter.

However, I didn’t interrupt Lucius. I never witnessed this side of my cousin before, and I found it fascinating. The Lucius that I admired and looked up to had disappeared. Instead, a lovestruck fool took his place. No wonder Lucius was willing to go this far in order to marry her.

When Big Sis Sidra returned, Lucius was in the middle of telling me a story of how cute Vera River Heart looked while napping underneath a peach tree. He was so distracted that he didn’t notice my eldest sister. Instead of making her presence known, Big Sis Sidra decided to listen in for a bit.

“Lucius.” I said, interrupting him.

He gave me an irritated look.

“What?” He asked. “I was getting to the best part.”

I gestured to Big Sis Sidra. She wore an amused smirk on her face.

“Oh.” Lucius said, before pretending to clear his throat. “I see. In that case, I’ll finish that story another time.”

“Oh, don’t stop on my account.” Big Sis Sidra said. “Keep going.”

Lucius gave her a pained look.

“Please don’t tease me, Senior Sidra.” He said. “I’m embarrassed enough as it is.”

My eldest sister chuckled.

“Very well, Cultivator Lucius.” She said. “Let us go see Zayne.”

The three of us entered Zayne’s room once more. We found him on the floor, on his hands and knees, heaving. A small black bead was on the floor near him, covered in saliva and glistening. When we entered, Zayne looked up at us, shame and resignation in his eyes.

“I see,” Lucius said, “No wonder you always refused me when I offered you guidance.”

“Shut your mouth, Lucius,” Zayne snarled. “I don’t want to hear it.” He pushed himself to his feet and faced my sister. “I did what you asked. Now what? May I leave now?”

“Not yet.” Big Sis Sidra nodded to the black bead on the ground. “Swallow that.”

Zayne stared at her in shock.

“What?” He asked.

“Swallow that bead, and you’ll see whether or not Cultivator Lucius is lying to you.” She said.

Zayne gave the bead a disgusted look.

“You want me to swallow the impurities I just expelled?” He asked.

I didn’t blame Zayne for his skepticism. The bead didn’t seem like anything special. It even looked similar to the impurities I expelled as I refined and purified my body.

“Yes.” Big Sis Sidra said. “You have nothing to lose. If Lucius is telling the truth, your cultivation will increase. If he is lying, you can get rid of those impurities again.”

Zayne regarded my eldest sister for a moment, before he sighed.

“After this is over,” he muttered, “I am never leaving Mt. Wind Dance again.”

Zayne crouched down to pick up the black bead, before standing back up again. He regarded the bead with a reluctant expression on his face, before he closed his eyes and put it in his mouth. A moment later, he swallowed it. At first nothing happened, but then Zayne’s eyes flew open.

“Zayne?” Lucius asked with a concerned expression on his face. “What’s wrong?”

Zayne didn’t answer right away. I glanced at my eldest sister.

“Be patient.” She said without looking at me. “He needs a moment.”

“Zayne?” Lucius called out again.

Zayne started, before turning towards Lucius with a stunned expression on his face.

“My cultivation increased.” Zayne said. “It would have taken me days to accumulate this much, and yet it increased just like that.”

His legs gave out. Lucius rushed forward and caught him before he hit the ground.

“It’s true.” Zayne muttered, staring off into nothingness. “It’s all true. You weren’t lying. Auntie Lucille, she…”

His expression crumbled and he started crying. He clung to Lucius and let out deep, heaving sobs. I hated Zayne, but I felt uncomfortable seeing him like this. He opened his mouth and the most horrible sound I had ever heard emerged from his mouth. It was as if something deep inside him, something fundamental to his being, shattered. Pain. Unimaginable pain. It was as if Zayne suffered a wound that went soul deep.

“Let us give them some privacy.” I said in a quiet voice, looking at my eldest sister.

She regarded me with a raised eyebrow, before her eyes lit up with understanding.

“You sympathize with him, don’t you?” She asked, incredulous.

I nodded. Of course I sympathized with Zayne, despite my hatred towards him. He just discovered that the person he trusted the most had betrayed him in the worst way possible. As bad as he treated me, it came nowhere close to what he went through.

“Very well.” Big Sis Sidra said. “It’s not like we’ll be able to make any headway by standing here.”

With that, the two of us left, while Lucius remained behind to comfort Zayne. Once we closed the door behind us, I found it easier to breathe.

“Do you think he’ll recover from this?” I asked.

Big Sis Sidra looked thoughtful for a moment, before shrugging.

“I don’t know.” She said. “Either he will overcome his pain and become all the stronger for it, or he will remain broken. It makes no difference to me.”

I stared at her for a moment, before I let out a mirthless chuckle.

“How cold-hearted of you.” I said.

My eldest sister snorted.

“Of course,” she said. “I don’t care about Zayne’s pain. He doesn’t matter to me. The only reason why I’m going through all this effort is because I stand to gain from it.” She gestured towards me. “It’s even more surprising that you do care about what happens to Zayne. I thought you hated him.”

I took a moment to articulate my thoughts before speaking.

“I do. ” I said. “However, from a certain perspective, he suffered more at Clan Wind Dance’s hands than I had. My uncle just suppressed me, humiliated me, and prevented me from cultivating. Senior Lucille exploited Zayne and twisted him for her own ends. He was meant to soar, but she clipped his wings and stunted his growth.” I gestured to my eldest sister. “I escaped Mt. Wind Dance and found my true family. Zayne? He has nothing, not really. Everything he had, everything he was, he owed to Senior Lucille. If sympathizing with him makes me soft-hearted, so be it. I’d rather be soft-hearted than heartless.”

A moment later, I realized how that sounded. I scratched the back of my head and blew out a breath.

“I apologize, Eldest Sister.” I said. “I didn’t mean that as an insult towards you. It’s just… I love and admire you, but I don’t want to be like you.”

Big Sis Sidra snorted, before she reached over and ruffled my hair.

“Nor should you try.” She said. “You are your own person. Your soft-hearted nature is a weakness. However, it is also a strength. In this case, it may end up benefiting our family in particular, and the Dawn and Dusk Sect as a whole.”

I frowned at her.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

Big Sis Sidra looked in the direction of the entrance to her courtyard.

“You’ll find out in a moment.” She said.

My frown deepened. However, a moment later, someone made their presence known by releasing their aura. They were at the Nascent Soul realm.

“Follow me, Darian.” Big Sis Sidra said. “There is someone I want you to meet.”

I bit back my curiosity and followed my eldest sister as she walked towards the entrance of her courtyard. When we made it outside, I looked up at the sky. It was still morning. A lot had happened ever since I arrived at Big Sis Sidra’s courtyard, even though it had only been a short amount of time. This just made me feel even more tired. After this, I doubted that I would have any trouble falling asleep.

At the entrance to Big Sis Sidra’s courtyard stood a man wearing the red and black robes of Crimson Fiend Hall. He had bronzed skin, short dark hair, and dark eyes. His aura smelled like blood. However, unlike the cultivators of the Ancient Blood Sect, it wasn’t rotten. Instead, it felt pure, for lack of a better word. There was a lot of it too. It was as if this man contained an ocean of blood inside him; blood brimming with vitality.

“Greetings, Vice Hall Master Scarlet Demon.” Big Sis Sidra said, giving the man a martial salute. “This is my younger brother, Darian.” She turned towards me. “Darian, this is Scarlet Demon. Like Alexia, he was a former disciple of our Flame Fiend Hall.” She smirked at him. “Until he decided he was tired of being my junior brother and left.”

The man, Vice Hall Master Scarlet Demon, acted pained by this.

“You wound me, Vice Hall Master Sidra,” he said, sounding despondent. “I might have left Flame Fiend Hall, but you will always be my senior sister.”

Big Sis Sidra snorted with a smile on her face. Vice Hall Master Scarlet Demon grinned at her, before looking at me.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Darian.” He said.

I gave him a martial salute.

“Greetings, Vice Hall Master Scarlet Demon.” I said.

He made a dismissive gesture.

“You don’t have to be so formal around me.” He said. “Feel free to call me Martial Uncle, or even just Uncle.”

I hesitated, before nodding.

“Very well, Uncle Scarlet Demon.” I said.

Uncle Scarlet Demon’s grin widened, before he faced Big Sis Sidra again.

“So, where is the boy you mentioned?” He asked.

My eldest sister gestured to the main residence of her courtyard.

“He’s inside.” She said. “However, he’s still recovering from his shock, so you’ll have to meet him later.”

Uncle Scarlet Demon shrugged.

“Eh,” he said, “Now that the tournament is over, I have some free time. I can wait.”

Big Sis Sidra raised an eyebrow at him.

“You mean you dumped all your responsibilities on your wife.” She said.

“My wife volunteered to take on my responsibilities.” Uncle Scarlet Demon said. “She knows how important this matter is to me.”

I looked between the two of them in confusion.

“Excuse me,” I said, “What is going on?”

I assumed this had something to do with Zayne, but I wasn’t sure how.

“Let us continue this conversation inside.” Big Sis Sidra said, gesturing to her courtyard’s main residence.

The three of us headed inside and entered a drawing room, where we could continue our conversation in comfort.

“To provide some context,” Big Sis Sidra said after we situated ourselves. “Vice Hall Master Scarlet Demon practices a peculiar cultivation technique. It’s a dual refinement technique, one with strict requirements.”

I blinked at her in surprise, before glancing at Uncle Scarlet Demon.

“Dual Foundation?” I guessed.

He nodded. Ah, that made sense.

While uncommon, there were many people who practiced both qi refining and physical refining. However, when building their foundations, most focused on one or the other. Very few built Dual Foundations due to the drawbacks involved. Other than Mom, Uncle Scarlet Demon was the only other one that I met, at least as far as I knew.

“One of the requirements is that the practitioner needs to reach Foundation Establishment as a human cauldron,” Uncle Scarlet Demon said. “Afterwards, they must unravel it all and start again from the very beginning.”

Understanding dawned on me.

“You want to take Zayne as your disciple.” I said.

Uncle Scarlet Demon nodded.

“Yes,” he said, “I want to pass down my cultivation technique as a legacy and lineage for my Crimson Fiend Hall. So far, I haven't found a suitable candidate.” He gave me a wry smile. “Not many are willing to reach Foundation Establishment as a human cauldron, before unraveling their cultivation base and starting all over again. I had almost given up hope, until Vice Hall Master Sidra reached out to me a week ago.”

That was when I first discovered that Zayne was a human cauldron and shared this with Lucius. I gave my eldest sister a sideways glance. She looked back at me without an ounce of shame in her expression.

“What if Zayne says no?” I asked. “His family, Clan Wind Dance, despises demonic cultivators. He might find the idea of becoming one repulsive.”

Uncle Scarlet Demon shrugged.

“I’ll find a way to convince him.” He said. “I doubt it will be difficult. Vice Hall Master Sidra shared some of his story with me. It’s similar to my own. If he’s anything like how I was back when I was his age, he’ll leap at the chance. This is his opportunity to spread his wings and soar.”

A part of me wanted to disagree with Uncle Scarlet Demon. However, I couldn’t. Zayne’s situation wasn’t too different from my own, back when Big Sis Astra first rescued me from Mt. Wind Dance. She offered me the chance to cultivate and I accepted, even if it meant becoming a demonic cultivator. And this was before I found out that she was my sister!

“Ugh,” I said, making a face, “I just realized that if Zayne becomes Uncle Scarlet Demon’s disciple, he’ll join the Dawn and Dusk Sect.”

Big Sis Sidra chuckled.

“Don’t worry,” she said, “Vice Hall Master Scarlet Demon will teach Zayne to behave himself.”

After that, we made some small talk until Lucius emerged from Zayne’s room. He informed us that the latter fell asleep after crying himself out. Afterwards, I escorted him out of Divine Beast Palace, before returning to my own courtyard in Dragon Palace. While I could’ve gone back to Big Sis Sidra’s courtyard, my part in Zayne’s story was over. What happened next was up to him.

When I entered my bedroom, I found both of my wives awake and waiting for me. They admonished me for leaving them. However, they understood after I explained what happened. Afterwards, they brought me back to bed and I fell asleep in their arms.