Chapter 2117 - Like a Dog
Chapter 2117 - Like a Dog
Everyone shuddered when Lin Jianxing announced Tianming's identity. He turned and looked at Tianming, laughing while he teared up at the same time. Nobody else uttered so much as a single whisper, but Tianming could feel countless storms brewing once the name 'Lin Mu' had been uttered. The world would soon be turned on its head. The gazes that were focused on him turned boiling hot.
"He’s called Lin Feng, and he was only captured when he accidentally trespassed into the private estate of a cultivator called Gongshu Ding. He told Gongshu Ding his identity after he was captured! Gongshu Ding never would've expected someone to dare to claim to be Lin Mu's son. Take a look at his arm. Look at the traces of intermingling with xenoraces.... There's no need for any verification of his blood. One look and you can tell that he’s undoubtedly Lin Mu's son! While nobody would've expected him to have left any progeny behind, this person is proof of it! The sins of the father shall be borne by the son. I brought this wretch to the mausoleum so that all the seniors can rightfully judge him before all our ancestors!"
Even after Lin Jianxing finished his tirade, the mausoleum remained completely silent.
"Raise your head," rang a cold, deep voice beside Tianming's ear. He couldn't resist at all and did as he was told. Everyone looked at his face, arm, and even evaluated his soul. Many of the seniors drew a cold breath.
"His appearance.... There can be no doubt."
"The only thing different about him is his white hair! Wait, who’s his mother?"
"Impossible.... If she was the one, why would he fall into our hands?"
"That's true...."
"But it's undeniable that he's Lin Mu's son."
"A bastard... he actually left a bastard son behind, only for him to be brought to the mausoleum! Nobody can escape heavenly judgment! Hahaha!"
"Based on the time that’s passed, this child is at least a hundred years old... But he hasn't even formed his minor stellar chart. Given that kind of talent, he can’t even match up to the branch families that are a hundred times removed from our clan, let alone a secondary branch! There's no doubt whose son he is based on that alone!"
Countless voices continued hammering down on Tianming. The mere act of raising his head caused his eyes to be blinded by the eye-piercing sword glows! Everything had turned out like Lin Jianxing and Gongshu Ding said it would. The Myriadsword Mausoleum itself seemed to be boiling over. Everyone glared at him like proud lions looking down on a pitiful bug. The slightest accident of these millennia-old monsters while they toyed with him could easily end his life, yet Tianming had a track record of surviving these situations. But even if he was left alive, his prospects didn't look too good!
Apart from not being able to move even a single albus, he felt the pressure on his body intensify. One after another, his albi burst open. Black blood began seeping out of every part of his body, including his eyes, nose, and lips, accompanied by searing pain all over. Even the Greenspark Tower didn't seem to be doing him any favors.
Dammit! But as long as I'm alive.... Tianming used every bit of his willpower to endure it, stubbornly holding on. He had thought that he would have a chance to say something, but given how he was immediately determined to be Lin Mu's son, there wouldn't be any point. All he could do was grit his teeth and wait through the grueling suffering.
Through his bloody eyes, he could only see two others apart from Lin Jianxing. They were both middle aged, one man and one woman. They seemed to be in their prime age for cultivation and were much stronger than Gongshu Ding. No doubt they were among the leaders of the Swordgod Lin Clan.
The man on the left was dressed in a green robe with stars and sword patterns, wearing a dragon-shaped crown on his head. Every strand of his hair seemed to stand on end, intermingled with countless sword tips. The woman on the right was wearing a purple dress that exuded an air of elegance. Her eyes were violet like the starry sky, and swords seemed to flow along the long lines of her dress.
"Third Branch Master, Seventh Branch Mistress," Lin Jianxing respectfully greeted. They were people of high status, after all, and were able to call the shots even in a place like Ebonia. Their brilliance and loftiness could be clearly felt.
They were standing incredibly close to Tianming, though they were doing so to protect him. Behind them, the mob was going wild. The slightest loss of control of those powerful elites could easily crush Tianming. No doubt, falling from the grace of being the ruler of the sun to this extent was an experience few could tolerate.
"Who’s your mother?" asked the Seventh Branch Mistress. As she spoke, Tianming felt a little more relaxed and found himself able to speak.
"I don't know. I'm an orphan. She's probably dead."
The woman walked to his side and pulled her head near his ear. Glaring at his eyes, she asked, "Is it not Yi Daiyan? The only people in Ebonia with white hair are those of their clan."
Tianming shook his head, causing the two peak elites to exchange glances.
"An illegitimate son, it seems," the Third Branch Master concluded.
"To think that they were so deeply in love back then, only for there to be an illegitimate son... hehe," said the Seventh Branch Mistress.
"Esteemed Seniors, how should he be dealt with?" Lin Jianxing anxiously asked.
The two of them looked at Tianming once more, then the woman said, "He shall not do anything else for the rest of his life. Let him kneel before the mausoleum until the day of his death as atonement for his father's sins. Let's proceed with the worship ceremony."
"Anyone who wants to spit on him is free to do so," the Third Branch Master added with a chuckle.
"No, spit is innocent and doesn't deserve to be tainted by him," the woman in purple said.
They turned around and gave the order to commence the worship.
"Yes!"
All of a sudden, Tianming lost control of his body. Like a puppet, he was forced to completely prostrate himself facing Myriadsword Mausoleum. It felt like a divine astralship was pressing down on his back; the sheer weight pressed deep into every single one of his albi, squeezing blood out of him. His knees immediately crumbled into paste.
Lin Jianxing patted Tianming on the shoulder and snickered, "Don't cry. This is only the beginning. You’ll live like this for the rest of your life, unable to die!"
"You never know, I might be able to turn this around," Tianming said, gritting his teeth and smiling.
"Dream on."
Lin Jianxing walked past him and joined the rest. Fortunately, the clan seemed dignified enough to only direct their anger at Tianming and not the girls. Soon, the sound of their prayers to their ancestors could be heard. All kinds of sacrificial offerings were brought forward one after another while Tianming continued prostrating behind all of them, his blood dyeing the ground red and knees completely deformed.
"How does it feel?" Ying Huo said, its voice changed. It wasn’t messing around like it usually did and had bloodshot eyes.
"It doesn't feel like much," Tianming answered with a pained smile.
"Doesn't it feel vexing?"
"Nothing vexing about it. I’m too weak, so I have no right to speak out. It's not like I'll be dying. If I'm lucky, I'll even get a chance to cultivate. I have to thank them for giving me the motivation that I otherwise wouldn't have to better myself! Ebonia is truly filled with engaging challenges!"
"Oh no, you've lost it.... They're treating you like a dog, you know." Ying Huo rolled its eyes.
"Hahaha!" he laughed like a madman. "It's no big deal. When I turn this around, I'll let them see a different side of me."
He would remain silent, for his weakness robbed him of any right to speak out. The most tragic part was that he didn't even get to hear what happened from Li Muyang due to the lack of time. Even so, he wanted to change things. He tightly gripped the gravel on the ground, enduring the pressure that made his eyes bleed. He was haggard beyond description.
"Suffering is the wealth of the living. Looks like I'll be making a killing," Tianming said, still smiling.
"You're still so spirited? That's badass!" Ying Huo sarcastically said.
"Come on, cut me some slack. It's enough that I have them doing this to me, you know."
"I'm adding to your suffering, or in your own words, adding to your wealth."
Tianming figured that they would continue tormenting him to no end once the ceremony was over, so a chance to cultivate properly didn't seem likely to come. As such, he hoped that his theoretical grandparents would be among the crowd. They were the only ones that Lin Mu truly felt regret toward.
"Dad, surely you can't have completely doomed me like this?" There had to be a silver lining somewhere!