I made sure that the maids kept what they had just witnessed a secret. With Li Jing I was sure that things would be okay but I wasn't sure I could trust the other four, it was a gamble on my part. I wanted to use this achievement to surprise the whole family but it wouldn't be a surprise if they already knew what was coming.
According to Li Jing I condensed it core in an extremely short time. She said it wasn't up to three hours after she brought me the scrolls and here I was thinking I had been there for more than a week. It was the fastest time ever recorded for condensing a spirit core. I had a meeting with the elders of my family this morning and Li Jing helped me get ready. Apparently, news that I was awake had gotten to them.
Everyone suggested that I rested for a bit before going anywhere or doing anything but I wanted to meet everyone first. I was okay so there was no need to waste time idling around. I had only just condensed my spirit core and was still weak so if I wanted a chance at survival I had to make allies.
I took two swords with me since it was Wang Wei's signature and also, I needed to protect myself. I knew the way and walked there on my own while ordering my guards to stay back. Guards were assigned to me because I couldn't cultivate but I didn't them now. I wasn't feeling big about condensing a spirit core but if I had people to defend me all the time I was going to get nowhere in my cultivation.
I arrived at the elders' hall about thirty minutes after I left home and they were all there seated, waiting for me. By ethics I greeted them before sitting these elders, something was off with the way they looked at me. They looked at me like I had just stolen something.
There were six of them present and each of them despite their old looks were very highly skilled cultivators. I wasn't aware of which stage each of them was but for sure they were high or they wouldn't be worthy of being called the elders of the Wang family. My father was among them, he was the youngest among the elders Making him the sixth.
The Wang family, also known as the Heaven Stream Family, was one the most influential families in the city of No Tears where I was at the moment and I was the stain of the family because Wang Wei couldn't cultivate and was only adept at using weapons. Even those that were lowly commoners would speak to me anyhow and harass me because they could cultivate and I couldn't. Wang Wei lived a very frustrating life indeed, but not anymore.
"Wang Wei so you've finally recovered" The man who said this was elder Wang Zhou, the third leader and patriarch of the Wang family. He smiled at me and looked happy but I wasn't sure I could trust that smile. Even if Wang Wei had been acknowledged it didn't mean that he wasn't a worthless scum in the eyes of the patriarchs.
I was a child from the main family and like I said before my inability to cultivate was a thorn in my family's side. I was going to make sure that they were all surprised when I gave them the special news I had in mind. I wasn't just going to waste my time to come see a bunch of old men if I did not have something special in mind.
"Thank you for your concern for my health patriarch" I said. "I decided to come see you first patriarchs"
"It's good that you're awake. Now we can rest easy" Patriarch Wang Rui, the fourth, was the one who spoke this time.
It was true that the patriarchs cared about my health. Of course they did. If I died and the public got to know it would probably affect the family's influence negatively. 'The useless son of the Wang family couldn't cultivate so he took his own life from shame and the family covered it up with sickness'. Wouldn't that sound good as the headline for rumors or gossips.
I was about to shock them with some news and I wanted to end this meeting as quickly as I could. I didn't sleep the previous night and was practicing so I was tired. Every year in the city of No Tears a tournament was held for young cultivators like me, the Blue Haze Mountain tournament. It was close by and I decided to take part in it, showing my strength to everyone.
"Patriarchs, I have something important to tell you"
"Let us hear it Wang Wei. What is so important that you have to tell us?" Patriarch Wang Sheng, the fifth, said.
"Thank you for allowing me to speak" I said and was silent for five seconds before talking "I have decided to join the Blue Haze Mountain contest fourteen days from now"
The patriarchs were silent and the whole hall was so quiet that if a pin dropped it would be heard. My announcement got the expected reaction but it was also accompanied by something else, laughs. The patriarchs laughed but I kept on an emotionless, stoic face to show my resolve. Only my father and our first patriarch weren't laughing. I think he could see how serious I was about it.
"Wang Wei, did you come here to humor us or is something wrong with you?" The second patriarch, Wang Zong, asked me.
I was quiet for a bit and looked into the patriarch's eyes, showing him a hint of my seriousness. The patriarch went silent as I looked behind him, not following with my body, just my eyes. I just played a psychology trick on him so that should shut him up for a bit. I gave my reply when all the patriarchs were silent.
"I'm serious with my words, I don't think I've ever been the type to humor the patriarchs and I am very well"
Our first patriarch, Wang Mo spoke " Wang Wei, do you have any idea what you're talking about? The Blue Haze Mountain contest is where young cultivators show off their skills that have been honed over the year. It is a dangerous place for you"
"I know patriarch. I may have just sword techniques but that's all I need for this contest. Please allow me to join patriarchs "
"Wang Ling, speak some sense into your son. Does he even know how dangerous the Blue Haze Mountain contest can get?" Wang Sheng said.
'Of course I know and I don't have much time so I need to hurry up and practice. Answer my request quick you old geezers' My thoughts almost poured out of me but I managed to hold them in. I hoped that my father would at least give a good answer.
My father looked at me with eyes I was sure I didn't like and looked away from me. "It's his choice. If he doesn't understand the gap between a cultivator and a regular person then let him learn it himself" Wang Ling said.
"Patriarchs give me this opportunity, and I won't disappoint you "
"Don't worry about that. We won't be disappointed " Wang Rui said.
"Wang Wei, you have been granted permission to participate in the Blue Haze Mountain contest. We will be expecting you at Blue Haze Mountain in fourteen days" Wang Mo said to me. I was happy but I didn't show it.
"Thank you for this opportunity patriarchs"