5- Zhong yuan's betrayal

Zhong clan,..... First elders courtyard

A man in his sixties was seated at the main seat while Zhong Yuan stood before him.

From the looks of things, the almighty first elder of the Zhong Clan seemed to be afraid of this man.

"You said that the young master of your clan survived. I thought you assured us that you were in control of the matter," the man said, his voice commanding and filled with authority.

"I don't know what happened. I made sure to feed him the Flame Heart Vine," Zhong Yuan replied, his voice trembling slightly.

The Flame Heart Vine is a vine that grows in places with very high temperatures. When consumed by someone with fire attributes, it can help them achieve a breakthrough. However, in Zhong Peng's current situation, it will burn his organs slowly until he dies.

"Do you realize the great lengths we went through to obtain that Flame Heart Vine?" the man asked, his voice commanding and filled with authority. "Are you sure you fed him the Flame Heart Vine as I told you to?" The man's tone was insistent, and it was clear that he demanded a satisfactory answer.

"Yes, I did. I fed him the vine through Little Song, and I am certain that she did it exactly as you instructed," Zhong Yuan replied respectfully. His tone was filled with deference and respect, as he knew the man was a figure of great authority and power.

The man spoke with a displeased countenance and in a contemporary Chinese manner, "Who is this Little Song? How could you possibly place your trust in someone else? Did my previous admonition about revealing this matter to others did not resonate with you?" His words dripped with anger and frustration.

"Little Song is indeed trustworthy. She is the spy I planted to serve the young master's cause. She has been gathering valuable intel on the clan for me." The words were delivered with a sense of pride and confidence.

With a thoughtful expression, he responded, "Hmmm." Then, with a note of warning, he continued, "You must understand that he is losing patience. Our Wang clan must take swift action, for your incompetence is becoming a liability." The words were spoken with a tone of urgency and gravity, emphasizing the importance of the situation.

"what are you planning to do," Zhong Yuan asked anxiously.

With a calm and reassuring tone, the man replied, "You needn't concern yourself with our plans. Simply prepare yourself for further instructions when the time comes. We will fulfill our end of the bargain, and you needn't worry about that. If you perform well, you will receive what you desire, and your own goals will also be achieved. It is a mutually beneficial arrangement, and we both stand to gain." The words were spoken with a sense of confidence and conviction, leaving no doubt about the success of their partnership.

Zhong Yuan nodded in agreement as the figure stood up and departed. After the figure had left, Zhong Yuan sat down, his face bearing a slightly worried expression.

********************************

back in Zhong Peng's room

Zhong Peng continued to gaze intently at the old man, eagerly awaiting the instructions for his return to Earth.

"I regret to inform you that I do not possess the knowledge to send you back. I am but a mere consciousness, left behind by my physical body." The words were spoken with a sense of solemnity and sadness, as the old man realized his limitations.

With a growing sense of frustration, Zhong Peng retorted, "Did your physical body not leave the book on Earth? And if so, why did it do so? I implore you to enlighten me." The words were spoken with a sense of helplessness and anger, as Zhong Peng struggled to make sense of his predicament.

With a tone of resignation, the old man replied, "My physical body perished a very, very long time ago. This consciousness is merely the inheritance he left behind. As for how and why this inheritance found its way to your world, I am afraid I cannot provide an answer." The once majestic voice was now tinged with helplessness.

Zhong Peng expressed his helplessness, "If I understand you correctly, I must stay here, but my ability to cultivate has been severely crippled. How am I supposed to cultivate your inheritance ?"

The old man cautioned Zhong Peng, "I can help you overcome this problem, but you must proceed with caution because I suspect someone is targeting you. They have been giving you a Flame attribute poison, and I believe it is responsible for the death of the body you currently inhabit."

Zhong Peng couldn't help but tremble in fear as memories from the deceased Zhong Peng flooded his mind. The Flame Heart Vine possesses an extremely potent fire attribute and can severely harm one's body and internal organs if mishandled."

Upon hearing the old man's warning, Zhong Peng's mind raced with thoughts. He realized that the only person who could poison him without raising suspicion was Song Lijuan. It dawned on him that she had been acting strangely when he woke up this morning, avoiding eye contact. Zhong Peng now understood who was responsible for his predicament, but another question surfaced: who was Song Lijuan working for? Zhong Peng was certain that she did not act alone and was under orders from someone else.

After some time, Zhong Peng realized that this was an opportunity for a new beginning. He now had a head start with the inheritance of a powerful cultivator.

He made a vow to never allow himself to be weak or bullied again. He promised to put all his efforts into cultivating his skills to attain tremendous power.

*THE CULTIVATION JOURNEY OF A LEGEND HAS JUST BEGUN*