Curse

Yang Ding's eyes drifted back to the mural. While Yang Quan continued staring at the architecture of the room.

Pillars brightened by torches reinforced with yang energy. It shone on them revealing various snake patterns. Some small, some the size of the beast. The more one stared at them, they felt that there was something about them far more profound than just snake sculptures.

Matching the decoration of the room the mural also had the scripture of a serpent with its hood spread out. Intimidating was what was the best fit for it.

Yang Ding's eyes scanned through the mural. It read:

'Greeting fellow cultivator,

Since you came all this way you must deem yourself worthy of this treasure.

Be warned, for this treasure might be honey to some but poison to others...'

Yang Ding shrugged.

Of course, no matter how great a martial art manual one might get possession of if he is not talented enough he would never be able to decipher it. Understanding martial arts is equivalent to understanding the laws of the universe. If one doesn't have enough talent and enough understanding of nature one cannot make use of a treasure.

However, Yang Ding wasn't worried about any of that. For he knew that he was talented. Well, others might call him narcissistic, but his talent wasn't something meek at all. He has fought his way amongst the potential candidates and became a patriarch of the clan. His clan the Geijing Clan wasn't much popular before his ascension, but he fought and lead his clan to great heights making them stand just after the five great clans when it comes to fame and strength.

What came in his way to rising further was a lack of resources, and he believes even that thirst will be met today. He's not sure of what treasure it is but it has to be something great.

Yang Ding read the mural further:

'I don't know in which day and age you belong to. But if you have heard of the name Lin Shirogane. It would be probably me.

It has been a great regret in my life that I never had a successor to my name. All of my sons have already died for a great cause.

That's why I created this treasure, and whoever will possess it will be my successor.'

Yang Ding smirked.

This is what confirmed his assumptions.

Lin Shirogane.

A great immortal whose very presence could shake heaven and earth. He was one of the few cultivators who were able to ascend from this plane into a higher one. He hasn't met him personally. Actually, whoever did meet him will be highly fortuitous. But he did know how great a treasure anything that he might have left behind will be.

He had clues that these ruins housed something related to him but didn't think it would be this great.

Yang Ding felt elated and read further.

'I have always walked on the path of justice and prudence, and I hope that you who are to be my successor will do the same.

There will be times when you will feel down. There will be times when you will want to give up.

But never lose hope for hope itself is a virtue.

Stride forward with courage and faith. For you will win if you bear with temperance.

If you are not meek and if you have the will then place your hand inside the serpent's jaws to receive the mark of my successor.'

'That seems easy,' he thought.

Not explaining anything to Yang Quan he placed his hand inside the serpent's mouth.

The serpent shined with a viridescent hue. A gush of pure energy rushed to the back of his hand. He gritted his teeth to bear with the pain.

Yang Quan was awestruck at the proceedings that took place.

"Brother Yang! Are you okay?"

"Yeah this is nothing much"

The ying and yang energy kept in store in the belly of the serpent - found its mark on his right hand.

A message popped up in his head.

<System initializing...>

<User registered: Yang Ding>

<Listed tally:>

<Sloth: 0>

<Gluttony: 0>

<Pride: 20>

<Lust: 25>

<Wrath: 40>

<Greed: 500>

<Envy: 1000>

<The system has identified the user to be a grave sinner. The user's cultivation level would be reduced by a few stages... >

<System locked>

<User has been identified to be at the 3rd stage of Ling Unification Realm.>

<Total tally of sins committed = 1585>

<Cultivation reduced to 10th stage of True Profound Realm>

<Tally is being reset...>

<System unlocked. User can now use the system>

"Sh*t" Yang Ding coughed up blood. He was about to sink to the floor but Yang Quan caught him by the shoulder before he did.

"What happened, brother? You look pale!" Yang Quan who was worried about him checked his pulse to ensure what had happened but came to a shocking realization, "And where did your cultivation base disappeared to!"

"It..." Yang Ding coughed up another mouthful of blood. The red fluid splattered on the mural spoiling whatever was written on it. The stone serpent dyed in his sweet metallic fluid.

"It is not a treasure. It's a curse."

"Brother I will call the others" He was about to leave but Yang Ding used the last bit of his strength to stop him.

"No... stop"

"But brother..." Yang Quan looked worried; he genuinely respected his brother and believed that he needs to see a medic now.

"If the others find out about my state... the sect will be destroyed" he whispered just enough so that Yang Quan could hear him.

"My cultivation base. It has been dispersed by the curse... I am reduced to True Profound realm. I am just a weakling now... if we want to keep the sect united... we have to keep it a secret"

"Let's rest here until I recover my strength a bit" saying so Yang Ding fell asleep in his brother's arms.