Author's Note:Hey guys, it's the author here :VWhat do you think of the story so far?
I'd love it if you could leave a comment and help me improve. It's been a long time since I read Reverend Insanity, and like any fan, I want this to stay faithful to the original work.
If you think about it—yes, the SYSTEM is very overpowered, but that's intentional, to make things feel a bit more "fluid."
By the way, what are the power stones on the platform? I have a bunch of them, but I just read, hehe.
Thanks for the support! I'm looking forward to your comments and to interacting with readers in general.Today, I can see the sky from the valleys...But very soon, I'll be seeing it from atop Mount Tai :)
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Chapter 2
The Southern Border was publicly known as a continent rich in earth path resources. A common sight was that of vast mountains covered in dense forests, where hostile beasts resided.
However, within this continent existed super clans made up of Gu Masters and Immortals. The Shang Clan, the Wu Clan, the Qiao, Ba, Xia, and Chi Clans, among other superpowers, made up the greatest righteous path force in all of the Southern Border.
Naturally, with Super Clans came smaller clans. Each clan ruled over a territory or mountain, with abundant resources at their disposal.
On a large, forest-covered mountain, there were signs of civilization — it was the Tie Clan village, one of the many superpowers of the Southern Border.
The famous Wan Cheng Mountain!
At the center of the large village stood a majestic dark brown fortress. Huge pillars, as thick as several adult elephants, supported the grand palace. Each structure was a blend of metal and wood.
In the main meeting hall, all the pillars of the Tie Clan were gathered — the elders and outer elders, whose cultivation levels ranged from rank three to four. Seated in the main chair was the current leader of the Tie Clan.
Everyone in the hall wore different expressions. As with any group of people, there were factions and internal issues — but today was a special day.
"Greetings to the clan leader!"
"Tie Yang Chi pays his respects to the clan leader!"
"Tie Chen Po has arrived and sends his greetings!"
"Tie Wu Kong greets Lord Clan Leader!"
"Incredible. After a whole year, we're all gathered again for the ceremony of the future Gu Masters."
"This new generation holds promising talents."
"Elder Ba Xiu is right — let's hope they are worthy of the Tie Clan."
The meeting hall was lively. Several important elders of the clan were present. All were rank 4 Gu Masters and leaders of their respective factions. Some remained neutral, while most of the rank 3 cultivators observed in silence.
The elders speak first — status and strength determine the order.
Seated in the main chair was the current clan leader. His skin was slightly dark, his body robust, and his posture so straight it gave the impression of a towering mountain.
It was Tie Mu Bai!
A veteran Gu Master of the clan, his face was calm and relaxed, his hair streaked with white due to age — a true veteran of the Tie Clan who had lived through many experiences.
Waiting for the right moment, his voice echoed through the room, quieting the already lively hall.
"I thank you all for attending. Tomorrow, the awakening ceremony for the young ones of our Tie Clan will be held. As one of the great representatives of the righteous path, let us leave a good impression during the ceremony."
His voice was somewhat weary, but every word carried righteousness. His final words held deep meaning.
"I agree with the clan leader. We must not harm one another over our rivalries."
One of the main elders of the clan nodded proudly.
Everyone exchanged different looks — not all were filled with virtue.
"The Lord Clan Leader is right. This generation brings forth potential future heirs, and of course, we want them to grow well under the shadow of the Tie Clan," said Tie Ba Xiu.
Everyone nodded in agreement. Tie Ba Xiu spoke at the right moment, and his words reflected only the clan's general interests. He was a current battle general of the clan.
He was tall and had a muscular build. On his square face rested a firm expression that gave off a sense of reliability. His relaxed eyebrows and long black hair gave him a noble appearance, with a faint glow of youth. Naturally, he had a genuine peak stage rank 3 cultivation level.
A brief, comforting silence followed in the hall, as everyone smiled calmly and their eyes reflected righteousness.
The next moment, sounds echoed through the hallways and finally stopped behind the main door of the clan hall.
The door opened, and everyone looked on in anticipation, their eyes fixed on the new arrival.
This person wore a light turquoise martial robe. His long black hair swayed with each step he took. His eyebrows were relaxed, his skin fair in tone. He walked upright like a spear, and his gaze carried a trace of righteousness.
From his seat, the clan leader looked at the person and was inwardly surprised. He immediately spoke:
"Tie Peng Ziu, it's good to have you join the meeting. I'm glad to hear you've emerged from your closed-door cultivation."
Everyone had confused expressions. While they had heard the name before, it was the first time seeing this person in the flesh.
Whispers immediately broke out among them.
"Is that Tie Peng Ziu?"
"Wow, this outer elder finally joins a meeting. It's about time he showed himself."
"I heard his mother was close to the previous clan leader…"
"Really? If that's true, then it seems like something's being hidden. This is all quite strange."
"Yang Chi, are you suggesting he might be the illegitimate child of the previous clan leader?" one asked, clearly irritated.
"I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare—please forgive my words, Elder Wu."
The current clan leader, Tie Mu Bai, sighed inwardly at the murmuring, but chose to remain silent after his greeting.
"Greetings, Lord Clan Leader. The years were fruitful," Tie Peng Ziu said in a mature tone. His voice echoed through the hall with righteousness.
Everyone looked at him in confusion. Closed-door cultivation was a method every Gu Master practiced in their life — to refine Gu, create killer moves, seek inspiration, or advance in cultivation stage.
At that moment, Tie Peng Ziu revealed his aura completely. The room fell into stunned silence, except for the clan leader, who let out a faint smile.
Aura of High Stage Rank 5!
"You've finally decided to reveal yourself," thought the clan leader with a hint of joy.
Rank 5 Gu Masters were supreme rulers of the mortal world, the central pillars of a clan, and only existed within great forces. Their presence was rare, yet in such a vast world, they were the powers that upheld large-scale clan forces.
Tie Peng Ziu was just one realm away from matching the current clan leader. The two were like tigers among old wolves.
"Please, take a seat," Tie Mu Bai said with a warm smile.
Tie Peng Ziu gave a small nod and joined the meeting.
Tie Peng Ziu was a rare existence within the clan. Despite bearing the 'Tie' surname, he was considered an outer elder due to the status his father held during his lifetime.
Tie Peng Ziu was a hidden prodigy within the clan. Thanks to his father's efforts, the clan had recognized him. Being one of the soul fragments of the Central Pillar, his mastery of Gu and level of accomplishment were exceptional.
But he knew that under the eyes of a super force, he could not draw too much attention. Immortals existed — beings beyond the fifth rank.
The difference between each cultivation level depended greatly on the Gu Master themselves, not on the Gu they used. It was extremely rare for someone to fight on equal footing with others above their own cultivation level.
A clear example was Tie Peng Ziu — he killed two high-stage rank 4 demonic Gu Masters while being only an early-stage rank 4 Gu Master himself.
Each mortal level had internal realms, and the difference between each realm was significant: early stage, mid stage, high stage, and peak stage.
Every Gu Master nurtured their aperture with the goal of advancing through the stages and rising within their realm. This was common knowledge among all.
...
The gentle spring breeze drifted beautifully over the sunlit Tie Clan. The ground was made of materials fused with stone, and green grass often grew along the slight edges of the streets.
It was nighttime. Parents walked happily hand in hand with their children, while some travelers from distant lands wandered around the shops.
The Tie Clan village was majestic and vast. The most striking feature at night was the light spectrum that illuminated the bustling streets — Blue, Sky Blue, Purple, Green, Orange, Red, and Yellow were the most prominent colors.
A mortal family walked peacefully over the slightly damp ground of the village, both wearing expressions of joy.
"Look, uncle! Isn't the view amazing?" the little girl asked with excitement.
It was her first time in the Tie Clan village. They had traveled a long, difficult journey to reach this place, after their former village was overrun by a beast tide.
Death shows no mercy — it doesn't matter if you're weak, strong, or beautiful. In this world, doesn't survival depend entirely on strength?
Of course it does. But intelligence is another key factor. In the legends of Ren Zu, the first human pushed through the beasts using only strength. But without intelligence, he was merely a small threat in a vast world — his power was not used in the best way.
Even so, strength was still the foundation of everything.
The older middle-aged man let out a sigh of relief. He had traveled for seven days and seven nights, sacrificing rest as a necessary cost. Not even being a Gu Master himself, how could he have survived so long in the dangerous jungles?
Countless talented Gu Masters had perished to beasts, and the clans were no different — would mere mortals even stand a chance?
In truth, this was pure luck. The man in charge of his small family felt deeply grateful to fate and fortune.
"Mo Er, please calm down. Don't cause trouble and come, stay close to me," said the older man.
His hair was slightly dark, small wrinkles lined his face, and the shape of his face was unnaturally worn for someone of middle age.
The group walked for five minutes without stopping, arriving directly at an inn. The person in charge was a lucky mortal.
"I told you to get out of here, scum!" shouted the innkeeper in a fit of rage.
On the ground lay a boy around fifteen years old, wearing plain, greenish-brown clothes.
"Please, sir, have mercy. I haven't eaten in two days,"
said the boy, bowing deeply, his forehead pressed to the ground.
"Leave now or I'll call my master! He's an important Gu Master in the Tie Clan," the old man said angrily.
Just mentioning a connection to a Gu Master from the Tie Clan was enough to strike fear into most mortals.
Clans often kept people like this as slaves — their lives were no different from pets. Only Gu Masters stood tall in this world.
Yet the young man on the ground remained firm. Once again, he pleaded, "Great sir, have mercy. Doesn't your door say you're hiring? I can work for free as long as you give me food!"
The older man deeply furrowed his brows. If he didn't accept the boy after such a public display, he would lose face, and his reputation would take a serious blow — something that would also negatively affect his master.
Why would there be a hiring sign if he never actually hired anyone?
In truth, that was exactly the case. The real reason was to attract more primeval stones. Even blood brothers would kill each other for them.
Primeval stones were not only essential for a Gu Master's cultivation, but they were also the most common currency in the Gu world. A single primeval stone could cover the basic needs of a small family for three months.
The innkeeper gave a sinister smile and said, "Alright, boy, you convinced me. In fact, I was just testing you. The Master only accepts those with firm will," he added with pride.
He was clearly lying and brushing the incident aside.
All of this was witnessed by the man carrying a small girl in his arms.
"Is this the place?" he wondered silently.
Mo Er remained quiet — her cheerful, playful demeanor had vanished. She was reminded once again of her status as a mere mortal.
"Hello, excuse me. I'm looking for Elder Tie Peng Ziu. I have an important message to deliver to him," said the man calmly after approaching.
"Who's asking?" replied the old man with a frown.
"My name is Wang Xiao Er. Tell him my name and he'll know."
"Tsk tsk…"
Upon hearing this, the old man could only grit his teeth in irritation.
"Come in and wait. When the Master passes by, I'll let him know," the man said in a calmer tone.
Wang Xiao Er nodded slightly and entered with Mo Er. In his arms, a baby was fast asleep.
The boy who had earlier been a vagabond was now cheerfully cleaning the hallways when he noticed two new arrivals. He immediately approached them.
"Hello, nice to meet you! I'm Li Han. How can I help you?" he asked in a friendly tone.
Wang Xiao Er was inwardly surprised. He quickly seemed to grasp a bit of the boy's situation just by his appearance.
His clothes had small tears, his black hair was messy, giving him a ragged look, and even his face was smudged with dirt.
"Go clean properly, no one called you," the innkeeper scolded instantly.
He truly looked like an old man — not just in attitude, but also in appearance.
Wang Xiao Er simply stood there silently, then walked up to the man.
"I'd like a room with two beds for a month. Are any available?" he asked calmly.
The man looked at him with disdain. In a Gu Master village, few mortals could afford a decent life.
"Fifteen primeval stones per week, not a singl—" The man couldn't finish his sentence.
Wang Xiao Er pulled out a pouch from inside his shirt containing exactly sixty primeval stones — enough to cover a month. Each stone was the size of a goose egg and emitted a faint glow.
"In that case, sixty primeval stones it is. Third room, second floor. Here are the keys. My name is Qing Shu," the man said with a fake smile.
Wang Xiao Er nodded and, as expected, immediately went to his new 'home'.
The room had the basics — a table with some fruit in wooden bowls, a fairly large space, a bathtub, and a toilet for basic needs. In the corner near the window were two wooden beds with a single blanket each.
"Enough to live. I must meet Elder Tie urgently," he thought with determination.
Almost as if the heavens had heard his thoughts, he looked out the window and saw a very familiar man, accompanied by a fifteen-year-old boy with a blank expression.
"Mo Er, please wait here. Uncle will be back shortly."
Mo Er was only fifteen, yet despite her age, she held a quiet wisdom.
"Alright," she replied calmly.
Wang Xiao Er hurried down the stairs. He had risked much for this moment.
But just then, he witnessed a familiar scene once more.
"Hello, nice to meet you! I'm Li Han. How can I help you?"
The fifteen-year-old boy known as Li Han greeted the new arrivals.
Clearly, his behavior was odd to everyone watching — he showed no fear or reverence toward Gu Masters and acted completely normal.
Immediately, the innkeeper rushed over and bowed, forcing his subordinate to kneel as well.
"Master Tie Peng Ziu, young master Tie Kie Jan — welcome back! I deeply apologize for the newcomer's rudeness. Please forgive him; he's new," he said with nervousness in his voice.
Tie Peng Ziu glanced sideways at his attendants and spoke kindly.
"Don't worry, Qing Shu. I trust your judgment. Treat the boy well. It's a small matter," he said, dismissing the issue with a wave of his hand.
"The elder is truly benevolent. Thank you for your compassion," said the man, then nudged the boy sharply with his elbow.
"Apologize. What are you waiting for?"
The boy seemed nervous under the pressure he felt.
"I thank the lord for his kindness. I won't let you down," he said.
Tie Peng Ziu nodded in acknowledgment. He stared intently and his suspicion was confirmed. He glanced sideways at his quiet, expressionless 'son', and the two exchanged a knowing look as they spoke mentally.
"Do you think he might be a demon from another world?"
"I'm not sure. But his behavior isn't that of a normal mortal human. He even acts differently. Maybe he has amnesia or something… But the possibility is high."
"Your judgment is sound. If we ever leave this place, we should take him with us. The more otherworldly demons we have with us, the stronger the variable will be — and fate won't be so fixed."
Outside, only a second had passed while they were speaking. In fact, the benefits of the system were very good and defied any logic.
"Master, please forgive this subordinate for speaking out of turn," Qing Shu said after several seconds of consideration.
"Go ahead, speak."
"A few minutes ago, a mortal came by asking for you. He says his name is Wang Xiao Er," the man said calmly, looking down at the floor, unable to meet his master's eyes.
Wang Xiao Er… a single thought passed through both father and son.
Wang Xiao Er — that name was actually recorded in the novel. As a mortal, he possessed the legendary immortal Gu, Yo Gu (Self), which was named in the Legends of Ren Zu.
At that moment, a man hurried down the stairs. Tie Peng Ziu acted surprised, pretending not to know there was someone else. Before entering, he had already used his investigative methods but didn't know the identities of the others.
"Elder Tie Peng Ziu, I have been looking for you. This humble subordinate pays his respects," he said, bowing and then raising his fists toward the person beside him.
"Greetings, Young Master. It is an honor to meet you," he said with a warm, excited smile.
"Not a shred of fear. Peng Ziu, who is he?"Tie Kie Jan asked.
"In the past, our destinies once crossed. I was on the brink of death fighting a Boar King on a mission. Luckily, he saved me. I made a promise then", Tie Peng Ziu transmitted mentally in secret.
"What promise?"
"To help his daughter become a Gu Master. When my life was hanging by a thread, he did not attack me but helped me kindly. I have always kept my word — when shown kindness, repay it greatly. To think that now I would have this responsibility…"
You have the means to fulfill it, right? If other clan members hear, your reputation will be suppressed. It would be bad if you want to ascend to Immortal. There's even a chance your prestige will fall if you favor a mortal.
Do you think I didn't know? I foresaw this and made a plan long ago. I have some special and rare Gu's I've gathered… act normal, he said calmly in his mind.
This was always normal. Tie Peng Ziu had never lied to his core group. However, both had countless experiences making it almost impossible to precisely recount every event or share information openly. Under a superpower like the Tie clan, they couldn't openly expose information through Gu's.
Tie Peng Ziu clearly knew he resided in the Southern Border, where the main system was that of a clan; after all, this was not the Central Continent, where people could be openly recruited outside of the bloodline.
"Is it your matter? Can you handle it alone or do you need my guidance?" Tie Kie Jan asked internally.
"Tell me, would you like to have a Gu Master subordinate?" he asked jokingly.
Tie Kie Jan looked at his 'father' with a slight look of disbelief; he was directly playing with fire by bringing that up.
"Troublesome, so troublesome," he thought and transmitted secretly.
Outside, only a few seconds of silence had passed. Wang Xiao Er wore a strange expression, like a stranger; inside a clan, the chance of dying by offending a Gu Master was high.
"Qing Shu, go and show the way to Kie Jan, take him to my chamber."
Qing Shu heard his master's order and immediately spoke in a respectful tone:
"This way, Young Master, please follow me."
Qing Shu was the steward and the most trusted person in Tie Peng Ziu's eyes; naturally, he trusted him and knew how to use him best.
Tie Peng Ziu walked to the kitchen, followed by Wang Xiao Er in an awkward silence.
Wang Xiao Er was quite anxious, wondering if his words and actions had gone too far; the possibility of offending a Gu Master always existed.
"Wang Xiao Er, you have traveled from so far, what brings you to these distant lands?" Tie Peng Ziu asked, staring intently at the man.
The pressure in the air intensified; Wang Xiao Er's mind was chaotic, and his fingers moved irregularly. He lowered his gaze and spoke nervously:
"Mayor Tie Peng Ziu, the Shi clan village was besieged by a tide of beasts. It was strange at first. When I decided to leave the village, we all hoped to receive reinforcements from a nearby clan."
"But…" He paused; tears fell from his eyes, and with uncontrollable anger he said:
"We lost everything! ...Those damned scoundrels from the Demonic Path, several Gu Masters died fighting them in the dangerous forests."
"Young Master Shi Lei sacrificed his life to buy time for other Gu Masters… unfortunately, many died in the forests from beast attacks and wild Gu's; moreover, our last Gu Master died on the way from poison."
"We were lucky, heaven helped us!" he finished gratefully, with tears running down his face and an emotional expression.
Tie Peng Ziu listened carefully to every word; it sounded like an incredible story, but some things did not add up in his mind. Only mortals survived, and no Gu Masters remained alive in that expedition.
In his mind, there were many gaps in the story. Could a mortal afford the entry price to the Tie Clan? How did he get those primitive stones?
"I'll have to do it myself, believing words and facts are different things," he thought with great caution.
This was his instinct and caution acquired through countless years of experience; he knew human hearts and how greedy they could become.
"Wang Xiao Er... I believe your story, but..."
Wang Xiao Er looked at the Gu Master in front of him; his instinct screamed at him to back away. Tie Peng Ziu expelled a dark blue mist from his mouth that enveloped Wang Xiao Er's body.
"Major! What are you doing?!" His scream of shock and surprise stopped in less than a breath.
Plop
His body fell heavily to the ground, his eyes rolled back, and foam came out of his mouth. He had lost consciousness due to a direct attack on his soul.
Inside Tie Peng Ziu's Primal Sea, a demonic-looking, grayish Gu glowed brightly. This Gu emerged from an opening and flew into his hand, instantly becoming a grayish circular tattoo.
Soul-Seeking Gu
The Path of the Soul was one of many paths in the Gu world; its origin dated back a hundred thousand years and was created by a historic figure, the Venerable Demon of the Spectral Soul (Ming You). He was one of the Venerables with a murderous intent and intense thirst for blood. When he was invincible in the world, he returned to the Five Continents as his personal killing field.
Once he imprinted his essence onto the Gu, he firmly grasped a translucent blue lump. The soul has no form and is impossible to physically hold unless a special Gu is used.
"You shameless demon road! You proudly call yourself a member of the righteous path and use such vile methods."
"This is how you repay your benefactor, scoundrel!"
An endless stream of curses came from the soul. Tie Peng Ziu had an indifferent expression at such words. So what if it's true? Any method within reach must be used. These doubts had long been settled in his mind. Right or demonic, he did not care about labels.
At once, several memories of Wang Xiao Er passed through his mind. There was no obstacle during the entire process; Tie Peng Ziu was a powerful Gu Master with a strong will. The soul defenses of Wang Xiao Er were no more than a fragile paper about to tear.
"I see." He said simply with an indifferent face.
...…..
In the study room, Tie Kie Jan was staring at a huge painting. The frame was brown and made of wood; the painting was obviously of the highest quality. In the two portrayed figures, the older man wore a simple smile while the young man had an expressionless face.
"Young Master, the Master perhaps wanted to show you this," Qing Shu spoke calmly.
"You may leave, I want to be alone."
Without saying a word, Qing Shu immediately left the room.
"Tomorrow will be a new day, a meaningful day for my new life. Today the weather was beautiful, the winds drag the threads of fate, and I feel proud... even with my expressionless face."
Standing there, Tie Kie Jan gazed at his own image with a lost look, while a trace of nostalgia slowly rose from the depths of his soul.
POV Tie Kie Jan
I wondered when the moment would come, when I could feel alive again. A cold wind froze my feelings, and my mind ignored all useless thoughts.
"Tomorrow is my birthday. Sometimes I miss my home and pity the Thief Heaven for those thoughts it had, but I have lived without regrets and fulfilled my goals in silence."
"Perhaps the history I know and can know has already changed, but I am not lacking the courage to follow my goals. Fang Yuan never lacked it, and if I want to walk his same path in his same time, it will be exciting... truly exciting." I thought calmly, with a trace of emotion.
I had never had a boring life. Looking back, time seemed to fly. I had overcome countless dangers. Instantly, a single thought passed through my mind.
"Live... I want to live more now and with desire. I want to leave my name in history. What if I have to face an Immortal Venerable or a Demonic Venerable? I have never been afraid in front of death because my goal is immortal in this world."