Grand Elder of Cat Loi

“Let's go. We'll return to the city first.”

Cat Thanh turned and started down the mountain. Hao Nhien nodded and followed, having no intention of lingering any longer.

Forty consecutive days inside the Lightning Domain had brought his body close to saturation. His cultivation had stabilized, and the newly tempered meridian routes had gradually adapted to the pressure, but continuing to train now would bring diminishing returns. What he needed instead was a period of rest to fully absorb everything he had gained.

The group had only traveled a short distance from the Lightning Sacrifice Mountain Cave when the silver-haired elder walking behind them suddenly called out to Cat Thanh.

“Clan Leader, I'd like to ask Hao Nhien something.”

Cat Thanh stopped, glanced back at him, and nodded.

The elder stepped forward, his eyes remaining on Hao Nhien.

“How deep did you go?”

Hao Nhien thought for a moment before answering.

“I spent most of my time around forty zhang. After my body adapted further to the lightning, I tried going somewhat deeper. The farthest I reached was around fifty zhang, but I only stayed there briefly.”

The silver-haired elder drew in a quiet breath.

Several others almost simultaneously turned to look back toward the sealed cliff behind them.

“Fifty zhang?”

“Yes. The pressure below that point increased considerably. Once I determined that my body was nearing its limit, I stopped.”

Cat Thanh glanced at him, his tone somewhere between praise and reproach.

“At least you still remembered the meaning of the word limit.”

Hao Nhien laughed.

“I remembered what you told me. If I couldn't endure it, I was supposed to retreat.”

“You stayed inside for forty days, and now you're repeating my own warning back to me?”

The elders behind them burst into laughter, easing some of the tension that had lingered after Hao Nhien's extraordinarily long stay within the Lightning Domain.

The silver-haired elder was still visibly astonished. He slowly stroked his beard before saying:

“Most Cat Loi cultivators train around ten zhang. Those with decent talent can reach twenty. At thirty zhang, even most people in the tribe have to be extremely cautious. You don't possess Cat Loi blood, yet on your first true entry into the Lightning Domain, you reached fifty zhang. That is extraordinarily rare.”

Hao Nhien shook his head.

“I don't think depth was the most important part. Before I found a way to guide lightning through my meridians, going deeper only meant enduring stronger strikes. Most of what I gained came from stopping in areas where I still had enough control to study what was happening.”

The silver-haired elder's expression gradually softened.

He nodded.

Cat Thanh watched Hao Nhien for another moment, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly.

“At least the Lightning hasn't damaged your brain.”

Hao Nhien laughed and did not argue.

The group resumed their descent.

After they had traveled a little farther, Cat Thanh's voice came from ahead.

“Hao Nhien.”

“What is it?”

“I want to ask you something.”

His tone was entirely different from before, causing Hao Nhien's smile to fade as well.

Cat Thanh did not immediately continue. He walked several more steps until they reached a flat stretch of ground between two mountain walls, then stopped.

The four elders behind them halted as well.

Cat Thanh turned toward Hao Nhien.

“Have you ever thought about where Cat Loi will go in the future?”

Hao Nhien was slightly surprised, but he quickly realized this was not a casual question.

“I have. Cat Loi is already an important part of the Hoa Van Alliance. Recovering fully after the recent war will certainly take time, but if the trade routes remain stable, Hoa Van continues developing, and Cat Loi makes use of its own resources and foundation, rebuilding shouldn't be too difficult.”

Cat Thanh shook his head.

“I'm not asking about trade. I'm asking what happens if one day I'm no longer here.”

The atmosphere immediately became heavier.

One elder frowned and was about to speak, but Cat Thanh raised a hand to stop him.

“I'm still perfectly healthy. There's no need for those expressions. But the last war was enough to teach us that Cat Loi can also be pushed to the edge of destruction.”

No one could dispute that.

The city had once been forced to evacuate. Thousands of tribespeople had abandoned their homes, while the main fighting force had been dragged into a battle where one additional mistake could have resulted in the destruction of the entire city.

Had Hao Nhien and the forces of Hoa Van not arrived when they did, the final outcome might have been completely different.

Cat Thanh looked directly at Hao Nhien.

“You have saved the people of Cat Loi twice. Both times, you didn't stand far away issuing orders. You put your own life on the line and fought beside us. This time, you spent forty days in our Lightning Domain. You don't carry our bloodline, yet you found a way of approaching Lightning that even I have never attempted.”

He paused before continuing.

“I don't believe that means you've understood the true nature of Lightning, and you've never claimed that you have. But the path you've found may give Cat Loi another way to look at it. More importantly, I've seen what you do when Cat Loi is truly in danger.”

Cat Thanh glanced across the four elders before returning his gaze to Hao Nhien.

“If I die on a battlefield one day, I need to know there will still be someone capable of leading those who survive forward.”

Hao Nhien silently met his gaze.

Cat Thanh spoke slowly.

“I want you to become the Young Clan Leader of Cat Loi.”

The four elders all reacted, though surprise outweighed outright opposition.

The elder standing closest stepped forward with a frown.

“Clan Leader, the position of Young Clan Leader is directly tied to succession. No one denies Hao Nhien's contributions to Cat Loi, but the matter of succession should still be considered carefully.”

Cat Thanh turned toward him.

“Do you think I'm saying this simply because he spent forty days in the Lightning Domain?”

The elder fell silent.

“If this were only about some talent involving Lightning, I wouldn't be foolish enough to gamble the future of the entire tribe on it. All of you know what he did during the war and during our evacuation. A large part of the reason Cat Loi still has so many people alive today is because of Hao Nhien and Hoa Van.”

Cat Thanh looked back at Hao Nhien.

“I need someone capable of carrying the burden if Cat Loi ever truly loses the person it relies on.”

Hao Nhien understood what he meant, but after thinking for a while, he slowly shook his head.

“Clan Leader Cat, I can't accept that position.”

Cat Thanh frowned.

“Why?”

“I'm already the Clan Leader of the Hoa Ky Tribe, and I also carry the responsibilities of Alliance Leader of Hoa Van. There are too many things ahead that I still need to do, while the Young Clan Leader of Cat Loi must eventually become the person who truly leads the entire tribe.”

Hao Nhien glanced toward the elders.

“That person needs to understand every branch within the tribe, its inheritances, the people they will lead, and what those people need. Right now, I don't understand those things well enough. I will still be traveling for a long time, and I can't remain in Cat Loi learning how to manage the entire tribe.”

He looked back at Cat Thanh.

“If Cat Loi truly needs a successor one day, I believe it should be someone who has lived among the tribespeople, fought beside them, and earned their acceptance.”

The elders exchanged glances.

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The concern in their eyes had clearly diminished.

Cat Thanh remained silent for a long time before exhaling.

“I knew you'd say that.”

Hao Nhien laughed.

“Then why ask?”

“I still had to try.”

Hao Nhien could only shake his head.

Cat Thanh looked at him for another moment.

“If you won't accept Young Clan Leader, then there's another position. This time, don't refuse before hearing me out.”

Hao Nhien raised an eyebrow.

“What position?”

“Grand Elder.”

The four elders looked at one another.

This time, no one immediately objected.

Hao Nhien frowned.

“Clan Leader Cat—”

“Let me finish.”

Cat Thanh cut him off.

“The position of Grand Elder has remained vacant since my father fell. It is one of the highest positions within the tribe, but the Grand Elder is not the successor and does not need to manage daily affairs. Internal administration, the distribution of inheritances, and matters belonging to the individual branches of Cat Loi will still be decided by us.”

He gestured toward the elders behind him.

“You won't need to remain in Cat Loi, much less sit in the main hall every day. What I need is someone with enough standing, enough ability, and a genuine connection to Cat Loi who can step forward when the entire tribe faces catastrophe.”

Hao Nhien listened without interrupting.

Cat Thanh continued, carefully defining the boundaries.

“As Grand Elder, you may use the Lightning Sacrifice Mountain Cave and receive priority access to certain cultivation resources belonging to Cat Loi. You may participate in tribal councils concerning the Hoa Van Alliance, war, or matters affecting the survival of the entire tribe. But the position does not give you the right to force the elders to alter Cat Loi's internal affairs or interfere with our inheritance.”

Hao Nhien nodded slightly.

“In war, as long as I'm still capable of commanding, Cat Loi's forces remain under my command, while you coordinate the Alliance as Alliance Leader. Only if I'm no longer able to command, or if the council of elders agrees to transfer authority, may you temporarily take command in order to protect the tribespeople.”

Cat Thanh stepped forward and placed a hand on Hao Nhien's shoulder.

“If I truly fall one day and Cat Loi faces another catastrophe, I want you to help us preserve those who remain, preserve our inheritance, and lead away everyone who can still be saved. If there is ever an opportunity afterward, bring them home.”

His voice remained calm, but everyone present understood that this had already gone beyond a simple position.

Hao Nhien looked at the hand resting on his shoulder, then at Cat Thanh.

The man was entrusting him with an escape route for the entire tribe.

One of the elders behind them suddenly spoke.

“Clan Leader, before we decide, I want to ask Hao Nhien one question.”

Cat Thanh nodded.

“Go ahead.”

The elder looked directly at Hao Nhien.

“You are the Alliance Leader of Hoa Van and also the Clan Leader of the Hoa Ky Tribe. If you become Grand Elder of Cat Loi as well, what happens when the interests of Hoa Van and Cat Loi come into conflict? Which side will you choose?”

Cat Thanh did not stop the question.

Instead, he also looked at Hao Nhien and waited.

Hao Nhien genuinely considered it for a while before answering.

“If it's only a conflict of interests, I won't use my position as Grand Elder to force Cat Loi to yield to Hoa Van. Nor will I use my authority as Alliance Leader to make Cat Loi accept something harmful to itself.”

The elder continued:

“What if it concerns survival?”

“I'll try to preserve both.”

“And if one day you can truly save only one?”

This time, Hao Nhien remained silent much longer.

Wind passed through the mountain gap, carrying the smell of earth, stone, and lingering heat from the Lightning Sacrifice Mountain Cave.

At last, he shook his head.

“I don't know.”

The others paused slightly.

Hao Nhien looked directly at the elder.

“I could stand here and give you a pleasant answer, saying that no matter what happens, I'll save everyone. But if the day truly comes when only one side can be chosen, I can't tell you today what decision I would make.”

He paused before continuing.

“So I won't promise something I may not be able to keep. What I can promise is that before circumstances are ever pushed that far, I'll use everything I have to prevent Hoa Van and Cat Loi from reaching a situation where they are forced to choose against one another.”

The elder studied him for a long time before slowly nodding.

“I accept that answer.”

The silver-haired elder stroked his beard.

“I have no objection either.”

The remaining two nodded in turn.

Given everything Hao Nhien had already done for Cat Loi, accepting him as Grand Elder was never especially difficult for them.

What they needed to confirm was that the man before them understood the boundaries of the position and would not treat Cat Loi as something he could freely command simply because he was Alliance Leader.

Cat Thanh laughed and turned toward Hao Nhien.

“The elders agree. Now it's your turn.”

Hao Nhien looked at each of them.

He certainly did not lack titles.

Being Clan Leader of the Hoa Ky Tribe and Alliance Leader of Hoa Van already carried enough responsibility that truly idle days had become rare.

But what Cat Thanh had just asked of him was something Hao Nhien knew he would have done even without any token or title.

If Cat Loi ever truly faced catastrophe again, he would not stand aside and watch people who had fought beside him be driven to extinction.

Hao Nhien cupped his hands.

“I won't claim that I can carry the entire future of Cat Loi. But if all of you truly trust me, I will accept the position of Grand Elder. If Cat Loi faces catastrophe one day, I will do everything I can to preserve its people, preserve its inheritance, and preserve a path of retreat.”

Cat Thanh burst into laughter.

“Good! That's exactly what I wanted to hear.”

He slapped Hao Nhien heavily on the shoulder.

Hao Nhien looked at him helplessly.

“Clan Leader Cat…”

“You're still calling me Clan Leader Cat?”

Hao Nhien paused.

Cat Thanh laughed.

“You're already the Grand Elder. Just call me Cat Thanh.”

Hao Nhien looked at the man who was clearly far older than him and found himself unable to adjust immediately.

“I'll need some time to get used to that.”

“Then take your time.”

News reached Cat Loi before the group had even finished descending the mountain.

Cat Thanh did not immediately hold a grand ceremony.

Instead, he first convened a tribal council, ensuring that the elders and those responsible for the major branches clearly understood the Grand Elder's authority and responsibilities.

Everything discussed on the mountain was repeated in full, from the right to use the Lightning Sacrifice Mountain Cave and participate in councils involving war and the Hoa Van Alliance, to the restrictions concerning Cat Loi's internal administration and inheritance.

Only after all of those terms had been formally confirmed did Cat Thanh take out a gold-and-purple token.

A lightning bolt was engraved on the front.

On the back were three ancient characters:

Grand Elder.

He placed the token into Hao Nhien's hands.

“Take it.”

Hao Nhien received it with both hands.

The token was not particularly large, yet resting in his palm, it somehow felt heavier than its material should have allowed.

He looked at the words on the back for a moment before storing it in his storage ring.

Cat Thanh rose to his feet.

“Send word throughout the city. I'll announce it personally this afternoon.”

As the sun gradually tilted toward the west, a large crowd gathered in the plaza before Cat Loi's main hall.

The appointment of an outsider as Grand Elder naturally drew considerable attention, but most of the gazes directed toward Hao Nhien carried little sense of estrangement.

There were soldiers who had only just changed shifts, blacksmiths with soot still on their clothing, merchants from the market district, wounded warriors who had only recently recovered, and families who had once lived in Hoa Van during Cat Loi's evacuation.

Many had personally seen Hao Nhien on the battlefield.

Others had received food, medicine, or shelter from Hoa Van during the most difficult days.

When Cat Thanh stepped onto the stone platform, the surrounding conversations gradually faded.

Hao Nhien stood behind him.

Cat Thanh swept his gaze across the plaza.

“Today, Cat Loi gains a new Grand Elder. He does not bear the Cat surname, nor was he born within our tribe, but all of you know who he is.”

Countless eyes turned toward Hao Nhien.

“Some of you have fought beside him. Some were saved by him. Others lived in Hoa Van when we were forced to abandon our city. I don't need to repeat what has already happened.”

Cat Thanh extended a hand toward Hao Nhien.

“Quan Hao Nhien, from this day forward, is officially the Grand Elder of Cat Loi.”

The plaza fell silent for a moment.

Then a young man stepped out of the crowd.

His left arm ended at the elbow, a permanent mark left by the previous battle.

Hao Nhien recognized him as one of the warriors who had defended the city wall.

The young man placed his remaining hand against his chest and bowed.

“Greetings, Grand Elder.”

A warrior behind him followed.

“Greetings, Grand Elder!”

Then came an elderly man, several blacksmiths, other warriors, and people who had once traveled with the evacuation convoy.

The greeting spread quickly.

The gestures were not perfectly uniform, but the acceptance behind them was more genuine than any elaborate ceremony.

Hao Nhien looked over the faces below.

Many of them were people he had seen amid smoke and fire, carrying the wounded down from the walls or holding children in their arms as they abandoned their homeland.

Gratitude between them had already existed.

Today, another layer of recognition had been added.

Hao Nhien stepped forward and raised a hand until the plaza gradually quieted.

“I accepted the position of Grand Elder because too much between Cat Loi, Hoa Ky, and Hoa Van has already been built through battle and life-or-death hardship. I don't need any of you to worship me, nor do I want Cat Loi to become a place that can only survive by waiting for someone else to come and protect it.”

His gaze passed over the warriors below.

“If Cat Loi faces danger in the future, I will come. But what I hope for even more is that when that day arrives, we will stand beside one another and fight, rather than having one person stand in front while everyone else waits to be rescued.”

The plaza remained completely silent.

Hao Nhien continued:

“To achieve that, cultivation alone isn't enough. The military, trade, inheritance, and the younger generation must all advance together. Cat Loi has already experienced losing its city once. That makes it even more important to use this period of peace to become stronger than before.”

Cat Thanh was the first to applaud.

The sound quickly spread across the plaza until it became a wave.

Hao Nhien said nothing more.

He simply cupped his hands toward everyone.

That evening, Cat Loi did not hold a grand banquet.

Instead, a smaller gathering was arranged in the courtyard behind the main hall, with several wooden tables, roasted meat, strong liquor, and a modest amount of vegetables and fruit recently delivered from Hoa Van.

Those who had fought beside Hao Nhien came by one after another.

After months of war and reconstruction, the atmosphere here had rarely been so relaxed.

One warrior raised his cup.

“Grand Elder, let me toast you.”

Hao Nhien lifted his own.

“Don't call it so loudly.”

The man laughed.

“I only want to ask what exactly is down at fifty zhang in the Lightning Domain.”

“Lightning.”

The entire table fell silent for a beat.

“We know there's Lightning. What else?”

Hao Nhien answered with complete seriousness.

“Stronger Lightning.”

Everyone around the table burst into laughter.

The silver-haired elder sitting nearby shook his head as well.

“You'd learn more by going down there yourself.”

A younger man immediately pulled his neck back.

“I reached fifteen zhang and decided my life was already perfectly fulfilling.”

Laughter rose again.

After several more rounds of drinks, another young cultivator finally asked seriously:

“Grand Elder, how did you let Lightning pass through your meridians without destroying them?”

The atmosphere around the table gradually quieted.

This time, Hao Nhien thought for quite a while before answering.

“My method may not suit anyone else, so don't hear it once and copy it exactly. At first, I protected my body with spiritual power and endured the Lightning the same way most people do. Later, I realized that being able to withstand more Lightning didn't necessarily mean I understood it any better.”

The younger cultivators listened closely.

“So I tried opening a very small route and allowed only an amount of lightning my body could still control to pass through. Then I guided it back out. I didn't keep it inside my body, and I didn't turn it into my own spiritual power. All I did was give it a path.”

The silver-haired elder asked:

“And after that, you expanded the path little by little?”

Hao Nhien nodded.

“After every attempt, I had to observe how the meridians reacted before deciding what to do next. If something failed, I stopped and corrected it. It took me nearly a month to reach my current state. During the first few days, most of what I was really doing was getting struck by Lightning.”

Several quiet laughs followed, but the younger cultivators around the table clearly remembered every word.

Cat Thanh, seated nearby, finished his cup and placed it down.

“Grand Elder, don't be polite with Cat Loi from now on. If you need spirit stones, say so.”

Hao Nhien raised an eyebrow.

“Really?”

“Really. If you need people, say so as well.”

“All right.”

Cat Thanh continued:

“And if you need artifacts…”

He stopped halfway.

Everyone around the table immediately turned toward him.

Cat Thanh coughed lightly.

“Cat Loi doesn't have that many artifacts either.”

The table went silent for a beat before everyone burst into laughter.

Even Hao Nhien could not help himself.

“Then let's pretend you never said that last part.”

Cat Thanh nodded seriously.

“Agreed. I never said it.”

The laughter grew even louder.

Wine continued to be poured.

Hao Nhien lifted his cup and looked at the people seated around him.

Hoa Van was still home, the place where Tieu Lan, Quan Nha, the Hoa Ky Tribe, and all those building roads, homes, and new rules beside him were waiting.

Cat Loi was different.

He had never wanted to turn it into another Hoa Van.

But from this day onward, the bond between them had already gone beyond that of an ordinary alliance.

If Cat Loi ever faced danger again, Hao Nhien knew he would return.