Cult of the Sacred Runes

Chapter 29 – Master Yi’s Dilemma

Inhale, exhale…

Heartbeats and breathing were the only things audible in the quiet room.

The eighty-one runes were still floating in the air as time passed, nothing happened. The `runes were stationary and there was no Qi flow at all!

Not even one golden lotus had bloomed.

Drops of sweat started to appear on Ye Wei’s forehead as he was staring at the eighty-one runes and feeling helpless while swallowing his saliva.

The sound of Ye Wei’s heavy breathing remained the only audible sound in the room, five breaths…ten breaths had passed!

The runes remained the same, no signs of it turning into a stance!

“How is this possible?!” Master Yi opened his eyes wide and looked at the eight-one runes Ye Wei left floating in the air. He checked the sequence three times from start to finish.

The sequence itself contained no mistakes and it was identical to what Master Yi drew, but there were no golden lotuses, why didn’t it work?

This was too weird!

Even ordinary Warriors who had no potential to become Runemasters would be able to make one or two lotuses appear when they perform the Flaming Golden Lotus stance!

“What is going on?” Zi Yan was also shocked by the motionless set of runes in the air. What does this mean? This indicated Ye Wei’s rune consonance was non-existent. Even if he becomes a seven star Student, had enough Qi and will-force he would not be able to perform a stance! There were a few good stories of red Sentient fighters with a good ending, namely Supreme Chen Feng who became a household name. But it seems Ye Wei’s story would not end as gloriously.

“…No flaming lotuses at all… Does that mean my consonance level is zero?” There was an extremely bitter, self-deprecating smile on Ye Wei’s childish face.

Ye Wei went through a couple of possible outcomes before drawing the rune, hoping that at least one lotus would bloom, and of course he would be happy with more. But never did he think it would turn out like this… Master Yi had experimented with non-cultivators in the past and even the most ordinary townsfolk could make one lotus appear. It was less than one in a hundred thousand chance that a cultivator had zero rune consonance.

Guess Ye Wei was a rare catch!

This was so unfair!

Why give me hope if I was destined to fail! Ye Wei was heartbroken; he was screaming and crying in his mind, bottomless sorrow could be felt by looking in his eyes.

Lin Zi Yan looked at Master Yi and wanted an explanation, but he didn’t say a word. All he did was shaking his head in disappointment. He thought he had found a huge gemstone with potential, but it turned out to be a piece of broken glass.

“Ye Wei, be strong!” Lin Zi Yan sighed, she was worried for Ye Wei because of how fragile she assumed he was. She slowly walked up to him and placed her delicate hand on Ye Wei’s shoulder patting him.

“It’s not a big deal that you can’t perform a stance with your runic knowledge and soul sensitivity, you will be respected. I assume it will be easy for you to help some Runemasters with their projects!”

“Even if you can’t perform stances and you can’t train I swear on my family’s honor that I will not let anyone wrong you!” Lin Zi Yan continued trying to comfort him.

“On your family’s honor?” Master Yi looked at the tulip that was embroidered onto Zi Yan’s robe. Ye Wei didn’t understand what Zi Yan’s promise meant but Master Yi most certainly did. He knew very well how old and deeply etched into society her family was, and how they respect and honor allies. ‘Zi Yan and this boy get along that well?’

“Sigh! Such a shame!” Master Yi looked disappointedly at Ye Wei, his runic knowledge and soul sensitivity were already at the right level, if it were not for his consonance Master Yi was confident he could make Ye Wei a Runemaster in less than three years. He was getting excited just thinking about being the teacher of a sixteen year old genius!

Who would have thought Ye Wei’s rune consonance was this terrible, bad enough to make his excellent rune knowledge and soul sensitivity useless.

Ye Wei clenched his fists because the situation was not great but at least it was better than what he had before the dream. Ye Wei’s eyes showed determination, despite the disappointment he was ready to keep fighting and keep training as giving up was not an option.

“Master Yi, I would like to ask a favour… The Du family, one of the Big Three, in Green Moon City are plotting against my Ye family. They are trying to take our ancestral land where our family grave is located. If you don’t mind I would like you to help us in resolving the dispute between us!” Even if Ye Wei didn’t make it as Master Yi’s apprentice, he swallowed his pride for the sake of his family and requested Master Yi’s aid.

“It’s not that I don’t want to help, but I have had a good life staying out of others’ business, and I think my life being good is the result of not interfering these types of matters…” Master Yi frowned and answered hesitantly.

Ye Wei got the hint, he was not related to Master Yi in anyway and it would be awkward for him to get involved as in the end the Du family was a force to be reckoned with in Green Moon City. Master Yi would lose more than he would gain from helping Ye Wei.

Asking Master Yi for help as an apprentice is completely different than asking as a failed applicant who scored zero on the rune consonance test. Sometimes reality can be very far from one’s expectations!

If he stays here any longer and begs for Master Yi’s help it will just come across as being annoying!

Ye Wei couldn’t stand the silence, “Anyways, thank you Master Yi and Zi Yan for your time and this chance, sorry for disappointing you two. I will remember this favour and be forever grateful for it! Master Yi, Zi Yan, you will have to excuse me I need to go back home and deal with matters!”

Ye Wei bowed to Master Yi and Lin Zi Yan, then he dashed out of the bamboo cottage and without looking back ran towards the Ye family mansion.

“Cousin Qiu, cousin Xian, and cousin Zhong please be okay!” Ye Wei didn’t waste his time worrying about himself or being sad. It was way more important to see if he could help his family!

Mount Yu Ying was not in anyway a big mountain and Ye Wei was now a three star Student, his strength, speed, and stamina were much greater than before. He was agile and fast like a monkey, jumping from one tree to the other descending down the mountain.

“So that’s why all the people were gathering at the Ye family’s arena? It was a bit strange that General Zhou and his men were there… Dong Ho the Ling He Merchant Guild’s president was also there too now that I think about it!”

“The Ye family must be in real trouble. It’s a second class family against one of the Big Three!”

“Ye Wei you silly boy, why didn’t you just tell me your family was in trouble?” Lin Zi Yan finally realized how dire the situation was and she sighed heavily. Ye Wei was the exact type who would hide things just because he didn’t want to bother others, but he didn’t know how influential Lin Zi Yan’s family was and how effortless they could resolve the problem at hand!

“Master Yi, I have to go!” Zi Yan decided to get involved as she waved Master Yi goodbye and headed out to her runicle.

Master Yi watched as Ye Wei left the building. The determination and the stubbornness he saw in Ye Wei’s eyes really touched him. ‘A weird thirteen year old with a mind that strong… Maybe I can do something with him!’

“Oh screw it! I will break my rules this one time!” Master Yi sighed, he enjoied being a hermit but he could sense Ye Wei was something special. “Cutie! I’ll come with you! Your family isn’t with you today, if things get nasty I will have your back!”

Now Master Yi is on Ye Wei’s side, Lin Zi Yan was relieved and over the moon, as she was having a little bit of a headache thinking about how to deal with the situation on her own.

“Okay, let’s not waste any time!” Zi Yan nodded.

As they stepped foot into the runicle they noticed a flash of bright light in the cottage.

“What was that?” They thought confused.