"I said I will withdraw from the coming of age rites this year, but I refuse to sign this," Yin San repeated, calm as still water.
The old innkeeper froze, the tension rising so thick it seemed to press on his lungs. Without a word, he scurried away, disappearing through the back door, afraid of crossfire between these two clan member.
Yin San didn't wait for Mo Wei to speak and took the initiative to strike.
"I know my uncle well," He said slowly, each words reflecting his carefree attitude, as though he was not pressed for time and continued," If I sign this agreement, then next year, even the year after that, I will not be able to participate."
"When fourth year arrive, then I no longer have the qualification to participate!"
"And by signing this agreement, I will essentially give up on my parent's inheritance. As the rule of the clan stated that only those who has undergo the coming of ages rites are qualified to inherit the deceased belonging!"
The coming of age rites is not just for given a clan's member a chance to awaken as dustborn, it is also a ceremony that elevate one's status to adulthood. The latter of which, can only happen once.
Upon going through the coming of age ceremony, they are given two year to enter the academy, where they are nurtured to be the next generation of dustborn.
And if he gave up this wealth too easily, it would arouse suspicion. Not to mention, this inheritance is useful to him. He wouldn't let go that easily.
On the other hand, if he continue to hold on to it too tightly, it would force certain people to be desperate. Although desperation make people predictable, the current him is too weak to face that predicted action!
A scheme are effective when the status of both parties are within reasonable range, otherwise, how is it different from playing house?
What he needed right now is time. And for this, he is willing to gamble on his understanding of Mo Wei character and to use that to his advantage. Which is why he stated this point.
Truthfully speaking, if they were willing to pay the appropriate price, he would be willing to sell it. To him, the goal justifies the mean.
Mo Wei grew silent his words. The suspicion in his heart slowly withdraw. He was concerned that Yin San would give up too easily, now that he stated the truth of the matter, this was more reasonable.
For a second, his view of the young man in front of him shifted slightly, there was a hint of surprised in his eyes that is skillfully concealed.
People say the young ghost of the Yin Clan has decline in intellect as he grow older… But it seems like they are wrong. Gravely wrong! But so what?
In the matter between Yin Bei and Yin San, he was a third party who hoped to fished some benefit for himself. If not for the benefit promised by Yin Bei, he wouldn't have bothered intervening, or assisting the former.
Even if Yin San was smart and scheming, to him, what did that amount to? He's a rank 7 dustborn as well as an external elder of the clan. Even at this moment, if he wanted to, he could crush this insignificant child without raising his hand.
In front of absolute power, schemes and play are just that, schemes and play! Without sufficient might, these schemes and play are as fragile as paper.
Seeing as the moment was right, Yin San took this chance to state his demands.
"500 Low-grade dust stone, and I will sign this." He said, his voice was steady and calm.
Hearing this, Mo Wei contemplate his words for moment.
"Five hundred Low-Grade dust stone…" He paused, then frowned, "Compare to the inheritance, although it is a considerable cost, it is within the range of reason! "
The price that Yin San stated made his eyes flickered with cold light, and as he look at the calm young man's face, he wave his hand.
An invisible force rise from the air and lifted the document. This document flew straight into his hand, as though it was alive.
After retrieving the document, he turn to head toward the door, leaving behind a lingering voice.
"Three day! You will get a reply in three days!"
Three days… Yin San repeated the same words in his heart. With his current circumstance, if he can sell this inheritance for five hundred low-grade dust stone, then he would sell it.
What's the use of holding onto it if he himself have no power to keep it?
He didn't want to attract this unwanted attention unless necessary. But for him to earn the necessary resource for his goal, he had to gamble that the opposing party is smart.
At the same time, he had a feeling Yin Bei would not be as amiable as Mo Wei.
When the golden tree started to breathe again, day has arrived. Even though it is day, the sky was dark and light is scarce.
During the day, Yin San squander his time doing trivial things such as strolling through the market, or eating and drinking among one of the many food stall. The villagers recognized this infamous figure.
A storm of rumors and gossip started to spread.
"This genius was once a great youth with outstanding wisdom at a young age, what a pity! He has fallen, reduced to indulging in the useless entertainment activities of painting!"
Even the parent of the children used him as an example.
"Listen, don't be like that young master. Painting, useless, in this wilderness, what is the use of art without strength to survive?"
In this land, strength was favored. This is due to the fact that survival hinges on this strength. With wild beast as well as those mysterious creatures lurking in the never-ending fog in the outside world, people cling onto this strength to combat against threats.
Yin San spend his days as though he was deaf, unaware of their opinion and insults.
When night came, he would head to the side of the mountain base not far from the village. This remote area had little people passing by.
Occasionally, you could hear obscene moans echoed nearby. Clearly, these people were without proper home as they water each other.
There was a small obscure corner he found not far from the side. Before he walked to it, he looked around him. Only then did he moved toward the corner and sat down while taking off the wine jar hanging off his waist.
Immediately, the foul stench of the dirt made his nose twitched, but he endured it and pulled out an assort number of item from his leather bag.
Animal hide, black inkstone, as well as that red inkstone among various other miscellaneous things.
On his left belt, there was a smaller pouch. He opened it to reveal a bloody fruit the size of a fingernail and picked up one to look at it closer. Under the thin crimson fog, the fruit seemed to come alive as it twitched.
"Bloodclot fruit… It's been awhile since I have to eat this…" He murmured, then put it back into the pouched before closing the opening.
Yin San quickly grind both inkstone, then picked up the rough quill and began filling his stroke on the blank animal hide.
"This is the second night already… it hasn't appeared, was the rumors wrong?" Yin San attention was scattered, his eyes was not focus on the animal hide but rather, on the surrounding.
He was waiting for something to appear.
As time passes, what he waited for didn't appear, this made him frown.
"That can't be, I also divinate the accuracy of this information, it must be here!" The more time passes, the more his heart tightened. Even with his indifferent attitude, he can't help but grow more anxious.
Yin San spent the rest of his night doing this, painting his life away until the golden tree stop breathing and the lantern were lit.
Meanwhile, the other members of the clan were training within their respective courtyard. The coming of age rites became a countdown. With each day passing, their enthusiasm as well as fervor grew in intensity.
"Brother Yin Yue, have you heard about that your brother?" One of the younger Mo family member asked as he trained in the courtyard.
His punches and kicks send wave of dust flying.
Yin Yue was a tall boy despite being only twelve, his age being a couple month younger than Yin San. They shared the same parent, but after they died beyond the mountain range, their uncle, Yin Bei adopted the two of them out of pity.
"My brother?" Yin Yue weakly repeated, the image of his brother from the past emerged.
That genius who awakened great wisdom at an early age left an imprint deep in his mind.
"Indulge in entertainment, eating and drinking?"
"That's right. I heard he withdraw from the coming of age ceremony!" Mo Yan said, there was a hint of contempt in his words.
"Nonsense!" Yin Yue exclaimed," My brother is a genius, there is no way he would give up the coming of age rites!"
His words buried a high degree of respect, but a layer deeper, there was a trace of fear. This source of this fear is his childhood.