Emperor's Reckoning

Everyone was flabbergasted. There was not enough time to digest the fact that Priscila's and Luke's father had returned from missing quite a few years, now that same powerful person was bowing against the latest generation.

Jin was holding his laughter as his eyes were in tears. The very same man that was giving him troubles more than he needed to actually bowed to the young man that called him father. He could already saw the old face tumbling down into depression.

"Your welcome," said Lyon without giving enough sincerity to the old. Some might think this was a haughty act, however, there was no such feeling from the old man's heart.

His sincere act of referring toward Lyon was not on the based that the latter would give him the formality he deserved from his status. It was pure gratitude toward the act that the latter had done for his life. He nodded with a smile.

"Father...? What happened?" asked Priscila.

He let out a heavy sigh. The man had experienced many things from his old age and only a few instances could make him let out a heavy sigh.

"I was trapped, or more likely, unliving. I know the term was quite ambiguous but it is what it is. I was still breathing my breath but it was not mine. My power was sucked out slowly while my meridians were slowly being corrupted before my soul was finally the next target. However, knowing that my soul won't be extinguished that easily and my body would be deteriorating to a state of a corpse, that thing was finding ways to find a new suitable, and powerful host."

"It was playing a long game. There were so many youths who came and go and it would disguise itself as wise. Gaining their trust, and let them spread the news of its existence. With enough fame, surely some powerful talent would then seek it out. Then it happened, the first time was a woman. It spoke about a god war's physique. One of the ultimate physiques for a cultivator."

Cecile smirked as she caught Lyon's teasing glance.

"However, she was not a fool, thank heavens that she was prideful. Despite being famed for its wise direction and pretending to be a giant tree with golden-colored leaves, the woman was acute and displeased but the latter didn't destroy it but gave it a fair impending doom to come. That there would be a man, more powerful than her, that will come to the plane."

"But, that thing didn't know how powerful that young man was," said the old man as he smiled against Lyon.

He turned around before facing Priscila, "He is my benefactor, treat him with respect. I will not tolerate anyone that disrespects or demeaned him, under my name, Noark!"

His name reverberated against the world as the elites immediately looked at him in a different light.

"Noark? That Noark?! The one that supposed to inherit all of the trees family treasure?!"

"He is alive?"

"Weren't you listening to what they are talking at all?!"

Yunesia slightly furrowed her eyebrows, "His case was quite vexing and worrisome. There was an investigation going on based on the archive when he went missing. His trace was seamless, however, it came out with nothing. Conspiracy naturally spread out but none can be proven and none would dare to say it out loud."

"Old man, I don't know about you but," Jin grinned before he put his arms around Lyon's shoulder as if they were the best buddies, "Do you know who he is?"

"Hmm?? Stop acting friendly with my benefactor you rat, not only did you take my daughter away, now you want to kiss ass too? Your shameless act seemed to only have increased along with your cultivation power."

"Kiss ass? hah! You won't be saying that after you know who is he to me," laughed Jin straight against his face with his spits trying to carve its way toward his old skin.

Noark furrowed his eyebrows before taking a glance against his daughter, "Priscila, what has gone to your hus— your shit, it seems like he is out of his mind since the last time I saw him."

(With how things are going, I thought we would have a wonderful, tear-dropping reunion, but I guess we are not going to have something like that any time with Jin here) thought Priscila toward their unexpected reunion.

Priscila let out a sigh, "Father, he is... well, your grandson-in-law."

"Huh? What did you say?" asked Noark as he furrowed his eyebrows.

"She said, he is your grandson! Looks like being missing for a while make your ruptured ears more broken than it should huh, old man," said Jin.

Perhaps in the world, only Jin was brave enough to not only talk back against Noark but also insulting him in the process. It was a wonder how did they meet for the first time back then but his famous story of starting from nothing to where he was at today still lingered and spoke about to the latest generations.

"I'm not talking to you, Jin! I'm talking to my daughter," said Noark as he darted his glance from detestable Jin toward Priscila. However, he only received an affirmative nod from her daughter as the answer.

He closed his eyes before taking a deep breath as he turned around and faced his benefactor. His eyelids rose up before seeing Jin showed a victory grin against him.

"Hm?" he furrowed his eyebrows, "then, that fine lady over there is..."

Priscila moved in before standing right beside her father, "That is my daughter, your little Cecile."

"Oh..." he made a harsh swallow.

Lyon shook his head as he knew from the contracting muscle of Norak's throat that his voice had turned hoarse. He took a step to the side as Cecile crossed her arms with her sharp auburn eyes.

She didn't say a thing nor emotion of nostalgia was present on her cold face.

"Little Cecile? You are really tall now, that must be from your mother's genes. You look so gallant yet beautiful, truly from your mother's features too. Ah, I see that gods have blessed you growing up, not a single trait of Jin did I could notice."

"Oi old man, I can make you missing permanently right now," said Jin as his killing intent erupted along with his bulging veins on the side of his forehead.

Norak disregard his remark and continued, "You were so little when I hold you, I know you would do wonder growing up, not to mention, you find the right partner for your life, ah truly a blessing. You used to cry in my arms back then. Ah, I still remember your first word back then went you are still in my arms and we looked at the ponds. It was..."

"What?! You knew her first word?! It was you?! Of all people?! Good God!" said Jin as he lamented the fact.

"Father? What was her first word, I want to know," asked Priscila.

"Suddenly I got interested in this," said Lyon as he smirked.

Cecile smirked as she shook her head.

"It was... hmm... definitely not Jin!"

"I'll kill you old man."

"It was..." he raised his eyebrows, "It was Lyon."

The family gasped as they looked Noark before the latter slightly tilted his head, "I know right, it's a really weird word to say to be the first word, it was probably a name. I doubt that you remembered it though, little Cecile."

"Oh, I remember it grandpa, in fact, I live with him right now."

"Hmm? What do you... mean...?!" he darted his glance toward his benefactor who was still gawking from his revelation.

"Lyon is... benefactor... is that your name?" asked Norak.

Lyon was still in disbelief that her first word would be his name before he regained focus as the old man asked him for affirmation.

"That is my name," answered Lyon with a nod.

"Ah, what a fateful meeting! You two are made for one another! I can vouch by my soul that you are destined for each other! Your kids would be glorious I'm sure! Not even the stars can compete with their illustrious talent then."

Noark already shouting praises here and there without acknowledging that Jin was the father-in-law of his benefactor.

"I might be your benefactor now, but from what I know, we would be enemies in the future," said Lyon with a smirk.

"Hm? Why is that?" asked Noark.

"The old bone is after his head, presumably alive and crippled so that he could teach him a lesson, after what had happened," said Jin.

"Hmm? Benefactor, you are going against the Treas family's head?" asked Noark.

"They give me no choice," said Lyon without a single hint of worry appeared on his face.

"What a coincidence, I too am planning to kill him myself," said Noark as his presence flared up.

Jin and the rest opened their eyes wide before Noark continued, "After all, he gotta pay for trapping me in that place."