Reborn as a Demonic Tree

Chapter 459: A Poisoned Chalice

Cassian had dreamed about this moment for a century—the grand and proud moment where he, the Silverspire Grand Elder, got to pass down his legacy to the younger generation. His father had done it for him long ago, and now he was about to do it for his son.

He had played out the scenario of how he would react and what he would say to each child should they win. Well, except for Ryker. He was only five and had been in the Iron Core Realm when he went into closed-door cultivation. While the contest had been designed around the ability to gather money, as his inheritance would be wasted on a metal cultivator unable to gather enormous funds to fuel their growth, there was no way he expected Ryker to win.

Yet, not only had he won by a wide margin, but he had also gotten into the good graces of this new Ashfallen Sect that was now the overlords of the wilderness. In a way, this little boy standing before him was his lifeline to surviving out here. While their cultivation realms and ages might differ, he hated to admit it, but in this very moment, Ryker was basically the head of the family.

So if he gave the boy his inheritance, that would forever place him as Rykerʼs benefactor, who taught him the ways of the dao. It would earn him a lifetime of trust and loyalty from Ryker, as he had held toward his father before his passing in battle.

Everything had fallen into place perfectly... until it hadnʼt.

Cassian blinked in confusion. ”Can you repeat that, Ryker?”

His seventh son stared up at him with steel-like resolve. ”The Silver Core, I want to give it to someone else.”

Cassian looked at the Silver Core in his hand. ”You... do understand what this is, right?”

Ryker nodded.

”Iʼm basically offering you my soul. All the insights into the dao and multiple stages worth of Qi are stored in here. Youʼre five and already at the Silver Core Realm. If you accept this, you might hit the Golden Core Realm before your twenties.” Cassian moved it closer to Ryker, ”Take it. Nobody deserves it more than you.”

”No,” Ryker pushed his hand away. ”Iʼm not so arrogant as to claim my progress is a result of my own efforts.”

Cassian furrowed his brows, ”Son, you are outstanding. What nonsense are you spouting?”

”Father, what cultivation stage was I six months ago?” Ryker retorted as he crossed his arms.

”Iron Core Realm?”

”What was my rate of progress while I was here in Argentum?”

Cassian thought back. Lyriana would sing Rykerʼs praises whenever they spoke, so he was well aware of the boyʼs progress. It had been quite impressive. Clearly, he was more talented than his other children, but achieving the Silver Core Realm at five years old might be a realm-wide record. He wasnʼt some heaven-fallen prodigy, so his sudden spike in progress was quite strange. The Ashfallen Sect was definitely behind his growth.

Thatʼs when Cassian realized something soul-crushing.

”Your mother sang your praises, and you are talented. But your recent rate of cultivation is too fast,” he paused, ”almost like you received someone elseʼs Silver Core already.”

Gasps went through the crowd. The room was filled with members of the Silverspire family, but they didnʼt dare speak or interrupt this inheritance ceremony, especially with the presence of the Ashfallen Sect looming over them. Even his wives were behaving well despite their children competing for the future of their branches.

Ryker shook his head, ”I wouldnʼt accept someone elseʼs Silver Core except yours, Father.”

”Then why wonʼt you accept mine?”

His son looked him dead in the eyes. ”Do you really want the answer?”

To his surprise, Cassian searched Rykerʼs eyes and could see a hint of contempt in them. ”Yes, tell it to me straight, son. I wonʼt be angry.”

Ryker took a deep breath before saying a jaw-dropping statement.

”Your Silver Core would only hold me back.”

A profound silence blanketed the room that seemed to stretch on for minutes, only to be broken by Valessia.

”Ryker, you arrogant little brother of mine,” Valessia snorted. ”Are you really going to accept this insult, Father? He is unworthy of your Silver Core and even had the audacity to ask if he could pawn it off to someone else! If he doesnʼt want it so badly, give it to me!”

”Shut up, Valessia,” Cassian said coldly, glaring at her. His eldest daughter reeled back in fear. That reaction right there was why she was undeserving of the inheritance. Ryker was unmoving and unfaltering under his intense gaze at five years old, yet his daughter was like a scared cat.

Passing down his inheritance wasnʼt only about some Qi and his dao knowledge; it was crowning the next head of the family, should he pass. Valessia lacked business knowledge and a backbone. She was not worthy of becoming the Grand Elder of the Silverspire family.

Cassian pinched the bridge of his nose and tried to organize his thoughts. He was angry, obviously. The dao knowledge contained in this Silver Core had been passed down for generations within the family. To deny it and claim it would hold him back; Ryker was looking down on the legacy of the entire bloodline.

”Ryker, explain yourself,” Cassian said in a harsher tone than he had anticipated. Yet Ryker seemed unfazed by his bad mood.

”The reason I have progressed so fast, Father, is because of the Ashfallen Sectʼs amazing resources and places to train and cultivate. I understand it sounds presumtious of me, but I think I would reach the Golden Core Realm faster and with a clearer foundation if I were to build it up myself instead of absorbing the clearly flawed dao knowledge of past Grand Elders of this family,” he paused and he seemed troubled by something, ”Thereʼs also a second reason... because my cultivation has progressed so quickly, I havenʼt had time to strengthen my ego. Today made the effects of metal Qi on my personality all too clear.”

The little boy side-eyed his big sister, Valessia, ”Zenovia deserved to be executed for what she did, but I never thought myself capable of delivering the final blow. Metal Qi has dulled my senses and steeled my resolve to a dangerous degree.”

Once again, there was an uncomfortable silence.

Cassian closed his eyes to contemplate. It was true that if a cultivator progressed too fast, they would lose their sense of self to the personality of their affinity type. Metal had one of the better personality defects, which was dulling oneʼs emotions. It helped them make logical decisions in business and be ruthless when necessary. But it could also turn them into monsters that wouldnʼt blink an eye when slaughtering their loved ones.

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There were many such cases in the Silverspire familyʼs blood-stained history.

So Ryker has noticed the leap in his cultivation affecting his personality already. Mhm, that is a legitimate concern. If he were to absorb the Silver Core now, he would have gone up over nine stages of cultivation within half a year. That would be enough to drive anyone mad.

”Fine,” Cassian opened his eyes. ”Humour me, Ryker. Who do you want to give my precious Silver Core to?”

”My attendant, Sebastian,” Ryker replied without hesitation.

An uproar occurred.

”You canʼt allow that, Cassian!” Vespera yelled over the chaos, stepping forward for the first time. ”Sebastian is nothing but a servant and didnʼt participate in the Silver Core inheritance. If Ryker doesnʼt want it, the Silver Core should go to another one of your children. While Daedrin did lean on the help of the Ghost Edge to get his business started, you canʼt deny his results far surpass anyone but Rykerʼs.”

Cassian sighed. He had really hoped Ryker was going to say his mother. He met Lyrianaʼs silver eyes, and she smiled at him through blood-stained hair. It seemed she was enjoying the chaos and possible downfall of the family her sonʼs actions were causing.

If not for the Ashfallen Sect and Diana clearly outlining the repercussions should Ryker be harmed, Iʼd beat some sense into this foolish son of mine. How could he possibly think the other wives and children would be okay with him passing off the Silver Core to his attendant of all people?

Sebastian stepped out from the crowd. He was a middle-aged Silver Core Realm Elder—one of many such cultivators from side branches who were given resources in exchange for being a personal attendant to his children.

”Young Master, what are you doing?” he said, sternly. ”Even if you donʼt want to absorb the Silver Core right now because it will dilute your ego, you could hold onto it and use the Qi stored inside during your ascension to the Golden Core Realm.” He then gestured to Lyriana, ”If you really donʼt want it, give it to your mother.”

Ryker shook his head, ”It would hold my mother back, too. Her cultivation will reach new heights once I bring her with me to the Ashfallen Sect.”

”What about me?” Sebastian tilted his head.

”Youʼve been alongside me this entire time, and your cultivation has barely improved. At this rate, I wonʼt be able to keep you at my side as an attendant or bodyguard, as Iʼll be the one looking out for you.” Ryker pointed at Sebastian, ”If you want to stay useful to me, my mother, and the Ashfallen Sect, you need to keep up. Thatʼs why you should take the Silver Core.”

Sebastian exchanged an awkward glance with Cassian. They were both equally baffled by Rykerʼs disregard for respect.

”Your reasons donʼt matter, Ryker,” Selene, his third wife, spoke up. ”He did not participate in the competition, so he is voided from having a chance to obtain it. End of story.”

Cassian slowly nodded. ”Selene is correct, Ryker. Either you accept my inheritance, or I will pass it onto another one of my children.”

”Actually, that is not correct.”

A voice from behind silenced the room. Everyone looked up as the demoness with her wings spread wide, walked down the runed staircase and stopped beside Cassian.

In her hand were a few parchments.

”Sebastian is actually co-signed on the agreement between the Ashfallen Sect and the Silverspire family. He is entitled to half of the money Ryker made from our pill-selling operations, but he simply passed all the money to Ryker. Meaning, he did participate, and even with his share, he beat the others.”

Cassian spent a few minutes looking over the documents with everyoneʼs eyes burrowing into him. It was a detailed report of the pill sales over the last six months, and they were frankly scary. While they hadnʼt yet surpassed the Silverspireʼs yearly income from spatial ring sales, their graph was vertical, seeming to shoot for the heavens, while his was in decline. After all, most of his clients in the Blood Lotus Sect seemed to have died recently.

Are the pills really that good? What does the Golden Dragon Alchemy Guild think about all this? Thereʼs no way this flood of new pills isnʼt squeezing the market.

The documents seemed legit, and he was about to validate their authenticity when something caught his eye. There was an ever-so-slight shimmer on the ink for Sebastianʼs name at the top of the document beside Rykerʼs. It had been newly added.

”Diana, be honest with me,” he said, using Qi to mask his voice, ”Did you just add Sebastianʼs name right now?”

The demoness smiled at him and said nothing.

Clever woman. Cassian thought.

Diana turned to address his wives and children, ”If I may be so presumptuous, while the Silver Core will be a substantial boost to whoever inherits it, take a look at Rykerʼs progress.” She placed a clawed hand on his head, ”Without the Silver Coreʼs help, his cultivation is about to surpass all of yours. That is due to the resources granted by the Ashfallen Sect, which you are all about to gain access to, and his own talent. Only a talentless person like Sebastian would need the help of the Silver Core to keep up.” Her eyes narrowed as she scanned the room. ”Are you all that much less talented than Ryker? Do you need help from Daddy just to have a chance of matching him?”

Her words were like poison to his childrenʼs arrogant minds. Somehow, Diana had twisted inheriting the Silver Core from a privilege to an admission of weakness.

As expected, Valessia reacted. ”Let me get this straight. We will get access to the exact same resources and privileges as Ryker now that our family is subservient to the Ashfallen Sect?”

”That is correct.” Diana smiled, ”So long as you also submit to us, your ascension will be seamless.”

Valessia took one last hard look at the Silver Core still in Cassianʼs hand before stepping back. ”Iʼm no less talented than Ryker. Perhaps inheriting the Silver Core would hold me back too.”

Cassian couldnʼt believe the narrative had shifted so drastically at a few words from Diana—even he was starting to doubt whether passing on his Qi and Dao knowledge to one of his children was a good idea. While his cultivation had jumped, it had taken decades for him to make any sense of the latent dao knowledge his father passed onto him.

Vespera pulled her son back. ”Daedrin also doesnʼt need such a thing.”

”I still want it—” Iskiel began.

Selene smacked him on the head. ”Donʼt sell yourself short, Iskiel.” Her eyes were pulsing with cosmic light. ”The threads of fate are clear—to take that Silver Core is a mistake. It is nothing but a poisoned chalice.”

Ryker held out his hand, ”Give it to me, Father.”

Cassian hesitated, ”I donʼt like how this is going,” his eyes flickered to Sebastian. ”To inherit the Silver Core also crowns the receiver as the next head of the family. Sebastian, you are from a nameless side branch. I canʼt grant you such a thing.”

Sebastian bowed, ”Grand Elder, you can bury those fears. I live to serve the Young Master. He will naturally inherit the position as he is most worthy.”

”How can I be sure?” Cassian insisted. This could be a plot by Sebastian and his branch of the family, for all he knew. Perhaps he had put words in a gullible kidʼs head, intending to steal Rykerʼs right to the Silverspire throne from under his nose.

Sebastian seemed caught off guard as he pondered a response.

Thatʼs when the shadows stretching between them began to swirl, making them both step back. Emerging from the darkness was a towering lich with black flames for eyes, and as Cassian diverted his eyes down, he was met with the eternal darkness in the lichʼs rib cage.

”Greetings, Cassian Von Silverspire.” The voice from the lich sounded distant, almost like it was being projected. Yet it contained such power and a strange sense of understanding. It was as if he wasnʼt speaking a language, but pure meaning. ”My name is Ashlock—the Patriarch of the Ashfallen Sect. Iʼm using a puppet of mine to communicate.”

Wait, the leader of the Ashfallen Sect is talking to me?!

The lich extended its hand.

Cassian was in shock, yet his body moved on its own. He shook the offered hand and immediately knew this puppet was multiple stages above him in the Nascent Soul Realm. A mere puppet had a strength that far surpassed his and would make it a leader of a noble family, or maybe even a sect.

”I understand that you are worried about Sebastian breaking the promise?” The lich turned its head and looked at Sebastian, who stiffened under the gaze. ”You have nothing to worry about, Grand Elder Silverspire.”

Cassian gulped. ”Is that right...”

”Youʼre a lucky man. My pet that can form heaven-binding contracts just awakened from a nap. Iʼll send him over to officiate Sebastianʼs promise to silence your fears. Ryker will be the next head of the family; that much you can be sure of.”

The air rippled as desolation Qi gathered overhead and began tearing through reality. The younger members of the family stumbled back in fear. All of his wives and children remained where they were, either fear or pride rooting them in place under the suppressive aura.

Only one seemed totally excited about what was happening.

”Is Kaida coming?!” Ryker said happily, and Diana nodded with a grin.

Ryker beamed, ”Itʼs a good thing that big sister Stella left already; otherwise, they would get into a fight again.”

Does this pet of the Patriarch get into fights with that Princess and survive?! Just how strong is this Kaida?

His eyes locked onto the desolation rift as if it were a gate to hell. Just what monstrous being was going to emerge? A pulse of immense spiritual pressure radiated out of the rift, followed by the head of a massive golden dragon that peered through the rift.

As its gaze locked onto him, Cassian got his answer.

Kaida was nothing short of a divine being.