Night of the Broken Gliph

Strength-wise, Kan Hang was an excellent four-chambered cultivator. But at the same time, he was the first shadow who left his emperor yet was still able to lead a good life. 

Despite this, he became the imperial guard and shadow of Princess Ming Sum, the first person in the Lam dynasty’s history that volunteered to become the princess’s shadow. He was certainly qualified to attend Mr Chor’s farewell.  

The reason behind his presence was simple. 

Kan Hang’s alias, “Imperial Guard Nightwalker”, originated from his gliphilities: *Embroidered Cloth and Nightwalker. Nightwalker was a gliphility Kan Hang created from the gliph, Divinewalker, passed down for generations in the Evergreen Palace’s Shadowforge Hall. Since gliphilities varied for every cultivator despite tattooing the same gliph, Kan Hang came up with the Nightwalker gliphility that boosted his movement speed at night in exchange for a slower speed during the day.

[TL Note: Imperials guards were also referred to as “Embroidered Cloth Guards” in ancient China.] 

Embroidered Cloth was Kan Hang’s original defensive gliphility that exerted energliph from his heart and wind chamber to create a robe of energliph. The gliphility could be used to protect himself and others, making it an exceptional defensive gliphility. Besides, this gliphility had saved him and Emperor Lam from dangerous situations and taken the lives of countless assassins too many times for him to count. 

However, Kan Hang wasn’t the only creator of this gliphility. He was inspired after discussing with Chor Huet Zhin, which made Chor Huet Zhin one of this gliphility’s creators also. 

All these reasons, be it his status or gratitude towards Emperor Lam, made Kan Hang uniquely qualified to see off Mr Chor one last time. 

Kan Hang stepped forward and stood next to Emperor Lam naturally as if it was normal. Emperor Lam didn’t say anything as his eyes landed on the Clan Leader’s Courtyard right in front of him. 

They didn’t wait long as those who wanted to come had already arrived, and those who didn’t wouldn’t appear no matter how much time passed. Just then, the old door of the Clan Leader’s Courtyard creaked open as if sensing that everyone was waiting for Mr Chor. 

A man walked out of the courtyard, his aura unrestrained. This man was one of the strongest cultivators in the world, besides the rare five-chambered gliphers and thousand-gliphic gliphists.

Black gas surrounded him. That was Ink’s Will, the skillset passed down the Chor Clan for generations. But now, one could detect the metallic smell of blood amidst the gas. At this moment, it was as if the old official waving his long sleeve went back in time, presenting a younger self—the Blood Dragon. 

Blood Dragon Chor Huet Zhin!  

Chor Huet Zhin exited the Clan Leader’s courtyard with a tight-fitting armour in his hands. 

This armour was ink black just like the Chor Clan’s symbol. One could see a black gas rising from the armour like an ink dragon baring its fangs and claws. This was the clan treasure of the Chor Clan. Even the defence-attributed gliphility, Ink’s Shield, passed down many generations was created from the gliph that was the foundation of the armour. 

It was a grade four gliph weapon, the Ink Dragon Armour, the armour that ranked seventh on the Celestial Weapon Rank. 

Holding onto the armour, Chor Huet Zhin approached Chor Chun Ping and spoke softly in his deep voice. 

“You’ll be the clan leader of the Chor Clan from today onwards.” He stared at his son with a complex look. Tears could be seen welling up in Chor Shing Chit’s weathered eyes, but he held it in. He was currently kneeling, paying his respects to the clan leader and his father for raising him. 

“Chun Ping will do his best to lead the Chor Clan in supporting the Lam dynasty!” 

“Good.” 

With that, the Ink Dragon Armour was placed in Chor Chun Ping’s hands lifted above his head. The armour emitted a buzz as if unwilling to part from its master. Gliph weapons above grade three could recognise their master. Unless their master passed away, they would only display nine per cent of their original strength when others used them. It might not have intelligence, but it had basic sentience.

Once Chor Huet Zhin left this world, Chor Chun Ping would drip his blood on the Ink Dragon Armour and officially become the new master of this armour as well as the Chor Clan’s leader. 

Chor Huet Zhin scanned many people at once; his son, daughter-in-law, grandson, clan members, subordinates, friends and the emperor. He walked towards Lam Chun and bowed.

“Greetings, Your Majesty.” 

However, Lam Chun moved to the side, not receiving his bow. “General Chor worked alongside me and protected the South for many decades. I will not accept your bow during your final moments,” Lam Chun said as he reached out his skinny hands hidden beneath his robe, giving Chor Huet Zhin a slight bow, much to the shock of those present. “This bow is from me on behalf of the South to General Chor.” 

Chor Huet Zhin said nothing with a blank expression on his face. He deserved this bow, but only a few people knew how much he had sacrificed for him to receive this bow. 

“Please rise, Your Majesty. I hope Your Majesty can help look out for my Chor Clan after I leave.” 

“I promise that the Chor Clan will never wane as long as I’m alive.” 

As the saying went, the emperor’s words were always serious. With Lam Chun’s promise, the Chor Clan could be guaranteed to prosper for another century. 

“Thank you, Your Majesty.” Chor Huet Zhin bowed slightly as he turned towards Kan Hang. 

“Look at how much the little boy has grown.” He laughed. 

“Sir Chor, please rest in peace.” Kan Hang similarly bowed in respect. 

“Of course.” Chor Huet Zhin burst into laughter. “My hands are stained with blood in this life; their ghosts will definitely come for me once I reach the yellow springs. But since I could kill them once, I can do it again.” 

With that, he then turned to Wong Pak, still with a smile on his face. “What’s up? Planning to fight me once more before I go?” 

“Why do you have so much to say? Just die silently, you old man!” Wong Pak glared at him. 

 “But you’ll be bored after my death, right?” Chor Huet Zhin winked playfully. 

“Shut up!” Wong Pak screeched like a cat that had someone step on its tail. “Don’t make me fight you again!”

Watching his enemy get mad, Chor Huet Zhin felt happier than when actually defeating him! He then looked over to Lee Sin Yee and gave her a nod, but nothing else. With his status, he would only speak to Clan Leader Lee in his last moments.

Next was Woo Wah, Clan Leader An’s wife. She stared at Chor Huet Zhin with a complicated look, only speaking after some time. “Elder Brother Chor, rest in peace”. 

“Hehe,” Chor Huet Zhin said nothing, but he understood what she meant. He was touched that Woo Wah was here; it meant a lot to him, but he couldn’t express it. 

Next was Chui Yi. The forty-year-old man might not be a cultivator, but with the resources of the Lam dynasty, he looked young and healthy. “Brother Chui, it’s now up to you to assist His Majesty in ruling the world.”