Chapter 404: Fifth World: The Cloaked Man's Story

With a loud thud, Zhao Zhi's body hit the ground raising dust making the two men pause their actions. Qie Ranzhe wasn't particularly concerned about Zhao Zhi whether he had broken or ruptured something when he fell mostly because of the man's stage in cultivation.

Instead, it was the cloaked man who seemed to have an exaggerated reaction. "Why, why would you do that. You made me drop him," yelled the hysterical cloaked man, "Do you know how much he is worth?"

Qie Ranzhe's brows creased at such words thinking, 'Wasn't he the one who just threw Zhao Zhi at the wall after beating the crap out of him?"

Having sensed Qie Ranzhe's questioning gaze the cloaked man yelled, "He's mine so I can do as I please but no one else is allowed especially you."

Qie Ranzhe scoffed despite himself. He seriously began to question if he had just gotten himself involved in a lover's spat and if this is how lovers play then he would rather stay single. Feeling the mockery coming from the silent Qie Ranzhe, the cloaked man lost it.

All his life, he had lived under the shadow of Qie Ranzhe whether be it in the Qie Mansion or in the cultivation world all because he was born of a concubine. This meant where ever he went or whatever he did he was never as good as the young master of the Qie family which annoyed him to death.

At the age of fourteen that vile man, his supposed father, kicked him and his mother out of the Qie mansion on suspicion that his mother cheated with a rich merchant. Because of this incident, Master Qie disowned him claiming that he wasn't his son. "Go look for your father else where!" where Master Qie's words as kicked him in the street. 

He truly believed this plan was orchestrated by that evil woman, Madam Qie who pranced around town with a holy mother face but possessed a dark heart within.

Life wasn't easy for the pair of mother and son after that. Because they had offended the Qie family they could no longer stay in the same town. His beautiful mother had to resort to working for the brothel while he had to do small odd jobs. He would have joined a sect but it turned out he wasn't as talented.

At first, he resigned himself to his fate but soon praises rose where ever he went about the talented and especially handsome older brother of his. Their words reminded him of his inferiority constantly hammering at his sore spot where ever he went.

His heart grew darker and darker with each day his mental state stretched taut like a bowstring. This bowstring finally snapped the day Qie Ranzhe came into town with a group of disciples to eliminate walking corpses that were terrorizing a place one town over.

Even he himself didn't know what he was thinking at the time but he stepped in front of the group that was striding down the street with an air of superiority. "Dage!" was what he called out on that day but the Zhao sect disciples blocked his path drawing their menacing swords to threaten him.

Qie Ranzhe pushed his way out of the crowd and reached him with a blank expression like he didn't know him. In truth, Qie Ranzhe didn't recognize him. When his father took on a concubine he was already part of the Zhao sect so he didn't know about that drama the unfolded in the Qie Mansion.

All he knew was that the concubine his father brought had a son but his mother didn't say anything beyond that.

The next time he went home, the so-called concubine and son weren't anywhere in sight. This explained his reaction but of course, his estranged brother misunderstood thinking he had been shunned. His attitude took a 180-degree turn losing his mind.

"I am Qie Anzhie, your brother. Your bitch of a mother plotted against my mother just because of jealousy and got us kicked out of the family. As expected of the devil's spawn... you are as heartless as that bitch!" were the words he spoke that led to him being tackled by the Zhao Sect disciples and beaten in public.

Qie Ranzhe was angry hearing the woman who gave birth to him being cursed out that way but he also didn't want to bother with a stranger he had never met. "Leave it!" he had roared out at that time before walking away with a bleak expression.

The disciples obeyed and left the bleeding Qie Anzhie on the street grimacing in pain. Whenever Qie Anzhie recalled the events of that day his anger would reach unbearable heights victimizing whoever is beside him.

Seeking the comfort of his mother, he went to her brothel. Seeing the blood-covered youth, the mistress stopped him claiming she was entertaining a client.

Qie Anzhie knew too well not to disturb his mother while she was working but his state of mind was not right. He had just been disrespected by that awful woman's spawn and desperately needed to rest his head on his mother's bosom as comfort.

Disregarding the mistress' words he kicked in the door and sure enough, his mother was entertaining a guest but what caught his attention was the identity of the fat man lying on top of his mother. It was the so-called merchant they were thrown out of the Qie mansion for.

He overheard his mother say in a coquettish voice, "Darling, you promised me that you would take me in when master Qie divorces me but you abandoned me again. How can I believe your words this time?"

As though struck by lightning, Qie Anzhie stood rooted on the spot as the fat man got off his mother yelling at him. So many words were said but Qie Anzhie didn't hear any of it. He clenched his fist tightly before a burst of sinister paradoxical laughter escaped his throat. Something inside of him had snapped as he swung his fist beating that man with verve.

The man wanted to fight back but he wasn't a match for Qie Anzhie so he cursed the boy while trying to get away. Qie Anzhie wanted to pursue him but his face was suddenly stabbed with something.

His mother, his dearest mother had stabbed his cheek with a shard of glass. Qie Anzhie's face turned pale as he mumbled, "Mo-mother.... you," his reddened eyes brimming with tears.

In shock, he left the brothel not bothering to take care of his wound. Maybe it was because he had resigned to his fate walking aimlessly outside the city gates. It turned out that everything he knew was a lie. From his mother his father to his estranged brother, it was all a lie. From the very beginning, he had always been alone. But whose fault was it?

Qie Anzhie collapsed to the ground atop a hill as a peal of hysterical laughter pervaded the air. His entire body exuded lots of resentment as he knelt there laughing to no end. This is when he started hearing voices calling him forth from within the forest.