Several hours later, Jin Huang found himself in Patriarch's mansion.
The hall stretched wide beneath a vaulted ceiling supported by enormous wooden pillars.
Three stern-faced elders sat to either side while attendants waited quietly along the walls.
At the center, elevated above the rest, sat an older man wearing green robes embroidered with silver clouds. The Patriarch.
Jin Huang stood before them. Alone.
This time, Sageflower was nowhere to be seen.
The Patriarch studied him calmly. "You don't look like any sect disciple I've ever seen. Which sect did you say it was, again?"
Jin Huang gave a shallow bow of the head, "Actually, I didn't say."
Nodding expectantly, the Patriarch and elders listened close for Jin Huang to state the name of his sect.
Their extensive knowledge made them quite confident that they would have heard of the sect before.
However, Jin Huang said nothing more. He just smiled absently and shifted awkwardly.
"Jin Huang?"
"Yes, Mister Patriarch?"
"What is the name of this sect?"
Jin Huang panicked, knowing that this was a dangerous question. He had hoped that the old man would just give up on it.
He had no idea what sects were called in this world, so he had to deploy some quick thinking.
"...we didn't really use names."
Several elders frowned, but for some reason, Xiao Lingxi seemed intrigued.
The Patriarch remained expressionless. "Your sect did not have a name?"
"Not one we used. We just called it The Sect." Jin Huang stated matter-of-factly.
The room became noticeably quieter. Xiao Canghai leaned forward. "And where is this nameless sect located?"
"Far away."
"How far?"
Jin Huang considered the question carefully, pretending to be deep in thought. "...very far away from here."
Xiao Canghai, slowly leaned back while another elder rubbed his forehead.
The Patriarch continued, beginning to regard Jin Huang like he was an idiot.
"What kind of magic does your sect specialize in?"
Jin Huang's mouth hung open. "All?"
The old man blinked. "All?"
"Maybe two," Jin Huang corrected.
"Two?"
"You know... body stuff."
The Fifth Elder directed a puzzled stare. "Body alteration magic?"
Jin Huang pointed immediately in the direction of that elder. "Yes. What he said."
A long, painful silence followed. Finally, one of the elders sighed. Another looked ready to end the meeting entirely.
The Patriarch's expression did not change, yet Jin Huang somehow felt that the old man was questioning every life decision that had led him to this moment.
To settle matters, the Patriarch ordered an aptitude examination.
An attendant brought forth a crystal sphere mounted upon a bronze pedestal. The crystal shimmered faintly beneath the sunlight.
"Place your hand upon it."
Jin Huang complied as everyone looked on. Nothing happened.
No glow. No color. No reaction whatsoever. The crystal might as well have been an ordinary rock.
The elders visibly relaxed. One even lost interest and began drinking tea. The result was obvious.
No talent. No magical affinity. No future as a cultivator. The questioning ended shortly afterward. As far as the clan was concerned, Jin Huang was harmless.
That evening, the audience hall stood empty. Patriarch Xiao remained alone. The crystal still rested upon its pedestal.
His gaze wandered toward it as he prepared to leave. For the briefest moment, a faint golden light flickered deep within its core.
Patriarch Xiao paused, wiping his eyes and looking at it again. The light had vanished immediately.
The crystal remained perfectly still and, after several seconds, he shook his head.
"Age must be catching up to me..." he muttered. "It was a reflection. Nothing more."
Without another thought, he left the hall.
Han Jianyu awoke two days later. Jin Huang did not attend the questioning, but rumors spread quickly through the manor.
The second outsider claimed to come from a sect as well. A sect that no longer existed, its members scattered and its disciples left to fend for themselves.
The details were vague, yet strangely consistent with the nonsense Jin Huang had previously provided.
By the end of the questioning, most of the elders accepted the explanation. More importantly, Han Jianyu underwent the same aptitude examination.
The crystal produced the same result: Nothing.
Just like that, two young men with no magical talent and no notable background, who posed no apparent threat, had been found unconscious in the mountains.
Their hasty escape from the chaos likely resulted in them overtaxing their bodies and passing out once the adrenaline dissipated.
The matter was finally settled.
The final decision came one morning. Jin Huang and Han Jianyu stood before the Patriarch once more.
"The Xiao Clan is preparing for an important event," the Patriarch said.
"Now, more than ever, the clan requires additional labor."
Several elders nodded.
"The two of you possess no meaningful talent, however, you were brought here into the Xiao Clan, and so I believe you this was all fated."
The Patriarch folded his hands. "You may remain..."
Jin Huang brightened; Han Jianyu gave a simple nod.
The Patriarch continued, "...as servants."
Jin Huang's smile remained; Han Jianyu seemed perturbed but would not show too much.
Jin Huang couldn't care less about being a servamt though. There was only one question on his mind that he deemed important.
"Do servants get fed?"
Several elders hid their faces. One pinched the bridge of her nose.
The Patriarch answered anyway. "Servants are fed, but they must prioritize their duties above all else."
Jin Huang nearly cheered.
"You will assist in the kitchens."
Jin Huang froze. "Kitchens?"
"Correct."
"Uh. Mister Patriarch, sir, what if I'm bad at cooking?"
"Then you will learn."
For the first time since arriving at the Xiao Clan, genuine fear appeared on Jin Huang's face.
___________
The servant quarters were far less impressive than the main manor. Still, they were clean and cozy. More importantly, they came with food.
Han Jianyu arrived later that afternoon; the two were assigned a small room together.
Jin Huang immediately flashed him a bright smile between moutfuls of porridge.
"Good job selling them on that bogus story, Jianyu. You're a better actor than I thought you'd be."
Han Jianyu fell upon his bed. "I have to admit it was some quick thinking on your part."
Jin Huang nodded gleefully, pausing when he noticed Han Jianyu's bowl. "You gonna eat that?"
"I don't think I will."
While reaching over for the bowl, Jin Huang cautiously said, "You sure?"
Han Jianyu nodded as his arm draped across his eyes.
"I can't eat. I have to focus. My sword will is shaken, and I can barely manifest sword intent. Mortal food is just going to get in the way."
Jin Huang listened in amazement as he poured the extra porridge into his bowl.
"Wow. Sounds rough, but I'm sure you can do it. That attack you used on those immortals was something else."
Jin Huang flashed him a cheeky grin and then started drinking the warm porridge. "You're- Mm! An amazing- Slurp! Sword cultivator."
Han Jianyu said nothing.
"How long do you think it'll take for you to get back to your peak state?
Silence.
"For me, I just think I need to eat for a few days."
Han Jianyu shifted, his eyes almost finding Jin Huang but looking away. He remained quiet as Jin Huang entertained himself.
The following days passed quickly.
Jin Huang and Han Jianyu met the other servants. Most of them were ordinary people.
One of them stood out immediately.
He was nearly twice as wide as everyone else, with a round-face and baskets of vegetables beneath both arms.
He grinned when he saw Jin Huang. "You the new guys?"
"That's right," Jin Huang gave a simple greeting.
The young man laughed, "Kitchen duty, is it?"
Jin Huang blinked. "How did you know?"
"Because I'm the head chef! I run things in the kitchens," the young man said, pounding his chest.
Jin Huang's countenance immediately brightened.
"My name's Bao Ren." The tall, fat servant patted his stomach proudly. "Most people call me Fatty Bao."
Jin Huang nodded seriously. "I'm Jin Huang. I want to be like you when I grow up."
Fatty Bao burst out laughing.
Within moments, they were friends. Han Jianyu did his best to remain stoic and focused on calming his mind, but Jin Huang strung him along.
A week later, Jin Huang received his first independent assignment: Deliver supplies to the residence of Xiao Yun.
The young master remained confined to his estate, and was not afforded a servant to prepare meals for him as part of his punishment.
Jin Huang carried a wooden crate up the stone path that led toward the residence.
The house stood near the Patriarch's mansion, separated by a tranquil garden and several ponds.
It was a beautiful place. Far too beautiful for someone being punished, Jin Huang thought.
Reaching the entrance, Jin Huang shifted the crate beneath one arm and knocked.
The door eventually opened.
A young man stood on the other side, black hair open and wild, wearing simple robes.
His tired eyes blinked at the sight of Jin Huang.
He definitely looked like someone who had spent too much time inside.
The two stared at one another. For several seconds, neither spoke.
Xiao Yun had spent the past week wondering whether the strangers he'd rescued would become another disaster, but seeing Jin Huang now, he felt a wave of relief.
At last, Jin Huang lifted the crate. "I have a fresh batch of ingredients."
Looking down at them, Jin Huang licked his lips but beat back his gluttonous urges.
Xiao Yun noticed this, and frowned for a moment before the loud sound of someone's stomach gurgling and growling was heard.
Xiao Yun blinked, then suddenly his tiredness was chased away by a mischievous smile.
"You know... if you want access to a steady supply of food fit for an elder..."
Jin Huang was immediately intrigued.
Xiao Yun grinned, "I might be able to help you out."