Li Yuan stood silently in the living room of the residence, his gaze fixed at the halo hovering above his head. The bright halo that followed him throughout the day, had now turned into a pitch black one.
For several long seconds, he did not move. Then, he rubbed his chin. "Man… who wants to kill me this time?" He wondered and then focused on the halo. The vision unfolded.
——
Li Yuan saw himself leaving the sect and going to the city once again. Intending to buy some Formation components and steal a few fortunes here and there. Then suddenly, he sensed killing intent.
He turned. And several paces away stood a tall figure clad in black robes. The robes concealed most of his identifying features, and a skull mask hid his face. All he could tell was the cultivator's height, and the oppressive weight of his cultivation.
Golden Core. Likely Mid-stage. Possibly higher.
Li Yuan had never faced a demonic cultivator before, but as soon as he sensed the foul, repulsive Qi coming off from the man, he knew he was facing one.
The man moved without warning.
The stone street shattered beneath him as he lunged forward, a claw-shaped Qi construct filled with dark miasma hurtling toward Li Yuan. Li Yuan reacted instantly, Shadow Cloud Steps carrying him sideways as the attack tore through the entire street where he'd been a heartbeat earlier. Carving a massive hole through the crowd as well as the multiple buildings behind.
Li Yuan's eyes widened at that. This was not the first time someone has tried to kill him but this was the first time there was so much collateral damage.
The marketplace erupted into chaos a moment later as the mortals scattered in all directions. Even the few cultivators who were around understood that this was beyond them and fled.
The demonic cultivator, for who else could he be, didn't seem to care for all the deaths he'd caused and attacked Li Yuan again. Li Yuan's sword flashed into his hand as sword intent surged along its edge, the blade meeting the incoming demonic Qi in a burst of light.
For a brief moment, he managed to hold his ground. Then, his Qi and even his Sword Intent was corroded through by the foul miasma, forcing him to retreat once again.
'Fuck. I should've bonded with the Ice armour Elder Wu Yuechan gave me.' Li Yuan cursed as he ran, trying to get back within the safety of the sect. Because as things stood, the gap between them was simply too vast for him to hold on for much longer.
The Masked cultivator took to the air and followed behind him, launching attacks every now and then that cratered entire streets and filled entire blocks of buildings with foul miasma, corroding every human being within to red sludge in an instant.
Li Yuan's heart bled at the senseless slaughter but he continued to run.
Eventually though, the demonic cultivator became used to his dodging patterns and started attacking him with greater accuracy. Wounds started to pile up and unfortunately, the Yang flame wasn't of much help against he corrosive wounds left by the foul miasma.
Finally, the wounds became too much, and before he could retreat again, the cultivator caught up to him and a claw of demonic Qi broke through his guard and punched straight through his chest.
Li Yuan looked down in disbelief at the hand buried within his body. And the masked cultivator stepped closer, his skull mask peering down at him as he spoke in a guttural, inhuman voice. "You should have stayed away from the Snow Peak."
And then everything went dark.
——
Li Yuan blinked as the vision shattered. Finding himself back inside the living room. He looked down at the chest which had been pierced through in that vision, still able to feel the phantom pain of that demonic claw corroding through his organs.
"Yeah, I really should've bonded with that Ice Armour before going out again." He exhaled slowly, and then gained an annoyed look. "But really, did I just… get killed by a simp?"
After all, why else would anyone attack him just because he joined the Snow Peak.
But having read various Xianxia novels, he knew well enough that just because a cultivator was a simp didn't make him any less of a threat. The complete opposite really. As simp usually don't tend to act logically and were thus rather unpredictable and dangerous.
He took a deep breath. "So… a Golden Core cultivator. Much stronger than anything I could face right now but nowhere near as strong as Zi Mo."
Then, without wasting another moment, he walked over to the table and retrieved a small notebook from his spatial ring. His brush moved quickly across the paper as he began recording every detail he could remember from the vision.
Height: approximately two meters.
Build: broad shoulders, muscular.
Cultivation: Likely at Mid-stage Golden Core.
Clothing: Dark robes, face concealed by a skull mask.
Character: Didn't seem to care for mass slaughter while trying to shank me.
Techniques: Corrosive demonic energy, claw-based strikes.
He continued writing until he had recorded every observation he could recall, not forgetting to draw a rough image of the assassin. Even the smallest details might become important in identifying this bastard, and then, he could set up a formation or get Zi Mo's help to deal with this guy in advance.
Just as he finished, the door behind him opened, and Zi Mo stepped inside.
"Hey, welcome home." He said with a faint smile, his earlier argument with her long forgotten in the face of another near death experience.
Zi Mo must've noticed something in his expression as well because she stopped whatever she was about to say and walked over to sit down on his lap.
She searched his face with a concerned look and asked. "What's wrong?"
"I have a simp problem." He replied, which only made Zi Mo's frown grow deeper.
"What's a simp?" She asked.
"A man who shows too much care and love toward a woman. And usually, the woman doesn't even knows his name and is likely already fucking another man." He said, shaking his head in amusement. "That's what a simp is."
Zi Mo frowned. "Did you… run into one of my admirers?"
"You have admirers?" He asked, not really shocked by this news.
"Yes. I do have a few… simps… of my own." Zi Mo said and gave him a concerned look. "Did any of them bother you?"
"I'll tell you in a moment. But before that…" He said as his gaze shifted toward the cloth wrapped item in Zi Mo's arms. "What do have there?"
"A gift." Zi Mo said and his smile twitched. He really hoped it was not another pill, or something like that.
Zi Mo noticed his expression and lightly pinched his face. "Don't make that face. My teacher had to owe the Body Peak a small favour in order to get this for you."
Her words made him sit upright in an instant. After all, whatever item could lead to a Nascent Soul realm cultivator owing someone a favour, even a small one, must be incredibly valuable.
"What is it?" He asked.
She placed the cloth wrapped item on her lap and slowly unveiled it item within. It was a red leather bound book. And just sensing the leather told him that it was made from the hide of a 3rd Grade beast.
Whatever technique this was must be incredibly valuable.
He glanced at Zi Mo questioningly, and she explained. "This is a high-tier body cultivation technique. One that's suitable for you."
Li Yuan froze.
Zi Mo folded her arms and had a complicated look on her face as she continued. "I can see that you're determined to pursue that… Threefold cultivation path of yours. I thought about it carefully after our argument this morning. And if this is truly the road you want to walk, then… I've decided that I'm going to trust you on this."
"Really?" He asked, more than aware of how unreasonable he might sound to someone who didn't know about his cheat abilities.
Zi Mo nodded and her voice softened slightly. "Yes. I've decided that I'm going to support you." She glanced at him briefly. "I'll also begin searching for a suitable soul cultivation technique."
Li Yuan stared at her. For a moment he did not speak. Then he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into an embrace.
"Thank you."
Zi Mo simply smiled and hugged him back. "Don't mention it."
Eventually they broke the hug and he glanced at the leather bound book before giving Zi Mo an awkward look.
"With that said… this book is useless for me." He said. "And I don't need you to search a soul cultivation technique for me either."
Zi Mo frowned immediately. "Why?" She asked, more in confusion than in anger.
Instead of answering, Li Yuan raised his hand. And several formation flags flew out from his Spatial ring and embedded themselves into the walls and floor. A moment later, a Formation plate landed on the ground and lit up as it connected with the flags, forming a 2nd-tier Privacy Formation around the room.
"…Yuan?" Zi Mo asked.
Li Yuan reached into his spatial ring again. And this time, he brought out two large books and placed them on a table in front of her.
"I don't need any Body or Soul cultivation technique, because I already have techniques," he said calmly as he handed them to her.
Zi Mo's eyes scanned the titles engraved upon their surfaces.
Heaven-Breaking Titan Body Scripture. And Eternal Abyss Soul Furnace Manual.
Just by reading their names, and feeling the quality of the leather used to create the books made her pupils shrink.
"These…" She said and then trailed off, looking at him for answer.
"They came from an inheritance I found a while ago," Li Yuan explained. "An inheritance that belonged to a Void Refining Realm cultivator."
Zi Mo took in a sharp breath at his words and looked at him in shock. "Truly?"
"Yes. This cultivator was apparently from a fallen empire, and had most of that empire's valuable books in his collection." He explained. "And along with these books, he gave me something else."
Then he retrieved another item from his spatial ring. A Dodecahedron shaped crystal that shone with the brightness of the night sky. As soon as he took out the core, an ancient, oppressive aura filled the space as though some primordial force had suddenly awakened.
Zi Mo inhaled sharply and looked at the Primordial core with fear and trepidation, being able to feel the terrifying energy contained within the core.
"Yuan… what is that?"
"That's a 2nd Grade Primordial Core." He said as he looked at her. "And the main reason why I'm pursuing the Threefold cultivation path. So that one day I may assimilate that core within my body."
Zi Mo stared at the core for a long moment before finally looking back at him, a complicated expression flickering in her eyes. "…You trust me enough to show me this?"
"We're about to get married. Who else would I trust if not you."
Zi Mo's expression softened immediately. "Then promise me something," she said.
"What?" He asked as he placed the Core back within his Spatial ring.
"Never show that core to anyone else." Zi Mo said sternly. And Li Yuan nodded without hesitation.
Zi Mo glanced at the two books placed on the table and then turned to study him carefully. "…Do you really think you can master both of those cultivation techniques? An inheritance left behind by a Void Refining cultivator couldn't possibly be easy to learn."
"I do. It may take a while but I'll definitely learn and master those techniques." Li Yuan replied calmly. "Just have faith in me."
She held his gaze for several seconds before finally nodding. "Alright. I believe in you."
Li Yuan then hesitated slightly, wondering if he should tell her about the vision he saw of his own death. On one hand, doing so seemed unnecessarily risky. But on the other hand, he and Zi Mo were about to get married. And as he said before, if he couldn't trust her, then who else would he trust.
"Yuan?" Zi Mo asked upon noticing the complicated look on his face.
"Just… give me a moment." He said as he thought on the matter further. A big part of him wanted to keep this secret to himself. After all, two men can keep a secret if one of them is dead. And all that.
But then he remembered how Zi Mo had gone out earlier this morning to get a top quality Foundation Establishment pill for him. And how, despite what she believed was utter madness, she still chose to support him and even went out of the way to get a Body Cultivation Technique for him.
Finally, he made his decision.
"I can see fortunes and misfortunes of people." He told her.
Zi Mo blinked. And then blinked again. Then, she raised her hand to stop him. "Speak no further." She said. "Is this about your special physique?"
"My special physique?" He asked in confusion.
"Yes. I've long suspected that you have a special physique that's similar to mine and allows you to divine the future." She said. "The fact that we had a Special Physique resonance which let me upgrade my own physique all but confirmed my speculation."
"Oh…" He said, unsure what to say to that. He didn't truly have a special physique. But from what he'd read about the various special physiques people of this world had, his cheat wasn't all that different either.
"Judging by your reaction, it's not a special physique but something else." Zi Mo said. "Maybe an item, or a Gu, an ancient bloodline, or another inheritance technique. It doesn't matter. Do not tell me anything else about it, or anyone else either. Even if you trust them with your life. We cultivators live dangerous lives. It possible that I might get captured tomorrow, and the captor might use some method to study my memories. It is best if news about your ability never leaks out. Understood?"
He nodded slowly. "Understood."
"Now, tell me. Why did you see fit to reveal your special ability to me?" She asked. And he told her about the vision of that Golden Core cultivator, the battle and his eventual death.
When he finished speaking, Zi Mo had a thoughtful look on her face. "…Good," she said.
Li Yuan blinked. "Good?"
A dangerous smile slowly spread across her face.
"If someone is planning to assassinate my fiancé, then it's better that we learn about it advance." she said calmly and the temperature in the room suddenly dropped several degrees, "Tomorrow, you'll go down to the city once again and act as bait. And once this guy appears, I'll deal with him myself. But before that…"
"Before that?" He asked, and then inhaled sharply as she started to grind her hips against his crotch.
"How about you show me that thing you do with your tongue once again." Zi Mo said mischievously and then got up before climbing atop the table where she hiked up her robes and spread her legs for him before pushing her undergarment to the side.
His lips quirked up in a smile at the delicious vision in front of him. "As my mistress commands."
—————
Li Yuan drifted through the bustling streets of Snow Peak City once again, his pace unhurried as his gaze wandered across the countless halos floating above the heads of the crowd.
For some reason, there were far more cultivators wandering around in the market recently. And while he didn't know the reason behind it, it did give him far better fortunes.
Looking at the fortune of one of the cultivator and seeing the vision finally gave him an explanation of why this was. Apparently, the sect was about to hold its yearly Sect Entrance Ceremony within a month. And for that reason, cultivators from all over had already begun to arrive.
'Interesting.' He thought as he moved on, pausing at a stall to buy a trinket that was made of a valuable metal and would sell for a few hundred spirit stones in a smithy.
But even as he purchased the item, a part of him was still alert and scanning his surroundings. He was waiting for the Golden core cultivator to attack.
'Why is that bastard taking so long?' He thought as he wandered around. Taking advantage of opportunities. And occasionally intervening to help someone with their misfortune. A warning here, a small nudge there as he quietly diverted their ill fates.
He had bonded with the Soul bound Ice Armour this morning in preparation for the upcoming battle. And even created a quickly deployed formation that would let him contain the damage. At least until Zi Mo comes over and deals with the demonic cultivator.
But as time passed, his patience slowly began to wear thin and he realised that something was wrong.
Li Yuan had moved through half the market district over the past few hours, yet the murderous presence from his vision never manifested. No hidden aura. No sudden killing intent. No nothing.
His brows gradually furrowed. 'Strange.'
Eventually, after another long stretch of wandering, he slipped into a quiet alley and with a flick of his sleeve, the Ancient Spatial Ring shimmered faintly. And from within it, Zi Mo stepped out.
"Where's the attacker?" She asked as soon as she appeared in the alley.
Li Yuan shook his head. "He did not appear."
Zi Mo frowned deeply. "Really?"
"Yeah." Li Yuan rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he glanced toward the busy street beyond the alley. "I don't understand why. Maybe he has some sort of divination method as well and sensed his own death if he attacked me."
Zi Mo shook her head. "Unlikely. Divination related abilities are incredibly rare and most of them are very vague or downright confusing. It would not surprise me if I am the only person within the sect with such abilities. Maybe he just noticed you in the market by chance and decided to take the opportunity to kill you."
Li Yuan considered the idea for a moment. "Maybe. But I somehow doubt it. I got the feeling that he came here specifically to attack me."
"I see." Zi Mo said, looking thoughtful.
"Maybe he's just very good with sensing abilities and was able to sense your presence within the spatial ring." He offered.
"Maybe." Zi Mo said, though just like him, she didn't sound entirely convinced either. "Either way, it seems the assassin won't show himself today. But that doesn't mean you're out of danger. In fact, you're still in grave danger. Even despite you having bonded with the Ice armour."
"What do you mean?" He asked.
"I cannot divine someone whose Qi I have never encountered before, so I cannot learn anything about this demonic cultivator." she explained. "But I did divine your future last night, and by doing so, I sensed great danger in your future."
"I see." He said, rubbing his chin. The fact that the demonic cultivator was still a great threat to him despite him already having bonded with the Ice armour was definitely worrying.
But then again, the Ice armour was mainly crafted with the intent of protecting him from direct attacks. Maybe the corrosive energy of the demonic cultivator was able to bypass that effect and damaged him regardless?
After all, while he could indeed fight at a level much higher than himself, at the end of the day, his cultivation was still at the Peak of Qi Condensation realm. And he already knew that his Yang Flame Restoration Technique was useless against the Corrosive Qi of the demonic cultivator.
"In any case, since the assassin won't appear, we should return." Zi Mo said as she turned in the direction of the Sect.
But Li Yuan didn't move. "Or…"
Zi Mo paused and turned to look at him. "Or?"
"Since we're already here," he said casually, "why don't we go out on a date?"
Zi Mo stared at him. Then, she tilted her head. "What's a date?"
"A date is when a boy takes a girl around. And they spend some time together, learning more about each other and just… enjoying themselves."
"Courtship." Zi Mo nodded in understanding. "There's no need for that. I've already decided that I'm going to marry you. You do not need to waste your time courting me."
"I disagree." He said as he took her hand in his own. "There's every reason in the world for me to court you. Right now, and even after we've been married."
"I've never heard of a man who courted his wife even after marrying her." Zi Mo said, though the quirk of her lips gave away the fact that she enjoyed the idea.
"Well then, what are you waiting for?" He asked as he leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her knuckles. "Would my lady do me the honour of going out on a date with me?"
Zi Mo sighed softly, and the faintest trace of amusement flickered in her eyes. "Yes. Lead the way, my lord."
Li Yuan smiled and the two of them stepped back into the lively streets together. He quickly led her through several districts, stopping occasionally at clothing stores. Before long he had purchased several elegant dresses for her.
Zi Mo herself seemed mostly indifferent to the purchases. But when she tried them on for him behind the store's privacy screen, she occasionally stepped out and struck exaggeratedly seductive poses, clearly more interested in teasing him than in the clothing itself.
It was a good thing that she was keeping her presence subdued via some secret technique, or half the market district would've fallen in love with her right then and there.
"You're enjoying this far too much." Li Yuan said as they walked hand in hand through the streets of the market district.
Zi Mo merely smirked. "That's because your reactions are entertaining."
Li Yuan rolled his eyes but didn't mind the teasing as he definitely intended to spank her ass once they return back home. That'll teach her the consequences of leaving him high and dry like that.
Later they wandered through the food district, where dozens of street vendors and restaurants filled the air with the aroma of grilled meat, sweet pastries, and steaming bowls of broth.
Li Yuan eagerly sampled several stalls, dragging Zi Mo along with him. Zi Mo, however, approached the food with far less interest. Being a golden core cultivator, she had not eaten normal food in many decades and had all but lost interest in such frivolities.
And he understood the reason for it soon enough.
"As a golden core cultivator, my senses are far sharper than yours. And that includes my sense of taste." She said. "I can taste each individual ingredient within the dish separately. I can tell that the meat was a few days old and had started to spoil when it was used in a dish. The spices and seasonings are of too low quality for me to enjoy them. And the oil has also been used too often and has been contaminated."
Li Yuan rubbed his chin. "Not being able to enjoy good food sounds like a miserable existence."
"Not really. For a true cultivator, such things are nothing but minor distractions." Zi Mo said with a shrug. Though he got the feeling that she wasn't being completely truthful with him or even herself.
He decided then and there that when he has the spare time and points, he was going to become a Spirit Chef, and increase that skill to the level where even Zi Mo could enjoy his dishes.
Eventually the two of them ended up seated inside a high end restaurant, simply drinking some high quality tea and cuddling with each other as the evening crowd outside grew thicker.
Just as they were about to leave, a sudden commotion erupted from the street outside.
Li Yuan and Zi Mo exchanged a glance before stepping outside. Because Zi Mo had concealed her aura and disguised her appearance, none of the surrounding people paid her any attention.
Their gaze quickly fell upon the source of the disturbance. And they saw two cultivators stood facing each other in the middle of the street.
One of them wore expensive robes, had an arrogant sneer on his face and was flanked by several attendants that stood beside him respectfully like obedient slaves. A young master if he'd ever seen one. The guy was also at the 3rd Stage of Qi Condensation realm. The same realm as original Li Yuan had been when he first entered the Nine Peak sect.
Standing on the other side was a rogue cultivator of a similar age, his clothing plain and worn. His aura showing him to be slightly weaker than the Young Master at 2nd Stage of Qi Condensation. Behind the rogue cultivator stood an old mortal man who looked terrified.
Both the Young Master and Rogue cultivator seemed to be roughly 13 years old. So he could only assume that they had come to the city with the intention of participating in the Nine Peak Sect's Entrance Exam.
From the snippets of conversation drifting through the crowd, the situation quickly became clear.
The old man had accidentally stumbled into the young master earlier while walking through the street. In doing so, he had dirtied the hem of the young master's robes. And for that crime… the young master wanted him dead.
But before the Young Master's attendants could beat the old man to death, the rogue cultivator stepped in and protected the old man. Which led to this situation.
Li Yuan sighed softly. "Why do all these young masters have to be so senselessly cruel?"
Zi Mo leaned closer and hummed in agreement. "Indeed. A few lashes would've sufficed as punishment."
Li Yuan whipped his head around to look at Zi Mo, shocked by her words. Zi Mo noticed his gaze and turned to look at him as well, a confused look coming across her face as she noticed his expression.
"What?" She asked. "Did I say something wrong?"
He opened his mouth to speak but then closed it and shook his head. "It's nothing." He said as he gazed back at the standoff. Though, Zi Mo's words continued to ring in his mind.
Lashing an old man for the mere crime of running into someone. And Zi Mo had said it so casually as well.
'Is this what they meant by cultural differences?' He wondered, still having a hard time believing that Zi Mo actually said those words.
'Is she the wrong one here, or am I in the wrong for expecting people to treat everyone equally as they did in my past life.' He wondered. After all, in this world, any man who so much as suggested that 'every man is equal' would be laughed out of the room, if not outright killed for the insult of comparing a cultivator to a 'lowly mortal'.
By the time he came out of his thoughts and focused on the situation once again, he noticed that rogue cultivator and the young master had already gone a few rounds with each other. And despite his higher cultivator, the rogue cultivator seemed to come out on top in the exchange and looked to be less injured.
"Typical." Zi Mo commented idly. "Most young masters don't have any experience in real life battles while such is not the case with Rogue Cultivators. Though that tends to change with age and experience."
He nodded, still not sure how to look Zi Mo in the eyes after she so casually suggested lashing out an old man. So he distracted himself with the scene in front of him. And noticed something that he had somehow missed before.
Oi… wasn't this scene almost identical to the countless situations he'd read in various Xianxia novels. Where the righteous rogue cultivator stands against the arrogant young master and emerges as the victor despite his lower cultivation.
Except, this wasn't a story. And judging by the pitch black halo above the rogue cultivator's head, he was no protagonist either.
'…Yeah,' Li Yuan thought quietly. 'This isn't going to end well.'
Sure enough, the young master soon grew impatient. And instead of fighting personally, he turned toward one of his attendants and sneered. "I tire of this farce. Bring Elder Chen."
"No need. I'm already here." A voice echoed through the street, and moments later a powerful aura descended upon the street. An Early stage Foundation Establishment cultivator stepped forward from the crowd and gazed at the rogue cultivator with pure disdain.
"For the crime of laying hands on a member of Kai family. You deserve death." The old man announced before he raised his hand and struck at the rogue cultivator.
The attack descended toward the Rogue Cultivator with the clear intent to kill him. But just as it was about to land… Li Yuan moved.
His figure blurred and he caught the fist with his palm. With a thunderous crack, the attack was cancelled. The Foundation Establishment cultivator froze in shock. While the surrounding crowd fell silent.
The elder stared at Li Yuan in disbelief. "…A Qi Condensation cultivator blocked my strike?"
Then he noticed Li Yuan's robes. Robes that denoted him not only as a member of Nine Peak Sect. But also as a Snow Peak disciple. The elder's expression instantly grew wary and he backed off, landing beside his family's young master.
Then, he slapped the back of the young master's head. "You have an Inner Sect disciple standing in front of you, brat. Why haven't you paid your respects already?"
The young master rubbed his head and gave an annoyed look to his family elder at his shamelessness before he turned toward Li Yuan. The boy adopted a respectful look that couldn't have look more fake had he tried.
"This Junior of the Kai family greets senior brother." The young master said with a bow. "Does senior bother have any instructions for this Kai Zo."
"Let this matter end here. There's no need for bloodshed." He said.
The young master looked a bit annoyed but nodded and bowed again. "As senior brother instructs."
"If there's nothing else, we'll take our leave." The elder said and gave a small bow as well before he quickly left the place with the young master, their attendants hurriedly following behind.
Finally, Li Yuan turned around and saw the young rogue cultivator looking at him with a grateful and awed expression.
"Thank you for your help, senior brother!" The young man shouted with cupped hands, bowing deeply to him while the old mortal man behind him also bowed repeatedly.
Li Yuan waved his hand casually. "It was nothing. What's your name, kid?"
"This one's name is Ao Tian."
He studied the rogue cultivator for a moment before retrieving a small jade token from his ring. "Very well, Ao Tian. If you ever run into trouble," he said, handing it over, "contact me."
After all, the young rogue cultivator had risked his life to save an old man who had nothing to do with him. And in doing so, had impressed him greatly.
The rogue cultivator accepted the token with surprise and then bowed even more fervently.
Li Yuan simply smiled faintly, then turned and left, Zi Mo quickly catching up to him as they departed from the scene.
—————
The evening crowd slowly thinned as Li Yuan and Zi Mo walked away from the marketplace. Lantern light flickered across the stone streets while the distant chatter of merchants and travellers gradually faded behind them.
For a while neither of them spoke. Zi Mo walked quietly at his side, her expression thoughtful as she glanced at him from time to time.
Eventually she broke the silence. "Why did you interfere in that matter?" She asked, her tone curious rather than critical.
"It was the right thing to do." He replied.
"Was it? That old man had been in the wrong for not watching where he walked and dirtying that cultivator's clothes." She said.
"It was just a mistake. An honest mistake. Anyone could've made such a mistake. Doesn't mean they deserve to die for it." He argued back.
Zi Mo shook her head, clearly not agreeing with him. "Leaving that matter aside. What if that young master had belonged to a truly powerful family and chose to escalate that conflict?" She asked. "Despite your current strength. You're not invincible. Far from it."
Li Yuan shrugged lightly as they continued walking. "I suppose."
"You suppose?" Zi Mo raised an eyebrow.
Li Yuan grinned and leaned slightly closer to her. "Well, I do have you backing me up, don't I, my sugar mommy?"
Zi Mo stopped walking. "…Your what?"
Li Yuan laughed. "A sugar mommy."
Zi Mo's expression was utterly blank. "I have absolutely no idea what that means."
"Well," Li Yuan explained with a grin, "A sugar mommy is a wealthy and powerful woman who spoils a younger man by protecting him, supporting him, and generally making his life easier. All in exchange for sexual favours."
Zi Mo stared at him. Then she slowly smiled a dangerous smile. "So… you're only after me for my wealth. Is that it?"
"The sex isn't bad either." he sniffed haughtily.
A soft laugh escaped her lips. "You're shameless."
"I prefer the word smart." He replied and Zi Mo shook her head with amusement and resumed walking beside him, dropping the matter from before entirely.
Before long the streets around them grew quieter as they reached the outskirts of the market district. And a familiar wooden building of the orphanage soon came into view.Li Yuan slowed slightly as they approached the courtyard. Zi Mo watching him and the orphanage curiously.
Children were still playing inside beneath the lantern light, their laughter drifting softly through the cool evening air. His gaze instinctively searched the group. And he noticed that one face was missing. The girl from yesterday. Xiao Yu. Li Yuan frowned slightly and stepped through the gate.
The old matron was sitting on a stool near the entrance, folding laundry beneath the lantern light. When she noticed him approaching, she immediately stood and bowed respectfully. "Young Lord."
Li Yuan waved the formality away. "How are things here?"
The old woman smiled faintly. "Two more children were adopted today."
Li Yuan blinked. "Oh? That's good news." Yet, even as he said the words, he noticed something strange. The matron didn't look happy. In fact, her expression carried a trace of unease.
Li Yuan frowned. "What's wrong?"
The old woman hesitated for a moment before answering. "…I just have a bad feeling."
Li Yuan's eyes narrowed slightly as a foreboding feeling filled his heart. "Why is that?"
"As I said, it's just a feeling…" The old woman said quietly. "The man who came to take in the children today claimed to be a merchant. He said that he needed assistants for his trade."
"And?" He asked.
"And… he carried himself… differently, I suppose."
"How so?"
"The man walked with too much confidence." she said. "Not like a merchant who spends his life bargaining over goods. His posture… his eyes… something felt wrong."
Li Yuan's expression darkened. He immediately activated the Spirit Residue Technique. And his Qi perception spread across the courtyard, examining every trace of energy left behind.
Several moments passed. And finally, he sighed in relief.
Nothing. No lingering spiritual residue. No demonic Qi. Not even any cultivator aura. Which meant one of two things. Either the man had been a normal mortal… or he had been extremely skilled at concealing his presence.
Just to be sure, Li Yuan turned toward Zi Mo. "Did you sense anything?"
Zi Mo closed her eyes briefly. And he felt her divine sense spread outward across the surrounding streets and buildings. After a few moments she opened them again and shook her head. "No. No cultivator has entered this place in the past week. Aside from you, that is."
Li Yuan felt a small wave of relief wash through him. This at least meant that the merchant was not a demonic cultivator. Maybe he just came up with some great success recently, which explained his confidence. Still… the unease in the matron's voice lingered in his mind.
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I might have to look into this."
Zi Mo glanced at him calmly. "You promised me something earlier today. Have you forgotten already?"
Li Yuan paused and then sighed. Ah yes, the matter of the Ten thousand Vitality Reversion Pill for Ning Renxue. Zi Mo's junior sister.
He promised to create the pill for her after dealing with the Golden Core assassin. And while they hadn't dealt with the assassin, after everything she had done to help him recently, after supporting his cultivation path and standing beside him through the assassination threat… it would feel wrong to break such a promise.
"…Fine." He said and retrieved a communication jade token from his sleeve before calling someone.
A few minutes later the rogue cultivator from earlier hurried down the street toward the orphanage gate. When he saw Li Yuan waiting there, he bowed deeply.
"Senior brother."
Li Yuan gestured casually toward the courtyard. "Ao Tian. I have a small job for you. Complete it, and I'll reward you handsomely."
And then, he begin to explain the task to the young man who listened intently. Finally, the rogue cultivator accepted the task without hesitation and quickly left to complete it.
Once the young cultivator departed, the old matron stepped forward again. Her wrinkled eyes studied Li Yuan carefully before she finally spoke up. "You are a good person, young lord."
Li Yuan scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "I wouldn't go that far." He said with a chuckle.
The old woman shook her head gently. "There's no need to be humble about accepting praise Young Lord. Truly good-hearted cultivators are as rare as phoenixes. But I know when I see one standing in front of him."
Li Yuan laughed softly feeling even more awkward now. "There are plenty of good people in the world." He deflected.
"Perhaps," she said quietly. "But but even if most of hem have good intentions, intentions do not help anyone." She gestured toward the courtyard where the children continued playing. "Only actions matter. And your actions reveal you to have a kind heart."
"Well, she's got you there." Zi Mo said with a soft chuckle. Li Yuan rubbed his neck, looking slightly embarrassed.
"…Honestly, I don't really think of myself as a good person." He said. "I'm just… trying not to forget the morals I grew up with."
The matron smiled faintly. "Then whatever those morals are, never lose them. Both for yourself, and the sake of the world."
Li Yuan didn't know how to respond to that. So he simply nodded while awkwardly rubbing the back of his head.
A moment later Zi Mo gently took his arm. "Come," she said softly. "I would like to be back home before night falls."
Li Yuan glanced once more at the children playing beneath the lantern light. Then he gave the old matron one last nod before he allowed Zi Mo to pull him away as the two of them disappeared.