The morning light filtered through the paper windows of the chamber, casting long, golden rectangles across the floor. Xiao Yan opened his eyes, feeling a lingering heaviness in his mind from the previous day's soul link. However, the sight that greeted him quickly cleared the fog of sleep.
The small Faded Star-Fox was no longer a shivering ball of matted fur. It was darting across the room, its movements light and surprisingly fluid. It leaped from the meditation cushion to a low wooden stool, then pounced on a stray piece of silk as if it were a mortal enemy.
Xiao Yan sat up, watching the creature with a faint smile. The basic cleansing pill had worked better than expected. The fox's coat still looked dull, but the desperate, wheezing sound in its chest had vanished. Sensing his movement, the fox stopped its play and trotted over to the bed. It let out a tiny, high-pitched chirp.
"Feeling better, are we?" Xiao Yan reached out and scooped the creature into his lap.
He couldn't help himself. He reached out and gently squeezed its small, fuzzy cheeks. It was incredibly soft, and the fox leaned into his touch, its tail wagging tentatively.
"So cute!" he murmured.
He placed the fox on his shoulder. It dug its tiny claws into his robe for balance, settling in like a permanent fixture. Xiao Yan stood up and stretched, feeling the slight pull in his muscles.
As he stepped out of his courtyard, the true scale of the Xiao Clan's territory became apparent. The estate wasn't just a collection of buildings; it was a small city. Tiered gardens were built into the mountain slopes, and the sound of distant waterfalls echoed through the air. Cultivators in various colored robes hurried along the stone paths, their faces set in expressions of focused discipline.
Xiao Yan began walking toward the central district, his mind occupied with how to sneak into the herb garden. He had been so used to the idea of being an outcast that he was still thinking like a thief.
As he turned a corner near the main pavilion, he spotted two young men blocked his path. They weren't wearing the azure robes of the Xiao Clan. Instead, they wore stark white robes embroidered with golden clouds—the signature attire of the Heavenly Sect.
The Heavenly Sect was a neighboring power, technically an ally of the Xiao Clan, but the relationship was strained at best. These two disciples were currently leaning against a stone railing, speaking loudly and laughing with a forced, arrogant edge.
"I expected more from the Xiao Clan's main estate," one of them said, loud enough for Xiao Yan to hear. "The Qi here is thin, and the disciples we've seen are barely worth mentioning. It's a wonder they still hold this mountain."
Xiao Yan felt a prickle of annoyance. He wasn't particularly loyal to the clan yet, but listening to guests insult the home they were currently staying in was grating. He slowed his pace as he approached them.
"Do you two need help finding somewhere to go?" Xiao Yan asked, his tone dripping with a dry, sarcastic edge. "You seem lost. The exit is back that way, in case the thin air is making your memories fail."
The two disciples froze. They turned to look at him, their eyes scanning his white hair and the small animal on his shoulder. The one who had been speaking, a tall youth with a narrow face, scowled.
"Disrespectful brat," the youth spat. "We are guests of the Sect Master. Do you have any idea who you're speaking to?"
"I'm speaking to two people who seem to have forgotten their manners," Xiao Yan replied calmly.
The narrow-faced disciple stepped forward, his hand dropping to the hilt of the sword at his waist. "Move aside. A waste like you has no right to address us."
Xiao Yan stood his ground, a small, cold smile playing on his lips. "I was offering my help. It's a shame you're too dense to take it."
The disciple's face flushed a deep red. "You're asking for death!"
In one fluid motion, he drew his sword. The steel hissed as it left the scabbard, the blade gleaming in the sunlight. But before the sword could even clear his waist, Xiao Yan moved.
It wasn't a complex martial art. It was a surge of raw, focused reflex. Because of his high Intelligence and Soul Force, Xiao Yan's perception of time seemed to slow down the moment the threat appeared. He saw the path of the blade, the tension in the disciple's shoulder, and the opening in his stance.
Snap.
The sound of the slap echoed through the courtyard. It was so fast that the second disciple didn't even see Xiao Yan's hand move. his head was snapped to the side, and he was stumbling back, a bright red handprint forming on his cheek.
"Wh-what?" the disciple stammered, dropping his sword. It clattered onto the stone tiles. He gripped his face, his eyes wide with shock and humiliation.
"The next time you pull steel on a member of this clan," Xiao Yan said, his voice dropping to a dangerous low, "make sure you're fast enough to actually use it."
A shadow suddenly detached itself from a nearby pillar. A man dressed in heavy, dark grey armor stepped into the light. This was one of the Xiao Clan's private guards, assigned to watch over the higher-ranking members of the family. He didn't say a word, but the oppressive pressure of a high-level Body Refining expert radiated from him.
"Young Master," the guard said, bowing slightly to Xiao Yan.
Xiao Yan looked at the two Heavenly Sect disciples. "If you really want to make my family destroy the Heavenly Sect over a bruised ego, please, keep talking. My father is always looking for a reason to expand our borders."
The narrow-faced disciple looked at the guard, then back at Xiao Yan. The arrogance was gone, replaced by a flickering, hateful fear. He picked up his sword, his hands trembling.
"You'll regret humiliating me in public," he hissed. He turned and practically ran in the opposite direction, his companion following closely behind.
Xiao Yan watched them leave, his heart still thumping from the adrenaline. He turned back toward his room, a realization finally hitting him.
'Wait a minute,' he thought, rubbing his temples. 'I'm the son of the Sect Master. I'm not some servant. Why am I trying to sneak into the garden like a criminal? I can just walk in there and take whatever I want.'
He gave a soft, inward laugh at his own lingering Earth-mindset. He had been treating this like a stealth game when he held the master key. However, the confrontation had left him feeling dusty and weary. The scent of the stables was still clinging to his robes.
"First, a bath," he decided.
He entered his courtyard and called out, "Su Yin!"
A moment later, a young girl hurried out from the side building. She was short, barely reaching his shoulder, with long, ink-black hair tied back in a neat braid. She was undeniably pretty, with large, expressive eyes that currently held a hint of trepidation.
Because of the system that had plagued the previous Xiao Yan, he had never been able to see people's faces clearly. He had developed a habit of looking at people's feet or legs to identify them by their gait and footwear. He found himself glancing down at her small, embroidered shoes before catching himself and looking up.
Su Yin looked at the white-haired fox on his shoulder, her eyes widening. She had never seen him with a pet before, especially not one that looked so... strange.
"Young Master," she said, her voice stuttering slightly. "You called?"
"Prepare a bath for me," Xiao Yan said, keeping his voice firm and demanding as per his role. "Make sure the water is hot. Use the sandalwood oils."
"Yes! Right away, Young Master," she replied, bowing quickly and scurrying off toward the bathhouse.
Five minutes later, Xiao Yan walked into the spacious bathroom. The air was thick with fragrant steam. A large, circular tub made of dark cedar was filled to the brim with steaming water. He stripped off his soiled robes, feeling the cool air on his skin for a moment before stepping into the tub.
The heat was an instant relief. It soaked into his muscles, easing the tension of the morning's encounter. He let out a long, satisfied sigh, leaning his head back against the rim of the tub. He reached out and grabbed the fox, which was sniffing the edge of the water suspiciously.
"You're getting a bath too," he said, pulling the small creature into the water with him.
The fox let out a surprised yelp but didn't struggle much. It paddled around his chest, its fur fluffing out in the water like a cloud. Xiao Yan closed his eyes, enjoying the silence and the sensation of the heat.
A sudden, loud shout erupted from outside the bathroom door. Before Xiao Yan could even reach for a towel, the heavy wooden doors were slammed open, hitting the stone walls with a deafening bang.