“Lu Qui… are you alright?” Lu Yan asks softly.
His senior sister sits on the edge of the bed, her eyes red and swollen. The morning light filters through the paper window, illuminating the faint tremble in her hands.
“Uuu… I am alright, brother,” she replies in a choked voice. “ Are there any problems within you?”
Lu Yan smiles gently. “I’m fine for now. I feel… refreshed.”
It is not a lie.
Something inside him has changed. The weakness that once embedded within his body feels quieter. His mind is clearer. His thoughts sharper.
“Brother… what is happening? Why do we have so much bad luck?” Lu Qui whispers.
Lu Yan looks out the window at the distant hills. “Nobody knows, sister. But whatever it is… we will overcome it.”
He stands.
“Come. Let’s have breakfast.”
After eating, Lu Qui returns to her room to rest. She is exhausted—emotionally and physically. Lu Yan watches her leave, and the warmth in his eyes slowly fades into calculation.
He steps into the courtyard.
“Fourth Uncle,” he calls calmly. “May I speak with you?”
Yan Baisu bows slightly. “Yes, Young Master.”
“Is it possible to arrange a meeting with Third Uncle? I would like to speak with him privately.”
Yan Baisu studies the boy’s expression. There is something different today.
“Yes, Young Master. I will arrange it within the hour.”
An hour later.
The main hall is quiet. A single oil lamp flickers.
Yan Baisian enters, robes swaying. He looks tired, but sharp.
“Young Master,” he greets.
“Third Uncle.” Lu Yan inclines his head.
They sit.
The silence stretches.
“Uncle,” Lu Yan begins evenly, “do you have a problem with me? If so, can we resolve it?”
Yan Baisian’s expression stiffens. “What do you mean, Young Master?”
Lu Yan’s eyes are calm…. too calm.
“What profit will you gain if I am killed?”
The temperature in the room seems to drop.
“Are you suggesting I wish to kill you?” Yan Baisian’s brows furrow, but there is tension in his shoulders.
Lu Yan does not blink.
“I only wish to know the price of your loyalty.”
The words are soft…but heavy.
Yan Baisian exhales slowly. The act is unnecessary for a cultivator of his realm, yet the pressure in the room demands it.
“That is a difficult question,” he finally says. “I wish to ascend. I wish to reach a higher realm. I am tired of stagnation.”
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Lu Yan nods once.
“I can help you.”
Silence.
“But I require absolute loyalty. The past becomes the past. No grudges. No hidden knives. If you agree…. you will gain many opportunities. If not…” Lu Yan shrugs slightly. “It is your loss.”
Yan Baisian’s eyes sharpen.
“Young Master, you are exiled. How will you achieve such things?”
Lu Yan leans forward slightly.
“Power speaks for itself. I carry the blood of both Lu Mansion and Yan Mansion. My body may be damaged… but I have found a method to restore it.”
Yan Baisian’s breath catches.
“You understand what that means, don’t you?”
If Lu Yan’s foundation recovers, his talent… already terrifying in childhood…. would become monstrous.
“If that happens…” Yan Baisian lowers his head. “My loyalty is yours.”
Lu Yan smiles faintly.
Hook secured.
Night falls.
Four figures gather around a low wooden table: Lu Yan, Lu Qui, Yan Baisian (Yan three), and Yan Baisu ( Yan four)
An oil lamp burns between them.
“How many soldiers do we have in this village?” Lu Yan asks. “And what is the security situation?”
Yan Baisu answers promptly. “Twenty-five soldiers. Ten officials.”
He continues, counting on his fingers.
“Fifteen guard the border. Ten patrol the village center. The ten officials manage revenue. Each family pays one silver coin annually.”
Lu Yan nods.
“What about cultivators?”
“There are ten cultivators total,” Yan Baisu replies. “Four belong to the commercial guild. The Su, Yang, and Yin families each have two. The balance of power remains stable.”
He pauses.
“As for us….. your Third Uncle is at Qi Condensation fourth Stage. I am at Third Stage. They are no threat.”
Lu Yan’s eyes flicker.
No threat… for now.
“And the soldiers?” Lu Yan asks. “Why are they not cultivators?”
Yan Baisu sighs.
“Mortals lack proper constitution and knowledge. Even if trained, the cost is enormous. Progress is slow. Many fail before Foundation Establishment.”
Yan Baisian nods in agreement.
Lu Yan taps the table lightly.
“Uncles… will you help me make this village prosperous?”
Both men look at him sharply.
“I know I am young,” Lu Yan continues, voice steady. “But your honest opinions matter. What do you want from me?”
The question shocks them.
Children do not speak like this.
They exchange glances.
Finally, Yan Baisian answers honestly.
“We wish to be free from Yan Mansion. That is why we are here. We do not wish to return.”
Lu Yan tilts his head.
“Do you wish to remain with me permanently… or would you prefer freedom now?”
Silence crashes into the room.
Such an offer.
Freedom.
They had not expected this from a child.
Lu Yan’s pupils briefly shimmer.
His unique skill activates silently.
Information overlays his vision.
Name: Yan Baisian ( Yan Three)
Age: 870
Race: Human
Qi Power: 574/1000
Body Strength: 340/500
Agility: 200/500
Soul Power: 0/1000
Cultivation: Qi Condensation, Fifth Stage
Skills:
— Tiger Palm
— Floating Walk
Name: Yan Baisu (Yan Four)
Age: 645
Qi Power: 384/1000
Cultivation: Qi Condensation, Third Stage
Strong bodies.
Zero soul development.
Potential…but limited vision.
“As long as Young Master needs us,” Yan Baisian says solemnly, “we will obey unconditionally.”
Lu Yan deactivates his skill.
“Good.”
His lips curve slightly.
“Then listen carefully.”
Even Lu Qui leans forward, though much of what he says surpasses her understanding.
“We will not remain a small village.”
Yan Baisu frowns slightly. “Young Master… resources are limited.”
“Then we create them.”
Lu Yan’s eyes shine.
“First—restructure the soldiers. Separate them into three divisions: border defense, village patrol, and reserve training.”
“Reserve?” Yan Baisian asks.
“Yes. We identify those with the highest physical constitution. I will provide them with breathing techniques.”
Both uncles stiffen.
“Breathing techniques?” Yan Baisu’s voice lowers.
Lu Yan nods. “Simplified cultivation methods. Enough to strengthen their bodies and gather minor qi.”
That alone would shift the balance of power.
“Second,” Lu Yan continues, “reduce tax temporarily.”
Yan Baisu nearly chokes. “Reduce tax?”
“Yes. Instead, we encourage trade. Offer protection guarantees to merchants. Secure caravan routes. Increase flow.”
Yan Baisian slowly nods. Increased trade means increased long-term revenue.
“Third… ally carefully.”
Lu Yan’s gaze sharpens.
“The Su, Yang, and Yin families are balanced now. But balance breeds complacency. We approach the weakest quietly.”
“And if they refuse?” Yan Baisian asks.
Lu Yan smiles faintly.
“Then we become strong enough that refusal is irrelevant.”
The room goes silent.
Lu Qui stares at her younger brother as if seeing him for the first time.
“Are you truly our Young Master?” Yan Baisian asks slowly. “How can you possess such vision at this age?”
Lu Yan’s smile deepens.
“Some questions should not be asked, Uncle.”
He leans back slightly.
“The real question is this…..”
His eyes grow cold.
“Are all families truly aligned with us?”
The oil lamp flickers.
“Or do we carve our own path?”
Outside, the wind moves through the trees.
Inside, something far more dangerous begins to take shape.
A child no longer thinks like a child.
A village no longer remains just a village.
And the world beyond… does not yet realize what has awakened within it.
