The silence in the room was broken by a steady knock on the door.
Aelric's crimson eyes opened slowly. He had been sitting cross-legged on the bed, his breathing even, his presence restrained to an almost mortal stillness.
His gaze drifted toward the door. "Who is it?" he asked, voice calm but carrying an undertone that felt like command — smooth yet dominantly resonant, like a king idly asking for an explanation.
From the other side came a composed but respectful reply.
"This one is a messenger from the Azure Heaven Sect. Sect Leader Jian Wuhen wishes to meet the esteemed Divine Doctor."
For a moment, Aelric didn't answer. The faintest flicker passed through his eyes — amusement, perhaps. Then, without moving from his seat, he extended one finger.
A ripple of faint crimson essence shimmered at his fingertip. The air stirred — a wave of invisible force brushed through the wooden frame. With a quiet click, the door swung open on its own.
The man outside froze.
He was tall — just over six feet — with a sturdy build and an air of discipline. His dark hair was tied neatly behind his head, and a thin scar traced down the right side of his face, a mark of both experience and survival. His name was Liang Shen, the right hand of the Azure Heaven Sect's leader — known across Yunlai Province for his sharp mind and unyielding loyalty.
For a heartbeat, Liang Shen simply stared.
The man before him was unlike anyone he had ever seen. Moonlight spilled into the room, brushing against Aelric's pale features and silver-white hair that fell loosely around his shoulders. His eyes — red as fresh blood yet calm as still water — reflected that light, turning it into something ethereal. Even standing motionless, he emanated quiet power, not through force but through presence alone.
A shiver ran down Liang Shen's spine. So young… yet so composed, he thought, unable to tell if this man was in his twenties or simply a being who defied age. "To open a door with pure internal energy and such precision…" he murmured inwardly, "This is mastery that surpasses most elders."
Aelric turned his gaze fully toward him, with calm expression. "What business," he asked evenly, "does the Sect Leader of Azure Heaven Sect have with me?"
Liang Shen bowed slightly, masking his astonishment. "The Sect Leader wishes to personally express gratitude and seek guidance from the Divine Doctor. I was ordered to escort you to the sect grounds."
Aelric studied him for a moment longer — then, without a word, stood and began walking toward the door. His movement was effortless, almost soundless.
⸻
The journey toward the Azure Heaven Sect began under a sky brushed with the gold of early dusk. The road curved upward through a dense stretch of mountain forest, stone lanterns lighting the path at regular intervals. Liang Shen led the way, while Aelric followed at a steady pace, his gaze quietly absorbing every detail.
Inside his mind, a familiar, child-like voice piped up.
[Hey, hey! Sooo… how exactly did that happen? Since when are you a "Divine Doctor"? Huh? Huh?]
Hex's voice was filled with boundless curiosity — like a mischievous child tugging on a parent's sleeve.
Aelric's eyes narrowed slightly. He really is persistent, he thought.
When Hex didn't stop —
[Come on, tell me! One moment you're brooding quietly in your room, the next you're suddenly a world-famous doctor. Did you bribe the heavens? Hypnotize the villagers? I mean, you barely even smiled!]
Aelric exhaled lightly, a sound that was almost a sigh.
"I manipulated their minds," he said flatly, his tone neither boastful nor guilty. "When I roamed the streets yesterday, I subtly altered the memories and suggestions of the mortals. The rumor of a mysterious 'Divine Doctor' was born from that. The rest… spread on its own."
[Ooooh! So you did do that! Clever, clever~]
Hex's voice turned singsong, brimming with amusement.
[You baited them perfectly. I see now — they needed a healer for their sick young master, right? That's why the sect came to you! Ooh, you're devious for someone who looks so serious.]
Aelric ignored the tone, his thoughts already elsewhere.
It was necessary. In this new world, power alone meant nothing if no one knew it existed. But showing too much too early was foolish. A whisper of myth, however… that had power.
They walked in silence for a while longer before the trees thinned, revealing the vast structure of the Azure Heaven Sect.
⸻
The sect sat nestled within layers of mountain ridges, its architecture both elegant and imposing. Great stone walls encircled the compound, carved with flowing dragon motifs that shimmered faintly under the sunlight. The entrance gate — a towering arch of azure stone — was guarded by two cultivators in blue robes embroidered with silver clouds.
As they entered, Aelric observed quietly.
Wide courtyards opened up beyond the gate, lined with training platforms where young disciples practiced martial forms. Their movements were swift but unrefined — Qi flowing around their bodies like dim mist. Each strike echoed faintly through the air.
Beyond that, rows of pavilions stood among blossoming spirit trees whose leaves glowed faintly blue. The air itself was denser here — rich with the spiritual energy that cultivators called Qi. To Aelric, it felt strangely familiar, though its texture was different from the essence he once commanded.
Hex spoke again, his tone half awe, half mischief.
[Ohhh… fancy. This place looks like a mix between a monastery and a palace! Hey, you think they'd notice if I stole one of those glowing trees?]
Aelric's lips twitched — not quite a smile, but close. "You're bound to me," he replied dryly. "If you steal something, it's my hand that will be cut off."
[…Okay, maybe I'll wait a bit.]
Liang Shen led him past a long bridge stretching over a koi pond where the fish shimmered like living jade. The air grew calmer here — disciplined, almost sacred. Disciples they passed bowed politely, though many stole curious glances at the stranger with white hair and crimson eyes.
Soon, they reached the inner courtyard — a circular area surrounded by tall bamboo. At its center stood a refined pavilion, its curved roof tiles gleaming faintly under the afternoon light.
"This way, honored one," Liang Shen said, gesturing respectfully.
⸻
Inside, the air was perfumed with faint sandalwood. Sunlight filtered through the lattice windows, painting patterns of gold dust across the wooden floor. A single table stood in the middle, with two chairs facing one another.
On one of them sat a man.
He appeared to be in his early fifties, his posture straight yet unforced. His dark blue robes bore the insignia of the Azure Heaven Sect — a coiling dragon wreathed in cloud. His short beard was peppered with white, and his eyes were deep — not sharp like a predator's, but steady, like one who had seen too much and learned restraint.
This was Jian Wuhen, Sect Leader of Azure Heaven Sect.
He was pouring tea when they entered. The quiet sound of liquid meeting porcelain filled the room. Without looking up, he spoke in a measured tone.
"By your order?" he asked, his gaze still on the teapot.
Liang Shen bowed. "Yes, Sect Leader. I have brought the Divine Doctor as requested."
Only then did Jian Wuhen set the teapot aside and lift his head. His eyes — dark, piercing — met Aelric's crimson gaze.
For a long moment, neither spoke. The air between them felt heavy, charged not with hostility, but with silent appraisal.
Liang Shen could feel it — an invisible tension, like two seas meeting beneath the calm of their surface.
Aelric's expression remained calm, his crimson eyes reflecting the faint flicker of the lantern beside the wall.
So this is the man who leads this sect, he thought. Steady, disciplined, yet weary. He's fought many battles — both with sword and spirit.
Jian Wuhen studied him in return. The stranger's aura was concealed, yet something within it pressed faintly against his senses — ancient, vast, and utterly calm. A presence that could not belong to a common man.
Finally, Jian Wuhen leaned back slightly, lips curving into a faint smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "You are indeed extraordinary," he said quietly. "To open doors with mere thought and remain unseen until now… it seems fate has led you to Yunlai."
Aelric offered a slight nod, neither humble nor arrogant. "Perhaps," he replied softly, "fate is merely another form of manipulation."
Jian Wuhen's brows lifted slightly — intrigued.
From behind, Liang Shen silently poured a cup of tea for Aelric and stepped aside, his gaze flickering with quiet respect.
Aelric's crimson eyes glowed faintly in the tea's reflection, the image of calm dominance incarnate.