Lord Xiao wasn't actually from the Forgotten Kingdom. In fact, he came from one of the twelve Chaotic Kingdoms to the west of the Forgotten Kingdom. To be precise, he was born there. But he didn't grow up there.
Lord Xiao's real name was Diarozu. He had no surname. There was a simple reason for this. Lord Xiao was a bastard. His father was the patriarch of one of the great clans in one of the chaotic kingdoms, and it was highly likely that Diarozu had been born in a brothel.
Needless to say, his mother wasn't the brightest bulb. She tried to contact Diarozu's father directly, but that wasn't possible. The members of the Xiao clan also discovered the truth. There was a lot of talk. Was Diarozu really the patriarch's child, or the offspring of some random man? After all, his mother was nothing but a prostitute. They actually wanted to kill the child, but perhaps his mother's pleas reached Patriarch Xiao; somehow, Diarozu survived. However, his father, who showed him mercy, didn't harbour the same feelings towards his mother.
Until he was ten years old, he lived in exile, far from the Xiao Clan. Once it was discovered that he was quite ordinary, he was sent away shortly thereafter. He had an unusual desire to take the surname Xiao, but he couldn't let the Xiao Clan find out. Lord Xiao already knew that staying in the 12 Kingdoms would be a mistake by this point. So he fled to the Forgotten Kingdom, which was considered stronger and which the 12 Kingdoms didn't particularly want to mess with. He reached the Yellow City. He hunted for a while and earned the City Lord Wuma's favor. He didn't marry into a noble family. Instead, he married an ordinary woman who wasn't even a cultivator. She was thirty years younger than him. However, the age difference didn't bother Lord Xiao that much since he was a cultivator. The woman also didn't see growing old in this peaceful home as a bad thing.
He gave himself the name Xiao Diarozu. He introduced himself this way, and probably only Lord Wuma could have guessed his origins. Even if Wuma could have guessed, he didn't care about any of it. Through some investments and his own efforts, Xiao Diarozu acquired some property and reached the tenth stage of the Core Realm. In fact, he had exceeded the Xiao Clan's expectations of him. He had become a strong person forged by a difficult life. Xiao Diorozu was only in his 100s. His aged appearance was solely the result of his own choice.
"I know my own limits. I may never reach the level of Young Lord Kasuur."
Lord Xiao closed his eyes and spoke calmly about his own dreams.
"You are no less than that, young master. Rumor has it that you have also reached the Sage Realm. If that is true, I must congratulate you."
Lord Xiao looked at the blind child beside him. He never thought he would see someone so young reach a level that he had only ever dreamed of achieving. Life was so... interesting.
"I don't think your dreams are that impossible to achieve, Lord Xiao. But who am I to speak of others' dreams?"
After that, Mais left. Lord Xiao looked at his daughter. Xiao Linlin came over to her father, bowed her head and greeted him. Lord Xiao did nothing more than offer a faint smile in return.
"Don't drag this out, Kasuur."
At that moment, Mais's approach finally caught Kasuur's attention. In fact, several people were looking their way. The hall was full of people doing the same thing.
Kasuur felt a momentary pang of embarrassment. A powerful Sage was haggling over a few gold pieces, but he also understood that Mais wasn't complaining about it.
"I wasn't expecting you to arrive this early."
"I don't have much time. Let's go."
The Young Genius added another 500 gold pieces to the deal and finalised the contract. Kasuur didn't take the 2,500 gold pieces with him, though. Instead, he kept it in an account registered with the Yellow City. City-level accounts don't deduct much gold. Besides, it was the lowest-tier account of the Four-Leaf Guild. Since he generally thought it was better to entrust everything to Mais, he didn't bring much money with him.
Today, they had decided to go out for a meal together. Mais enjoyed getting some fresh air every now and then. After all, he had learnt some moves from the Thenns for the Wind Tao and was practising them. He wasn't as talented in the Wind Tao as he was in the Cold Tao, but he still hoped to reach the "Stepping" stage in the Wind Tao by the time he reached the Origin Heart Realm. That's why he needed to step out from behind closed doors at least once in a while.
They left the Guild together. While Kasuur's bright yellow eyes scanned the surroundings with curiosity and interest, Mais's dull grey eyes looked lifeless and weary. Both were children, yet only one acted like one. The journey continued with Kasuur's endless chatter. Even without a response, he didn't stop.
When Kasuur and Mais stepped into the Jade Pavilion, one of the city's relatively quiet yet prestigious venues, the restaurant's serene atmosphere seemed to falter for a moment. Kasuur's massive frame cast a shadow as he passed through the door, while Mais — despite being blind — drew the stares of diners with the sharp, self-assured aura he exuded.
The waiter showed them to a window table with a view. As Kasuur settled into his chair, the familiar creaking sound caused those at the neighbouring table to exchange curious glances. Kasuur paid it no mind, however, and reached for the menu.
"I came here just for that famous Thunder Mushroom Soup," Kasuur said, pausing briefly as he looked at the prices on the menu. "They say the mushrooms are harvested on a stormy night, right when the lightning strikes."
Mais stopped fiddling with his chopsticks and lifted his nose slightly into the air. "My senses can already detect the intense energy within that mushroom. But I'm more curious about the Five-Spice Dragontail Perch."
When the dishes arrived at the table, the steaming plates filled the air with an appetising aroma. Kasuur took a large spoonful of soup and closed his eyes. "This… this isn't just soup. It's like a storm rushing down my throat. The spiciness is perfectly balanced, but the heat is making my stomach rumble. Amazing!"
Mais, meanwhile, took a small, delicate piece of carp. As he chewed, a faint look of satisfaction spread across his face. "The texture of the fish is incredibly tender. Each of the five spices adds a distinct note, yet they haven't overpowered the fish's natural flavour. As an alchemist, I can say that the chef who prepared this dish knows how to preserve the essence of the ingredients."
Kasuur finished everything on his plate at record speed and looked at Mais. 'I know you ordered something "unassuming" as usual, but does it really taste that good?'
Mais set the chopsticks down on the table and smiled slightly. "Well, it's not too bad. Also, the teas that this restaurant serves are quite good. It was worth coming here."
As Kasuur swallowed his last bite and leaned back, the chair creaked more sharply this time. "Nice... So, are you picking up the tab? After all, I'm completely broke."
At that moment, the sound of footsteps suddenly began to echo in Mais's ears. The perfect rhythm of the steps caught his attention. When had such an unfamiliar way of walking — one that signified such a high level of technical skill — ever been a good sign? It was neither too hurried nor too slow. Mais didn't turn his head, but Kasuur had noticed someone approaching them, and his bright eyes were fixed intensely on the person coming towards them. There were two reasons for this: one was the faint aura the person was emitting, suggesting they might be a Sage; the other was simply that this person was a woman.
She stopped in front of them. She wasn't very tall. Her hair was parted in the middle and plaited into two braids. She wore a long pink dress. There was no smile on her face, nor any unhappy expression. She looked tired. Lazy. Her eyelids drooped halfway down, as if she were weary. She looked Kasuur over carefully, then Mais. Then she smiled. Her smile did nothing to change her lazy demeanour.
"Hello, young gentlemen. I'm sorry to interrupt your meal. I've just arrived in the city, and I think it's an amazing stroke of luck to see you both here. Perhaps we could get to know each other?"
At that moment, Mais—who hadn't turned his head towards the woman since the beginning—turned his head slightly, and the energy emanating from her body momentarily rippled against Mais's threatening aura. This gave Mais an idea of her cultivation level, but the range didn't sit well with him.
"Who are you?"
The woman smiled.
"My name is Meng Maris. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr Mais."