Xiao Lu, watching from the side, stroked his beard. A slow, thoughtful smile spread across his face.
He has changed, the First Elder thought. The boy who went into that arena was a child fueled by vanity. The boy who woke up... feels different. There is a steadiness to him. Perhaps... perhaps a near-death experience was exactly what he needed to mature.
Xiao Lu chuckled, the tension leaving his shoulders. "Let him breathe, Yu'er. If you poke him any harder, you'll finish the job Xiao Yan started."
At the mention of that name, the atmosphere in the room instantly dropped to freezing.
Xiao Yu straightened up. The concern on her face vanished, replaced by a cold, sharp fury that made the air heavy. Her Dou Qi began to flicker around her skin, visible and erratic.
"Xiao Yan," she spat the name like a curse. "That ungrateful, ruthless piece of trash."
She turned to Yoriichi, her fists clenched so hard her knuckles turned white.
"Don't worry, Ning'er," she hissed, her voice trembling with suppressed rage. "I saw what he did. I saw how he kept hitting you even after you were down. He humiliated our family."
She grabbed the hilt of the sword resting against the wall.
"I'm going to find him," she declared, her eyes burning with killing intent. "I don't care about the clan rules. I don't care if Xun Er protects him. I will break his legs. I will chop him into pieces for touching you!"
She spun around, ready to storm out of the room.
"Wait."
The word was spoken softly, but it carried an undeniable weight.
Xiao Yu stopped. She turned back, surprised.
Yoriichi had shifted. He was now sitting up fully, ignoring the pain in his ribs. He looked at his sister with a serious, intense expression. He knew, from the memories he had inherited, that Xiao Yan was not someone Xiao Yu could beat. Not with the soul of Yao Lao protecting him. If she went now, she would be humiliated, or worse, hurt.
"Big Sister," Yoriichi said, his voice low. "Please. Do not go."
"Why?!" Xiao Yu cried out, tears of frustration welling in her eyes. "He nearly killed you! You want me to just let it go?"
"No," Yoriichi replied. He reached out and placed his hand on her shoulder. His grip was firm, grounding. "But this is my battle."
He looked her in the eyes, his gaze steady and piercing.
"I was weak," Yoriichi admitted, his tone devoid of shame, stating it as a simple fact. "I let my arrogance cloud my judgment. If you go and fight him for me, I will never learn. I will remain a cripple who hides behind his sister's skirt."
He squeezed her shoulder gently.
"Trust me," he pleaded, his dark red eye conveying a profound sincerity. "I will settle the score. In the future, when I am strong enough, I will stand before him again. But not today. And not by your hand. I cannot bear the thought of you getting hurt because of my failure."
The room went silent.
Xiao Yu stared at him. She searched his face for fear or cowardice, but she found neither. She found only a calm, iron-willed determination.
The anger slowly drained out of her. Her shoulders slumped.
"You idiot," she sniffled, wiping her eyes aggressively. "Since when did you become so cool? Trying to act all manly..."
She looked at him for a few more seconds, then sighed, releasing her grip on the sword.
"Fine," she relented, pointing a finger at his nose. "I won't kill him today. But you better keep your word, Xiao Ning. You better get strong enough to stomp him into the dirt. If you lose again, I'm going to beat you up myself!"
Yoriichi smiled, a genuine, warm smile that reached his eyes. "I promise."
From the doorway, Xiao Lu watched the exchange with wide eyes. He was stunned. Usually, when Xiao Yu lost her temper, it took the combined effort of three elders to calm her down. Yet, Xiao Ning had diffused her with just a few sentences.
Incredible, Xiao Lu thought, nodding to himself. He controlled the situation perfectly. He protected his sister's dignity while checking her reckless impulse. This... this is the mindset of a leader.
"Good, good," Xiao Lu spoke up, walking back into the room. "It gladdens my heart to see you two so united."
He cleared his throat, trying to look stern. "However, the clan rules are the clan rules. Ning'er, although you are injured, you did lose spectacularly. As punishment—and to ensure you actually heal—you are grounded for a week. No leaving the compound. No chasing after Xun Er. You will stay here and recover."
Yoriichi bowed his head respectfully. "I accept the punishment, Grandfather. I will use the time to reflect."
Xiao Lu blinked. He had expected whining. He had expected a tantrum. Instead, he got obedience.
"Right. Well. Uh... good," the Elder stammered, caught off guard. "I... I have clan matters to attend to. You two... catch up. Yu'er, look after him."
With a final, confused but pleased glance at his grandson, the First Elder turned and exited the room, muttering about "miracles" under his breath.
The door clicked shut.
Yoriichi let out a long breath, leaning back against the pillows. He felt drained. Navigating these relationships was more exhausting than a sword duel.
Xiao Yu sat back down on the floor, pulling her legs up and resting her chin on her knees. She watched him like a hawk.
"So," she said, her voice softer now. "You're really grounded. Bored out of your mind for a month."
"It is not so bad," Yoriichi said. He turned to her. "Actually, Big Sister, I could use your help. My memory... it feels a bit scattered after the fight. Like pieces are missing."
It was a half-truth, but a necessary one. He had Xiao Ning's memories, but they were like a messy library—hard to sort through. He needed context.
"Scattered?" Xiao Yu frowned.
"Yes," Yoriichi lied smoothly. "I want to make sure I haven't forgotten the important things. Tell me... about the Coming of Age ceremony. About the Dou Qi techniques of our clan. Tell me about the power structure of the city."
Xiao Yu raised an eyebrow. "You want to talk about... politics and training? Usually, you just want to talk about which girl in the city has the biggest... assets."
Yoriichi maintained his poker face. "I told you. I want to change."
Xiao Yu studied him for a moment longer, then smiled. It was a radiant, happy smile. She was just glad her brother wanted to talk to her.
"Okay, okay," she laughed. "If you want to be a nerd, I'll indulge you. So, the Coming of Age ceremony is coming up in a few months. It's crucial because..."
For the next hour, the room was filled with Xiao Yu's voice. She explained the ranks of Dou Qi—from Disciple to Emperor. She explained the intricacies of the Xiao Clan's Lion's Roar technique. She talked about the tension with the Jia Lie clan.
Yoriichi listened with rapt attention, his mind absorbing every detail, comparing this world's power system to the Breath Styles he knew. He asked pointed questions, his tactical mind already dissecting the weaknesses and strengths of Dou Qi.
Dou Qi is like a reservoir of water, he analyzed. Breathing Styles are the pump. If I can combine the two... if I can use the Sun Breathing to ignite the Dou Qi...
The sun outside began to dip lower, casting long, orange shadows across the room. The atmosphere was peaceful, a quiet moment of bonding between siblings in a chaotic world.
Then, the silence was broken.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Three sharp, deliberate raps on the wooden door.
Xiao Yu stopped mid-sentence. Her frown returned. "Who is it? Grandfather just left, and the servants know not to disturb us."
Yoriichi narrowed his eyes. Through the Transparent World, he could sense a presence standing outside the door. It wasn't the First Elder. The Qi signature was small, hesitant, but possessed a strange, underlying density that felt... ancient.
"Come in," Yoriichi said calmly.
The door handle turned slowly. The heavy wood creaked open.
Standing in the doorway, silhouetted against the dying light of the afternoon sun, was a figure that made Xiao Yu gasp in surprise.
"You?" she whispered.
Yoriichi watched silently as the visitor stepped into the room.