"Yun Rou."
"Yes, young master."
"Do I have a sword?"
"Yes, young master. This servant will retrieve it immediately."
Yun Rou promptly lifted the tray filled with empty plates and stepped out. Inside the room, Xuè Wúshēng calmly changed his clothes.
"This brat's family must be extremely wealthy," he muttered as he put on a neat, expensive robe. "Every piece of clothing is luxurious. Compared to my former life… even obtaining a single garment like this would have taken hundreds of years."
Before long, Yun Rou returned. In her hands was a sheathed sword, its scabbard gleaming with a soft silver sheen.
"Here it is, young master," she said, offering the sword with both hands.
Xuè Wúshēng's eyes narrowed slightly as his gaze fell upon the weapon.
"A very beautiful sword," he said softly before taking it.
"This sword was a gift from young master's elder sister," Yun Rou added.
"My elder sister?"
His tone was flat, though a hint of surprise lingered within it.
Yun Rou nodded. "Young master's sister dotes on you greatly."
"What is her name?"
"Xuè Yùhán."
Xuè Wúshēng simply nodded. With a smooth, practiced motion, he drew the blade from its scabbard. A cold gleam reflected in his eyes.
"This sword… is quite cold," he said honestly. "To be frank, it is not very suitable for me. It would be better suited to someone whose qi has a cold affinity."
He slid the blade back into its scabbard before lifting his gaze.
"Is there a training ground outside?"
"Yes, young master."
"Take me there."
Yun Rou immediately nodded and stepped forward, ready to lead her young master out.
"This residence is truly enormous… yet only Yun Rou and I live here," Xuè Wúshēng murmured as he observed his surroundings while following behind her. "Why build such a large estate if no one lives in it?"
Yun Rou walked calmly ahead. "This residence was originally a resting place for the young master's family members. It was built far from the city—peaceful and quiet, suitable for cultivation. However… that was in the past."
"And now?" Xuè Wúshēng asked, his tone even.
"Not far behind this residence lies a forest," Yun Rou replied. "That forest was once filled with various precious plants used for alchemy. But ten years ago, it was taken over by all kinds of monsters."
Xuè Wúshēng narrowed his eyes. "Did no one eliminate those monsters?"
Yun Rou turned to look at him, her steps halting briefly. "It's not that no one tried… but they were unable to."
"What do you mean?"
"Within that forest," Yun Rou continued softly as she descended the steps, "there is an extremely powerful demon."
"Stronger than this brat's father?" Xuè Wúshēng asked without hesitation.
"What?" Yun Rou stopped, confused. "Which brat, young master?"
Xuè Wúshēng let out a small sigh. "I mean… my father."
"Oh." Yun Rou nodded in understanding. "Young master's father did attempt it. However, this servant does not know whether he won or lost. Since then, no one has dared to approach that forest."
Xuè Wúshēng fell silent for a moment. "How long have I been living here?"
"Since young master was fifteen."
"And my current age?"
"Eighteen."
"Three years…" he murmured softly. "That's quite a long time."
Yun Rou opened the main door. Sunlight poured in, accompanied by a refreshing breeze. She stepped aside, making way.
"Please, young master."
Xuè Wúshēng froze the moment he fully stepped out of the house.
Before him stretched a vast, immaculately maintained courtyard. Lush green grass spread out like a soft carpet, interspersed with neatly arranged stepping stones that led toward a small pavilion in the distance. Ancient trees stood proudly around the courtyard, their branches arching gracefully, as though shielding the area from the outside world.
The morning wind blew gently, carrying with it the fresh scent of earth and leaves. The foliage swayed softly, producing faint, soothing sounds. In one corner of the courtyard, a clear pond reflected the sunlight, its surface shimmering like a silver mirror.
"Beautiful…" Xuè Wúshēng murmured unconsciously.
This beauty stood in stark contrast to the danger he had just heard about. The place was far too tranquil, far too peaceful. It was difficult to imagine that a forest teeming with monsters existed not far from here.
"This courtyard was built according to the most optimal feng shui flow," Yun Rou explained gently from behind. "Young master's father hoped that this place would calm the mind and stabilize qi."
Xuè Wúshēng drew a deep breath. He could feel the serenity easing his thoughts.
"A fine place for cultivation," his lips curved slightly.
However, as Xuè Wúshēng stepped further into the courtyard, he sensed something unusual.
The air around the courtyard felt different.
He slowly raised his hand. A few steps from the courtyard's boundary, his palm brushed against an invisible flow of qi. The air before him quivered faintly, rippling like the surface of water.
"A protective dome…" he muttered.
An invisible layer enveloped the entire residence, forming a dome-like barrier that rose from the ground and sealed the sky above the courtyard. From the inside, it was nearly impossible to detect. Yet to a keen eye, fine threads of qi could be seen flowing slowly, intertwining like strands of silk.
"This barrier is still active?" Xuè Wúshēng asked without turning to look at Yun Rou.
Yun Rou nodded, awe evident on her face. "Yes, young master. This barrier was left behind by your father. It prevents monsters and demons from approaching this residence. Everything was done solely to protect young master."
"Not bad," Xuè Wúshēng said as he withdrew his hand. "The formation is neatly arranged. Even after so many years, its qi remains stable and strong."
He lifted his gaze toward the sky. Sunlight passed through the protective dome without any obstruction, making the courtyard appear like a small world, isolated from the threats beyond.
"A sanctuary in the midst of danger," Xuè Wúshēng said with a thin smile. "Interesting."
"If it had been according to young master's father's wishes, he never intended for young master to live here," Yun Rou said softly. "However, young master insisted, until your father was ultimately forced to give in."
Xuè Wúshēng walked slowly across the courtyard. "Has my father ever come to visit?"
"Yes, once," Yun Rou answered honestly. "But the one who came most often was young master's elder sister. She was the most determined in trying to restore young master's body. As for young master's brothers, they frequently sent various medicinal ingredients from the main estate."
Xuè Wúshēng fell silent for a moment before asking, "In the past… what was my relationship with all of them like? Was I hated?"
Yun Rou immediately shook her head. "No, young master. Not a single one of them hated you. They all cared deeply for you."
"In that case," Xuè Wúshēng said evenly, "why did I have to live here? Wouldn't it have been better for me to stay with them?"
Yun Rou took a deep breath, as though reluctant to answer. "There was another reason why young master chose to live here."
"What reason?"
"The cancellation of young master's engagement… with the daughter of Clan Leader Duàn Yì."
Xuè Wúshēng let out a cold snort. "So in the end, it was still because of a woman." He shook his head slowly. "How foolish."
"Young master… you truly liked her back then," Yun Rou said quietly.
"Enough," Xuè Wúshēng cut in. "I don't want to hear it. Only weak men lose themselves because of women. That is not me. None of that matters."
Yun Rou looked at her young master, her brows knitting together. Something about the aura before her felt unfamiliar.
"Young master… has changed," she whispered softly, almost inaudible.
I am the King of Destruction. The King of Cruelty. The King of Darkness.
The whisper echoed within his heart, heavy with long-sealed fury.
No one had ever escaped my hands. Women, children… even infants who had yet to see the world. All of them fell beneath my sword.
"Young master?" Yun Rou called softly when she noticed the change in Xuè Wúshēng's expression.
But Xuè Wúshēng did not respond. He drew a deep breath, his chest rising and falling, before his gaze settled on the vast training grounds stretching out before him.
Unnoticed, his memories were dragged far into the past.
Back then, he had not even been allowed to set foot in the training arena. To them, he was not a cultivator—nor even a human. He was merely a tool. A punching post. A living target for immortals to practice their techniques on.
Every punch and kick landed without mercy. His bones had cracked, blood had soaked the ground. Yet no one ever reached out to help him. Each time he collapsed in agony, they simply left him there, his wounds exposed and untreated.
More painful than the injuries themselves was their laughter.
Laughter when he begged.
Laughter when he pleaded for death.
Laughter when his screams of pain filled the arena.
Xuè Wúshēng clenched his fists without realizing it.
Black aura slowly seeped out from his body.