Fallen Star Mountain, Moonshine lake.
A camp was set up right next to the lake that had a dozen tents. Inside one of the bigger tents towards the center, Xiao Yan was placed on a bed where he seemed sound asleep.
Even with his high cultivation, he was still a teenager, just over sixteen years old. He had never suffered this much pain, even after undergoing Heavenly tribulation when he entered the Heavenly Spirit Realm. Now, after his wounds were nursed and pain lessened, he fell into a deep sleep. Sometimes he would twitch because of his healing wounds, but other than that, he was healing at a fast pace, so much so that the maids Yi and Yun were left stunned.
Inside another large tent, Xue'er was sipping tea. Her two maids were also sitting next to her.
"Say, Yun how long do you think he will need to wake up?" Xue'er asked.
"Miss, this is the third time you have asked, I already said, his wounds are healing at an astounding speed. I don't know about his combat power but I think his recovery speed is way faster than Qi Sea realm experts. I think he practices some extraordinary Body Cultivation art" said Yun.
"Yun, it's ok, you should not blame a maiden in love …" giggled Yi.
"What nonsense are you spouting Yi!" shouted Xue'er with faint redness on her ears while pinching Yi's waist "I just curious about his background. He seems to be around my age but he has already left me in the dust with his cultivation."
"Yes, yes, Miss is just curious, miss I beg you please let me go," Yi begged. If someone saw these maidens playing, it will definitely cause a nosebleed.
"Okay, you also get some rest, we have a lot to do tomorrow," said Xue'er.
After Yi and Yun left, Xue'er was left alone. She changed to a pink nightgown, her beautiful curves and matched with her exquisite face together brought an irresistible charm. She laid down on her red velvet bed surrounded by semitransparent curtains.
"Who are you?" she muttered while tilting her head towards Xiao Yan's tent.
…
As dawn came, the sun rose bringing with him warmth to the forest. Hubbub was created as people kept moving around starting their morning activities.
The group of guards from Lin family started their morning practice in an empty space next to the camp creating heavy noise that woke others up. Some of the mercenaries were still sleeping while some left for morning business. One can easily spot the difference, the mercenaries were a motley crew. One sign of trouble and they will scatter, they were never reliable. But the guards were selected after a series of tests and they were well trained.
Inside Xiao Yan's tent.
Three spectacular looking maidens surrounded the sleeping Xiao Yan.
"Miss, I can't believe it. All his external wounds have healed already. The internal ones are tough to heal, but he should be waking up soon, maybe on a couple of hours," said Yun after checking Xiao Yan's wounds.
"What cultivation is this, do body cultivation makes the body this much resilient?" wondered Xue'er.
"Probably, I have never seen a high-level body cultivator. But I have heard they can even regrow severed limbs," said Yun.
"Yi why are you silent?" asked Xue'er as she noticed Yi standing in a daze as if she lost her soul.
"…"
"Yi!" Yun shouted.
"Oh, what?" Yi asked snapping out.
"What were you thinking?" asked Xue'er.
"Nothing, I was thinking, will he leave after waking up? I would rather stare at him all day while he sleeps," said Yi blushing.
"…" all three of them became silent. Xue'er too was impressed by this youth who crushed all those geniuses of the Fallen Star Academy both in looks and cultivation.
When they were daydreaming, Xiao Yan's eyelids start twitching.
"Miss, he is waking up," Yi shouts excitedly.
…
The Long clan had come to Xiao clan to wage clan war. With additional forces Long clan had somehow gathered, they overwhelmed the Xiao clan both in terms of high-level experts and low-level cannon fodder. Finally, when Xiao Yan was still rushing to the battlefield, he sees his father getting defeated by Long clan Patriarch and impales his long sword into his father's chest which comes out from his back. Xiao Yan rushes and catches his father's falling body. When he sees his bleeding chest, pale face with blood flowing out from his lips,
…
"FATHER!!!" shouts Xiao Yan with wide eyes and suddenly sits up which causes his internal injuries to act up and he coughs out a mouthful of blood.
Xue'er, the strongest of the three rushes and catches him so that he doesn't fall off.
"It's okay, you are safe. You need to rest, your injuries are not healed if you move it will only worsen," said Xue'er in a pleasant voice.
Her voice was like a soothing tonic, it instantly calms down his raging mind, looking around he sees three beautiful maidens in the tent, while the most beautiful of them, no that's wrong, one of the most beautiful maidens he had ever seen was holding him to help him stay on the bed, "No you don't understand, my family is in danger," said Xiao Yan.
"Still, you won't be able to leave, please rest for now, you can leave once you are fine," persists Xue'er in a cool voice, her heart pains looking at sad Xiao Yan.
"No, I will leave," Xiao Yan is adamant.
Suddenly Xue'er's voice turns strict, "I saved you yesterday, so you WILL listen to me, you are not leaving in this state."
Xiao Yan narrows his eyes to look at the beauty once again. What he sees leaves him completely astounded. Similar concern, similar face, similar attitude, similar voice, it all reminds him of fond memories that succeed in calming his mind.
"hppph…" Xiao Yan exhales lightly "Okay young lady, you win, I will rest here, thank you for saving me," says Xiao Yan with a slight smile on his face. Looking at his smile, Xue'er becomes dazed for a moment.
With a slight blush, she said "You are welcome. But just thanks won't work, you will have to make it up to me after recovering."
"Of course, anything for my savior. Can you tell me where we are? And where you are from?"
"We are near the Fallen Star Mountains. As for who we are, we came from Lin family of Fallen Star City," said Xue'er proudly puffing her chest.
That somehow made her look funny and Xiao Yan couldn't keep it "Pffft" he smiles, which causes Xue'er to turn red.
'Shit, that portal sent me so far away! But I am still in Xiao clan influence, so not too bad I guess' Xiao Yan inwardly.
"Young Master, our Miss has never spoken with anyone for this long, so you cannot make fun of her. She is one of the top geniuses of Fallen Star Academy to reach 3rd level of Qi Condensation at sixteen years of age, she will definitely be able to get into Pure Mist Academy this year. On top of that she is a one in a million rare beauty, don't you think?" asks Yi in a serious manner. Which causes Xue'er face which was already red to turn deep red.
"Mmm, Mmm" Unexpectedly Xiao Yan starts nodding, "Yes, she is indeed a rare beauty and a great talent." Causing a contented smile to appear on her face which disappears as soon as it appeared, and she glares at Yi.
"Can you tell us about yourself?" Xue'er asks Xiao Yan the question that she was dying to know.
"I am Yan, a Young Master from a family far far away," said Xiao Yan with a smile.
"That's it? Tell us more…" pleads Xue'er, she desperately wants to know where he is from, what level of cultivation does he have, etc.
"What do you want to know?"
"Where are you from? What is cultivation?"
"I am from a faraway place you wouldn't know even if I told you. As for my cultivation, I am just a bit stronger peak Qi Sea realm," his physical wounds might not have been healed, but his spiritual consciousness was still fine. Just now when he spread his consciousness, he found a couple of Qi Sea realm experts hidden around the camp with no hostility. As if they were secretly protecting the camp as if waiting for something or someone.
"W-What did you say?"
"Just a bit stronger than peak Qi Sea realm" replied Xiao Yan nonchalantly.
"How is that possible, how old are you?"
"Sixteen will turn seventeen by new year"
"How is that possible, our Lin family patriarch and Fallen Star City Lord are also peak Qi Sea realm experts!"
"Oh, who is your Patriarch? And you still haven't introduced yourself at all, you are just asking me…" asks Xiao Yan really hoping it to be the ones he knew.
"Our Lin family Patriarch is my father Lin Jian, I am Lin Xue'er. These are my maids and best friends Yi and Yun." replied Xue'er with pride.
'Finally some good news! It's really them. I wonder how Uncle Jian and Aunt Ming are doing. Anyway, my body is still too weak, it will take some time to recover and I need to gather the latest information. I will go with them and meet Aunt, and probably Uncle, anyway Aunt is important I must meet her it's been too long. Besides, there seems to be some problem here. Since cousin Xue'er is in trouble, I should help or else I don't know what Aunt would do.' Xiao Yan starts to formulate a plan in his mind with narrowed eyes.