"Phew"
'I think I somehow got through it.'
Silver exhaled in relief while descending the stairs.
The path was lit with moonlight, he let himself be caressed gently by the night breeze as he took in the scenery of the nightscape he was too tensed to look at before.
Thinking back to what had just transpired sent cold chills down his spine.
It took him time to realize what actually was happening there.
They didn't interrogate him as he was not any sort of enemy but he hadn't thought that they would outright try to figure out and pry open his secrets like that.
He would be an idiot if he couldn't figure out their motif after he drank the water.
Elder Shi was right. There was no poison in it.
A poison was something that would harm you but that water contained nothing of that sort.
'But to actually use a drug on a person you just met… '
Silver didn't like it, but he had no other choice.
He was just a mortal after all. He had no power and no say in front of an immortal.
As soon as he drank the water, he knew that it was anything but normal. The water calmed him down to an extreme level. The stress he had accumulated over the days seemingly vanished in the air and his mind just opened up.
'It could be a drug or some mystical portion for all I know.'
At first, he thought that he was given some sort of truth serum. This possibility truly horrified Silver.
It took him his all just to not react and show anxiety on the outside.
Just when the anxiety hit its peak, the first question was asked.
And that is when all the worries plaguing his mind settled down.
He didn't answer at first and thought lying, but he didn't feel any impulse to speak the truth.
This verified to him that the drug was not a truth serum at the least, or it can be that the truth serum didn't work on him.
Both directions could end up being true but it wasn't time to think of that at the time.
He contemplated the best course of action. Whether to say the truth or just lie.
Both options seemed feasible as Silver failed to find any immediate problems with either of them.
Still, he chose the safest option out of all.
He would speak the truth but not the complete truth.
Since he was in control of his thoughts, he could direct the situation in his favor.
And that is exactly what he did. He answered diligently with half-truths.
And at last, finally came the question he was anticipating.
Just because he was anticipating it didn't mean he was not disappointed.
In this world, Immortals were seen as aloof beings. They sat above the clouds and stayed away from the mundane but the immortal in front of him was using such means just to pry out the secrets of someone like him, a mere mortal.
Still, he answered. He didn't know if Yifan's mother was really an immortal or not. She may or may not be.
Silver simply didn't know about it and something you don't know is neither a lie nor a truth.
As for his father? He could be an immortal too, an immortal amongst the mortals but simply didn't care to use his powers.
This time too, Silver didn't feel the need to lie as she simply spoke what he thought.
And with that, the incidental interrogation wrapped up.
Silver didn't know what the intended purpose of the water was, and if there was, why didn't it work on him?
'Could it be because of my transmigrator status?'
This was the only logical reason he could think of. Maybe transmigrators here had some specialty, but Silver couldn't be too sure.
'It's all just some speculation after all…'
Sighed Silver again, relieved that it was all over with and praying that he wouldn't have to go through things like these again.
Just because it did not affect him didn't mean that he had nothing to worry about. It was already hard to be in the presence of a god-like being and you had to constantly double-check each and every word that came out of your mouth all while maintaining a non-suspicious look.
He was just glad that it was over, he had been forced to take a passive side a few times now and every time it happened, Silver understood the importance of power.
Power gives you the ability to dictate your own actions and not by the whim of others.
'Immortal…'
He had to become one. Even if this was predestined and the only move available to him as a chess piece, he had to do it.
***
Silver reached the entrance of the building he was supposed to go to before he followed Elder Shi.
The building was made out of wood and stone.
There was only a single floor but from the outside, it looked sufficiently big enough.
Silver didn't see anyone in the open lobby of the building.
'Where do I go?'
The problem was that he didn't know where he had to go. From what he heard when they were making their way toward the sect, they would be given their separate rooms once they became outer disciples.
The food and the resources to become an inner disciple would be fully funded by the sect.
Once they become inner disciples, they are required to join the factions.
Nothing other than that was elaborated as it was already difficult to become an outer disciple, less needed to be said about becoming inner disciples.
Still having food and shelter was more than enough for Silver for now.
As he was standing there confusedly, looking left and right, a figure emerged from the left corner.
The figure failed to see Silver due to the moonlight being blocked by clouds.
Only after the figure was close enough did they notice a presence in front of them.
"Kyaa!"
Screamed the figure, jolting back at the emergence of a presence out of nowhere.
Silver too backstepped. He didn't hear a single sound as the figure approached him.
But he found the voice a little familiar.
The faint moonlight that lit the surroundings soon after assured Silver of that eventually.
Standing in front of him was the ever-silent Miao.
As Silver observed her, she too observed him.
The faint moonlight reflected in Silver's silver irises, making them look like two miniature moons.
Miao was briefly stunned by the sight, she was still in a guarded stance with her hand in front of her face. As if guarding herself against some sort of intruder.
But after recognizing Silver, she calmed herself down.
Silver didn't have much recollection of her in Yifan's memory, only some minor instances here and there.
It was very rare to hear her voice so he wondered why he would find it familiar.
"What are you staring at?"
Asked Miao in a stern voice when she saw Silver just staring at her. She found his two eyes looking at her to be a little intimidating.
Silver, not wasting much time, asked the one thing he wanted to know.
"Where are the rooms for outer disciples?"
Miao looked at Silver, confused. She hadn't expected this question.
After all, they were just given a tour of this place by the Elder's subordinate.
Why would he ask such a question?
"We were just given a tour. Did you forget already?"
It looks like she hadn't seen him following Elder Shi.
"I wasn't present when that happened."
This stumped Miao a little, confused, she asked reflexively.
"Where were you?"
'Why is she asking me so many questions now.'
Today had truly been a long day for Silver. First the trial and then unsolicited interrogation. He was both mentally and physically exhausted. Especially his head, which was throbbing for quite some time now. It may be the side effect of the drugged water. It looks like it forcibly calms down temporarily only for it to surface later with a headache.
Silver wanted nothing more than to get wasted on the bed.
"Had prior engagements. Where is the room?"
Miao was a little taken aback by his response. Found it hard to superimpose such a response with the face of Yifan.
Not comfortable with the heavy silence, she answered.
"The left side is for female disciples while the right side is for the male disciples."
As soon as he heard it, Silver nodded and left.
"Much appreciated."
Leaving the expression behind.
Miao stood there observing the back of retreating Silver until he completely vanished in the darkness.
She may not show it but she was equally shocked by the sudden change in Yifan's attitude, if not even more.
At first, she found him an insignificant trout prancing to gain Han Ling's favor. But now?
She wasn't sure but when she looked into his eyes, She was the one who felt small and insignificant.
Almost as if his sight was somewhere far, incomparably far away.
"I don't understand…"