[PoV_set=n0ne]
[Zhang family manor]
In the quiet solitude of her room within the Zhang noble clan's manor, Liu Xin stood by the window, her gaze lost in the fading light of dusk. The amber glow of the setting sun caught in her fiery red hair, which was elegantly tied in a high, but messy, bun, the strands catching the light like threads of molten copper. The few rebellious tendrils framed her face in soft waves that only accentuated her ethereal beauty.
Her eyes, amethyst in hue, gleamed with a brilliance that seemed to hold the mysteries of the night sky, their deep color intensified by the dimming light. There was a quiet intensity in her gaze, as though she could see far beyond the horizon, contemplating the fate of the Liu noble clan that she alone now carried the weight of.
In that moment, as dusk settled upon the world outside, Liu Xin's presence seemed to blend with the twilight, her form as graceful as the stillness of the evening. The silence was broken only by the occasional rustle of her hair and the soft exhale of breath as she stood alone, the last remnant of her once-great clan, gazing into the horizon, where the territory of the Liu noble clan once lay.
As if sensing her wistfulness, a familiar presence drew close. Before Liu Xin could react, strong arms wrapped around her from behind, lifting her off her feet. She let out a soft yelp of surprise, struggling briefly before giving up with a resigned sigh. She didn't really dislike it, though she wouldn't dare admit it to the one responsible for such antics.
"Geez, put me down already, Big Bro. I'm not a child anymore," she grumbled, arms crossed in mock annoyance as her 'attacker' finally set her back on solid ground.
Without missing a beat, she turned to face him. Her purple eyes meeting unkept black hair, and a teasing smile just below. As she had come to expect, it was Zhang Feng, her stepbrother.
After the tragedy that befell Liu noble clan nearly a decade ago, leaving Liu Xin as the sole survivor thanks to a visit to the Zhang noble clan's manor to play with Zhang Yanhua, the Zhang Patriarch, bound by his daughter's close friendship with Liu Xin, adopted the orphaned girl into his family.
And ever since then, she has been living as an esteemed mistress of the Zhang noble family instead. Her stepfather never pressured her to change her surname, for which she remained deeply grateful, she treasured the freedom to preserve the tie that bound her to her lost family—a promise, a vow to exact retribution upon the one responsible for her clan's destruction.
Liu Xin puffed up her cheeks as she rained down a flurry of light punches on Zhang Feng's chest. "Take that, and that, and that," she muttered, her voice brimming with mock indignation. Despite her words, her face remained devoid of any anger.
Zhang Feng chuckled as he reached out to close the windows."Little Xin, you'll wear yourself out like that," he teased. "The competition is over. Me and Tianyu won. The participants are recovering at the medical facility near the Lost Woods, err, around the ruins of the Liu clan's main mansion."
His words stilled Liu Xin's punches. She tilted her head in confusion. "Huh? What do you mean "Me and Tianyu won"? Weren't the finals supposed to be between Brother Yu and Sister Hua?"
She paused, tapping a finger against her lips as if piecing together a puzzle. Then, her face lit up in realization, and she smacked her palm with her fist. "Aha! I get it now!" she exclaimed dramatically, her voice laced with accusation. "You were so upset about losing to Sister Hua that you've now decided to claim Brother Yu's win as your own!"
Shaking her head with mock disappointment, she crossed her arms and clicked her tongue in a perfect imitation of Zhang Feng. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. How shameless, Big Brother!" (*)
Zhang Feng reached out his hand, ruffling her hair as he quipped, "I see your imagination hasn't dulled one bit, Little Xin," he chuckled. "Don't you know, women lose their beauty if they think too much, heh" (**)
Liu Xin swatted his hand away, placing her hands on her hips and sticking out her modest chest, "Hu hu, then I have a lot of beauty to spare before I ever turn ugly!"
Zhang Feng merely shook his head in defeat as he readied up to leave. "I'll tell you about the tournament once I'm back with Little Hua. I've got to go now," he mentioned. To which, the redhead stuck out her tongue, accusing him of going to fool around with girls again.
Zhang Feng didn't know whether to laugh or cry. His reputation had always been something he was worried about, and these remarks proved that his worry was well-founded. "No, silly, I'm going to the medical facility. Little Hua, Tianyu and Yifan are there. Want to visit?"
Liu Xin's eyes widened, her pupils nearly transforming into star shapes at the prospect of meeting not two, but three of her friends there. "Wait, Brother Fan's already there too? What are we waiting for? Let's go!" she exclaimed gleefully, hugging her brother's arm as if urging him to hurry.
[At the medical facility]
"Brother Yifan, Sister Zhang, as you can see that my teammate is temporarily incapacitated, so may I request a ceasefire as of now?"
Zhang Yanhua chuckled softly, mimicking Li Tianyu's formal tone as she raised a hand to cover her lips. She looked the same as she did in the arena, save for the bandage wrapped around her head.
Turning toward Li Tianyu with a grin unbefitting her usual elegant demeanour, she teased, "Brother Li, since when did you start referring to me as Sister Zhang¹?"
Li Tianyu simply looked away, unable to lock eyes with her. "Yanhua, just knock it off already..." he groaned, adjusting the gauze wrapped around his abdomen, still sore from the knee strike.
Chen Yifan, who was reading a book nearby, put down his book as he joined in the banter.
"Not to lie but I was more surprised at your reaction, Yanhua. It scared even me," he mentions, his right hand covered in bandages. Li Tianyu nodded fervently in agreement.
"Oh? Was that so~?" Zhang Yanhua drew out her words, the playfulness leaving her voice faster than lightning. "It seems my dear Brother Chen and Brother Li are growing tired of old Yanhua. Perhaps you'd rather devote your attentions to my little sister now... Truly unfortunate."
The temperature in the room seemed to drop as both Li Tianyu and Chen Yifan stiffened. A chill ran down their spines as they scrambled to protest.
"Argh, no, no! You've got it all wrong, Yanhua! I wouldn't dare look at Sister Xin that way!" Chen Yifan exclaimed, waving his hand with a desperation that sent his spittle flying.
"Wait, wait, wait, Yanhua! I swear we're not eyeing Liu Xin here!" Li Tianyu clarified with much haste, "Even if she is prettier than you…" he muttered to himself, eliciting a "What was that?" from the girl in pink.
Chen Yifan's head whipped toward Li Tianyu, "Are you trying to get us killed here?!" he hissed, nearly pushed to tears.
Zhang Yanhua turned her head away from the two with a Hmph. "I'll let Big Brother know about this," she threatened, although humour did return to her tone.
Shaking his head, Li Tianyu shot Chen Yifan a disgruntled look. "And you, Yifan, did you have to knee my stomach? It still hurts, goddamnit!" he complained.
The chubby cultivator shrugged with a smug look. "If I were you, I'd be thanking me for not aiming somewhere much worse."
Li Tianyu groaned before turning to Zhang Yanhua. "Speaking of hits, is your brea– chest alright? I actually didn't know I could hit that hard. Sorry about that." he apologized sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.
Zhang Yanhua turned sharply, her face a mask of indignation. "I am just a delicate girl, yet Big Brother Li kicked me away as if I were a stray dog! And my chest, of all places! How brutish, to aim a kick at a girl's chest!" she exclaimed, as though she were reciting lines from a tragic play.
Li Tianyu's lips twitched. Sighing, he closed his eyes in annoyance. 'This discussion is going ABSOLUTELY nowhere...'
Chen Yifan laughed at the exchange, when a sudden pop-up of the System caused him to nearly jump up. Thankfully nobody else could hear the System except for him.
Looking around, he noticed that both Zhang Yanhua and Li Tianyu had grown quiet, possibly recuperating in silence. Seizing the chance, he picked up his book again, pretending to read as he communicated with the System.
< ((1) Cultivation Ascension: During the last battle, opponents had a higher overall cultivation grade compared to your team. Therefore, your cultivation will increase to Realm 4, Mid stage.>> 'Can you stop popping up without notice like that? And you always have such bad timing!' As usual, the System did not respond. <<(2) Objectives: Long term goals that can be completed over time for significant rewards and better quality of life>> 'Objectives? So these are like Quests but they don't have a time limit and can fetch better rewards?' Chen Yifan thought to himself as he turned a page in his book, mindful to his outer act. < 'Upgrade? Like how we increase ranks? How does that work?' < Does Host wish to begin?>> 'Wha- No! Of course not!! I do not accept!' Turning the area around him into a lifeless wasteland was at the very bottom of Chen Yifan's todo list, if it was even on there at all. <<(3) Lucky Draw– Grenjog's Orb: A powerful artefact with limited uses.>> 'Okay... Ugh, at least tell me what it does!' < 'No! Tianyu and Yanhua are right there, they'll grow super suspicious if I were to suddenly pull out a black orb from nowhere. I don't even know if it'll explode as soon as I take it out!' < Chen Yifan sighed mentally. The System was unlikely going to respond anytime soon. And he had no quests to do and an objective that could potentially harm half of the city if he were to accept it. He turned his gaze to his friends, who still seemed to be minding their own businesses and then, went back to his book that he had already finished countless times. ... 'Man, even if these guys are like this, I kinda wish we always remain like this. No tension, no drama, just friendly banter.' Li Tianyu thought to himself, as he tried to relax. The pain was mostly gone, the healing cultivators had done their job well.The medical facility served more to mend their frayed spirits and weary nerves than their physical wounds. 'No way, you just jinxed ALL OF US by saying that, god fucking damn it!' A sharp, irritated voice suddenly snapped within Li Tianyu's mind. He had countless voices within him at all times, which would usually merge into one, but every so often, one or two would break through the din to make their presence known. 'Chill out, what could possibly go wrong? We're living the Isekai dream!' This time, another voice chimed in, full of adventurous mischief. 'Oh yeah, you're gonna be alive, sure,' The previous voice rolled its eyes before continuing, 'But what about them? What about the rest? Who's to say we're not gonna be the tragic hero?!' Before the frivolous voice could reply, Li Tianyu hushed them both down with his mind. They stopped existing if he stopped thinking about them, after all, they weren't real—just fragments of his overthinking mind given form. 'There's literally nothing to worry about, not within the short term anyway. Maybe I should have a nap instead.' Yawning, his gaze shifted over to Chen Yifan and Zhang Yanhua, the former was immersed in his book while the latter appeared to have nodded off . And with that, he closed his eyes. ... "Yanhua, stop pretending that you can't hear me." Grandpa River's voice echoed through Zhang Yanhua's mind. But she remained silent, her way of making it clear she wasn't in the right frame of mind to talk. "Yanhua," he continued, his voice catching a hint of annoyance, "you need to understand that I didn't hold back in the tournament because I wanted you to fail. I refrained from helping because it was also a test—from myself. If I had intervened, how could you ever grow to stand up on your own two feet?" His words lingered in the mental space, met only by silence. Just as Grandpa River was about to give up hope, Zhang Yanhua's faint voice reached him, breaking through the silence. "Why...?" The single word held a jumble of emotions in it, as if she herself didn't fully understand what she was asking. Grandpa River paused, turning his head towards the source. Far in the distance, Zhang Yanhua's figure could be seen, her outline blurred by the chaotic situation of her emotions. With a thought, Grandpa River appeared beside her. "What do you mean by that?" He asked, his voice gentler now. Zhang Yanhua's mental figure refused to make eye contact, gazing elsewhere as she finally spoke, her voice cracking. "Grandpa... I'm not mad at you. I'm just... disappointed. I know you're right—if you'd helped me, it wouldn't have been my victory. But still... I can't help feeling upset. Like... part of me dislikes you for not helping. I feel so conflicted. Why do I feel like this?" Grandpa River stroked his long, imaginary beard, his voice deep and measured as he answered. "Such feelings are not unusual, Yanhua. Even the mightiest oak begins as a seed, unsure of its place in the forest." He sighed before continuing, "It is natural to feel as you do. When we care for someone—when we believe they should aid us—we bind our expectations to them. And when they do not meet those expectations, our trust feels strained. But, child, let me ask you this: would you rather have a hollow victory that fades like mist under the sun, or one forged by your own hands, unshakable and eternal?" Grandpa River paused, letting his words settle like dew on a blade of grass. "I have lived long enough to know that resentment, however fleeting, can linger like a splinter. But hear this, Yanhua: every disappointment, every failure, is a stepping stone. Someday, you will look back on this moment and realize it was the very reason you climbed higher than you ever thought possible." With a final, warm glance, he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Take your time to feel what you feel, little one. Even the heavens allow the storms to rage before the skies clear again." Zhang Yanhua finally mustered enough resolve to look Grandpa River in the face. Her gaze held a spark of determination. She nodded firmly. "Yes, Grandpa River, thank you for guiding this junior on her path," she said, bowing her mental figure deeply as she let out a breath physically. "I think I'll need some time now, to sort out my feelings. I can't let the others see me like this." Grandpa River inclined his head, a faint smile ghosting his features. "Take all the time you need, child. Even the brightest stars rest in the heavens before their next rise." With that, he retreated back into the silence of Zhang Yanhua's mental space, leaving her to gather her thoughts in solitude. ... [Liu-Zhang Boundary Road] Zhang Feng walked in tow with Liu Xin, his mind wandering back to the inspiration he found in the arena; it had come like a sudden gust of wind, only to vanish just as quickly. The desperation within the arena was what provided the natural inspiration, that he had failed to expand upon due to the circumstances. 'Next time...' The effeminate cultivator sighed, hardening his resolve. 'Next time, I will focus on exploring the inspiration first!' *Nudge Nudge* Liu Xin lightly elbowed her brother, pulling him back from his thoughts. "Big Bro, you're the one who wanted to walk so we could enjoy the scenery! But if you're just going to sulk and stay all quiet, I'm calling for a carriage!" Her senses picked up on his mood, and she tried to lift his spirits. Shaking his head, Zhang Feng chuckled, his eyes visible for the briefest of moments before disappearing back again. "Alright, alright, little princess. How about this, I'll carry you the rest of the way instead?" Saying that, he reached out his hands, as if ready to follow through, a mischievous grin on his face. "Eek! No way!" Liu Xin yelped, darting a few steps away, "What would the others think if they saw you carrying me like that?!" "Hmm? Does that mean you'd let me if nobody was around?" Zhang Feng teased, chuckling menacingly, causing her to stomp her feet in mock anger, "That's not— Ugh, stop messing with me!" Despite all that however, Liu Xin was glad, a warm feeling blossomed in her chest as she realised that her brother's mood had improved, even if just a tiny bit. As they walked along the path, Liu Xin, now no longer distracted by her brother, felt a pang of uneasiness. After all, these areas used to belong to her clan before it was massacred. She sighed, trying to push those thoughts deep in her mind. Now was not the time. 'Mommy... Daddy... Everyone else... I swear on my surname Liu that I shall find and punish the perpetrators behind this!' She vowed to herself, clenching her fists tightly by her side. Suddenly, a warm hand settles on her shoulder, causing her to jump slightly. It was Zhang Feng. He seemed concerned. "Little Xin, you alright? Your breathing is all heavy and your fists are clenched. Is something wrong?" he asked, his concerned voice bringing her back to reality. Liu Xin scoffed lightly, "Such a siscon..." she muttered under her breath, yet making no efforts to shrug off his arm, even leaning into him a bit. His arm provided comfort, comfort of a new family that cared for her despite all. It didn't erase the pain, but it dulled the edges. And it helped calm her more than she'd like to admit. It didn't take long before Liu Xin wrapped her arm around Zhang Feng, their steps naturally falling in sync as they walked. The medical facility was almost within view now, and so were the Lost Woods. ---------- (*) Someone tell her that Zhang Feng was the MVP lmfaoooo (**) Local saying in their region