**AN: '= Thought. "= Speech**
...
Nestled amidst a vast forest teeming with towering trees adorned in vibrant emerald leaves, a tranquil clearing bathed in the gentle glow of the morning sun. In the heart of this sanctuary, a young girl with ethereal pink hair sat gracefully on the soft carpet of grass.
Resting peacefully, with his long black hair scattered over lap, was a young boy, his face serene in slumber, his body relaxed and at peace.
A groan escaped Zhihui's lips as he groggily rubbed his eyes, his consciousness slowly returning from the depths of sleep. 'My muscles..Damn it.. I wonder if they do massages in this world, I could use one.' He thought, attempting to rise but finding his limbs heavy and sore.
The backlash from overexerting himself the previous day had hit him with vengeance, leaving him feeling utterly drained. 'That old man…' he sighed, a mix of exasperation and begrudging respect for his eccentric teacher.
Suddenly, a delicate fragrance wafted into his nostrils, a subtle floral scent that tickled his senses and stirred him from his lethargy. With a surge of curiosity, he slowly opened his eyes, and his gaze fell upon a pair of mesmerizing pink pupils staring intently down at him.
A jolt of surprise coursed through his veins as he scrambled to his feet, his heart pounding in his chest. "What the hell are you doing?!" he exclaimed, his voice laced with disbelief and a hint of alarm.
Aí furrowed her brows in response, her expression a mix of confusion and mild annoyance, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "I was taking care of you," she retorted, her voice soft yet firm.
"Listen, kid, I don't know what sort of crap the old man told you, but I've got no intentions of being with a kid. Well, to be honest, even if you were twenty years older, I still wouldn't."
"Huh!? Why would I want to be with you?!" Aí shouted, pointing at Zhihui, her face a tinge of red.
Zhihui heaved a deep sigh. "Look, as your senior brother, I won't treat you badly, and we can be really good friends, but for that to happen, you need to respect my boundaries."
"Feeling me up while I am sleeping is an invasion of my privacy! I will not tolerate it!" His eyes narrowed, fixed upon Aí, who stood with her mouth agape.
In a solemn tone, Zhihui declared, "Don't ever try what you did today again, or you will regret it."
'If this were back on earth, I might have already been imprisoned. A six-year-old body or not, you'd have to be really fucked up in the head to mess around with a kid.' He pondered.
"Just who do you think you are?" She asked in a slightly angry tone, her fists clenched.
"Me?" A maniacal expression settled onto his face as he continued, "I am a traveler of worlds! One who has battled with the creator! A peerless genius!" He then opened his mouth wide and let out a crazy laugh.
Her angered expression suddenly turned to one of amusement, and she chuckled lightly. "Did you really think I would feel you up? You smell so bad I can barely breathe around you."
"Smell?" Zhihui sniffed his robes. 'Compared to Master's odor and the mountain of filth, my robes are just slightly unpleasant.'
Squinting slightly, he asked, "So what was that just now, then? You seemed pretty close, breathing just fine."
"Unlike you, I take it upon myself to help those in need. I can't just abandon someone in the wild, even if their scent is enough to make me gag."
"Now you're just overexaggerating."
Aí held her hand over her nose. "I promise you, I'm not."
"No matter, what I said still stands; try that again, and you'll..."
"Please don't say that, Zhihui." Her voice was a soft, mournful whisper, barely audible above the rustling of the leaves.
"I'll be careful next time, Just don't use words like that.. they hurt." She murmured, her voice trembling.
'That look.. Once again, I've somehow become the villain.' Zhihui's mood turned solemn. 'Who knows when that maniac will come out again? She could seriously get hurt staying around me.'
After a moment of silence, Zhihui's gaze softened slightly, but a hint of apprehension lingered in his eyes. "Where is the old man?"
"Master is waiting for you by the lake." Aí replied, her voice barely above a whisper.
Zhihui nodded, then walked away.
Aí watched his retreating figure with a mixture of sadness and determination. 'One day..' With that thought in mind, she settled into a lotus position and closed her eyes, seeking solace in the tranquility of meditation.
After trekking through the dense foliage for what seemed like an eternity, Zhihui's eyes were suddenly met with a spectacle of natural beauty.
The lake shimmered a bright blue as it reflected the skies, creating a stark contrast with the vast green forest. A gentle breeze rustled through the trees, carrying with it the sweet fragrance of wildflowers and the earthy aroma of damp soil.
The air was alive with the sounds of nature—the chirping of birds, the gentle lapping of waves against the shore, and the rustling of leaves in the wind. It was a symphony of nature's melodies, a harmonious blend of sounds that soothed Zhihui's soul.
On the shore stood an old man, lengthy gray hair cascaded his shoulders, his tattered robes swayed slightly in the wind, emanating a foul odor.
With his hands clasped behind his back, he stared at the skies, his piercing gray eyes deep and penetrating. The old man turned his head back, offering a subtle smile as he said, "Are you ready?"
Zhihui's eyes lit up with excitement. "Always."
"Good." The old man stepped forward with his hands held out in front of him and said, "You have probably noticed this by now, but compared to other cultivators, our Qi is a bit unique."
On his palms, a flame emerged, enveloping his hands in a blanket of gray. "Although they are exceptions, most cultivators in Lusus cultivate elemental Qi."
"Elemental... Earth, wind, fire, and water?" Zhihui inquired.
"Yes, Elemental Qi is the raw energy of nature, harnessed by cultivators to control the elements of earth, fire, water, and air. They can conjure storms, manipulate flames, and even reshape the land itself."
"Oh, so the bear I fought used earth Qi." Zhihui whispered.
"What are you talking about?" The old man was confused.
"I forgot; hold on." Zhihui rummaged through his robes, bringing out an orb that emanated a faint brown Qi.
He handed it to the old man, who squinted and said, "This is a demonic beast's core, earth affinity. Where did you get this?"
His tone full of hidden meanings, Zhihui replied, "While you were who knows where, I was busy. Cultivating and learning blacksmithing, which I used to create and sell a few things,
Zhihui narrowed his eyes, staring at the old man with a peeved expression. "In this forest, I ended up running into some sort of beast, it was strong and fast, it shattered my sword in one blow."
As he thought back to the encounter with the beast, he felt a slight apprehension, 'No matter how much I think about it, something was weird. I took a big risk using both skills simultaneously like that. And fighting head-on like that isn't really my style.
I wonder, was it overconfidence? The beast didn't seem all that scary to me, but at the same time, a more tactical approach—setting traps or luring it into a trap—would have been far more efficient.
And then, challenging the old man? That was just plain foolish. It wasn't like me at all. What's happening to me? Is something affecting my mental state? Could it be the interference the system mentioned?'
Anger surged through him, his blood heating up. 'My emotions have been all over the place lately. This all has to be linked to my messed-up second personality. Dammit, he's clouding my mind with his madness.'
Zhihui smiled bitterly. "Heheh, it was a close battle, but of course, this genius came out on top."
The old man's experienced eyes narrowed, a subtle hint of recognition flickering within their depths. He was aware of his disciples peculiarities, but for reasons known only to him, he chose not to pry.
"Hmm. Where is this genius you speak of?" he asked, looking around with bewilderment plastered on his face.
"No need to be shy, old man." Zhihui smirked. "Having a talented disciple is a good thing, even better if that disciple is more talented than yourself."
The old man's eyes ignited with a faint white glow, then transformed into pools of deep, piercing gray that seemed to pierce the very fabric of the forest. Zhihui felt an immense pressure descend upon him, as if an invisible force was probing his very essence.
A moment later the old man nodded and said, "Indeed, an earth ursine." Scratching his beard slowly, he continued, "Hmmm the sword was crudely made but decent enough.. and to think youre already that proficient in the concealment arts.. impressive."
'Can he see the corpse.. From here? but he's not even looking in the right direction.' Zhihui thought, struggling to grasp the old man's strength.
*ZZAP*
[ > Updating : Earth Ursine - Demonic Beast < ]
"However, don't be too arrogant, your case is a bit special, yes, but there are many others more talented." He gazed towards the forest, in Aí's direction.
"You are still a frog in a well, a Qi Condensation Ant." The old man's lips curled into a sly grin, revealing a mischievous glint in his eyes. "However, that will all change soon."
"In the next few years, I will impart to you the true way of a beggar." With a step forward, the old man placed his slender palms on Zhihui's head, his voice dropping to a whisper, "After that, you'll be on your own." A faint smile, tinged with reluctance, played on his lips.
As his words echoed in the air, the wind seemed to shift, the atmosphere growing heavy with anticipation. A shiver ran down Zhihui's spine, his eyes flickering with a mix of fear and excitement.
"Sit," the old man gestured, his voice gentle yet commanding. "Let me tell you a story."