"Fuck..." The Young Master whispered while staring at the ceiling. "That gave me a lot to think about..."
Lei massaged his eyes. He was starting to feel sleepy.
'Not letting them know that I could be an Evil Spirit, Assassins sent on my way here by that Sect, Ui Feng probably doubting me by now, trouble understanding Qi and Cultivation Realms, and now the confirmation of his existence...'
The Young Master turned onto his side.
"A Hero... The idea of taking over this place did cross my mind but it's too soon to have enemies. I haven't done anything that wrong. Or wrong enough for someone to want to kill me. But if there's a Villain, then there's a Hero. Does it mean the Goddess is betting on my actions to somehow make that Hero want to kill me? Two weeks, she said. What if I just leave this place and live in the forest? Would the Hero still come to me somehow? No... I'm not doing that, and she knows it. The Hero is coming to me. Because..."
Sigh-
"This isn't a new story, or a new world. It isn't the birth of a Villain. I'm only taking his place. Continuing what he has started. Yeah... That's what makes the most sense for now. The Hero could be someone from another world like me, but I doubt it. The Goddess is giving me free reign over my actions. You can't do that to a Hero, right? She would have to make sure he comes for me in two weeks. Which means that it's someone from this world. Someone with a grudge, maybe?"
Lei scratched his head, before pushing himself off the bed.
'I'm sure Zhao Laohu was a murderer among other things. I doubt I can find who this Hero is before the two weeks have passed. She said that I'll -Meet- the Hero. Not that I'll be killed, or even that I'll fight. A first confrontation of sorts? I am curious about this though. Hero and Villain. Isn't it too early to put labels on us?' The Young Master yawned as he walked towards his room's doors. 'Time to deal with the other bothersome thing... Guess I'll sleep right after that.'
Dealing with it now seemed better than later. Since he would sleep after, it would give him time to think about how to act. Problems should be faced head-on, right?
This particular problem had been mentioned by both the Elders that Lei had encountered, but also by Ui Feng.
This, Lei thought, could prove to be even more troublesome than Ui Feng. There, after all, was a simple way of dealing with the latter.
The particular problem had a name, and lived three doors away.
The one who could possibly know Zhao Laohu the best was...
Knock- Knock-
"C-Come in."
A timid and high-pitched voice. Lei took a deep breath in. Such a voice was a good sign.
He pushed the door open, but didn't step in.
"B-Brother!"
No older than twelve. He, too, had long dark hair. But unlike Zhao Laohu, he was too young for his build to be a muscular one. Lei thought the long hair didn't suit the person standing in front of him. He thought it made him look girlish and timid.
"I-I greet the Young Master!" The boy shouted with a bow. "I would have come to pay my respects sooner, but Lord Feng told me that you had..."
Lei's eyes narrowed.
It was a strange situation after all.
' Young Master...? Lord Feng...?' Lei was a bit confused. 'He's paying even more respect than Feng or any of the Disciples did...'
"I absolutely would have come, for it is a great honor-"
The boy interrupted his rumbling suddenly as Zhao Laohu stepped forward.
He raised his gaze while keeping his back bent.
'I see how it is...' Lei tried his best to keep his lips from curling upwards. 'Zhao Laohu... You used to bully your own brother a lot, huh?'
They were both Young Masters.
They were both sons of the Sect's Master.
But one was above the other. Better. In age, talent, and much else.
The better one, of course, did not hide this fact from the other.
After having taken one into the room, Lei stared directly into the boy's eyes.
How to refer to him? How to act? He had no idea.
Therefore,
"P-Please, come in." The boy finally straightened his back. "Can I bring you something to drink or eat? You must be tired after..."
Silence was the move. Letting the other party bathe in awkwardness, and letting them throw the first move.
"No, that is unnecessary."
"T-Then come sit, at least." The boy rose from his seat.
A second later, it was filled by the older brother.
The younger brother stood awkwardly, unsure what to do, unsure what he was supposed to.
"Sun."
"Yes, Young Master?"
"Older brother is fine."
Sun nodded, his gaze stuck to the ground.
Sun Laohu was his name.
"Yes, older brother?"
"What have you been doing while I was away?"
Sun's eyes widened at those words. Since when did his older brother care about what he was doing?
"I-I have been training! Ever since you were gone, that is all I have been doing. I will make sure not to bring shame to our family name! I will make sure to be worthy of sharing the same name as you!"
"I see." Zhao answered after a couple of silent seconds.
He stood up, and started walking towards the door.
Just when Sun was about to let out a sigh of relief, his older brother suddenly turned around.
"Remind me, Sun. Is there something happening in two weeks?"
"Two weeks...?" Sun brought a hand to his chin as he thought. "I don't think-" His eyes widened, and Lei was glad. "There is!"
"Refresh my memory, will you?"
"It's-"
Sun stopped right in his tracks.
Gulp-
If he were to say it, if he were to remind Zhao of what had angered him that much a couple of weeks ago then...?
"What is it?" Zhao pressed.
"Your..."
"My?"
"Your... Engagement ceremony, older brother."
Lei nodded. His gaze moved to the ground, then back to Sun's face. He turned around, and took a step towards the door again, before turning back again.
"My what?"