"I was wondering, what's the use of that fruit you fed the Blood Goat? Why not just give it grass or some other feed?" Lin Kai asked while sweeping the enclosure. Ever since he found out he could absorb the Heart Fruit, the question had been on his mind. Why was the Ji family using such a precious item as feed? Couldn't they just feed the beast something simpler?
"Hmm..." Ji Yan, who had been idly wondering if he should leave again, stopped in his tracks. He paused for a moment, considering Lin Kai's question before replying.
"How much do you know about martial artists?" Instead of answering directly, Ji Yan threw a question back at Lin Kai.
"Err... I know they're divided into different ranks from nine to one, each representing a level of strength," Lin Kai summarized what little he knew.
"That's such a shallow answer." Ji Yan was genuinely surprised, though it only lasted a moment before he remembered he was talking to a servant. For a second, he almost wanted to laugh. Lin Kai spoke so casually, that it was easy to forget their difference in status. Ji Yan had nearly started treating him as an equal.
'Maybe that's why I enjoy messing with him,' Ji Yan thought, his grin widening. After gathering his thoughts, he began to answer Lin Kai's question more carefully.
"For now, let's keep it simple. Yes, warriors are divided into nine ranks, each signifying a change in their strength. But humans aren't the only ones who can cultivate and grow stronger. Beasts can do it too," Ji Yan said, his eyes briefly distant as though lost in a memory.
"At first, there was no clear distinction between the beasts. Some had strong bones but weak muscles, others had refined organs but frail bones. It was chaotic."
"So over time, people came up with a way to classify them." Ji Yan fell silent for a long moment before continuing.
"Unlike humans, who can only refine their blood at the Fifth Stage, beasts can refine their blood from the very beginning. In fact, their whole path revolves around refining their blood. The more they refine it, the stronger they become."
Lin Kai listened intently as Ji Yan went on.
"And so, beasts were divided into three realms. The Ferals, whose strength rivals that of 9th to 7th realm warriors."
"The Primals, whose strength matches those in the 6th to 4th realm."
"And finally, The Kings—terrifying beasts whose strength equals that of 3rd to 1st realm powerhouses."
Ji Yan stopped again, letting the information sink in. Lin Kai held his breath, his mind racing with this new knowledge. He wasn't a novice when it came to warriors, but this was the first time he had learned about the classification of beasts.
"Say..." Lin Kai paused his sweeping, his brow furrowing in thought. "How can we tell which realm a beast belongs to?" As he asked, his mind flashed back to the wild boar he had fought in the forest. After their initial clash, he knew the boar was at the 9th realm level. But what if he faced something more dangerous next time? How could he know what he was up against?
"The first thing you can look at is size." Ji Yan seemed to be enjoying the conversation, possibly because it was a break from his usual routine. "Ferals are usually the size of humans, about five to eight feet tall. Primals are almost twice as large, ranging from twelve to fifteen feet. And then there are the Kings, standing at a staggering thirty feet in their prime, six times the height of an average person."
He paused, watching Lin Kai digest the information before continuing.
"The second thing that sets them apart is their innate skills. You see, humans have a very slim chance of awakening a skill when they reach the Fifth Realm. But beasts? They can awaken one skill with each realm they advance."
Ji Yan pointed to the empty tray that had once held the Heart Fruit. "These fruits help them awaken their skills."
"I see..." Lin Kai nodded, finally understanding why the Ji family invested such valuable resources in feeding their beasts. Training warriors required countless resources and years of dedication, but raising a beast with a powerful skill could rival that. No wonder they were willing to feed the beasts something as precious as the Heart Fruit.
"You're probably wondering why we don't eat those fruits ourselves if they're so special, huh?" Ji Yan misinterpreted Lin Kai's silence, thinking he was stuck on that question. Lin Kai didn't bother correcting him and simply nodded.
"Well, it's simple. These fruits don't work on humans." Ji Yan waved his hand, signalling for Lin Kai to continue cleaning. "Don't ask me why. I don't know the answer either."
"Interesting..." Lin Kai muttered under his breath. While Ji Yan waved off the fruit's usefulness to humans, Lin Kai's mind was already racing with plans. To others, the Heart Fruit might be worthless, but for him, it was a treasure that could open endless possibilities.
"I need to go now," Ji Yan suddenly said, hesitating for a moment. "You can finish cleaning the rest of the sheds. And don't forget to read that book. It'll give you a better understanding of how things work around here."
With a casual wave, Ji Yan strolled away, leaving Lin Kai alone to finish cleaning.
"Strange." Lin Kai frowned, watching Ji Yan's retreating figure. Something was off. The guy had been acting fine earlier, but ever since he disappeared and came back, his mood had shifted. "Did something happen?"
The thought quickly passed, and Lin Kai didn't dwell on it. Being away from that guy was more peaceful anyway, and the last thing he wanted was to get involved in Ji Yan's business.
With a scoff, Lin Kai bent down and got back to cleaning.
---------------
On the other side of the Ji family estate, in the third building from the center, sat a middle-aged man. He was in the same room where Lin Kai had received the book from Ji Yulan. The man, wearing an ordinary white robe, had his eyes closed. His clean-shaven face gave off a heroic aura, his eyebrows sharp like swords. His expression, however, was completely calm, almost emotionless. If not for Ji Yulan trembling as she knelt before him, one might mistake him for an ordinary rich man. But this was far from the truth. This man was Ji Tianhao, the current patriarch of the Ji family.
"Yulan," his majestic voice echoed, making the walls tremble slightly. Ji Yulan, already shaking, stiffened even more.
"Did you forget to deliver my message?" His voice was calm, but Ji Yulan dared not hesitate.
"No, master, I..." She began to explain, her voice wavering, but before she could finish, the door creaked open, and the figure of a young boy entered there with a grave expression.
"What's so urgent?" Ji Yan asked, his voice tight with fear. He gritted his teeth, frustrated. He couldn't understand why his father had come looking for him again, instead of handling the family's affairs.
Ji Tianhao didn't answer. He didn't even open his eyes. His silent presence filled the room, growing heavier by the second. Ji Yulan held her breath, terrified that even the sound of her breathing might break the stillness.
Looking at his still father, Ji Yan clenched his fists, his teeth grinding in frustration. He let out a heavy sigh, unwillingness flashing in his eyes, but finally, he knelt in front of Ji Tianhao, bending down on one knee.
"You said something?" It was only now that Ji Tianhao opened his eyes... his gaze cold as it fell on the two kneeling before him.
Ji Yan gritted his teeth again, forcing down his pride. His voice strained, and he said just a single word, "Nothing..."
"I see," Ji Tianhao replied, his eyes narrowing. "You know, Yulan was just telling me all about your little adventures."
As soon as he spoke these words, Ji Yan looked at Ji Yulan with fire spewing out of his eyes. If not for the presence of Ji Tianhao, he would have already lashed out at her. Ji Yualn on the other hand, just trembled slightly. She wanted to say something, but she knew her place. This was neither the time nor the place. Helplessly, she could only hope Ji Yan wouldn't lose his temper.
"I thought it was absurd." Ji Tianhao let out a low chuckle, but in the dead silence of the room, it sounded sinister. "Think about it, the youngest child of the patriarch instead of focusing on practice is fooling around, wasting valuable time.."
He clapped his hands, smiling at Ji Yan. "Now, you're going to tell me it's all rumours, right? That Yulan was just joking... RIGHT?"
His voice grew louder, more intense. The grin on his face stretched wider, his eyes never leaving Ji Yan and Ji Yulan.
Neither of them dared to speak. It was like they'd turned to stone.
"Hehe..." Ji Tianhao's laughter started soft, but it grew louder, echoing through the building. The longer he laughed, the angrier he seemed. His laughter finally cut off, leaving the room filled with a heavy silence. His gaze became eerily calm, sending a chill down Ji Yulan's spine.
"Take it off." His voice was cold, and commanding, all traces of humour gone.
Ji Yan trembled, his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
"Do I need to repeat myself?" Ji Tianhao's voice dropped, becoming icy.
Ji Yan swallowed his emotions. He stood up slowly, reaching for the bracelet on his wrist. In one swift motion, he removed it.
As soon as he did, his figure blurred, like a veil had been lifted. The appearance of Young Boy who was similar to Lin Kai in stature and age was now gone, replaced by the figure of a woman in her mid-twenties who was almost two heads longer than Lin Kai.
She had long, silky black hair tied up in a bun, with a loose strand falling across her forehead to her cherry-red lips. A red cinnabar mark, shaped like a crescent moon, rested on her forehead. Her long blue robes flowed elegantly, giving her an otherworldly appearance when coupled with her fair white skin; at the moment she excluded an even greater charm than Ji Yulan beside her.
"Hand it over." Ji Tianhao snatched the bracelet from her and then tossed an old book into her hands.
"You are not to leave this building until you have mastered what's inside. If you disobey and leave again, the consequences will be severe." Without waiting for a response, Ji Tianhao stood and walked out, leaving behind two silent, frozen figures.
"Miss..." Ji Yulan finally broke the silence a few minutes after he left. "Miss, the master is only worried about you. You shouldn't—"
"GET OUT!" Ji Yan turned sharply, slapping Ji Yulan across the cheek. Without another word, she stormed out of the room.
Ji Yulan was stunned, her hand touching her stinging cheek. She watched Ji Yan's back as she left, wanting to chase after her, but in the end, she just let out a bitter, sad chuckle. She walked out of the room, aimlessly wandering.
Her mind felt blank. She didn't know where she was going, only that she needed to get far away. Eventually, she found herself in a small flower garden and sat down on a bamboo chair.
She sat there, unmoving, lost in her own thoughts. Time passed slowly. Seconds turned into minutes, then into hours. She couldn't tell how long she had been sitting there. Her head hung low as she struggled to process what had happened.
She couldn't remember how long she stayed like this. In the end, it was the sound of someone humming a tune that brought her back to her senses.
Raising her head after god knows how many hours, she looked in front of her... there... the figure of a young boy was walking towards her awkwardly while humming a tune. Though he tried to make it seem natural, but how could she fall for this? Just a single glance and she was able to tell how fake this forceful pretending was.
As the figure became clear under the illumination of the light pole, the appearance of the boy was finally revealed. As Ji Yulan looked at the boy in front of her, she could not help but raise an eyebrow before uttering his name,
"Lin Kai?"