It took Lin Kai quite some time and effort to make it back to his room. Throughout the journey, he stopped constantly, scanning his surroundings, hoping not to bump into anyone. If word got out that a servant was running around naked in the dead of night... he didn't think he'd have the face to live in this place anymore.
After almost an hour of carefully avoiding people and places, Lin Kai finally reached his room.
"Huff…" Shutting the door behind him, he collapsed onto the bed, gasping for air. Today had probably been the most thrilling day of his two lives. Not only did he almost lose his life, but he had also gained a significant boost in strength. However, there was one thing that continued to bother him...
"Sigh." He glanced at his right hand, now reduced to exposed bone. The sight was horrifying, enough to send a chill through anyone. Thankfully, the pain had vanished once the flesh stopped dissolving. Still, the image of his skeletal hand was not one he could easily ignore. The only thing that comforted him was that his hand had already started healing, thanks to his self-heal skill. If not for that, Lin Kai didn't dare to imagine what his life would have been like going forward.
He raised his hand, observing it under the dim light. His bones weren't white as he expected but had a metallic sheen to them, almost as if they were made of some unknown metal. Out of curiosity, Lin Kai touched the bones with his left hand, feeling their weight. He flicked his finger against them, but a sharp pain shot through him.
"No wonder I survived that boar trampling all over me," he muttered. Only now did he truly understand what bone refining meant. Even if a ninth-grade martial artist hit him with full force, his bones would likely remain unharmed.
With a heavy sigh, he wrapped his hand with a clean piece of cloth, winding it twice to be sure no one would notice anything unusual.
Once that was taken care of, Lin Kai started thinking about his next move. Ideally, more beasts would die soon so that he could absorb their powers. If not, he could always return to the forest in search of precious herbs. With his newfound strength, he had little to fear as long as he avoided wandering too deep.
"As for that boar…" Lin Kai's lips curled into a sinister smile. He hadn't forgotten about the boar that nearly butchered him last time. He had planned to return after obtaining the 'Empowerment' skill, but now, with his new abilities... "Hehehe…"
With a twisted grin on his face, Lin Kai rolled over onto his bed and slowly drifted to sleep.
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The next few days passed uneventfully. Lin Kai went about his usual tasks of cleaning the shed before returning to his room. He hadn't seen any beasts in the shed during this time, and with no one to talk to, he had no idea what was happening. Even Ji Yulan seemed to have disappeared. The only person he ran into was Bo Qin, but he was always in a hurry. Whenever Lin Kai tried to stop him, Bo Qin would flash a sheepish smile before running off. With nothing else to do, Lin Kai could only hope to catch up with him during their day off.
Meanwhile, his right hand had continued to heal. Although it wasn't fully recovered yet, at least the bones were no longer visible. Judging by the healing speed, it would likely take a few more weeks for it to completely heal.
On the morning of his day off, Lin Kai woke up early. Today, he planned to explore the mountain and, if he was lucky, gather some precious herbs. Stepping out of his house, he figured he'd chat with Bo Qin before setting off, but to his surprise, Bo Qin was nowhere to be found.
"Strange…" Lin Kai muttered, shaking his head before heading towards the mountain.
When he reached the entrance, he expected to find a crowd of people waiting to leave. Instead, he was greeted with an empty space. Even the gate was closed.
"Huh?" Lin Kai blinked in confusion. "Am I too early?" He looked up at the brightening sky, scratching his head.
"What are you doing here?" A voice snapped him out of his thoughts. Lin Kai turned around to see a guard standing behind him, expressionless.
"I... I'm here to gather herbs," Lin Kai replied honestly.
"Don't you know it's the family competition?" The guard gave Lin Kai a look that screamed, Are you an idiot? He shook his head, sighing. "For the next three days, no one's allowed into the forest. All servants are required to report to the family grounds."
Lin Kai's expression shifted from surprise to understanding. He had nearly forgotten about the Ji family competition. With a sigh, he answered, "My job is to clean the beast sheds."
The guard's stern look softened into one of pity. He studied Lin Kai for a moment before shaking his head again. "I see. No wonder you don't know anything about it. Must be tough to be assigned to the beast sheds. Anyway, you'd better head back and report to the family grounds within three hours."
"Got it," Lin Kai nodded before heading back towards his room. But even as he walked, his mind was preoccupied with thoughts of the mountain.
"Strange," he muttered. "Even with the family competition, why block access to the mountain?"
The more he thought about it, the less sense it made. There was no reason for the Ji family to take such drastic measures unless...
"Is it because of the Beast King?" A sudden realization struck him. If that were the case, everything would add up. He didn't know how destructive a Beast King's power could be, but it must be terrifying. The Ji family was likely trying to prevent unnecessary casualties while also ensuring no one interfered.
Deep in thought, Lin Kai made his way to his usual spot—a small mound that offered a full view of the Ji family estate. He would wait there before heading to the main grounds.
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It didn't take long before the number of people around Lin Kai increased steadily. Within an hour, over a hundred servants had already gathered, with more trickling in by the minute.
"It's time." Lin Kai stood up, brushing the dust off his clothes before heading toward the training ground. No matter what tasks awaited the servants, this was a great opportunity to learn more about the Ji family and his own standing within it.
Fifteen minutes later, he found himself standing among the other servants on the Ji family's training grounds. His eyes darted around, hoping to spot a familiar face. But to his dismay, everyone around him seemed like strangers.
"Where is Bo Qin?" Lin Kai frowned, wondering what that guy was up to lately. Bo Qin used to visit him almost every evening, but recently, he'd become as elusive as a ghost.
"Is everyone here?" A deep, authoritative voice interrupted Lin Kai's thoughts, snapping him back to reality. He turned his head to see an elderly man, possibly in his seventies, dressed in blue robes, standing with his hands behind his back. His gaze swept over the crowd of servants, stern and evaluating. Behind him stood several men of various ages, some of whom looked vaguely familiar.
'That old man from the creaking?' Lin Kai's eyes narrowed as he recognized one of the figures behind the elder—an old man with closed eyes, standing there as if asleep. Not just him, but the man who had assigned Lin Kai to the beast shed was also among the group.
Before Lin Kai could delve further into his thoughts, the elderly man continued speaking.
"When the rest of the servants arrive, assign them to their duties." The elder glanced briefly at the gathering before nodding to a middle-aged man standing beside him. It was clear not all the servants had shown up yet, but the elder didn't seem to mind. He turned his attention back to the crowd, his voice calm but commanding.
"The next three days are crucial for the Ji family," he announced, his chest puffed out with pride. "Each of you must report to your respective stewards, and you will be given specific tasks. Rest assured, the Ji family rewards loyalty and hard work. You will all be compensated generously for your efforts during these three days."
With that, he nodded toward the middle-aged man beside him, signaling for him to take charge before turning and walking away, no doubt to attend to more pressing matters.
"Alright, everyone!" The middle-aged man clapped his hands, drawing everyone's attention. "Step forward and report to your steward."
One by one, the servants began moving, approaching the stewards they were assigned to. Lin Kai stood awkwardly, unsure of who he was supposed to report to. Was it the man who had sent him to the beast shed? Or was it Ji Yulan?
Thinking of her, Lin Kai's eyes scanned the crowd, hoping to spot the beautiful woman, but there was no sign of her.
As most of the servants finished reporting, Lin Kai gritted his teeth and reluctantly stepped forward, heading toward the middle-aged man who had first assigned him his duties. Better to blend in than stand out, even if he wasn't sure what awaited him.
"Senior," Lin Kai greeted respectfully, bowing in front of the man.
"Err... who are you again?" The man looked at Lin Kai with a confused expression. The boy seemed awfully familiar, but the man couldn't quite place him.
"It's me, Lin Kai. You assigned me to the beast shed." Lin Kai's frustration bubbled beneath the surface. How could this man not remember him? After a brief moment of irritation, he forced a smile, keeping his tone polite.
"Ah, right, you!" The man's memory finally clicked. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm here to report to you," Lin Kai replied, though his voice carried a hint of hesitation.
The man shook his head almost immediately. "I might have sent you to work, but I'm not in charge of you."
"Then who do I report to?" Lin Kai asked, now feeling even more confused.
"Ji Yulan, of course," the man answered, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Ji Yulan..." Lin Kai whispered her name, the image of the woman in white flashing in his mind. 'So, that's her name.' After bowing again, Lin Kai quickly left, realizing there was no point wasting more time with this man. He had to find Ji Yulan.
With no clear direction, Lin Kai began wandering aimlessly. Most of the other servants had already been assigned their duties, whether it was attending to the Ji family members or handling refreshments and cleaning. The more Lin Kai observed, the more it felt like the Ji family was preparing for a festival, not a competition.
Time ticked by, and still, he couldn't find Ji Yulan. Frustration gnawed at him, but all he could do was wait.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Lin Kai caught sight of her. She was sitting quietly on a bench behind the main seats, closest to the platform. His heart raced, ready to approach her. But then his gaze fell on the woman sitting beside Ji Yulan.
"Who is she?" Lin Kai narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing the woman in blue. She was no less beautiful than Ji Yulan, her expression one of bored indifference as she gazed out into the distance. If was as if nothing in this world was enough to attract her attention.
"Do I know her?" He racked his brain, trying to recall, but came up empty. Despite her aloof demeanor, something about her felt awfully familiar, yet Lin Kai couldn't remember.
"Forget it." Unable to make sense of his memories, Lin Kai shook his head and took a deep breath before slowly stepping forward.
As if sensing his gaze, the figure of the woman beside Ji Yulan paused, her head slowly turned around and eyes locked onto Lin Kai. For a brief moment, her face showed surprise, but then a smile—cold and unsettling—curled at the corners of her lips, sending a chill down Lin Kai's spine.