Without warning, Yu Han found himself in the sparring hall, a wooden sword in his hand. Opposite him stood his elder sister, Ha Xiu Baok, her face alight with a mocking, almost malevolent smirk.
"Tsk… So, when's the show starting?"
Xiu Baok taunted her brother, raising her sword playfully, her tone laced with derision. Yu Han stood frozen, his mind racing as he considered his approach.
"How should I even begin? I could try circling behind her, but sneaking past her defenses won't be easy…"
"A frontal assault? That would be suicide—her raw strength completely overwhelms mine."
"UGH! WHY AM I EVEN THINKING THIS THROUGH? I DON'T STAND A CHANCE!"
"Well, if you're not coming, then I guess I'll come to you!"
Without further warning, Xiu Baok launched herself forward, closing the distance in an instant. Yu Han, despite his panic, reacted swiftly, raising his wooden sword just in time to block her strike.
The clash of their weapons echoed through the hall, but surprisingly, Yu Han didn't buckle under the force of the blow.
Xiu Baok whistled, a sly grin spreading across her face. "Not bad, little brother. Quick reflexes, solid footing… impressive! But don't think this means I'm going to take it easy on you!"
For the next five minutes, Xiu Baok relentlessly assaulted her younger brother with a flurry of strikes. She controlled the pace entirely, her attacks unyielding and precise.
"Little brother, you do realize this isn't how you're going to win, right?"
"Shut up! I'm trying to find an opening, you lunatic!"
"Oops."
The words had slipped out of Yu Han's mouth before he realized it.
"What did you just call me?!"
Her attacks intensified, each swing growing fiercer. Yu Han's stance began to falter under the onslaught, his breathing ragged.
"Kh… I have to use it! It's the only way!" Yu Han thought, his grip tightening on his sword.
"Come on, Yu Han! I know you can do better than th—"
Xiu Baok's sentence was cut off as Yu Han's sword came streaking upward in a rapid, unexpected arc, striking her squarely on the chin. The blow left her dazed and disoriented.
"Huh? How…?"
As she refocused on her brother, she noticed something remarkable—an aura faintly radiating from him.
"So, you've finally mastered it?"
"As you can see!" Yu Han shot back, confidence flickering in his voice.
"Heh. In that case, I won't hold back any longer."
Xiu Baok's aura erupted around her, chaotic and imposing. Unlike Yu Han's controlled and refined energy, hers was wild and overwhelming, a terrifying display that seemed almost demonic.
Sweat trickled down Yu Han's brow.
"All right, bring it on!"
---
"Well, well… it seems Jun is having quite the fun time with the young master," mused Yang Fang Li as she wandered the Ha family estate, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
"Perhaps I should stoke the fire a little more…"
Before she could act on her thoughts, a deafening crash resounded. She turned just in time to see the wall to her right crumble entirely.
"Huh?"
Amid the rubble lay Yu Han, unconscious and bleeding from his head.
"M..Master Y-Yu Han?!" Fang Li gasped, her voice trembling.
"Get up, you little idiot! I'm not done playing with you yet!"
"That voice…"
Fang Li turned towards the ruined wall, her gaze falling upon a familiar silhouette. It wasn't difficult to recognize the figure looming there: Ha Xiu Baok, the family's infamous terror.
The moment Fang Li realized who it was, she turned on her heels and fled without a second thought, leaving the injured Yu Han behind.
"GET UP, YOU UNGRATEFUL BRAT!"
Yu Han remained motionless, sprawled on the ground, blood pooling beneath him.
"…Wait…"
Xiu Baok, standing over her brother's apparently lifeless body, began to come back to her senses. Realization dawned on her as she surveyed the aftermath of her rage.
"…Oh, crap."
---
Hours later, Yu Han awoke in his bed, his body covered in bandages.
"Ow!"
"Don't move too much, or you'll reopen your wounds," a familiar voice advised.
"YuXiang Jun? What are you doing here?" Yu Han groaned, his gaze shifting toward the young servant perched on the windowsill, his black-and-silver sword resting casually across his lap.
"Fang Li asked me to help…" Jun's voice trailed off as he glanced away, a flicker of annoyance crossing his face.
"So if she hadn't asked, you'd have let me die, huh?" Yu Han thought bitterly, glaring at his servant.
With a resigned sigh, he turned his eyes downward, staring at his bandaged legs.
"There are so many strong people in this world. I can't even imagine catching up to them… I feel so weak…"
Jun's sharp eyes shifted back to his master. "Idiot. You're much stronger than you were six months ago. Losing to your sister doesn't mean anything—she's one of the most powerful alchemists in this country. You've got nothing to be ashamed of."
His own words left a sour taste in his mouth, and he frowned in disgust.
"What's with him?" Yu Han wondered, suspicious of Jun's sudden encouragement.
"Oh, I almost forgot. The mistress wants to see you in the garden."
"For what?"
"No idea. Ask her yourself."
"Tsk…"
---
In the vast expanse of the Ha family's cursed garden, Xiu Baok was training intensely. The garden, as large as a small forest, was known to attract wild beasts and even demonic creatures, making it one of the Ha family's most prized assets.
"Xiu Baok?" Yu Han called out hesitantly.
"Ah, finally here, huh?"
She stopped her training, turning to face her younger brother, who stood before her, still covered in bandages.
"Looks like I didn't go easy on you!" she laughed heartily.
"Honestly, I'm too tired to even be angry anymore," Yu Han thought, exhaling sharply.
"So, why'd you call me?"
"I heard that YooXiang Jun, the best apprentice in the estate, has become your servant. And you his master, huh?"
"Master? He's anything but that. He made me run up and down stairs for months!"
Xiu Baok burst into laughter.
"Perfect! That means he's prepared you for this moment!"
"What are you talking about?"
She turned her back to him, her eyes scanning the trees ahead.
"Do you know how someone becomes a certified alchemist?"
"Yes. To become an alchemist, you must awaken one of the five principles of the soul: Jiā, Zhì, Kǒu, Sò, or Zóu. These principles represent manifestations of our essence, and awakening them requires years of regular meditation."
"And how long, exactly?" Xiu Baok asked, though she clearly already knew the answer.
Yu Han hesitated before replying, "…One hundred years."
Satisfied with his response, Xiu Baok cast a side glance at her brother.
"Exactly. One hundred long years of meditation, only to barely scratch the surface of true alchemy."
She paused, then turned to face him directly.
"So, Yu Han, is that the kind of alchemist you want to become?"
"I…"
"I want to be an alchemist, but wasting a hundred years just for the basics… that's insane."
"Exactly! And how do you think I became an alchemist?"
"Simple—you consumed shards of demonic beasts' souls."
"And where did I find those beasts?"
"I don't—" Yu Han stopped mid-sentence, realization dawning as he scanned their surroundings.
"Yes, little brother. Right here, in the garden!"
"You've got to be kidding me—"