In the dark woods of the cursed garden, Yu Han and Xiu Baok stood at the entrance.
"This is it," Yu Han thought to himself.
"It's the first time I'll fight a demonic beast, so I need to use everything I've learned over these months..."
"Hey, little Yu Han!"
Xiu Baok's shout snapped him out of his anxious thoughts.
Without warning, as he turned toward his sister, a sword fell from above, landing in his arms.
"A sword?"
"Yes, you'll definitely need it. And take this too."
She tossed him a very large bag.
Yu Han crouched down, rummaged through its contents, and found dozens of loaves of bread along with other provisions.
"What's all this for?" Yu Han asked.
Xiu Baok stayed silent, a wide smile forming on her face.
"Oh… you know, demonic beasts are much more dangerous at night, sure, but who's to say you'll find one today—or even in a week?"
She laughed mischievously.
"I see… demonic beasts are extremely rare, aren't they?"
She nodded.
"Fine," Yu Han said as he stood up.
He unsheathed the sword his sister had given him. It was very unusual: its blade wasn't the radiant silver of typical warriors' swords. Instead, it was pure black, with white engravings etched across its surface. The weapon felt light and easy to handle.
"Wow… it feels like it's emitting—"
"An aura?" Xiu Baok finished his sentence for him.
"Yes, exactly! Where did you find it?"
"Oh, you know, I travel a lot. I can't really remember where," she replied casually.
Yu Han secured the sword to his waist, picked up the provisions, and turned to leave.
"Alright, I'm off!"
"Hey, little brother."
Yu Han looked back at Xiu Baok one last time.
"What?"
"Tell me… why are you doing all this?" she asked, her tone suddenly serious.
"What do you mean?" Yu Han asked, puzzled.
"Well, you've never planned for anything in your life, and now, out of nowhere, you decide to become an alchemist. Is it because you want the throne?"
"She's serious? She's asking me this *now*?" Yu Han thought, pausing to reflect for a moment.
"No, not at all. I just woke up one morning and decided to live a peaceful life."
Hearing this, Xiu Baok's eyes widened in surprise, and a faint smile crossed her lips.
"Alright then, don't die. That's an order!"
Yu Han raised a thumbs-up to reassure her before walking away. Slowly, his silhouette blurred into the shadows of the garden.
---
"It's done."
An elderly man, nearing his sixties, emerged from the woods, stroking his beard.
"Well, well, your hearing has improved over these past two years, my dear," he remarked.
Xiu Baok glared at the old man with a cold, haughty expression.
"No, it's just your Zhì that's dulled," she retorted.
"Well, well, if someone had told me that my own stubborn and Jiā-spirited student would say that to me, I'd have ended my life 200 years ago!" the old man said, laughing.
"Alright, can we stop the nonsense?"
"You're the only one joking," Xiu Baok thought, clearly annoyed.
"So, how's the boy doing?" the old man asked.
Xiu Baok remained silent for a long moment before finally speaking.
"He learns and studies quickly. He has an incredible talent for adapting… I didn't think he was like this. He's become a monster. Just two years ago, before I left, he wasn't nearly this strong."
"You mean he's opened his Tao?" the old man asked.
"No, and that's precisely why he's a monster. If he continues down this path…"
"He might truly…" The old man's face paled, sweat dripping down his forehead in panic.
"Send a report to my father. Even if he doesn't care, Yu Han *must* attend the family banquet this year."
"As you wish, madam."
A wide smile spread across Xiu Baok's face as she turned and headed back toward the estate.
---
"Damn it…"
Yu Han wandered deep into the garden, with only the full moon as his source of light.
"I'm completely lost—"
He scanned his surroundings for any path that might help him get his bearings, but there was nothing. Only bamboo shoots blocked his way, leaving him alone in the shadows.
"Don't panic, Yu Han. There's got to be a way to find your way back. But first, I need to find those demonic beasts."
Resolving to search for the beasts first, Yu Han postponed figuring out how he'd escape later.
Minutes turned into hours, and Yu Han circled the forest aimlessly for four whole hours.
"I really am lost…" he muttered, exhausted.
He cleared a spot on the ground and sat down. Opening the bag his sister had given him, he pulled out a snack at random and ate it, disappointed that he hadn't found any proper treats.
"No matter. Tomorrow, I'll continue searching."
Yu Han lay down, hoping to recover his strength for the next day. But not long after he fell asleep, a faint but distinct noise woke him.
"A demonic beast?"
He immediately unsheathed his sword, pointing it toward the sound.
"Damn it, I can't see anything…"
Yu Han calmed himself, channeling his spiritual energy into the black sword. The engravings on its blade lit up instantly, becoming his only source of light in the dark garden.
Before him stood a small bear cub, licking its paws. It got up and walked off on all fours.
"It was just a cub…"
He sighed, lowering his sword. Sitting back on the ground, he gazed at the stars above.
"The stars are so beautiful tonight…"
Whether out of instinct or fear, Yu Han suddenly leapt forward, unsheathing his sword again. He spun around, illuminating the area behind him, and froze in horror.
A massive claw mark marred the spot where he had just been sitting. Behind it stood a towering silhouette with two large, fiery red eyes glaring at him.
"So, there you are…"
A wide smile spread across Yu Han's face as he gripped his sword tightly.