Xu Fang sat on the edge of the grand, unfamiliar bed, still trying to make sense of the situation. His thoughts were a jumbled mess of disbelief, confusion, and a creeping sense of dread. He tried to push the absurdity out of his mind and focus, but it was impossible.
The servant—who had been oddly respectful, despite Xu Fang's out-of-character behavior—had left the room, but not without leaving behind one more lingering piece of information. A maid soon entered in his stead.
She was a young woman, around his age, dressed in the traditional clothing of a servant, and her face was warm and polite, though she eyed him with mild concern.
"Good morning, Second Young Master," she said, bowing respectfully. Her voice was soft, yet it carried a sense of familiarity that made Xu Fang realize how deeply embedded he already was in this world's structure.
"Uh, good morning," Xu Fang responded, still unsure of his words, his mind racing. He wasn't sure how to address her or what to even say, so he opted for the simplest approach.
"Is something wrong, Second Young Master? You appear unwell," the maid said, her expression shifting to one of concern.
Before Xu Fang could respond, another figure stepped into the room. This time, it was a physician—a tall, elderly man wearing robes adorned with intricate patterns. His face was kindly, though his eyes glinted with professional sharpness.
"Please allow me to examine you, Young Master," the physician said, his voice soothing and authoritative, as if this was a routine occurrence.
Xu Fang stared at him blankly. He didn't feel sick, and his mind was still overwhelmed with the situation.
He rubbed his temple. "I'm fine, really." But his words came out weak, barely convincing even to himself.
But the physician was undeterred. With a practiced hand, he began to check Xu Fang's pulse, listening to his heart, taking stock of his overall health.
After a thorough examination, the physician finally stepped back, nodding with satisfaction.
"You are indeed in perfect health, Second Young Master," he reported with a small bow. "No issues to speak of. It's not uncommon for young masters of your family to experience a bit of confusion, given the demands of your upbringing."
Xu Fang blinked at the physician, still unable to process the weight of his words. His perfect health didn't really matter right now.
"Thank you," Xu Fang murmured, still struggling to find his bearings.
The maid, seeming to take the cue, smiled gently. "If there's nothing else, Second Young Master, I'll go ahead and prepare breakfast for you."
"Sure," Xu Fang replied, though he wasn't sure what he was supposed to be doing.
As the maid left the room, Xu Fang took a deep breath and glanced out the window. The world outside seemed alien—an endless expanse of mountains and rivers, the faint sound of voices from outside the courtyard drifting in through the walls. The sheer vastness of it all made him feel small, insignificant.
As he mulled over his thoughts, the pieces of information he had gathered started to fit into place—albeit incompletely. He had somehow taken over the body of someone else.
But who was this person, this "Second Young Master Xu"?
Just then, a door opened, and another figure stepped in: a man, tall and authoritative, dressed in fine robes, his features severe and commanding. His gaze held a weight of expectation that sent a chill down Xu Fang's spine.
"You're awake." The man's voice was low, but it had an undeniable authority. "Come, it's time for breakfast. Your brothers and sisters are waiting."
Xu Fang's heart sank. He had a family here? More specifically, siblings?
"Uhh… yeah, sure," Xu Fang muttered, trying to sound like he belonged, but inwardly cursing the situation.
With a heavy sigh, he followed the man down a hallway and into a large dining room where, to his surprise, a number of people were already gathered.
He had eight siblings, apparently, and they all seemed to be waiting for him. He could already feel the weight of their gazes as he stepped into the room.
Xu Fang stood still for a moment, trying to assess the situation. The whole atmosphere felt foreign, like a scene out of some grand family drama.
One by one, his siblings turned their attention toward him, each offering polite greetings and smiles. But it wasn't long before he realized something.
The person he had become, the Second Young Master Xu, was a dandy.
He wasn't a troublemaker or a villain, thankfully—but the very fact that he had been a dandy, a carefree extrovert who loved to play around, created an enormous burden for Xu Fang.
The thought of being extroverted in a family of strangers was already painful. He hated the idea of socializing—small talk, meaningless chatter. He had never been good at it, and the mere idea of pretending to be someone else made his skin crawl.
"I'm so glad you're awake, Second Brother," one of the siblings—a younger girl—smiled at him. "Father's waiting for you."
Xu Fang forced a smile. "Yeah, I'm… I'm fine."
Breakfast proceeded in silence for the most part, with the occasional chatter from his siblings. Xu Fang barely touched his food, focusing more on his thoughts.
Finally, after what felt like hours, they were done.
As they left the dining hall, Xu Fang was called aside by the man who had introduced himself as his father earlier.
"Come with me, Second Young Master," his father said. "I've got some news for you."
Xu Fang followed, unsure of what to expect.
They arrived at a study, and the moment the door was closed behind them, Xu Fang's father turned to face him, his expression stern but not unkind.
"You've been admitted into the Azure Flame Academy," his father said, his voice carrying the weight of someone imparting an important instruction.
The words hit Xu Fang like a ton of bricks.
The Azure Flame Academy? A prestigious institution that no one could easily enter. From what Xu Fang knew of these kinds of stories, it was where cultivators were trained to become powerful warriors. And now, he—someone who had spent 15 years of his life avoiding physical activity and social interaction—was being sent there?
Inwardly, Xu Fang whined.
He had already spent 15 years of his previous life studying, doing the things that required discipline and focus. And now, after all that, he was supposed to go to an academy in another world?
But true to his nature, Xu Fang only nodded, keeping his complaints to himself.
"I'll go," he said, though his voice was as flat and uninterested as it could get.
His father looked pleased. "Good. You need to start taking responsibility for your future."
Xu Fang didn't respond. There was nothing to say. He had no interest in fulfilling any sort of responsibility, especially when it came to things like cultivation, which he knew absolutely nothing about.
Once the conversation ended, Xu Fang returned to his room. He locked the door behind him, sat down at the edge of the bed, and sighed deeply.
This world, this life—it was all so exhausting. All he wanted was peace and quiet. But instead, he was stuck in an endless cycle of obligations and expectations.
The only thing he could do now was lock himself away and try to figure out what to do next.
If only this damn world came with an instruction manual.