The morning sun barely peeked over the horizon, casting long shadows across the Bai Clan’s grand estate.
The estate, usually a picture of serenity at this hour, was anything but peaceful today.
Despite the early hour, the entire Bai Clan was in an unusual state of activity.
Servants rushed about, preparing for the departure of their young master, Bai Zihan.
His admission to Heaven Sword Sect had been announced right after the engagement ceremony, and the designated day had finally arrived.
Excitement buzzed in the air.
For most of the Bai Clan, Bai Zihan leaving for the Heaven Sword Sect was a joyous occasion.
Many of the servants, who had suffered under his past arrogance and whims, whispered amongst themselves, secretly relieved that their young master would no longer be around to torment them.
“Finally, peace will return to the Bai Clan.”
One of the servants muttered, exhaling as if a heavy weight had been lifted from his shoulders.
“Yeah,” another agreed, nodding quickly. “No more walking on eggshells, worrying about when Young Master Zihan will throw another tantrum.”
A younger servant, who had only been working in the Bai Clan for a short while, who didn’t know much asked.
“Was he really that bad?”
An older servant scoffed.
“Hah! You weren’t here when he used to order people around like we were ants. If you so much as spilled a drop of tea, you’d be trembling for days.”
“Remember Old Liu?”
Another servant chimed in.
“The poor guy got scolded for an entire hour just because the soup was too salty. In the end, he got fired over this issue!”
“But after what he did to Li Feng… I don’t know,” a maid interjected, frowning.
“Maybe he’s changed?”
“Changed?” the older servant laughed bitterly.
“Maybe. But people like him don’t just turn over a new leaf. He’ll probably be causing trouble at the Heaven Sword Sect instead.”
The group chuckled, some nodding in agreement.
“Well, at least it won’t be our problem anymore.”
One servant said with a relieved sigh.
“Let the Heaven Sword Sect deal with him.”
And with that, the tension that had loomed over the Bai Clan for years seemed to lighten—at least for them.
However, not everyone shared this sentiment.
The kitchen staff weren’t in a good mood knowing that the Food God, which was considered Bai Zihan, would no longer be cooking new dishes.
But more than anyone else, Luo Qing, his personal maid, felt a deep unease.
Luo Qing had served Bai Zihan since childhood.
While she was often fearful of him and his unpredictable moods, she knew no other life.
The thought of him leaving filled her with uncertainty.
Bai Zihan stood at the center of the courtyard, arms crossed, his expression one of complete indifference.
His long dark hair was tied back neatly, his white robes embroidered with the Bai Clan’s insignia.
To an outsider, he appeared calm and composed, but in truth, his mind was busy with calculations.
He had thought a lot about what awaited him at the Heaven Sword Sect.
If his guesses were correct, he would inevitably run into a few “protagonists.”
These so-called chosen ones, blessed by fate, always seemed to have ridiculous luck, endless trump cards, and an inexplicable ability to overcome obstacles.
But Bai Zihan was no longer the same person he had once been.
At the very least, he had ensured that he would have the ability to escape when necessary.
He had taken numerous artifacts from the Bai Clan’s treasury, though none of them were Heaven Grade.
Even so, they were valuable enough to provide a decent level of protection.
More importantly, his recent fight with Li Feng had yielded unexpected rewards from the System.
[ Unclaimed Rewards Available ]
Ruined Li Clan’s plan: [ 10x Cultivation Speed Card (3 Days) ]Ruined Zhao Clan’s plan: [ 10x Cultivation Speed Card (3 Days) ]Defeated Li Feng: 2000 points
Naturally, Bai Zihan had wasted no time in using these rewards.
He had spent the days following the engagement ceremony in strict seclusion within his training chamber, pushing his cultivation to new heights.
His efforts had paid off.
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[ Host Info ]
Host: Bai Zihan
Age: 16
Cultivation Realm: Core Condensation (Early)
Constitution: None
Martial Arts: Nine Shadows Flowing Light Sword (Minor Mastery)
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With the 10x cultivation speed boost, the additional resources he received from the various clan as part of his engagement gifts, and his mastery of the Myriad Breathing Technique, he had successfully broken through to the Core Condensation Realm.
This was a major step forward in his path of cultivation, but he was well aware that it was still not enough.
Every disciple of the Heaven Sword Sect was at least in the Core Condensation Realm.
Even those younger than him had reached this level, and for those his age, the Golden Core Realm was the norm.
Compared to them, he was still lagging behind.
However, he had no intention of remaining at the bottom for long. He was catching up, and soon, he would surpass them all.
Bai Tianheng, his father and the Bai Clan’s patriarch, stood before him, arms clasped behind his back.
His sharp eyes studied Bai Zihan, observing him in silence.
In the past, Bai Tianheng would have taken this moment to warn his son, to remind him not to cause trouble, not to bring shame to the Bai Clan.
However, after Bai Zihan’s actions during the engagement ceremony, Bai Tianheng had begun to reassess his son’s potential.
Perhaps, at long last, Bai Zihan was starting to grow up.
Rather than reprimanding him, Bai Tianheng chose instead to encourage him.
“You’ve proven that you are not as useless as others thought,” Bai Tianheng said, his tone calm but firm.
“However, the Heaven Sword Sect is no place for arrogance. Even among its outer disciples, you will find geniuses far beyond what you’ve encountered so far.”
Bai Zihan smirked.
“I know!”
Perhaps he understood better than anyone just how unfair the world was.
There were those who struggled for years to grasp a single technique, while others could master it effortlessly with just a glance.
There were those who would never see a Heaven-grade Artifact in their lifetime, while others seemed to obtain them at every step they took.
He was not naive.
Bai Tianheng nodded slightly.
“Good! Then I expect you to rise beyond them.”
He waved his hand, and a servant stepped forward, carrying a black storage ring.
“This contains resources for your cultivation—elixirs, talismans, and a few protective artifacts. Use them wisely.”
Bai Zihan took the ring and scanned its contents with his spiritual sense. While nothing inside was of the Heaven Grade or Grade 6 pills, there were still some high-tier treasures.
“At least you’re sending me off properly,” Bai Zihan muttered.
Bai Tianheng ignored the remark and turned to Bai Xueqing and Chu Ziyan, who stood nearby.
“Xueqing, Ziyan, you are Core Disciples of the Heaven Sword Sect. Help Zihan if he gets in trouble.”
Bai Xueqing scoffed at her father’s comment.
“So I’m expected to babysit him now?”
Chu Ziyan, his fiancée, merely smiled and replied, “Uncle, don’t worry. Zihan will be fine with me in the sect.”
Before they could depart, a hesitant figure approached from the side.
It was Luo Qing.
The timid maid stood near the courtyard’s edge, clutching the hem of her dress. She seemed as though she wanted to say something, but the words wouldn’t come out.
Bai Zihan noticed her and raised an eyebrow.
“What?”
Luo Qing flinched.
“I—um…”
She lowered her head.
“Young Master… take care.”
There was a brief pause. Bai Zihan hadn’t expected her to say that.
He clicked his tongue.
“Tch! Why are you acting like I’m never coming back? Don’t be so dramatic.”
Bai Zihan let out a sigh and reached out, patting her head lightly.
“Just wait for me to return,” he said, his tone unusually gentle.
“I’ll be back before you know it.”
Luo Qing’s eyes widened in surprise. It was rare—no, unheard of—for him to be this gentle.
She stared at him for a moment before quickly lowering her head, her fingers tightening around the fabric of her dress.
“Y-yes, Young Master!”
She murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.
Bai Zihan withdrew his hand and turned away, stepping toward the grand flying carriage without another word.
“Alright, let’s depart!”
With that, the three of them boarded, and the carriage rose into the sky.
As Bai Zihan gazed at the shrinking Bai Clan estate below, he couldn’t help but feel a strange mix of relief and anticipation.
The Heaven Sword Sect awaited.
And so did his next set of troubles.