"Senior, you are correct! I am a cultivator!"

  Without saying anything else, Yuan admitted it ht, leaving no room for misuanding.

  Hearing Yuan's direct fession, Elder Viktor nodded in satisfa, pleased by his quick response.

  "Good. e in,we will talk in the living room."

  As Elder Viktor invited him inside, Yuan's expressihtened, appearing genuinely happy.

  But it was all an act.

  The momeepped forward, his cautioened.

  After all, this house could be ced with runiations,traps desigo restrain or even kill him instantly.

  Though su ambush was unlikely, as rune formations were high-level teiques, it was still a possibility.

  In the cultivation world, anything could happen.

  Even Young Master Basilisk had entered unforeseen dangers despite his experience.

  Yuan had learned from those mistakes.

  And so, he quietly activated a protective shield, coating himself in Azure Basilisk Fmes, prepared to react the moment anything suspicious occurred.

  Following Elder Viktor, Yuan stepped into the living room.

  It was simply furnished,a few leather seats, wooden chairs, a bonfire, and a handful of paintings decorating the walls.

  At first gnothing seemed out of the ordinary.

  But that didn't lessen Yuan's cautio.

  He remained on high alert, his senses sharp, prepared for anything.

  "Brat, sit wherever you want."

  With that said, Yuan chose one of the wooden chairs, carefully ensuring that no runiations were inscribed upon it.

  Seeing Yuan take a seat, Elder Viktrabbed a chair nearby and sat down as well.

  Now that both were seated, the old man finally spoke.

  "So now, brat, tell me your real situation. Where do you e from?"

  Nodding his head, Yuan sighed deeply before speaking, his voice tinged with sadness.

  "It's not much different from what I told the knights before," he began.

  "My uncle and father had important busio attend to. They couldn't leave me alone iy, as they would be gone for a few years. That wouldn't have been good for me since we had no one else to look after me. And as I am still in the Mortal Awakening Stage, I couldn't just lock myself in a room and cultivate for years, so they decided to take me with them."

  As he spoke, Yuan sighed again at the mention of his father and uncle, his eyes darkening as memories resurfaced.

  "We traveled with a caravahat carried several other cultivators. All of them were at least in the Blood Purification Stage, with the caravan leader himself at the Meridian Awakening Stage. But… we were ambushed. Betrayed.

  "Fellow Daoists,people my father had trusted for years,turned against us. A fight broke out. My father and uncle wao flee, but… they realized they were too weak to resist."

  At this point, Yuan's eyes began to tear up, his voice trembling.

  "They… they saw no way out. The enemy was too powerful,three Meridian Awakening Stage cultivators were among them. The caravan could do nothing to help us. And with even more enemies appearing, the situation was already hopeless."

  His hands ched into fists.

  "But then… my father realized something. Their leader… he couldn't afford to keep fighting. He was looking for an escape."

  "Seeing this, my father and uncle fought their way out,cutting down their erying to at least create a path for me to escape. And they succeeded."

  Tears fell freely now, his face torted in grief.

  "I survived. Even though the heavens abandoned my father and uhey granted me a sliver of favor. Just enough to give me the strength to reach Young Master Lucas and avoid starving to death."

  The old man studied Yuan's face carefully, every facial expression, demeanor, and subtle movement.

  Everything Yuan said made sense,evearvation.

  After all, the first thing he asked Lucas for was food, not where he was.

  So… was the boy telling the truth?

  Closing his eyes, Elder Viktor fell into deep thought.

  He o decide carefully.

  But after just a brief moment, his thoughts shifted to his own past.

  With a sigh, he finally spoke.

  "Alright, I will trust you for now. But tell me,where did you e from? And where were you headed with your father and uncle?"

  Hearing this, Yuan's expression visibly brightened.

  But internally,his mind raced.

  This was a dangerous question. A gamble.

  One he had to take.

  Even though he wasn't fident about many things, this time, he had no choice but to rely on Basilisk's memories.

  He could only hope that these cities still existed…

  Or, at the very least, that Elder Viktor didn't know enough to question him.

  Taking a deep breath, he answered.

  "Yes, that's no problem. I came from Sweeping Tail City, part of the Heavenly Alliance, and we were headed to Crystal City, uhe Yellow East Sect."

  For a brief moment, Yuan watched the old man's rea,waiting for any sign of doubt or suspi.

  But then,Elder Viktor simply nodded.

  The gamble had paid off.

  "Sweeping Tail City… I believe I've heard of it before. It should be quite far from here."

  His voice carried no trace of doubt,only casual aowledgment.

  "And you were headed to Crystal City? Well, that's not too far from here. From this vilge, it should take about a year's travel to reach it."

  Nodding his head, the elder's tone subtly shifted,no longer as cold and cautious as before.

  Now, he spoke to Yuan in the same way he had spoken to Young Master Lucas,more casual.

  Then, the elder asked,

  "So, brat, what do you pn to do? Do you have any goals? Do you seek revenge, or something else?"

  Hearing this, Yuan fell silent, his mind momentarily bnk as he pted the question.

  After a few minutes, he finally spoke.

  "Elder, I think I want to join a sect,either a low-ranked or a middle-ranked one."

  "Hmm… you want to join a sect? A middle or low-ranked one?"

  Elder Viktor rubbed his , falling into deep thought.

  Then, as if something suddenly came to mind, he nodded.

  "I believe the disciple seles will take p a year. All sects will be searg for new disciples then, so you might even have a ce to join a high ranked sect."

  He paused briefly before adding,

  "However, I have an old friend in a cultivator . He's a high-ranked servant there. If you wish, I could ask him if he arrange for you to join their army."

  "A cultivation ?"

  Yuan was stunned by the offer.

  For a moment, he sidered it.

  But then,something deep within him stirred.

  A deep seated hatred surfaced from the depths of his soul, an instinctive reje s that it made him disgusted at the mere thought of it.

  Even if the owerful, even if they were ae family, he felt repulsed by the idea.

  Without hesitation, he shook his head firmly.

  "Excuse me, Elder, but I really don't want to join a .

  "My father oold me that the internal fas within s are far more plex and dangerous than those of a sect. I don't want to be involved in their power struggles or caught up in any political schemes."

  Hearing Yuan's words, Elder Viktor nodded in approval, unknowingly aowledging the wisdom of Yuan's 'father.'

  "Indeed, fa flicts within s are far more plicated."

  His tone carried a hint of agreement, but he still pointed out the other side of the argument.

  "However, s do have their advantages. If you are in dahey will alrotect their own. And if an enemy es for them, they stand unified against outside threats."

  He then shook his head and sighed.

  "But, I won't judge your decision. This is your cultivation path, after all.

  "Do as you wish,as long as it doesn't involve harming i people."

  With that said, Elder Viktor left the room, walking towards the kit. Before leaving, he asked,

  "Are you hungry?"

  Yuan shook his head. "I already ate. I eat ter."

  Hearing the reje, Elder Viktor simply nodded.

  "Alright. Then wait here while I eat. After that, I'll show you your room."

  Yuan waited patiently until the elder returned.

  Once Elder Viktor finished his meal, the two of them walked up to the sed floor.

  The upper floor in and simple,just a hallway with five doors and a few paintings on the walls.

  Yuan g the paintings only briefly,his real focus was cheg for runiations or hidden spiritual treasures.

  But after a thh s, he found nothing suspicious and lost i in them.

  Elder Viktor walked towards the st door at the end of the hall and ope.

  "From today onward, this will be your room. You'll use it and sleep here."

  Stepping inside, Yuan sed the room.

  It was simple a bed, a wooden table with a chair, a wardrobe, and just enough spaove around.

  Nothiravagant.

  Nothing luxurious.

  But Yuan didn't care.

  Even sleeping on the floor wouldn't have been a problem for him.

  Seeing that Yuan wasn't dissatisfied, Elder Viktor nodded.

  "The bathroom is the first door on the right. You should rest now,we'll talk more about your situation tomorrow. But for today, let's fet everything. You've been through too much, and sleep will help calm your mind."

  He tinued,

  "If you get hungry, go to the kit,there should be some leftover food. As for water, just take one of the bottles I keep stored."

  With nothing more to say, Elder Viktor left the room, closing the door behind him.

  Now, Yuan was alone.

  As Elder Viktor had suggested, Yuahat resting would help ease his mind.

  Even though he could endure far greater hardships, allowing his body to rex would keep him in peak dition.

  But before he could let his guard down, he spent the few hours iing the room.

  He checked every er, every inch of space,looking for hidden runes, formation arrays, or spying treasures.

  Yet, he found nothing.

  No traps.

  No formations.

  It was as if this room truly beloo him.

  With everything checked and secured, Yuan finally allowed himself to rex.

  He sat cross-legged on the bed, closed his eyes, and began thinking about his moves.

  But before he could anize his thoughts…

  Sleep overtook him.

  His body gave in, and he fell into a deep slumber.

  The night passed without i.

  Then

  The first light of dawn spilled through the window.

  The sun began to rise.

  And with it,a new day began.