A knog sound echoed through the room, stirring Yuan from his sleep.

  Still half asleep, he barely registered it. But when the sed knock came, he finally snapped awake.

  His voice was hoarse and drowsy as he responded,

  "Yes?"

  From the other side of the door, Elder Viktor's voice called out.

  "Did you wake up? Good! e to the kit in ten minutes for breakfast."

  With that, the elder's footsteps faded away, leaving Yuan in a brief daze.

  Breakfast.

  How long had it been since he st had breakfast?

  It must have been back wheill lived in the vilge.

  And now that he thought about it...

  What was his vilge even called?

  The thought made Yuan's mood sink.

  Too much had happened.

  Too many things he o process and accept.

  But he quickly pushed those thoughts aside.

  Right now, he had other priorities.With a deep breath, Yuan began to dress properly, adjusting his robe.

  Now that his mind was clearer, he realized,he desperately needed a bath.

  Well, that was something he could ask Elder Viktor about ter.

  For now, his focus was on iing himself into the I Barony and living here for the time being.

  With that deade, he opehe door and walked toward the staircase, making his way down to the kit.

  There was no rush.

  He moved at a steady, unhurried pace.

  Upoering the kit, Yuan immediately took in the se before him.

  Elder Viktor sat at the table, eating.

  On his pte was bread with cheese and turkey,or at least, that's what Yuan assumed.

  Not only that, but there was even a teapot oable.

  This sight sparked a memory,a fragment from Basilisk's past.

  Basilisk had loved tea.

  Not just as a simple drink, but as something far more profound.

  He had even crafted his own tea, blending it from rare herbs and spiritual pnts.

  But his tea was no ordinary beverage.

  It iritual tea, refined over turies.

  He had once read in aexts that tea could be pared to the Dao itself.

  That many powerful beings had used their insight into the Dao to craft tea that could help others advan cultivation.

  Some even became famous for their ability to brew tea that could strehe soul and sharpen one's path in the Dao.

  But as Yuan observed Elder Viktor's tea, he quickly realized,it was just pin, ordinary tea.

  Nothing like the refined, spiritually enriched tea that Young Master Basilisk had onjoyed.

  Still, Yuan didn't care about that for now.

  As he g the food and tea, Yuan suddenly noticed another person at the table.

  It was a girl, around his age,perhaps even a year younger.

  She had bck hair and bck eyes, dressed in a simple green t-shirt and a pair of leather pants.

  By human standards, she was quite attractive, though that was irrelevant to Yuan.

  What truly caught his attention was something else entirely.

  She was also at the Peak Stage of the Mortal Awakening Realm.

  That surprised Yualy.

  It was highly unusual for someone so young to reach this stage.

  Most humans only peaked at the Mortal Awakening Stage around the age of sixteen.

  Only the most talented individuals from high-ranking s or sects could reach this level as early as eleven or fourteen.

  As Yuan stared at the bck haired girl, she suddenly looked up a his gaze.

  Then, with a small nod, she spoke.

  "So Grandpa was right,you do look quite handsome!"

  That caught Yuan off guard.

  Handsome?

  Well… teically, that was true.

  Although he would never call himself handsome, the Azure Basilisk Fme had purified many of the impurities from his skin, enhang his physical appearance.

  But to say it so bluntly to his face?

  Yuan was momentarily taken aback, but quickly posed himself, fshing a polite smile.

  "Thank you, young miss, for the pliment."

  The bck haired girl simply nodded, as if his gratitude was expected.

  "Indeed, you should be thankful!" she said, grinning slightly. "Grandpa said your name is Yuan, right? Well, you should know,my name is Emilia."

  Yuan looked at Emilia, his expression calm, and responded with a small smile.

  "Then, hello, Emilia. As you already know, I am Yuan. Si seems we will be living together for the time being, I hope we get along well."

  Before either of them could say more, Elder Viktor let out a slight sigh and spoke.

  "Now that you two have introduced yourselves, we eat first and then talk about important matters?"

  Yuan nodded in agreement.

  "Elder is right. We should eat first and talk afterward."

  Yuan grabbed a chair and sat down, beginning to eat the food id out oable.

  For the en mihey ate in fortable silence.

  Ohey finished, Elder Viktor and Emilia had already started drinking their tea.

  Now that breakfast was over, Yuan took a cup, poured himself some tea, and took his first sip.

  It wasn't like the tea Basilisk used to drink, but it was bearable.

  Still, he didn't show any dissatisfa.

  Instead, he nodded approvingly and said,

  "Good tea."

  Hearing this, Elder Viktor smiled, pleased with the pliment.

  "Indeed, it is good tea. It was made right here in the vilge!"

  "Impressive. Truly impressive," Yuan said, nodding again as he took a sed sip.

  Once everyone had eaten and sipped their tea, Elder Viktor set his cup down and spoke.

  "Now that we've all finished, let's move on to important matters."

  His eyes turo Yuan.

  "First of all, my granddaughter Emilia will be ing with us. She has good talent and should be able to join a det seot like this old man."

  With a slight chuckle, Elder Viktor took another sip of tea.

  Yuan nodded calmly, signaling that he had no objes.

  "So, when do the sects start recruiting disciples?" he asked.

  Hearing this, Elder Viktor let out a small chuckle.

  "You don't o worry too much. In half a year, several sects will be recruiting disciples in the capital city of the Kingdom of Wolven.

  "For the six months, you should just focus on cultivation and training. We'll leave for the capital in five months, as the jourakes about three weeks. That will give us a week to settle before the recruitment begins."

  Half a year.

  That was enough time for him.

  If he dedicated himself to cultivation, he could refine his body and reach the Perfect threshold of the Blood Purification Stage.

  Then, at the final moment before recruitment, he could break through aer the Blood Purification Stage.

  Yes…

  Half a year was just enough.

  With a slight nod, Yuan simply said,

  "I have no issues with this arra."

  And so, time tio pass.

  Days turned into weeks, weeks into months, and soon, the seasons ged.

  Summer arrived.

  During this time, Yuan cultivated like a madman, emerging from his training only when absolutely necessary,whether it was for meals, brief iions, or the occasional visit from Young Master Lucas.

  Lucas often came to talk or show him basic mortal sword teiques.

  In the eyes of Young Master Lucas, the two had bee good friends.

  But iy, Yuan didn't particurly enjoy their time together.

  To him, every moment spent versing or practig mortal sword tricks was time wasted,time that could have bee cultivating.

  Still, he had to keep up his act.

  After all, he was just a child, wasn't he?

  But even Lucas wasn't the most annoying person in his life.

  No,that title beloo Emilia.

  For heaven's sake, how did su arrogant brat even think about cultivating?

  She had no discipline.

  She barged into his room without knog.

  She stantly asked him to do things for her, ag as though he were her personal servant.

  And the worst part?

  She expected him to ply.

  Because of this, Yuan became increasingly cautious around both Elder Viktor and Emilia.

  He tio py his role as an obedient child, hiding his true nature without showing the slightest sign of dissatisfa.

  He held no attat to them and no real care for their treatment of him.

  Though Emilia was an arrogant child, Elder Viktor remained sistently kind.

  And that,more than anything else,made Yuan suspicious.

  They had given him a pce to stay, food to eat, and never asked him to do any chores or work around the house.

  Why?

  Why would they be so kind to a plete stranger?

  It could only meahing.

  The elder was scheming against him.

  Yuan could se.

  No one in this world offers kindness without expeg something iurn.

  Either Elder Viktor was a fool, or he had far deeper iions behind his as.

  Yuan refused to trust blindly.

  If there was ohing he had learned about the cultivation world, it was this

  It is filled with endless schemes and hidden traps.

  One misstep, and you could die without even realizing your mistake.

  Even the Basilisk had fallen because of oal error.

  So being overly cautious was never wrong.

  Determio uhe elder's true iions, Yuan pyed his role well.

  Like a curious child, he asked about Elder Viktor's past, listening as if he were speaking to a grandfather.

  The elder spoke at length, sharing stories of his younger years.

  But Yuan didn't actually care about the past.

  He only wao gauge the elder's strength,to determine whether he had powerful backers or hidden allies.

  And from what he learned...

  That wasn't the case.

  At least, that's what Elder Viktor cimed.

  But there was always the possibility that the elder was lying.

  Yuan wasn't about to let his guard down.

  Now, with just one week left before their departure from I Barony, Yuan made a decision.

  He would craft an artifact.

  Although it wouldn't be powerful, he could create a simple tool in just a week, thanks to the Azure Basilisk Fme.

  Even a small defensive measure could mean the differeween life ah in the world of cultivators.

  And then, the day arrived,the day they would depart for the capital of the kingdom, Wolven.

  "Yuan, wake up! The carriage is ready!"

  A familiar female voice called out, breaking the m silence.

  Yuan's eyes snapped open, his gaze cold aionless.

  But within seds, that ess faded, repced by a warm and i expressiohat would make anyone see him as nothing more than a harmless child.

  "Okay, I'm ing now."

  With those words, Yuan rose from his bed, dressing himself in his azure robes.

  Before stepping out, he slipped a small item into his long sleeve, cealing it from sight.

  Now, he was truly prepared,ready to face the Grandfather and Granddaughter pair.