> Ding!
Side Quest Detected.
Ren Wei's eyes narrowed. "Again?" he muttered.
He didn't open the panel immediately. There were more pressing matters. Across from him, Han Suiren sipped his tea slowly, the fragrant steam curling between them like silent threads of intention.
"I must say, you've exceeded even my boldest expectations," Han Suiren began, setting the porcelain cup down gently. "To reach Foundation Establishment in mere days… the Han Crest should start recruiting babies."
Ren Wei gave a modest nod, though the fire behind his gaze remained steady.
"But I came for another reason," Han Suiren continued. "Wei Wuxian… has started making moves."
Ren Wei's posture straightened, his eyes sharp.
"In the last two days," the patriarch said, "he's already challenged three Grandmasters. The latest one— Leng Baizhou of the Shadowheart Pavilion—nearly killed him. Both of them left the arena half-dead."
Ren Wei tilted his head slightly. "So the prodigal son bleeds too."
Han Suiren's expression darkened. "He's gone into closed-door cultivation now, to prepare for your duel. Three weeks remain—but with each passing day, his edge sharpens."
A long silence lingered before Han Suiren leaned in slightly. "And it wasn't just Wei Wuxian's idea. The Four Great Families are behind this. They're trying to bleed you, weaken you, break your focus before the duel."
> Crack.
Ren Wei's hand clenched the armrest so tightly that the wood splintered.
"I see," he said coldly. "After this battle… I'll deal with them."
Han Suiren didn't smile. But there was something approving in the weight of his silence.
---
Meanwhile, in a secluded medicinal hall at the edge of Azure Fang City, Wei Wuxian lay shirtless on a jade bed. His torso was wrapped in glowing spirit threads, and a formation beneath him pulsed with steady waves of healing light.
> "How could you let this happen before facing that brat!?"
Li Mingyuan's voice echoed through the hall like a whipcrack.
Zhou Feiyang stood beside him, arms crossed, face pale. "You're supposed to crush Ren Wei, not give him hope."
Wei Wuxian opened one eye lazily. "Hope?"
He scoffed, then winced slightly as the healing formation surged around his ribs.
"I could be bleeding from the mouth and I'd still split him in two."
Zhou Feiyang stepped forward. "He's not the same as before—"
"Exactly," Wei Wuxian interrupted. "Neither am I."
He closed his eyes again, sinking deeper into meditation, letting their noise fade behind him like dust in a storm.
---
The soft crackle of incense coiled through the villa's air as Ren Wei sat across from Han Suiren and Sheng Lian in the quiet morning light. His expression was calm—but behind his eyes, thoughts stirred like deep waters.
"I want to ask directly," Ren Wei said, gaze fixed on the teacup in his hand. "Wei Wuxian… What level has he reached?"
Han Suiren didn't answer immediately. He lifted his cup, took a sip, then placed it back on the table with deliberate care.
"Perfect Grandmaster," he finally said. "He was a monstrous genius fifty years ago. Now, after returning from seclusion… his cultivation is likely more refined than ever."
Ren Wei didn't flinch. He simply nodded. "So I've got three weeks to prepare."
Han Suiren raised an eyebrow. "Three weeks to face a man whose name once shook provinces."
"I never said it would be easy," Ren Wei replied, a trace of a smile on his lips. "But I owe you a debt. Once this battle ends, I'll visit your wife. I didn't forget."
Han Suiren's face softened—only slightly.
"Don't speak of honoring debts unless you plan to survive," he said, rising to his feet. "Win, and I'll welcome you with four eyes. Lose—" he stopped and glanced back, "—and I'll bury you with respect."
Ren Wei chuckled. "Noted."
As the old cultivator stepped out into the garden, Sheng Lian leaned back with a playful smirk. "What about me?" she asked. "Where's my repayment, Ren Wei?"
Ren Wei smirked. "After the battle."
She rose gracefully, her voice light but edged with a challenge. "Then I'll wait too—with four eyes."
With that, she disappeared into the villa's courtyard, her long sleeves fluttering like snow behind her.
The silence that followed was almost comforting.
Ren Wei leaned back, letting the moment settle before he spoke. "Mei Rou," he called.
"Yes, Young Master?" came the response from the hallway.
"Bring me tea."
He paused, then added, "Tell Su Yao to prepare something spiritual for my next meal. I hear Sheng Lian ate well here—I'd like to see what impressed her."
"As you wish."
While they moved to carry out his orders, Ren Wei opened his system panel again. A notification blinked gently in the corner of his vision.
> Ding!
Side Quest Detected
His brows furrowed slightly.
"Side Quest , huh?" he murmured. "Let's see what you want from me this time…"
The screen began to shift.