There it was.
Qi!
His breath caught again, but this time in awe. It's true... He really can cultivate now.
He stepped back, eyes shimmering, voice quiet with wonder. "How? How did this happen? How were you... Suddenly cured?"
Kyle glanced away for a moment, then looked his father in the eye. "I don't know," he said honestly.
"I just… started feeling the Qi today. Like it was always there, but I never noticed it until today."
His father's gaze lingered on him, curious, searching his eyes. Suspicion flickered behind his eyes, but it faded just as quickly. This was Kyle's moment, and he wouldn't tarnish it with doubt.
Instead, he nodded slowly, eyes soft.
"This is a blessing, truly," he said firmly. "You're far behind your peers, but that doesn't matter. You've been given a chance that people never expected. A miracle."
He placed a firm hand on Kyle's shoulder. "You've always worked hard, harder than most. But now, you'll have to work even harder. The world won't slow down to wait for you to catch up."
Kyle nodded, the weight of the moment settling in his chest, but for once, it didn't feel heavy.
"You are still young, Kyle, with a whole life ahead of you. This is your chance, grab it by the skin of your teeth, and never let go."
"Of course, Father." The Marquis gave Kyle another reassuring hug, and then he decided to let him rest.
And so, he stepped out, the door shutting quietly behind him.
Kyle breathed out in relief. he sat still for a while, eyes lingering on the door.
That went better than I thought it would. I was sure he would ask more questions. I did see a hint of doubt in his eyes. But this is enough for now.
...
Marquis Cassian Ravenshade sat alone in his study.
A half-full goblet of exquisite wine sat untouched beside him.
He leaned back in his chair, eyes unfocused, staring into the dying embers in the hearth.
One hand rested beneath his chin, the other tapping rhythmically against the armrest, agitated, uncertain.
How?
The question gnawed at him. Again and again, his mind played through Kyle's words. "I just started feeling the Qi today."
It didn't make sense.
For nearly sixteen years, Kyle's Meridians had shown no sign of healing, not a shred of Qi in his body.
They had tried everything: elixirs, talismans, divine petitions, healers from every corner of the world.
And nothing. His dantian had remained dormant, lifeless. A verdict signed by fate itself. And now… now it returned?
Just like that?
It felt like some cruel joke the heavens were playing. First, they stripped his only son of his birthright.
Then, after years of suffering and shame, they threw it back at him like a bone tossed to a starving dog. It couldn't be a coincidence. No, something had changed. Something he couldn't see.
His jaw tightened.
"Fate does not give without reason," he murmured under his breath.
He considered every possibility, an unknown blessing, a divine intervention, a concealed bloodline awakening, or… something darker.
Maybe the assassin did something to him? He thought. But wrote it off a second later. Why something beneficial?
But nothing else made sense. The world was not short of strange powers or hidden powerhouses.
But no matter how he twisted it in his mind, no answer made sense. It was beyond him. Beyond anything he had seen, read, or heard whispered even in the oldest legends.
Eventually, he sighed, long and heavy. The fire crackled, casting shifting shadows across the books and scrolls behind him.
If the truth is meant to reveal itself, it will, he decided. Until then…
He stood slowly and walked to the window, gazing out over the estate grounds.
Moonlight bathed the manor's ground, and he looked in the direction of the training hall, where Kyle would soon take his first steps down the path he was once denied.
A path paved with hardship, pain, and potential.
Cassian's expression softened.
Whatever the cause… he has a chance now. And I'll be damned before I let him walk it alone.
He turned from the window, resolve hardening in his chest. Plans were already forming.
Resources to allocate. Instructors to summon. Kyle needed guidance, stability, and most of all, protection.
Whatever mystery this was, it could wait. Right now, his son needed him.
And this time, he would be there every step of the way.
....
A week passed like a pleasant dream.
Warm meals. Comfortable bedding. Daily visits from his little sister. Books and scrolls aplenty. Training during the day.
It was enough to make Kael almost forget he was supposed to be the humiliated heir of House Ravenshade.
Almost.
He had never once taken a day to rest. Training relentlessly and practising the Qi cultivation art his father had given him.
However, now that he had tried cultivating the normal way, it felt incredibly slow. He did not know if it was the same for everyone.
He felt like even after a week of continuous Qi absorption and circulation, his cultivation base had not moved a single inch.
He had become an early-stage Qi condensation expert when his Dantians activated and still was, with no noticeable improvements.
It was almost enough to make a grown man cry.
That made him very eager to dual-cultivate with Nuna and see the difference. But just the thought was enough to make him blush.
After all, Kyle was still a virgin in every sense of the word. He had no experience in bed whatsoever.
The closest thing he had to sexual intercourse was his time with Nuna in the bath, when they had oral sex.
But since they had not gone all the way yet, his virgin status continued.
And Nuna was yet to return. Kyle sighed, "I do hope I get some action soon." Just thinking about it, he became aroused.
He was a pervert after all. He still thought of that little time in the bathroom. He was sure, had he asked for it, Nuna would have given herself to him completely.
But waiting felt like the right thing to do at the time. Maybe I'm starting to regret being passive about it.
But he calmed his raging heart. As they say, good things come to those who wait.
Now, a week later, Kyle stood in front of the full-length mirror beside his bedchamber's window, admiring the reflection staring back at him with no small amount of pride.
"Damn," he muttered, tilting his head to the side and gently brushing a few black strands from his forehead. His bangs fell just right, carelessly elegant. "Look at you."
His grey eyes gleamed under the early morning light, framed by long lashes that would have made any noble lady jealous.
His skin was smooth, pale, and blemish-free, with the faintest rosy undertone on his cheeks. A subtle smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.
In short, Kyle was dangerously handsome. Couple with his well built, lean frame, it was a recipe for disaster.
Watch out ladies.