"Ah... Mmmhhh..."
Erotic moans echoed through the dimly lit room as Mei Lian engaged in an intense cultivation session with a man who looked to be in his early twenties. His eyes, however, were already glassy—lifeless. He was nothing more than a vessel for her advancement.
Just then, her talisman glowed and vibrated.
She paused, frowning. A message.
Her gaze flicked to the name: Doctor Lee.
A sly smirk curled her lips. She shoved the man aside, who collapsed like a discarded ragdoll. "Finally… that nuisance has been taken care of."
With a breath, she channeled a bit of spiritual energy into the talisman to activate the message.
"Lady Xue Lou, there's been a development... The young master has awakened—and he's perfectly fine. I don't know how, but… it seems he suspects we had a hand in his illness."
Her smile vanished.
"AHHHH!! Why won't that worthless scum just die already?!" she screamed, her voice shaking the walls with fury.
She tossed a pouch filled with spirit stones onto the bed. The man beside her didn't even react—his soul nearly hollowed out.
With seething rage, she slipped into her robes, tying the sash tightly. Her eyes burned with malice.
"Looks like I'll have to finish this myself."
Without another word, she stepped out of the inn and leapt into the sky, streaking toward the Lou family mansion in a neck breaking speed.
.....
Stepping into the dining hall, Shen Lou froze in his tracks—his eyes widening at the sight of a headless corpse lying in a pool of blood.
"Ah! Father, you're back," Lou Jian called out cheerfully, his smile warm and disarming. He stood from his seat and walked over with open arms, pulling his father into a heartfelt embrace. "Maria told me you've been worried sick about me. Well, that ends today—because as you can see, I'm perfectly fine now."
Shen Lou remained stiff, his eyes still darting to the corpse.
"Come, join me for a meal," Lou Jian said, motioning to the table. "But, uh… maybe don't eat from this particular plate. It was laced with poison—which explains the headless body over there."
He gave the corpse a casual glance, then gestured at the nearby guards. With quick, silent precision, they stepped forward and removed the body as if it were nothing more than a spilled drink.
"Poisoned?!" Shen Lou exclaimed, disbelief and fury flashing across his face. Who would dare try such a thing?
But then doubt crept into his thoughts.
Wait... why would a chef poison him? What would she gain from his death? Shen Lou frowned inwardly, confused by the sudden turn of events.
Still, despite all the questions swirling in his mind, one thing was clear—his boy standing in front of him, smiling with calm confidence... he wasn't the same timid scholar Shen Lou had raised.
Something about him has changed... but I can't quite put my finger on it, he thought, eyes narrowing ever so slightly.
Even so, he chose to push those thoughts aside. For now, he was just grateful.
Grateful that his son was alive—and stronger than ever.
With a deep breath, he nodded and took a seat beside Lou Jian, the clatter of dishes resuming as if nothing had happened.
Moments after they had their full Lou Jian asked, "What about mother? I haven't seen her around."
"She's entered seclusion. You know how cultivators are—always chasing the next realm," Shen Lou said with a smile. "Regardless, I've sent word. She'll be back soon enough."
He patted Lou Jian on the shoulder as he turned to leave. "Welcome back, son. And remember—get enough rest."
Moments later...
Lou Jian sat cross-legged beneath the shade of a bloodwood tree, the courtyard quiet around him. The breeze carried the soft scent of hibiscus and sandalwood, but it did little to soothe the tension building in the air.
He was waiting.
Then came the soft, deliberate sound of slippers brushing stone.
She had arrived.
Madam Xue Lou.
The second wife of Shen Lou. His stepmother. The woman who had nearly buried him alive.
She was breathtaking—jade-like skin, crimson lips, and eyes like polished obsidian. A beauty praised across the empire. Her dress flowed like shadow: black silk threaded with silver phoenix embroidery. Every step she took whispered of wealth, and elegance
"Lou Jian," she said, her voice sweet as plum wine and sharp as a dagger. "You've recovered. How... miraculous."
Lou Jian didn't rise.
He didn't even look at her.
"I was never fond of miracles," he replied coldly. "They tend to come with a steep price."
A flicker passed through her eyes. Amusement? Irritation? Hard to say. Madam Xue Lou wore her masks well.
She stepped closer, her shadow falling over him.
"You've changed," she murmured.
"I was poisoned," he replied flatly. "Poison tends to change people."
Finally, he lifted his gaze to meet hers—calm, sharp, and unmistakably alive.
Her smile tightened.
"I hear the poison was quite... sophisticated. A rare blend," she said. "Pity no one could trace its origin. Imagine if it had succeeded. What a tragedy."
Lou Jian stood.
He now towered over her.
For the first time in years, he looked down on her—and he made sure she noticed.
"Not all tragedies end in death," he said. "Some end in exposure."
The air between them thickened like smoke.
She gave a soft laugh. "Is that a threat, dear child?"
He stepped forward, close enough for her to feel the heat of his breath.
"No," he whispered. "It's a promise."
For a moment, her mask cracked.
Just a little.
She tilted her head and sighed dramatically. "You've grown bold. I suppose dancing with death does that to a man."
He said nothing.
She brushed past him, deliberately letting her silks drag across his arm.
"You should be careful, Lou Jian," she said. "This house has many staircases… and slippery floors."
Before she could take another step, he caught her wrist.
"Don't mistake silence for fear," he said, voice low and dangerous. "I know what you did. And I'm not my father. I don't overlook snakes in my garden."
She didn't flinch.
But her pupils narrowed—just slightly.
"You poor, poor boy," she whispered, her tone colder now. "Still clinging to ghosts and conspiracies. Still pretending you matter."
"Your mistake," he said, releasing her, "was letting me wake up."
Then, his expression darkened, a cruel smirk tugging at his lips.
"Oh? Has your cultivation slowed, Xue Lou? Why not use me as a furnace too?"
Her body jerked slightly in shock. She stepped back instinctively, adjusting her sleeve where he'd touched her—as if scrubbing off filth.
Her smile returned, brittle and empty. "Enjoy your second life… while it lasts."
With that, she turned and glided away, the scent of her perfume fading into the breeze.
Lou Jian stood silently, eyes locked on her retreating figure.
The courtyard was still once more.
But the war had begun.
"Tch…" He clicked his tongue, brows knitting. The only reason she's still breathing is because I can't see her cultivation. Which means... she's above me. Far above.
He clenched his fists.
Elsewhere, Xue Lou was lost in her own storm of thoughts.
How? she wondered. Just a week ago, he was a mortal. And now… fifth level of the Body Refining Realm?
If he kept advancing, he'd become a threat. A real one. I could wait an out live then as mortals at best they will live a couple of decade but now he's a cultivator this is bad.
He had to be eliminated—and quickly.
But another thought chilled her to the bone.
How did he know? she frowned.
How did he know I was using a human furnace?
The practice was forbidden. Disgraced. Cruel. Only the most desperate or depraved dared use it. If word got out...
No. She couldn't let that happen.
Back in the courtyard, Lou Jian turned and began walking away. His robe fluttered behind him as he called out calmly to one of the guards trailing in his shadow.
"Bring me Maria."
The guard bowed immediately and vanished to fulfill the order.
These weren't ordinary household guards—they were knights, trained and ranked on par with the imperial elite.
And now, they answered to him—a testament to the Lou family's legacy.
---
A gentle knock.
"Enter," Lou Jian said.
The door creaked open, and a figure stepped into the dimly lit chamber.
"Young Master, you sent for me?" came the soft, respectful voice of Maria.
Author note:
like it, then add it to library. And don't forget to leave a power stone, I will be motivated and happy if you do that.