Wei Ji walked through the stone corridor quietly, his hands behind his back.
The air around him still carried faint traces of the fight—burned spiritual energy, shattered aura, and the scent of dust and blood.
Attendant Wu followed a few steps behind, cautious and curious, his steps hesitant like he was walking beside a wild beast that might attack if startled.
After a long silence, Wu finally spoke, his tone respectful but trembling a little. "Young master… may I ask something?"
Wei Ji didn't turn around. "What is it?"
Wu swallowed before continuing. "How… how did you kill those two early Qi Condensation cultivators? You're only in the fourth stage of Qi Infusion, are you not? I—I don't understand. Their power should have been enough to crush you."
Wei Ji chuckled lightly, the sound low and calm. "You think cultivation rank alone decides life and death?"
Wu shook his head quickly. "N-no, young master, but still… defeating two of them, it's beyond reason."
Wei Ji finally stopped and looked over his shoulder. "Reason can be broken if you know where to strike." He turned again and kept walking. "That man wasn't the true leader of the Red Sand Sect. He was wearing another man's skin, figuratively and spiritually."
Wu blinked, stunned. "You mean… he was pretending?"
"Pretending," Wei Ji said, his tone flat, "and feeding."
Wu furrowed his brows, not understanding. Wei Ji continued slowly, explaining every word. "The Spiritual Qi that man used—it wasn't his. It belonged to the original Red Sand Sect leader. The imposter killed him and tried to absorb his Qi, but it wasn't his own. It was incompatible. Do you understand?"
Wu looked lost but nodded weakly. "I think so, young master. So… that's why you could defeat him?"
Wei Ji nodded. "Yes. All I needed was to trigger the imbalance. Once I bound him with the vines, the conflicting energies began to tear each other apart. I just guided the process."
Wu's eyes widened. "So the vines weren't just for holding him… they were feeding off the instability?"
Wei Ji gave a small smirk. "Exactly. That's what I designed them to do. The vines act as conductors. When I felt his aura struggle to stabilize, I knew what he was hiding."
Wu blinked again, his eyes filled with a strange mix of admiration and fear. "But… how did you know that he wasn't the real one, young master?"
Wei Ji stopped walking again, his gaze distant. "When I first saw them, I noticed something strange. The real cultivator's Qi feels natural—it flows like a stream, rising and falling with his breath. But his? It was hollow. It shimmered on the outside but didn't breathe with him. It was like looking at the light of a candle trapped inside a glass jar—it shines, but it's not alive."
Wu listened carefully, trying to understand every word.
Wei Ji continued, "Spiritual Qi that belongs to someone else feels… cold. The uncorrupted Qi of a living cultivator resonates with their soul. But stolen Qi? It's like water without taste. It doesn't pulse. It doesn't respond. When I fought him, every move he made felt sluggish. That's how I knew. He wasn't using his own strength."
Wu stared blankly for a few seconds. Then, he nodded repeatedly even though half of it went over his head. "I see… yes, yes, that makes sense, young master."
Wei Ji smirked faintly. "You don't understand it, but it's fine. Understanding comes later."
Wu scratched the back of his head and gave a small awkward laugh. "Hehe, I'll try my best, young master."
Wei Ji didn't reply. He just kept walking forward, the echo of their steps fading slowly into the calm night.
…
Elsewhere, in a quiet room inside the Han Manor, Lu Shaohua sat alone. Her long hair brushed over her shoulders as she ran a wooden comb through it slowly.
The air was still, the candles flickering faintly. She stared blankly at the wall, her thoughts drifting far away.
Everything that happened today was too much. The assassins. The chaos. And him—Han Ji, or rather, Wei Ji.
She whispered to herself, "Why is he acting like this…?" Her voice trembled. "Why is he so different after the night of our wedding?"
She thought back to the old Han Ji—the man everyone mocked. The man who could not cultivate. The one who always bowed his head. She remembered their wedding night, when he refused to even look at her.
"Back then, he said I wasn't worthy of him," she murmured bitterly. "He said I ruined his life."
She remembered his angry face, his words that cut deeper than any sword. "Your position as my wife were meant for Chen Shaoqing," he once said. "You—you're nothing but a burden forced on me!"
Those words burned in her chest every time she recalled them.
But now… he was different. Cold, calm, and powerful. As if the heavens had turned upside down. Most of all, he's protective of her.
"Did I curse him too much?" she whispered. "Is this punishment for me?"
Her thoughts spiraled until a soft knock broke her silence.
Knock. Knock.
She froze, lowering her comb. "Who… who is it?"
A deep voice answered from the other side. "It's me."
She recognized it instantly. Wei Ji.
Her heart skipped a beat. She quickly fixed her hair and stood up. "Come in," she said softly.
The door opened, and Wei Ji stepped in. His presence filled the room like a storm that had learned to stay quiet.
"Come with me outside," he said calmly. "I haven't seen you eat all day."
Lu Shaohua blinked in surprise. "O-oh. I…"
"No excuses," he said, turning around.
She nodded nervously and followed him.
They walked down the corridor in silence. Wei Ji's stride was confident, his hands behind his back, while Lu Shaohua trailed behind, keeping her gaze low. The silence between them felt heavy.
When they reached the courtyard, the night air was cold. The grass was dry, the soil cracked, and the trees lifeless. The whole place felt abandoned.
Wei Ji glanced around and frowned slightly. "This place…"
Lu Shaohua bit her lip. She hesitated to speak, but when Wei Ji asked quietly, "What's wrong?" she flinched.
"N-nothing," she said quickly.
He looked at her for a moment. "Really?"
She hesitated again, her hands trembling a little. "It's just… this place. It's dark. There are no flowers, no trees, no color… It's like everything here is dying."
Her voice was soft and uncertain, like she was afraid to say more.
Wei Ji looked around again. The place truly looked miserable—lifeless and gray. The courtyard walls were covered with dust, and the once-green grass was yellow and cracked.
He sighed softly. "You like flowers, then?"
Lu Shaohua blinked. "Huh? I—well, I do, but why are you asking—"
"What's your favorite color?" Wei Ji interrupted.
She looked at him, confused. "My favorite… color?"
"Yes."
She hesitated. "Um… green. I think. The color of life."
Wei Ji nodded once. "Good."
He stepped forward, his right foot pressing firmly on the ground. He made a quick hand seal, and then the air began to shift.
A faint pulse of energy spread outward like ripples in water. The dry soil shivered. The cracked earth started to glow faintly.
Lu Shaohua gasped softly as green light spread through the courtyard. The dead grass turned vibrant again. Flowers began to bloom along the paths—white lilies, golden buds, red orchids—all springing from nowhere. The cold breeze turned warm, carrying the scent of earth and life.
The dark, lifeless courtyard slowly became a small paradise. The stones shone faintly under the moonlight, and faint motes of light danced in the air.
Lu Shaohua stood frozen, her hand covering her mouth in disbelief. "What… what is this…?"
Wei Ji lowered his hand, his eyes calm. "Is that enough?"
She looked at him, unable to speak. Her heart pounded, her eyes reflecting the soft green glow that filled the courtyard.
For a long moment, she didn't answer.
Wei Ji simply turned his gaze away and looked at the sky. His face was unreadable, but his voice carried a faint trace of warmth when he finally said, "You don't have to live in darkness."
The night wind brushed past them gently.
Lu Shaohua, still stunned, could only whisper faintly, "Thank you…"
Wei Ji gave a small nod, his back to her, and started to walk away quietly.