The tavern was lively, yet not noisy.
It stood near one of the city's main streets, its wooden structure aged but well-maintained, carrying the faint scent of brewed wine and roasted meat. Lanterns hung beneath the eaves, their warm glow spilling softly onto the street below.
Inside, voices blended into a low, constant hum.
On the second floor, near a wide open window, two figures sat side by side at a small wooden table.
Lee San leaned back slightly, one arm resting on the railing by the window, his gaze drifting lazily over the bustling street outside. His posture was relaxed, but his awareness never truly left him.
Across from him sat Kai.
The youth was calm, seated straight, his back aligned with the chair as if habit demanded it. He held a simple cup of tea in both hands, steam curling upward before dissipating into the air. His gaze wandered—not aimlessly, but observantly—taking in the unfamiliar city bit by bit.
Neither spoke for a moment.
The wind brushed past the open window, carrying faint sounds from below—vendors calling out, footsteps, distant laughter.
Lee San finally broke the silence.
"This city isn't bad," he said casually. "Compared to border towns, at least. Zhou Family runs things tightly."
Kai nodded once. "It feels… orderly."
Lee San glanced at him, amused. "You notice that already?"
Kai didn't respond, only lowered his gaze slightly back to the street.
A short distance away from their table, another group occupied the second floor.
Several young women sat together around a circular table, cups and small dishes scattered between them. Their robes were varied in color and style, some embroidered with subtle patterns that hinted at sect origins. The faint fluctuations of spiritual energy around them made one thing clear—
They were cultivators.
Their laughter rose and fell naturally, unrestrained, the kind that came from familiarity and shared time.
Among them sat a girl who stood out—not because of her aura, but because of its absence.
Zhou Rai.
She sat quietly within the circle, listening more than speaking. Her posture was relaxed, yet attentive, hands resting lightly in her lap as she leaned forward slightly toward the table. Her eyes followed the conversation with interest, bright and curious.
Unlike the others, there was no trace of spiritual energy flowing from her body.
She had not yet undergone her baptism.
Yet despite that, she did not seem out of place.
The girls around her spoke animatedly, their voices overlapping as the topic shifted again and again.
"…I told you, if we hadn't arrived early, there wouldn't have been rooms left."
"That gathering always draws people from everywhere."
"Senior Luo never hosts anything small," one of them said, rolling her eyes with a smile.
"Yes, yes—Luo this, Luo that," another laughed. "We still have time before it starts. That's why we came here first."
Rai tilted her head slightly. "So the gathering hasn't begun yet?"
"Not until later tonight," a girl beside her replied. "We'd be bored to death waiting in the residence. Might as well enjoy ourselves."
Someone lifted their cup. "To killing time properly, then."
Rai smiled faintly, lifting her own cup a little slower than the others.
Neither she nor Kai noticed each other.
Separated by only a few tables, the two sat under the same roof, breathing the same air—completely unaware that the thread binding them had quietly drawn them into the same place, at the same time.
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The disturbance began subtly.
At first, it was only raised voices drifting upward from the first floor—sharp, irritated, carrying an edge that didn't belong to casual tavern chatter. A few cups clinked as hands paused mid-motion. Conversations faltered.
Then came the sound of something being shoved.
A chair scraped loudly against the wooden floor.
On the second floor, several patrons leaned slightly toward the railing, curiosity tempered by caution.
Below, near the counter, a young tavern employee stood stiffly, his fists clenched at his sides. His clothes were plain, his posture rigid—not from defiance, but from restraint.
Before him stood a cultivator.
The man wore dark robes edged with faint embroidery, his aura unrestrained enough to make ordinary people instinctively step back. His expression was twisted with irritation, lips curled as if the very air offended him.
"I said bring it again," the cultivator snapped. "Are you deaf?"
"I—I already did, sir," the employee replied, voice tight. "That's all we have left."
The cultivator's hand slammed against the counter.
"Lying trash."
No one moved.
The surrounding customers averted their gazes, some lowering their heads, others pretending not to hear. They all knew better than to involve themselves with a cultivator—especially one clearly in a foul mood.
Quiet murmurs spread nonetheless.
"He's at it again…"
"That Guo boy is unlucky."
"Ever since his sister refused him…"
The words were hushed, careful, spoken only when the cultivator's back was turned.
On the second floor, the group of girls fell silent.
One of them frowned. "That's Ji Ren again."
"The one from the Riverwind Sect?" another whispered.
"Yes. He's been coming here often lately."
Rai's brows knitted together. "Why is he targeting the employee?"
The girl beside her hesitated, then lowered her voice. "He took a liking to Guo's sister. But the tavern has strict rules—no harassment, no forcing. He can't touch her, so…"
"So he vents on her brother," another said quietly.
Rai's fingers tightened around her cup.
She leaned forward, peering over the railing.
Below, the cultivator lifted his hand, spiritual energy flickering faintly around his palm—not enough to kill, but enough to injure.
Rai's chair shifted softly as she stood halfway.
"This isn't right—"
Before she could take another step—
A figure rose from the second floor.
Kai had already stood up.
Lee San turned sharply. "Kai."
"I'll handle it," Kai said quietly.
He didn't wait for permission.
In one smooth motion, he placed a hand on the railing and vaulted over it.
Gasps rippled through the tavern.
Kai landed on the first floor with a controlled thud, knees bending slightly to absorb the impact. He straightened immediately, positioning himself between the cultivator and the trembling employee.
Silence fell.
Ji Ren blinked, momentarily stunned. "What?"
Kai met his gaze calmly. "Leave him alone."
A ripple of disbelief spread through the crowd.
"He jumped down…"
"That kid—he has no aura."
"Is he crazy?"
Ji Ren laughed, sharp and incredulous. "You're standing up to me?"
Kai didn't answer.
The cultivator's smile vanished. "Get out of my way."
"No."
The word was simple. Steady.
Ji Ren's expression darkened. He lashed out—not with full force, but enough to send a warning strike.
Kai moved.
He stepped inside the cultivator's reach, twisting his body at the last second. Ji Ren's palm skimmed past empty air. Before he could recover, Kai struck—not with strength, but precision.
A kick to the knee.
An elbow to the ribs.
A sudden shift that forced Ji Ren to stumble back.
The tavern erupted into whispers.
"How—?"
"He's dodging everything!"
Ji Ren growled, frustration boiling over. He attacked again, faster this time, aura flaring visibly.
Yet every strike missed.
Kai moved like flowing water—redirecting force, stepping aside, using the environment to his advantage. Tables became obstacles. Chairs became leverage. He never struck to injure deeply—only enough to destabilize.
From the second floor, Rai watched in stunned silence.
"He's… not a cultivator?" one of the girls murmured.
"I don't sense any qi from him."
"Then how is he doing this?"
Rai's eyes remained fixed on Kai.
Her surprise was evident—not fear, not confusion, but something closer to admiration.
Someone willing to step forward.
Someone without cultivation.
And still… standing firm.
Below, Ji Ren's breathing turned ragged.
His pride shattered.
"You—!" he snarled. "Fine. You asked for it."
This time, he gathered true force.
Spiritual energy surged violently around him, pressing outward. Several nearby patrons recoiled, knocking over stools as they scrambled away.
Kai felt the pressure instantly.
He did not retreat.
Before Ji Ren could release the attack—
A presence descended.
A single hand reached out and grasped Ji Ren by the collar.
The cultivator didn't even have time to react.
With a casual motion, he was hurled across the tavern like a discarded object, crashing into the far wall with a bone-shaking impact.
The entire building trembled.
Ji Ren slumped to the floor, unconscious.
Absolute silence followed.
Lee San stood where Ji Ren had been moments earlier, his expression calm, his aura completely concealed.
He looked around once, his gaze sweeping over the frozen patrons.
"No more trouble," he said mildly.
No one dared respond.
Whispers erupted only after he turned away.
"That wasn't a normal cultivator…"
"Did you feel that?"
"Who are they…?"
On the second floor, Rai exhaled slowly.
Her gaze followed Kai—still standing in the center of the tavern, calm as ever—then flicked briefly to Lee San.
She didn't know who they were.
But she knew one thing.
She would remember this moment.