Call for reinforcements

“She was born with a seductive charm, far greater than that of ordinary people.”

“Born with seductive charm?”

Shangguan Wanwan looked puzzled.

“Yes. For most people, when they see someone attractive, they simply appreciate it. But encountering someone with this kind of innate allure is different. Her constitution draws out the primal instincts within others, making them impulsive. Though it may seem it could improve her relationships with people, if her own strength is lacking, it only brings more trouble. And it seems her bloodline has yet to awaken—if it does, her talent will be formidable. Her potential for growth might even rival my own in the future.”

Fan Qiuming shook his head with a sigh. “But she doesn’t seem to know any of this.”

Shangguan Wanwan was shocked by what he said; she had never come across such things before.

“Then aren’t you going to help her?”

“Me? We know each other, and our relationship is decent, but right now, I can barely protect myself. How could I help her?” He sounded helpless—he couldn’t even resolve his own problems, let alone meddle in others’.

“How could that be? Your abilities are clearly—” She hesitated, recalling what Fan Qiuming had said last night, and suddenly understood.

“For now, I have to focus on retrieving my ten celestial artifacts and the other lost sacred relics. Once I’m able to defend myself, if she’s willing to accept my help, I wouldn’t mind assisting her.”

Fan Qiuming had realized that, besides the ones with Hua Qing and the others, even the sacred relics in his storage ring had vanished.

“Ah… Life is unpredictable—a large intestine stuffed with a small one. All I can do now is wait and see.” He said this while tossing vegetables into the boiling water.

“Maybe if I’m lucky, I’ll stumble upon an opportunity. Oh right, could you pass me the salt?”

As he spoke, Fan Qiuming reverted to the image of a homely cook. Although Fan Qiulin could cook as well, he never expected her to do so when he was at home.

“So, what’s really going on with your families? Tell me about it?” Fan Qiuming raised an eyebrow and turned to Shangguan Wanwan.

“Our family? It’s just one of those ancient martial clans surviving from old times. To find a foothold in today’s world, we had no choice but to go into business, while still requiring our descendants to cultivate martial arts. It’s all about not losing face in front of other families, and then there’s the matter of the Divine Ruins. They claim it’s to keep the family from declining and to let the younger generation hone themselves, but in truth, they’re just afraid of unknown dangers in the Divine Ruins. The longer people live, the more they fear death.”

“Every family has its troubles. The younger generation in our clan doesn’t have it easy either—we’re expected to bring prosperity, yet also live well ourselves. Even with the clan backing us, in the end we’re just puppets in the elders’ hands. Manipulated at their will, with no life of our own.”

“Then why do you seem so free?” Fan Qiuming felt that what she said didn’t quite apply to her.

“That’s because my father is the clan leader! He sent me away this time precisely to keep me out of the family’s internal struggles. To be honest, I’d rather just be an ordinary person. I actually envy you and Qiulin—you both have your own thoughts and lives.”

“So you’re a pitiable one as well?” Fan Qiuming remarked as he continued slicing meat on the cutting board.

“Controlled by the family, at their beck and call, sacrificing for their sake.”

After these words, their gazes met for a moment, then quickly turned away.

“I never had anyone to talk to before. Thank you for letting me speak my mind—it feels much better now.” Shangguan Wanwan’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

“It’s nothing. I was alone for a long time too.” Outwardly, he seemed indifferent, but his heart was quietly stirred.

“Shangguan Wanwan really is so much like her…”

He tilted his head to look at Shangguan Wanwan, a strange itch in his heart.

“Were… were you staring at me all this time?” Shangguan Wanwan noticed his gaze and paused her movements.

“Ah? Sorry… I was a bit out of sorts.” Fan Qiuming quickly collected himself, continuing to slice the meat, not daring to meet her eyes.

“Actually, it’s fine. I don’t mind,” she replied shyly, picking up the cutting board and knife to help with the vegetables.

Before long, the aroma of food wafted from the kitchen, and Fan Qiulin came out of her room.

“Mmm… it smells amazing!” She took a deep breath, and upon entering the kitchen, saw the two of them standing close together, and couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy. He was her brother, after all, yet here he was with another woman. Even though she was the one who encouraged them, she still felt uncomfortable.

“Qiulin, you’re here? Go wash your hands and get ready to eat,” Shangguan Wanwan called out when she saw her in the doorway, carrying a dish out of the kitchen.

As Fan Qiuming plated the stir-fried meat, he tidied up the kitchen as well.

At the table, Fan Qiuming sat with Shangguan Wanwan, while Fan Qiulin took a seat opposite, watching them intently. Beneath the table, her fists clenched tightly, and as soon as dinner began, she buried her frustration in her appetite, eating in large mouthfuls.

Fan Qiuming suddenly remembered he hadn’t fed Little Meow yet, so he got up to pour some cat food and dried fish for it. After washing his hands, he returned to the table.

After the meal, the usual routine returned—the two washed the dishes, while Fan Qiulin watched TV in the living room. With almost no clean clothes left, Fan Qiuming had no choice but to go out shopping, this time without the other two.

At the mall, he bought a few casual pants and T-shirts, as well as some spare clothes, storing them in his storage ring. Passing by a Lolita fashion boutique, his gaze was drawn to a certain dress. He found himself stepping inside almost unconsciously, and after inspecting the style and quality, bought it on the spot. The entire set—dress, stockings, shoes, and headpiece—cost 3,998, much more than all the clothes he’d bought for himself combined. His own only cost a hundred or two apiece, yet he still paid for it.

Afterward, he wandered around, buying two similarly priced dresses for Fan Qiulin and Shangguan Wanwan, based on their figures. By the end of the night, he’d spent nearly twenty thousand, which made him wince a little.

Just as he left the mall, Fan Qiulin sensed a fluctuation in space. Though it was some distance away, he quickly stowed all the clothes in his storage ring and rushed toward it at top speed.

“That direction… the city park.”

He moved swiftly across the rooftops, a shadow flitting by, barely detectable. Deep in the park’s woods, several figures appeared, next to a faint, pale blue round portal. It seemed to be their means of arrival—they truly weren’t from this world.

Fan Qiuming immediately recognized a familiar face among them.

“Bai Qianyu… and so many others!”

He concealed his presence and hid in the trees, eavesdropping on their conversation.

“Senior brothers, you must stand up for me! That awful man not only called my martial arts moves flashy but also took my Azure Spirit Sword. He’s just at the initial stage of Qi Refining, yet claimed that even if you all attacked together, you wouldn’t be his match.”

Her ability to sow discord was impressive—she accused him of things he’d never said.

“Don’t worry, junior sister. If we encounter him, we’ll grind his bones to dust and give you justice.”

“Yes, he chose the wrong person to bully. Our junior sister? That boy must have a death wish,” another agreed.

Up in the tree, Fan Qiuming closed his left eye. When he opened it again, his gaze glowed with golden light.

“Universal Eye.”

He observed that most of them were at the fourth or fifth level of Qi Refining, but there was one exception.

Name: Bai Shiquan
Gender: Male
Age: Twenty-four
Cultivation: Qi Refining, Seventh Level
Spirit Skills: None

“Seventh level? That’s troublesome—stronger than me,” Fan Qiuming muttered under his breath.

“All right, quiet down. Don’t forget why we’re here,” Bai Shiquan commanded. Instantly, the group fell silent.

“Junior sister, calm down. Although you said he was abominable, his talent sounds impressive. If we can recruit him into our sect, all the better. If not, he’ll have to disappear from this world.”

“But, senior brother…”

“No buts. Listen to me.”

Bai Qianyu was about to protest but was cut off by Bai Shiquan.

“And you, over there—haven’t you heard enough?”

His eyes fixed on Fan Qiuming’s hiding spot, and the others followed suit.

“Damn, I’ve been discovered?” Fan Qiuming was startled.

He saw Bai Shiquan channel his spiritual power into a leaf, sending it flying straight toward him. Caught off guard, Fan Qiuming’s cheek was sliced open.

“How dangerous—projecting spiritual power like that means his abilities surpass the seventh stage of Qi Refining,” he thought. Since he’d been found out, there was no point hiding, so he leapt down from the tree.

“As expected of the sect’s senior disciple—your vigilance is impressive,” he said with a smile.

“That’s him, senior brother! He’s the one who bullied me!” Bai Qianyu cried, pointing at him.

“So it’s you…” Bai Shiquan said coldly.

“I’ll give you two choices: first, join our sect and return the sword to my junior sister, and I’ll let bygones be bygones. Second—die.”

He put particular emphasis on the word “die.”

But Fan Qiuming remained unfazed.

“Is that so? But I’d like a third option—one where all of you die.”

“To be honest, I’m quite curious about your world.”

“Insolence…”

Without further words, Bai Shiquan drew his sword and charged at Fan Qiuming.