The Gates of Shrouded Peaks

  The t stoes of Shrouded Peaks loomed before them, their surface weathered with age yet no less imposing. Beyond them, the hidde remained silent, watg, waiting. What wasn't silent, however, were the spears poi their throats.

  Jiang and Bao had already moved into defeaheir hands h over their ons. The guards of Shrouded Peaks, dark gray robes and polished armor, held their ground, unmoving, their eyes sharp and unreadable.

  Yuxe Wuye, Meilin's mother exhaled slowly, her hands folded before her in a gesture of iation rather than submission. "We are not here to fight," she stated evenly, her voice carrying an air of authority that only a woman of her wisdom could possess. "We seek an audieh Master Daokan. The child in our care needs urgent help."

  One of the guards narrowed his eyes. "Master Daokan does not take unannounced visitors. Especially not ones wh unscious prisoners with them."

  Ats groaned, stirring slightly. He was awake now, though his head still ached from Jiang's less thale method of seg his arrival. He barely had time to process his surroundings before he realized he was being held in a side embrace by Meyu, who, despite the tension, was calmly expining the situation.

  "Try not to move too much," she whispered, keeping her voice low. "You got knocked out. We're at the gates of a hidde, and if you so much as twitch wrong, you might end up with a spear through your chest."

  Ats took a slow, measured breath, his mind kig into gear. Assess. Pn. Execute. He sed the se, analyzing the guards' postures, the tension in their grips, the way their gazes flickered with hesitation. They weren't looking for a fight—they were following protocol.

  A pn formed in his mind, ohat required precision and just the right amount of theatrical absurdity.

  He reached into his coat, slowly so as not to provoke a rea, arieved a dot sealed with an imperial insignia. It was his business lise and trading approval—ohat had indeed been signed by the Emperor himself. What it did not state, however, was that his approval was strictly for ercial endeavors.

  Ats straightened his posture, fshing his most dazzling smile as he presehe dot with a flourish. "Gentlemen! I e bearing the Emperor's own decree!" he decred, letting the golden insignia catch the sunlight in just the right way. "I am a humble—nay, an essential—mert, officially approved by the highest seat of power. You may verify its authenticity if you wish, though I must warn you... the bureaucratic process is agonizing. Do you really wish to be the oo dey a man personally saned by the Emperor?" He tilted his head, feigning sympathy. "Paperwork. So tedious. So extensive. Do you really want to be the poor souls tangled in that mess?"

  The guards faltered, exging gnces. Ats seized the hesitation and leaned in, l his voice spiratorially. "You see, the Emperor—wise, benevoleraordinarily handsome—values efficy. And I, dear sirs, am nothing if not an effit man. I have goods to trade, s to spend, and if we keep this moving smoothly, I assure you, my gratitude knows no bounds."

  With a grin stretg across his face like a devil who had just found an unguarded prey, Ats smoothly reached into his pocket and revealed several gleaming gold s, letting them slip between his fingers in a mesmerizing dispy of wealth. The s ked softly, their unmistakable weight promising lucrative opportunities. His expression—a mix of overfidend charm—only solidified the illusion that he was the most reasonable, yet dangerous, man to refuse.

  Hook set. Now, to let them fight among themselves.

  One of them whispered something hurriedly to the other. The moment of uainty spread like wildfire. If there was even a fra of truth to what Ats had said, denying him entry could mean defying imperial authority.

  Meanwhile, Lay's sharp eyes followed the exge. She was already pnning her own angle.

  She g Bao, then at the guards, then back at Bao again. Yes... that could work.

  She cleared her throat loudly, adjusting her posture in an almost theatrical manner—one she had clearly picked up from watg Ats. She even mimicked the exaggerated fiden his expression, though her smirk had ara edge of mischief.

  "I see how it is!" she called out, voice full of melodrama. "You refuse us entry because you're afraid! Afraid that Master Daokan will hear what I have to say!" She lifted her , pg a dramatid over her chest, as if genuinely appalled by their cowardice.

  Several of the guards stiffeheir expressions shiftiween fusion and irritation.

  Lay pressed on, arms crossed, one eyebrow arg. "If Master Daokan were here, would he turn away someone in need? Would he refuse to hear why a disciple of the Silver Lotus Sect has e all this way seeking help over a sick child? Or are you too afraid to eve him decide for himself?"

  Bao, catg on to her py, scoffed, crossing his arms and shaking his head in mock disappoi. "You know what? Maybe Master Daokan really isn't as great as people say. If his own disciples are too cowardly to eve a message reach him, then perhaps he's not worth the journey after all."

  The guards bristled, but ourned and rushed into the sect to report.

  A sileretched before the air itself seemed to bend. A crushing force, unsee undeniable, pressed down upon them. An order without words. A demand from existeself.

  Ats felt the wind started to pickup and then Meyu whimpered beside him, her body trembling as she barely mao keep herself from falling pletely. Meyu fell onto her knees, fear widening her eyes as tremors wracked her frame, her breath ing in shallos.

  Jiang gritted his teeth, his entire body trembling as his knees buckled. Bao swayed but caught himself, breath bored. Yuxe Wuye hands curled into fists, sweat dripping from her brow as she struggled to remain upright. Lin Wuye never let go of the child, shielding her as best he could, his arms tightening around her small frame even as his bones protested against the overwhelming force.

  Lay gasped, the sheer weight of it unlike anything she had ever felt. How... how an exude such pressure? Her body screamed, her mind raced, yet all she could think of was the absurdity of human strength reag such a level. This isn't Qi. This is something beyond it. Fear curled in her gut, primal and unavoidable.

  Ats, however, did not kneel.

  Master Daokan stepped through the now-open gates, his robes billowing like a stiven form. Beside him stood his most trusted disciple, Yan Shuren, a warrior whose presence alone anded respect, his skill sed only to Daokan himself.

  Daokan's gaze swept over them before log onto Ats. Sing his internal self as to why he wasn't affected. Could it be..?

  A flicker of disbelief crossed his fabsp;

  No Qi. None. Even newborns have Qi. Ahis man stands.

  His voice, when it came, was quiet but impossible to ignore.

  "Tell me, mert… do you truly believe the Emperor's name alone grants you entry into my domain?"

  The weight of Daokan's preseill hung over them like a storm waiting to break. Ats, standing alone amid a sea of kneeling bodies, took in the se with a keen eye. His mind worked in rapid succession, pieg together every clue, every rea.

  This is Master Daokan. The infamous recluse of the Shrouded Peaks. The man even warlords spoke of in hushed tones. And here he was, radiating an oppressive aura s it forced battle-hardened warriors to their knees.

  Ats blihen turned his head slightly, taking in the absurdity of the se. Jiang, Bao, Lin Wuye—all kneeling like devout disciples at temple. Lay looked on the verge of colpsing, her entire body shaking from the sheer pressure. And Meyu—Meyu had fallen pletely, fear etched into her usually posed features, her hands digging into the dirt as if grounding herself was the only thing keeping her sane. He mao assess the situation in just 5 seds and came up with a pn to vince Master Daokan albeit a gamble.

  A slow exhale left his lips. Right. This was bad.

  Ats straightened, adjusting his colr in an exaggerated, almost leisurely manner. His mind raced. This was a delicate game, and one misstep could have him buried at the base of these mountains. But that didn't mean he couldn't enjoy himself a little. He knows that they value honour, respect, wealth and strength.

  He csped his hands behind his bad offered Daokan the most respectful bow he could muster—low enough to show deference, but not so low as to appear desperate. "Master Daokan, I presume? An honor, truly. I must say, your reputation does you justice. The sheer power, the presence! Why, if I didn't know better, I'd think I had just met a deity in human form."

  A twitch of an eyebrow from Daokan in disbelief. Good. He was listening.

  Ats tinued, voice smooth and measured. "Now, I uand your . A mere mert, tossing around the Emperor's name like a on dice game—it's terribly improper, isn't it? But let me assure you, I am not just any mert. I am a mert with an impeccable sense of timing and an eveer appreciation for... opportunities."

  He let the words settle, watg Daokan's expression. Calg. Weighing. Testing.

  Ats lifted a hand aured lightly to the others still kneeling. "And, if I may be so bold, it would be quite the tragedy if such esteemed guests of the Silver Lotus Sect were to pass out here in the cold, wouldn't it? But not just any guests—an i sve child, fragile and barely ging to sciousness, dragged all this way for a sliver of mercy."

  His eyes flicked briefly to Lay, who, despite her trembling form, still held her head high. A slow, almost pitying smile curved his lips. "Ahis ever-so-frail girl, shaking in her boots yet still ging to her pride like a lifeline. Really, Master Daokan, what would it say of the great Shrouded Peaks if you left such helpless souls out here to suffer?" He sighed dramatically. "A true tragedy, I say."

  Lay grit her teeth, her mind whirling with equal parts irritation aant admiration. Ats was infuriating—slick, shameless, and somehow always in trol. But damn it, he was effective. That didn't mean she wouldn't kick him for this ter. Hard.

  There was a beat of silence.

  Daokan's disciple shifted slightly, clearly unimpressed. But Daokan himself merely exhaled, his sharp gaze never leaving Ats.

  Ats knew he had only seds before the humour turned against him. He adjusted his stance, l his voice slightly, making it more serious. "Master Daokan, I am not here to disrespect yates. In fact quite the opposite. I am here on business, and business is what I do best. But right now even before my own livelihood, that poor child life matters more. There are things I offer. And if you'll hear us out and help us, I do believe you'll find it... worth your time."

  The old master studied him now with a different lens, taking in the sharp angles of his face, the slightly sun-kissed hue of his skin—fn, unmistakably Western. He wasn't as broad-shouldered as Jiang or Bao, nor did he carry the same hardened muscle, but there was something uling about his presenot in strength, but in mind. His expression was unreadable, not in the manner of a seasoned warrior masking their emotions, but in a way that suggested he was either armingly ho or a master maniputor.

  A flicker of disbelief crossed Daokan's fao Qi. None. Even newborns have Qi. Ahis man stands.

  Then Daokan spoke, ''Let them in.''

  The shift was immediate. The suffog weight that had pressed upon them vanished like mist uhe m sun. Bao and Jiang released shuddering breaths, their muscles ag from the strain of resistance. Yuxe Wuye closed her eyes briefly, posing herself before rising to her feet with practiced grace. Meyu, still trembling, let out a quiet gasp, her body weak from the ordeal. Ats helps her stand up while patting her head to reassure her.

  Lay, however, was slower to recover. Her limbs felt like lead, her breath uneven. She turo Ats, eyes burning with a mix of disbelief and irritation. Her lips moved soundlessly, f words only he could uand: "I'm going to kill you."

  Ats blinked and—without a sed thought—slid behind Meyu as if she were a human shield. Meyu, still catg her breath, frowned in fusion. "...What?"

  Lay groaned, rubbing her back. She had barely recovered from nearly being crushed uhe weight of Daokan's aura, and now she had to deal with this man making an absolute fool of himself.

  As the gates of Shrouded Peaks fully opehe differeween it and Silver Lotus was immediately apparent. Lay took oep inside and came to an abrupt halt. Her eyes swept over the t structures, the intricate stohways, the smoothly polished training grounds where disciples practiced in disciplined formations.

  She scoffed, gesturing wildly at the pristine enviro. "Oh, e on."

  Jiang, still stretg out his sore limbs from the earlier pressure, raised a brow. "What?"

  Lay threw her arms up in exasperation. "Are you seeing this? Look at those buildings! They're actually standing! Properly! No holes in the roofs, no broken support beams!"

  Bao, taking in the se, whistled low. "Damn. Their roads don't even have dirt patches."

  Yuxe Wuye, walking beside her husband, chuckled under her breath. "They certainly have the resources."

  Lay tinued, unfazed. "And those nterns? Silk-covered nterns? Gss windows? My sect barely has doors that don't fall off their hinges, and these guys are out here living in luxury!"

  Ats, still taking in his surroundings, muttered, "I thought the Silver Lotus Sect was one of the oldest sects in the region?"

  Lay turned on her feet, jabbing a fi him. "Yeah, and just like an old man, it's falling apart! You think we have marble fl like this? No! We have dirt! You think our disciples have matg uniforms? No! Half of them are wearing patchwork robes held together by pure willpower!" She threw a gre towards her father. "Why didn't we have hings?"

  Lin Wuye, pletely unbothered, carrying the child while administrating Qi into her. "I told you. Administration is expensive."

  "So is my sanity," Lay shot back.

  Meanwhile, Bao had wandered closer to one of the training grounds, watg a group of Shrouded Peaks disciples practig advanced formations with their spears. Their movements were precise, synized. It was the kind of training that spoke of discipline honed eions.

  "This is a proper sect," Bao admitted. "Their body so solid like stone."

  Jiang crossed his arms, nodding as well. "Their teiques aren't fshy, but they're precise. Practical. I don't see any wasted movement."

  Lay muttered under her breath, still gng around. "Not to mention, they've actually got proper ste for their ons. We just leave ours lying around in piles!"

  Ats, taking it all in with a keen eye, finally let out a low chuckle. "So what I'm hearing is, your sect is like a group of overly determined bandits squatting in the remains of a once-great institution."

  Lay gred daggers at him. "If I didn't need you alive to clear up this mess, I'd throw you off this mountain."

  Internally, however, Ats's mind was already at work. This sect was well-anized, well-funded, and most importantly, well-supplied. If he pyed this right, there portunity here. The resources alone made them a valuable e. But how to get in without making it obvious? He needed leverage—something they wahat only he could provide. Perhaps trade? Perhaps something deeper? He filed the thought away for ter, already formatting the foundation of a potential business deal in his mind.

  Meyu, meanwhile, had been quiet, walking closely beside Ats. She exhaled deeply, still shaking off the remnants of the pressure she had felt earlier. She spared a goward Lin Wuye, who still held the unscious child securely in his arms. "Master, how is she?"

  Lin Wuye adjusted his grip on the child and gnced down at her frail form. "She's stable for now, but she needs proper care. Malnourished, exhausted. It will take time before she recovers fully."

  Yan, who had been standing near Daokan, spoke for the first time sihey entered. "Shrouded Peaks has some of the best medial facilities in the region. She'll be in good hands."

  Lay exhaled, some of her earlier frustration fading as she looked at the child. "At least that's something."

  Jiang stepped forward. "Where will we be staying?"

  Daokan, who had been silently watg the entire exge, finally turoward his disciple, the man sed only to him in skill. "Yan Shureo it that uests are given quarters. Ehe child is taken to the healers immediately."

  Yan nodded, his expressioral as he gestured for the guards to proceed. 'This way, Silver Lotus Sed..that mert' Yan also ordered a couple of the maids to take care of the child to their own physi. Lin Wuye slowly lets the child to the maid's arm to which he sees how the maids sees her in pure sorroity and walks quickly to the physi while c her in warm cloth.

  As they moved deeper into the sect, Lay couldn't help but mutter under her breath, "I swear, if they have heated floors too, I'm going to riot."

  They stepped into the main headquarters of Shrouded Peaks, and the difference was staggering. Lay had expected some level of grandeur, but this was beyond prehension. The main building grounds were massive—rger thairety of Silver Lotus, including its own training grounds, living quarters, aation halls bihe architecture was refined yet imposing, carved directly into the mountainside, blending seamlessly with the enviro. Majestic pilrs held up intricately designed ceilings, detailed murals depig great battles and past masters lihe walls, and every pathway was immacutely maintained. What Lay assumed was the top Disciples practig their Qi as she could feel the disturban the air to which she wonders if it's because she was so weak. They moved and strike with practiced efficy, their robes pristiheir expressions disciplihere was no scrambling to rebuild, no signs of desperation. This was a sect that had never fallen.

  After this exge of thoughts, Ats disturbed Lay by introdug himself with an exaggerated flourish, much like a swindler. His voice carried the same dramatic fir, his posture exuding an overfidehat instantly made Lay's eye twit irritation.

  "A pleasure to make your acquaintance!" Ats decred, grinning as he extended a hand towards her. "A mert of the highest caliber, a man of wealth and taste, and, most importantly, someone who simply must know the name of the radiant young dy before him. My name is Ats Rynd, Meyu is my business partner and you?"

  Lay stared at him, unamused. "...No."

  Ats gasped, clutg his chest as if she had stabbed him. "No? You wound me! You dehe honor of your name? A name, I am certain, that carries grad legend alike?"

  Lay sighed, rubbiemples. "Meilin. There. Happy now?"

  Ats beamed. "Ecstatid now that we're all friends—tell me, Meilin, why does this pce feel so *weird *to you? Judging by your face, I'd say it's been gnawing at you since we got here."

  Lay exhaled sharply, her gaze drifting across the pristi. "It's too perfect. Too… intact."

  Ats raised a brow. "And your sect isn't?"

  Lay let out a humorless ugh. "Oh, my sect isn't just not intact. It's barely holding itself together. Seeing this just makes me realize how bad it really is."

  Seeing this just makes me realize how bad it really is."

  After this admission, Lay straightened, her expression hardening as she turo introduce two figures who had been silent until now. "This is my father, Lin Wuye, and my mother, Yuxe Wuye."

  Ats regarded them with a polite nod, adjusting his stah a well-practiced ease. He took a step forward, hands csped behind his ba a mahat suggested both resped fidence. "An honour to meet you both. Giveate of the world and the challenges sects face today, I must ask—how is Silver Lotus faring? As a mert by trade, I find myself always ied to establish retionship of great establishments such as yours. Perhaps there is something I do to help."

  His voice was smooth, versational, yet probing just enough to invite further dialogue. Ats wasn't just asking out of politeness—he was watg, waiting, analyzing. And he knew Lay was doing the same to him.

  Her eyes narrowed. There were only two possibilities. Either Ats was stupidly ho—so fident in his own words that he never o hide anything. Or… he was a master maniputor, someone who trolled every word, every movement, every oute, even in casual versation. Ats, fully aware of this, from notig her i gre, kept up his act—his expressions perfectly banced between casual siy and pyful mischief. He let just enough of his personality slip through to keep Lay guessing.

  If she wao figure him out, she was going to have to work for it. Lay, still studying him, began to pick apart his demeanor—his expressions, his reas, the small shifts in his body nguage. He was too posed, too measured. Despite his seemingly carefree attitude, nothing about him felt truly unguarded.

  Lin Wuye after hearing Ats mert-like question houghtfully before responding. "When Meilin—our daughter—first came to the main city, there were many things she required to keep Silver Lotus funing. Resources were scarce, and even basic trade iations were difficult without proper bag. The sect has endured, but not without its struggles. When we came to the city, we tried to secure food but no mert wao trade with us just because we are a struggli"

  Yuxe Wuye added, "She fought hard to secure what was needed, but the process was slow, and she met resista every turn. Many saw Silver Lotus as a se the dee. They were unwilling to i in what they believed was a losing cause."

  Ats tapped his , feigning deep ption while carefully watg Lay's rea. "That is quite the predit. If supply lines are the issue, then a mert's work could be invaluable. I assume you'd be ied in strikirade agreements to stabilize the sect's standing?"

  Lin Wuye met his gaze, his expression unreadable. "That would certainly be beneficial. However, suegotiations require trust. Perhaps, oneeting with Master Daokan is cluded, you and my daughter strike a deal of your own."

  Lay's head soward her father, eyes narrowing. "Father!"

  Lin Wuye merely smiled, giving Ats a knowing look. "You are, after all, a mert of the highest caliber, are you not?"

  At those words, a gleam flickered in Ats's eyes—the unmistakable look of a man who had just spotted a golden opportunity. It was the expression of a mert who could smell profit from miles away.

  Ats csped his hands together, his voice oozing with enthusiasm. "Ah, Master Lin, you ftter me! But of course, my primary goal in life is to eually beneficial retionships! Now, Meilin, my dear business partell me—what exactly does Silver Lotus need? A stronger supply ? Strategic trade routes? Or perhaps… something more refined?"

  Lay's eye twitched. "Stop looking at me like I'm a high-value iment."

  Ats feigned deep ption, rubbing his . "But that's precisely what you are—a leader of a struggli seekialization. With the right es, funding, and trade, Silver Lotus could flourish. And luckily for you, I specialize in making the impossible… possible."

  Lay opened her mouth to retort, but before she could, a calm yet anding voice cut through the air.

  "Enough. Sit."

  The entire group turned as Master Daokan stepped forward, his mere presence sileng the room. The air grew heavy with authority, and even Ats, ever the opportunist, knew when to pause. The time fotiation would e ter.

  Master Daokan stood and insisted oo sit while he verbally says to the maids 'Bring out the best' and followed them outside.

  The moment they sat ihe grand hall, something ued happened.

  Bao let out an audible "Ahhh~" as he practically melted onto the floor. The entire group turo him as he sprawled onto his back, stretg like a cat basking in the sun.

  "Bao," Jiang hissed, eyes darting around at the staring disciples. "Get up. You're embarrassing us."

  Bao sighed blissfully, pletely ign him. "You don't uand. The floor is warm. The floor... is heated."

  Lay's eye twitched. Slowly, deliberately, she k doressed her palm against the polished wooden surface. A wave of f warmth radiated up her fingers.

  Lay had scoffed earlier at the mere idea of heated floors, dismissing it as an unnecessary luxury. 'What kind of spoiled sect would waste resources on something so ridiculous?' she had thought at the time.

  Lay's eye twitched again. Slowly, she sat down.

  And then stood up.

  Then sat back down.

  Then up again.

  Her face twisted into somethiween horror aant admiration as she kept shiftiween positions, trying to prehend the sheer staggering differen temperature.

  Ats watched her with barely restrained amusement. "Meilin… are you paring the floor temperatures?"

  Lay, still in a state of mild disbelief, muttered, "It doesn't make sense. How… how a floor feel this good?"

  Bao, sprawled on his back, raised a zy hand. "Join me. Embrace the warmth. Give in."

  Jiang groaned. "I swear, I will leave you here."

  As if a silent agreement had passed through the group, one by ohey all sank onto the floor. Bao had already cimed his spot, but now Jiang, despite his earlier protests, hesitantly lowered himself, letting out a slow exhale as warmth seeped into his bones. Meilin's parents followed suit with a measured grace, but even Lin Wuye let out a pleased hum.

  Ats, ever the opportunist, stretched his legs out, sighing in mock satisfa. "Now this… this is civilization."

  Lay shot him anre, but even she couldn't deny the fort as she crossed her arms and sat fully. "This is an insult to all strugglis everywhere."

  Meyu, who had resisted the lo, finally relented, sitting with her hands pressed ft to the wood. "I don't think I ever go back to cold floors."

  Ats, ever the joker he is, tilted his head and smirked. "Alright, real question—if Master Daokan himself asked you to be his e in exge for perma access to these floors, would you leave me?"

  Meyu barely hesitated before pyfully responding, "Hmm… depends. Would the deal include heated walls too?"

  Ats let out a sharp ugh, but something inside him twisted. It was a joke. He k was a joke. Ahe idea—her leaving him, even hypothetically—stung in a way he hadn't expected.

  He kept his expression rexed, casual, but the weight of the answer settled deep in his chest, unnoticed by anyone else but him.

  Jiang, eyes shut iant bliss, muttered, "If we had this bae, I'd never leave my quarters."

  Bao, still sprawled on his back, zily waved a hand. "Fet everything else. I propose we abandon all worldly struggles and dedicate our lives to floor appreciation."

  Lay groaned. "I swear, if Master Daokan walks in and sees us like this, we're never getting taken seriously."

  Ats leaned ba his hands, smirking. "Or, we could propose a lucrative heated floor business expansion. Think of the profits, Meilin. Think of the future."

  Lay buried her fa her hands. "I am so doh you all."

  But the thought stayed with both of them.

  Ats, for his part, merely scoffed at Lay's reje, reizing it for what it ettiness. She had to know this was a brilliant idea. He could already see the potential: luxury-heated floors in every sect, a revolution in fort that he would personally monopolize. Of course, that meant he first had to vince a certai master to let him have a piece of this operation. A grin tugged at the er of his lips as he begaally crafting his pitch—after all, what kind of mert would he be if he let an opportunity like this slip through his fingers?

  Meanwhile, Lay sat stiffly, her thoughts rag. Ats was dangerous—not because of his fighting ability, but because of his mind. She could feel him scheming already. She kly what he was thinking because she had the same idea herself. But there was no way in hell she was letting him be the oo take advantage of this. No, if there was anyone who was going to strike a deal with Master Daokan and secure this innovation for their ow, it was going to be her.

  All she o do was figure out how to get Ats out of the picture first.

  Before she could plot any further, the air in the room shifted, and the presence of authority became undeniable. Master Daokaurned, his expression unreadable as he took his pce at the head of the hall.

  Without hesitation, as if reading their very thoughts, he simply stated, "No."

  Ats blinked. "No?"

  Daokan's gaze swept over them, unimpressed. "You are not the first to e here business ventures, and you will not be the st. Heated floors, trade agreements, alliances—I have rejected them all. And I will tio reject them. My sect has no need for outside interference."

  Lay and Ats exged a ghey had both been shut down before they could eveheir mouths.

  But that didn't deter either of them. At least, not yet.

  Ats, ever the businessman, cpped his hands together and gave the floor an appreciative pat, his grin widening. "Master Daokan, I must say, your sect's infrastructure is truly a marvel! Heated floors in a mountain stronghold—such fht, sunovation! A true testament to leadership that values both practicality and luxury!"

  Lay shot him a gre, practically vibrating with frustration. "Don't pliment them! My sect is out here fighting off starvation and patg walls with leftover robes, and these people are walking on luxury!" She turned her head toward Daokan and his disciple Yan Shuren, eyes narrowed. "How do you have heated floors?"

  Yan Shuren, ever the posed warrior, simply ined his head. "The sect values fort and efficy. The mountains are harsh in the winter. We prepare accly."

  Bao, still on the ground, let out another satisfied groan. "I could live here."

  Jiang promptly kicked him in the side. "You disgrace us all."

  Lay, arms crossed, exhaled sharply. "Unbelievable. First, they have aire sect bigger than our eerritory. Then, they have pristine architecture, immacute floors, and now heated floors? What's ? Personal servants? Massage parlors? A dining hall that doesn't serve week-old rice?"

  Before she could even fully process her own words, Master Daokan simply raised a hand, his voice carrying an air of effortless authority. "e in."

  The doors to the grand hall swung open. Maids entered in seamless formation, bringing in freshly steamed delicacies, silk-cd attendants stepping forward with practiced elegance. A row of well-dressed servants appeared, one carrying an assortment of fieas, another presentied towels. A subtle, soothing aroma filled the air as a pair of masseurs statiohemselves nearby, waiting expetly.

  Lay stared, her brain halting mid-thought. Her mouth opened, closed, then opened again as she failed to form a single coherent word. Before she could even attempt to process the absurdity of what was happening, a servant appeared at her side, gracefully pg a warm silk towel in her hands. Aepped forward, a cup rahe rich aroma curling into her senses. She took it without thinking, still too stuo react properly.

  Then, she felt it—a pair of gentle hands pressing against her shoulders, kneading expertly into the knots of tension she hadn't even realized were there.

  Lay stiffened. "What—"

  "Rex, huest," the masseuse said smoothly. "You carry much stress. It is unbeing of one in such a refiablishment."

  Ats, now fully seated and leaning back with a self-satisfied grin, burst into ughter. "Meilin, you're practically royalty now! You sure you don't want to iate a long-term stay?"

  She turo gre at him, only to freeze when another servant approached with a delicate pte of what looked like the fi, most perfectly cooked dumplings she had ever seen.

  Her fiwitched. Her soul wavered.

  "No," she whispered to herself. "Stay strong."

  Ats, wiping away a tear of ughter, leaned in. "Be ho. If we left you here for an hour, you'd be wearing their robes, wouldn't you?"

  Lay took a deep breath, gripping the tea in one hand and the warm towel iher, now fully sinking into the luxurious trap set before her aing a dumpling. "I hate this puch."

  Ats only ughed harder.

  As the group settled into their newfound fort, Jiang, though relut at first, finally gave in, sighing as he sipped his tea. "I hate to admit it... but this is nice.

  Bao, already sprawled fortably, grinned. "You see? Acceptance is the first step. The sed step is never leaving."

  Meyu chuckled, shaking her head. "I don't know what's worse—the fact that you're saying this, or the fact that I kind of agree."

  Lin Wuye, who had remained silent until now, chuckled lightly. "Perhaps instead of rese, we should take this as a learning opportunity."

  Lay muttered something i under her breath but didn't argue further.

  Master Daokan, watg their exge with a small, knowing smile, finally spoke. "I must apologize for the trouble my guards caused you earlier. They were merely following protocol."

  The group exged gnces before shrugging collectively. In unison, they all replied, "It's okay."

  Daokan nodded, seemingly satisfied with the answer. "Good. Now, let us proceed."

  Lay wasted no time. She straightened, setting aside her tea and swallowing her dumping. Her expression grew serious. "Master Daokan, before we move forward, you should know what happened earlier iy."

  She went on to expin iail, reting how she had tried to secure resources, only to be met with reje at every turn. But as she tinued, her foarrowed on one particur ihe sve traders.

  Her voice greer as she described the sight of people turned into sves were being treated like odities, their hollow eyes, their resigned silence. She told him about the kid that was brought here was the sve over there who was bought at a high price of 2 gold s.

  Then, she turned, pointing directly at Ats. "And as a final insult, do you know who the buyer was?"

  Ats blinked. "Now, wait a—"

  Before he could even finish his sentehe masseuse standing behind him moved faster than anyone could reaoment, she was a mere attendant—silent, unassuming. The , she had a needle pressed against his neck, her grip firm, her expression unreadable.

  No one had seen it. Not Jiang, not Bao, not even Lin Wuye, who had spent years mastering perception and reading the flow of battle. Aainly not Ats, who prided himself on seeing through yers of deception and manipution. His mind screamed internally, trying to process what just happened, but no expnation came.

  For the first time in a long while, he had been pletely, utterly caught off guard. In an instant, a needle ressed against his neck, her grip firm, her expression unreadable.

  Tension shattered the easy atmosphere. Meyu immediately sat up, arm fshing across her face. "Hey, wait, hold on—!"

  Jiang and Bao teheir hands moving instinctively toward their ons, but even they hesitated, realizing just how quickly Ats had been caught.

  Ats, frozen in pce, let out a slow breath. "...I feel like this is a misuanding."

  A sharp crack echoed through the hall.

  Master Daokan had not moved, had not raised his voice, a, in his hand, the por teacup had shattered, hairline fractures spreading before it crumbled entirely. A single droplet of tea slipped down his fingers, but his gaze remained locked onto Ats, unreadable yet undeniably furious.

  The sheer weight of his presence pressed down on the room. Even without Qi, Ats felt his body go weak, his limbs suddenly resembling jelly. His brain screamed at him to move, to act, to say something, but all he could do was sit there, sweat f at the nape of his neck as the needle remained firmly in pce.

  Ats let out a nervous chuckle, his voice barely above a whisper. "Alright, maybe a slight misuanding..."

  Master Daokan's eyes narrowed, his expression shifting into something eerily calm. Too calm. His fingers, still dusted with shattered por, flexed slightly, and Ats swore he felt the air itself tighten.

  "Curious," Daokan said, his voice quiet, yet cutting through the tension like a bde. "You spoke with such urgency before my gates. You stressed the dition of the child, cimed she needed help beyond all else." His gaze sharpened, each word slow and deliberate. "A now, I find that same child urchased by you. A mert. Tell me, Ats Rynd, how does one justify turning into ownership?"

  Ats's entire body tensed. Years of manipution, of reading people, of knowing when to pivot and when to act, screamed at him that if Daokan so much as stood up, he was already dead.

  Three seds.

  That's all he had.

  In the first sed, he pieced together his response.In the sed, he calcuted how much truth he could afford to reveal.Ihird, he spoke—fast, smooth, desperate, but without a single wasted breath.

  "I bought her because I had to—because if I didn't, she would've ended up in a pce far worse. My goal was never ownership but prote. Every sve I've ever bought, including Meyu, was freed the moment I could guaraheir safety. I don't profit off them, I don't sell them. I get them out before people who actually deserve to be crushed under your boot take them first."

  He exhaled sharply, heart hammering, as Daokan remained perfectly still, the weight of his gaze uing.

  But Ats could tell.

  The master was thinking the same thing Lay had—he is a mert, and surely, he has enough.

  Ats khat the Master didn't know the depth of his pockets.

  But Lay did.

  In just a sed, his tongue flicked out, lig his lips at light speed—a nervous tick that, for once, was entirely justified. Funny as it might've looked to Lay, it was the physical sign of his mind revving at full speed, a mert weighing his own as against the morality he so carefully curated.

  His thoughts solidified into vi.

  "I tell," he began, voice steadier now, "by a person's posture, their face, their emotions, their eye movement, the way they breathe, the way they stand. I tell, with at least 90% certainty, what kind of person they are. And I knew—I knew—if I didn't act first, someone far worse would have."

  His gaze locked onto Daokan's, unwavering now. "I don't make a habit of justifying myself. But if yoing to judge me, then judge me for what I do, not just what I am."

  Daokan remained silent for a moment, then leaned slightly forward. "How many sves have you freed?"

  Ats didn't flinch. "Thirty-six."

  "Why did Meyu stay?"

  Ats ihrough his hen exhaled. "Because she chose to. I never forced her to stay, never asked her to repay me. Some people just... don't have anywhere else to go."

  Daokan's gaze remained sharp. "A, you only save a select few. Why not all?"

  Ats scoffed. "Because I'm not a saint. Because I don't have infinite wealth or infiience. Because some of them deserve to be there." His voice hardened. "I've met criminals hiding behind s, en who sold their own families, thieves who ruin ho men, traitors who burheir own people fold. And I've met is, people thrown into a system they never deserved to be in. But I 't save them all. I don't have the luxury of blind kindness, only calcuted mercy."

  The room was heavy with silence.

  Lay shifted, crossing her arms before hesitating. "May I break the silence Master? Just for a sed?"

  Daokan gave a slight nod, allowing it.

  She turned her gaze to Ats, her expression unreadable. "I have a proper question for you. No tricks, no over the top facial, no buttery words, just an ho answer." She leaned forward. "If you were king, what would you do?"

  Ats blinked. His usual smirk faltered just slightly. For the first time in this entire exge, he wasn't thinking in calcuted steps—wasn't formuting an escape or a ter.

  He thought about it. And then, sincerely, he spoke.

  "If I were king… I'd do what I always do. Weigh the cost of every decision, cut away what doesn't work, and make sure the people who stand on their own do so while proteg those who 't. I wouldn't try to be a hero. I wouldn't try to be loved. I'd try to make things work."

  Lay studied him, her expression unreadable.

  Ats let out a breath, shaking his head. "I'm not a king, Meilin I'm a mert. I deal in exges, not miracles. But if I had power? Real power? Then I'd make damn sure no one had to rely on luck just to survive." For a moment, his words lingered in the air, but in his mind, they carried him elsewhere—far from the Dynasty of Jin, far from this room, back to Europe, back to a life he had buried beh every calcuted step he took.

  He remembered the streets he grew up on, the cold that seeped into his bones no matter how many yers he wore. The sound of his mother's coughing in the night, worsening with every passing week. His father's desperate attempts to keep their small business afloat, only to be crushed beh the weight of taxes and ruthless petitors who pyed dirtier than they ever could. He remembered the empty pantry, the days of huhe cold realization that no one was ing to save them.

  And then he remembered the moment he uood.

  The world didn't reward kindness. It didn't punish cruelty. It moved forward, indifferent, ung. Survival wasn't about being good—it was about being smart. And so, Ats became smart. He learo iate before he learo trust. He learo read people before he let them read him. And when the ce came to leave it all behind, to start over in a new fn try, the Jin Dynasty with nothing but his wits and ambitioook it. He learhe nguage painstakingly. Didn't matter if he was met with eyes that disapprove of him. He relied on his own hardwork.

  Because luck had failed him once.

  And he swore it would never trol his life again.

  Master Daokan, arms folded, exhaled slowly, his expression still unreadable. "You speak with vi, Ats Rynd. But words are easy. Let's see proof of your skill."

  Master Daokan remained silent for a beat, then slowly, deliberately, raised the stakes. "And since you seem so fident, let's make it more iing. Analyse not just a the one currently holding your life. The masseuse"

  Ats's ehought process came to a screeg halt.

  Externally, his face did not ge.

  Internally? He's screwed.

  His mind scrambled at light speed. Was this some kind of cruel joke? Was Daokan trying to see if he'd break under pressure? Because if so, he was absolutely succeeding. Analysing someone under normal ditions was ohing, but analysing the person who had a literal needle pressed to his neck? That was airely new level of madness.

  Externally, his face remained a picture of iron-willed fidenot a single muscle betraying the internal panic setting in. His years of experieold him one undeniable truth—if he refused, it would only firm Daokan's doubts.

  "Yes" he said, far too quickly, his mouth w ahead of his brain.

  Silence followed. Then, slowly, almost eerily, every single person in the room—Lay, her parents, Jiang, Bao, Yan, Meyu, and all the disciples—turheir heads toward Ats in perfeison, as if they shared the same exact thought.

  Ah, that face again.

  Ats's expression was a masterpiece of forced posure—a face that had weathered tless iations, tricked warlords, charmed nobles, and vinced even the most skeptical merts to part with their gold. His brows held the perfect arch of feigned fidence, his lips barely curving in what could be mistaken for a smirk but was, in truth, the face of a man rapidly running calcutions in his head.

  His eyes, however, were betraying him just slightly—a flicker of desperation, of a man who knew he had been thrown into deep waters without knowing how to swim. His jaw tensed just enough to reveal the silent suffering of someone who was about to do the most dangerous thing he had ever done: improvise.

  The result? A face that was both unreadable and ically obvious at the same time.