Jin stood in a spacious courtyard, surrounded by lush, meticulously tended vegetation. Plants with glossy leaves, vibrantly colored flowers, and shrubs that released a faint, refreshing fragrance grew in harmonious balance, arranged with an elegance that could only come from expert hands.
His gaze swept across the area with careful attention.
…This isn’t just an ordinary garden.
Some of the plants emitted a faint spiritual glow; others seemed to draw in the surrounding Qi almost imperceptibly.
These… Jin thought, swallowing. I suspect they’re spiritual plants.
His expression grew increasingly serious.
Just how much would this entire courtyard be worth…?
Before he could continue calculating how many lifetimes he’d need to sell just to afford one corner of the place—
Paf!
Something slammed into his leg.
“…Eh?”
The impact was followed by another… and then another.
Jin looked down and froze.
A group of three children had latched onto his legs, hugging him tightly like little koalas clinging to their favorite tree. One wrapped around his left calf, another around his right, while the third had practically hung himself off Jin’s thigh, staring up at him with shining eyes.
“Big brother!”
“Hero brother!”
“You’re really alive!”
Jin blinked.
“…Since when did I become a tree?”
Before he could pry one of them off without looking like a heartless novel villain, he felt something else.
An invisible pressure descended upon the courtyard.
It wasn’t aggressive.
Nor hostile.
But it was… overwhelming.
Jin’s muscles tensed on reflex.
He raised his head.
Standing a few steps away was an elderly man. His back was straight, hands clasped behind him, expression calm—almost indifferent. He wasn’t doing anything in particular, nor was he visibly releasing Qi.
And yet—
What…
Jin’s heart skipped a beat.
The pressure emanating from that old man was stronger than Senior Sister Mei’s.
Far stronger.
It even reminded him of…
…that external elder who had once appeared when someone tried to trap him. That same sensation—standing before someone who could erase his existence with a single motion, if they wished.
Jin swallowed.
The children remained clinging to his legs, completely oblivious to the tension.
The old man watched him in silence for a moment…
Then a faint smile appeared on his face.
He broke the silence with a calm voice, carrying an unexpected warmth.
“So you’re the young cultivator who saved these little ones.”
As he spoke, his gaze briefly passed over the three children still wrapped around Jin’s legs. Genuine gratitude shone in his eyes.
Jin’s eyes widened slightly.
…Ah. That explains it.
The situation was becoming fairly clear.
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With a modest smile—perfectly practiced after years of reading novels—he clasped his hands and performed a martial salute.
“Senior, your words of gratitude are far too heavy for this junior disciple,” he said humbly. “I merely did what I should have.”
The old man studied him for a moment… then let out a soft laugh.
“I might accept those words,” he replied lightly, “if you hadn’t slain a first-rank beast possessed by demonic energy.”
His smile dimmed just a fraction.
“You should know that even a cultivator in the early stages of Foundation Establishment would face great difficulty against such an enemy.”
The words landed with weight.
Jin maintained his composure outwardly, but inwardly only one thought surfaced:
…Seriously? Was it really that exaggerated?
The old man fell silent, evaluating him with a deep gaze, as if trying to see beyond the injured body and youthful appearance.
At last, he spoke again.
“But that isn’t the true reason I wished to meet you.”
He turned naturally.
“Follow me.”
Without waiting for a reply, he began walking toward an elegant hall rising on the other side of the courtyard. The children, reluctant to let Jin go, took a moment longer to peel themselves away, though they continued to look at him with eyes full of admiration.
Jin took a deep breath.
Well… looks like it’s time for the classic major plot turn.
With little choice, he followed the old man toward the hall.
As he walked behind him—while the children trailed close by like little chicks—Jin quickly noticed the change in scenery. The garden faded behind them, replaced by paths of smooth, polished gray stone laid out in elegant symmetry. For some reason, they reminded him of the corridors of ancient Roman halls he’d seen in books and images from his past life.
The atmosphere was tranquil, solemn.
Soon, the old man stopped before a spacious hall and pushed the doors open effortlessly. Jin followed.
The moment he crossed the threshold, his senses sharpened. The interior was luxurious without being ostentatious: fine wooden furniture, understated decorations, gentle scents of incense and spiritual plants. Everything was arranged with a balance that conveyed authority and refined taste.
This… isn’t just any place, he thought.
Two others were already inside.
A hunched old man with a fragile appearance but a calm, profound presence, and beside him a middle-aged man—upright, serious-faced, with steady eyes. Someone clearly accustomed to giving orders.
When Jin reached them, the elder who had guided him stopped and turned back. His expression softened.
“Once again, allow me to express my gratitude,” he said sincerely, “both as a protective elder of the clan… and as a grandfather.”
As he spoke, he made a small gesture with his hand.
The youngest girl stepped forward and approached the middle-aged man. He bent slightly and, with a surprisingly gentle motion, patted her head. The girl smiled, clutching his sleeve.
The other two children, more reserved, moved to stand beside the hunched elder, as though that was where they belonged.
Everything clicked into place at once.
I see… Jin thought, the situation becoming clearer—and at the same time, heavier.
The old man looked at him again.
“You must have questions,” he continued. “I’ll gladly answer whatever I can.”
Silence settled over the hall.
Jin stood still for a moment, his mind processing the scene: the implied identities, the weight of their gazes, the meaning hidden behind those words of gratitude.
…Things got serious fast.
He certainly had questions. Far too many.
But he chose to begin with the most important ones—the ones that defined his current situation.
Taking a deep breath, he asked in a respectful yet steady voice:
“Senior, if you don’t mind… how long was I unconscious? And where exactly am I?”
The old man observed him closely. For a moment, he seemed genuinely surprised. Then a faint smile appeared.
“What a surprise,” he said with amusement. “I thought your first question would be about some kind of reward.”
He let out a brief laugh before continuing.
“You’re not only strong, but also intelligent and wise. Very well.”
Jin remained silent, listening.
“You were unconscious for only one day,” the old man explained, “though according to our physicians… you should have slept at least five. As for your location, you are in the Feng Clan, at the heart of Azure Cloud City.”
At those words, Jin’s mind raced.
Feng Clan… Azure Cloud City…
In seconds, a mental map formed. To his surprise, he was only two days’ travel from the city listed as the objective of his mission.
Wow… that explains a lot.
As the realization settled in, another thought struck him immediately.
My stuff!
Unable to help himself, Jin looked down and began instinctively checking his body, patting himself as if searching for a missing limb—his pill pouch, his gold, his spirit stones… and his spear.
The scene was so sudden the three children couldn’t hold back.
“Hahaha!”
“Big brother looks like he’s searching for something!”
Their laughter echoed through the hall.
Jin froze for a second…
Then sighed, relieved, though with a hint of resignation.
The silence had barely returned when the middle-aged man stepped forward.
“Perhaps you’re looking for this,” he said calmly.
From within his sleeve, he produced a pouch.
Jin’s eyes widened slightly.
It was identical.
No—it was his.
Before Jin could speak, the man continued:
“Qin Er, come here.”
The girl beside the elder lifted her head at the sound of her name. Her eyes lit up, and without hesitation she hurried forward. The man handed her the pouch, and she accepted it with both hands as if it were a treasure.
With a radiant smile, Qin Er ran over to Jin.
“Look, big brother!” she said proudly, holding up the pouch. “This is the bag Qin Er recovered when we brought you back to the clan!”
Jin was momentarily speechless.
Then he reacted.
He smiled warmly and took the pouch with care, as though it were fragile. Lifting his gaze to the girl, he spoke with an expression only an experienced older brother could manage—a perfect blend of gratitude, approval, and closeness.
“Thank you, Qin Er. You did an excellent job. You helped me a great deal.”
The girl’s eyes sparkled.
Her smile widened instantly, filled with pride and joy. She nodded vigorously before turning around and trotting back to the old man—her grandfather—pressing close to him as though nothing in the world could be better.
Jin let out an almost imperceptible sigh.
Thank goodness…
After all, he wasn’t a wealthy man.
Everything he owned was in that pouch.
