Killian
Elder Zhen watched Killian for half an hour as the red lotus flower did its job on the man, and when the sleeping man opened his eyes.
His eyes were icy cold with no emotion in them. Elder Zhen felt satisfied by it, and he curved his lips into a faint smile. "Chief Disciple, you have slept for a long time. How are you feeling?"
Killian turned to the man with a flat, empty gaze, "I've felt tired, and something feels off."
Elder Zhen had a sad smile on his face, like he cared deeply about the disciple, "Well, you were severely injured last night.
Killian furrowed his brow, "What happened?"
"You were attacked by a demon that had a higher cultivation than you."
"You had to come here to get healing, which requires some rest and private cultivation to heal."
Killian frowned, "How come I don't remember anything?"
Elder Zhen sighed like an exhausted old man, and he looked deeply at the man, "For you to heal, we have to take some of your memories away, for you were severely traumatized. The demon projected a nightmare on you that you couldn't wake up from."
Killian furrowed his brow like he was trying to think over last night, but it only gave him headaches. He rose to his feet despite stumbling a bit.
He bowed his head at the man with his hands clasped together. "Thank you, elder, for your support and care. What are your tasks for me?"
Elder Zhen faintly smiled like a fatherly figure. "Simple. Just get some rest for two days, then go do your duties like everyone in the sect."
Which is to hunt down and kill demons.
Killian, with a frosty expression, nodded and exited the room. Exhaustion lingers in his face, and he feels strange. He feels no injuries, and his mind feels totally blank.
But those thoughts were fleeting, for he trusted Elder Zhen; he trusted the sect with all his heart. He grew up here, and he considered it his home.
When he heads toward his manor, where he's staying alone, he can be himself without people watching him with awe or fear.
When he enters the manor, he notices something off. The place was silent and dark, but it carried a trace of someone being here. He narrowed his eyes. He never lets someone stay here.
When he entered his bedroom, he followed the presence through his cultivation sense. Then his ears sensed movement. Rush, rush, rush—sounds like someone was moving something.
Killian pushed the door to his bathroom, and a boy in a white uniform for servants was cleaning his bathroom floor. He had long black hair and a pretty face with a rag in his hands.
When the boy lifted his head. "Killian!"
Killian narrowed his eyes. Who is he?
The boy dropped the rag on the floor and walked to Killian with plain excitement on his face, "Killian, I haven't seen you in a while. Where have you been?"
He frowned. His body radiated coldness, which made the smaller boy step back with dread on his face. "Killian, what's wrong?"
He spoke in a calm voice, "Who are you?"
The boy widened his eyes in hurt and shock, "What do you mean? I'm Sonny."
Killian frowned; he didn't recognize the name. He said with a flat tone. "I don't know you. Why are you in my manor?"
Sonny faintly felt a trace of unease, "Uhm—I was just cleaning your bathroom. I wanted to help."
Killian frowned. "I don't know you. Who let you in?"
Sonny frowned. "You did, yesterday, after I went through the mirror of truth. You said I can stay at your place for a bit."
Then the bathroom doors opened. Elder Zhen entered the room, and his icy expression stared at the boy, who looked startled at the old man.
"Boy, don't lie. You don't know Chief Disciple."
"How dare you try to impersonate someone close to him?"
Sonny was confused and had a blank expression on his face. He doesn't know who the man was who had entered the room, but he had a bad feeling about this. A really bad one.
Elder Zhen stepped toward the boy and slapped him hard on the cheeks, which made the boy fall to the ground on the hard floor. Sonny cried out in surprise, and the pain in his cheeks was unlike the pain in his heart.
He started at Killian, who didn't stop the old man from slapping him, and the cold expression on Killian's face sent a chill through his heart.
Elder Zhen turned to Killian with a calm look on his face, like a righteous man. "Forgive him for his insolence. He's a disciple I brought in a few days ago, and he brought nothing but trouble. I hope you won't bring it to heart."
Killian furrowed his brow and his heart tinged with unease. He doesn't know why, but his hands clenched behind his back. He feels like he should be stopping this, and he questions the elder. "Who's the boy? Did you let him into my manor?"
Elder Zhen shakes his head, "His name is Sonny, and I don't know how he got in. He's a sneaky boy with a crafty mind."
Elder Zhen turned to the boy with a cold light in his eyes and grabbed his small shoulders, "Come on, disciple Killian, don't have time for your nonsense."
Sonny couldn't resist the man's strength, and he could barely resist the cries that left his mouth. He looked at Kilian for help, but Kilian only stared ahead like he was worthless—like he was nothing.
Elder Zhen dragged him out of the manor, and the old man turned to the boy, "Child, you will be under my care from now on. Don't ever seek him out. He's not someone he can attain."
Sonny stared blankly at the old man, and everything in him resisted, "No, he promised to protect me."
Elder Zhen sighed and, with his hands behind his back, he replied. "Child, like I said, he's busy and not someone you can be involved with."