The training ground was empty at dawn. Lin Xiao preferred it that way. No audience for what he planned.
Xiao Fan arrived early, still uncertain. His cultivation had recovered to the second level of Qi Condensation overnight. The elixir was working faster than expected.
"Sacred Son, thank you for—"
"Stop thanking me. It's annoying. Can you fight?"
"I... yes?"
"Show me."
Lin Xiao tossed him a training sword. Xiao Fan caught it awkwardly.
"Attack me."
"Sacred Son, your cultivation is—"
"I'll suppress it to your level. Attack me."
Xiao Fan hesitated, then lunged forward with a basic thrust. Lin Xiao sidestepped and tripped him. Xiao Fan hit the ground hard.
"Again."
Xiao Fan stood and attacked again. This time a horizontal slash. Lin Xiao ducked under it and palm-struck Xiao Fan's chest. He flew back ten feet.
"Again."
"Sacred Son—"
"Again."
For twenty minutes, Xiao Fan attacked. Every attempt ended with him on the ground. His moves were textbook perfect but predictable. Lin Xiao didn't even need his cultivation advantage.
"You fight like you learned from a manual."
Xiao Fan spat blood. "The sect's basic sword manual is all servants can access."
"Forget the manual. It's garbage designed to make you adequate. Who taught you to read?"
"Old Feng."
"The crippled librarian? Interesting. He's watching us, by the way. Third floor of the Scripture Pavilion, eastern window."
Xiao Fan turned to look. A figure moved away from the distant window.
"How did you know?"
"He cares about you. Of course he's watching. Now, forget everything the manual taught you. Fight like you want to survive, not like you want to pass a test."
"I don't understand."
Lin Xiao moved. His fist stopped an inch from Xiao Fan's throat. "If I hadn't stopped, you'd be dead. Your body knew that. Did you feel your muscles tense? Your weight shift? That's instinct. Better than any manual."
He stepped back. "Attack me again. But this time, pretend I killed your mother."
Xiao Fan's eyes flashed with real anger. "My mother died giving birth to me."
"I know. I killed her."
The ring on Xiao Fan's finger pulsed. He attacked without thinking, a wild diagonal slash that Lin Xiao barely dodged.
"Better! Again!"
Xiao Fan's attacks became savage. No form, no technique, just rage and instinct. Lin Xiao had to actually work to avoid them.
'The ring responds to his emotions. Anger makes it activate.'
After ten minutes, Xiao Fan collapsed, exhausted.
"That was shit technique but good killing intent. We'll work on combining both."
"Why are you really training me?"
"Because you're going to the Ancient Demon Ruins with me, and I don't want you dying immediately. My reputation would suffer."
"That's not the real reason."
'Smarter than he looks too.'
"No, it's not. The real reason is that Old Feng interests me. A crippled librarian who teaches a servant to read, who watches from windows when that servant trains. There's a story there. I like stories."
"He's just a kind old man."
"Nobody is 'just' anything. Everyone has layers. Speaking of which, your ring is glowing."
Xiao Fan looked down. The bronze ring was indeed glowing faintly.
"It does that sometimes. When I'm angry or scared."
"Have you tried channeling qi into it?"
"Nothing happens."
"Try now. While it's already active."
Xiao Fan channeled his meager qi into the ring. The glow intensified. Then a voice spoke directly into both their minds.
'Who dares disturb this emperor's slumber?'
Xiao Fan jerked back. "What was that?"
Lin Xiao kept his expression carefully surprised. "sounded like someone's inside your ring. A soul fragment maybe?"
'Let him discover his golden finger naturally. If I reveal too much, he'll be suspicious.'
'Boy, why have you awakened me before the seal weakens? And who is this other presence?'
The voice was speaking only to Xiao Fan now, but the system let Lin Xiao know what was being said.
"There's... there's someone in my ring. He says he's an emperor."
"An emperor? Which one?"
"He says... Immortal Emperor Feng Wuji."
Lin Xiao made his eyes go wide. "That's impossible. Feng Wuji disappeared ten thousand years ago. He was the strongest cultivator of his era before the Demon Emperor sealed him."
'Correct, young one. This brat's ancestor was my son. This ring contains a fragment of my soul, waiting for a worthy descendant to inherit my legacy.'
"He says I'm his descendant. That he's my ancestor."
"That would make you the heir to the Immortal Emperor's legacy. Do you understand what this means?"
Xiao Fan shook his head, overwhelmed.
"It means you're the luckiest or most cursed person alive. Emperor's inheritances come with massive power but also massive danger. Every sect in the realm would kill you for that ring if they knew."
'The boy speaks truth. You must tell no one about me. Not even that cripple who's been teaching you.'
"He says I can't tell anyone. Not even Old Feng."
"Smart. Though Old Feng probably already suspects something. He's too intelligent to be just a librarian."
A bell rang across the sect. The morning assembly.
"We'll continue tomorrow. Go to Old Feng, learn what you can. But be careful. And don't channel qi into the ring again unless you're alone. If elders sense an emperor's soul fragment, you're dead."
Xiao Fan bowed and ran off. Lin Xiao waited until he was gone, then spoke to the empty air.
"You can come out now, Elder Feng."
Old Feng emerged from behind a pillar, his crippled leg not slowing him at all.
"Your senses are sharp for your age."
"You're fast for yours. That crippled leg is an act, isn't it?"
"Injuries can be useful camouflage."
"Like being a librarian when you're clearly more?"
They studied each other. Two predators recognizing their own kind.
"You knew the ring would activate if he channeled qi while emotional."
"I suspected. Sealed artifacts often have triggers. You knew what would happen too. You were testing something."
Old Feng smiled. It wasn't pleasant. "What game are you playing with the boy?"
"The same game you are. Seeing what he becomes. The difference is I'm honest about it."
"You think I'm using him?"
"I think you've been preparing him for something since he arrived. Teaching him to read, giving him access to restricted texts, watching over him. Either you're the kindest old man alive or you have plans."
"Perhaps both."
"Perhaps. But kindness without purpose is just sentiment. And sentiment gets people killed in this world."
Old Feng laughed. "So young to be so cynical."
"So old to be so naive. The boy has an emperor's soul fragment in his ring. That makes him valuable to everyone. Including you."
"He's under your protection now. Isn't that enough?"
"My protection ends the moment he's no longer useful. We both know that."
"Then I suppose I'll have to ensure he stays useful."
"I suppose you will."
They parted without goodbyes. Lin Xiao headed to the main hall where Su Mei was arguing with Elder Wei about training resources.
"The Jade Valley Sect was promised equal access to the spirit spring!"
Elder Wei looked bored. "Resources are allocated by contribution. Your sect has contributed nothing this month."
"Because you won't let us participate in missions!"
"No one's stopping you."
"You assign all the valuable missions to Evernight disciples before we even hear about them!"
Lin Xiao interrupted. "Elder Wei, didn't the sect master say to treat our guests with full courtesy?"
Elder Wei's face soured. "Sacred Son. Of course, but resources are limited—"
"The spirit spring can accommodate fifty people. We barely use half that. Give the Jade Valley Sect ten slots."
"But Sacred Son—"
"Is there a problem with my decision?"
Elder Wei's face went red, but he couldn't openly oppose the Sacred Son. "No. Ten slots for Jade Valley."
Su Mei looked surprised. After Elder Wei left, she turned to Lin Xiao.
"Why help me?"
"Because Elder Wei is an ass and I enjoy irritating him."
She laughed. "That's petty."
"Extremely. Want to see something interesting?"
"What?"
"Xiao Fan has an immortal emperor's soul fragment in his ring."
Su Mei's eyes went wide. "What? How do you know?"
"Come with me. But you have to promise to keep it secret."
They found Xiao Fan in the library with Old Feng. The old man was teaching him a cultivation technique from memory, not from any book.
"Circulate your qi through the lesser meridian first. It's slower but more stable."
"Like this?"
"Good. Now— Sacred Son. Miss Su."
Lin Xiao sat down uninvited. "Don't stop on our account. That technique, it's not from our sect."
Old Feng's eyes narrowed. "The boy needed something better than servant-level trash."
"Agreed. What is it?"
"A basic technique I learned in my youth. Nothing special."
"Everything you do is special, Elder Feng. That's why you're interesting."
Su Mei was studying Xiao Fan. "His cultivation is returning quickly."
"The Sacred Son gave me a Meridian Restoration Elixir."
Her eyes widened. "Those cost three thousand spirit stones minimum."
"Money's just numbers. Potential is priceless."
Old Feng made a sound that might have been approval. "Pretty words. But what happens when the boy's potential threatens your position?"
"Then I'll have raised a worthy rival. Better than being surrounded by mediocrity."
'Of course, you'll never get the chance to threaten me. But they don't need to know that.'
"Xiao Fan, tell them about the voice."
Xiao Fan looked uncomfortable. "The Sacred Son thinks you should know. There's... someone in my ring. An emperor's soul."
Old Feng's expression didn't change, but his fingers twitched. Su Mei gasped.
"Which emperor?"
"Feng Wuji."
Old Feng stood abruptly. "I need to check something." He left quickly, his fake limp forgotten.
"Was it something I said?"
Lin Xiao watched him go. "He knows something. That reaction was too controlled to be surprise."
Su Mei was still staring at Xiao Fan. "An emperor's inheritance. You could become the strongest cultivator of this generation."
"Or die trying. Emperor inheritances always come with tests. Usually lethal ones."
Xiao Fan looked sick. "The voice said something about trials. That I'm too weak now but eventually I'll have to prove myself worthy."
"When?"
"He didn't say."
'Because the ring needs more emotional resonance to fully awaken. More danger, more rage, more desperation. The Ancient Demon Ruins will provide all of that.'
"We'll deal with it when it comes. For now, keep training. Su Mei, would you help? Your Frozen Heart Sutra would complement his yang-attribute qi."
She looked surprised. "You want me to train your servant?"
"I want you to train my friend. Unless you have something better to do?"
"Friend? Yesterday you crippled him."
"Yesterday I was an idiot. Today I'm trying to be better. Tomorrow, who knows? But right now, he needs help and you're brilliant at cultivation theory."
Su Mei studied him. "You're very strange, Gu Changye."
"Thank you."
"That wasn't a compliment."
"I choose to take it as one."
She sighed but sat down next to Xiao Fan. "Show me your qi circulation again."
Lin Xiao left them training and went to find where Old Feng had gone. The old man's qi trail led to the forbidden section of the Scripture Pavilion.
The basement was off-limits to everyone except elders. Lin Xiao used his father's token to enter. Old Feng was there, reading an ancient jade slip.
"That's the Demon Emperor's personal records."
Old Feng didn't look up. "You followed me."
"You're reading about the sealing of Feng Wuji."
"The boy deserves to know what he's carrying."
"Does he? Or do you deserve to know?"
Old Feng finally looked at him. His eyes were older than his body, carrying weight that spoke of centuries, not decades.
"What do you think you know, Sacred Son?"
"I think Feng Wuji isn't just a name in history to you. I think you've been waiting for his inheritor. I think Xiao Fan isn't as random as he appears."
"That's a lot of thinking."
"Here's some more. You're not crippled. You're not just a librarian. And you're probably not even really Old Feng. But I don't care who you actually are, as long as you don't interfere with my plans."
"And if I do?"
"Then we have a problem. But I don't think you will. Because whatever you want from Xiao Fan, you need him stronger. So do I. Our interests align for now."
Old Feng put down the jade slip. "You're dangerous, boy."
"So are you. That's why we understand each other."
"I could kill you right now. No one would know."
"You could. But then who would protect Xiao Fan? Who would give him resources? Who would take him to the Ancient Demon Ruins where he'll almost certainly encounter the trials his ring mentioned?"
Old Feng's eyes sharpened. "You know about the trials."
"I know ruins with demon emperor energy will resonate with anything connected to that era. Including sealed emperor artifacts. If you want the ring to fully awaken, the ruins are your best chance."
"Or they'll kill him."
"Possibly. But keeping him safe and weak won't help either. The ring chose him for a reason. Time to see if it chose correctly."
They stared at each other. Finally, Old Feng smiled. It was genuine this time.
"You remind me of myself when I was young. Ruthless but not needlessly cruel. Ambitious but not blind. It's a dangerous combination."
"Flattery?"
"Warning. That combination tends to end badly."
"For who?"
"Everyone around them."
Lin Xiao turned to leave. "Good thing I keep interesting people around me then. They tend to survive longer."
"Is that what we are? Interesting?"
"For now. Work with me, Old Feng, and Xiao Fan gets everything he needs to survive his inheritance. Work against me, and things get complicated."
"And if I do nothing?"
"Then you're not who I think you are, and I've wasted my time."
He left the old man in the basement surrounded by ancient secrets. The game was getting more complex. Old Feng was definitely Feng Wuji's reincarnation, but he was playing a deeper game than just protecting his descendant.
'Doesn't matter. Let him scheme. As long as it doesn't interfere with my plans, he can do whatever he wants.'
Lin Xiao returned to find Su Mei and Xiao Fan still training. She was adjusting his stance, her hands on his arms to guide the movement. Xiao Fan's face was red.
"Your elbow is too high. Lower it."
"Like this?"
"Better. Now try the form again."
Lin Xiao watched them. The protagonist and the heroine, following their scripted attraction. In the original story, she would have fallen for Xiao Fan after he saved her from some danger. But now she was teaching him while engaged to Lin Xiao.
'The plot is already derailed. Good.'
[System Alert: Multiple Fate Lines Converging]
[Event: Ancient Demon Ruins Opening] [Time: 27 Days]
[Participants Detected: 5 Children of Destiny]
[Recommended Action: Prepare for Mass Fortune Harvest]
'Five protagonists in one place. This will be interesting.'
"How's the training going?"
Su Mei looked up. "He learns quickly. His foundations are better than most servants."
"Old Feng's teaching, no doubt."
"Where is Elder Feng?"
"Reading about emperor sealings. He's concerned about the ring."
Xiao Fan looked worried. "Is it dangerous?"
"Everything powerful is dangerous. The question is whether you're strong enough to handle it."
"I'm not."
"Not yet. But you have twenty-seven days before the ruins open. That's enough time to reach Qi Condensation Peak if you work hard."
Su Mei frowned. "That's too fast. He could damage his foundation."
"Not with proper resources. I'll get him spirit stones and pills. You provide technique guidance. Old Feng handles theory. I'll handle combat training."
"Why are you doing this?"
Lin Xiao looked at Xiao Fan. "Because you're going to be special. I can feel it. And I'd rather have special people as allies than enemies."
'Also because I need you strong enough to trigger the ring's trials. Weak protagonists don't generate enough fortune to steal.'
The sun was setting. Su Mei had to return for evening cultivation with her sect. Xiao Fan went to find Old Feng.
Lin Xiao stood alone in the training ground, planning.
Twenty-seven days to prepare. Five protagonists to hunt. Old Feng to manage. Su Mei to seduce. Xiao Fan to control.
The pieces were in position. Time to accelerate the game.
[Villain Points: 100]
[Fortune Value: 5,200]
[Next milestone: 1,000 Villain Points unlocks System Shop basic tier]
'Soon. Very soon.'
The moon rose over the Evernight Immortal Sect. In the Ancient Demon Ruins, something stirred. It sensed the approaching feast of destiny and fortune.
It was hungry.
And it was waiting.