The study was closed to the afternoon light. Heavy curtains dulled the sun to a muted glow, leaving the room wrapped in stillness. Shelves lined the walls, filled with ledgers and sealed scrolls. A low table stood at the center, its surface marked by the faint rings of old teacups.
Elder Chen Zhen sat at the head seat.
Other members of the Chen family were arranged around the table, some older, some middle-aged, all seated with careful posture. Steam rose from their cups in thin threads, curling and vanishing before reaching the ceiling.
No one spoke at first.
An elder seated to Chen Zhen's left shifted slightly. His hair was streaked with gray, his robe simple but well-kept. This was Chen Rong, an elder who oversaw family logistics and external trade. He lifted his cup, took a measured sip, then set it down.
"Do we truly need to do this?" he asked.
The words lingered.
Another elder frowned faintly. "The family is stable," he said. "Our shops are running well. Our position in Qingshi is secure."
A third spoke after a pause. "If this becomes known, it will cause a rift. It may slow our progress for years."
Others nodded.
"The Chen family has finally found its footing."
"We should not act rashly."
"Family unity matters."
One voice followed another, doubts layered carefully, none raised too high. The tea grew cooler as they spoke.
Chen Zhen did not interrupt.
He lifted his cup slowly, took one last sip, and set it down.
Thukk.
The sound was small, but it carried.
The room fell silent.
Chen Zhen's hands rested flat against the table. He raised his head and looked at them, one by one. His expression was hard, the lines in his face set deep.
"Do you think," he said, "that I want to do this?"
No one answered.
Several elders lowered their eyes.
"This is a golden opportunity for the Chen family," Chen Zhen continued, his voice rising. "One that may not come again in a lifetime. And Chen Yuan cannot see it."
He leaned forward slightly. "We are not speaking of gold. We are not speaking of silver."
His gaze sharpened.
"It is a spirit stone mine."
A breath was drawn somewhere in the room.
"To share such a thing with common townsfolk," Chen Zhen went on, "to spread it thin in the name of goodwill—hmph."
His voice hardened. "Do you wish to hand a gift from heaven to people who do not understand its worth?"
No one met his eyes.
Chen Zhen straightened. "Everything I am doing," he said, "is for the sake of the Chen family."
The doors opened abruptly.
An attendant hurried in, bowing deeply as he reached the edge of the table. "Elder," he said, "the letter has been sent successfully."
Chen Zhen nodded once.
"That will be all."
The attendant withdrew.
Silence returned to the study, heavier than before. Around the table, the elders sat unmoving, their expressions tight, the weight of what had been set in motion settling quietly among them.
No one spoke.
Outside, the afternoon continued as it always had.
****
[Black Furnace Sect — Inner Pleasure Hall, Blood Marshes]
Heavy curtains sealed the chamber from the outside world. The air inside was thick, warm, and stagnant, carrying the scent of incense layered over something sour beneath it. Golden lanterns hung from carved beams, their light reflecting off polished stone and silk cushions scattered across the floor.
At the center of the room, a broad bed of dark wood creaked under uneven motion.
A burly man laid above it, his bare upper body marked with faint red lines that pulsed slowly beneath his skin. His breath came heavy and uneven, a low sound drawn from deep in his chest. His head was thrown back, eyes half-lidded, a grin pulled wide across his face as he laughed softly to himself.
Beneath him, a woman lay unmoving except for shallow gasps, her fingers clenched tight into the sheets. Her voice echoed faintly against the walls, rising and falling without rhythm.
The burly man took hold of the woman and roughly pushed her down onto all fours on the large bed. He positioned himself behind her, slamming into her with brute force. Her moans echoed through the room as he grabbed her hips, pulling her back against him with each thrust. The woman's body shook under his onslaught, her breasts jiggling with every movement.
As they continued in this animalistic rhythm, the man reached around to cup one of her breasts, pinching the nipple between his fingers. The woman let out a sharp cry, trying to move away from the pain. But he only tightened his grip, using it to his advantage, pushing her further into submission. His other hand found its way to her wet center, fingers digging into her skin as he roughly massaged her clit.
The man's laughter deepened.
He rolled his shoulders, the red lines along his arms brightening as the air around him stirred faintly, as though drawn inward.
The doors opened.
An attendant stepped inside and dropped to one knee without hesitation. His expression did not change. His gaze did not linger.
"Greetings, Master Hei yan," he said evenly.
The man did not turn. "Speak."
"Another woman has been prepared and sent to your service," the attendant said. "She awaits your summons."
The woman's cries turned into whimpers, her body tensing up as she felt herself getting closer to climax. Hei Yan took advantage of this, slamming into her harder and faster, pushing her over the edge. Her body convulsed beneath him, taking in every inch of him as she screamed out in ecstasy.
Hei Yan laughed again, louder this time. "Good. If such offerings arrive without delay, then no one will stop me from reaching the peak of the Blood Refinement realm."
The motion did not pause.
Another set of footsteps entered the chamber.
Hei yan's expression twisted. "What is it now?"
A second attendant bowed deeply, his head lowered. "Th-there is a letter for you, Master. I thought… It's important."
Hei yan extended one hand without looking.
The letter was placed into his palm.
He broke the seal.
His breathing slowed as his eyes moved across the page. Then his grin widened. The red lines along his body flared brightly, the lantern flames trembling as if disturbed by unseen wind.
The woman beneath him let out a broken sound, her body shuddering once.
Hei yan laughed.
"Ha… hahahaha…"
He lifted his head, eyes shining. "A spirit stone mine," he said. "A spirit stone mine."
The laughter rang against the walls.
But he was not done yet. He grabbed a fistful of her hair, yanking her head back to expose her neck. His teeth sank into her flesh, drawing blood as he growled low in his throat. The woman shuddered at the mix of pain and pleasure coursing through her veins. She could feel his power surging through her, filling her up completely.
For what felt like hours, they rocked together, their bodies becoming one. The man's breathing heavy, his chest heaving against hers. When he finally released her neck, she collapsed onto the bed, spent and exhausted. But he wasn't finished yet. With one final thrust, he emptied himself inside her, his hot seed filling her up once more.
The motion stopped.
Hei yan rose, stepping away without looking back. Behind him, the woman lay still, her skin dull, her chest no longer rising. Whatever warmth had been there moments before was gone, leaving only a shape where a person had been.
Hei yan folded the letter carefully and laughed again as he turned toward the next chamber.
An attendant entered without haste. He bent, lifted the woman's body by the arms, and carried her from the chamber. Her head lolled to one side. Her limbs did not move.
He passed through a narrow corridor and stopped before a stone opening set low into the wall. The space beyond was dark and cold. He released his grip.
The body fell.
It struck others already there, dry forms piled without care. Limbs lay twisted at unnatural angles. Skin clung tightly to bone. Empty eyes stared without focus, layered one atop another in silence.
The attendant stepped back and brushed his hands together once. He turned and walked away, leaving the opening unsealed.
***
[Chen Manor]
The night had settled fully over the manor. The courtyard lay quiet beneath it, roof tiles cool beneath the open sky. Above them, stars scattered across the darkness, some sharp, some dim, their light steady and distant.
Chen Yuan lay on his back near the edge of the roof, one arm folded beneath his head. Beside him, Chen Ming lay the same way, legs drawn slightly inward, his face turned upward. His fingers moved as he traced shapes in the air, counting quietly under his breath.
He stopped when his fingers ran out.
He stared at his hands for a moment, then turned his head.
"Father."
Chen Yuan did not look away from the sky. "Mm?"
"Mother said Grandpa Zhen is an alchemist," Chen Ming said. "What is an alchemist?"
Chen Yuan shifted slightly, the tiles faintly scraping beneath his robe. "An alchemist works with what the world provides," he said. "Herbs, minerals, things drawn from the earth and refined by hand. They turn what cannot be eaten or used into something the body can accept."
Chen Ming's eyes widened. He propped himself up on one elbow. "Like making medicine?"
"Yes," Chen Yuan said. "But not only medicine. Some pills strengthen the body. Some steady the breath. Some allow people to endure things they otherwise could not."
Chen Ming lowered his elbow slowly. His gaze returned to the sky. "Are there others?" he asked. "Like martial artists. Like alchemists."
Chen Yuan was quiet for a moment. He lifted one hand and gestured upward.
"You see how many stars there are," he said.
Chen Ming nodded, eyes following the movement.
"In this world, there are many paths," Chen Yuan continued. "Each is a way of standing beneath the same sky. Some paths shine brightly. Some are hard to see. Some fade quickly. Others last longer."
His hand lowered back to the tile. "They all exist. Each one tries, in its own way, to prove itself."
Chen Ming lay still, listening. After a while, he nodded once, slow and deliberate, as if the idea had found a place to settle.
A voice drifted up from below, gentle and familiar. "Husband. Ming'er. It's time to sleep."
Chen Yuan turned his head. He reached out, lifted Chen Ming easily, and rose to his feet. With a light step, he descended from the roof and crossed the courtyard.
They entered the house together. The night remained above, the stars unchanged.