[Ye Hann’s Courtyard – Morning, gentle breeze, calm energy]
A rhythmic pulse echoed from the open windows. Inside the modest cultivation room, Ye Hann sat cross-legged, his breath steady, the Spirit-Withered Root
Sweat beaded down his temple. He’d been at this since sunrise.
Ye Hann (thoughtfully):
So this is what stable qi flow feels like…
I was always one step behind before. Not this time.
He adjusted his breathing, the cultivation technique from his past life syncing with the purified qi drawn from the root. His meridians vibrated faintly—it was working.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
A polite but persistent knock echoed from outside.
Ye Hann (groaning):
Of course. Right when it’s going well.
[Courtyard Gate – Moments Later]
He opened the gate to find Ruoqi
Ruoqi:
Did I interrupt something? You smell like a herb garden during a lightning storm.
Ye Hann:
Not far off. What’s up?
Ruoqi (suddenly serious):
My grandmother wants to see you.
Ye Hann (raising an eyebrow):
She’s still recovering—should she be entertaining guests?
Ruoqi (shaking her head):
Not just a guest. She received a request from an old acquaintance… someone from a very prominent family
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And well, she said your name before I could even finish explaining.
Ye Hann:
So this person’s important?
Ruoqi (looking at him):
Important enough that most people would drop everything for the
to shake their hand.
But my grandmother told me:
So I’m not pushing.
Ye Hann (tilting his head):
But you came personally.
Ruoqi (smiling faintly):
What can I say? I trust your curiosity more than your humility.
[On the Road – Later That Afternoon]
Ye Hann and Ruoqi walked through a quieter part of the city. The buildings here were older, the kind that had survived wars and time. Their pace was unhurried.
Ye Hann:
Your grandmother seems more connected than I thought.
Ruoqi:
She used to be someone. The kind of someone that once turned down an imperial marriage proposal.
Ye Hann (choking):
Seriously?
Ruoqi:
Dead serious.
She chose love over power—and then power over comfort.
That’s why she respects you. You remind her of someone.
Ye Hann (half-joking):
Should I be flattered or concerned?
Ruoqi (grinning):
Maybe both.
[Ruoqi's Estate – Grandmother’s Chambers]
The room was filled with the scent of aged tea and dried spirit petals. Lady Ruolan, Ruoqi’s grandmother, sat propped up with poise no illness could erase. Despite her age, her eyes were sharp and her back straight.
Beside her sat a quiet man in golden robes, his face partially obscured under a hood. He carried a sword that hadn’t seen its sheath in years—but his presence was that of a sleeping lion.
Lady Ruolan (softly):
Ye Hann. Thank you for coming.
This is Lord Zhen Wuyou
And not the kind who follows books.
Lord Zhen (nodding respectfully):
Young Master Ye… my nephew’s body has been rotting from the inside. No poison. No curse.
The physicians call it Heavenly Reversal Syndrome
Ye Hann (quietly):
...I've heard of it. Once.
It wasn’t supposed to exist anymore.
Lady Ruolan:
That’s why we need .
[Tension Builds]
Ye Hann felt his mind racing. Heavenly Reversal Syndrome—it was a rare spiritual collapsea talented genius who died screaming.
Ye Hann (serious):
I’ll need three days. And complete access. No interference.
If I do this, I do it my way.
Lord Zhen (without hesitation):
Agreed.
Lady Ruolan (smiling knowingly):
You’ve stirred the wind again, child. Let’s see if you can ride it.
