The vibrant, chaotic energy of the Jia Nan Academy's night market swirled around Yoriichi as he took another calm bite of his steamed vegetable bun.
The ambient glow of the myriad alchemy and weapon stalls cast long, shifting shadows across the cobblestones.
Yet, the bizarre phenomenon continued.
Wherever Yoriichi walked, conversations died. Eyes darted toward him, then rapidly snapped away the moment he looked back.
The whispering followed him like a persistent, annoying draft of wind.
'Have the rumors of my brief altercation with Lie Shan already spread to the general populace?' Yoriichi pondered, his brow furrowing slightly.
'No. Academy students are accustomed to violence. A simple scuffle would not warrant such widespread, fearful fascination.'
Before he could analyze the situation further, a familiar, high-pitched voice called out from the crowd.
"Cousin Xiao Ning?"
Yoriichi stopped and turned. Stepping out from a cluster of brightly dressed, chattering female students was Xiao Mei.She was looking every bit the pretty, popular prodigy she strove to be in her night clothes. Her natural charm and chattiness had clearly allowed her to integrate seamlessly into a new social circle within her first day.
However, as she approached him, her eyes widened in profound surprise."Xiao Mei," Yoriichi greeted smoothly, offering a polite nod. "Have you settled into your accommodations?"
Xiao Mei didn't answer immediately. She was staring intently at his head, her expression a mix of awe and deep curiosity. Behind her, her new friends were huddled together, whispering furiously while casting blushing, intrigued glances in Yoriichi's direction.
Yoriichi sighed internally. He pointed a long, calloused finger toward her giggling friends."Cousin," Yoriichi asked, his voice a calm, even rumble. "Do you know why the general populace is reacting to me in this manner tonight? I am simply walking and consuming my meal in a normal, highly orthodox fashion."
Xiao Mei blinked, pulling her gaze away from the top of his head to meet his crimson eyes. A small, amused smile touched her lips.
"You really don't look in the mirror very often, do you, Cousin Ning?" she asked lightly. "You honestly don't realize that something about your physical appearance has drastically changed?"
Yoriichi remained stoic. "I am functioning normally."
Xiao Mei stepped closer. Raising her hand, she gently reached behind his shoulder, taking hold of a few long strands of his hair that cascaded down his back. She pulled the locks forward, holding them up in the light of a nearby lantern so he could see them clearly.
"This color... it feels completely natural. It's not dyed, is it?" Xiao Mei murmured, her tone filled with genuine fascination. "Such an incredibly unusual color. Don't you think others would stare and talk about it?"
Yoriichi's eyes widened by a fraction of an inch. He looked down at the strands of hair caught between his cousin's fingers. Now, starting from the roots and rapidly bleeding down the length of the strands, the black was being entirely consumed by a deep, radiant, sun-flare crimson. It was the exact, unmistakable shade of his hair from his previous life.
'I see,' Yoriichi realized, a profound sense of understanding washing over him. He had guessed earlier also that this thing would happen but not so soon.
In a crowd dominated by mundane black and brown hair, a brilliant, gradient crimson mane was a glaring anomaly. In the Dou Qi Continent, severe physical mutations were almost always the result of consuming a Heavenly Treasure, possessing an aberrant physical constitution, or practicing a high Qi Method.
The students weren't just whispering out of fear; they were whispering out of reverence. They saw the crimson hair and immediately conjured theories of a rare Fire-Attribute prodigy, or an ancient, dormant bloodline awakening.
Combined with his flawlessly stoic demeanor, he accidentally projected the aura of an untouchable, mysterious genius.
Xiao Mei let the strands fall back over his shoulder, stepping back to admire the effect. "Are you alright? Tell me honestly, did something happen to you during your training? Is this the result of some strange illness from the Black-Corner Region, or a pill backlash?"
Yoriichi shook his head, instantly dropping his brief surprise and returning to his bottomless calm."It is real, Cousin, and I am not ill," Yoriichi explained smoothly, his tone betraying nothing.
"I cannot tell you the exact mechanics behind it, but it is simply a physical byproduct of a highly specific Dou Technique I have been practicing recently. The elemental pressure is altering my pigmentation."
It was a perfectly logical excuse that fit flawlessly within the rules of the Dou Qi Continent.
"I am in perfect health. But thank you for bringing this to my attention," Yoriichi added politely.Xiao Mei smiled, visibly relieved that her cousin wasn't dying of a strange cultivation deviation.
"Hmm... well, it certainly makes you stand out! Take care of yourself, Cousin Ning. We should meet up and chat when our schedules align in the future. Bye!"
"Goodbye, Xiao Mei," Yoriichi replied.He watched her jog back to her group of friends, who immediately swarmed her, undoubtedly interrogating her for details about the 'handsome, red-haired freshman'.
Yoriichi turned away from the market and began the walk back to his sanctuary, his mind occupied by this new development. He casually reached up and scratched the back of his head.
'The cellular alteration is progressing much faster than I anticipated,' Yoriichi thought awkwardly.
'The Sun Breathing is not just a technique; it is literally burning away the mundane traits of my mortal vessel to accommodate the solar heat. I hope my entire head does not turn completely crimson, or I fear Grandpa might genuinely fail to recognize me.'
Pushing the mild, comedic concern aside, Yoriichi returned to his private estate.
The courtyard was bathed in moonlight and completely silent—a testament to the absolute fear he had instilled in the local bullies earlier that evening.
He walked into his meditation room, removed his boots, and sat down cross-legged on the woven mat.
He closed his eyes, instantly plunging into the depths of his own internal universe.He could feel it.