Mu Chen didn't look impressed, nor did he look particularly concerned. He simply leaned back, his eyes fixed on the woman in black with a gaze that felt like a physical weight pressing against her chest.
"Give me a reason," Mu Chen said, his voice a calm drawl that lacked even a hint of aggression. "Explain to me why the Sun Continent is the only place suitable for her?"
The woman in black paused, her fingers tightening around the edge of her own teacup. She hesitated, her mind racing as she weighed whether to reveal the deepest secrets of her family to a boy who had just brought her to her knees with a single glance.
She looked at Xiaoyu, who was watching with wide, expectant eyes, and then back at Mu Chen. She saw the absolute, terrifying strength hidden behind that deadpan expression and realized that keeping secrets was a luxury she couldn't afford.
She let out a long, weary sigh. "The Sun Continent is different from the Sky Continent," she began, her voice regaining some of its professional composure. "It is not a land ruled by sprawling, bureaucratic sects. It is governed by ancient, powerful families who value bloodline and elemental purity above all else. Most importantly... our family patriarch is the master of the Five-Elemental Seal."
Mu Chen didn't gasp. He didn't even blink. He simply nodded, his face remaining as flat as a still pond.
"So that's the reason," he remarked plainly.
The woman in black stared at him, her eyebrows twitching with a mix of confusion and mounting irritation. She had expected a reaction—a tremor of awe, a flurry of questions about one of the four legendary primordial forces that governed the universe.
Instead, Mu Chen looked as if she had just told him the weather was slightly overcast in the next kingdom. She couldn't tell if he already knew about the Heavenly Seals or if he was simply so powerful that even a primordial force felt like a common tool to him.
To her, it felt incredibly odd, almost offensive, that someone could be so indifferent to the mention of a Seal.
Mu Chen turned his gaze toward Xiaoyu, who was sitting on the edge of her seat beside him. A soft, teasing glint returned to his eyes. "So, my little Xiaoyu... really want to go to a place like that?"
Xiaoyu nodded her head frantically, a bright, mischievous grin breaking across her delicate face. "Hehe! Brother Mu Chen, of course I do! I want to see the vast world, just like you've been doing. I don't want to just hear stories about your adventures; I want to have my own!"
The lady in black nearly choked on her tea when she heard the girl's reasoning. She stared at her disciple with a look of utter betrayal. She had spent weeks believing she was recruiting a future sovereign to the Sun Continent to preserve their legacy and cultivate the high Dao.
Now, listening to Xiaoyu's bubbly excitement, she felt less like a master and more like a high-end tour guide being hired for a sightseeing trip.
Traitor Disciple, I thought you were going to cultivate, not go on vacation.
Mu Chen reached over and pinched Xiaoyu's cheek, a gesture of pure affection. "Oh? If sightseeing is the real reason, then my Xiaoyu should definitely go and see what's out there."
Xiaoyu laughed, swatting his hand away playfully. "Hehe, I knew Brother was the best! But now... you're the one who has to talk to Mother and Father. They'll never let me go if you don't convince them."
Mu Chen let out a long, dramatic sigh, leaning back in his chair with a hand over his heart. Ah, so that's how it is. This is the downside of being the big brother.
He tapped his chin with a finger, his expression turning slightly more thoughtful. "But Xiaoyu... what about your safety? It's a long way. Who's going to protect you when I'm not around to pinch your cheeks?"
Xiaoyu rolled her eyes at him, crossing her arms with a huff. "Brother, don't joke around. No matter where I am in this world, I know you will always protect me. You're my brother, aren't you?"
Mu Chen chuckled softly, the sound warm and genuine. He reached out and ruffled her hair, a simple gesture of absolute, terrifying protection. "Oh? Well, that's true enough. How could I ever let anything happen to you?"
The lady dressed in black, sitting to the side, felt like she shouldn't be here. Damn, do these two think I'm invisible? And with you being so strong that you make cultivators feel such powerlessness, then as her brother, what could possibly happen to her?
It was a good thing she didn't know the true extent of his power, nor how protective Mu Chen was of his family, otherwise she would have been terrified enough to flee from here. What if Xiaoyu got hurt in a friendly duel, and in the very next moment there was no Sun Continent? No one would dare take such a risk.
She cleared her throat, trying to break the heavy, doting atmosphere. "Little Guy… Mu Chen," she said, her voice a bit more humble now. "Xiaoyu mentioned that you have a habit of wandering around in search of things that are... interesting. If you are looking for your next destination, I might have something you'd like to hear."
Mu Chen's curiosity was piqued. He looked at her and gestured with a hand. "Yes? Speak."
The woman noticed that Mu Chen didn't take offense to the fact that she had addressed him Little Guy. She felt that he was responsible; he was strong, not cruel, and definitely a sane person.
Which allowed her to finally relax her shoulders. She leaned in slightly.
"In the Great Xia Dynasty, there is an ancient site where an Ascendant cultivator once fell. Rumours are spreading that he left his inheritance there. Because of this, the most talented geniuses from across the Sky Continent are already converging on the Imperial City. More importantly, the Super Sects will be sending their envoys there to choose new disciples."
She knew that Mu Chen likely didn't need the inheritance of a dead Ascendant or the protection of a Super Sect, but from what she had gathered from Xiaoyu, he lived for the spectacle of such events. The Super Sects were the true rulers of the world, governing hundreds of dynasties like Great Xia; their recruitment cycles were the most prestigious events in the world.
Mu Chen listened and realized he had never visited the Great Xia Imperial City. It seemed like a good excuse to see a new part of the world, especially since the Super Sects would be there to ensure the trip wasn't too boring.
"Well," Mu Chen said, a small smile touching his lips. "Thanks for the tip. As for Xiaoyu... if she truly wants to go, I wouldn't dream of stopping her."
The lady in black felt a massive weight lift from her chest. She let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "Okay. Then I will visit again in one month to take her with me."
Mu Chen gave a short, lazy nod.
...
That evening, the Mu Manor was filled with the savory aroma of braised meat and the sound of family laughter. They gathered around the large dining table, the atmosphere warm and devoid of the cold tension that usually marked a major family decision.
Mu Chen shared the news about Xiaoyu's plan to travel to the Sun Continent and mentioned his own intent to visit the Great Xia Dynasty.
Liu Yan let out a playful, mocking huff as she served a bowl of rice. "So, that's how it is? You've barely been home for a day, and now you're both planning on abandoning your poor mother at the same time?"
Mu Xiao laughed, clapping his son on the shoulder. "One should enjoy their life to the fullest while they're young," Then he looked at his wife and continued. "Don't forget, it was our own wandering spirits that led us to meet in the first place. If we had stayed in one room, we wouldn't be sitting here with these two troublemakers today."
Liu Yan blushed at the reminder of their younger days, her eyes softening as she looked at her husband. The environment remained light and joyous; the prospect of departure didn't bring concern or fear to this household.
...
At midnight, the manor was draped in the silver glow of a full moon. Mu Chen lay on the slanting roof of his house, his hands tucked behind his head as he stared up at the vast, shimmering tapestry of stars. He peeked at them between half-closed eyelids, looking for patterns in the infinite black.
Shen Xi sat beside him, her green dress rustling in the soft night breeze. Nibi was nestled comfortably in her lap, the five-tailed cat having finally succumbed to a deep sleep after spending the entire evening gorging herself on fresh fish. She purred in a rhythmic, contented vibration that seemed to match the quiet pulse of the manor.
"So," Shen Xi asked softly, her gaze fixed on the moon. "When exactly will we be leaving, Mu Chen?"
"In a month," Mu Chen replied, his voice a lazy murmur. "Let us see what else this exciting world has to offer."
Shen Xi smiled, a rare expression of pure, unadulterated peace crossing her face. For a moment, she allowed herself to forget the recurring dreams of her heroics and the heavy destiny that sat in the back of her mind.
In the quiet of the night, with the boy who treated reality like a game and the cat who ate like a queen, she felt as if the world were exactly as it should be. The stars twinkled above, silent witnesses to a month of rest before the heavens would inevitably be shaken once more.
[END OF VOLUME 1]