Cultivation Nerd

I woke up, slowly opened my eyes, and sank deeper into the softness of the silk sheets and plush mattress. Despite the luxurious bed, the room was simplistic; with a small bookshelf stood in one corner, filled with books on techniques like the Piercing Fang Fist. A large window let in a sliver of light, casting a soft glow over a plain wooden table. Beyond that, there was little else, just an ordinary room with modest furnishings.

After that tense and awkward dinner conversation, I hadn't crossed paths with my grandfather. Though I wasn't entirely surprised, he was a busy man.

Was he scheming again? He always had a talent for maneuvering behind the scenes. After all, he had somehow cornered the Liu Clan Head and arranged my engagement to my cousin. He must have been an excellent speaker if nothing else.

I also made sure to keep Wu Yan away from him. She was too innocent, and who knew what those scheming foxes might fill her head with.

Oddily enough, the bed felt familiar despite never having slept there before.

After slipping into a simple white shirt and pants, I left the room.

The hallway was quiet, with faint morning light filtering through the windows. As I walked down the stairs, the scent of breakfast, rice porridge and something herbal, wafted through the air.

Everything felt so familiar.

At the bottom of the stairs, I was in the living room, bathed in warm light streaming through the windows. My gaze settled on my mother, seated in front of a large mirror propped against the wall. She gently tied Wu Yan's long, dark hair into a neat bun while the girl sat quietly on her lap.

My mother's expression was soft but focused as she taught Wu Yan to replicate the style. Her voice was a quiet murmur that carried a warmth I hadn't expected. She skillfully twisted the bun and effortlessly secured it with only a single chopstick. It held perfectly.

Watching them, I felt a strange sense of calm and found myself smiling.

My mother had taken to Wu Yan surprisingly well, treating her like the daughter she never had. Maybe I was reading too much into it, perhaps she simply wanted someone to spoil, and Wu Yan was just playing along. At least she hadn't asked about removing Wu Yan's mask, which was a relief.

"Oh, little Feng, you're already up," my mother smiled at me. "Would you like something to eat?"

"Not right now," I shook my head. "I'm thinking of exploring the inner city. Would you like to come along Wu Yan, or stay here?"

The faceless girl turned toward me. Her mask displayed a blank expression, but I noticed the subtle signs of her anxiety. Her fingers fidgeted in her lap, twisting and untwisting, never still. Her shoulders sagged slightly as if she were trying to make herself smaller. She shifted uneasily, her legs moving beneath her with nervous energy.

After a moment, she shook her head hesitantly, her hand trembling a little as she pointed to the floor. It was her way of telling me she wanted to stay, though she was still too nervous to say it confidently.

But that wasn't something I could fix with words. Talking about it would only make her more uncomfortable. Hopefully, she would settle in over time and realize I wouldn't harm her over minor disagreements.

"Okay, see you later," I said with a shrug. As I prepared to put on my boots, I added, "By the way, Mother, put some cabbages or fruit in front of the large turtle in the yard. Don't wake him up, though. He sometimes sleeps for days, so don't worry if it seems like he hasn't eaten."

I stepped out into the yard, the familiar crunch of gravel beneath my feet grounding me as I glanced at the large, slumbering turtle in the corner. Speedy, as usual, seemed utterly unfazed by the world, his shell rising and falling gently with each slow breath. A small smile tugged at my lips. His peaceful sleep was a comforting contrast to the morning bustle.

The big guy had been sleeping since we arrived, likely making up for all the travel. He must've been exhausted.

I sighed, watching my breath fog in the chilly air. The crispness clung to my skin, a reminder that winter was creeping closer. Technically, we were already in winter, and it was only a matter of time before monstrous beasts grew hungry enough to attack humans.

As I walked out of the yard, I glanced at the pond beside Speedy's sleeping place. There was no fish for him to munch on, so I asked my mother to bring him cabbages as a snack.

When I stepped onto the well-paved streets of the inner city, I was surprised by how smooth and well-maintained they were. While it was far from the grandeur of cities like Goldwatch, the inner city had its charm. The streets were orderly, and the houses that lined them were noticeably more luxurious than one might expect.

Few people roamed the streets, and while some cast brief glances my way, their reactions were nothing out of the ordinary. My shorter hair seemed to have made me less recognizable, allowing me to blend in without drawing attention. They remembered a Liu Feng with long, luscious hair, and I was not that guy anymore.

My first stop was the market. I expected the usual clamor, merchants shouting to sell their wares, crowds haggling over prices. Still, I found a surprisingly serene atmosphere instead. The market was calm, almost peaceful. People moved quietly, speaking with traders in low, friendly tones. There was no frantic energy or raised voices. It felt more like a gathering of old friends or family than a bustling place of commerce.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Well, this was probably because nearly everyone here was technically family. The Liu Clan had only about a thousand members; even if some didn’t know each other personally, they knew someone who did. The inner city seemed like a close-knit community, a world apart from the outer city.

It became clear that the market here wasn’t the typical kind. Instead of everyday commodities, strange goods were on display, lumber, for instance, right on the main street. However, the prices were steep, costing dozens of silver coins.

Was lumber so expensive because there were no forests nearby? Most of the houses here were made of stone, likely because importing wood from distant areas inflated the cost. It made me wonder how they managed heating, especially with winter approaching. I supposed I’d find out soon enough.

As I continued browsing, I noticed someone familiar approaching from the corner of my eye. A woman with shoulder-length brown hair and dark eyes walked toward me with a nonchalant expression. She was accompanied by a man who trailed behind her like a shadow. He had long dark hair, a strict look on his face, and sharp, attentive eyes.

These were my dear cousins, Liu Qian and Liu Heng. We got along pretty well.

The first thing I noticed was their cultivation progress. Liu Qian had reached the seventh star of Qi Gathering, while Liu Heng was at the fourth star. They were improving quickly, though still a bit behind my own pace.

But comparing us wasn’t exactly fair. I had access to some of the best resources the Blazing Sun Sect could offer, thanks to Song Song, who admittedly spoiled me. Except for her, nobody else would have invested so much in me.

Liu Qian’s gaze fixed on me, her expression as unreadable as ever. Her dark eyes were sharp, like polished stones that held something unspoken.

“Oh, what a surprise to see you here,” Liu Qian greeted me, her tone flat and unconvincing.

I raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Her acting could use some work.

With a sigh, she leaned in and whispered, “We need to talk in private.”

I shrugged and began walking beside her.

We ended up in a secluded, forested section of the inner city. Tall trees cast long shadows across the path, their branches swaying gently in the breeze. It was a peaceful area, often used for training by those honing their skills.

As we walked deeper into the woods, I extended my Qi senses to check for any signs of life. But there was nothing, no movement, no presence, only the stillness of the trees and the cold wind.

Were they planning to assassinate me? That would certainly be interesting.

The area was eerily empty, as though everyone had vanished, leaving only us. Liu Qian walked beside me in silence, her presence subdued, almost as if she was avoiding me.

We continued wordlessly until we reached a large pond at the heart of the forest. The water was perfectly still, reflecting the sky above with crystal clarity. The serene space felt untouched, almost sacred.

Despite bringing me here, Liu Qian’s discomfort was obvious. She shifted restlessly, her eyes darting around as if searching for something, or avoiding my gaze. Her left pinky finger twitched nervously, subtly betraying her unease. She stood stiffly, her posture tense, as though she’d rather be anywhere but here.

Despite being well-spoken, Liu Qian acted awkward, something very uncharacteristic of her.

We stood silently for a few moments before I broke it with a sigh.

"Can we stop scheming against each other and just talk like family?" I asked.

Under normal circumstances, I might have thought my cousins had brought me here to finish me off. But I knew they weren't those kinds of people. Even if they were, I had the advantage with my arrays, assuming they hadn't prepared something themselves.

But none of that really mattered. My cousins knew exactly what kind of relationship Song Song and I had. If they killed me, the Liu Clan would be wiped out within a decade by her hands. I was assuming that was the time it would take her to break through to Core Formation, and find out what happened.

"My father has noticed the tension," Liu Qian said.

"Tension?" I asked, though I knew exactly what she meant.

"Yes, the tension in the air. Soon, my father might announce the next Clan Head. But he can sense the unrest, and if he names me his successor, people will revolt."

She sounded worried, and it was strange to see her like that. When we were in the Blazing Sun Sect, Liu Qian had always been a calm thinker. She made a solid leader for the few Liu Clan youngsters there, knowing when to act and how to protect the newcomers.

I suppose the thought of her family being torn apart by a civil war weighed on her. It was understandable.

But honestly, this whole thing had little to do with me. If the old warriors decided to pick up swords and spill blood, that was their choice. I wasn't here to babysit anyone. They had lived longer than both of my lifetimes combined. If they died because of their own decisions, so be it.

"What's with the silence? Do you have nothing to say?" Liu Qian asked, her hands tightening into fists.

With my grandfather, I had to be careful, honey my words. But I didn't need to do that with Liu Qian. While I had no stake in this internal conflict, the least I could do was be honest. She had helped me before, after all.

"I don't give a shit about the Clan Head position," I said, letting the words hang for a moment so my cousins could process them.

Strangely, Liu Qian chuckled. "I find it rather offensive when you say that. It's like you're looking down on the position I'm working so hard to get."

Despite her words, the teasing tone in her voice made it clear she wasn't genuinely offended.

"You've seen the Blazing Sun Sect, right?" I asked rhetorically. "Just one of those Core Formation Elders could come here and wipe out our entire clan without breaking a sweat."

The only genuine concern I had about this impending civil war was that my parents might get caught in the crossfire. But that was unlikely. This was a fight between the cultivators in the clan. Neither side would target civilians, most weren't foolish enough to make an enemy out of me by harming my parents.

"Okay… and what's that supposed to mean?" Liu Qian asked, still not fully grasping my point.

"Why would you want to take over something like the Liu Clan?" I asked, genuinely curious.

I wasn't interested in taking over anything myself, but if I were, I'd aim higher. An elder in the Blazing Sun Sect likely had access to more cultivation resources than the head of the Liu Clan. It made more sense to strive for a position there than to cling to a title within our family.

The Liu Clan was my family, yes. But I wasn't going to let that blind me to the reality of the world. Despite the clan's "great history," it was nothing more than a speck of dust in the grand scheme of things.