In the void, Bai She traversed millions of kilometers in a single second. He gazed at the blurred landscape and the slumped figure of the old man.
"Where are you taking me?"
"To the Ancestral Hu Family's domain." Manesh replied to the young man beside him, without ceremony.
"Don't thank me," he added.
"Why would I?" retorted Bai She arrogantly.
"Hmm... The extreme chaotic Yin Qi seeping from your wounds makes me uneasy. It's impressive you're still alive."
Bai She remained silent. There were two reasons for his self-inflicted wounds. The first was to prove he had done everything possible to save Shen Xuan. The second was that, by using his power—equivalent to the peak of a nascent soul—he left traces of unhealthy energy he couldn't yet disperse at his level. He had to keep the wound to hide the true reason.
But looking at the monk's expression, Bai She felt he understood something, though he didn't know if it was in his favor.
*This really hurts like hell.*
He sighed.
"This kind of wound can't be healed, or rather, there aren't many who could help you. In the future, this energy might reach your heart, corroding your meridians and mind bit by bit."
"It's the price of my incompetence, old monk."
Manesh nodded, then removed the pearl necklace from his neck. Instantly, it grew longer. Bai She furrowed his brows, but before he could react, Manesh wrapped the necklace around his arm. It began to heal slowly, the pearls glowing with a faint blue light.
"This is only a temporary solution," he said, covering it with a bandage.
"Why are you doing all this, blind monk? Do you owe my mother some debt?"
"Not at all. Let's just say it's an investment for the future."
"Then I'll repay you tenfold."
"I doubt you can repay me. Just help my disciple seal the Abyss of Absolute Evil when the time comes."
"...Agreed."
"Good, now..."
Manesh tore through space, emerging in the middle of a grand hall.
...
The hall was majestic, much like the thousands of mountains and flowing rivers of the Ancestral Hu domain. There was lush greenery, mythical beasts, and Qi so dense it formed clouds.
In the hall sat five figures. The weakest among them was at the level of a Celestial King. On the highest seat sat a graceful woman with long silver hair and eyes. She wore a majestic white robe. Her face was cold, devoid of expression, yet as pale as snow—a striking beauty contrasted by her full, pink lips. On her forehead were two overlapping black Vs, one inverted.
The hall had been silent for hours when space tore open, and the blind monk stepped out with Bai She.
"Amitabha, this old monk greets the descendant of the White Tiger and matriarch of the Ancestral Hu Family."
Hu Sijin remained silent for thirty seconds, staring at Manesh, ignoring Bai She as if he weren't there.
"Who gave you permission to enter my domain, stinking monk?" she asked coldly, baring her feline canines.
"Matriarch Hu truly has a sense of humor. If you didn't want me here, how could I have come?" Manesh replied with a sarcastic smile.
The two were on equal footing. Unlike Zheng Xuan, who was of the same generation as Sijin and a Celestial Emperor, Manesh, an Immortal, couldn't take Sijin lightly.
As an Immortal, it's hard to measure the difference in levels, but Manesh knew Hu Sijin's unique law—the Anarchy Void—was versatile and could easily seal space, instantly killing anyone traveling through the void, which was her domain.
Hu Sijin finally turned her attention to Bai She, who began to tremble—not out of fear, but because his body reacted instinctively. In his past life, an existence like hers could easily destroy everything. And he, at his prime, had only achieved the creation of an inner world. He was no different from an insect before her.
"You will be punished, Bai'er."
"May I choose my own punishment?"
The elders slightly furrowed their brows, their expressions varying. Some were shocked by Bai She's audacity—after all, it was the first time he dared speak to his mother this way. Others were simply angry that such a waste was the heir, bringing shame to the family. In short, Bai She was deeply hated in his family.
Hu Sijin didn't respond, continuing to stare at him.
Taking it as an affirmation, he said:
"I wish to be stripped of my heir status and placed in seclusion for at least five years, if you permit it, Mother." He declared, his face calm.
"That's quite unexpected..." said Hu Yaoting, the first elder, with a smile, awaiting the matriarch's reaction.
"The reason?" she asked.
"I believe I'm only an heir in name. By removing my advantage as part of the main branch, I'll reclaim my heir status by defeating the new generation of the Hu Family. As for the seclusion, my cultivation is severely damaged, and I wish to take more time to strengthen myself."
The first elder snickered. His son was more talented than Bai She but had no chance of becoming patriarch. Now, perhaps he had a chance if the matriarch agreed.
*Seems like he's not just a waste, but also an idiot,* he thought, unable to hide his excitement, like the other elders plotting their own schemes.
"Do you know what this means, Bai'er?"
Bai She took a few seconds to reaffirm his choice. He wasn't just losing his position but also his protection. If he didn't emerge from seclusion with adequate strength, he could quickly die from machinations within the family or even outside. After all, Bai She had used his status to kill many.
"Yes, Mother."
"So be it."
She waved her hand, and the void wrapped around him. Before he could blink, he was in a meditation chamber, with top-tier resources.
He took a deep breath and sat in the lotus position.