Under the gaze of Zhuge Su Yeon
Zhuge Su Yeon's room was as silent as an abandoned temple, holding the soft aroma of sandalwood that drifted from the old beams. The atmosphere was austere, minimalist in every corner, as if reflecting the restrained and refined temperament of its occupant.
At the center, a simple dark wooden bed rested upon a mat of woven straw, firm yet subtly welcoming. A translucent curtain, made from spiritual fibers of dandelion-jade, hung over the bed — not out of vanity, but to block stray currents of energy that sometimes crossed the boundaries of the patriarch's main residence.
Only a single shelf stood against the opposite wall, occupied by just three objects: a spiritual brush, an ancient tome of breathing techniques from the Qingxuan sect — inherited from his mother — and an opaque jade crystal that Su Yeon kept for reasons he himself could not clearly explain.
The walls bore no paintings or tapestries; only a rice-paper window that filtered the faint moonlight and a sliding wooden door with subtle carvings of white swans — the Zhuge clan's symbol.
Even before the first birds sang, Su Yeon's eyes opened. Without haste or lethargy, he sat up in a single fluid motion. The silence of dawn still dominated the outer courtyard, but his spiritual perception already caught the first whispers of the world's energy awakening with the winds of the Desolate West.
He dressed in his usual attire: a pure white hanfu, woven from linen reinforced with hidden spiritual threads. Discreet, clean, without adornments — like him. His hair was tied into a high knot with a pale jade pin.
He slid open the door gently, letting the first vapors of morning dew dance into his path.
His steps were steady and silent. He was heading toward the cultivation clearing behind the clan's ancestral hall — a small field of smooth stones surrounded by spiritual bamboo, where the flow of energy was naturally denser. A place he himself had discovered years before, prior to assuming any position of authority.
Yet, as he turned the second stone corridor that connected the inner pavilions, his pace slowed.
— "…You are already awake, Mei Lin?" he said before even seeing her fully.
The figure ahead, partly veiled by the faint haze of dawn, was Zhuge Mei Lin, daughter of Su Yeon's mother's brother. She wore the clan's formal attire, adjusted for morning duties, yet her expression betrayed unusual unease. Her eyes, usually serene, were slightly furrowed. Her lips pressed tightly together could not conceal her concern.
Mei Lin raised her gaze slowly, surprised at being noticed before she spoke.
— "Brother Yeon… there is something you need to see," she said softly, bowing slightly, though her hesitant eyes did not hide her turmoil.
Su Yeon observed for a brief moment. Every subtle movement, the way her fingers pressed her sleeve, the faint tremor in her breath — all screamed of something out of the ordinary.
He sighed inwardly. Once again, the world seemed to move earlier than expected.
— "Speak," he replied calmly yet firmly. "If you came here before dawn, it is surely not something that can wait."
Zhuge Mei Lin, still hesitant, drew from her robe a letter sealed with unusual care. The thickness of the spiritual paper and the faint glow of protective inscriptions revealed immediately that this was no simple correspondence between cultivators of neighboring regions.
— "It arrived while most were still asleep," she said, offering the envelope with both hands. "The messenger left without a word."
Su Yeon accepted the scroll with a slight nod. His eyes moved over the two seals that held the clasp: the first, marked by a blazing dragon entwined with lightning — symbol of the Celestial Thunder Sect; the second, more restrained but equally heavy with ancestral pride, bore the black plum blossom of the influential Wu Family.
His gaze lingered on those symbols for a moment.
"Celestial Thunder Sect and Wu Family… why would such colossi concern themselves with my Zhuge family?"
Breaking the seals with a light motion of his finger, he unrolled the letter and read carefully. Yet as his eyes slid over the carefully composed words, his mind gradually drifted away from the objective content.
Imperial Decree of Betrothal Dissolution
To the Illustrious Members of the Honored Zhuge Clan,
By this decree, Her Imperial Majesty Feng Yue, Empress of the White Flame, hereby makes public the following order, issued after careful deliberation and review of the circumstances presented.
On the Parties Involved:
Wu Qing Xue, eldest daughter of the noble Wu family, has shown extraordinary progress in her cultivation journey in recent years. Her exceptional talents caught the attention of the venerable Elder Tian Lei, Grand Elder of the prestigious Celestial Thunder Sect, one of the oldest and most respected cultivation institutions in the realm. Recognizing her unprecedented potential, Elder Tian Lei accepted her as his primary disciple — a position that demands absolute dedication and isolation from worldly matters.
Yu Jin, heir of the honorable Zhuge Clan, is known for his exemplary conduct and noble character. However, his cultivation progress has proven more modest, following a slower, contemplative rhythm in accordance with his family's traditions.
On the Circumstances:
The Wu family, recognizing that the cultivation paths of both youths have diverged significantly, and considering the sacred obligations imposed by Qing Xue's new position, respectfully appealed to Her Majesty for imperial intervention to dissolve harmoniously the matrimonial commitment previously established between the two illustrious families.
After thorough evaluation of the presented circumstances, and considering that the cultivation destinies of both youths follow distinct trajectories that would prevent a harmonious union, Her Majesty decrees:
Decree:
The betrothal between Wu Qing Xue and Yu Jin of the Zhuge Clan is hereby officially dissolved, without prejudice to the honor of either family. This decision seeks to preserve both the promising cultivation future of Qing Xue and to allow Yu Jin to pursue a partner more suited to his own spiritual path.
May both families find prosperity and harmony in their respective ways.
Sealed by Imperial Authority
Empress Feng Yue
Golden Thunder Palace
Su Yeon finished reading in silence, his brows slightly furrowed.
Arranged marriage.
He had no idea.
Three years as patriarch, and such a detail had gone unnoticed by him. Probably not even a secret… he thought.
Simply something overlooked due to his disinterest in mundane affairs.
He glanced sideways at his cousin. Even if he had been oblivious, it was impossible that Mei Lin had not known…
— "Read." he said, handing the scroll lightly.
Mei Lin received it with both hands, her eyes hesitant. Su Yeon stepped aside, hands behind his back, calmly watching as she read.
Her expression gradually shifted.
First, attentive eyes.
Then, a slight furrowing of the brows.
Finally, lips pressed tightly, almost imperceptibly, as if holding back a bitter word.
Of course, she knew of the engagement. Likely an old subject among the women's quarters of the clan — they relished such things.
Su Yeon did not blame her. He understood the importance of the heir's marriage to the clan. If only he had the slightest interest in matrimonial matters concerning his siblings, he might have known as well.
But he was a cultivator.
And more than that: a cultivator intent on enduring forever.
For that, far greater focus was required.
While Mei Lin read, Su Yeon only observed. The way her eyes lingered on the final lines, as if waiting for an apology that never came.
No visit.
No explanation.
Only an imperial letter, delivered before dawn, as if sending a receipt to formalize a mistake — or discard it.
Su Yeon knew well what was in his cousin's mind.
For him, it seemed merely another move of the narrative — inconvenient, certainly, but nothing more.
For her… and likely for the rest of the clan.
It was an insult.
The Wu family had dissolved the engagement unilaterally.
No meeting.
No honor.
Not even crossing the Zhuge residence's gates.
His hands remained behind his back. His expression, unchanged.
Mei Lin met his gaze briefly, lips still pressed, but said nothing — waiting.
And Su Yeon, as always, chose calm.
He could not help but think: "Isn't this the classic narrative of the abandoned protagonist?"
"That can't be possible… right?"
With that thought, he decided to open his brother's profile in the system.
Silence lingered between them.
Mei Lin still held the letter, now closed, as if the weight of the paper was greater than its content. Su Yeon, meanwhile, kept his hands behind his back, eyes on the misty horizon — though inwardly, his mind drifted elsewhere.
With a subtle impulse of will, almost imperceptible even to the keenest spiritual eyes, he activated the system.
Before him, floating in the morning breeze, a translucent panel appeared like a blade of mist suspended in air. Golden lines drew themselves, forming the ethereal structure of the interface.
Mei Lin did not react.
Of course not. She could not see it.
Su Yeon had tested this the previous day, projecting the system in front of three different clan cultivators — all below the level of Elder. None showed any reaction. Even when he moved the panel directly between the Second Elder's eyes and the teacup she held, she merely smiled politely and kept drinking.
— "Invisible, selective, and… irritatingly cynical," he thought.
The panel pulsed softly with his intent.
[Family Investment System]
The family tabs spun smoothly: Members, Missions, Shop.
Su Yeon did not hesitate.
He touched the Members tab.
The list appeared in hierarchical order: Patriarch, Elders, Branch Families, Direct Descendants…
His eyes slid directly to the name:
Yu Jin – 17 years
Su Yeon selected it with a single touch.
The window opened… then froze. For a moment, nothing happened. But then, as if the system itself hesitated, the data began to appear — partially.
Spiritual Profile: Yu Jin
Age: 17
• Cultivation: Body Refinement – Sublevel 1
Further information is locked. Requires unlocking with System Points.
Su Yeon narrowed his eyes.
Where there should have been fields for Potential, Martial Physique, Martial Soul, Physical Condition, Mental State — there was only a faint golden blur, as if the system not only concealed but deliberately obscured their existence.
Small inscriptions appeared over each section:
▸ Spiritual Potential – Cost: 50,000 points
▸ Martial Physique – Cost: 100,000 points
▸ Martial Souls – Cost: 25,000 points
▸ Mental State – Cost: 3,000 points
▸ Spiritual Profession – Cost: 5,000 points
It was like staring at a vault locked inside another vault, within yet another.
— "Wonderful," thought Su Yeon, expression unchanging. — "My brother comes with DLC."
Mei Lin shifted beside him, glancing curiously at his sudden stillness.
Su Yeon said nothing.
He simply closed the tab with a light flick of his finger.
The panel dissolved into golden particles that vanished before reaching the ground.
For long moments, he remained silent, as if meditating on something greater. But the truth was more practical.
He had invested all the welcome points into his own profile.
Not a single one remained to open even a single line of Yu Jin's.
— "With such absurd costs," he muttered inwardly, — "if he is not this world's protagonist, then at the very least he is destined to become a great villain."
He glanced at the sky, where blue had begun to touch the night's gray.
— "Call Yu Jin to meet me in the main hall," he finally said, voice serene.
And he departed toward the ancestral hall. He would have to see his brother personally to understand this better.
But inwardly, something had shifted.
Yu Jin was no longer just his younger brother.
He was now… an enigma, officially priced by the system.