Chapter 15 – When Silence Acknowledges the Request
From Zhuge Su Yeon's Perspective
From behind the nearest column, a figure emerged without haste. Yui Lan walked with the grace of one who never needed to rush to be noticed, her light robe flowing like a tranquil wave. A delicate, almost secretive smile rested on her lips as she stopped a few steps from the patriarch's seat.
"If it were my wish, would my brother allow it…?" she asked, her voice so serene it seemed more like a memory than a sound of the present.
Su Yeon tilted his head slightly, eyes fixed on her with the kind of gaze that weighed not only words, but intentions."Of course," he replied, simple and absolute.
A pause followed. The silence between them was not uncomfortable, but carried the weight of all that went unsaid. Then he continued, his voice low and firm:"I'm certain no one would dare touch a single hair of my precious sister."
Yui Lan laughed softly, a sound more like ripples across a lake than an outburst of joy."That's not it. I came to ask permission to use the clan's medicinal stock."
Su Yeon studied her for a moment.
This girl was finally asking for access to supplies that, in practice, she had long treated as her own private reserves. In the end, he decided to let her story stand, like leaving the embroidery on a comfortable lie untouched.
"Oh? Is my sister interested in learning medicine or alchemy?"
These two auxiliary professions were like twin siblings—just like Yu Jin and Yui Lan—born of the same source, yet radically different. One was calm like water, focused on healing; the other burned like fire, seeking to transform the world. Both, however, drew from the same root: spiritual herbs.
"Medicine," Yui Lan replied without hesitation. "Absolutely."
Su Yeon couldn't suppress the thought that brushed his mind with ironic sharpness: What do we have here? A genius pretending to be a novice…
The truth was, he still didn't fully understand what kind of clichéd protagonists his siblings would turn out to be. Would there be an ancestral inheritance? A sage instructor trapped in some artifact? Or perhaps an absurd reincarnation? Would the two share the same fortune… or each find their own chance encounter?
Just the thought made his head ache.
In the end, he gave up speculating and thanked the heavens they were his siblings—and not his enemies.
Even if their mere existence was enough to shatter his plans for silent cultivation.
"Of course," he said at last with a slight nod. "I'm sure you'll become even more skilled than our mother."
"Thank you, brother," Yui Lan said, bowing lightly in gratitude.
But she did not leave.
Noticing her stillness, Su Yeon lifted his eyes from the armrest and turned them back to her."Is there something else?" he asked, voice steady—equally capable of calming or unsettling.
Yui Lan hesitated. Just for an instant, but long enough for him to see it wasn't merely timidity or formality. She drew a deep breath before speaking:"It's about Yu Jin…"
The name cracked the air like the snap of a burning coal."What about him exactly?" Su Yeon kept his tone neutral, though his focus sharpened absolutely.
"I'm glad he can cultivate now, and that he's growing stronger," she answered, glancing aside as if still sorting her thoughts. "But this past month… something about him has changed. He's more aggressive, unafraid of trouble."
Su Yeon remained silent, waiting.
"I'm afraid he might become unstable," she added, lifting her gaze back to him.
"Unstable?" Su Yeon repeated.
"Not in the sense that he'll lose control at any moment… but rather…" she searched for the words, "like a river that suddenly found a new current. He's more decisive, more daring… but also more… visible."
Visible. A dangerous word for any cultivator seeking peace.
Su Yeon leaned back slightly, his fingers tapping lightly on the cold jade."You fear this change will draw trouble?"
Yui Lan averted her eyes for a heartbeat."Only… I think we should be prepared. When a light burns too brightly, even those who shouldn't notice… end up looking."
Su Yeon couldn't help but feel pleased that his sister's thinking mirrored his own.
She seemed more an ally in his plan for silent cultivation than a threat—and that was a blessing.
Her voice carried concern, but not only as a sister. It was the kind of warning given to a strategist before a storm—and Su Yeon recognized it. At its core, it wasn't just worry for Yu Jin's well-being… it was an acknowledgement that with this new fire, he could draw enemies who didn't yet realize they had business with the Zhuge clan.
Su Yeon shared the same thoughts. In fact, he had already been preparing for scenarios like this. Still, he chose to let her speak.
After all…
He wasn't just interested in gathering information about Yu Jin—but also about her.
He knew her intentions. She knew him too—his reputation for being overly cautious was well earned. A conversation like this was a warning he would never dismiss.
As Yui Lan continued, analyzing each change she had observed in her twin, a thought crystallized in Su Yeon's mind:As terrifying as it sounds… it seems we have a reborn one here. And all this concern… what happened in the future she remembers?
Of course, it was only a hypothesis. But for now, it was the most plausible in his mind. He would have to wait and see if her future actions confirmed it.
"I understand," he said at last, his tone carefully controlled. "Indeed, Yu Jin's actions have been far more explosive lately… but for now, everything is still under control."
It was a fact, and Yui Lan only nodded in agreement. There was a glimmer in her eyes, as though she wished to say more.
But Su Yeon raised a hand lightly, cutting the impulse short."Of course… whenever you feel his actions are crossing the line and could endanger the clan, I want you to alert me. Can I count on you to keep an eye on your brother, Yui Lan?"
For a moment, she remained silent. Then, slowly, a smile spread across her lips—a smile that mixed acceptance with something more… as if she were receiving exactly what she had come for.
Su Yeon noticed. He was giving her everything she wanted with this conversation. But it didn't matter. He had gained something valuable too: a better quality, perhaps even reborn, early-warning system.
"Always, brother," Yui Lan answered with serene finality. "I promise I'll let you know."
She bowed lightly, taking her leave, her steps echoing softly against the polished floor of the ancestral hall. The filtered light from the stained glass followed her down the corridor, as if the very architecture wished to hold her a little longer before letting her go.
Su Yeon remained still, watching her fade from sight. At the very least, he had to admit: between the two protagonists fate had placed in his family, this little sister was far easier to handle.
The other…The other was more like a wild beast trying to remember it lived among humans.
Even so, Yui Lan's warning wasn't dismissed. On the contrary—it ignited a spark of urgency within him. He already had plans in motion for the inevitable day when Yu Jin became so visible that even the Zhuge clan would have to weather the fury of the enemies drawn to his light.
That day still seemed distant. After all, throughout the entire White Flame Empire, there were very few who could truly consider themselves worthy of facing him.But making preparations in advance… had never cost Su Yeon anything.
With a light tap of his fingers, he opened his system, navigating to an item he had bookmarked weeks ago.
System – StoreCategory: Professions – Formations
Name: Celestial Veil FormationDescription: A concealment formation capable of completely hiding everything within its radius. It distorts both spiritual and physical perception, making it impossible to locate its contents by ordinary or advanced means.Effects:
Conceals Qi, presence, and internal structures.
Deflects spiritual probes and consciousness inspections.
Can be adjusted to simulate a normal environment, avoiding suspicion.
Cost: 42,000 points.
Before the sixth great cultivation realm—Nascent Soul—not a single being would be able to find his clan hidden behind this Mid-Earth-rank formation.
Su Yeon let his fingertips rest on the name.With this formation… I can relocate and conceal the entire Zhuge clan.
But his reasoning flowed on, cold and calculated, like pieces placed on a long-term board:To do this, I'll need the points from this tournament… and I'll have to train Mei Xue in formations. Most importantly, I must find a suitable location—not too far—to which we can move the clan.
The system's gentle glow reflected in his eyes, every character shining like a silent piece on a chessboard only he could see.