Uncle Huang woke early in his unfamiliar room. The old scar from his youth—the one that had plagued him for years, holding back his cultivation—had healed visibly. His internal injuries had improved dramatically. No question, this was the power of Grandmaster Bai's pills.
Truly powerful pills!
He wanted to share them with Tang Tianjie, but he knew better. These pills were given to him. Taking them to give to someone else would be completely inappropriate.
It was still dark. For a butler like him, this was routine—waking early to check on things, preparing for his master's day.
Uncle Huang walked around the house for inspection. It was unfamiliar, and he was the only one here, unlike the Tang clan house where the caretakers would wake early to work together.
He ran into the lady of the house—Grandmaster Bai Fanxian herself.
She sprawled lazily on a beach chair on the deck, feeling the cool breeze, watching the sunrise approach.
Bai Fanxian was lost in thought—her identity, how she'd crossed through time, the strange power she'd woken with.
What should she do next?
Now, she had no Alchemy Palace to manage, no enemies to face, no goals at all.
This world was interesting, sure...
But everything felt empty.
"...You're up early."
Without looking, Bai Fanxian sensed Uncle Huang emerge from the house. He carried a freshly brewed tea set, steam still rising.
He served her tea, then stood behind her.
"It's Grandmaster Bai who woke early."
"Your scar should take a bit more time..."
She glanced toward his chest. Several layers of clothing, but what could escape her Heaven Sense at this range?
She'd known from the start he had a chronic wound. She just hadn't cared before.
"It's because of your kindness."
Huang Zihuan smiled and bowed his head. This wound had caused him trouble for far too long.
"Mm..."
Bai Fanxian accepted as usual. She sipped her tea, savoring the quiet moment.
"...Huang Zihuan, what should I do next?"
Bai Fanxian opened her eyes. Uncle Huang hadn't expected such a question from someone so powerful.
"What do you mean?"
Uncle Huang asked.
"Mm... I'm probably just bored?"
Uncle Huang's mind raced. Meeting his master's needs—that was his job as a first-class butler.
He pieced together what he knew of Bai Fanxian's story. Someone who'd sacrificed her entire youth to cultivation...
"Would Grandmaster Bai like to find a hobby?"
"Hobby?"
Bai Fanxian turned to look with interest.
"Things like reading, traveling, games, gardening..."
Uncle Huang tried to think of hobbies young people enjoyed. Given the age gap, he didn't really know. One youth in his house had been obsessed with pills since childhood, the other bedridden with illness. Not many examples to draw from.
"Reading books from this era might not be a bad idea..."
Bai Fanxian murmured. Uncle Huang heard. He pulled out his phone immediately, contacting his network without waiting for orders.
"Does Grandmaster Bai particularly like any type of book?"
Uncle Huang checked her preferences first before ordering.
"General things about this era..."
Bai Fanxian thought briefly. Yes, what she lacked most was basic knowledge. She didn't even know where she was, what the situation was like—governance, laws, culture, everything.
"I'll order a comprehensive collection then."
Uncle Huang made calls. Not just books—he also arranged for craftsmen to convert a room into a study.
A first-class butler, handling everything flawlessly.
Half a day later, everything arrived. Both children watched in confusion as delivery staff carried books into the newly finished reading room.
The converted room sat in a corner of the house—extremely spacious. Even with many bookshelves installed, it didn't feel cramped. A large desk, cushions scattered throughout for sitting or lying down.
It could be called a miniature library.
Neither Hui'er nor Tang Yeye had been to school. Uncle Huang set up a children's corner with storybooks, picture books, and learning materials.
Bai Fanxian approved. The little girls would have to sacrifice part of each day to study.
After sleeping together last night, Tang Yeye and Hui'er had grown even closer. Little Yeye followed Hui'er around like a baby bird. Whatever Hui'er did, Yeye joined in. Even when Hui'er helped Uncle Huang clean the house, Yeye pitched in happily.
Bai Fanxian walked through the house, watching both children diligently sweep the yard, a faint smile on her lips. Once the study was ready, she went in to find something to read.
Perhaps starting with history books might not be bad.
She wanted to know about cultivators in that era, and why cultivation power had weakened so much in modern times.
Soon after, Uncle Huang brought in tea. He froze. Books scattered everywhere—complete chaos. Bai Fanxian sat cross-legged on a floor cushion in the corner, brows furrowed.
"Grandmaster Bai, what happened?"
Uncle Huang asked.
"Huang Zihuan, why aren't there records about cultivators in these history books?"
Bai Fanxian didn't look up. Uncle Huang knew the answer.
"Cultivators aren't revealed to the public much, Grandmaster Bai."
He took a breath, then continued.
"The oldest records mentioning cultivators are about five thousand years old."
"...And before that?"
"Probably, but it's all been destroyed."
"Cultivators are just a small group. Most people go from birth to death without ever hearing about cultivation..."
"Is that so..."
Bai Fanxian set down her book. She looked thoughtful.
"But this city has so many cultivators, doesn't it?"
Uncle Huang laughed. "That's because they're gathering for the duel between Eastern King Ma Fufeng and Sword Master Zheng Renyi at the mountain next to this city."
"What's interesting about a Grandmaster duel?"
Bai Fanxian shook her head and waved her hand. The messy books in the room flew up into the air and returned precisely to their original places.
Uncle Huang gasped. Qi control that precise—like using her own limbs—was incredible.
"Well, they're the supreme beings of the martial world. Natural that cultivators would be interested."
Uncle Huang followed as she relocated to another corner—law, governance, and cultural texts.
"Supreme beings?..."
Bai Fanxian asked with curiosity.
"Is there anyone stronger than Grandmaster level?"
Uncle Huang swallowed. He thought carefully before answering.
"In this country, I'm not sure, but I've heard that Western countries have arts called magic or dark magic."
"...Interesting."
Bai Fanxian murmured. She swapped the law book for one on world geography. She'd read about dark magic and curses in ancient texts before.
.
.
.
Afternoon came. Uncle Huang brewed fresh tea in the kitchen. Grandmaster Bai had been in the study for hours. Ordering those books had been the right call.
Tang Tianjie called before he could reach out first.
"Huang Zihuan, how is Grandmaster Bai doing?"
Tang Tianjie asked.
"She likes the house very much. Right now she's reading books in the study."
"The book list you ordered this morning?"
"Yes. It seems she's quite pleased."
"That's good. There's one more thing."
"Yes?"
"The military just brought apology gifts for yesterday's matter to the Tang clan house."
Tang Tianjie sounded excited.
"A number of precious level 4 materials."
"And they're going there too. You'd better prepare."
Before he finished, Uncle Huang heard vehicles outside. The doorbell rang. The children went to check.
"Who are you?"
Hui'er asked a uniformed man. He was alone. Seeing two innocent-faced children on the other side of the gate, he crouched down with a fond smile.
"Is this Grandmaster Bai Fanxian's house?"
Hui'er and Tang Yeye eyed the crouching man. He looked thin, frail, sickly—but his smile was warm and kind.
"Yes, this is my lady's house."
Tang Yeye nodded. Uncle Huang appeared behind both children. He saw who the newcomer was and bowed with surprise.
He hadn't expected this man to come personally.
"Then please tell Grandmaster Bai..."
"That today Black Hawk has come to show sincerity and apologize to Grandmaster Bai Fanxian."
The supreme commander of the Black Hawk special forces, General Liu Yianfei!