Early the next morning—
Liu Xia was kicked awake.
"Up. Go to the mountain gate."
The voice was rough.
He opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling for two seconds.
"Back to sweeping," he said.
No one replied.
The person outside had already left.
Liu Xia sat up and rubbed his face.
Still a bit sleepy.
He felt like he had a dream last night.
Someone was talking.
He couldn't remember what was said.
"Forget it."
He got up, changed, and headed out.
—
The mist at the mountain gate hadn't cleared.
The stone steps were damp.
Liu Xia picked up the broom and started sweeping.
One stroke.
Two strokes.
Steady rhythm.
Halfway through, he paused.
Not because he was tired.
He felt like someone was watching him.
He turned.
No one.
A few laborers were carrying things in the distance.
No one nearby.
"…Just imagining things," he said.
And kept sweeping.
—
Not far away—
Behind a tree—
Someone stood.
No aura leaking.
Like a shadow.
Jesse.
She had been here since before dawn.
She didn't get close.
Just watched.
Her gaze stayed on Liu Xia.
Never moved.
Not staring.
Observing.
Movements.
Breathing.
Reactions.
Everything.
—
Liu Xia swept for a while, then paused again.
This time, more obvious.
He turned and looked at the tree.
"Anyone there?"
he said.
Not loud.
Jesse didn't move.
She stood in the shadow.
As if she didn't exist.
Liu Xia stared for a moment.
Saw nothing.
"Crazy," he muttered.
And kept sweeping.
—
Jesse frowned slightly.
That moment just now—
She thought he had noticed.
Not through aura.
Through "instinct."
But the next second—
He acted like nothing happened.
That made her more certain of one thing.
He wasn't pretending.
He really didn't know.
—
Time passed.
More people gathered at the mountain gate.
Outer disciples.
Passing stewards.
Some glanced at Liu Xia as they walked by.
Then quickly looked away.
No one caused trouble anymore.
The atmosphere felt strange.
Like news was spreading.
But no one dared say it out loud.
—
"That's him?"
"Yeah."
"Those two yesterday…"
"Shut up."
The voices were low.
But still there.
Liu Xia heard them.
Didn't react.
Kept sweeping.
—
A steward walked down from the mountain.
Stopped on the steps.
Looked at Liu Xia.
For a while.
"You."
he said.
Liu Xia looked up.
"Yeah?"
"Explain what happened yesterday."
"Which part?"
The steward frowned.
"The mining area."
Liu Xia thought for a moment.
"They knelt on their own."
he said.
His tone was normal.
Like stating something ordinary.
The steward stared at him.
"You think I'd believe that?"
"Then which version do you want to hear?"
Liu Xia asked.
The steward froze.
Liu Xia kept sweeping.
Didn't look at him again.
"Either way, I didn't do anything."
he said.
The steward's expression darkened.
He stared at Liu Xia.
Judging.
Aura.
None.
Spiritual energy.
None.
Nothing.
A completely ordinary person.
But—
Those two couldn't have ended up like that for no reason.
He stayed silent for a moment.
"Someone said it only happened after you spoke."
he said.
Liu Xia paused.
Thought for a moment.
"Then I'll just stop talking?"
he said.
Steward: "…"
For a moment, he didn't know how to respond.
The air stalled.
—
Behind the tree—
Jesse watched.
Didn't move.
Her attention wasn't on the conversation.
It was on the "change."
She was waiting.
Waiting for him to say it again.
—
Liu Xia kept sweeping.
Like nothing had happened.
The steward stood there for a while.
Annoyed.
"You—"
He started to speak.
Liu Xia looked up at him.
"You're standing in my way," he said.
His tone was casual.
Just like he would say to anyone else.
—
In that instant—
The air sank slightly.
Very lightly.
But it was there.
—
The steward's movement halted.
His whole body paused.
Like something had "corrected" his position.
The next second—
He stepped aside on his own.
No reason.
No thought.
He just moved.
After stepping aside, he froze.
"…Why did I move?"
he muttered.
His expression darkened.
—
Jesse's pupils tightened slightly.
She saw it.
This time, clearly.
Not suppression.
Not attack.
It was—
"Rule adjustment."
He spoke a sentence.
And space—behavior—shifted slightly.
No trace.
But it happened.
Her fingers slowly clenched.
"Not a divine technique," she murmured.
"It's… a command."
—
Liu Xia didn't notice any of it.
He just kept sweeping.
After finishing that section, he straightened up.
Looked at the sky.
About time to switch tasks.
He leaned the broom aside and prepared to leave.
After two steps—
He paused again.
That feeling of being watched—
Was still there.
He turned back.
The same tree.
"… "
He stared at it for a moment.
Then said:
"If you're going to watch, come out and watch."
His tone carried a hint of annoyance.
—
Behind the tree—
Jesse stopped hiding.
She stepped out.
Naturally.
As if she had been there all along.
Liu Xia looked at her.
"How long have you been following me?"
he asked.
"Since you started sweeping."
she replied.
Direct.
Liu Xia: "…"
He was silent for a second.
"You really have issues," he said.
She didn't argue.
Just looked at him.
Very seriously.
"I need to confirm something," she said.
Liu Xia sighed.
"Why does everyone want to confirm things today?"
he said.
"Go on."
She stared at him.
Word by word:
"What you say."
"Does it happen?"
The air went quiet for a moment.
Liu Xia looked at her.
As if judging whether she was joking.
Then he said:
"No."
Quick.
Without hesitation.
—
Jesse didn't speak.
She just looked at him.
Then nodded.
"Alright."
she said.
Like she accepted the answer.
But her gaze didn't relax.
It deepened.
—
Liu Xia turned and left.
Didn't want to talk anymore.
He felt like everyone today had some kind of problem.
—
Jesse stood there.
Watching his back.
Didn't follow.
She had her answer.
Not the one he gave.
But—
He didn't know.
She let out a slow breath.
"Then that's even more troublesome," she said.