Inside the only mansion on the entire peak, deep within a serene cultivation chamber glowing faintly with runes and gentle Qi, a woman sat cross-legged.
Her snowy-white hair flowed like silk down her back, yet her face was flawless, youthful, elegant, and ageless. You'd think she'd just turned thirty if you didn't know better.
Her name was Chen Xiuying.
The Old Matriarch of the Chen Clan.
One of the strongest Dao beings in the entire Ethereal Dao Sect… and Chen Chao's grandmother.
Her eyes suddenly opened.
At that exact moment, the two little boys landed on the peak.
She smiled. Just a small, soft curve of her lips.
Then, she stood up.
The moment her foot lifted off the ground, her figure vanished—gone before it even touched down again.
In the next instant—
Whoosh!
She appeared right in front of the two kids, like a ghost with perfect timing.
"AAAAAHHHH!" Feng Yumo damn near jumped out of his skin.
Chen Chao? He didn't even blink.
Instead, a wide grin spread across his face. "Granny!"
He dashed forward and jumped into her arms like a missile.
Chen Xiuying caught him effortlessly, cradling him like he was still a toddler. "Do you have to scare Yumo like that?" he mumbled into her shoulder.
She chuckled, stroking his back. "Not my fault he's such a wimp."
"Hey!" Yumo protested in the background, puffing up his cheeks.
Xiuying gently held her grandson at arm's length, brushing a bit of dried blood off his ear. Her voice softened. "I heard… You took your kill test today."
Chen Chao's smile faded, his face going still. "Yeah," he said quietly. "I killed them. All three."
"And?" she asked, gently.
He looked up at her with a serious expression way too heavy for a ten-year-old. "I feel nothing. Not guilt. Not fear. Nothing at all. Grandma… is it bad that I killed three defenseless men… and I don't feel anything? Even when I tried to."
Chen Xiuying pulled him into a tighter hug.
"No, little lion," she whispered, her voice full of warmth. "It's not bad at all. That just means… you were born to be strong. Strong men don't waste their hearts on worthless criminals. You didn't kill innocents. You killed garbage."
She stepped back and ruffled his hair with a grin. "Besides, I know why you really came here."
Chen Chao's eyes lit up.
"Peacock meat!" she said with a smile.
"YES!" both kids shouted in unison.
A short while later…
Inside the mansion's dining hall, the two boys were practically melted into their chairs. Chen Xiuying left them alone after serving them their meal.
Their bellies were round, their faces glowed with satisfaction, and the scent of grilled spirit peacock still lingered in the air.
Feng Yumo leaned back with a stupid grin. "Bro… I swear, if I die now, I'll be fine with it…"
Chen Chao, sitting with a calm expression, just sipped on some fruit tea.
Then he turned to Yumo, eyes serious. "Two years from now… the sect will test our constitutions and talents. That's when we'll officially start cultivating."
Yumo blinked. "Yeah?"
"Yeah. And for the next two years, you're gonna follow me around."
"Huh? What? Why?"
"We're gonna train. Build our bodies. Even if we're not born with strong constitutions or rare talents, building a strong will is just as important. That's what my dad said."
Chen Chao's tone was like a general laying down a royal decree. "So I'll drag you around, whether you want to or not."
Yumo made a face. "Do I have a choice?"
"Nope."
Chen Chao looked straight at him, eyes like still water—calm, but unshakable. "When I become the Sect Master… I'll need a general by my side."
Yumo froze, his face scrunching up in confusion. "How do you know you'll become the next Sect Master? You know the position can't be inherited, right?"
Chen Chao didn't hesitate.
With the most matter-of-fact expression in the world, he simply said—
"Because I will be."
Yumo stared at him for a moment… then grinned.
"Well damn. If you say so, then I guess I better start training."
Chen Chao smirked.