Fal had a deep frown on his face as he stepped up to the front gate of the hidden pavilion. He was the only visitor besides Buhara who had ever set foot inside the walls, a distinction Fal held as a great honor. It was one of the few places where his sworn brother revealed the true depth of his character beyond what his station demanded.
That may have been surprising to some, but only because they lacked context. For Fal, it made perfect sense; his brother was a man driven by a near burdensome sense of responsibility and duty. Only once had Buhara made a decision fueled by desire, selfishness, and passion, and that decision gave birth to Silva.
'Please, Fal, my brother, be there for him in my stead.'
Fal still remembered the look of deep despair and bitter resolve on Buhara's face as they spoke last before he entered closed-door cultivation. It had torn Buhara apart, choosing between Silva and a final shot at enlightenment, but Fal wasn't surprised by Buhara's ultimate decision. His choice was not selfish, despite how it may have seemed.
The clan's status was directly linked to Buhara's personal strength, with him being the Patriarch. If Buhara managed to break through and complete his Law, he would become one of the strongest cultivators in the Imperial Empire, causing the clan's standing to skyrocket.
That was the sole driving force behind Buhara's every step, ensuring that the Hijan name was known and respected throughout the realm.
Even when they had first met as two young soldiers in the Imperial Army, Fal remembered the unyielding conviction in Buhara's eyes, desperate to prove himself, to be recognized as the outstanding individual he knew himself to be.
Even hundreds of years later, Buhara's dedication hadn't wavered in the slightest, and Fal imagined it never would until Buhara's final breath.
'But if anything were to cause my brother to waiver, it would certainly be you, Little vine.'
A heavy breath left Fal's chest as he reached out and pushed open the front gates. However, the moment Fal stepped inside the pavilion, he froze as his eyes took in the disparaging scene around him, and his spirit felt the heavy imbalance.
The usual greenery that surrounded the manor had withered into indistinguishable rot and husks, but even more concerning was the unsettling lack of Qi in the air.
Centuries of honed instincts flared to life at once as Fal's spirit roused circulating Qi through his pathways, ready to unleash his techniques. Just then, the front door of the manor jostled on its hinges before slowly swinging open.
Fal's eyes narrowed as an unfamiliar figure with striking golden hair stepped out onto the threshold, and a deep rage filled his bones. "You have five breaths to identify yourself, or I will be forced to take you as a captive for trespassing. I strongly suggest you don't force me to act."
Instead of being threatened or fearful, the young man smiled at Fal as if seeing an old friend for the first time in years, "As always, you take your duties so seriously, Uncle Fal."
Fal's narrowed eyes became the size of tea saucers as the stranger's voice struck a familiar chord, "Little Vine?"
"It's only been a few years, Uncle, surely you haven't forgotten me already?" Silva asked mirthfully as he stepped down and walked towards Fal, who was still in disbelief. It would have been one thing for Silva to suddenly regain his youth, but certain longevity treasures could account for it. But what truly made Fal pause was the aura surrounding Silva.
It was the unmistakable presence of a cultivator.
"It shouldn't be possible, but yet," Fal mainly muttered to himself as Silva stopped before him, "Nephew, tell me I'm not mistaken."
A broad grin stretched across Silva's face, "You aren't Uncle. I have entered the first stage of the Body Tempering realm."
"But how?" Fal asked, rightly, confused. He was one of the few who knew the true severity of Silva's condition. The poison polluting his pathways turned Qi into a toxin that eroded his spiritual body and would eventually kill it, causing the death of his physical self as well.
Stretching out his hand, Fal placed it on Silva's chest before looking him in the eye, "May I?"
Silva dipped his head, consenting to Fal's request and bracing himself as Fal sent a pulse of Qi through his body.
The Scanning technique was one of the most widely known and utilized employments of Qi. By sending a small amount of energy through an object or a person, one could gain insight into the spiritual nature of their target.
By using the technique on Silva, Fal was attempting to gain a view of his spiritual body, which included the meridians, pathways, and dantian. But Silva was an anomaly.
Fal's reaction was telling enough as his eyes shot open in shock and he stared at Silva in disbelief, "I'm afraid this has created more questions than I initially had."
Silva smiled, understanding Fal's dilemma, "I know it must be shocking, but I truly believe that my fate has been rewritten. I've been given a second chance, Uncle."
For a moment, Fal was silent before his entire body started to shake, and a booming laugh erupted deep from his gut, bouncing throughout the pavilion, "This is wonderful news! Truly, the heavens smile upon those most deserving. Imagine the surprise on your father's face when he emerges from cultivation, expecting to find your grave, only to learn that your connection to the heavens has been restored!"
Silva nodded his head in agreement, "I'm glad to see your enthusiasm, Uncle Fal. In all honesty, you are the only one I can rely on for my upcoming trials."
The joy across Fal's face faltered as Silva's words confused him, "Upcoming trials? What possible adversity are you expecting?"
The smile across Silva's face didn't waver, but there was a noticeable shift in his tone, one that spoke of his certainty, "I have been reborn, Uncle Fal, I must shed my old ways if I mean to embrace my new potential truly."
Fal's eyes narrowed, "You can't possibly be suggesting what I believe you are."
"I spent the entirety of my first life within these four walls, Uncle Fal. I believe that it is high time that I leave and explore what the world has to offer."
All the amusement dropped from Fal's face as a grim look settled across his features, "Silva, you know I can not allow that. With your father in seclusion, the Vultures are emboldened and would employ any method at their disposal to ensure you're not a threat to their interests."
Silva grinned, "I see that there is still no love lost between you and my father's wives."
Fal snorted and folded his arms within the sleeves of his robes, "When they act like wives instead of leeches, then perhaps one day I'll refer to them with kindness. Still knowing what they're capable of, they've rightfully earned their current moniker."
"Then it's a good thing that I plan to renounce my claim to the Patriarchy," Silva stated, making Fal's eyebrows rise, "Renounce your claim?!"
"It is of no consequence," Silva continued, keeping his tone even, "As a bastard and my father's third successor, my chances of becoming the Patriarch were slim to none, regardless."
After a moment, Fal schooled his expression and shook his head, "That won't be enough, your father's wives don't hate you solely because you may become the Patriarch. They hate you because not only are you his favorite son, but your mother was the only woman he ever truly loved. And for that sin, they will stop at nothing to see you crippled."
"Well then, in the worst case, it's a good thing I've already lived as one in my previous life," Silva replied with a level of levity that clearly infuriated Fal, who ended up grumbling after a second, "You're just like your father, more stubborn than a herd of oxen. The only way I could keep you in here is by placing you on house arrest, which, as tempting as it is, will do neither of us any good. But don't think that you're free to leave either."
Silva raised an eyebrow, "Are you attempting to bargain with me, Uncle Fal?"
"This is not a bargain; these are my terms, and you will accept them," Fal stated firmly without any breath of room for negotiation. "You will remain within this pavilion until you manage to break through the Body Tempering Realm."
For a moment, Silva didn't respond, instead staring at Fal with an unreadable expression, "Uncle, as I remember, the standard time to break through the Body Tempering Realm is nearly fifteen years."
"Huh, is that so?" Fal muttered curiously as he stroked his beard, "That's five years longer than the ten years you would have to wait until your father emerges from his seclusion. Perhaps it's better if you simply-"
"Very well, I agree to your terms," Silva suddenly announced, interrupting Fal, who stiffened for a moment before staring at his nephew, "You do realize that even if it takes you twenty years after your father emerges, you won't be able to leave until you break through."
"I assumed that would be the downside of accepting your proposal," Silva replied knowingly, "But I am confident that I can exceed your expectations, as long as you provide me with the correct nourishment."
"It doesn't look like you've been starved?" Fal asked curiously.
"I'm referring to my cultivation. I believe my progress will be significantly slowed down with the low level of ambient Qi in this area." Silva explained, "I need a proper training ground and, of course, quality instruction."
"Shameless," Fal tutted with a disapproving shake of his head, "Of course I planned to instruct you as for proper training grounds, we'll see what your efforts merit. And the Qi will be equalized in a couple of days, do not fret. I imagine whatever miraculous event occurred caused the fluctuation."
Silva seemed to have more to say, but only nodded at his Uncle's insistence, "Very well then, I leave myself in your care, Uncle Fal."