Luo Ming woke up early in the morning, at the time when the birds of the Luo Clan were still asleep in their nests.
The air was cool inside his room, ruffling his body gently, almost with conscious care.
He lay on his bed for a long while, looking absentmindedly at the ceiling, fully realizing that he was indeed in another world.
He smiled at the thought, but his smile was stiff and dry, for even though he had obtained a whole new chance at another life, this world was far too dangerous to be weak in.
’I tried cultivating yesterday.’ His lips twitched, ’And I ended up falling asleep. I mean...I wasn’t supposed to sleep, was I? Did I do it wrong?’
He needed to know how to properly cultivate, otherwise he would never progress.
He was only at the Second Root of the Seedling Rank. He urgently needed to refine his Seed and expand his roots throughout his internal system.
’Let’s hope I find something today that helps me greatly. I must go beyond Six Roots.’
At that thought, Luo Ming realized he didn’t have much time left.
First High Elder Qisi had told him she would come to him at 6am. He’d better be ready before then.
With that in mind, Luo Ming stood up swiftly and went straight to his bathroom. He no longer had a maid, so he would need to fetch the water himself.
Or so he thought.
When he reached the bathroom, however, he found a bucket of water, warm and clean, clearly prepared with care.
The image of his mother immediately came to mind, and Luo Ming smiled, his heart stirred by a wave of joy.
Stripping himself naked, Luo Ming began to wash calmly and methodically.
He paid attention to his body in the process, noticing how lithe it was. There was no fat on him. He was lean, maybe a bit too lean, with pale, unblemished skin that seemed to glow.
His long black hair was dazzling, glowing as if stars were hidden within it. He looked at his reflection in the water, staring at his wavering face.
’You know what,’ he smiled with self-amusement, ’worst case scenario, I’ll sell my body and make a living. I just need to be lucky enough to find a good sugar mommy. You need to be realistic about certain things.’
He laughed a bit harder, thinking it wasn’t actually a bad choice.
But what would the kingdom think of him, the grandson of the Silver King, being a gigolo?
’To hell with what they think. My life is more important than some reputation.’
He shrugged and stood up, finally done washing. He grabbed the towel and wrapped it around his waist.
He took another and used it on his hair, drying it off.
Luo Ming then exited the bathroom, but froze mid-step, his silver eyes settling on the woman standing in the middle of his room, arms folded over her chest.
High Elder Qisi lifted her head, her face still veiled, and looked at him, or so Luo Ming assumed.
"I told you 6am, didn’t I?"
"I’m sorry." Luo Ming bowed slightly in respect, "I woke up a bit later than expected. But I’m done. I just need to put on my clothes, and I’m ready to go."
Silence soon filled the room where words had stopped. A silence in which neither of them moved.
Luo Ming coughed awkwardly after a couple of empty words, "Well...High Elder?" He prompted.
"A problem?"
"I mean, I want to get dressed."
"So?" She cocked her head, "Go ahead. I’m waiting."
’And strip myself naked in front of you?’ Luo Ming scoffed inwardly.
"High Elder," he began, smiling a smile that visibly caught High Elder Qisi off guard, "Even though I know I’m too weak to be any threat to you, I don’t want to leave any possibility of being accused of...that, again."
"You’re worried I’m setting a trap to harm you?"
Luo Ming said nothing, yet he said everything.
High Elder Qisi fell silent for a moment, looking at him, understanding how low his confidence in the clan, and in women, must have sunk because of the recent false accusations.
That understanding prompted her to take more seriously the question of why all of this had happened, and who was behind it.
Because she wasn’t stupid enough to believe it was the first young master’s doing. It was far too obvious.
Someone was using him. But who?
’Tsk.’ She clicked her tongue and vanished in a burst of wind, her voice echoing behind her, "you have 1 minute."
Luo Ming exhaled in relief and immediately went to dress himself. During the process, he couldn’t help but feel that High Elder Qisi was...quite peculiar.
He didn’t know why the feeling came to him, but it was similar to the feeling he got from Wei Bing, though different in a subtle way.
’I haven’t tried using my Soulblade on her yet. But should I? I might see something.’
This was clearly an opportunity to bring someone to his side.
Someone other than his mother.
’Why not? Let’s try, and if it fails, I’ll at least know how to act better next time.’
Decision made, he put on his black and silver robe, tied his hair with the gold pin his mother had given him as a gift, and walked out of the room.
He instinctively touched his neck as he strode away, feeling as though something were there, yet finding nothing when he touched it.
’Strange.’
Stepping outside, Luo Ming came face to face with High Elder Qisi.
"I’m ready, High Elder." He smiled.
She nodded, "Follow me."
—End of Chapter 11—