After a night of intense cultivation using the Void Refining Manual, Vahn condensed a total of 3500 droplets of liquefied energy, successfully pushing his cultivation to the next level.
Cultivation Level: Foundation Establishnt - Stage 3.
When he opened his eyes, he was slightly disappointed to find the maids nowhere in sight. They had already left as their morning duties called them.
Vahn got freshened up by splashing so cold water on his face. He would have liked to take a proper bath, but he realized he didn’t even know the way to the bathing chambers. Heck, he didn’t know anyone in this massive estate except the na of the Patriarch, Dalian, and not even the na of his fake mother.
Yesterday, Damien’s cousin had mocked him, but Vahn couldn’t even recall the cousin’s na. If soone noticed this oddity, they would surely suspect sothing was amiss with the young master, even with the mind control holding the parents steady.
So, early in the morning, Vahn headed straight back to the family library for so vital intelligence gathering before he got into a truly sticky situation.
Vahn entered the secluded archive, Dalian’s jade token unlocking the door with a quiet chi. The archive was a sprawling labyrinth of shelves, not holding forbidden techniques, but scrolls containing the clan’s administrative records, communication logs, and most importantly, personnel files.
He moved quickly, using his Spirit Sense to skim the vast volus. His goal was simple: necessary survival intel, Damien’s friends and foes, political rivals, and other general information he need to about the Infernal Clan.
Vahn located the family tree and the servant registry. He quickly morized all the nas and their relationships. Among them the key nas were:
Mother: Lady Rianne Infernos.
Cousin who mocked him: Boros Infernos.
Personal Maids: Lilly and Maria
Head Steward: Maester Jinn.
With these key nas secured, he significantly reduced the risk of his disguise failing due to simple ignorance.
Vahn was completely imrsed in the archives, his mind filtering thousands of pages of text using his extraordinary spirit sense. But that was until a chilling sound broke his concentration.
"Ohhhh... Brother....."
The voice, ghostly and drawn out, ca from directly behind him. His heart, usually rock-steady, skipped a beat thinking he had been caught by a guard or an elder.
Vahn spun around instantly, only to find himself face-to-face with a mischievous sight. A girl, younger than him by several years, was posed in a deliberately spooky posture, stifling a giggle.
She had the sa crimson hair as Damien and the other Clan mbers, her features sharp and clearly belonging to the Infernos bloodline. At first glance, Vahn knew exactly who she was. She was Delilah Infernos, Damien’s only biological sibling, his little sister to be exact.
"Hehehe..." the girl giggled lodiously. Before Vahn could fully react, she launched herself at him and hugged him by the neck like a Koala, hanging onto him with surprising strength.
"Brother got scared... Brother got scared!"
Vahn managed to maintain his composure, forcing a brief, annoyed sigh; the probable reaction Damien would have to his annoying little sister’s antics.
"Delilah! Get off!" Vahn (as Damien) snapped, pulling her off his neck with feigned irritation. "I’m busy! Don’t you know Father has working on sothing important right now?"
Delilah pouted, crossing her arms. "Liar! You never co to the archive. You were hiding from Aunt Saria’s lecture, weren’t you?"
Vahn ntally noted the na: Aunt Saria. Another piece of vital clan information secured through a minor interaction.
"It doesn’t matter," Vahn asserted, quickly steering her toward the door. "Look, I have to find a dispatch from the North. It’s urgent. Go play outside. I’ll take you riding this afternoon, okay?"
He had no intention of riding, but it was a perfect temporary distraction.
Delilah’s eyes lit up. "Promise? The new Sky-winged Griffin is ready!"
"Promise," Vahn confird with a tired wave of his hand, ushering her out.
As the door sealed, Vahn leaned against it, breathing a sigh of relief. The disguise was holding up perfectly, but navigating family dynamics was proving far more taxing than fighting a Sky-Level beast.
Nevertheless, Vahn was slowly getting the hang of his new identity.
Afterward, Vahn went to the training yard of the Infernal Clan. This was Damien’s and the other direct descendants’ daily routine to build uo Strength.
He didn’t wish to be a show off, but It was a necessary public display to maintain his cover.
Once arriving in the vast, open field, Vahn took in the scene. The elder mbers were guiding the young, demonstrating their Complex Fire Arts. Pillars of fla erupted, and whips of scorching energy cracked through the air.
And here, Vahn faced a greater problem. He didn’t have the affinity of Fire, the essential elent of the Infernal Clan. His core affinities were Light, Darkness, and Lightning.
So he would have to stay extrely careful not to give away his lack of elental compatibility, which would instantly expose him as an imposter.
He scanned the field, preparing his defense, when Boros (the mocking cousin) noticed Vahn the mont he made his entrance. His lips curled into a deliberate sneer as he approached Vahn (Damien).
"Well, well, look who decided to grace us with his presence," Boros drawled, stopping directly in front of Vahn. "The great Young Master Damien, fresh from his ’fortuitous encounter’ with his imaginary Master."
His was loud enough to draw the attention of the surrounding clan mbers.
Vahn simply raised an eyebrow, channeling the expected, arrogant disdain of Damien.
"I’m here because Father commanded it, Boros. Unlike you, I actually have duties to the Clan."
Boros scoffed, his eyes sweeping over Vahn’s untouched figure, a clear reference to his lack of training and rumored laziness.
"I heard you were searching the archives. Plotting revenge for the attempt on your life, were you? But It’s a pity you haven’t learned a single secret Art in a year."
He then pointed to a large, smoldering training dummy that was specifically enchanted to resist Fire damage.
"If you’re so anxious for revenge, show us. Demonstrate your Fire Art. Let’s see what your ’powerful Master’ taught you. Show us how you would destroy the enemies."
Vahn cursed Boros’ nine generation. Why did he have to challenge him at this exact ti.
Now, how should he deal with this crisis?
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