Lucas leaned back in his chair, watching as Lira gracefully gathered the plates, her movements precise and practiced. Despite being just a servant, there was an air of quiet dignity about her, a trait he found somewhat refreshing in this unfamiliar era.
As she stacked the plates and wiped the table clean, she turned to him, her gaze still respectfully lowered. "Is there anything you want, my Lord, before you sleep?"
Lucas sighed, stretching his arms slightly before shaking his head. "No, Lira… all I need right now is a good night's rest," he said, his voice carrying a note of exhaustion. His body still ached from earlier, and his mind was running in circles, planning out the steps he needed to take in the coming days.
"Tomorrow is going to be a long day. We'll head into the city to get some things."
Lira nodded immediately, bowing slightly. "Understood, my Lord. I will be here in the morning when you wake."
Lucas gave her a tired nod. "Good."
She turned on her heel, moving toward the door, her presence as fleeting as a whisper. The wooden door creaked softly as she stepped out, leaving him alone in the dimly lit room.
He exhaled deeply and stood up, rolling his shoulders to ease the stiffness. The bath earlier had helped a little, but the fatigue still clung to his bones. He was weak. Too weak. And that was unacceptable.
Lucas moved toward the bed, his fingers grazing over the soft fabric of the sheets. The room was silent now, save for the occasional flicker of the lantern's flame. He sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing his temples.
Tomorrow… tomorrow was the beginning of everything.
He had already decided—he would pursue Dual Cultivation. It was a dangerous path, forbidden in later centuries, but in this time, it had yet to be discovered. He had the knowledge, the insight, and most importantly, the desperation to grow stronger.
He had seen the faces of those who had beaten Xavier to the brink of death. He could still hear their scornful laughter ringing in his head. He was powerless now, but that wouldn't last forever. He would make them pay.
Lucas let out a slow breath, lying back on the bed, staring up at the wooden ceiling. His mind was racing, but his body was exhausted.
He needed to rest.
The preparations for his cultivation would start tomorrow.
Lucas sat cross-legged on the floor, his eyes shut as he attempted to channel the flow of Qi through his body. But no matter how much he focused, the energy barely moved. His meridians were too weak. Each attempt felt like trying to force water through a shattered pipe—it just wouldn't work.
He clenched his jaw, frustration simmering beneath his calm exterior. If I don't fix this, cultivating will be impossible.
The solution was clear: he needed to strengthen his meridians first. Special elixirs could help with that, elixirs that refined and expanded the meridians, making it easier to absorb and circulate Qi. He already had an idea of what he needed.
A light knock on the door interrupted his thoughts, followed by the soft creak of wood as the door pushed open.
"Good morning, my Lord," Lira greeted, her voice gentle. She had a small, polite smile on her face as she stepped in. "Did you have a good night's rest?"
Lucas nodded, stretching his arms as he got up from the floor. "Yes, I did. What about you?"
"I slept well, my Lord," she answered, bowing slightly.
He studied her for a brief moment, then asked, "Is there anything you need to do this morning before we leave for the city?"
"No, my Lord. I'm ready to serve you today."
"Good. Then let's get going."
Lira hesitated for a second before speaking again. "Are you not going to have your breakfast, my Lord?"
Lucas waved a hand dismissively. "We'll eat when we're back, Lira."
She nodded without question. "Understood, my Lord."
---
The streets of the city were bustling with activity, filled with the chatter of merchants and buyers negotiating prices. The air was thick with the scent of fresh bread, roasted meat, and the faint earthy aroma of medicinal herbs. Stalls lined the streets, some selling fabrics, others displaying weapons, and some showcasing glistening bottles of elixirs.
Lucas walked through the crowd with Lira beside him, scanning the different stalls.
"Lira, take me to the herb stalls first," he instructed.
"Yes, my Lord."
They weaved through the marketplace until they reached an area where wooden stalls were packed with bundles of dried roots, fresh leaves, and powdered herbs stored in small clay jars.
Lucas carefully picked out the herbs he needed—Spirit Lotus, Fire Ginseng, and Azure Grass—all powerful ingredients for refining meridians.
Once he was done, they moved to another section of the market where alchemists sold pre-made elixirs. Lucas examined the bottles carefully, noting their rich color and potent fragrance. He picked a few bottles of Qi Stabilizing Elixir, which would help regulate his energy flow once he started Dual Cultivation.
"These herbs… these elixirs," Lucas murmured to himself as he inspected them, his scholar's mind analyzing every detail. They're so much richer than what I studied in the future. The natural energy in this era is much purer… which means cultivation here must be far stronger.
After purchasing everything, they made their way back to the estate.
---
As soon as they stepped onto the estate grounds, Lucas noticed someone waiting for him.
Selene.
She stood near the entrance, her arms crossed over her chest, her striking features unreadable. The moment she spotted him, her expression softened slightly.
"Hi, Lucas," she said, her voice smoother than he remembered. "I've been waiting for you. I was told you left to get some things earlier."
"Yes," Lucas replied curtly. His tone was cold, distant.
Something about her put him on edge. It wasn't just the way she looked at him—it was something deeper, something his instincts screamed at him not to ignore. He didn't know why, but he felt an unexplainable discomfort in her presence. Almost as if… she wasn't as innocent as she appeared.
"I was hoping we could talk," Selene continued, stepping closer.
"No," Lucas cut her off bluntly. "I'm going to be busy today. I have important things to do." He turned away from her, already walking toward his quarters. "Let's go, Lira."
Selene's expression froze in shock.
He ignored me…
Her heart pounded as she watched his retreating figure. He had never treated her like this before. Could he remember now?
Fear gripped her chest.
I need to explain myself before he remembers everything… But he wasn't giving her the chance.
---
Lucas didn't waste another thought on Selene.
He and Lira entered his room and immediately began organizing the herbs and elixirs on one side of the cleared-out space. Lira fetched a few small tables and set them up as makeshift workstations.
"Could you grind these herbs for me?" Lucas handed her a small bundle of Spirit Lotus leaves.
"Yes, my Lord," Lira responded without hesitation, taking the herbs and moving to a corner where a mortar and pestle awaited.
Lucas rolled up his sleeves and began mixing the elixirs.
He started with Spirit Lotus Essence, crushing the petals into a fine powder before mixing them into a base of Azure Grass Extract. The reaction created a faintly glowing liquid, signaling that the essence was infused with natural energy.
Next, he added Fire Ginseng, a powerful root that could stimulate the body's Qi pathways. It needed to be ground to dust before being slowly added to the mixture. If done incorrectly, the elixir could explode—a common mistake among inexperienced alchemists.
Lucas, however, handled it effortlessly. His scholar's mind, combined with his past knowledge of alchemy, made the process almost second nature to him.
As the elixir thickened, he carefully adjusted the heat beneath the small cauldron he had set up, ensuring the Qi-rich vapors didn't escape too quickly.
Lira, who had been silently grinding herbs, glanced at him from time to time, eyes filled with quiet admiration. She had never seen someone work with such precision and confidence. Most alchemists struggled to maintain balance in their mixtures, yet Lucas made it look as if he had done this a hundred times before.
After an hour, the first elixir was complete.
Lucas held up the small glass vial, watching as the deep golden liquid shimmered under the light.
"This will do," he muttered.
It was far stronger than anything he had used in the future. If I drink this, my meridians will strengthen much faster than I expected.
A small smirk tugged at his lips. This world's alchemy is leagues ahead of what I knew before.
He turned to Lira, who had just finished grinding the next batch of herbs.
"Good work," he said. "Now, let's prepare the second elixir."
Lira nodded,
eager to continue assisting him.
Lucas exhaled slowly, gripping the vial in his hand. This was the first step.
The first step toward power.