Two weeks have passed.

  The sun's fiery hues painted the horizon, casting long, stretching shadows over the quiet city. The streets were sparse, the bustling energy of the day waning as its inhabitants retreated to the warmth of their homes. Beyond the city's borders lay a serene river, its surface reflecting the orange and gold of the sky.

  Further out, the forest loomed, its towering trees stretching over a hundred meters into the sky, their massive canopies forming a labyrinth of branches. Amidst this dense wilderness, perched high within one of the colossal trees, was a young man clad in a black robe. His figure seemed oddly at peace, his posture relaxed, though his eyes betrayed the depth of his thoughts, hinting at schemes that ran as deep as the forest below.

  "It has been two weeks. I've cultivated almost non stop, yet I'm still in the first sub realm." Ren Lu muttered to himself, his tone a mixture of frustration and contemplation. His fingers tapped lightly on the bark of the tree as he exhaled heavily. "From what I remember from my previous life, this shouldn't be happening."

  His gaze lifted, following the graceful flight of birds as they darted through the fading light of the evening sky. Their carefree movements only served to deepen the unease gnawing at his mind.

  "Whatever." Ren Lu muttered, brushing off his unease. "It's been two weeks. Most yokai awakening rituals should have already taken place by now." He frowned, his gaze hardening. "The next logical step is to find this kid's family. I seriously lack cultivation resources."

  With a sigh of resignation, Ren Lu leapt from the tree branch, descending gracefully to the ground. His black robe fluttered momentarily in the breeze before settling as his feet landed softly on the forest floor.

  Down below, a sick azure deer stood quietly, its delicate jaws munching on some herbs, completely unaware of its impending doom.

  Almost in an instant, Ren Lu extended a finger toward the creature, his expression calm yet cold. A faint crimson shimmer flickered around his hand before, with eerie precision, numerous tiny holes began to perforate the deer's body. Blood seeped out rapidly, and within moments, the lifeless creature collapsed onto the forest floor.

  Next, Ren Lu picked up two rocks, their surfaces jagged and rough. With deliberate effort, he ground them together, producing a sharp edge.

  In a matter of breaths, he began cutting into his own flesh. His face, torso, and legs bore the brunt of his relentless blade. The cuts were deep, carving through flesh with ruthless precision. Blood streamed down his body in crimson rivulets, pooling at his feet.

  The pain was excruciating, each slice like fire searing through his nerves, but his expression remained eerily composed. He clenched his jaw, his breaths shallow and controlled.

  He slowly raised a hand at the sick azure deer's blood and it began to float towards Ren Lu's wounds, however despite the massive amount of blood, it was not enough to completely heal Ren Lu's, some cuts had a dark protective skin, while the enormous wounds on his hands and back barely had any skin protecting as if the wounds were just a dozen days old. "This should be good enough." Ren Lu muttered.

  Ren Lu slowly raised a trembling hand towards the pool of blood forming beneath the sick azure deer. The crimson liquid shuddered, lifting into the air in a swirling stream before gravitating towards his wounds.

  The blood seeped into his torn flesh, stitching together the smaller gashes and forming a dark, leathery skin over some of the deeper ones. Yet, even with the substantial amount of blood, it was insufficient to heal him entirely. Large wounds on his hands and back remained raw, their edges jagged and exposed, as though they had lingered untreated for weeks.

  Ren Lu flexed his fingers, feeling the strain in his half healed body. "This should be good enough." he muttered, his voice low and hoarse. With that, he turned and began making his way toward the city's gates, his movements steady despite the lingering pain.

  At the city gates, two guards stood casually, exchanging words about mundane personal affairs, a lost bet, a troublesome relative, the kind of chatter that filled the quiet between duties. Their conversation faltered as Ren Lu approached, his expression a volatile mix of fury and grief, his black robe stained with streaks of blood both fresh and dried.

  Without sparing them a glance, Ren Lu strode past, his steps firm yet heavy with unspoken weight. The guards exchanged concerned glances, their instincts urging caution, but they held their tongues.

  "Another injured cultivator." one guard murmured, his eyes lingering on Ren Lu's retreating figure.

  "Yeah, probably failed a mission." the other replied with a shrug. "Happens all the time. As long as he's still walking, it's not our problem."

  The two turned back to their discussion, dismissing the fleeting moment. After all, this was commonplace, cultivators constantly returned battered and broken, driven by the ceaseless grind to sustain both their families and their relentless pursuit of power.

  Ren Lu navigated the twisting roads of the city with calculated precision, his steps unhurried yet deliberate. He avoided drawing attention by taking indirect routes and frequently changing direction. Finally, he arrived at his destination: a large house surrounded by a modest wall.

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  Its facade spoke of wealth and influence, yet there was an understated simplicity to its design, an unspoken testament to humility that belied the truth Ren Lu knew all too well. His lips curled into a sardonic grin as he took in the sight.

  "This should be the house." he muttered, his voice low but dripping with confidence. "Fortunately, I still have the memories of this body's former owner."

  A sharp glint flickered in his eyes as he paused, glancing up at the structure. The grin widened into a mocking smile.

  "A bunch of demonic cultivators playing the part of righteous saints." Ren Lu chuckled darkly, the sound laced with disdain. "Hilarious."

  Without hesitation, he pushed open the gate and strode into the house, his expression calm but his heart thrumming with anticipation.

  Boom!

  With a resounding bang, the front door flew open, slamming against the wall. The sudden noise startled two occupants inside, and they quickly hurried downstairs, eager to find out what the commotion was about. As they descended the stairs, their eyes quickly locked onto the figure standing motionless in the doorway.

  At first, only the silhouette was visible, shrouded in shadow, but as they descended further, more and more of the figure was revealed. His black robe fluttered slightly, the fabric dark as night, and his presence alone seemed to demand attention. The faint glow of his eyes, like two piercing red coals, gleamed in the dim light. His expression was unreadable, but there was something about him that felt... unsettling.

  The two individuals exchanged wary glances, a mix of caution and curiosity in their eyes, but neither made a move. The figure in the doorway was calm, unshaken, his gaze steady as it locked onto them, seemingly unbothered by the intrusion. The atmosphere in the room thickened, a silent tension hanging between them.

  The two figures that hurried downstairs were both servant girls, each radiating an air of delicate beauty. Though they wore modest white robes, their graceful curves were still discernible beneath the fabric, accentuating their figures. Their faces were like finely sculpted works of art, resembling precious stones that caught and reflected the faint light in the room, their complexions flawless and delicate.

  For a brief moment, the three of them simply stood there, two servant girls, bewildered by the sudden intrusion, and Ren Lu, his expression cold, his piercing gaze unwavering as he appraised the pair before him.

  One of the servant girls had short, chestnut brown hair that framed her face in soft waves, her large, expressive eyes a striking shade of deep brown. They were warm and inviting, though there was a hint of wariness as they scanned the figure before her. Her lips parted slightly in surprise, but she remained still.

  The other girl, slightly taller, had long, wavy blonde hair that cascaded down her back in gentle curls. Her emerald green eyes were intense and sharp, yet they held a certain softness, a calmness that suggested composure in the face of confusion.

  Both servant girls instinctively raised their hands to their mouths, their eyes widening in shock and disbelief as they took in Ren Lu's ominous presence. The room seemed to freeze for a moment, the tension palpable. The one with short brown hair took a small, startled step back, her heart racing. Her eyes flickered between Ren Lu's expressionless face and his bloodied form, fear creeping into her expression as she quickly assessed the situation.

  The servant girl with short brown hair gasped and quickly hurried up the stairs, her voice breaking the silence. "Sir Ren Lu is back!" she shouted urgently, her words echoing through the house. Her footsteps echoed rapidly as she ascended, a clear sense of panic and urgency in her movements.

  The blonde haired girl stood frozen for a moment, her gaze flickering between Ren Lu and the direction her companion had gone. She clenched her fists, feeling a surge of anxiety build up in her chest. "What happened to him?" she whispered under her breath, unable to shake the fear creeping into her mind.

  Meanwhile, Ren Lu's expression remained unreadable, his cold eyes following the girl's rapid retreat up the stairs. The sharpness in his gaze suggested that his plans were unfolding just as he intended, though the tension in the air seemed to only intensify.

  The blonde haired servant quickly closed the distance between them, her voice laced with concern. "Sir, let me help, you are in a critical situation!" Her eyes scanned Ren Lu's injuries, noticing the blood soaking his clothes and the dark, unnatural wounds that marred his skin. Her hands trembled slightly, unsure of what to do but determined to offer aid.

  The two women descended the stairs, their movements graceful and synchronized. They had long, flowing black hair that cascaded down their backs, the strands shimmering in the dim light. Their features were strikingly similar, with delicate, symmetrical faces that could have been sculpted from porcelain. Their eyes, a dark shade of brown, held a sharp intelligence and an underlying air of authority.

  One of the women, slightly older, stepped forward first. Her gaze swept over Ren Lu's bloodied form, assessing him with a look of practiced concern. "Ren Lu, what happened?" she asked, her voice calm yet filled with a quiet urgency. Her eyes lingered on the deep cuts.

  The younger of the two women, standing slightly behind, clenched her fists, her expression a mixture of confusion and worry. "You're hurt, brother!"

  Ren Lu didn't immediately respond. Instead, he looked at the two women, his expression unreadable. He knew them both, they were the sister and mother of the person whose he inherited the body from. The mother, Ren Ling, had realm two cultivation. The sister, Ren Zhi, was still young but held a raw potential, a talent that had been slowly cultivated under the watchful eye of her mother and father.

  Ren Ling sighed helplessly and quickly shouted. "Ren Lu, my son, thank heaven that you're back. I thought you were dead!"

  While Ren Zhi worriedly asked. "Brother Ren Lu, what happened to you and where is father?"

  Before Ren Lu could reply, the brown haired servant hurried down the stairs, immediately rushing to tend to his wounds with evident concern.

  "Mother, Sister, I'm so sorry to return in this state." Ren Lu began, his voice heavy with sorrow. "I must also bring devastating news, father is dead. Two weeks ago, I accompanied him to begin my yokai awakening ritual. At the start, I lacked the strength to endure the blood loss, causing the ritual to stretch far longer than anticipated. Exhaustion consumed both of us over the following days. Finally, after nearly a week of struggle, the ritual succeeded. But the yokai emerged, and it attacked us both. I fought as best as I could, but I was overwhelmed. Father... he gave his life to protect me. I only regained consciousness a few hours ago."

  Ren Lu's words carried such anguish that those around him shuddered in disbelief. Overwhelmed by the gravity of his account, his mother and sister quickly moved to console him, their own grief shadowed by their desperate attempts to comfort him.