Guan Pan

It was noon when Fang woke up, feeling both invigorated and somewhat pensive.

The dream he had last night initially calmed him, but then plunged him back into the depths of despair. Conflicted feelings welled up within him, but he shook his head, pushing those thoughts aside.

He had no idea how much time had passed since he ingested the core. He fell asleep in the middle of summer, but now orange and red leaves swirled around the temple, carried by the wind.

'I guess I slept for a couple of months,' thought Fang as he made his way towards the door.

'Yeah, you slept for exactly two months,' replied Corbin in a frustrated tone. 'Next time, make sure you don't ingest so much qi; your body will shut down and focus only on absorbing it, leaving you defenseless.'

He kept quiet as Corbin continued lecturing him, 'Beasts always ingest small amounts of qi at the start of their cultivation to avoid falling into deep slumber.'

By the time Corbin finished, Fang was already traversing the halls of the temple.

'Okay, old man, I won't try to ingest something with double the amount of qi in my body.'

Corbin questioned him one last time to ensure Fang understood, 'What happens if you break this basic rule?'

He recited Corbin's advice, 'I'll go into forced hibernation, and if there's too much qi, I'll probably implode along with my demonic core.'

Corbin fell silent after that.

――

A few minutes passed, and he suddenly caught the intoxicating scent of jasmine wafting from one of the hallways.

Intrigued, he followed it and arrived at a large, lavishly decorated atrium. Rugs of various shapes and sizes adorned the floor, while the walls were draped in vibrant vines and flowers, filling the air with an array of aromatic scents.

A round table, circled by a few white chairs, was placed in the midst of this ensemble.

Two of the chairs were occupied by Madam Li and a young man dressed in golden robes.

He approached the pair, who were enjoying their tea, and quickly captured their attention.

Seeing Fang approach her, Madam Li exclaimed with a giggle, "Someone woke up late!"

He wasn't in the mood, so he moved closer and rested his head in her lap.

Madam Li was surprised by his behavior but didn't say anything as she began to stroke his head.

Watching Madam Li pet the unknown beast, the young man spoke in a soft tone that belied his words, "Master, would you like a new coat?"

"Just say the word, and I'll gift you the best one on the market!" he quickly added, prompting Fang's fur to bristle.

Fang lifted his head slightly and cast a wary sidelong glance at the young man opposite him. Dressed in a bright-yellow hanfu with golden trimmings, he was skinny and unattractive, with bushy eyebrows, hollow cheeks, and close-set black eyes. Brown hair cascaded down his shoulders, held back by a small golden pin.

The young man was the epitome of a "young master," exuding a luxurious aura.

Fang instinctively guessed this guy was the City Lord, information he had picked up from the bandits during their travels.

'He's completely rotten on the inside. Why does Madam Li keep him around to manage her city?' wondered Fang. Neither he nor Corbin could come up with a reasonable answer to this question.

Madam Li glanced at the young man and said, her tone hardening, "Don't even think about it, Guan Pan. This little guy will be my new contracted beast once he reaches rank 3."

Guan Pan looked puzzled at her words but didn't say anything else and finished his tea.

He rose slowly, thanked her for the tea, and Madam Li didn't even glance in his direction as she continued to caress Fang with a small, motherly smile behind her veil.

Fang noticed a flash of ruthlessness and lust in Guan Pan's eyes for a fraction of a second before he quickly masked it. He then watched as Guan Pan shattered a crystal and disappeared in a blinding light.

'That guy reeks of trouble,' Fang thought to himself, and Corbin silently agreed.

"Want to go for a walk, little guy?" asked Madam Li, standing up and tapping Fang's large nose.

Eager to explore the city, he quickly positioned himself beside her. His standing height reached her shoulders, and he gave her a gentle nudge to signal his approval.

Madam Li surrounded him with her qi and flew through the open ceiling of the atrium, carrying Fang along with her.

As Fang soared through the open ceiling of the atrium, carried by Madam Li's qi, he marveled at the sprawling cityscape unfolding beneath them. The bustling streets lined with colorful market stalls, the large bridges connecting each island and creating the impression of a spider web, and the shimmering canals winding through the city all captivated his senses. 

Bridges arched gracefully over the waterways, and clusters of pagodas and imposing pavilions dotted the skyline of what he guessed to be the Trading District, their ornate roofs catching the afternoon sunlight.

Madam Li descended into a deserted alley, where she swiftly altered her appearance with a series of intricate hand gestures. She then nodded at him, signaling that she was ready to begin their outing.

―――