When I told my loved ones that I was going out to meet with Cultivator Black Sand, they insisted on having someone escort me. However, I put my foot down this time and insisted on going alone. After some back and forth, they relented. At least on the surface. I had no doubt that one of them, maybe more, would trail me from the shadows.

  Rather than meet at the branch office or Cultivator Black Sand’s residence, the two of us met at a teahouse called the Desert Bloom Teahouse. It was two floors tall, and located in an out of the way part of the Third Terrace. Despite this, the teahouse seemed quite popular. When I arrived, there were several customers, all of whom were at late Foundation Establishment or above. I stood out, since I was just at early Foundation Establishment. No one bothered me, which I was thankful for.

  On the way here, I noticed two presences trailing me. I assumed they were Ellen and Elliot, though it could’ve been Ellen and Willow. Rather than make a fuss, I rolled my eyes and ignored them. No need to make a fuss.

  If I had to describe the Desert Bloom Teahouse in two words, they would be simple and elegant. A feeling of serenity washed over me when I entered, and I didn’t know if it was because of the atmosphere or if there was something else at play. The interior consisted of a single large room filled with tables. It was decorated primarily in yellows and browns, with a dash of red here and there. Due to the late hour, crystal lamps filled the space with warm light. The subtle smell of tea teased my nostrils. The hum of quiet conversation filled the air.

  When I entered, a waitress wearing an elegant gown approached me. She wore a polite smile on her face.

  “Welcome to the Desert Blossom Teahouse.” She said. “Cultivator Flamewind, I presume?”

  I nodded.

  “Please follow me.” The waitress said. “Your party is already waiting for you on the second floor.”

  I followed her up to the second floor. This was where the private rooms were located. The waitress led me to one of the rooms, before she bowed and left. After a moment’s hesitation, I entered. At first glance, the room on the other side didn’t seem all that special. It had just enough space for a table with six chairs around it and a few decorations. However, when I looked up I realized that it had a glass ceiling. This allowed the people inside to gaze at the night sky unimpeded.

  Cultivator Black Sand sat at the table with a pot of tea and a few cups in front of him. When I entered the room, he stood up and saluted me.

  “Welcome, Cultivator Flamewind,” he said. “While waiting for you to arrive, I took the liberty of ordering some tea for us. I hope you don’t mind.”

  Despite his polite words, I noticed a hint of sharpness in his tone.

  “Greetings, Cultivator Black Sand,” I said, returning his salute with one of my own, “And no, I don’t mind.”

  The two of us sat across from each other and poured ourselves a cup of tea each. I didn’t know what kind of tea it was, but it was some kind of spirit tea that smelled somewhat spicy. I took a sip, and a variety of flavors washed over my tongue. Rather than clash, they formed a harmonious whole which I found pleasant. It tasted even better than the tea from the Lotus House, the restaurant that Willow and I went to on our outing.

  “This is delicious!” I exclaimed.

  “I’m glad you like it, Cultivator Flamewind.” Cultivator Black Sand said. “It’s made from a flower called the Howling Desert Blossom, which can only be found in certain areas in the Howling Desert province. While it can be used to concoct pills and elixirs, it is mainly used to brew tea.”

  I took another sip of the tea and savored it.

  “I’ll have to buy some before I leave East Mesa City.” I said.

  Cultivator Black Sand nodded in acknowledgment. The two of us fell into silence as we drank our tea. I took this opportunity to study Cultivator Black Sand, though there wasn’t much to see. His black robes and black mask covered his entire body, which made it difficult to read him.

  He studied me in return. His gaze felt sharp. In fact, the word sharp suited Cultivator Black Sand. Not the sharpness of a sword or any kind of blade. Rather, his sharpness felt like it came from fang and claw. I wondered if he was some kind of spirit beast or beastkin.

  “Thank you for agreeing to meet with me, Cultivator Black Sand.” I said, breaking the silence. “Especially on such short notice.”

  Cultivator Black Sand took a moment before responding.

  “Not at all,” he said. “I’ve wanted to meet with you for some time, Cultivator Flamewind.” He said. “Or should I call you Cultivator Darian?”

  Ah, so he knew my true name. I wondered about that. The Dawn and Dusk Sect asked him to protect me, so I assumed, but I didn’t know how much he knew about me.

  “Either one is fine with me,” I said. “However, I am curious about why you wished to meet with me.”

  Cultivator Black Sand made a show of looking me up and down.

  “I wanted to see for myself why she favors you so much,” he said. “Now that we’ve met, I still don’t understand. You don’t seem all that special. You’re so young and weak.”

  I blink at him in surprise, caught off guard by his words.

  “Excuse me?” I asked.

  Cultivator Black Sand’s demeanor changed. He became more… languid? I wasn’t sure if that was the right word, but he was less stiff than before. Cultivator Black Sand put an elbow on the table and rested his chin on his palm.

  “Ugly too,” he said, “Now that I take a closer look.” He turned away from me and clicked his tongue with displeasure. “Tsk. Really, I don’t understand her. I’m better than you in every way, and yet you’re her favorite. It’s not fair.”

  I felt baffled. Was he… Was he pouting? That’s what it sounded like. His words were insulting. However, I didn’t detect any malice in his tone, oddly enough. Instead, he came across as a cat whose owner favored another cat.

  Wait a moment. Cat? A suspicion blossomed in my mind. What if…?

  “Cultivator Black Sand,” I said, deciding to test out my suspicion, “Forgive my rudeness, but are you a cat spirit beast or a beastkin descended from a cat spirit beast?”

  Cultivator Black Sand faced me once more.

  “At least you’re not completely stupid.” He said.

  He took off his mask and I glimpsed his face for the first time. He looked like a young man in his mid twenties. Like every native of the Howling Desert province, Cultivator Black Sand had brown skin and dark eyes, with short and curly dark hair. He had feline eyes, amber in color, and sharp predatory teeth. Despite my suspicions, it surprised me to see how similar Cultivator Black Sand looked to Big Sis Astra.

  “Are you related to Big Sis Astra?” I asked, blurting out the question before I could think about it.

  Cultivator Black Sand sneered at me.

  “Can’t you tell?” He asked. “Of course I am. Are you blind?” He clicked his tongue again. “Tsk. Nevermind. Maybe you are completely stupid.”

  “How?” I asked.

  Cultivator Black Sand raised an eyebrow at me.

  “We share the same father.” He said. “Like you, I’m her younger brother.”

  For some reason, this came as a big shock to me. I knew little about Big Sis Astra’s father, except for the fact that he was beastkin. She never talked about him, and I never asked. I always had the impression that she wasn’t close with her father. It never occurred to me that she would have siblings outside of our maternal family.

  Perhaps it shouldn’t have surprised me. I had kin outside of my maternal family, though I barely acknowledged them as such. Perhaps it was the same for Big Sis Astra. This train of thought led me to wonder if Big Sis Estelle and Big Sis Sidra also had siblings outside of our maternal family. A part of me wanted to ask, though I didn’t know if that was a good idea. Like Big Sister Astra, neither of them talked about their fathers.

  I pulled myself back to the present. I could worry about all that later. Right now, I had other things to deal with.

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  “Wait,” I said, “Does this mean that Big Sis Astra is the one who asked you to watch over me?”

  Cultivator Black Sand nodded, a disgruntled expression on his face.

  “Yes,” he said, “I was happy to hear from her after so long. Imagine my dismay when it turned out that she wanted me to babysit you.” He glowered at me. “I agreed, but only because I was afraid that she would never speak to me again if I declined.”

  By this point, Cultivator Black Sand stopped hiding his hostility. His aura pressed against me, though he kept it in check to avoid hurting me. Still, it was an unpleasant experience. It felt as if a giant feline was scraping its claws against my body, playing with me before it devoured me. If Cultivator Black Sand hadn’t held back, I suspected that his aura would have cut me.

  “Why do you dislike me so much?” I asked. “To the point that you’re willing to lower yourself by bullying a junior?”

  As an early Foundation Establishment cultivator, there wasn’t much I could do against Cultivator Black Sand, who was at mid Golden Core. At this point, I regretted meeting with him alone. Since he saved the disciples of the Dawn and Dusk Sect, I thought that it was safe to meet with him. I was wrong, it turned out. Still, at least he hadn’t harmed me.

  “I’m not bullying you,” Cultivator Black Sand said with a snort, “I’m just… Displaying my displeasure.” He tilted his head. “As for your question, well, isn’t it obvious? I… Envy you, and I hate that I envy you.”

  That surprised me. I suspected as much, though I hadn’t expected him to admit to it. When I asked him that question, I did so without expecting an answer.

  “You and I are both her younger brothers.” Cultivator Black Sand said, gesturing to the both of us. “However, you get to see her every day while I hear from her once every decade, and that’s if I’m lucky.” His expression grew bitter. “I heard about her betrothal from someone else.”

  While Big Sis Astra and I didn’t see each other everyday, it was true that we saw each other on a frequent basis. I would hate it if I could only hear from her once a decade. Despite his hostility towards me, I sympathized with Cultivator Black Sand. However, I kept that to myself. Given his attitude, and his cultivation base, he would take it as an insult.

  “Why are you telling me all this?” I asked. “I know I asked, but I thought you wouldn’t answer.”

  “To elicit pity.” Cultivator Black Sand answered.

  My jaw dropped. He smirked at my reaction.

  “While you are nothing more than a weak, stupid, and ugly little demon.” He said. “You have your uses.” He gestured to me. “If you pitied me, I thought that you would be more likely to help me strengthen my bond with Big Sis Astra.”

  It felt weird to hear someone else call Astra their big sis. She was my third oldest sibling, or second youngest depending on one’s perspective, so I was the only one in our maternal family who called her that.

  “Insulting someone is a terrible idea when you’re asking them for a favor.” I said, narrowing my eyes at him.

  “In most cases, yes.” Cultivator Black Sand said. “However, I helped you fight the Ancient Blood Sect. You owe me.”

  I snorted.

  “You helped me because Big Sis Astra asked you to.” I said.

  “Yes, but Big Sis Astra only asked me to protect you.” Cultivator Black Sand pointed out. “I could have let your fellow disciples die, but I didn’t.”

  I opened my mouth to respond, but then shut it. He had a point. The reason why I wanted to meet with him in the first place was to offer him a gift in gratitude for his aid. While I could have argued with him about this, I didn’t feel like trading words with him. It was easier just to go along with him.

  “What do you want me to do?” I asked. “I won’t agree to anything until you tell me.”

  “It’s nothing nefarious.” Cultivator Black Sand said. He pulled a scroll out of his storage ring. “I just want you to deliver this message to Big Sis Astra for me.”

  I gave him a skeptical look.

  “That’s it?” I asked.

  Cultivator Black Sand nodded with a sincere expression on his face.

  “Yes,” he said, “That’s it. You deliver that message for me, and I’ll consider the debt you owe me repaid.”

  “This isn’t a trap or something similar, is it?” I asked.

  I studied the scroll with my spirit sense but didn’t detect anything. However, that meant little. My spirit sense was strong when compared to other Foundation Establishment cultivators, since I practiced the Song of Dawn and Dusk mental refinement technique, but Cultivator Black Sand was at mid Golden Core. I’m sure he had plenty of ways to evade detection.

  “If it was, why would I tell you?” Cultivator Black Sand asked, looking at me as if I were an idiot. “If you suspect that I’m plotting something sinister, feel free to have someone examine this scroll. I don’t care, as long as you deliver it to Big Sis Astra in the end.”

  That wasn’t the worst idea. In fact, I could ask Big Sis Sidra to take a look at it. I planned on meeting with her anyway.

  “Very well.” I said, taking the scroll from him and putting it in my storage ring. “I will deliver this message to Big Sis Astra for you.”

  For the first time since he revealed his face, Cultivator Black Sand smiled. Not a smirk, but a genuine smile. It made him look younger and more boyish. I thought he looked adorable. A moment later, the smile disappeared and a scowl took its place.

  “With that, our business is concluded.” Cultivator Black Sand made a shooing gesture at me. “You can leave now, Cultivator Darian.”

  For a moment, I considered leaving right then and there. Now that he gave me another way to show my gratitude towards him, I didn’t have to give him the magic treasure that I prepared. I could keep it and use it myself when I reached the Golden Core realm. However, I paused and an idea blossomed in my mind.

  Perhaps it was a foolish idea. No. I knew it was a foolish idea. Still, it was worth a try. If nothing else, the attempt would show my sincerity.

  “Before I leave, Cultivator Black Sand,” I said, “I would like to give you a gift. That was why I wanted to meet with you in the first place. Consider it a token of my gratitude.”

  Cultivator Black Sand snorted.

  “You don’t need to give me anything.” He said, a hint of scorn in his voice. “I didn’t do it for you, after all. Keep your… Gift. I doubt you have anything that could catch my inter-…”

  He cut himself off when I pulled the magic treasure out of my storage ring. It was a ring. I didn’t know what kind of magic treasure it was, only that it had an affinity for Earth. It was a mystery to me otherwise.

  “Here.” I said, presenting the ring to him.

  Cultivator Black Sand stared at the ring, a hint of greed in his eyes. Given his reaction, this magic treasure must have been very valuable. Still, I didn’t regret offering it to him. I valued my life. More importantly, I valued the lives of my loved ones. Without Cultivator Black Sand’s intervention, I would have lost them.

  “Well,” Cultivator Black Sand said, “If you insist.”

  He reached for the ring, but paused just before he took it.

  “Are you sure about this?” He asked, giving me a wary look. “What if you end up regretting it? I don’t want to accept this, only for you to try and take it back from me at a later date.”

  I nodded.

  “I’m sure.” I said.

  Cultivator Black Sand narrowed his eyes at me.

  “Do you even know what this is?” He asked.

  “No.”

  Cultivator Black Sand scoffed.

  “No wonder you’re so willing to part with it.” He said. “If I’m correct, this ring contains a powerful Earth spirit. Its wearer can summon the Earth spirit to aid them, in battle and outside of it as well. There are countless ways to use this ring. It all depends on how creative you are.”

  My eyes widened when I heard this. This magic treasure was more powerful than I realized. In that case, why didn’t the Golden Core cultivator who I killed use it during the battle? It could have saved his life. Maybe he couldn’t for some reason.

  “Well?” Cultivator Black Sand said, a mocking smile on his face. “Do you still want to give it to me?”

  It was clear from his expression that he didn’t expect me to give it to him. In truth, I was tempted to keep it. This ring could save my life in the future. Being able to summon an Earth spirit was a powerful trump card. Keeping it was the practical and prudent choice. However, I stuck with my original decision.

  “Take it.” I said through gritted teeth.

  This surprised Cultivator Black Sand.

  “In that case, I won’t be polite.” He said, before grabbing the ring.

  My heart bled, but I refrained from saying anything.

  “That was foolish of you.” Cultivator Black Sand said as he put the Earth spirit ring in his storage ring. “Foolish, but earnest.” He gazed at me with an odd look on his face. “I’m beginning to see why Big Sis Astra favors you.” A scowl replaced the odd look. “That doesn’t mean I accept it. I will take your spot and become her favorite younger brother.”

  I nodded.

  “Now that our business is concluded,” I said, “I shall take my leave.” I paused before speaking the next words. “Big Brother Black Sand.”

  I felt a rush of wind as Big Brother Black Sand rushed over to me and grabbed me by the front of my robes, lifting me off my feet. He moved so fast that I barely could keep track of him.

  “What did you just call me?” Big Brother Black Sand asked.

  He stared at me, his pupils narrowed to thin slits. His aura pressed against, like a set of claws ready to tear me to shreds. Despite this, I maintained my composure.

  “You and I are related through Astra.” I said. “That makes us brothers once removed. Since you’re the older one, that makes you the big brother.”

  My logic was faulty. Big Brother Black Sand and I weren’t related to each other through blood. We were strangers to each other. However, Big Sis Astra was important to the both of us. That connection was the thread that tied us together.

  “I’ve never had a big brother before.” I said. “Especially one as handsome and strong as you. I rather like it.”

  Well, there was Lucius. However, he was my cousin and not my brother. He was also more beautiful than handsome, and he was only in Foundation Establishment, so I didn’t lie.

  Big Brother Black Sand stared at me for several long moments, before he retracted his aura and placed me back down on the floor.

  “You may leave now.” He said, turning away from me.

  I studied his face and noticed a hint of… Embarrassment? However, before I could confirm this, he put his mask back on and hid his face.

  “Go.” He said.

  “Farewell, Big Brother Black Sand.” I said.

  With that, I left the room. When I reached the first floor, I ordered some Howling Desert Blossom tea before I turned to leave the teahouse. However, just as I opened the door, I heard a faint voice in my head.

  ‘Farewell, little brother.’ Big Brother Black Sand said through telepathy, as if testing it out.

  I grinned, before I left the Desert Blossom Teahouse.

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  This chapter was edited by Radriel7