"Me? I'm the one that brought you here, stranger." The small woman said.
Chao flinched. "I apologize," he said, bowing to her. "May I know the name of my benefactor?"
"Good boy. My Name is Tang Lingyu" The small woman said. "Can I have your name?"
"My name is Chao." A peasant boy. Thank you for patching me up...
Tang Lingyu now had a sultry smile on her face. "From this point on, you are one of us now. You owe a blood debt to the Tang Clan, and as such, you will be taken in."
"W-Wait... But I have a goal I want to fulfill in this lifetime...and you wouldn't gain anything from me as a servant much less a slave!" Chao protested
"And what would this Noble Goal of yours be?" Tang Lingyu mockingly asked.
"To defeat a phantom and acquire its power for my own," Chao said, resolve, burning in his eyes.
Tang Lingyu was stunned into complete silence "You're crazy." She said with utter disbelief. "But you know what kid...?" asks, pulling up the sleeve of her robes, revealing her scarred arm, something of a flame in her own eyes.
"I'm there with you. You lend me your crappy skill, and I lend you my poison." The short woman said. "Here in the Tang family, we're known for three things. Our love for spicy food, our weapons, and our specialization: Our poison."
"Deal. I'll be in your debt." Chao said.
"Come with me," Lingyu said. "You, nor I will win this as we are now." She stated, leading him to a private room.
"O-Okay..." Chao stumbled as she dragged him along with unnatural strength, he began to think about where this small woman was getting all her strength from.
"Here." She basically threw him on the ground by the arm. "Wait here," Lingyu said as she left the room, closing the door behind her, Chao sat there, waiting, not knowing what to do.
"TMP TMP TMP TMP TMP...!" Chao hears rapid footsteps coming toward the room and he gets up slowly as Tang Lingyu comes in with an armful of books and manuals.
"These are basic cultivation manuals that my family has acquired over the years. Someone with your skill is valuable here." She said, placing the books at his feet.
"Sit down," Lingyu said, Chao immediately obeyed and sat down, crossing his legs.
"Good. Now breathe in and out." Tangyu instructed Chao, placing her hands on his back.
She began to transfer Qi through him. "You have a basic foundation. It's shoddy. But it is a foundation. If you attempted Dual CUltivation with someone, you surely wouldn't have survived.
Chao bristled, but he couldn't talk as he closed his eyes. He concentrated and he could sense his foundation, he felt what she meant and concentrated.
"This is it. The previous owner of this body didn't want to go down without a fight...In his memory, it won't be. Don't worry Kid...!" Chao thought to himself as he attempted to consolidate the core of his foundation, his thoughts focused on one thing: Growth, no matter the risk.
"Agh!" Chao coughed up something, black and red. He gripped the pant leg with his hand like a vice and continued consolidating.
"We can stop."
"No."
"You risk-"
"I've survived...Time and time again. I'll survive this too." Chao said, his voice getting low, the fire in his eyes blazing, he could feel the pull of another life, guiding him along, it wasn't Lingyu, it was the spirit of the original Chao, the kid, and he was smiling, on the outside, a light had begun to come from Chao's body, it was blinding, violent and nearby Tang family members were beginning to surround the room, before the glowing stopped. Chao's eyes opened.
A tall and imposing man, also wearing green and black, with a salt and pepper beard.
"I sensed something here!" The man yelled. Soon more people came in, surrounding Chao and Lingyu.
"Lingyu. What happened in here?" The man with the salt and pepper beard asked.
"Father. The injured boy we took in. I let him cultivate here. He broke through. He's an apprentice Martial Artist now."
"So he is..."The man said, his piercing eyes focusing on Chao. "Alright. After he consolidates his foundation, report to me. Lingyu's father said, taking note of the basic cultivation manuals. "I'll take my leave."
The man had left, along with what seemed to be the clan elders.
"Safe for now..." Tang Lingyu sighs, watching Chao cultivate.
A couple of hours later, Lingyu and Chao are at the door to her father's courtroom.
"This place is huge..." Chao observed Lingyu walking in front of him.
"This Daughter greets her Father!" Lingyu announced, two hands clasped outward and she kneeled.
Chao panicked and took the same approach, sweating bullets the entire time and looking down.
"Boy," The man said, authority in his voice. Chao squeaks in pure, unadulterated fear.
"S-Sir!" Chao said nervously, still keeping his head down.
"Tell me...Who are you?" He asked.
"Permission to speak!" Chao said, looking through his mind for reference of proper manners.
The Tang clan head seemed to amused by Chao's manners. "Speak"
Do you have a name, Lost Child? The larger man inquired
"My name is Chao." Chao exclaimed.
"I acknowledge you...Chao." The man said, tasting Chao's name on his tongue.