Jinan was bright and festive, despite the waves of drunkards littering the back alleys. Tian Han led the way as if he knew these streets like the back of his hand. That wasn't surprising, given that the Tyrant Emperor had grown up in the nation's luxurious center.
The woman behind the hotel counter didn't say a word when they entered. With the cold looks on their faces, no woman would have wanted to speak with them at all. They dragged every single citizen on the path into their personal tension.
Fu Ran stole repeated glances at Tian Han, mentally pleading: Don't turn around. Don't look. He struggled up the stairs, biting back any sound of discomfort. But Tian Han would pause at even the slightest whimper. Thankfully, he never turned around.
How could he afford to be seen so weak in his current condition?
Even before unlocking the door, Fu Ran did his best to paste a smile back onto his face. The children didn't deserve his scorn, after all. They could remain blissfully unaware of the matters between adults.
The door swung open effortlessly, and he was met with happy cries of, "Welcome back!" Or rather… it was entirely from Lin An.
One, two, three, four. Good—all disciples present.
Fu Ran did a double take. Four?
Lin An swayed back and forth in front of the door. Meng Xiao barely paid attention from the balcony. Wan Yu was still unconscious on the bed. And… a girl in teal robes sat on the second bed. Her hair was undone, half-brushed. She still wore the dark black and red robes that she had been given, though they now mostly acted as a blanket for her lap.
She had been watching him from the moment he stepped inside.
"I forgot about that…" Fu Ran muttered.
"Shizun, Shizun!" Lin An clapped her hands together. "Why didn't you tell us there was a new girl joining us?"
"Who said there was a new girl joining you?" Fu Ran crossed his arms and cocked his head to the side—only to wince, forgetting about his injuries.
"Su… Biyu… said so." Lin An glanced nervously between the girl on her bed and Fu Ran.
Meng Xiao stomped his foot from the doorway. "See? I told you! She's probably just a nobody. She don't even look like she can fight."
Fantastic. Fu Ran sighed internally. I didn't even want three disciples, let alone a fourth. But given the current circumstances of the An Xian Yun Peak, most Peak Masters would likely expect him to agree.
"I'm sorry, but there's actually quite a lot you have to go through to—"
"Aren't there special circumstances right now?" Su Biyu interrupted him.
Meng Xiao and Lin An averted their eyes. Even they seemed uncomfortable with anything that could potentially tie back to the Bloody Entrance Exam. Yes, there were indeed special circumstances, but how had that information spread so quickly?
"How do you know about that?" Fu Ran asked.
"It's a rumor going around the city…" Su Biyu didn't meet his eyes, a classic sign of someone not revealing the whole truth. If she wanted to join a cultivation sect under him, this certainly wasn't the way to do it.
Fu Ran huffed. "Then let's consider this a little longer. For now, sleep here for the night—or, uh… morning."
The sunrise was fully visible outside now. Luckily, their walk back to the inn had been shrouded in nighttime, but by the time they had fully settled in, the sun had started peeking through the clouds. Daytime was the safest time to wander around The Faceless City, but he wasn't quite ready to go back outside again.
"I…" Fu Ran was exhausted, and truthfully, he just wanted to sleep. One single step was all he could manage before his ankle gave out.
The room filled with shocked gasps, and even Tian Han lunged to catch him.
"Shizun!" Tian Han seemed to panic. "Shizun, what's wrong?"
Gods, your voice doesn't help! Fu Ran's palm clung to his forehead. "...'m...ine." He could barely speak, so he most certainly wasn't fine.
Then, suddenly, Tian Han had touched the underside of his arm in inspection. Fu Ran barely managed a strangled gasp, as his arm was flipped over.
Ugly bruises marred his pale, ghastly skin, spiraling like a tattoo along the curves of his veins.
"What happened…?" Tian Han's voice was filled with disbelief, like he was the one who had suffered great injury. His hand trembled as his thumb ghosted over the markings.
It still hurt. It didn't matter how light the touch was, it was too sensitive.
Tian Han hesitated. "This injury is severe."
Through gritted teeth, Fu Ran hissed, "I can't feel my spiritual energy on that side of my body." He forced the answer out as calmly as he could and tried to yank his arm away. Unexpectedly, Tian Han allowed it.
"Then do we need to return to An Xian Yun Peak?"
"No," Fu Ran said immediately. "The mission time was extended because of Wan Yu's disappearance, but now we can properly get back to it—"
Tian Han shook his head. The Tyrant Emperor had such a hard time taking no for an answer. And after what he'd just done, did he even have the right?
He must have believed so, because he was adamant.
"If this does not get healing, you could face a permanent disability."
Once again, Tian Han invaded his space, looming inches from his face. His voice was low, almost a whisper, but it lacked any softness.
Fu Ran could feel him hovering close, expecting no resistance at all.
Tian Han plucked up his hand again.
"Don't—" Fu Ran hissed. Why did he feel entitled to grab him whenever he wished?
Fu Ran did not think himself so helpless that he couldn't even make his own decisions. The Tyrant Emperor was crossing lines he didn't even know existed.
And yet he just wouldn't shut up: "We can pack up everything right now."
"Unhand me!"
A sharp slap cracked through the air, louder than it should have been in the small room. Silence fell like a weight.
Not a single disciple moved. Their fear was warranted, because Fu Ran never raised his voice. Not like this.
His breath came in ragged gasps, and his chest rose and fell with barely restrained panic. Fingers dug into the edge of the bed as he forced himself upright. He refused to look at Tian Han.
"I am going to bed," he said, voice hoarse. "Leave me be. Take the kids and continue the investigation."
It was a selfish demand. He knew that. And yet, the words tumbled out anyway.
Tian Han stood there, still as stone, unreadable except for the flicker of something in his eyes. Hurt? Disbelief? It didn't matter.
After a long pause, he exhaled sharply. "Fine."
Then, more curtly, "Get your bags. Even you, get ready." He leveled a look at Su Biyu.
"We're going back to Bei Zangli."
Guilt only settled in Fu Ran's chest once the room had fallen completely silent.
It was only him and Wan Yu left.
He had long since collapsed onto the second bed and rolled over so he wouldn't have to look at the rest of the room. The heavens were trying his patience, making him feel even the slightest regret over the Tyrant Emperor.
His lips quivered, and he buried his face into the pillow.
I am an utterly terrible Shizun. And at this point, not even a Peak Master anymore.