Uncle Huang woke up in the morning in an unfamiliar room. He discovered that the scars he'd received since his youth, which had often caused him considerable problems and hindered his cultivation, had visibly healed. His internal injuries had also greatly improved. Without doubt, this was the power of the elixir that Grandmaster Bai had given him last night.
It was a truly powerful elixir!
He wanted to share it with the head master Tang Tianjie, but he knew well that this elixir was given by Bai Fanxian to him personally. Taking it to give to someone else would be extremely inappropriate.
Outside was still dark. For a professional butler like him, waking up in the early morning to check everything and prepare for the master's new day had become a daily routine.
Uncle Huang walked around inspecting the house once. Though unfamiliar, and with only him alone—unlike the Tang Clan house where the caretakers would all wake up early to work.
While walking, Uncle Huang didn't expect to encounter the house's mistress, Grandmaster Bai Fanxian herself.
She was stretched out lazily on a beach chair placed on the deck, taking in the cool sea breeze and the sun that was about to rise.
Bai Fanxian was contemplating many things in her head—her identity having crossed through time to another era, the cause of it, including the strange power within her after she woke in this age.
What should she do next?
Because now she had no Alchemy Palace to manage. No enemies to fight. No goals whatsoever.
Even though she felt this world was interesting.
Everything felt rather empty in her heart for a while.
"...You wake early."
Though Bai Fanxian didn't look, she naturally sensed Uncle Huang's presence walking in from inside the house. In his hands he held a tea set freshly brewed with steam still rising from it.
He served tea to Bai Fanxian respectfully while standing behind her to converse.
"It's Grandmaster Bai who woke early."
"Your scars should need a bit more time..."
The young woman glanced toward the old man's chest area. Though he wore several layers of clothing, what could escape her Heaven Sense at this distance?
She'd known from the start that Uncle Huang had a chronic wound. She'd just been too lazy to pay attention before.
"It's thanks to your mercy." Huang Zihan smiled and bowed gratefully. This wound had caused him problems for far too long.
"Mm..."
Bai Fanxian merely responded quietly as usual. She sipped tea and savored this peaceful moment for a while.
"...Huang Zihan, what should I do next?" Bai Fanxian opened her eyes and asked softly. Uncle Huang didn't expect to hear such a question from the lips of such a great being.
"What do you mean?"
"Mm... I suppose I'm just bored?"
Uncle Huang raised his eyebrows in surprise. His mind began spinning quickly. Responding to the master's needs was what a first-class butler like him must accomplish.
The old man pieced together Bai Fanxian's story in his head. Thinking about how she was someone who'd sacrificed her youth entirely to cultivation, he voiced a suggestion.
"Would Grandmaster Bai like to find a hobby?"
"A hobby?"
Bai Fanxian, who'd been lying down, turned to look with interest.
"Things like reading books, traveling, playing games, or gardening and growing plants." Uncle Huang tried to think of hobbies young people liked. But due to the age difference, he didn't really know what hobbies current young people had.
Because the young person in his household was obsessed with alchemy since childhood, while the other was seriously ill and bedridden. Uncle Huang didn't have many examples to see in this matter.
"Reading this era's books might not be a bad idea..."
Bai Fanxian murmured. Naturally Uncle Huang heard. He took out his phone to contact his network immediately without needing his lady to order.
"Does Grandmaster Bai particularly like any type of book?"
Before ordering, Huang Zihan turned to ask Bai Fanxian's preferences.
"General matters of this era..." Bai Fanxian thought briefly then answered. Yes, what she lacked most was basic knowledge of this age. She didn't even know where she was, what the situation was, the governance of this land, laws, culture, and many other things.
"I'll order books of every type to be comprehensive first then." Uncle Huang turned to order via phone. Naturally that wasn't all. He also called to have craftsmen come modify one room in the house to become a study.
He truly deserved to be a first-class butler. He could manage everything flawlessly.
And in just half a day, everything was delivered to Bai Fanxian's house. The two little girls watched the delivery workers carrying books into the study that had just been completed not long ago with confusion.
The room converted into a study was originally in a corner of the house and extremely spacious. Even containing many bookshelves didn't make it feel cramped at all. The room also had a large work desk and cushions for sitting and lying scattered throughout.
It could be called a small library.
Hui'er had never attended school. Neither had Tang Yeye. But would someone like Uncle Huang make mistakes with such matters? He'd prepared a corner for children's books with both fairy tales and picture books, including books teaching reading and writing.
Bai Fanxian naturally agreed. That meant these two little girls had to dedicate part of their day to studying here.
Tang Yeye and Hui'er, after sleeping together last night, had become even closer. Little Yeye would follow Hui'er around like a chick. Whatever Hui'er did, she'd join in doing everything with her big sister. Even when Hui'er went to help Uncle Huang clean the house, Yeye didn't complain at all and even helped clean with enjoyment.
Bai Fanxian, walking around the house, watched the two little girls diligently helping sweep the courtyard with a faint smile. After the study was completely installed, she went in to find something to read.
Perhaps starting with history books might not be bad.
She wanted to know about cultivators' circumstances in that era, including the reason why this age's cultivation power had weakened so much.
Not long after, Uncle Huang, who followed in to serve tea, was shocked by the study's condition. Because the books had been pulled out until scattered everywhere and placed so messily the room was in chaos. Bai Fanxian, the culprit, was currently sitting cross-legged on a cushion in one corner of the room with her brows knitted.
"Grandmaster Bai, what happened?"
Uncle Huang asked after serving hot tea.
"Huang Zihan, why are there no records about cultivators in these history books?"
Bai Fanxian asked without turning to look. Uncle Huang, knowing the reason, quickly explained.
"The existence of cultivators isn't disclosed to the public to that extent, Grandmaster Bai." After taking a breath, he continued:
"The oldest records that have cultivator matters documented are probably about five thousand years old."
"...And before that?"
"There probably were some but they were all destroyed." Uncle Huang explained patiently.
"We cultivators are just a small group of people in the world. Most people from birth to death never even hear about cultivation matters..."
"Is that so..."
Bai Fanxian set down the book in her hands thoughtfully.
"But in this city there are so many cultivators, aren't there?"
Uncle Huang laughed softly. "That's because they gathered due to the duel between Eastern King Ma Fufeng and Sword Saint Zheng Renyi at the mountain beside this city."
"What's interesting about Grandmasters' duels?"
Bai Fanxian shook her head lightly and waved her hand. The messy books in the room flew up into the air and returned precisely to their original places.
Uncle Huang gasped once. Controlling qi like limbs with such precision could certainly open his eyes.
"Well, they're the supreme beings of the martial world. It's not strange for cultivators to be interested." Uncle Huang followed Bai Fanxian closely. She moved to another corner, this time an area with books about law and governance, including each country's culture.
"Supreme beings?..."
Bai Fanxian asked with curiosity.
"Is there anyone stronger than Grandmaster level?"
Uncle Huang swallowed at her question. But he still thought seriously to give this lady an answer.
"In this country I'm not sure. But I've heard Western countries have arts called magic or dark magic."
"...Interesting."
Bai Fanxian murmured. She changed from the law and culture book in her hands to a world geography book. Legends about dark magic, spells, or curses were things she'd read about in some history books as well.
.
.
.
Time passed until afternoon. Uncle Huang was preparing new tea in the kitchen. Since Grandmaster Bai entered the study, several hours had passed but she still hadn't come out. That meant his decision to order books this time was correct.
And while about to call to report Grandmaster Bai's interests to Tang Tianjie, that side called him first.
"Huang Zihan, how is Grandmaster Bai doing?"
Tang Tianjie on the other end asked.
"She likes this house very much. Right now she's reading books in the study."
"That's the book list you ordered this morning, right?"
"Yes. It seems she's quite satisfied."
"That's good, that's good. There's one more thing."
"Yes?"
"Just now the military brought gifts to apologize for yesterday's matter to the Tang Clan house." The voice from the other end sounded a bit excited.
"Some precious Tier 4 materials."
"And they're heading there too. You'd better prepare."
Before finishing the words, Uncle Huang heard several cars driving in and parking in front of the house. Not long after, the doorbell rang, causing the children playing in that area to go look with curiosity.
"Who are you?"
Hui'er asked a man in uniform. He was the only one who got out of the car. When he saw two small children standing on the other side of the gate with innocent faces, he couldn't help but squat down to talk with affection.
"Is this Grandmaster Bai Fanxian's house?"
Hui'er and Tang Yeye looked at the man who bent down with distrust. He appeared to be a thin-bodied man who looked extremely sickly. But his smile was warm and seemed kind.
"Yes, this is my lady's house." Tang Yeye nodded with curiosity. At that moment Uncle Huang appeared behind the two children. Seeing who the newcomer was, he bowed respectfully with humility and surprise.
He didn't expect this man would come here himself.
"Then please tell Grandmaster Bai for me."
"That today Black Hawk has come to show sincerity and apologize to Grandmaster Bai Fanxian."
The supreme commander of the Black Hawk special forces, General Liu Yianfei!