Chapter Six: Speak of the Devil

Hearing her father-in-law mention arranging personal maids for her son, the voracious mother, recalling the customs of noble families, could only nod her consent.

Back in their quarters, the mother turned to her son and said, “Chubby, from today onward, you must focus diligently and quietly on your cultivation. No distractions, do you understand?” The boy blushed and nodded.

The next morning, four young maids had already arrived in his living quarters. When he was gently awakened, he was nearly startled out of his wits. Before his eyes stood four girls of breathtaking beauty, barely older than himself, each holding his clothes at his bedside.

Seeing his eyes open, the girl who had woken him gave a sweet smile. “Young Master, it’s time for your cultivation. You should get up now.”

Coming to his senses, he guessed their identities, but still asked, “Who are you?”

The girl at his bedside smiled again and replied, “We are your maids, Young Master. From now on, the four of us will be taking care of you.”

She paused, then continued with a smile, “My name is Shadow Sword. You may call me Jian’er.”

“My name is Shadow Venom. Please call me Du’er, Young Master. I rather like that name,” the second girl said, sweetly smiling as well.

“I am Shadow Plum. You may call me Mei’er, just as the elders do,” the third introduced herself.

“My name is Shadow Heart,” said the last.

The four girls, equally lovely and pure, left the boy in a daze. What struck him as most peculiar was Shadow Heart, who seemed about his age. Whenever he looked at her, the force within him—the Furious Dragon Qi—would inexplicably stir, though he could not understand why.

At that moment, Shadow Sword laughed and helped him out of bed. “Young Master, no lazing about! Madam said if you didn’t get up, we’re to drag you out.”

He hurriedly got up, and with the four maids’ assistance, dressed. He felt awkward at first; it had been years since anyone had dressed him, not since his family moved to that small town, where he had grown used to doing everything himself.

Whenever he tried to dress himself, the four maids gently but firmly insisted on helping, leaving him no choice but to acquiesce.

Afterward, they accompanied him to the cultivation room. Only then did he learn that each maid practiced one of the family’s secret arts.

At breakfast, his father looked at the four maids standing behind his son and asked with a smile, “Son, how did you sleep? Are you getting used to things?”

Blushing, the boy smiled shyly. Having been away from noble life for so long, having beautiful girls dress him made him feel bashful and uneasy.

His father understood and laughed kindly. “You’ll get used to it in a few days. But Shadow Sword, you all must keep an eye on him—he’s terribly lazy. If he won’t listen, just come to me or his mother.”

The girls giggled sweetly.

Nearly two months passed, and the boy gradually adapted to this new routine: martial training in the morning, and in the afternoons, lessons with various tutors arranged by the family. He was to learn a wide array of subjects; his grandfather insisted that the most important trait for a good family head was broad knowledge, not necessarily expertise—just enough to understand, and then defer to specialists.

One morning, as he awoke, he noticed the four maids exchanging peculiar smiles. Curious, he asked, “What’s with you all? Why are you smiling like that?”

They burst into laughter before Shadow Venom, the most mischievous and outspoken, said, “Young Master, we heard that your fiancée arrived a few hours ago. Apparently, she said she’s going to give you a good lesson.”

Puzzled, he asked, “A lesson? Why? I haven’t done anything to her.”

At this, the girls laughed again. After a moment, Shadow Sword spoke. “Young Master, they say your fiancée is incredibly accomplished. You haven’t even started training in the family martial arts yet. If she challenges you to a duel, don’t agree! The family records say she’s already at level three.”

He gasped. Level three was the universal standard for martial strength across human society: there were Warriors and Champions, each with nine levels. A ninth-level Warrior was already considered a top expert, but to become a Champion—a distinction akin to the ancient division between innate and acquired strength—one needed to reach the innate realm. Even with his family’s Furious Dragon Technique, one had to reach the fifth layer to become a Champion. He hadn’t even mastered the fourth.

He hurriedly asked, “How can she already be a level three Champion? How did she achieve that?”

Shadow Venom shrugged. “We don’t know, but her strength is widely acknowledged. Such an important fact can’t be false.”

Shadow Sword spoke, her voice tinged with worry. “But Young Master, all the records say your fiancée has quite a temper. When you meet her, do not anger her.”

Shadow Venom nodded repeatedly. “Exactly. A wise man knows when to yield. If she wants to hit you, just run. If she scolds you, pretend you didn’t hear.”

After two months together, the four girls had grown familiar with the boy and his temperament. When alone, the five of them spoke freely and without formality. The boy retorted, “Listen to yourselves! If she tries to hit me, the four of you should help me teach her a lesson!”

Shadow Venom gave him an odd look. “That won’t do, Young Master. She’ll be our mistress in the future. If she bears a grudge, we’ll be in trouble. We’re not getting involved.”

Irritated, the boy protested, “So if she attacks me, you’ll just stand by and do nothing? You’ll let me be beaten?”

Shadow Heart, usually the quietest, suddenly spoke up. “Even if we wanted to help, we couldn’t. She’s a level three Champion. The four of us together couldn’t defeat her, and rumor has it she wields a divine weapon.”

The boy was taken aback. It was true—if she really was a level three Champion, four eighth-level Warrior maids would be no match.

Trouble, as always, came when least expected. During breakfast, his mother suddenly smiled and said, “Son, your fiancée has arrived. You have the morning off—go greet her, and make a good impression. Be at your best.”

A new book is underway. Because I’m working on two at once, updates may be a bit slow for now. Please be understanding, and add it to your favorites!