Past 5

In a room filled with energy, a young man was sitting cross-legged as he was immersing himself in the surrounding energy, the young man is actually a boy who looked about 14 years of age, this boy is none other than the only heir of the Xue family Xue Mo.

Today was his first time cultivating, and from the looks of it, his talent is so high as the energy he is absorbing is purer than geniuses with unique body constitutions.

This day will be his first day on the path to becoming a cultivator.

It has been four years since the day Xue Mo was summoned into his father's Patriarch of the Xue family's study. And ever since that day, people in the mansion had been feeling a gloomy and dark atmosphere surrounding the timid and introverted young man, making even the maids who raised him distance themselves from him more than usual.

Even his stepmother had been cautious about bullying him nowadays. Still, unknown to them all, is that the young master Xue Mo wasn't angry or depressed or anything of the sorts, but it's that he learned of some news that should make anyone mad in his place, so he as usual utilized his acting skills to make himself look sad and depressed.

Backtrack four years ago

"Son, for some reason that concerns your safety, I cannot tell you why I have been avoiding you all this time. Neither can I provide you with any of the warmth a father should give. But I want you to know that I love you, even if you hate me or despise me, I want you to know that I will always love you and I will also never have any other child than you, all my wealth and all the resources of the Xue family will be yours in the future. I know that this doesn't make up for anything, and I understand if you don't care about me, but I at least wanted to let you know this before my time runs out." That's what Xue Mo heard after his father let go of him after hugging him for a few minutes. Still, even so, Xue Mo kept his act and showed an understanding expression while inwardly thinking. 'Although you are my father and I respect and thank you for giving me birth, I am sorry, but I cannot accept this apology even if I understood it after all as I for some reason can't feel anything.'

Although Xue Mo was a child, his intelligence was way above adults, and that's how he was able to cope and adapt with his situation and learn to act to keep himself safe, so even if he understood what his father meant and that he did this for his own good he cannot just come and say 'father I understand' as he doesn't even know what these emotions that he was currently experiencing are.

All he knew in his life was to act, imitate expressions. The only feelings he knows were anger, fright, and frustration, so he cannot just come in terms with some new emotions he was experiencing for the first time.

"Also, this is a warning, so please take it seriously. Keep your guard up all the time, and most importantly, don't trust anyone from the other elders, for all they care about is the Patriarch Position, and they will do anything to get it. When my time comes, please make sure you and your stepmother are safe. You two are the only ones I care about in this place, and I know that you aren't that close to your stepmother either, but she is a good and compassionate person inside; once you spend time with her, you will know how good she is." The Patriarch didn't give Xue Mo time to think about his previous words before bombarding him with more information, which he stored in his memory as he focused on the last things his father said.

When Xue Mo heard how his father talked about that evil witch who had been slowly trying to break him down mentally and talked sh*t about his mother, Xue Mo almost broke his act and started yelling, as his anger was slowly rising.

'He called her good. He called her compassionate. If that woman was good and kind, then what is evil and what is sinister.' Xue Mo's anger kept rising as he remembered all the times the woman tortured him and how powerless he was against her, even the way she tortured him was inhumane, and it was her and the servants in the Xue household is what made Xue Mo start hating humans.

As someone smart, Xue Mo thought he would be able to find incriminating evidence easily. Still, that vicious woman was so meticulous that even when she started torturing him physically discreetly, she made sure to heal him with pills to cover up her tracks.

Xue Mo was able to contain his anger and stop any weird expressions from appearing on his face. After his father finished his words, Xue Mo found no reason to stay there any further as this is just hurting him more, so Xue Mo excused himself out and his father seeing that he doesn't want to stay any longer permitted him to leave.

"Oh, right, I forgot to tell you as per tradition in four years you will start cultivating." His father called out after Xue Mo neared the door.

Hearing what his father said, Xue Mo became excited. 'Cultivation.' He clenched his fists as he dreamed of the day he can finally cultivate.

In the Xue family, there is a tradition that was passed down, making the descendants only cultivate when they reach the age of 14. It had been this way for a very long time that this tradition stuck, and everyone in the mainline of the Xue family followed this example with no exceptions to this rule.

After leaving Xue Mo put on the act of being sad and depressed, making people think that the Patriarch is dissatisfied with him and so they avoided him even more like the plague.

Present-day Xue Family

After finishing his daily cultivation session, the young master of the Xue family, Xue Mo, got up and left the room, not forgetting to put the frowning and sad expression on his face.

When he left the room, Xue Mo was met with the view of people panicking and running around everywhere. Confused Xue Mo, although he acts timid and sad, still is the young master of the family, his status is higher than these lowly servants, so when he stopped one of them to inquire, they didn't dare neglect him and gave him what he needed.

'So my father died and made me the heir. This will complicate things.' From what he learned just now, Xue Mo was able to calmly analyze the situation and what events might occur due to his father making him the Patriarch.

Xue Mo didn't have many sentiments towards his father, so other than a feeling a little pain in his heart Xue Mo was entirely unfazed to know that his father died, but he didn't fail to continue his act and even take it a notch higher.

Feigning shock, disbelief, and more sadness than usual Xue Mo was able to recreate these fake expressions on his face after all these years, and with his level of acting, he made the surrounding people feel as if he really went through these myriads of feelings letting them feel pity for him.

Now more so than ever, since he is now the new Patriarch of the Xue family. For every word of his is from now on the highest authority. So these servants decided to try and suck up to him now in his seemingly vulnerable and exploitable state.

"Young Master, are you alright? I know that you feel sad and depressed about the Patriarch's death. Still, as the new acting patriarch, you have to be strong and shoulder the same responsibilities your father has, but I know that since you are still young, you might need someone to help you with this, especially now that you still need to get over this." A well-endowed young maid came near Xue Mo and talked to him with eyes full of pity and a concerned expression on her face.

If anyone heard what she said, they would think there is nothing wrong at all with her words. Still, if a smart person heard her, they would understand the underlying meaning of her approaching Xue Mo in his current confused and weak state of mind. Xue Mo was undoubtedly smart as he was acting on these emotions. He knew what she wanted and what she meant by approaching, but instead of answering her, he looked lost with a dazed look; that way, he will have an excuse to get rid of her without getting anyone suspicious about him.

Seeing no reaction from Xue Mo, the maid was about to talk more to him so she could use this chance, but before she could say more, a voice interrupted her: "My son, are you okay? Mother is here. You can tell him anything." The voice came from the matriarch of the Xue family, the stepmother of Xue Mo, who has been the reason for his twisted and emotionless personality.

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Xue Mo and Lu Yao's current new shortened stats

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Infinite Darkness

Name: Xue Mo

Points 1690 SSP energy points

Cultivation:

Energy:

Realm: [Foundation Opening, early Phase, level 1]

Technique: Ultimate Fundamental Racial Technique

Soul:

Realm: [Rank 1, level 3, (Soul Understanding)]

Technique: Boundless Soul Control

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Infinite darkness

Name: Lu Yao

Points 4000 points Chaos energy (New)

Cultivation:

Energy:

Realm: [Qi (Arch) Foundation Opening, early phase, level 1]

Technique: Nephilim Void Sacred Sense

Soul:

Realm: [Rank 1, level 3, (Soul Understanding)

Technique: Boundless Soul Control

Body:

Realm: [Body tempering first stage] (No ranks or other things it can Infinitely be upgraded. no limit. Only Technique's grade is the only limit)]

Technique: Real Body Cultivation Technique

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