A Scolding.

Oz and Xiao knelt on the floor beside each other, their heads hung in shame as Quinn paced in front of them.

"So, you're telling me that you just miraculously seemed to skip to the first stage of impurity expulsion through using one body tempering tonic," Quinn's tone was annoyed as he spoke to Oz and then turned to look at Xiao. "And you, the son of one of the most wealthiest families in the world, want to live here in this shitty apartment with us."

"Well, I wouldn't call the apartment shitty." Xiao grumbled and looked up, but when he saw the heavy glare that Quinn was sending him, he quickly put his head back down. "Yes sir! That is correct, sir!"

Quinn sighed and slumped down on the armchair, seeming as if he had aged 10 years.

"You punks." Quinn groaned.

The room fell into silence and Oz and Xiao exchanged scared looks.

Oz felt horrible for lying to Quinn, but for some reason he knew deep down that not telling him was the right thing to do. He couldn't explain it, but he just knew that it was something he should keep to himself.

"I'm too tired to deal with this now you little shits." Quinn finally said and Oz let out a breath of relief. "Let's just get something to eat and head to bed. We can discuss this tomorrow."

"Many thanks, sir!" Xiao beamed and then lifted the bag beside him. "I even went out and brought back dinner!"

Quinn's face lit up at this and they all made their way to the table.

"Hey," Quinn said softly as he reached out and held Oz's arm. "I can still tell you're lying to me."

"That-" Oz began to panic but stopped when Quinn smiled.

"It's ok." He said and squeezed Oz's arm gently. "I know you would never lie to me if you didn't have a good reason. Just… be careful."

"Sure." Oz said almost in a daze. His stomach twisted at the love that shone in Quinn's eyes and he clenched his hands guiltily.

He would tell Quinn the truth soon, but only when he was sure it was safe to. If the demonic techniques were as rare as Seraphin said they were then it was better to keep this to himself for now.

They sat down at the table and began to dig into the assortment of fast food that Xiao had procured. It seemed that it was only then that Xiao noticed Oz's new appearance.

"What the-" Xiao almost choked on his food. "Are you wearing makeup?!"

"Shut up!" Oz scowled and flung his empty drink can at Xiao's head.

"Seriously though!" Xiao continued as he dodged the can. "What the hell happened to you? You look like one of those celebrities!"

"He reached the 1st rank of body tempering and got rid of his first set of impurities." Quinn answered for Oz with narrowed eyes.

"Eh?" Xiao blinked blankly as if he didn't understand what Quinn had just said. "But that was your first tonic bath! How did you-"

A thud echoed around the room as Oz kicked Xiao's leg under the table.

"What the hell! You almost broke my leg!" He shouted and Oz frowned a little. Perhaps he had put too much power behind that kick.

"I'm heading to bed." Oz said quickly and stood up. He didn't want to get into the whole body tempering discussion again, especially in front of his brother.

"Wait!" Xiao said as he limped after Oz leaving Quinn to tidy up.

Once in his bedroom, he slumped into bed and wrapped the blankets around himself.

"Hey! Don't cocoon yourself and explain what the hell happened? You reached the 1st rank of body tempering already? What the hell man!" Xiao sat down on the bed and began poking Oz.

"It just happened." Oz's voice was muffled by the blankets. Now that everything had settled down, the residual exhaustion from tempering his body hit him like a tone of bricks.

"Bullshit!" Xiao scowled and flipped Oz onto his back and made him face him. "I've never heard of something like that happening!"

"Well it did!" Oz shouted back. "When I say it just happened, it just happened! Shouldn't you be congratulating me instead?"

Xiao was once again speechless and they stared at each other again in silence for a moment before Xiao sighed.

"Of course I'm happy for you," Xiao said quietly and then leant back away from Oz. "I'm just worried."

"Worried?"

"Growing up in the Wu family, I've been exposed to a lot more of the cultivating community than you have." Xiao began to explain. "Whilst your body tempering speed is incredible, a lot of cultivators won't see it that way. Especially at the academy."

Oz pondered Xiao's words for a moment, realisation dawning on him.

"They will all want to know how you did it, using anything in their means to get the knowledge from you. I've seen a lot of desperate people do a lot of awful things to get what they want, Oz. I'm just trying to warn you."

"I get it." Oz said after a moment and turned to tuck himself back into bed again. "I'll find a way to keep it a secret, don't worry."

"But, you know, if you want to tell your big brother Xiao how you did it then I am more then willing-" Oz cut Xiao off with a swift kick to his back, sending him falling from the bed.

"There's a spare pillow and blanket in the wardrobe. Go to sleep." Oz ordered.

"Stingy bastard." Xiao grumbled and began to make his bed on the floor.

As heaviness weighed on Oz's mind, he couldn't help but worry over Xiao's words.

It seemed he made a good decision in keeping his demonic technique a secret.

At least until he got stronger.