Chapter 2: The Arrogant Young Master

The morning sun cast a soft golden glow through the wooden windows, illuminating the grand yet somewhat neglected room Xiao Lan called his own. Ornate furniture lined the space—mahogany cabinets, silk-draped chairs, and priceless paintings on the walls—yet despite the wealth, the air felt cold and empty.

Outside, the sounds of the Xiao Clan's bustling estate reached his ears—servants murmuring, disciples training, the faint clang of weapons clashing in distant courtyards.

Xiao Lan sat cross-legged on his bed, his expression unreadable as he processed his situation once more. The original owner of this body had spent fifteen years as an arrogant fool, relying solely on his family name while making countless enemies.

And now? He was considered a joke among the younger generation.

A weakling, the disgrace of the Xiao Clan.

Xiao Lan scoffed. "What a waste of potential."

His body was still sore, his ribs ached from the previous day's beating, and his limbs were far weaker than what he was used to in his past life. But that didn't matter. He had decided. He would change.

A knock on the door pulled him from his thoughts.

"Young Master?" It was Uncle Fu. "Your meal has been prepared. Shall I bring it in?"

Xiao Lan exhaled slowly. "No need."

Ignoring the pain, he pushed himself up and walked toward the door, opening it himself. Uncle Fu looked up at him in surprise—the Young Master had never come to the door himself before.

"Young Master, are you certain you should be walking?" Uncle Fu asked hesitantly.

"I won't stay weak forever." Xiao Lan's voice was firm. "Show me the way."

Uncle Fu bowed slightly, his expression unreadable. "As you wish, Young Master."

As Xiao Lan stepped out of his quarters and into the main courtyard, a ripple went through the estate.

Servants paused in their work.

Guards exchanged uncertain glances.

Disciples of the Xiao Clan—especially the younger ones—whispered amongst themselves, stealing curious, wary, and mocking glances at him.

"Is that really Xiao Lan?" someone muttered.

"He should still be bedridden after the beating he took yesterday…"

"I heard he was unconscious all night. How is he walking already?"

"Heh, probably just forcing himself to act tough."

Xiao Lan's gaze swept across them, his expression calm, unreadable. In the past, he would have shouted at them, demanded respect, maybe even thrown a tantrum.

But not anymore.

His silence was unnerving.

The servants who had once ignored him now felt a strange pressure from his mere presence. His once arrogant and childish aura was now replaced by something sharper, colder, more refined.

Xiao Lan didn't acknowledge the whispers. He simply walked forward, step by step, his presence alone changing the atmosphere of the courtyard.

The dining hall was massive—a grand chamber filled with long tables where members of the Xiao Clan dined together. The strongest cultivators sat at the head, while the younger disciples and less talented family members sat further back.

As Xiao Lan stepped inside, the entire room went silent.

Dozens of pairs of eyes turned to him.

Xiao Bai, his older brother, sat at the front of the hall, surrounded by their cousins and talented disciples. His expression darkened as he noticed Xiao Lan's arrival.

"Oh? You still have the face to show up here?" Xiao Bai's voice was mocking, his sharp features twisted into a smirk.

The hall rippled with quiet laughter.

Xiao Lan met his older brother's gaze calmly.

In his past life, he had dealt with countless people like this—bullies who thought power alone made them superior. Xiao Bai was stronger, yes, but Xiao Lan had experience. He had faced men far crueler than this arrogant noble heir.

Instead of getting angry or backing down, Xiao Lan walked straight to his usual seat—right in the middle of the room, where the weaker members of the clan sat.

He sat down, his movements controlled, measured.

Not a single word left his lips.

And that silence unnerved them.

The Xiao Clan's younger generation had been expecting a show.

They thought Xiao Lan would either storm out in humiliation or throw a childish tantrum.

Instead, he did neither.

He simply ate his meal in silence.

A thin layer of tension spread through the hall. Whispers flitted through the air, and a few disciples exchanged nervous glances.

"Why isn't he reacting?"

"This isn't like him…"

"Did something change?"

Even Xiao Bai, who had been looking forward to humiliating his younger brother, found himself irritated by the lack of response.

With a sneer, he stood up and walked toward Xiao Lan's table.

The dining hall grew quieter.

Everyone watched as Xiao Bai loomed over Xiao Lan's seat, his arms crossed over his chest. He was taller, stronger, and at Silver Rank, already a rising star within the clan.

Xiao Bai's eyes gleamed with amusement. "What's wrong, little brother? Not going to beg for help? Or cry about how unfair life is?"

Xiao Lan lifted his gaze to meet his brother's.

His expression remained unreadable.

Xiao Bai frowned slightly. Where was the usual fear? The arrogance masking insecurity?

"You've been quiet since you walked in," Xiao Bai mused, his tone still mocking. "Did the beating knock the stupidity out of you?"

A few chuckles rang out from the nearby disciples.

Still, Xiao Lan said nothing.

Xiao Bai clicked his tongue. "Hmph. Fine. Maybe you finally realized your place." He turned around, addressing the hall. "Remember, everyone, some people are born to lead, and others—" He glanced at Xiao Lan with disdain. "—are born to be stepped on."

More laughter erupted from the crowd.

Xiao Bai smirked in satisfaction—until he heard Xiao Lan chuckle.

It was quiet, controlled, yet dripping with amusement.

The laughter in the hall halted immediately.

Xiao Bai narrowed his eyes. "What's so funny?"

Xiao Lan finally spoke. His voice was calm, steady, and dangerously smooth.

"I was just thinking…" Xiao Lan tilted his head slightly, the corner of his lips curling into a slight, knowing smirk.

Xiao Bai felt an unfamiliar chill crawl down his spine.

"Do you believe yourself to be superior simply because you're at Silver Rank?" Xiao Lan's voice remained even, unwavering.

Xiao Bai frowned. "What?"

Xiao Lan's smirk widened ever so slightly. "It's amusing… how confident you are now. I wonder—will you still be smiling when I surpass you?"

Silence.

The dining hall went deathly quiet.

The words weren't loud—Xiao Lan didn't yell or shout them—but something about his tone, his complete confidence, sent a wave of tension through the air.

Even Xiao Bai found himself momentarily speechless.

Then, he scowled.

"You? Surpass me?" He scoffed. "Hah! That's the funniest thing I've heard all day."

Xiao Lan simply shrugged and returned to his meal.

Xiao Bai's fists clenched, but the atmosphere had already changed.

People were no longer laughing at Xiao Lan.

They were watching him carefully—because, for the first time, he didn't look like the weak, arrogant fool they had always known.

He looked like someone they couldn't quite figure out.

And that uncertainty was the first step toward fear.