Luo Qing

"Shall I take a bath?"

He muttered to himself, glancing down at his body.

After three days of intense cultivation, impurities had naturally been expelled from his body, forming a thin layer of filth on his skin.

Though it wasn't as dramatic as when entering the Qi Refining Stage, the difference was clear—his pores were unclogged, his skin had an almost ethereal glow, and his meridians felt utterly refreshed.

This was due to the Myriad Breathing Technique, which allowed only the purest Qi while immediately expelling any impurities.

Bai Zihan dusted off his robes, feeling the lingering energy from his cultivation.

The faint impurities clinging to his skin made him uncomfortable, and he had no intention of remaining in this state for long.

He took a deep breath, his gaze shifting toward the entrance of his room. 

With a calm yet commanding voice, he called out, "Luo Qing, come in!"

A moment of silence passed before hurried footsteps approached.

The door creaked open, and a petite young maid stepped inside, her head lowered and hands slightly trembling.

Luo Qing was Bai Zihan's personal servant, assigned to him since childhood.

In the past, she had been subjected to his unpredictable moods and cruel temperament.

He had never raised a hand against her, but his sharp tongue and cold indifference had been enough to instill deep-seated fear in her.

Additionally, Bai Zihan hadn't even spared his own cousin when he was displeased, so how could she, a mere maid, not fear him?

Her voice was hesitant. 

"Y-Young Master, you called for me?"

Bai Zihan glanced at her trembling form and let out a sigh.

It seemed his past actions had left quite an impression on those around him.

Well, he didn't care much about it, especially knowing that his life was hanging by a thread.

"Prepare a bath for me!"

Bai Zihan ordered.

Luo Qing's body flinched slightly at the command, but she immediately bowed.

"Yes, Young Master! R-Right away!"

She hurriedly turned and left, moving with such urgency that it almost seemed as though she feared lingering in his presence for even a second longer.

Bai Zihan shook his head slightly but didn't dwell on it. 

He sat down, allowing himself a brief moment of rest before the bath was ready.

As Luo Qing rushed to prepare the bath, she couldn't help but notice something felt… off.

Her Young Master had always spoken with authority, but this time, his voice lacked the usual coldness or irritation. It was firm, commanding—but not cruel.

She shook her head as she worked.

(Perhaps I was just imagining things!)

Anyway, she didn't want to waste time on such meaningless thoughts. 

If she made the Young Master wait too long, he could become irritable.

Once the bath was ready, she returned to inform him, keeping her head bowed as always.

"Young Master, your bath is ready."

Bai Zihan walked past her without a word, heading toward the bath chamber.

Before leaving, he looked at her face carefully.

This was because it was the first time Bai Zihan had truly seen this maid's face who had served him for many years—previously, her appearance had been blocked by the System Interface.

(She is quite pretty!)

Luo Qing was a delicate young woman, barely in her late teens, with a slender yet graceful frame.

Her long, jet-black hair was neatly tied into a simple braid, falling over her shoulder in a way that accentuated her smooth, porcelain-like skin.

Her features were soft and refined—gentle, almond-shaped eyes of deep, misty brown framed by naturally long lashes, a small, slightly upturned nose, and full lips with a faint rosy hue.

Despite her modest status as a servant, she carried an understated elegance that was hard to ignore.

Even the plain, light-blue maid's robes she wore did little to hide the natural grace in her movements.

However, the slight tremble in her stance, the way she kept her gaze lowered, and the subtle way she bit the inside of her lip revealed the fear she still harbored toward him.

(If this were Earth, she would definitely qualify to become a top idol!)

Bai Zihan thought.

He wasn't sure about the beauty standards of this world and didn't know whether his maid was special or if such appearances were common.

Looking at Luo Qing, his maid, he thought that perhaps due to cultivation, this world was simply filled with beautiful people.

Whichever the case, he needed more time to understand.

After all, in his memory, everyone's face had always been blurred by the System Interface.

Luo Qing stood motionless for a moment, her hands unconsciously tightening around the fabric of her sleeves.

She had served him for years, yet today was the first time she felt something was different—especially when he looked at her before heading to his bath.

She couldn't quite put it into words, but… there was something about Bai Zihan that had changed.

His presence, the way he carried himself, even the way his eyes briefly passed over her—there was no disdain, no irritation, and, more importantly, he looked directly into her eyes.

(This is the first time the Young Master has looked into my eyes!)

Normally, he would look irritated whenever she served him, his gaze lowered toward her legs or body.

She knew it wasn't because he was lecherous or after her body. With his status, what women would he not get?

Rather, he seemed to have a problem distinguishing people through their face and tried to identify them through their other body parts.

She had also heard from another servant that Bai Zihan was rumored to have some kind of vision problem, although it was just a rumor and had never been confirmed.

But having served him for years, she knew it was at least somewhat true.

Although she wasn't sure what the problem was, she knew that he had difficulty identifying people's faces and often mistook others, even when they looked nothing alike.

Perhaps that was why Bai Zihan had made a habit of identifying people through other features, and his gaze was usually lowered.

This is also why Luo Qing had specifically worn the same kind of dress forever to make identifying her easy for Bai ZIhan.

But that didn't seem to be the case today.

The Young Master was looking directly at her face, and for a moment, he almost seemed fascinated.

However, she quickly shook her head, dismissing the thought as mere imagination.

"There's no way someone like me, a mere servant, could possibly catch the Young Master's interest."