NOVEL WEB Chapter 3 - Hungry
A young man clad in a short shirt struggled to run through the thick snowfall from the previous night, which had accumulated up to his calves.
Despite his attempts to increase his pace, the young man's speed was hardly faster than a leisurely walk, leaving deep imprints with each step.
Yin Xu circled the bare jujube tree in the backyard for the tenth time, succumbing to fatigue at last.
Collapsing onto the snow, he kicked up a flurry of powder in his wake.
Noticing his halt, the Old Housekeeper and the attendant, stationed at the corridor, rushed to his side. With tears of gratitude, they offered him steaming tea one after another.
Finally, their young master showed willingness to progress!
With deliberate motions, Yin Xu wiped his hands clean before indulging in a sip of the hot tea. Its warmth traveled down his throat, spreading comfort through his body.
“Young Master, patience is key!” “Slow down. With such heavy snowfall, it could freeze before you know it.”
“Indeed, young master, vengeance can wait. As the saying goes, ‘A gentleman's revenge is never rushed.' We can delay our training until spring.”
Sitting in the snow, Yin Xu remained unperturbed for a quarter of an hour. Once he caught his breath, he extended his hand again, closed his eyes, and silently recited a chant.
But still, nothing! He couldn't sense any spiritual energy whatsoever. How was this possible?
Previously, he had advanced from Qi Drawing to Qi Cultivation in just four hours, despite using an incomplete technique. Yet now, after two days with a new body, there was no progress.
He had observed it before—this body may be plump, but it possessed the Profound Yin Body, which would facilitate double the cultivation effort in Devilish Exercise.
Otherwise, becoming a genius of the devil realm like himself, Yin Xu, would be inconceivable.
Could it be his physique was too feeble? In his past life, he had never encountered such weakness. Merely after a couple of steps, he would gasp for breath. Perhaps shedding some weight should be his initial step.
Yin Xu threw the teacup at Wu Sheng, gave his buttocks a pat, then rose and resumed running around the backyard, paying no heed to the dumbfounded servants trailing behind him.
“Uncle Wu, do you notice any change in the Young Master?” inquired Wu Sheng skeptically. fr(e)e
The Old Housekeeper nodded in agreement and expressed gratitude, saying, “The young master has finally matured. As they say, experience is the best teacher. Indeed, if the old master could witness this, he would be elated!”
Wu Sheng scoffed and murmured, “Hmph, do you really think the old master would remember your son?”
Despite his age, the Old Housekeeper had keen hearing.
Reflecting on it, it made sense; the old master had numerous offspring, and the young master ranked seventh among them, receiving scant attention due to his birth mother's early departure and his congenital condition of blocked meridians. Consequently, he was neglected within the Huo Family.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have been relegated to this secluded estate without even being given a proper name.
The name “Huo Tian” was bestowed upon him when he was merely three years old. Had it not been for the Old Housekeeper persistently corresponding with him every month, this matter might have been completely forgotten.
Moreover, it was evident at a glance that this name didn't align with the family lineage. Among the male descendants of this generation, the tradition was to incorporate the word “one” into their names, such as the Eldest Young Master Huo Yiming, Second Young Master Huo Yidao…
Three years prior, the Old Housekeeper brought the young master back to the ancestral home during the Old Master's sixtieth birthday celebration, hoping that their reunion would rekindle the patriarch's paternal affection. Regrettably, the young master's appearance wasn't impressive, and his demeanor was feeble.
Particularly disheartening was the revelation that the young master couldn't even recognize a single character, prompting the Old Master to disregard him entirely.
Since that encounter, the young master's self-esteem had steadily dwindled. He seldom spoke and endured mistreatment without protest, seeking solace in food to fill the void within.
“Regardless, we have this estate. Even if we never return to the capital, we won't starve,” remarked the Old Housekeeper, tinged with resentment.
“Then let's not return. The last time Young Master went back, he faced considerable bullying,” remarked Wu Sheng, harboring little affection for the Huo Family, having been raised by the Old Housekeeper and naturally favoring Huo Tian.
Yin Xu listened to their conversation as he ran, his demeanor unperturbed.
Cultivators harbored no allegiance to a homeland. Over the past millennium, their sole pursuit had been power! Regrettably, in the end, his essence was nearly obliterated by that accursed lightning tribulation.
Yin Xu concluded his training for the day only when he found himself unable to take another step.
Brushing aside the attendant's attempt to assist him, Yin Xu insisted on walking back unaided. Upon entering the warm inner chamber, he promptly shed his damp garments, revealing his skin tinged with a purple hue from the cold.
The wounds from the preceding days had yet to fully mend, and after a morning of exertion, several more injuries had manifested. The steward trailing behind him exclaimed in distress.
“Young master, are you in pain? Do not suffer in silence! Xiao Wu, hasten and fetch the medicine without delay. No, wait, bring in the hot water first so the young master can warm himself,” instructed the Old Housekeeper as he enveloped Yin Xu in a thick blanket.
Yin Xu did not spurn his caretaker's kindness. After luxuriating in a soothing hot bath, he casually tended to his injuries and ordered a meal.
He still vividly recalled the peculiar sensation of hunger pangs for the first time. It was an unfamiliar sensation from his previous life, yet having experienced it once, he harbored no desire to endure it again.
The table was adorned with five generous servings of meat, accompanied by a rich broth.
Yin Xu tapped the table with his chopsticks. “Remove these.”
“…” Huh? Young Master dislikes them?” Old Housekeeper inquired tentatively. “You had no meat to eat yesterday. Depriving a young master of meat for a second day is akin to torment.”
“Change them,” Yin Xu ordered icily. “For the next three meals.”
“And what about these…?” Old Housekeeper gazed ruefully at the meat on the table. While food was not scarce, such indulgence was rare in their village. Satisfying a daily craving for meat would pose a challenge.
“I shall reward you,” Yin Xu declared. Though he wasn't particularly kind to the household servants, their loyalty warranted some consideration.