"Stop that woman from accompanying her. I want to talk to that kid alone."

A man with eyes and hair as black as obsidian stepped out of the Kairo auction building, moving through a hallway. 

He commanded a walking cat beside him, striding in a predatory posture with shiny golden pupils and a tail held high in the air.

"I'm just an ordinary, regular cat," the cat said.

The man didn't reply as he continued to move, making the cat realize that he knew as much about it as it did about the man.

[What can I expect from you, Human]

The cat looked towards the disappearing human, its golden eyes shining as it observed the man whose brain is on par with its own kind.

[Let's have some fun, will ya? Meoww~]

.....

 

As the man made his way towards his car, the afternoon sun cast long shadows across the bustling streets. He was abruptly halted by a little blue-haired girl who leaped in front of him, her palm extended, signaling for him to stop.

"Listen, you old uncle..."

Ignoring the girl, the man slightly altered his course and proceeded towards his car, where a group of bodyguards stood vigilantly. Nearby, employees of Kairo Auction House were prepared to load the purchased products, awaiting the car's departure, following the swift delivery order he had given.

"W-wait, Uncle! Hear me out at least."

Seeing the man dismiss her, the girl sprinted towards him.

"Why would I?"

Upon hearing the man's retort, the little girl gasped. No one had ever treated her like this; even within her sect, people were always eager to engage her, often offering cookies. And yet, here was a man who simply...

"I-i get it! Uncle, if you listen to me, I will let you pat my head."

She resorted to her most potent weapon, one not even her sect master could escape.

"....."

"..."

As the little girl observed the man's uncaring expression, she conceded. She had nothing left in her arsenal but her mother's gem, the last remnant of her mother—a symbol she had decided to relinquish in favor of her master's happiness over an object from a woman who had abandoned her on the day she was born.

"You can have it."

She held the pendant in front of her with both hands, her eyes welling up slightly as she looked down at the floor.

"Hey, don't cry, little kiddo. I was just teasing you."

Upon hearing these words, the girl lifted her head to see the man slightly smiling as he playfully ruffled her hair. Her hands loosened their grip on her mother's pendant as she allowed the man to pat her head, still gazing at the ground.

"How about this? I'll let you keep the sword for some time. Afterward, you can either give me something equivalent to its worth or return the sword. After all, you're going to become a strong girl, right?"

The man sat and smiled slightly, leaving the girl slightly bewildered by his change in demeanor. Nevertheless, she nodded in agreement.

"Hey, give that to me."

The man glanced towards his bodyguard, who retrieved a sword with blue inscriptions and a metal as cold as ice, handing it to the girl. He continued, "Promise me you'll one day return this sword to me."

"...Promise," the girl mumbled.

"That's a good girl," the man 'giggled' as the girl stared at him, clutching the sword with both hands as if hugging it—a blade as tall as the girl herself.

"Now, can I leave?" he asked, looking towards the girl, who was absorbed in examining the floor.

"Y-yes," she stammered, and the man stood and left.

.......

In the dimly lit hallway, a woman with eyes as blue as the ocean and waist-length hair of the same hue stood, her gaze fixed on a black cat leisurely grooming itself.

"Why are you in my way, beast?"

She asked, her eyes narrowing. She was on a mission to find her disciple, who had apparently fled the auction the moment it ended.

[Human, you see, I am busy with a very important matter. Can't you wait]

The cat responded, its eyes shining with a golden glint as a black aura started to form around its body., as it continued it's Grooming. 

"....... How much longer?" she inquired, her patience wearing thin.

"Just a moment," the cat replied nonchalantly, continuing to lick its paws and occasionally scratching its teeth with its sharp claws.

'Damn cat. If not for Yinge's safety, I would have silenced that mouth of yours,' the woman thought. While she held the advantage in a potential battle, she hesitated due to the cat's owner, who seemed to wield significant influence and was likely much stronger than the feline. She came to a conclusion; she would wait.

Time dragged on, and the woman's patience wore thin. She couldn't afford to wait any longer, her internal energy as an Ascension realm Cultivator accumulating in her hands, ready to act. The energy pulsed as if it could tear the cat apart at any moment.

The feline, noticing the danger, assumed a pouncing posture, prompting the woman to prepare for a confrontation.

[Human, you are right. I shouldn't cross the line. Have a good day]

The woman couldn't believe what had just happened, clenching her fist in frustration as she seethed with anger, " You damn cat !! "

As the woman exited the auction house, her eyes fell upon her disciple holding the coveted sword she had sought - The Glaciel Soulreaver. She hurriedly made her way towards her disciple, hoping that the young one hadn't done anything reckless.

"Yinge'r, are you all right? How did you acquire the sword?" she inquired, concern lacing her voice.

"Master, I took it back from that uncle," Yinge'r replied, puffing her chest out slightly, anticipating praise for her success.

FLICK 

"Ooouuu, Master, you hit me," Yinge'r protested, surprised by the sudden reprimand.

"Of course, I did. Who told you to talk to that man alone?" the master scolded, wrapping her disciple in a protective hug, a mix of worry and relief washing over her.

Yinge'r couldn't help but giggle, feeling a sense of warmth and safety in her master's embrace, knowing that she was there to guide and protect her.

.....

[Human, why don't you take her Pendant]

The man glanced slightly out of the window, choosing to ignore the cat's persistent suggestion. 

The feline had brought up the idea several times, not aware that the man was preoccupied with considering his next move in the unfolding situation.

'If Lisia were to die, I have a backup in Meiyue. Besides, I've got that girl; she'll likely come looking for me. Taking the pendant would only complicate matters, severing her last connection to me,' the man explained to the cat. 

The feline narrowed its eyes, sitting in contemplation. Both of them remained silent for the remainder of the journey, both thinking something.

.....

As the man reached the mansion, many servants assisted in unloading the auction goods and carried them into the mansion.

Avendial headed towards his room and called for a particular maid to assist him.

"S-sir, you called for me?"

"Yes, give me those boxes of poison pills."

"Y-yes."

The maid was slightly surprised by his request but handed the boxes to the man. 

He promptly opened one of the boxes and consumed a pill, leaving the maid in shock. He then looked towards her.

"You can leave," he ordered the maid, proceeding to open another box and consume another pill.

After consuming over 20 poisonous pills, his body started flickering with slight black lightning, and sparks emerged as he felt the poisons from the pills being assimilated by his physique.

His hunger seemed insatiable, the converted energy absorbing into his body and generating Black Qi—this Qi leaned towards poisonous arts such as paralysis and lethal assassination techniques.

To test his newfound strength, he circulated the Black Qi throughout his body, creating a shield of poison on his skin. It could prove useful in short-range fights, as his body had become poisonous enough to paralyze an elephant. 

Slowly, his entire body turned black as he closed his eyes to acclimate to this new art.

Time passed slowly, and seven hours had already gone by since he assumed the lotus position. He was about to extend it further, needing to attain the strength to generate an aura from his Black Qi, rendering him safe from short-range attacks that didn't touch his skin.

 It was as if he had achieved it—around a 1 cm area above his skin filled with Black Qi.

*BANG*

 "N-no, Avendial!"

A woman burst into the room, her heart sinking as she saw a man whose skin had turned completely blue from the poison. 

Tears welled up, flowing uncontrollably as she struggled to move towards her only shelter and salvation, witnessing the tragic scene.

In that split moment, she felt a searing pain, like thousands of hot needles piercing her. She collapsed to the ground in agony, attempting to reach the man who had closed his eyes.

"No... aaaahhh... no... please," she wailed, her tears refusing to stop. She felt lost, not knowing what to do, her body wracked with pain from the sprint despite her already broken state, propelled by the news of his ingestion of poisons.

"No...not...you" she sobbed inconsolably until she felt someone embracing her.

"Aren't you overreacting, Lisia?"