“Who are you?” The leaner man inquired further.

“I already said, peasant.” Sun continued, smirking. “If I need to talk with one of you, I prefer to talk with the other gentleman. The one dominating the relation.”

The shorter man laughed at Sun Tie's remark and gestured to his companion.

"See? Even this stranger recognizes you're the weak link!"

The lean man forcefully pushed the shorter one aside, causing him to stumble and fall to the ground.

What’s this I’m witnessing? Some low-class comedy piece?

“Shut up, Malcolm! I’m sick of your stupid talk. And who are you? Respond to me this time!” The man demanded, pointing a finger aggressively at Sun Tie, who remained stoic, hands raised in a non-threatening gesture.

“If you insist, my name is Young Master Sun Tie.” He bowed his head sarcastically and locked gazes with the man. “And who are you two peasants?”

“Doesn’t matter to you. What’s your business?” The little man was already getting up and removing something from his inventory. Once again, Sun Tie sighed, thinking about possibly fighting these two morons.

“My business is finding my family. I just have to follow the light.” Sun Tie replied, pointing at the distance. “And you two are in my way. Can we just pretend this never happened and move on with our lives?” Sun Tie asked.

“Maybe,” The man replied, getting close, now with a bow in hand but not drawn into Sun Tie’s direction. The bow was just like Cole’s one. Simple, black, and beautiful.

Sun Tie used his [Identity] skill, and the message confirmed his assumptions

[Human Archer - lvl ???]

[Human Mage Fire-starter - lvl ???]

Is fire magic a thing in the system? Oh, I would love to be able to use my Qi to ignite flames again.

“You said something about the fire boar, didn’t you?” The man named Malcom inquired.

“Yes, indeed. I’m familiar with the beast.”

“Any tips?” The man asked, raising his eyebrows.

“Yes,” Sun Tie replied.

“Which is?”

“Don't approach that creature. It'll be the end of you. Your recklessness could be your downfall even if the other man is astute. The fire boar is notorious for consuming its prey alive and aflame," Sun Tie cautioned with a sly smile.

It was now the lean man's turn to laugh at the other.

“Are you listening to this, Malcolm? ‘Your recklessness could be your downfall.’” He got close to the other and patted his shoulder. “This man can be quite funny.”

“Yes, very funny…” Malcolm muttered, measuring Sun Tie from head to toe with an inquiring and evil look.

"Don't be so hard on him. We all have our issues. It's not your brother's fault he's a coward, at least in my eyes, correct?"

"Correct," the man replied swiftly, prompting the other to shove him again.

“Stop agreeing with him, you piece of shit.”

From that exchange, Sun Tie figured they were indeed brothers. This understanding allowed him to dig deeper into their sibling rivalries. If his next guess was correct, the one they were scared of was their mother. She did seem like a force to be reckoned with.

The brothers seemed close to coming to blows. Sun Tie knew he could escape or engage them in this vulnerable moment, but he wasn’t sure. They held an air of innocence about them, yet their presence showed an evident threat.

Their interactions took Sun Tie back to his days as a Master in Eternal Wind. Shortly after his swift rise in the Flame path, he found himself mentoring three disciples. It was a testing time for him. He wanted to prove himself to his grandfather, but his students were stubborn.

They were overly kind, always helping each other, missing the fiery spirit he yearned to see. This troubled Sun Tie for many nights until a solution dawned on him. He had Zhao Jun dig a little into their personal lives to uncover their true passions.

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One of his students was a beautiful young girl with a hidden passion for pastries, her heart more invested in them than in the Dao. The second was a frustrated young man who had a strong connection with fire despite his inability to cultivate his own body. The last was a loyal young man around Sun Tie's age who took great pride in serving others.

Sun Tie's strategy was straightforward. Deny the girl her pastries, prevent the young man from engaging in any form of exercise, and ignore the loyal one. The next step was to present one disciple with what another most desired. In less than a week, they were competing fiercely to see who could advance the furthest in their cultivation.

Looking back, Sun Tie recalled those students with pride. His grandfather had deemed his tactics a disgrace, labeling them cruel and manipulative. But to Sun Tie, he'd merely provided a little push. After a month, he returned to them what they cherished most. By then, they had realized their true passion lay in the thrill of constant growth, the joy of mastering the Dao of Flame.

He wouldn’t consider these two fools in the forest as potential students. To be frank, Sun Tie didn't see himself as a capable teacher, but he was set on instigating a conflict between the two to use to his advantage.

The men now stood close, whispering amongst themselves.

“Okay, I’ll head my way now.” Sun Tie said, turning and walking in the light’s direction.

“Wait, we want to ask some questions.” The leaner man said.

“Yes, Mom will wanna talk to you,” Malcolm said. That’s not going to happen.

“Sorry, I have no time.”

“What are we going to do?” Malcolm asked, muttering to his brother while walking in Sun Tie’s direction.

“Why are you asking him?” Sun Tie asked, pointing to the lean man as if he wasn’t there. “Can’t you make your own decisions, Malcolm?”

“Of course I can!” Malcolm replied, looking at his brother, confusing eyes searching for something. The taller man almost bit the bait.

"Dude, he's trying to play us for fools. Let's just tie him up and wait for Mom to arrive. Then we'll decide. I do like fancy his robe though."

Sun Tie sighed deeply.

“So that’s going to be the way?” Sun Tie inquired. “Are you both sure?”

Sun Tie activated his [Mana Seer] skill and saw their mana pools glowing a yellow light. The lankier man's was in his face, while Malcolm's was in his belly.

Before they could react, Sun Tie was already on the move. He targeted Malcolm first, as he appeared to be the more competent fighter, and the other one hadn't drawn a weapon yet.

Their surprise was stamped on their faces as the young master got close in a swift motion. His fist landed a mighty blow on Malcolm's stomach. Despite Malcolm wearing light armor, it proved ineffective against the [Echo Strike]. Malcolm let out a pained grunt, and Sun Tie landed another blow.

Malcolm's bow clattered to the ground, but Sun Tie caught it mid-fall. Gripping it with both hands, he swung it at the other man, the forceful strike connecting with his head and causing him to stagger. As he did, the man quickly retrieved a staff from his inventory.

Sun Tie's focus shifted back to Malcolm, just in time to see a fist aimed at his face. The impact sent pain shooting across Sun Tie's visage, causing him to retreat a few steps, anger building within him.

“That’s what you gain for being merciful,” he muttered, closing the distance with the bow in one hand.

“Where’s the damn fire magic, Bruce?!” Malcomn screamed, not showing much confidence in his fighting stance. Bruce is the name of the coward, I see.

His confidence wavered even more when Sun Tie landed another hit on his belly, the [Echo Strike] making him double over in pain. Sun Tie's ears picked up a sound, and he instinctively rolled to the side. A fireball sped past, narrowly missing him but hitting Malcolm. Flames consumed him, his screams echoing as he writhed and rolled, attempting to smother the fire.

“I’m sorry!” his brother yelled, gripping his staff with even less certainty. Sun Tie wasted no time and lunged at him, fists ready to strike his face.

Connecting with the man's chin, Sun Tie didn't feel the familiar tug of mana. The system wasn’t restoring it fast enough for his liking, but it was still sufficient to make the man reel backward.

Seeing this, Bruce raised his staff in defense, trying to swing at Sun Tie. But Sun Tie blocked it effortlessly with his arm and attempted an uppercut. Bruce managed to deflect it using his staff. Sun Tie discarded Malcolm’s bow in the ensuing struggle and tried wresting the staff from Bruce, but the latter's grip held firm.

"Drop it!" Sun Tie exclaimed, his voice a mix of a shout and a mutter, filled with anger and a thirst for combat.

“No!” The man's voice flinched as he desperately pushed and pulled the staff. Sun Tie started a kicking when flames erupted from the wooden object, resembling a water flow of fire, hitting directly into his head.

The scent of burning hair intoxicated Sun Tie, and the pain only fueled his anger further. The young master swung his head and crashed it against Bruce’s. The man slumped to the ground, blacked out.

Sun Tie extinguished the fire, beating his hand to his head quickly.

“Shit… Shit… Shit… You burned my hair, stupid!” He said, kicking the fallen man. As he did, he heard Malcolm stirring. Sun Tie quickly grabbed Bruce's staff, pressing it to the man's throat. The unconscious Bruce didn't react.

"Stop even thinking about whatever you're planning!" Sun Tie yelled. "You've lost. Accept it."

Malcolm grunted, and Sun Tie smirked.

"I'm in a generous mood today, Malcolm! The two of you remind me of people I'm somewhat fond of, so I'll spare your lives."

"Okay…" Malcolm said, skepticism evident in his tone. "So, what now?"

"You can leave."

"But my brother…"

"Your brother will be on his way once he wakes up. It won't take long, I suspect."

"But--"

"No 'buts', you fool. Be thankful you crossed paths with a benevolent young master and make your exit."

"I will. But mark my words, this isn't over. My mother won't let this slide."

"Ah, threatening someone who can easily snap a loved one's neck with a mere push? You got the message, right? He could die."

Malcolm's eyes darted down to the sides and finally to Sun Tie as if hoping someone would emerge to rescue him.

"Alright. I'll be on my way. Just promise you won't harm him," Malcolm pleaded.

Sun Tie didn't reply; he simply watched as the man retreated. The young master felt his hair lengthen and his wounds mend over time, which brought a sense of satisfaction. Today, he thought, he was showing mercy by sparing these two from his wrath, but perhaps instilling more fear was necessary.

"Hey, Malcolm!" Sun Tie said, "Just so you're aware, if I ever encounter your foolish mother, I'll cut her throat from ear to ear."