"The door only allows sparrows to pass through," he called out in a firm, resonating voice to the approaching shadows beyond the courtyard gate. His words hung in the air, accompanied by the gentle rustle of leaves in the cool night breeze.

Ji Wuye's stomach growled audibly, the pangs of hunger gnawing at him after his descent from Elder Qiao's cliff earlier that day.

He stood up from the chair, the wood groaning beneath his weight, and made his way into the main house.

...

After satiating his rumbling belly, he emerged back into the courtyard, only to be greeted by the sight of neatly dressed figures waiting by the gate.

Most were adults and elders, fewer than fifteen in total, clad in meticulously combed hanfu robes that swayed gently with each subtle movement. Ji Wuye's piercing crimson eyes narrowed as he scanned the group, his brow furrowing in quiet contemplation.

Despite their fragile and elderly appearances, each one exuded a vital, pulsating aura that hummed with latent power. Though they avoided direct eye contact, Ji Wuye could feel their wary gazes tracking his every move, sizing him up like a predator assessing its prey.

'A group of martial artists,' he muttered inwardly. But then his attention was drawn to two figures who seemed to lead the group.

"Good evening, Young Master. Sorry to disturb you on this peaceful night, but we are here at the humble request of Kunlun Elder to reside here," said the speaker, a young man in his twenties.

His plain blue hanfu with white stripes hugged his lithe frame, while a leather vest resembling light armor adorned his torso.

Long, jet-black hair cascaded down his back, neatly tied in a ponytail that swayed with each subtle movement. Sharp eyes scrutinized Ji Wuye, their intensity akin to that of a hawk zeroing in on its target.

Ji Wuye observed the man from head to toe, his crimson eyes narrowing as he took in every detail. "You are older than me, yet you lack manners," he remarked, settling back down on the wooden chair with a practiced ease.

One foot rested atop the other as he regarded the group with a critical gaze.

The arrogant tone, and the way he looked at Ji Wuye, the young man's words had sounded as if he were announcing himself as the owner of the courtyard, a thinly veiled attempt to drive Ji Wuye away from his own abode.

Just after Ji Wuye's reply, under his piercing crimson stare, he noticed the young man's veins bulging prominently, his complexion reddening like the setting sun as if he were about to unleash a torrent of rage.

The people behind him also secretly glared at Ji Wuye, their stares faintly exuding an oppressive aura that seemed to weigh down upon the very air itself, charged with barely contained hostility.

Yet, Ji Wuye remained utterly unfazed, his expression an inscrutable mask as he calmly met their heated glares.

Before the situation could escalate further, the second figure—a young woman of about eighteen years—stepped forward, her hand raised in a placating gesture. Clad in an elegant white hanfu adorned with intricate golden dragon patterns, she exuded an air of nobility that commanded attention.

A gauzy veil partially obscured her face, yet Ji Wuye found his gaze inexorably drawn to her strikingly unique eyes—a captivating blend of blue and brown that seemed to shift and swirl like the depths of a tranquil ocean.

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Her hair, as white and untainted as freshly fallen snow, cascaded freely down her back, framing her serene countenance.

"Greetings, Young Master," she began, her hands cupped respectfully before her as she regarded Ji Wuye with a calm, level gaze. "My name is Yi Yujin. May I ask, are you the master of this courtyard?"

'A noble lady,' Ji Wuye concluded inwardly. He had already guessed the status of the group, but seeing the young woman before him confirmed it.

Ji Wuye, of course, approached them, cupped his hands, and offered a faint smile. "Please forgive my earlier rudeness. My name is Ji Wuye, an Outer Disciple of the Kunlun Sect."

"No, it is our fault for disrupting your peaceful rest," Yi Yujin replied with a faint smile, her unique eyes never leaving Ji Wuye's crimson ones.

But, though her demeanor was composed, Ji Wuye did not miss the fleeting look of surprise that flickered across her veiled features as she took in his appearance up close.

The reactions of the group, particularly the audible gasp from the rude young man at Yi Yujin's side, only served to confirm Ji Wuye's burgeoning suspicions.

They were surprised by his looks.

And, true to form, it was this same ill-mannered individual who reacted first.

"Hmph! An Outer Disciple? How dare you disrespect the young lady!" he mocked, his mouth twisting into an expression of disdain as his chin jutted out defiantly. Envy and hostility radiated from his narrowed eyes, searing into Ji Wuye with palpable intensity.

Yi Yujin's response was as frigid as the glacial peaks of Kunlun itself. "Mr. Lin," she intoned, her words laced with an icy undercurrent that betrayed the simmering fury beneath her impassive facade.

Though the veil concealed her features, the sharp furrow of her brow and the tightening of her jaw spoke volumes. Her piercing gaze, penetrating through the gossamer fabric, locked onto Lin Fang—her bodyguard—in an unmistakable rebuke of his overstep.

"B-but, Young Lady—" Lin Fang's protest withered upon his lips as Yi Yujin's icy glare pierced through him.

His voice, once brimming with arrogant confidence, now trembled with naked uncertainty. As her unique eyes narrowed to mere slits, a chilling intensity seemed to emanate from their enigmatic depths, sapping the defiant bluster from his frame.

Swallowing hard, he fell into an uneasy silence, though his hostile glare remained fixed upon Ji Wuye, smoldering like embers awaiting the slightest provocation to reignite into open flames.

Yi Yujin's expression softened once more as she turned her attention back to Ji Wuye, the frigid aura dissipating as swiftly as it had manifested. "My apologies, Young Master Ji, for my subordinate's rudeness," she offered, her words carrying a melodious lilt that belied the steel beneath.

"If we may, could we stay here for the night? We are guests of Kunlun, having just arrived, and one of your Elders mentioned we could use this place as our temporary residence."

A warm, friendly smile tugged at the corners of her lips, crinkling the corners of her eyes in a disarming display of affability.

Yet, the slight twitch at the edge of her mouth and the faint wrinkles creasing her temple betrayed the undercurrent of irritation simmering beneath her composed exterior—Lin Fang's continued discourtesy by glaring toward Ji Wuye had not gone unnoticed.

For his part, Ji Wuye remained outwardly impassive, his crimson eyes revealing nothing of his inner thoughts.

However, upon hearing the mention of Elder Qiao, understanding blossomed within him, the Elder's earlier words about 'repaying a favor' suddenly taking on profound significance.

"It's not as though I can grant your request," Ji Wuye began, his words hanging in the air like a riddle, puzzling Yi Yujin even as Lin Fang's anger threatened to boil over once more, evident in his short, ragged breaths and the frequent, derisive snorts that escaped his flared nostrils.

Turning on his heel, Ji Wuye strode deeper into the open courtyard, gesturing for Yi Yujin to follow. "But this courtyard actually has no owner and has been long abandoned," he continued, his words measured and deliberate. "I cleaned it up to this state."

With a sweeping motion, he flung open the doors to the main house, revealing the cavernous interior—devoid of any furnishings or adornments, it stood bare and empty, save for the dust motes dancing in the slanted beams of fading sunlight that filtered through the open doorway.

Even Yi Yujin, for all her poise and composure, could not entirely mask her stunned reaction as her gaze swept over the vacant dwelling, taking in the full implications of Ji Wuye's words. A brief silence settled over the group, weighted with dawning comprehension.

"Then let me rephrase my question," Yi Yujin said at last, her unique eyes crinkling once more in a warm, genuine smile that banished any lingering trace of chill from her countenance. "May I have the honor of sharing this residence with you, Young Master?"

As her words hung in the air, Ji Wuye found himself studying her anew, his crimson gaze flickering between her friendly expression and the subtle shifts in the group's collective demeanor during their exchange.

'Once again, another change,' Ji Wuye mused inwardly, his brow furrowing ever so slightly as he contemplated this unexpected development.

In his previous timeline, he had never encountered mention of Yi Yujin or her ill-mannered bodyguard.

Nor was there any record of a Yi family rising to prominence within Jianghu—an oddity, given that every noble clan, no matter how obscure, had managed to etch their names, either in good ways or bad, due to the Tower's appearance.

Two possibilities presented themselves, each carrying its own weight of implication. Perhaps the Yi clan had maintained such an exceptionally low profile that they had never ventured forth to join the great expeditions or share their knowledge like Hidden Factions.

Or, a more somber thought crept in - what if they had simply perished before Ji Wuye could learn of their existence in his previous timeline?

'Not to mention, a smart woman like her,' he added inwardly, his crimson gaze flickering over Yi Yujin's form, taking in the striking details that should have rendered her unforgettable. Her unique white tresses, untainted by even a hint of color, cascaded down her back like a shimmering waterfall of moonlight.

And those eyes - that captivating, swirling blend of blue and brown hues that seemed to shift and dance like the tranquil depths of a sunlit ocean. Surely, such distinctive features would have been enough to etch her name in Jianghu.

Pushing aside his churning thoughts for the moment, Ji Wuye allowed a faint smile to tug at the corners of his lips. "Of course, I have no right to reject the guests of Kunlun," he replied, inclining his head in a subtle gesture of acquiescence.