"Serves You Right"

"Far away at the edge of the sky, yet right before your eyes."

Wang Zuimo said with a beaming smile.

Mu Yao's eye twitched. She finally understood why her good friend had volunteered to share her workload.

Qin Yuan smiled and was just about to say something when a hearty laugh suddenly rang out behind him.

"Junior Sister Mu Yao, what a coincidence!"

Qin Yuan turned around. A handsome young man was striding toward them with a smile.

The instant the young man saw Qin Yuan's face, his steps faltered and his smile stiffened for a moment, but it quickly returned to normal.

"Junior Sister Mu Yao, Junior Sister Zuimo, who is this?" the young man asked, looking at Mu Yao and Wang Zuimo as he reached the three of them.

Mu Yao introduced them politely.

That was how Qin Yuan learned the young man's name was Cheng Li, and that he was their sixth senior brother.

After learning that Qin Yuan wasn't a noble, Cheng Li once again wore a proper smile. The wariness in his gaze vanished, replaced by a faint air of condescending disdain and arrogance.

After chatting with Mu Yao for a few more moments, he made an excuse to leave. As he went, he gave Qin Yuan a knowing, almost-smile.

"Huh?" Wang Zuimo said in surprise.

"Doesn't Senior Brother Cheng Li usually linger and pester you for ages before leaving? Why was he so quick to go this time?"

Mu Yao glanced at Qin Yuan, whose looks were as striking as an immortal's, and smiled faintly.

"Who knows?"

The three continued toward the calligraphy practice area.

It was Qin Yuan's first time writing calligraphy. His characters weren't exactly ugly, but they certainly weren't very good.

Mu Yao and Wang Zuimo weren't surprised. They began patiently guiding him.

And then there was no stopping him.

Each time Qin Yuan finished writing and received their pointers, he would pause to ponder his shortcomings. The next time he put brush to paper, he would immediately improve by a small but noticeable amount, leaving the two women speechless with astonishment.

By the end of the day, Qin Yuan's calligraphy was already on par with that of a student who had studied for three months.

Mu Yao and Wang Zuimo were left gaping in shock.

Night fell. Qin Yuan said goodbye to Mu Yao and Wang Zuimo, then left the Calligraphy Saint Pavilion.

As soon as he stepped outside, a warm laugh sounded beside him.

"Junior Brother Qin Yuan, might I have a word with you?"

He turned and saw a handsome young man waiting at the entrance, apparently on purpose.

"Senior Brother Cheng Li, what is it?" Qin Yuan asked.

Cheng Li nodded. "I'd like to offer you some advice, Junior Brother. Would you care to hear it?"

Qin Yuan considered it. He had time to spare, so he nodded and followed Cheng Li to a secluded spot.

Cheng Li stopped and turned to face Qin Yuan, still wearing that falsely warm smile.

"Junior Brother Qin Yuan, have you ever heard a certain saying?"

"What saying?" Qin Yuan asked curiously.

"A person should know their place." Cheng Li smiled.

"If you try to take something you're not worthy of, you may well bring death upon yourself."

Without waiting for Qin Yuan to respond, he continued:

"You probably don't know Junior Sister Mu Yao's true background. She's the daughter of a viscount of the empire, a woman of noble status.

"Only the son of a noble of equal standing would be worthy of her."

He paused, tilting his head slightly as he gave Qin Yuan a knowing, almost-smile.

"For instance, the son of a baron—like me."

"..." Qin Yuan was at a loss for words.

What was a baron supposed to be? Only earls and above were invited to his birthday banquets every year.

"So, Junior Brother Qin Yuan," Cheng Li said, his gaze turning cold. "Do you understand?"

"Is that a threat?" Qin Yuan asked.

"It's advice." Cheng Li spoke unhurriedly.

"You have a face that even I can't help envying. Fortunately, you're just a lowly commoner. Otherwise, I'd really worry that Junior Sister Mu Yao might fall for you.

"But I can't afford to let my guard down, so I came to speak with you personally."

With that, he smiled and patted Qin Yuan on the shoulder.

"I'm sure you'll make the right choice."

He brushed past Qin Yuan, pulled a clean handkerchief from his pocket, and vigorously wiped his right hand—the one that had patted Qin Yuan's shoulder. He wiped it more than ten times, then flung the handkerchief away in disgust. It landed in a filthy puddle.

Qin Yuan turned to watch Cheng Li walk away, then glanced at the handkerchief in the filthy puddle.

He snapped his fingers.

"Young master." Li Fu leaped out of the shadows.

"He's been out of touch with the people for too long," Qin Yuan said flatly.

"Yes."

Li Fu vanished into the shadows. Qin Yuan shook his head with an amused smile and headed toward the courtyard he had rented.

By now, White Butterfly and Red Moon should have finished settling in.

Three days later.

In the calligraphy room, Mu Yao and Wang Zuimo gathered around Qin Yuan, continuing to guide him. They exclaimed in amazement from time to time, their laughter bright and sweet.

Across the room, Cheng Li glared darkly at the scene. With a crack, he snapped his brush.

"Damn commoner! Looks like you took my words that night for wind in your ears. You brought this on yourself!"

"BAM—!!!!"

Just then, a tremendous crash came from outside as the entrance gate was smashed apart.

Everyone jerked their heads up in alarm.

The next second, a fierce gale swept in, sending white sheets flying like snowflakes.

Everyone cried out in alarm.

Only Qin Yuan remained perfectly calm. An invisible force dispelled the storm without so much as ruffling his hair.

When the gale died down, everyone stared in astonishment. A stern-looking middle-aged man in a red robe had appeared at the entrance.

At that moment, however, the man was drenched in sweat. His hair and clothes were disheveled and covered in dust, and he reeked as if he hadn't bathed in days.

Panting heavily, he swept his gaze across the entire calligraphy room, finally settling on Cheng Li.

"Father, what brings you here?" Cheng Li exclaimed in delight as he came to his senses.

"You unfilial wretch!!!" The middle-aged man roared and charged forward, slapping Cheng Li into the air.

Cheng Li spat blood as he slammed into the wall, then crashed to the ground with a scream.

"Father, what... what are you doing?" Cheng Li stared in disbelief, clutching his swollen cheek, which burned with pain.

"Don't call me Father! From this day forward, you are no longer a member of the Cheng Family! You and the Cheng Family are severed, and we have nothing more to do with each other. All your funds and connections will be cut off!"

The middle-aged man cut him off sharply. "I'll announce to the public that you've been expelled from the Cheng Family! If I find out you still dare to go about the world claiming to be a son of the Cheng Family, I'll kill you with my own hands!"

BOOM!!!

Cheng Li's mind exploded.

A thousand thunderclaps seemed to detonate in his head, leaving him dizzy and shattered with terror.

I've been expelled from the Cheng Family? Then I'm no longer a noble. I'm just a lowly commoner?

No! No!! I won't!!!

I refuse to become a lowly commoner! I'm a noble of high standing!!

A tremendous burst of strength surged through him. He sprang up and lunged at the middle-aged man, clinging tightly to his leg as he wailed and begged:

"Father, please don't expel me from the Cheng Family! What did I do wrong? Why are you being so heartless? I'm your eldest son!!"

Looking at his eldest son begging desperately, the middle-aged man's eyes flickered with reluctance and inner conflict.

But they quickly turned cold. He kicked Cheng Li away.

"Idiot! You offended someone you should never have offended, and you still dare ask me why? The entire Cheng Family was nearly destroyed because of you!!"

"You're no longer my son!"

After kicking Cheng Li away, the middle-aged man left with those cold, merciless words.

All that remained were the Calligraphy Saint Pavilion students, staring in stunned silence, and Cheng Li, whose face was blank with despair and confusion.

Cheng Li's mind was filled with the words his father had said before leaving: "You offended someone you should never have offended."

"Who on earth did I offend?" Cheng Li's mind was utterly blank.

Glancing at Cheng Li, who sat slumped on the floor, stunned and despairing, Qin Yuan lowered his brush to the paper and wrote two large characters—

"Serves You Right"

[Calligraphy Path advanced to Stage One, reward: one evolution point]