Fifteen minutes later, they were in business class on a high-speed train from Sucuan to Weishan.
Lu Jing sat in her seat, a complex expression on her face as she watched the back of her brother, Lu Yuan, who was busy stowing her luggage.
She hadn’t seen him for over four months, and it felt as if she no longer recognized this younger brother of hers.
Apart from the drastic change in his appearance, Lu Yuan’s personality had also become unfamiliar.
He still called her "Sis" as before. Yet, the dominance and unyielding certainty in his voice were such that she found herself dazedly following him onto the train, not even managing to properly bid farewell to her friends.
It was only after boarding the train that she discovered Lu Yuan wasn’t taking her to Burnt Rock, but to Weishan.
"Sis, have some water."
A bottle of mineral water was handed to Lu Jing.
Lu Jing snapped out of her daze. Her gaze followed the hand holding the water bottle upward. She found herself looking straight into Lu Yuan’s calm eyes.
They were just like the eyes she remembered from her first encounter with him, in the excavated tomb underground... dark, profound, and hiding so many unknowns and mysteries.
Lu Jing took the water bottle and quickly lowered her head.
Lu Yuan sat down beside Lu Jing, watching as she absentmindedly fumbled with the bottle cap.
After a moment’s thought, he handed over his own water bottle, which he had already opened.
"You drink this one."
Lu Jing silently did as he suggested.
Lu Yuan pressed a button on the armrest. A partition rose from the floor beside their seats, quickly forming a small, temporary enclosure.
"This train won’t arrive at Weishan for another hour and thirty-two minutes," Lu Yuan said. He turned to the side, calmly meeting Lu Jing’s eyes, and continued, "I’ve bought all eight seats closest to us, so you don’t have to worry about being overheard. During this time, you can ask whatever you want..."
He paused, then added, "When you’re done with your questions, I’ll ask you mine."
Lu Jing, caught off guard by Lu Yuan’s directness, stared blankly.
Seeing her reaction, Lu Yuan shook his head and said, "Never mind, I’ll just tell you myself. If there’s anything I don’t cover that you’re curious about, feel free to ask."
Then, Lu Yuan began to speak.
"Three months ago, I signed up for a Martial Arts class. Yes, Sis, you should know this; you even asked me about it during our video call. The one Dad paid for. Thᴇ link to the origɪn of this information rᴇsts ɪn novᴇlfire.net
"My talent is good, very good. My progress in Martial Arts was swift, and it wasn’t long before I caught the attention of the instructor at the training hall.
"He recommended me to the Sect that oversees the training hall... Yes, it’s exactly what you’re thinking—like something out of a martial arts novel, an Ancient Martial Arts School.
"I believe your friend’s boyfriend is likely from a similar kind of Sect. You can ask them privately to verify this...
"I’m in Weishan this time to participate in an assessment within the Sect. Luckily, I passed, and so the Sect Master has decided to accept me as his disciple.
"Tomorrow night is my formal discipleship banquet. Don’t worry, Sis. It’s a legitimate Martial Arts Sect, not some kind of criminal organization or Cult, like you might be imagining...
"Oh, by the way, in our family, only you know about this for now. I haven’t told Dad, Mom, or Grandpa... any of them.
Lu Yuan closed his mouth, observing Lu Jing’s reaction.
Clearly, his words contained too much information and were too impactful for Lu Jing to process immediately. After he finished, Lu Jing’s mouth hung slightly open, her thin, dark face a mask of shock and bewilderment.
Lu Yuan wasn’t in a rush. He casually pulled down the tray table in front of his seat, took out the pen and paper he’d requested from a train attendant earlier, and began to sketch something.
Just as he was nearly finished, he heard Lu Jing murmur softly.
"Yuan," she asked, "this Sect you joined... is it very wealthy?"
"Heh..." Lu Yuan couldn’t help but chuckle. He glanced sideways and saw that Lu Jing seemed to have mostly processed what he’d said. So, he replied half-jokingly, "They’re very wealthy, but it’s not my money.
"However, it’ll likely become mine in the future—I’d say there’s an eighty percent chance.
"In short, your little brother has made it big now. In the future, even if you, Dad, and Mom all stop working and just lounge around at home every day, I can take good care of you. Living in luxury, wearing gold and silver, eating the best food—it’ll be absolutely no problem..."
"Stop boasting. The phone you’re using is still the one I bought you. The screen’s all scratched, and you’re still reluctant to replace it.
"And those clothes are the ones I bought for you last year... And you still claim you’re rich enough to support the whole family?"
As Lu Jing spoke, the sense of distance and unfamiliarity between them seemed to quickly dissipate.
Lu Yuan seized the moment to bring up his first-place rank in the end-of-term exams again, even pulling up a photo of his report card on his phone to show her.
For an instant, it felt as if they had completely returned to the close, ordinary sibling relationship they once shared.
Then, Lu Yuan unexpectedly handed the paper he was holding to her.
"What’s this? Your drawing is so ugly..." Lu Jing grumbled reflexively, but her words died in her throat halfway through as her expression suddenly froze.
She stared at the white paper in her hand for several seconds, then abruptly looked up at him, her face a mask of shock and astonishment as she asked, "This thing... where did you see it?"
"I saw it on the blackboard behind you during our video call. I memorized it."
Lu Yuan looked at Lu Jing calmly and said, "Sis, now it’s my turn to ask you."
On the white paper Lu Yuan had shown Lu Jing were a drawing of the Elephant God Religion’s symbol and the phrase that included "Demon Mountain."