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Jin Shu climbed through the narrow hole in the wall, stepping over the pool of yet to dry blood. He shuddered at the sight, “hey Nano, I don't think I thanked you yet. So, thanks for saving me here.”

“We were only saving ourselves.”

“Regardless, thank you.”

“You're welcome.”

The early morning light filtered through the trees, and in the foliage of one of those trees his eyes spotted a squirrel perched on a branch, its small paws and snout smeared with berry stains. The creature seemed to be watching him, its bright eyes glinting with an odd intelligence. They recognized each other instantly.

He reflexively reached for his pistol, ready to deal with the little devil. But he hesitated, glancing at the adorable little tiger cub on his shoulder. Before he could decide, Yin'er leaped off his shoulder, barreling toward the squirrel in a blur of silver fur.

The two animals clashed in a fierce flurry of claws and squeaks, Yin'er's small but sharp claws swiping as the squirrel scrambled to dodge, Yin'er's claws cut small swaths of fur from the squirrel's body. Jin Shu watched in a mixture of concern and amusement as Yin'er managed to land a blow that clipped off a small horn protruding from the squirrel's forehead. With a screech, the now partially naked and hornless squirrel leaped to another branch and scampered off, disappearing into the foliage.

With a swish of her wings Yin'er bounded back to him, looking quite pleased with herself as she held the broken horn in her mouth like a trophy. Jin Shu chuckled, scratching her behind the ears. "You’re a real little warrior, aren’t you?"

With Yin'er safely back on his shoulder, he made his way home, his clothes dusty, bloody and nearly ripped to shreds from the night’s adventures. The first rays of dawn were lighting the city as he approached his home. He spotted his mother waiting anxiously by the manor's entrance.

Her eyes widened as she took in his appearance, from his dirt-streaked face to his barely held together clothes and wild hair. But her gaze quickly landed on the tiger cub perched proudly on his shoulder.

"Shu!" She rushed over, her expression a mix of shock and dismay. "Where have you been all night!? Why are your clothes ripped!? Is this blood!!? And what is that!?"

Jin Shu opened his mouth to explain, but she cut him off, waving a hand dramatically at Yin'er. "Don’t tell me you’ve joined the Beastmaster Sect! You know I was hoping you’d join my sect instead." She placed her hands on her hips, feigning a disappointed sigh. "I even had plans to make it your personal harem!"

“Pftt!” Fan Biyu had just stepped out when she heard what Sun Mei'er said. She tried and failed to stifle her laughter.

"Mother!" Jin Shu blurted, face flushing. "It’s not like that! And Yin’er isn’t from the Beastmaster Sect…she’s just… a pet I found on the road. And besides, I can't join a female-only sect."

His mother narrowed her eyes playfully, smirking as she crossed her arms, completely ignoring his protests. "A pet, huh? Well, if you’re bringing home tiger cubs now, maybe you’ll start bringing home a few women, too. Just remember, I’ve got plenty of lovely disciples in my sect who’d be more than willing to dote on you."

Jin Shu groaned, his face turning even redder as he tried to steer the conversation away from his mother’s matchmaking. "I think I’ll stick to the path I’m on. Besides, I’ve got plenty to handle with just this one."

His mother laughed, shaking her head as she pulled him into a hug. "Fine, fine. But you’ll have to tell me all about your adventures later." She glanced at Yin’er, her expression softening. "And make sure this little one gets a bath. She looks like she’s been through a battle already."

Jin Shu let out a laugh, feeling a warmth he hadn’t realized he missed. "Sure, Mom. And thanks."

“Ah!” His mothers shout startled everyone.

“What? Why are you shouting suddenly?”

Tears formed at the corners of her eyes. “You called me mom!” She hugged him even tighter, refusing to let go, while he struggled to break free.

***

Jin Shu climbed into the warm bath, a reluctant tiger cub held firmly in his arms.

Splash!

“Mew!!” Yin’er flailed wildly as the water engulfed her small body.

“Calm down, it’s just a quick bath,” Jin Shu said, his tone firm but amused. Holding her still with one hand, he lathered shampoo into her fur with the other, ignoring her attempts to escape.

The moment he rinsed the suds from her coat, Yin’er sprang from the tub in a blur of wet fur, shaking water in every direction. Settling a safe distance away, she instinctively began to lick herself dry, only to recoil in horror at the lingering fragrance of the shampoo.

Jin Shu couldn’t help but laugh at her antics. His amusement earned him a sharp glare from the dripping wet furball, her small form radiating outrage despite her drenched appearance.

After finishing his bath, Jin Shu headed to his mother’s courtyard, towel draped over his shoulders. His robes hung loosely around his waist, leaving his chest bare as he absentmindedly dried his hair—a habit carried over from his previous life. Back on Earth, he’d never thought twice about going shirtless after a bath. Fabric clinging to damp skin had always been more trouble than it was worth.

“Whatever are you doing, son?”

His mother’s teasing voice broke through his thoughts, prompting Jin Shu to glance up. He froze as her expression came into focus—laughter dancing in her eyes, a hand lightly covering her mouth. But what truly caught his attention was Fan Biyu.

The young woman was staring at him, her cheeks burning with a blush so deep it spread down her neck. Her wide-eyed expression seemed torn between mortification and something else entirely.

Before Jin Shu could piece it together, his mother’s amused voice filled the silence.

“Are you trying to seduce my sweet disciple?” she asked, her tone laced with mischief.

It took Jin Shu a moment to process her words. Then he glanced down at his bare chest and realization hit. He was no longer Jin Shu of Earth. This world had its own customs and culture, and here, walking around bare-chested was far from casual. It was scandalous.

Awkwardly, he clutched the towel tighter, his cheeks warming as he muttered, “It’s not what it looks like...”

Jin Shu quickly dressed, pulling on his robes with an urgency born more of embarrassment than necessity. As he tied the sash around his waist, he thought he heard a soft sigh behind him, but dismissed it as a trick of his imagination.

Eager to change the subject, he retrieved the earring he had found in the tiger’s lair and held it out for his mother to see.

“Hmm? A spatial artifact, isn’t it? Something that stores items?” Sun Mei'er remarked, her eyes lighting up with curiosity as she examined it. “Look, I have one too.” She held up her hand, displaying a silver ring with a striking red gemstone.

Jin Shu blinked in surprise. He had always assumed the ring was a wedding band, only now realizing that such traditions didn’t exist in this world.

“Well, I know what it is,” he said, his tone steady. “I was actually wondering if you recognized it.”

His mother tilted her head, a small frown forming. “Recognize it? No… should I?”

“Uh… I guess not,” Jin Shu replied, a flicker of disappointment crossing his features before he brushed it aside.

Sun Mei'er seemed not to notice. Clapping her hands together, she beamed. “Anyway, I was about to teach Biyu some techniques. How about you join us?”

Despite his initial hesitation, Jin Shu agreed. The three of them moved to the training area, where his mother began her instruction with practiced ease.

For Jin Shu, however, it was a different story. Having never trained in the fighting styles of cultivators before, he struggled to keep up with the rigorous exercises and unfamiliar techniques. His body ached, and his pride took a beating, but he persisted nonetheless.

This routine continued for the next few days, with Jin Shu pushing himself to adapt to the demanding practices. Though the progress was slow, each session brought him closer to understanding the world—and the people—he had been reborn into.

Fan Biyu, ever amused by her master’s exuberance, often shot Jin Shu a sympathetic smile when he struggled to keep up with the exercises his mother demanded. Meanwhile, Yin’er, his loyal companion, basked in the attention she received, either trotting alongside him through the estate or curling up to nap on his shoulder. The little spirit beast had taken a particular liking to his mother, who delighted in playing with her whenever Jin Shu was preoccupied with his rune practice.

It was late in the afternoon a week later when an urgent message arrived for Sun Mei'er. She pulled out a flashing talisman from inside her robes. Her expression turned serious as she placed the talisman to her head, allowing the information to transmit into her mind. She rose quickly, tucking the talisman away.

“Mother? What happened?” Jin Shu asked, seeing the change in her demeanor.

She hesitated, glancing back at him with a hint of worry. “Some of my disciples have encountered a group of demonic cultivators. I need to go to them immediately.”

He opened his mouth to protest but stopped himself. He knew how strong she was, but still, he felt a pang of worry. “Be careful, okay?”

She nodded, giving him a reassuring smile. “Of course. I’ll be back soon.” With a final wave, she left, leaving him to watch her retreating form until it disappeared over the estate wall.

Later that evening, Jin Shu sat in his workshop, Yin'er curled up at his feet. His thoughts kept drifting back to his mother and the dangers she might be facing right now. If only he had been able to create a weapon to protect her. He had the skills to craft powerful firearms, but after the fight with the horned squirrel and seeing how ineffective ordinary weapons could be here, he wondered if they would be enough.

Then, his gaze fell on the book—the Compendium of Runes and Their Crafting. An idea formed, and his hand moved instinctively to grab the book, flipping through its pages. Mixing runes with his weapons could be the answer, he realized. He didn’t know yet what would work best in this world, but he’d learn. For his mother, and for everyone he wanted to protect.