Yang Luoya left Yang Soren's chamber with one hand pressed tightly against his cheek. A dull, throbbing pain spread beneath his skin, accompanied by a faint bruise that was already beginning to darken. Each step down the corridor felt heavier than the last, though his expression remained composed—almost indifferent.
Before he could reach the corner of the hallway, hurried footsteps echoed toward him.
"Brother!"
Yang Wei appeared, breath slightly uneven, his eyes immediately drawn to Luoya's face. "Are you alright? Why is your cheek bruised like that?" His voice trembled with worry, and his hand instinctively reached out.
Yang Luoya caught his wrist and gently pushed it away. "It's nothing," he said flatly. "This kind of thing is normal."
Normal.
A word he had long grown accustomed to using. He already used to yang Soren cold and harsh treatment because Yang Soren thought his mother cheated and he's not his real child.
Without waiting for a response, Yang Luoya walked past him, leaving Yang Wei standing alone in the wide corridor. He did not notice how Yang Wei's expression slowly darkened, nor how the worry in his eyes turned into something heavier—something unresolved. No one knows what's inside his mind. Yang Wei clenched his fists as he watched his brother's back fade into the distance.
When Yang Luoya reached his own quarters, the scent of freshly washed fabric greeted him. Bai Qian stood near the doorway, holding a clean blanket in his arms. The moment his gaze landed on Luoya's bruised cheek, his eyes widened.
"Young master!" Bai Qian hurried forward. "You're injured. Please, let me treat you.", Bai Qian dragged Yang Luoya inside and make him sit on soft mattress.
Yang Luoya sighed but did not refuse. Soon, he was seated while Bai Qian carefully applied medicinal liquid to his cheek. The cool sensation eased the pain slightly, Bai Qian's movements gentle and practiced, as if afraid even the lightest touch might hurt him. He's always like this, soft and attentive. He's probably come from good family.
Suddenly a thought appear in his mind, he never knew bai Qian origin because he's not important character.
As Bai Qian worked, Yang Luoya glanced around the room.
"Where is that boy who's always with you?" he asked casually.
Bai Qian hesitated for a brief moment. "Liu… he's in the garden. He has to work if he wants to stay here."
That answer made Yang Luoya frown.
In the novel he remembered, Liu Ao was arrogant, defiant, and utterly unwilling to submit to anyone. Yet here, he was obedient—almost diligent.
"He listens to you quite a lot," Yang Luoya remarked.
Bai Qian shook his head softly. "No… he's a gentle and quiet child. I'm sure he treats everyone kindly."
Yang Luoya fell silent.
The Liu Ao he knew was destined to become a cult leader—the one who would awaken a devil sealed beneath cursed land, plunging the future into chaos. Yet now, that fate seemed distorted.
If Liu Ao was no longer the one to initiate disaster, then someone else would.
Someone who knew the future.
The thought sent a chill down his spine.
"Bai Qian," Yang Luoya finally said, "I'm going to the city today. I want to make sure everything is in order before Yang Wei's coming-of-age ceremony."
Bai Qian nodded without question. "I will prepare a cloak and proper disguise for you."
The city was alive.
Yang Luoya walked through crowded streets, his face hidden beneath a hood, his clothes intentionally worn and plain. Lanterns swayed overhead, and colorful decorations lined the roads. Laughter, chatter, and the sound of merchants calling out filled the air.
It was as though the entire city was celebrating in advance.
"It seems… everything is going smoothly," he murmured.
As he moved farther from the plaza, the noise gradually faded. The streets grew quieter, the festive warmth replaced by a strange stillness. Only the sound of wind brushing against leaves remained.
Then—
Footsteps.
"Your Highness…"
Yang Luoya turned sharply. A man stood behind him, cloaked from head to toe. Suspicion flared instantly.
"Who are you?" Yang Luoya asked, pulling back his hood.
The man revealed a face weathered by time and battle—old scars crossing his skin, sharp eyes gleaming with unsettling intent. He bowed deeply.
"My name is of no importance. I recognized Your Highness the moment you passed through the plaza."
"What do you want?"
The man lifted his head and spoke a single word.
"Rebellion."
Yang Luoya's pupils shrank. "Do you realize who you're speaking to? I am the First Prince of the Wei Empire."
"Is it not unjust?" the man pressed on. "You are the first prince, yet your younger brother will inherit the throne."
"Do not involve Yang Wei," Yang Luoya said coldly. "He is innocent. I do not care who becomes emperor."
"I am risking my life by standing here," the man replied. "After the ceremony, he will almost certainly be named Crown Prince."
Yang Luoya turned away. "I won't kill anyone on an auspicious day. But if you dare plan anything during Yang Wei's ceremony… I will not forgive you."
He walked off, leaving the man standing alone, watching his silhouette vanish.
Anxiety gnawed at Yang Luoya's heart.
In the original story, rebels had successfully driven a wedge between him and Yang Wei—leading to a rebellion with Yang Luoya at its head.
This time, he would not allow that fate to unfold. The world already doomed enough because the certain variable that caused blood entity to appear one by one, he cant let any more chaos happen in this storyline.
Back at the palace, Yang Luoya strode into his father's chamber without knocking.
A bunch of decuments are on top of his table.Yang Soren looked up from his documents, then he place down his document, returning his focus on Yang Luoya, his gaze cold. "Have you forgotten your manners?"
"Father," Yang Luoya said firmly, "I've decided to reveal that."
The room fell silent. Yang soren expression become serious, the atmosphere become heavier.
Yang Soren's eyes sharpened. "Are you certain? There is no turning back."
Yang Luoya met his gaze without flinching.
"Yes. I've decided."
A pause.
"…For Yang Wei's sake.".