To Rise Again In The Apocalypse

That night, Li Xinwen once again called Xue Rui. This time, his call finally got through. "Rui-ge?" he called out.

"Xinwen..." Xue Rui's voice was heard from the other side and Li Xinwen finally let out a breath that he didn't realize he had been holding.

"Rui-ge, how are you? I tried to look for you everywhere today, but I couldn't find you at all. When I called, it didn't get through. Where were you?"

"You were looking for me?" Xue Rui asked. Then without waiting for Li Xinwen to answer, he asked another question. "Were you worried?"

"Since you can say this, you must be alright then," Li Xinwen said.

"En," Xue Rui replied. After that, there were a few seconds where the two didn't know what to say. Li Xinwen was just about to end the call when he heard Xue Rui's voice once more. "Xinwen... tomorrow, can I bring you out for lunch?"

"Rui-ge, shouldn't you be recovering?" Li Xinwen asked.

"Did you not give me medicine? I... don't know what magical medicine you gave me but... my injuries are all gone," Xue Rui informed the other.

Hearing this, Li Xinwen frowned and leaned back on his recamier chair. 'I guess I better inquire Lanyu about this matter,' he thought to himself.

"Also... will you bring Jinghua along too?" while Li Xinwen didn't answer, Xue Rui decided to speak again.

"Hua-jie? Why?" Li Xinwen asked.

"I... have wronged her. I wanted to make things right," Xue Rui said in a soft voice. "I know, what I did is unforgivable-"

"At least you know now. So? Are you feeling guilty?" Li Xinwen asked after cutting Xue Rui off.

"Yes..."

"Alright. I won't ask how you plan to make things right. I will bring her along tomorrow," Li Xinwen said after receiving Xue Rui's answer. "Rui-ge, you should rest now. I will see you tomorrow. Good night."

"En. Good night."

Li Xinwen ended the call before he entered the pocket dimension. "Lanyu!" he called out. Not long after, Lanyu came over flying, his face was covered with dirt that makes Li Xinwen raise an eyebrow. "What were you doing?" he asked out of curiosity.

"Didn't master say he wanted to plant some seeds earlier today? I was preparing the land for it," Lanyu replied. "I already got three patches ready," he added.

"You're working hard," Li Xinwen can't help but praise the spirit. "Don't overwork yourself," he said as he reached out to gently give Lanyu's head a gentle rub. "By the way, Lanyu... just what medicine did you give Xue Rui? He told me his injuries are all healed up."

"Eh? It's just a normal medicine to heal injuries," Lanyu replied. "As long as you just give him a drop, his injury will heal just as I've said... maybe master accidentally gave him more than a drop?"

"But you said that if it was more than a drop, it would damage his internal organ instead," Li Xinwen reminded him.

"En... I did say that. Maybe he's just lucky," Lanyu murmured softly. "Well, on the bright side, if he did drink more than a drop and nothing happened, his body should be stronger than a normal mortal. Maybe his body is also compatible for cultivation."

"Impossible. I've checked it before. His aptitude is very low. Even if he were to practice for ten years, he may not even reach the first stage in body tempering," Li Xinwen quickly dismissed the idea.

At this, Lanyu shrugged and shook his head several times. "Then, Lanyu don't know how else to explain it. But, if his aptitude is low before... then after taking that medicine..."

Li Xinwen heard Lanyu's suggestive tone and he eyed the small spirit carefully. "What are you trying to say?"

"I mean... master, how old is he? Master should know that the younger you start cultivating, the better, right? This is because young people's body is still pure. But if you start late, then the impurity in your body would've already been build up inside and clogged up the meridians..." Lanyu explained. "Since he drinks that medicine... some of those impurities should... disappear?"

"So, what you're trying to say is... the reason his body has low aptitude when I checked is that his body is full of impurities?" Li Xinwen asked.

"Maybe? It is only my conjecture," Lanyu replied. "Why don't master go and check again?"

"En. I guess I should. I'm going to meet him tomorrow anyway," Li Xinwen replied. "How are the cat's progress?"

"..."

"Lanyu?"

"Master, it's only been a few days, ah! Do you think it is easy for them to gain sentience?" Lanyu asked. "Even I took over thousands of years absorbing the spiritual energy of the sun and the moon before I gain sentience, and it took me another thousand years to get this form!"

"That reminds me, what is your original form?" Li Xinwen asked. "You seemed to have high affinity with plants..."

"I was just a small sapling back in my original world. Then the old master picked me up and started to take care of me. After that, we travelled together and things happen... and now, here I am..."

Li Xinwen noticed that Lanyu didn't seem to want to talk about it so he decided to leave it at that. "I'm going to try and undo the seal on the alchemy room. I'm cultivating too fast, but I need time to consolidate my strength. There was nothing else to do and I am getting bored," Li Xinwen informed Lanyu. "So, inform me when the time for an incense stick to burn has passed in the outside world," Li Xinwen said.

"Understood, master!" Lanyu replied.

Thus, Li Xinwen decided to spend a few hours in order to undo the seal placed on the door of the alchemy room. Meanwhile, in the real world, Xue Rui who had a phone conversation with Li Xinwen earlier, was busy working on his laptop. Unbeknownst to him, Xue Jun was having a discussion with their grandfather and their parents. A discussion might be putting it on a stretch because their mother is glaring at Xue Jun angrily while their father tried to placate her. Their grandfather, on the other hand, his face was already red from anger when he heard that Xue Jun wanted to take Xue Rui to train.

"Xiao Jun, have you gone mad?!" old Xue asked.

"Grandfather, I haven't gone mad. This is Xiao Rui's wish," Xue Jun replied.

"How can this be Xiao Rui's wish?!" their mother retorted. "That boy has never been interested in military training before! And when the two of you decided to go out and play, he ends up heavily injured! As the mother of you both, I will not allow it!"

"Xiao Jun, listen to your mother. We already know that Xiao Rui is not suitable for those harsh training. Why not just let him work on his business and bring the money in for our family? The way he is now isn't that bad," their father tried to convince Xue Jun.

"That's right! If he goes and train, who will run his business?!" Old Xue asked.

Xue Jun only stared at the three who vehemently opposing his decision before letting out a heavy sigh. "I understand," Xue Jun said and the three expressions finally relaxed. "Since asking you as the younger generation doesn't work, then I will just use my authority. Starting next week, I will bring Xue Rui to the military base and I will have him train there. None of the Xue family members is allowed to stop him. This is my order as the head of the family, and I hope the three of you will not say anything else."

The three old people choked on their breath when they heard Xue Jun exercising his authority. Because the younger male rarely does so, they had forgotten how the fact that this young man before them is the one who holds the true power within their family. "Don't worry. You have a week to spend time with Xiao Rui. So make good use of it," Xue Jun added while his eyes landed on his mother. "But what happens in this house, only stays within these walls. If it ever goes out, even if you are my mother... You understand, right? I hope you don't force me, mother."

After saying his piece, Xue Jun stood up and left. He only gave a warning to his mother because he knew both his father and grandfather, knowing their military background, will not say a word to outsiders. When Xue Jun entered Xue Rui's room, he saw that his little brother furiously tapping on his laptop. The focused Xue Rui didn't even notice his arrival until he sat down on the chair beside the bed.

"Oh! Brother, when did you come in?" Xue Rui asked, feeling slightly shocked when he found out his brother is already in the room without him noticing.

"Not long. Work?" Xue Jun asked, and Xue Rui only nods his head as he turned his attention back to his laptop. "Have you already figured out how to deal with your business?"

"I will let mom handle it. All the knowledge I have is learned from her after all. I'm sure she can handle the business," Xue Rui murmured softly. "By the way, brother. Tomorrow, I will be meeting Xinwen and Jinghua for lunch," he informed his older brother.

"Meeting your ex-fiance and the person you're currently chasing at the same time?" Xue Jun asked with an eyebrow raised.

"En. I have wronged them both... Tomorrow, I plan to make things right and apologize. It's fine if they don't forgive me though... Whatever transpired was because of me being stupid and-"

"As long as you know," Xue Jun said and Xue Rui was stopped in his track.

'Why do I feel like I'm experiencing a deja vu?' Xue Rui thought in his mind.

"Xiao Rui, I must say this... I admit, that I am not a romantic person. Which is why when you came to me that year for help, I was unable to do so. But I never expected..." Xue Jun stared at Xue Rui with a distressed look. He felt that what he wanted to say next would damage his brother's pride so he hesitated. But in the end, he still continued. "I never expected that you would be so stupid and gullible as to be used by your second brother. What makes you think a piece of advice given by someone demented like him is a good idea?"

"Ge, you already asked me this before... I know, I was wrong. I thought that even though those books were fiction since those CEO in the story got their female lead in the end... their methods were probable..."

"Heh, probable..." Xue Jun snickered. "Fictions are fictions! They are usually made to satisfy other people's fantasy. Just because it works in fiction doesn't mean it works in real life!"

Xue Rui, who was scolded by Xue Jun, stopped working on his laptop and lowered his head in shame. He knew what his brother is saying is true. He truly didn't know why he thought it was a good idea at that time. It might've been because he was too desperate. 'No... I was just being stupid...' he corrected himself. There was no use of trying to lie to himself just to make him feel better. Xue Rui continued to stay quiet as Xue Jun berated him.

"Well, no point in crying over spilt milk. Fortunately, you're a man enough to admit your mistake. Tomorrow, big bro will accompany you to make sure you don't chicken away on the last minute."

"I... thank you, Jun-ge..." Xue Rui mumbled in a soft voice.

"En. I also want to ask a few things about the apocalypse from your ex-fiance. Have you picked a place yet?" Xue Jun asked. When Xue Jun saw that Xue Rui shook his head, Xue Jun took out his phone and made a call. After a few exchanges, he ended the call and turned back to Xue Rui. "Tomorrow, we'll have lunch at the Lakeside Pavilion. I already booked a private room. You go and inform them."