I walked past her without so much as a glance. Killing her would only hurt my already tattered reputation—and honestly, it's not like I could kill her anyway. Not with this scrawny, malnourished body of mine.
When I spoke, the fat maid's face flushed red with embarrassment. The other maid nearby stood frozen in disbelief. I continued down the hallway, which was surprisingly large and ridiculously luxurious. Velvet carpets. Golden sconces. Portraits of ancestors who probably Have one of the best reputation in the Family.
Yes… I truly am a noble. A disgrace of one, but a noble nonetheless. Fixing my reputation? No thanks. Not yet. I have more urgent things to deal with—like fixing this walking skeleton I call a body.
I yawned dramatically, my joints cracking like old furniture. Eventually, I reached my room. Surprisingly, it wasn't a pigsty. According to my memories, it used to be—but clearly, the maids had been cleaning it regularly. Good for them. Or me.
My eyes landed on a small golden bell sitting by the bedside. If I remembered correctly, this thing summoned my new personal maid. I think she's new. Definitely hasn't been traumatized yet.
Stomach growling like a demon beast, I reached for the bell and rang it. It let out a sharp, metallic chime that somehow echoed throughout the estate. Just a moment later, a knock came at the door.
Efficient.
"Come in!" I shouted, gesturing dramatically like a tyrant. And then—I was stunned.
She stepped inside, trembling slightly. A girl of maybe sixteen—seventeen at most. Golden hair flowed like silk, and her emerald eyes sparkled with innocence... and terror. She was beautiful, no question. Unfortunately for her, she'd clearly heard all the horror stories about me.
Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears, convinced she was about to be groped or worse. Honestly, it was kinda cute—her fear, was palpable but it's cute. I blushed a little.
"What's your name?" I asked, trying to sound casual. Unfortunately, my voice came out arrogant and cold. Ugh. Muscle memory.
She jumped at the question. "L-Luna," she stammered. Her voice was barely a whisper, like even speaking too loud might get her punished.
I nodded, tempted to tease her—but given my reputation and how badly I need to bulk up, I decided against it.
"Bring me food," I said. "At least twenty different dishes. Something fancy. Meaty. Lots of it."
She blinked at me in confusion, stunned by the order, but didn't say a word. Instead, she bowed and dashed off.
I could tell she was surprised I hadn't tried anything on her. In fact, she sighed in visible relief the moment she left the room.
Guess the monster's not so monstrous, she probably thought. Not today, anyway.
From what I recalled,Rumors had spread that i been groping or beating up my maids. But right now. I just wanted to put Weight and muscle
Time passed quickly. Luna returned, balancing three trays stacked with food. The smell hit me like a divine slap to the face—roasted duck, glazed chicken, braised meats, and fresh fruit juices.
I immediately assumed a lotus position, because why not cultivate while feasting?
"Young Master," she said with a bow, her voice still soft, "your food."
"Leave me," I said, gesturing with a wave.
She obeyed, clearly relieved once again. I noticed the way she smiled on the way out—less fear, more curiosity. Maybe he's not what the rumors say, she thought. He just eats... a lot?
She shook her pretty head and returned to her duties, probably more confused than ever.
Meanwhile, I devoured the food like a starving beast. Duck, meat, chicken, juicy fruits—it was paradise. Each bite filled me with energy. I activated my cultivation method, transforming every bit of fat and nutrient into spiritual energy.
My body shuddered, bones cracking again—this time in a good way. I could feel my strength surging. An hour passed, and all twenty dishes had vanished into my stomach.
I had reached the 1st Layer of the Golden Body stage.
Still looked like skin and bones, though. Less like a noble heir and more like a haunted broomstick.
But my skin felt smoother. Tougher. Resilient. In terms of power .I was now roughly at the 1st Star, Late Layer stage. Not bad for a guy who looked like a scarecrow.
No sleep tonight. I needed to keep cultivating.
Another full day passed.
By sunrise, I'd reached the Peak Layer of Qi Refinement. Impressive progress, if I do say so myself.
I stepped outside, ignoring the way the maids scrambled to get out of my path. Can't say I blamed them. Reputation, remember?
Eventually, I reached a grove of trees near the estate—perfect training ground.
I focused, and with practiced ease, conjured a sword out of pure Qi. It shimmered in the air, a pristine white blade—flawless, though not quite up to my past life's standards.
Still, it would do.
I raised it and used my Void Slash technique. At first, nothing happened.
Then... a black line appeared across the bark. I smiled and willed the mark to finish its job.
Schhhlink!
The tree split cleanly in half.
"Nice," I muttered—until I heard it.
A high-pitched, squeaky scream of fury.
A small squirrel popped out of the tree stump, its beady eyes glowing with rage.
"How dare a mere human chop down my home!?"
I blinked.
A talking squirrel?
My memories stirred. Spiritual Beast. Rare. Powerful. Cute.
It launched itself at me with surprising speed, tiny claws flashing.
I scoffed. "Really?"
I blocked each strike effortlessly. The squirrel's fury grew, and so did its speed.
Not bad. Around 2 Star Peak Layer, I estimated. Stronger than some people in the mansion.
It suddenly froze mid-air. I had let just a bit of my murderous aura leak out—just enough to remind it that I had fought and killed across centuries in my past life.
The squirrel dropped to the ground and bowed.
"Y-Young Master is truly profound to defeat someone like me at such a young age!"
Its voice was squeaky and flattering. I liked it.
I picked it up by the scruff of its neck. "Live with me in the mansion," I said. "Just keep your aura suppressed."
It tried to protest, but I stuffed it into my pocket like a plush toy.
Then came a familiar voice.
"Young Master! Your father is calling for you!"
It was Luna, panting, cheeks flushed from running all over the estate trying to find me.
By the tone of her voice... this was urgent.