CHAPTER 62: I AM BLACKLISTED

"Big brother," Jian Ci said, sounding utterly wronged, "why did you block me?"

Jian Rui was seconds away from hanging up when a distant voice crackled through the line.

"Hey! Why do you have my communicator?" Jian Wei’s voice rang out, sharp and incredulous.

"I am calling Rui-ge," Jian Ci replied, unbothered.

There was a scuffle, and then Jian Wei’s voice returned, closer now. "Why didn’t you just use yours?"

"I am blacklisted," Jian Ci muttered.

Jian Wei chuckled. "You deserve it."

Jian Rui sighed. "I have got to go."

"Okay," Jian Wei said, but Jian Ci’s voice pierced through, desperate. "Wait! What about Yu Xi?"

Jian Rui didn’t answer. He hung up ruthlessly and chuckled to himself. Tormenting his little brother was a guilty pleasure, one he indulged in far too often. He packed up the last of the things and left the hotel room, his mood lighter.

***

When Jian Rui said he was going to punish Jian Ci, he meant it.

For an entire week, Yu Xi was kept at the base under a strict regimen. His regular communicator was confiscated, cutting off all contact with Jian Ci. Every day, he was thrown into heated combat simulations against seasoned espers. The schedule was relentless, designed to push him past his limits.

It wasn’t that Jian Ci didn’t try, he did. He sent messages through proxies, but Jian Rui had anticipated every move.

Amelia’s communicator buzzed, and when she saw Jian Ci’s name flash across the screen, a rare smile tugged at her lips. The little cub she had watched grow, mischievous, bright-eyed, and always trailing after Jian Rui, was calling. He must miss me, she thought fondly.

She answered. "Ah-Ci?"

"Auntie," Jian Ci said, voice sweet and urgent. "Do you know where Yu Xi is?"

Her smile vanished.

She remembered Jian Rui’s warning: If Jian Ci calls and asks about Yu Xi, block him for a week.

Amelia sighed. "Ah-Ci..."

But Jian Ci was already rambling. "He hasn’t messaged me in days! I tried calling, but I think Rui-ge blocked me again. Can you just tell me if he’s okay?"

Amelia didn’t answer. She tapped her screen and added Jian Ci to the blacklist.

That route didn’t work so he natural had to try another way. He had plenty of friends at the base, normally. But Jian Rui had issued an internal notice: Anyone who answers Jian Ci’s calls will be assigned to the dark pits for a month.

The dark pit was no joke. It was a simulation chamber designed to expose espers to their deepest fears, it was torturous, relentless, and brutally effective. One week was enough to break even the strongest. And a month was unthinkable. Jian Ci was completely cut off.

Meanwhile, in the heart of the simulation chamber, Jian Rui stood watching Yu Xi. He had always known the boy was exceptional, but now he understood why Gander had called him his ultimate achievement.

Yu Xi stood motionless, breath steady, gaze unreadable. He was like a storm waiting to be unleashed.

The room pulsed with latent energy, its reinforced walls designed to endure the full force of esper combat. Lights flickered overhead, casting long shadows across the polished floor. Jian Rui stood on the observation deck, arms folded, his gaze sharp and unwavering. He wasn’t just watching, he was measuring, calculating.

Yu Xi stepped into the simulation chamber, his posture relaxed, almost casual. But Jian Rui knew better. Beneath that calm exterior was something far more dangerous.

When the simulation began, Yu Xi moved like a man fluid, reactive, human. But only for a moment.

As the first A-rank trainee lunged, Yu Xi shifted. His humanity peeled away, replaced by something colder, cleaner. His movements became precise, his timing flawless. He didn’t hesitate. One mistake from the trainee, just one, and Yu Xi struck with surgical brutality. The fight ended in seconds. Jian Rui’s lips curved. "Again."

Two A-rank espers entered next, veterans trained by his mother, masters of psychic warfare. Yu Xi faltered at first, pushed back by their coordination. But he adapted. Every strike taught him something. Every dodge refined his rhythm. Within minutes, his eyes blazed emerald, and the two were left crumpled on the floor.

Jian Rui’s pulse quickened. "Amelia."

She entered with a smirk. She still held against Yu Xi for not helping her with Stannis in the hotel. She was ready to humble this junior. But Yu Xi wasn’t just any junior.

Their clash was thunderous, a storm of psychic force and raw power. The entire base gathered at the observation deck, drawn by the spectacle.

And Jian Rui, watching it unfold, realized he hadn’t even seen Yu Xi’s limit yet.

Amelia’s strikes were vicious, her resonance slicing through the chamber like a blade honed by years of combat. Yu Xi staggered under the initial onslaught, his defenses buckling, but only for a moment.

Then something shifted. His stance recalibrated, his aura surged, and he matched her. He matched her speed. He matched her precision. He matched her fury.

The battle raged, a blur of psychic force and physical finesse. The chamber trembled beneath their clash, and the observers held their breath. When it finally ended, both stood panting, bruised and bloodied. It was a draw.

Amelia exited the chamber, blood trailing from the corner of her lips, eyes narrowed with something between awe and suspicion. She called Jian Rui.

When they were alone, she asked quietly, "Where did you really find him?"

Jian Rui smiled. "What?"

"He..." Amelia began, but her voice faltered. She exhaled, trying to steady herself. "He hasn’t been training long, has he?"

Jian Rui didn’t answer.

"For someone with only months of training, he is far too advanced. His adaptability, his strength—it’s not normal." Her voice dropped. "At this rate, he will be hard to control."

"You don’t have to worry," Jian Rui said calmly.

"Did you make him swear a blood oath?"

"Yeah. There’s really nothing to worry about."

Amelia hesitated. "Maybe it’s nothing. But do you remember Eros?" Jian Rui’s jaw clenched.

Eros, the name etched in Virelia’s darkest records. A traitor whose true rank was never classified, because he surpassed every known level. His bloodlust had terrified even the High Celestial Court and the Imperial Lord.

So they made him take the highest oath possible, the Mandated Blood Oath.

He vowed never to betray Virelia but despite the oath he still betrayed them like the oath was nothing to him.