Eyelids slowly open to reveal a pair of bleary, silver eyes. Grunting lowly from just waking up, Ethan locked his gaze to where his wife was suppose to be.

Only to apprehend, a moment later when his sleepiness was shook off, that a pillow had taken her place. ​​

Did his brain just trolled him to think that the pillow was Lillie?

Reluctantly, he sat up to check the time from the wall clock hanging above the door frame.

4:29 am, it says. Urgh, so the sun hasn't risen up yet. Ethan wanted to sleep again but his thoughts about his wife deny him of the luxury.

To lull himself back to sleep, he studied every nook and cranny of the bedroom. Surprisingly, it's well maintained and refurbished.

In retrospect, unlike what the shabby door had suggested otherwise.

Ethan eyed the coffee table where he folded Lillie's damped clothes last night; they were gone.

Was it all a dream after all? God, he was separated from her for one night, and already, he desperately miss her to the point he could still smell her—

Huh, he can smell the sweet scent of vanilla and lavender clinging onto his sheet and pillow.

His nose wouldn't trick him, right?

Last night's event was definitely not a figment of his imagination. She must've just went back to her room...but why didn't she wake him up?

"Looking for someone, young man?"

Ethan's instincts screamed for him to grab his gun under his pillow—which he later realized that he didn't actually brought it with him because it's not allowed by the Academy.

So, instead, he flung himself off the bed and went into a battle stance and faced where he heard the location of the intruder.

"Haha! Well now, would you look at that." Gruff voice reverberated through the four walls of his bedroom, the intruder clapped and laughed in amusement.

"Your immediate response was quite admirable but," The figure behind the shadows stepped forward to where the single source of light from the lampshade shines.

"I reckon that I would have killed you if I had not made my presence known. Your senses needs to be sharpened, young man."

Ethan straightened up and inclined his head for a greeting. "Grandmaster Wei, what seem to have elicit you in visiting me this early in the morning?"

Astonished, was an understatement of what Ethan was feeling right now.

Not being arrogant or anything but, he regards himself to have a considerably good sixth sense that he have honed throughout the beginning of joining the Underworld and becoming Vermillion Dragon.

He might've resigned from that life for a long time, but there isn't a single day where he lets it get dull.

Being Ethan Li alone, the eldest young master of the Li family, additionally the CEO and successor of Hong Long Corporation, wasn't exactly a safe job.

Envious rivals thought that if they extract the heart of the company—him—it'll fall into ruins. Stupid of them to not realize that he wasn't the only one who has a functioning brain in the company.

Going back to the matter at hand, how long was Grandmaster Wei standing—staring at him—there without his awareness?

Lillie had actually mentioned before that it was Grandmaster Wei who taught her and Death how to hide their blood lust, killing intent, or generally their entire presence.

That makes this elderly man a league of his own if he was the one behind their ghost-likeness. His presence was nonexistent, for crying out loud!

He didn't even felt a single breeze that he would normally feel when someone was within his range.

The crux of his near insanity hummed, as if in deep thoughts, caressing his long, gray beard.

"I was merely looking after my wayward first disciple, hoping to see that he hasn't run away yet again. And since your room was across his, I decided to check-up how you're faring as well."

That's the most unconvincing excuse Ethan has ever heard. Who, in their right mind, would enter someone else's room, knowing full well that they might still be sleeping?!

If not for the emptiness of his bedside, he would not have woken up at this ungodly hour.

Sleep is vital, something he would not miss indulging himself with, especially since he and Lillie have days off from the company.

"I'm faring well, as master can see, thank you for your concern." He managed to reply without showing any trace of bitter annoyance.

The old geezer even had the audacity to nod as if he was really doing Ethan a favor.

The nerve!

"Well then, seeing as how you're on your feet..."

Dread suddenly churned Ethan's stomach, feeling an insidious forthcoming.

"Freshen up and put on your disguise, people are soon arriving to clean the compound. You and I will be 'assisting' them." There was an innuendo in his tone.

Why don't you just straightforwardly say that you wanted to torment me?!

"After you're done, meet me at the main hall to help me cook us breakfast." Grandmaster Wei didn't wait for Ethan to reply before he stepped out and closed the door behind him.

Grandmaster Wei stood outside, in between Ethan and Death's rooms. He looked up at the dark sky and sighed.

"She was there, wasn't she?"

Death poked his head out from his tattered door. "Master shouldn't blame either. Junior Sister wasn't feeling all too well last night. She's in need to someone, most preferably her betrothed, to be with her in times of vulnerability."

Seeing his Junior Sister last night, mindlessly walking towards Ethan's room as if her soul was pulled out, wasn't a sight good for his heart.

He called out for her, but non seemed to have reached her. It was disheartening. The state she was in, he had seen several times.

The first being that awful night where he found her, saved her from those scums.

Grandmaster Wei sighed, he wasn't blaming anyone. He knew that his second disciple was bound to recall those memories that takes the form of nightmares.

He's grateful of Ethan. His eyes could tell that his second disciple's old scars were gradually being healed by her betrothed.

It didn't take a fool to see how much they love and treasure each other.

How much that young man, Ethan, would trek for Lillie.

With this, Ethan Li has passed Grandmaster Wei's test with flying colors.