Protoganist's Sidekick Fights Back-Chapter 5: Family Dinner

Glimpses into the future, twisting fate—such abilities defied even the most powerful cultivators he knew of.

Yet this insignificant fragment had accomplished exactly that.

If just a single piece could do this...

What kind of power would the complete artifact hold?

Su Kang's thoughts spun, unable to grasp the full extent of such might.

He swallowed hard, pushing those thoughts away for now. Trying to suppress the shock rising in his chest, he asked,

"You... are the spirit of the original artifact?" His voice carried a trace of disbelief.

Even in ancient records, artifact spirits were exceedingly rare. Most would dissipate if their artifact was broken—let alone survive in a mere fragment.

But the metallic voice replied without the slightest ripple of emotion.

"I know nothing of any original artifact."

The cold, unnatural voice scraped against his mind.

"Since my awakening, this form... has been my totality."

Su Kang's frown deepened.

"Born from the fragment...?"

How could that be possible? Wasn't this piece simply a remnant of something greater?

Every artifact spirit he had ever heard of was bound to the whole artifact. A fragment alone couldn't give birth to its own consciousness.

Su Kang's mind swirled with questions, but he suppressed his curiosity. This entity's origins were far beyond his understanding.

For now, there were more important matters. He cupped his hands respectfully.

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"Then... how should I address you, Senior?"

"I have no preference. Call me as you wish."

The spirit's voice remained indifferent, as if such trivial things held no meaning to it.

Su Kang thought for a moment but left the question unanswered.

Instead, he asked the most pressing question weighing on his mind.

"Then can you tell me more about powers that allowed me to see future?"

"When I arrived in this world after travelling in space cracks, I was protecting your soul with the power of destiny; otherwise, it wouldn't be possible for a mortal soul to survive that journey."

He had wondered how his soul had crossed worlds. Now, he finally understood.

It wasn't his own luck or fate. It was this fragment's unfathomable power.

"I consumed a large amount of the power of destiny in that journey," the spirit continued.

"So I sought a place where the heavenly destiny of the world gathered in great abundance to recover."

"Before releasing your soul, I used my remaining energy to nurture it — guiding your reincarnation into the most favorable circumstances."

"Your family, your talent, your environment... all of this were shaped by the power of destiny."

Su Kang's breath caught in his throat.

"But not all of that power was exhausted," the spirit continued.

"A small portion remains dormant within your soul."

"When your destiny begins to wane and death approaches, that power will grant you a vision of one of the most probable future events related to your death."

"In this way, you can avoid death for once."

His heart pounded against his chest.

The power to see his death.

The spirit had bestowed it upon him such power as compensation for killing him in the first place.

His gaze fell on the silent fragment resting on the table. His eyes softened as he bowed respectfully toward the fragment.

"Thank you... Senior."

The metallic voice remained silent, as if unmoved by his gratitude.

Its power allowed him this life, good talent, and even a harmonious family.

Even that little anger and blame for killing him vanished from his heart.

He was once again given a chance to change the tragic ending of his family and he was extremely grateful for this opportunity.

At that moment, hurried footsteps echoed from outside the chamber.

A servant's voice called out.

"Young Master, the lord summons you to dinner."

The conversation was over.

Su Kang flicked his fingers, storing the fragment into his space ring before opening the door.

The cold night air brushed against his face, soothing the storm raging within his mind.

...

A vast light-blue moon loomed overhead, its soft glow spilling across the meticulously manicured gardens. The silver light caught on the rippling surface of a small pond.

The air was thick with the heady scent of night-blooming jasmine, blending with the rich aroma of roasting meat wafting from the hall.

Su Kang stepped inside, the warmth of home wrapping around him like an old friend.

For a brief moment, surrounded by the familiar hum of conversation and clinking tableware, the weight of his secrets faded into the background.

At the long wooden table, two figures sat waiting. He lifted a hand in greeting before slipping into his seat beside them.

"Where are the sisters?" Su Kang asked casually.

Su Lang sighed. "Alchemy lecture in the morning. They returned to the sect early."

Su Kang nodded, unsurprised.

The conversation soon drifted, weaving through the usual topics—cultivation, training, clan matters.

Eventually, it circled around to something far more entertaining —Su Lang's love life.

"Brother Lang," Su Cheng grinned, his voice carrying a playful lilt, "That girl from the Liu family asked about you again."

Su Kang's brow lifted in fake surprise. "Oh? Could it be... she has finally found someone to match her refined tastes?"

"You two...Stop talking nonsense." he muttered, shaking his head.

Su Cheng smirked, nudging him with an elbow. "So, have you decided which lady to court yet? Or are we still waiting for divine intervention?"

Su Kang chuckled. "Maybe we should offer a prayer at the ancestral temple for him."

Su Lang groaned, rubbing his temples. "Why are you two so invested in this?"

"Because," Su Cheng said with a grin, "as the second son, you know you'll have to accept a marriage proposal from an influential family sooner or later."

Su Lang sighed, leaning back in defeat. At thirty, with his late-stage Foundation Building cultivation, his responsibilities were clear.

Strong, capable, and born into a prestigious family—he was a prime candidate for political marriage.

And yet, he wasn't ready for this.

Before the conversation could go any further, a sudden commotion by the entrance drew their attentions.

A couple walked through the open courtyard, their footsteps measured, yet carrying the weight of quiet authority.

The man's red-yellow robe swayed lightly with each step, embroidered with the faint symbol of the Su clan.

The man has broad-shoulder and light brown skin. His masculine presence was enough to command attention without a single word.

He was Su chen, Su Kang's father.

Beside him walked Su Kang's mother, her face gentle yet dignified beneath the moon's pale glow.

They took their seats at the head of the table. Servants swiftly began laying out dishes—steamed spirit fish, glazed meats, fragrant rice.

"Since you decided to stay," Su Chen's deep voice broke the silence,

"Did you inform the sect of your decision?"

Su Kang said, "Not yet. I will visit them tomorrow and inform them about my decision."

"Good, since you decided on this, everything is fine," his father nodded.

It was only last night that Su Chen had tried to dissuade him from joining the front lines against the demon cultivators.

His reasons were clear.

Demon cultivators were rarely bound by morality—stronger, more ruthless. Their fighting power often far exceeded their cultivation level.

Thinking about his son going there without mastering any superpowers was not something he could allow easily.

Su Kang saw his father and mother were both in a good mood and thought something.

"Father, I have to tell you something later," Su Kang said.

Su Chen's chopsticks paused mid-air before he slowly nodded.

The conversation flowed around him, a familiar current of family business and clan politics.

Once the meal concluded, his cousins excused themselves. Only Su Kang remained behind.

"Father, there's something I've just confirmed about a secret realm."

He wove the story with careful half-truths—just enough to spark interest without revealing what he shouldn't know.

He told his parents about a potential undiscovered secret realm. This was the same realm where he was supposed to find the fragment.

His father's brow furrowed.

"Jiang State has lacked alchemical inheritance. If what you say is true, then we have to take action as soon as possible."

In the Jiang State, alchemists were more valuable than swordsmen.

Most of the high-quality pills were imported through Pill Tower.

They were controlling numbers of pill formation experts by allocating limited numbers of Elixir Formation pills.

If the Su family could get those herbs then, they wouldn't need to beg for third-grade elixirs anymore.

They only need to cultivate their own alchemist capable of refining the pills.

Su Kang left after informing his father. His family would secretly took action about this.