The opulent chamber, with its lingering scent of exotic incense, felt less like a sanctuary and more like the gilded cage of his previous, ill-fated existence. Kaelen paced restlessly, Lin Yue's detailed account of the current political landscape echoing in his mind. The major clans, the nascent sects, the undercurrents of ambition and rivalry – it was a familiar, yet unsettlingly different, tapestry from the fragmented memories of "Celestial Ascendancy."
"The Azure Dragon Sect is gaining prominence in the east," Lin Yue had explained, her brow furrowed with a hint of concern. "Their young master, a prodigy named… Feng Li?"
Kaelen froze. Feng Li. The name sent a jolt of icy dread through him. In his second life as Lysander Blackwood, Feng Li had been a rising star, arrogant and ruthless, and instrumental in Lysander's downfall, orchestrating a public humiliation that had sealed his fate. The memory of Feng Li's smug, victorious smile was a bitter taste in his mouth.
So, the little viper is already slithering, Kaelen thought darkly. Earlier than I remember. This timeline is already deviating. Interesting… and potentially problematic.
He forced a casual tone. "Feng Li, you say? A name to remember. What of the Blackwood clan?" he asked, deliberately using the name of his previous doomed lineage. He needed to gauge their current standing, their potential influence in this earlier era.
Lin Yue's expression shifted to one of polite neutrality. "The Blackwood clan holds a respectable position, though perhaps not as influential as the ancient houses like the Azure Dragon or the Scarlet Phoenix."
Not yet, Kaelen thought with a grim satisfaction. In the original timeline of "Celestial Ascendancy," the Blackwood clan rose to prominence later, only to be spectacularly crushed. He now had a chance to alter that trajectory – or perhaps exploit it for his own ends.
A mischievous glint entered his eyes as he turned back to Lin Yue. "Tell me, my dear Lin Yue, are there any… individuals within these prominent clans known for their exceptional talents and… captivating beauty?" He punctuated his question with a charmingly suggestive smile.
Lin Yue's cheeks flushed again, but this time there was a hint of amusement in her eyes. "There are many talented young masters and esteemed young ladies, Young Master Kaelen. The Scarlet Phoenix clan boasts a young mistress, Bai Lian, whose beauty is said to rival the moon's luminescence and whose mastery of fire arts is legendary."
Bai Lian, Kaelen mused. He vaguely recalled a fiery and independent beauty from the later stages of "Celestial Ascendancy." Perhaps an… auspicious connection could be forged.
"And her temperament?" he inquired, his tone laced with playful curiosity. "Is she as fiery as her arts?"
Lin Yue giggled softly. "It is said she has a spirit that burns as brightly as her flames, Young Master. Many suitors have been… scorched."
Kaelen's smirk widened. "A delightful challenge, wouldn't you agree?" He internally chided himself for his immediate interest in potential additions to his "concord," but the fragmented memories of his lonely and betrayed past fueled a deep-seated desire for companionship and loyalty.
Suddenly, a sharp pain lanced through his temples, followed by a rush of fragmented images – a flash of a jade pendant, a whispered conversation in a moonlit garden, a feeling of crushing betrayal. It was a memory from his life as Lysander, clearer than the others.
That pendant… Elara wore it, he realized, his jaw clenching. Elara Vance, a seemingly innocent beauty who had played a key role in his downfall, feeding information to his enemies with a smile. The memory of her duplicity reignited the embers of his vengeful desires.
"Young Master?" Lin Yue asked, her voice filled with concern at his sudden change in demeanor.
Kaelen forced a smile, masking the turmoil within. "Just a… fleeting recollection. It seems my past life was more eventful than I initially believed." He knew then that his goals extended beyond mere survival and the acquisition of power. He would seek out those who had wronged him, in both his previous lives, and ensure they paid dearly. And perhaps, along the way, he would build a circle of loyal and beautiful allies who would stand by his side.