The sun was on the verge of disappearing completely, sinking behind the distant peaks as if being swallowed by the world itself.
A fierce wind swept across the edge of Taimu Mountain, cold and sharp, carrying with it the clear warning of an approaching winter. Dry leaves were torn from the branches and sent spinning through the air, drifting down like silent omens.
Beneath a towering tree, Fang Lin finally spoke.
"Vren…"
His voice was calm, but heavy.
"Can you tell me what happened that day—when you were with your big brother?"
Vren froze.
The sweetness in his hands was forgotten. His fingers tightened slightly as his gaze slowly lifted, locking onto God Fallen Peak, now drowning in shadow as darkness crept over it.
"That day…"
His voice trembled.
"My big brother told me to return to the lineage first…"
Vren swallowed hard.
"And then… he went toward that peak alone."
The wind howled louder, leaves crashing against the ground as the last light of the sun vanished completely—
and God Fallen Peak stood there, silent, dark, and watching.
***************
The sun was setting.
Faint golden light brushed across the Tian family residence, but it carried no warmth. Near a tall window, a woman sat alone, a teacup resting steadily in her hand.
The rocking chair beneath her moved back and forth in slow, measured motions.
She drank her tea without haste.
Her gaze remained fixed outside the window—on God Fallen Peak, its dark outline swallowing the last traces of daylight. As the mountain sank into shadow, so did the light in her eyes.
She was Tian Xueya.
Since the market incident, she had returned directly to her family. No explanations were given. No emotions were shown.
The tea was warm.
Her expression was not.
As the sun finally disappeared beyond the horizon, the residence was left bathed in shadow—silent, waiting.
The door did not open.
It was forced apart by presence alone.
A heavy aura flooded the room—dense, suppressing, like invisible pressure pressing against the walls. The air itself seemed to slow.
The rocking chair stopped.
Without making a sound, Tian Wuxian appeared.
He stepped forward and sat on the chair opposite Tian Xueya. The wood beneath him creaked faintly, as if struggling to bear his weight.
Neither of them spoke.
Xueya did not turn her head. Her eyes remained on God Fallen Peak, now fully swallowed by darkness.
Tian Wuxian studied her face—calm, cold, unreadable.
After a long silence, his voice finally broke the stillness, deep and restrained.
"Market incident… was not an accident."
Xueya lifted her teacup, took a slow sip, then placed it down.
Only then did she speak.
"…I know."
The aura in the room grew heavier.
Tian Wuxian spoke calmly, his tone steady yet probing.
"So… how was today's progress?"
Tian Xueya took another slow sip of tea before answering.
"It was… fine. I'm trying to move forward, step by step."
She paused, her fingers tightening slightly around the cup.
"But when I look at him, it feels as if he isn't really there."
She finally turned her head and looked at Tian Wuxian, confusion clearly visible on her face.
"It's like there's a completely different person inside him."
Tian Wuxian let out a low laugh, sharp and hollow, like metal scraping against stone.
"Don't make the mistake of thinking he is the same as you."
Tian Xueya slowly turned away from the window. The fading sunlight no longer touched her face.
"Enough," she said coldly.
"Why are you suddenly taking such a deep interest in him?"
Tian Wuxian rose from his seat. The moment he stood, the temperature in the room seemed to drop. His presence alone pressed down like an invisible mountain.
"I learned something a few days ago," he said quietly.
"I have reached the edge of a breakthrough."
For a brief instant, Tian Xueya's eyes flickered with light.
"That means you'll step into the next rank."
Tian Wuxian did not respond. He walked toward the door, his shadow stretching long and distorted across the floor.
"But the final calamity…"
His voice sank.
"I am not ready for it."
He paused, then added in an emotionless tone:
"My lifespan will not last long enough to face it."
Silence swallowed the room.
Tian Xueya clenched her fingers.
"So you plan to do that to him," she said carefully.
"You know how dangerous that is."
"There is no alternative," Tian Wuxian replied.
"Risk is irrelevant."
He reached the door.
Suddenly, Tian Xueya stood up.
"And today's incident?"
Her voice sharpened.
"Have you truly thought about what happened to them?"
Tian Wuxian stopped but did not turn around.
"Do not think about in that matter," he said coldly.
"I have already informed every family."
His hand rested on the doorframe.
"By tomorrow," he continued,
"all judgments will be finalized."
The door closed with a dull thud.
The last light of sunset vanished completely.
Tian Xueya stood alone in the darkened room, her reflection trembling in the window—
as an unshakable feeling crept into her heart:
***********
The Lin family's meeting hall still carried the same atmosphere it had earlier in the afternoon.
Laughter echoed softly through the vast space, elders chatting among themselves, younger members exchanging light jokes. Everything appeared calm—almost careless.
Then—
The doors burst open.
A family guard rushed into the hall, his breathing uneven, sweat dripping from his forehead. His footsteps echoed far too loudly against the polished floor, instantly shattering the relaxed mood.
Conversations stopped mid-sentence.
Laughter died out.
Every pair of eyes turned toward him.
The guard dropped to one knee, his voice trembling as he spoke, unable to hide the urgency in his tone.
"Reporting to the family heads—!"
The air in the hall grew heavy, as if an invisible hand had clenched around everyone's chest.
The guard spoke rapidly, fear thick in his voice.
"Family Head… our Young Lord—and two others from our family who possess B-grade aptitude—have been shackled in chains and are being escorted toward the Fang family."
The hall exploded into silence.
The Lin Family Head lin cangyuan rose abruptly from his seat, his expression twisting with rage.
"My son… chained?"
His voice dropped, cold and lethal.
"Who dares to bind my blood in shackles? Who has the audacity to provoke the Lin family so openly?"
His sleeves fluttered as killing intent seeped into the hall.
"I will not let the Fang family escape this."
Before he could continue, an elderly figure slowly stood up. His movements were calm, but his presence alone pressed down on everyone present.
"Family Head, if you do not mind," the old elder said evenly,
"may I ask a question first?"
His sharp gaze shifted to the kneeling guard.
"Are you certain this is not a cruel joke?"
"Do you understand the consequences of spreading false rumors in this hall?"
The pressure in his words was suffocating.
The guard immediately lowered his head, his body trembling.
"Yes… I understand, Second Supreme Elder."
"How could I dare to offend the family heads?"
He swallowed hard before continuing.
"I saw it with my own eyes. Three of them were from our Lin family… and the fourth was the Yan family's Young Lord."
A murmur rippled through the hall.
The Second Supreme Elder spoke coldly, his voice cutting through the hall like frost.
"On what grounds do you dare claim they were being taken to the Fang Family?"
The guard swallowed hard and replied quickly, his head still lowered.
"Because… behind them was a servant of the Fang Family. He was wearing a white robe. That is why I believed they were heading toward Fang territory."
The moment his words fell, whispers erupted across the meeting hall.
"Why would the Fang Family do something like this?"
"Why target our family of all people?"
Another voice whispered with suspicion,
"Our Lin Family has been growing weaker lately. Perhaps the Fang Family wants to pressure us… force us into submission."
A sharp rebuttal followed immediately.
"What nonsense are you spouting? Did you not hear the guard clearly?
They didn't just offend the Lin Family—the Yan Family was involved as well."
The hall slowly fell into a heavy, oppressive silence.
The Second Supreme Elder clasped his hands toward the family head and bowed slightly, his voice steady and deliberate.
"Family Head, we must not act in haste.
A reckless decision now may bring disastrous consequences upon the Lin Family itself."
Lin Cangyuan fixed him with a piercing gaze and replied coldly,
"Are you suggesting that we stand by and watch as my son is humiliated and dragged away in chains?
That we simply wait—hoping those vile people will show mercy and release him?"
The Second Elder met his stare calmly, unshaken.
"That is not my intention.
I do not mean that we should refrain from action."
He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in.
"What I mean is this—
our move must be made at the right time."
The moment those words were spoken, the atmosphere in the hall shifted.
All the elders, along with Lin Cangyuan, turned their attention fully toward him.
Everyone understood now.
The Second Supreme Elder already had a plan—
***********
Inside the Yan Family's meeting hall, silence weighed heavily in the air.
All the elders sat motionless.
At the head of the hall, Yan Qingshan, the family head, remained silent as well.
In the very center of the hall, a Yan Family guard knelt on one knee, his head lowered, not daring to breathe too loudly.
At last, Yan Qingshan broke the silence. His voice was deep, restrained—but filled with suppressed anger.
"We cannot continue sitting like this," he said coldly.
"We must act—and quickly."
His eyes narrowed.
"I cannot understand why they would provoke our family.
The Lin Family is already weak…
Do they think we are the same?"
An elder stood up abruptly, his expression fierce.
"Should we attack them directly?
If we strike hard enough, they will have no choice but to release our young lord."
Yan Qingshan waved his hand sharply, rejecting the idea at once.
"No. We cannot launch an attack over something like this.
Besides…"
His voice lowered.
"We do not have as many cultivators as the Fang Family.
A direct conflict would only bring unnecessary losses."
Another elder spoke after a brief hesitation, his tone calculating.
"Then why don't we join forces with the Lin Family and apply pressure together?"
The hall fell silent once more
Just then, the heavy doors of the hall opened.
A guard clad in a deep blue robe stepped inside.
His face was hidden behind a mask, revealing nothing—not fear, not emotion.
In his hand was a sealed notice, the same kind used only when a patriarch issued an official announcement.
The moment he entered, every whisper in the hall died instantly.
The guard walked straight to the center of the hall.
Stopping there, he went down on one knee and clasped his fists respectfully.
"This subordinate greets the Family Head and the honored elders."
His voice echoed clearly through the silent hall.
"I bring an official notice."
Slowly, he raised the parchment with both hands, holding it above his head—
a gesture that carried weight far heavier than the thin sheet of paper itself.
"The announcement bears the name of the Tianjian clan Patriarch."
At those words, the air in the hall turned cold.
Several elders stiffened.
Yan Qingshan's eyes darkened, a sharp glint flashing within them.
Without a word, his gaze locked onto the parchment.
The guard spoke in a steady, emotionless voice:
"All families under the Tianjian Clan are hereby advised to act with restraint and clear judgment.
Until all awakened disciples have officially joined the Holy Sword Sect, any disturbance within the clan's territory will be treated as a deliberate provocation."
His words carried an invisible weight, pressing down on everyone present.
"Anyone who chooses to create chaos during this period should be fully prepared to bear the consequences of their actions."
A brief pause followed, making the silence even heavier.
"As for the incident that occurred in the marketplace today—
its judgment will be delivered tomorrow at the Tian Court."
The guard lifted his head slightly.
"Therefore, all families are formally requested to be present tomorrow without exception."
The announcement ended there.
But the impact of those words continued to spread through the hall like a slow, suffocating chill.
This was no longer a matter between families.It had been dragged into the open—
under the eyes of the Tianjian Clan itself.
************
Inside the quiet room of the Que family residence, the air was heavy with the scent of medicinal herbs.
This was the first time Que Lianhua was attempting to circulate her primal essence in a true refinement process. Under her father's strict guidance, she had already learned the basics of cultivation—how to draw essence from her dantian, how to stabilize her breathing, and how to maintain inner balance.
Now, she was doing something far more difficult.
She was refining a Rank 1 pill.
A small medicinal furnace glowed faintly before her. Thin streams of primal essence flowed from her palms, carefully feeding the flames within. The pill inside had already taken shape—smooth, faintly lustrous—and was only moments away from completion.
Her focus was absolute.
Just then—
A figure stopped outside the room.
"Family Head," a servant's voice called out from beyond the door, hesitant but urgent.
Que Hongyuan's brows knit slightly. He raised one hand, signaling Lianhua without turning his head.
"Do not advance further," he said quietly.
"Maintain it. Hold the balance."
Lianhua clenched her teeth and obeyed, forcing her primal essence into a steady, controlled loop.
Hongyuan stepped closer to the door, listening as the servant spoke in a low voice. The words that followed were sharp—each one striking like a blade.
How Fang Lin, alone, had crushed the opposing youths.
How he had subdued them without mercy.How they had been bound like criminals and dragged away.
The moment those words reached her ears—
Lianhua's eyes trembled.
Her breathing faltered.
A surge of anger rose uncontrollably from her chest.
Boom—
Her primal essence spiraled out of control.
The flame within the furnace flared violently, then collapsed. The half-formed pill cracked apart, turning instantly to black ash.
Lianhua gasped.
A sharp pain pierced her head, and a thin line of blood flowed from her nose, dripping onto the floor.
"Lianhua!"
Que Hongyuan was beside her in an instant, pressing two fingers against her forehead to stabilize her essence.
"I warned you," he said sternly.
"During refinement, your concentration must never break.
Emotion is poison."
Lianhua clenched her fists, trembling—not from pain, but fury.
She wiped the blood away with the back of her hand, her eyes burning.
Under her breath, she muttered coldly,
"Fang Lin…
Just because trash like you obtained an artifact, you think you can trample on my friends?"
"If I had been there…
I would have made you suffer until you begged."
The ashes of the failed pill lay scattered on the floor.
Before the scent of burnt herbs could fully dissipate—
A faint ripple of pressure spread through the room.
The servant at the door stiffened.
A figure clad in a blue robe stepped silently inside. His face was concealed behind a cold, expressionless mask, and his presence alone carried the weight of authority.
Que Hongyuan's eyes narrowed slightly.
The masked guard stopped at the center of the room, clasped his fists, and bowed.
"By order of the Tianjian Clan's patriatch," he announced, his voice steady and emotionless,
"all major families are hereby summoned."
He raised his head just enough for his gaze to sweep across the room—briefly pausing on the shattered furnace and the ashes on the floor.
"Regarding the incident at the market today—
the matter will be judged tomorrow at the Tian Court."
Silence followed.
"All families involved are required to attend.
Absence will be regarded as defiance."
The words fell like a verdict.
Que Hongyuan slowly straightened his posture. His expression was calm, but the air around him grew heavier.
"We will be there," he replied coldly.
The masked guard gave a final bow, turned, and left without another word—his footsteps fading as quietly as they had come.
Only after the door closed did Lianhua lift her head.
*****************
Fang Lin secured the flute at his waist, tucking it neatly into the sash of his robe. One of his hands firmly held Vren's smaller hand, while the boy continued to clutch the sword he had chosen at the market.
The weapon was clearly not suited for him—
too long, too heavy—
yet Vren refused to let go, gripping it stubbornly with one hand as if afraid it might disappear the moment he loosened his fingers.
They had long since left the mountain outskirts behind.
Night had fully descended.
The market was still alive, though quieter than before. Several stalls remained open, selling hot food that released warm aromas into the cool night air. Steam rose from pots of soup and grilled meat, mixing with the scent of spices and oil.
Above the streets, round lantern-lights hung at intervals—
soft, spherical orbs glowing with a gentle yellow light, like suspended moons. Their warm illumination spilled across the stone paths, reflecting faintly on wooden stalls and passersby, giving the market a dreamlike glow.
Shadows stretched and overlapped beneath the lights.
Footsteps echoed softly.
Vren walked close to Fang Lin's side, the sword occasionally scraping lightly against the ground before he adjusted his grip again. Fang Lin did not scold him. He simply slowed his pace slightly, matching the boy's uneven steps.
From afar, the market looked peaceful.
Fang Lin paid no attention to the lively night market around him.
The glow of lanterns, the murmurs of people, the scent of food—none of it reached him.
His mind was elsewhere.
Inside his consciousness, he spoke calmly to Lingyi.
"So that's what happened in your past," Fang Lin said inwardly. "They were the ones who bullied you and Mu Chen."
Lingyi let out a faint sigh, his voice carrying old fatigue.
"Yes… they did. Still, you shouldn't have spoken to Mu Chen like that earlier. He was my closest friend in childhood."
Fang Lin's expression did not change.
"He was your friend," he replied coldly, "not mine. And what I said was for his own good. If he stays away from what's coming, he'll survive longer. The farther he keeps his distance, the better it will be for him."
Suddenly, a sharp sneeze escaped Fang Lin.
He frowned slightly and muttered under his breath,
"…Feels like someone is thinking about me a little too intensely."
He ignored it without another thought and continued speaking to Lingyi inside his mind.
"You said there were six of them who bullied you," Fang Lin said calmly.
"But you never mentioned the girl among them. You stayed silent about her."
Lingyi's presence wavered for a moment.
"…She was different," Lingyi finally replied, his voice low and restrained.
"Not loud like the others. Not violent either. She never struck us herself."
Fang Lin's eyes narrowed slightly as he walked.
"Then what did she do?"
Lingyi hesitated before answering.
"She watched," he said.
"And sometimes… she smiled."
That single sentence carried more weight than any act of violence.
Fang Lin exhaled slowly through his nose.
"People like that," he said quietly, "are often the most dangerous."
The night market lights flickered gently ahead, warm and harmless in appearance—
while unseen currents beneath the surface continued to move, slow and inevitable.