The air in the alleyway grew heavy, charged with the sharp, ozone-scent of gathering Qi. Su Ling's fingers cramped around the edges of her porcelain begging bowl, her knuckles turning white. Every instinct screamed at her to bolt, to scatter poison powder and run, but the mysterious man's warning anchored her to the spot.
"Don't move."
The world seemed to slow into a series of jagged, high-definition snapshots.
A sharp thrum echoed from the treeline—the sound of a high-tension bowstring being released. A black-feathered arrow streaked through the air, aimed directly for Su Ling's throat. It was a "Life-Sealing Bolt," designed to kill instantly and quietly.
Su Ling saw her death coming. She couldn't dodge.
Just as the tip of the arrow entered her peripheral vision, a blur of white and azure silk flickered from the shadows of the main road.
"How utterly pedestrian," a voice drawled, dripping with bored arrogance.
A young man stepped into the clearing. He was handsome, with sharp brows and an aura of nobility that made the surrounding mud look unworthy of his boots. But it was his robes that made Jiang Chen's heart stop.
They were white, embroidered with silver clouds and a soaring hawk.
This was a Core Disciple of the Mystic Cloud Sect—the colossal powerhouse that had banished Jiang Chen's lineage. The very sect Jiang Chen was sworn to return to.
To this Young Master, the assassins weren't a threat; they were filth staining his view.
"To fire toward the path I walk... such disrespect," the Young Master sighed, not even deigning to look toward the woods. "Elder Wei, silence the noise."
Behind him, a tall, silent figure draped in charcoal robes shifted. There was no flashy movement—only a sudden, violent ripple in the air.
BOOM.
A wave of invisible pressure surged toward the treeline. The sound of snapping branches and muffled grunts followed instantly as the assassins' positions were crushed by sheer spiritual intent. The killing intent vanished as quickly as it had appeared.
The Young Master glided past Su Ling. As he drew level with her, he paused. His eyes didn't settle on her face, but rather on the strange, shimmering aura she didn't even know she was emitting.
He let out a short, mocking huff—a smirk that spoke of deep-seated internal politics.
"So," he murmured, loud enough only for her to hear, "Senior Brother Han has finally resorted to hiring bottom-feeders to do his dirty work. How pathetic."
He assumed she was a spy or a pawn from a rival faction within the Mystic Cloud Sect. With a flick of his sleeve, he continued on his way, dismissing her existence as quickly as he had acknowledged it.
As the white-robed figure vanished around the corner, silence returned to the alley.
Jiang Chen exhaled a breath he had been holding for twenty seconds. His back was soaked in cold sweat. His hands were trembling uncontrollably inside his sleeves.
'The Mystic Cloud Sect... of all the people to walk by, it had to be them. If that Elder knew who I was—if he knew I held the Banished Elder's Token—he wouldn't have saved us. He would have crushed us along with the assassins.'
He looked at Su Ling. She was staring at the retreating figure, trembling violently.
Jiang Chen quickly composed himself. He clasped his shaking hands behind his back, forcing his knees to lock straight. He turned to Su Ling with a look of profound, calculated calm.
"Did you see?" Jiang Chen asked, his voice steady. "I did not move. You did not move. The Universe moved for us."
Su Ling whipped her head around to look at him, her eyes wide with shock. "Master... that was a Core Disciple of the Mystic Cloud Sect! They are the rulers of this entire region! Did... did you summon him?"
Jiang Chen smiled enigmatically, hiding the terror in his gut.
"Summon? No. That is crude. I simply adjusted the timeline. I ensured we stood in this exact spot, at this exact second, so that his path would intersect with the arrow."
He pointed at the empty road. "This is the Dao of Reverse Causality. I borrowed the sword of our greatest enemy to kill your attackers. I did not need to lift a finger."
Su Ling's jaw dropped.
'He calculated the walking speed of a Mystic Cloud Sect genius to use him as a human shield? And he calls them "our enemy"? What kind of terrifying background does Master have?!'
Ding!
[System Notification]
[Target: Su Ling (Daughter of Luck)]
[Belief Level: 100% (Awe)]
[Effect Triggered: The 'Divine Art of Reverse Causality' (Passive) has been created.]
[Note: The host's disciples will now experience "Coincidental Salvations" when in mortal danger.]
Su Ling dropped to her knees in the mud, ignoring the filth staining her clothes. "Master! Your wisdom is boundless! I, Su Ling, greet the Sect Leader!"
Jiang Chen nodded, suppressing the urge to vomit from the adrenaline dump. "Good. Now, check if the assassins dropped any money pouches. Even the dead should pay taxes."
The hike up the mountain was quiet. Su Ling followed Jiang Chen, stepping carefully. She no longer looked at the weeds as trash; she looked at them as if they were part of a grand design she couldn't yet understand.
When they reached the broken gate of the Fallen Star Sect, the peace was shattered.
"INTRUDER!"
A roar shook the trees, sending birds scattering into the sky.
Ye Kai exploded out of the main hall, shirtless and sweating, carrying a massive stone pillar on his shoulder. His muscles rippled with raw power, veins popping against his skin.
"Who dares trespass?!" Ye Kai bellowed, his eyes scanning for danger.
Su Ling immediately crouched, her hand flying to her hidden dagger. 'So much killing intent! Is this a guardian beast?'
"Ye Kai, stand down," Jiang Chen sighed, rubbing his temples. "This is your Junior Sister."
Ye Kai froze. He dropped the pillar.
THUD.
The ground shook. His demonic face split into a goofy, golden-retriever grin. "Junior Sister? Awesome! I'm Ye Kai!"
He rushed forward to give her a welcoming bear hug.
Swoosh.
Su Ling, still on high alert, dropped flat to the ground. Ye Kai's momentum carried him forward over her head. He stumbled, arms flailing, and smashed face-first into the wooden gatepost.
CRACK.
The ancient wood snapped. The roof of the entrance groaned ominously.
Ye Kai pulled his head out of the splintered wood, completely unhurt. He looked at Su Ling with sparkling eyes.
"Amazing... I didn't even see you move! Master, she is incredible!"
Jiang Chen looked at the broken gate, then at his two disciples—one a muscle-brained tank who couldn't be hurt, the other a paranoia-fueled lucky charm who couldn't be hit.
"Welcome home," Jiang Chen muttered, feeling a headache coming on. "Ye Kai, fix the door. Su Ling, find a room. I need to meditate."
He sat down in his moth-eaten chair, exhausted.
Ding!!!
[System Warning]
[New Mission: The Wrath of Iron Fist.]
[The assassins failed. The 'Iron Fist Hall' has dispatched an Enforcer.]
[Enemy: Elder 'Bone-Crusher' Zhao (Qi Condensation Level 9).]
[Arrival: Dawn.]
Jiang Chen closed his eyes, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the armrest.
"System... can I borrow that Mystic Cloud Disciple again?"
[System Message: Cooldown active. You are on your own.]