"Xue San, you…" Xue Chang began.
Xue San's heart lurched. Did my father figure it out?
"…You're fortunate you got there for your sister-in-law before that all happened," Xue Chang finished.
Xue San exhaled in relief. He had no desire for his family to know the truth. The cultivation world was cruel enough; there was no reason to burden them further.
So he quickly changed the subject. "Senior Jin Fu, as you know, our family has been through a great deal here, and this city only holds bad memories for us. I was hoping you could give us some advice on where we could go next."
"Sure, fire away!" Xue San said, inviting Jin Fu to speak.
"We want to leave this city," Xue San began. "We haven't decided on our new home just yet. We thought about going back to our old village—"
But Jin Fu cut him off. "I don't think that's a good idea. I believe it would be better for you and your family to move to Albus, the kingdom's capital. Yes, it's swarming with cultivators and far more expensive, but it's also the safest city overall. If you like, I can help you find a house there and keep an eye on your family. As long as they don't go out of their way to provoke anyone, Albus should be the safest bet."
"I see," Xue San said, nodding thoughtfully.
Xue Chang hesitated. "Can't we just return to our village?"
"Father," Xue San said, his voice gentle but firm, "do you really want that for Mother and everyone else? Although our family struggled here at first, that was mostly because of my brother's mistakes. Life in the city has been good for us—especially for Mother. She already looks ten years younger, thanks to being able to rest rather than work every single day. I don't want her to labor until she's old. And you don't need to worry about money."
Xue Chang stood there, momentarily stunned by Xue San's words, but he had to admit they were true. City life offered many comforts, especially now that the family had regained its footing.
Turning to Jin Fu, Xue San continued, "Senior Jin Fu, I'd be grateful if you could help me purchase a house and organize everything for my family to move there."
"Sure thing," Jin Fu replied readily. "When would you like them to leave?"
"The sooner, the better," Xue San said without hesitation.
"How about tomorrow?"
"That would be perfect. Thank you," Xue San said, relief in his voice.
Xue Chang watched the exchange, pride welling up in his chest. His younger son wasn't even twenty, yet here he was, taking care of the entire family's future.
They informed everyone of the plan to move. No one was surprised, since it had been discussed before and all had agreed on the need for change. Cai Jin had wanted to slip away quietly with her daughter earlier, but Rou Shui insisted she was part of the family—and Xue Rou herself was adamant about staying close to everyone, especially Xue Si.
"Why don't you stay for lunch?" Xue Chang offered.
"Certainly," Jin Fu said with an easy smile.
They shared a meal together and went over the details of the move. Then Jin Fu took his leave. After stepping outside, he climbed into his carriage and spoke to the silent figure inside.
"Shadow One, I've got the perfect idea for the guild mission's reward."
"Yes, Master?"
"Give him the Ocean Heart Breathing Method. I've inspected his core. Although it's well-hidden, the technique he's been using looks like a simplified version of that method."
Shadow One nodded. "I'll have Shadow Seven deliver it. May I ask, Master…why are you so interested in him?"
Jin Fu's gaze drifted to the streets beyond the window, and his tone grew pensive. "He reminds me of myself back in when I hadjust started on path of cultivation. I had no one to rely on, and those times were even more dangerous. But unlike him, I never had to worry about being hunted for my bloodline. So it's partly sympathy…and partly fascination. He carries an incredibly powerful bloodline. I want to see if he succumbs to madness or overcomes it to become a true expert. Either way, it costs me nothing to help."
Later that night, Xue San slipped quietly out of the house and made his way to his old family home to retrieve the alchemy book he'd hidden there. He unearthed the leather bag, that already had roots clawing at it. Though it hadn't been a year since he'd hidden it, it felt like ages.
He put the book into his spatial ring and left, under the cover of darkness. Next on his list was to acquire the wine he needed to complete his mission—and then leave Dragon Fort City.
Yet while Xue San planned his departure, countless others continued pouring into Dragon Fort City.
Rewinding a few days back.
Yan Yi and Ling Shaoqing had arrived in Dragon Fort City even before Xue San. They went straight to the Long Clan Manor, seeking Grandmaster Chu Feng.
"Good morning," Yan Yi said to a guard. "I am the disciple of Grandmaster Chu Feng, and he told me to find him here."
The guards had been briefed about Yan Yi's arrival and promptly escorted him to a guest room, then informed the Long Clan Patriarch.
"Hahaha, young friend Yan Yi, welcome to our humble clan," said Long Wei, greeting him warmly.
"Patriarch Long, it's an honor," Yan Yi replied, bowing politely.
"Where is Grandmaster Chu Feng now?" Ling Shaoqing interjected.
Why is a member of the royal clan here? Long Wei wondered. Outwardly, however, he merely asked, "And who might you be, young friend?"
"I'm Ling Shaoqing," the young man answered. "I came here to find Grandmaster Chu Feng. Where is he?"
"I'm afraid you'll have to wait," Long Wei said. "Grandmaster Chu Feng left to investigate the rumors about the True Flame and hasn't returned yet."
"Damn," Ling Shaoqing muttered.
"Your Highness," Yan Yi said softly, "it would be best to wait here for my master. We have no idea where he is, and the Sleeping Giant Mountain is too large for us to search without a clue."
Ling Shaoqing inhaled, calming himself. "Very well," he conceded.
"I've already prepared rooms for you both," Long Wei said. "If you need anything else, let me know, and I'll have it arranged."
"Your Highness," Yan Yi said suddenly, turning to Ling Shaoqing, "would you like to explore the city with me? Truth to be told, I don't go out much, so this is also a good chance for me to relax"
"Very well," Ling Shaoqing replied, clearly not interested in staying cooped up.
"I'll arrange for someone to accompany you," Long Wei offered.
"Very well."
After visiting a few famous spots, they headed to a famous wine house for a drink. After chatting for a while, Ling Shaoqing said, "Brother Yan Yi, you can drop the formalities. Just call me Ling Shaoqing. I'm tired of hearing 'Your Highness' every other sentence."
"Hahaha, fair enough, Brother Ling Shaoqing." Yan Yi smiled, then ventured, "If you don't mind me asking, why do you need my master? Doesn't the royal family have its own dedicated alchemy division?"
Ling Shaoqing sighed. "We do, but there are two problems. First, they only take direct orders from His Majesty. And second—and this is the crucial point—I don't need a standard pill. I need a Soul-Strengthening Pill."
Yan Yi froze. "A Soul-Strengthening Pill? Has your soul been wounded? If that's the case, wouldn't the alchemy division help you even without his Highnes orders?"
"I wish it were that simple," Ling Shaoqing said. "But His Majesty has been in seclusion for over sixty years, and my older brother is effectively the person in charge. Then rumors have spread that I'm vying for the throne, so he's been suppressing me at every turn."
"I see. So that's why you need Master's help." Yan Yi nodded in understanding.
Ling Shaoqing took a sip of wine, and then posed his own question. "Could I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"How did you become Grandmaster Chu Feng's disciple? From what I've heard, he simply showed up at the sect one day with you at his side, and that was that."
Yan Yi grew quiet. After a moment, he said, "I don't recall much before Master found me. He was searching for rare medicinal ingredients in the Sleeping Giant Mountain and came across me, wounded. He saved my life and took me in. We've been together ever since."
"You remember nothing?" Ling Shaoqing pressed.
Yan Yi shook his head. "Not a thing. Only my name."
Ling Shaoqing was quit for a moment but then as if remembering something "Oh, right! I almost forgot to ask…" he lowered his voice. "Do you know of an outer-sect disciple—someone at the initial stage of the Qi Condensation—whose spiritual sense matches that of a Foundation Establishment at the initial stage cultivator?"
"A spiritual sense at the Foundation Establishment when you're only at the initial stage of the Qi Condensation?" Yan Yi repeated in surprise. "Brother Shaoqing, that sounds like a myth. If such a talent existed, the sect would have already promoted them to core disciple status and groomed them carefully. Forget the outer sect—there's no one like that in the entire sect. If there were, my master would know, and he wouldn't hide it from me."
"I see…" Ling Shaoqing said softly, brow furrowed. Then who was that person? he wondered.
"But why do you ask?" Yan Yi inquired.
"Oh, I actualy ran into a cultivator like that a while back," Ling Shaoqing explained. "But maybe he was concealing his true cultivation level. He wore the robes of a Soaring Sword Sect outer-sect disciple."
"That's certainly bizarre," Yan Yi agreed.
—
In the Sleeping Giant Mouitain, Grandmaster Chu Feng was fleeing for his life.
"Damn it! Where did these bastards come from?" he cursed under his breath, robes whipping around him as he sped through rugged terrain.
Nine masked figures, all dressed in black, followed close behind. Every mask bore a single claw mark on its right side. Though Grandmaster Chu Feng was a Nascent Soul cultivator, these nine enemies were each at the late Core Formation stage, working in perfect unison with some kind of formation that allowed them not just to fight him but to drive him back.
He'd been excited to find real clues about the legendary True Flame. Then this group had appeared out of nowhere to ambush him. He tried to deter them by announcing his cultivation level and reputation, but they ignored every word—clearly, they belonged to an organization that wanted the True Flame for themselves and was prepared to kill for it.
"Just wait till I get my hands on one of you!" he seethed. "I'll find out who sent you."
Despite his dire predicament, one thing had been confirmed: The True Flame was genuine. If he could secure it, he'd be one step closer to becoming a "true" alchemist.
Grandmaster Chu Feng hurled a handful of explosive pills behind him. They detonated with deafening booms, forcing his pursuers to slow briefly.
"Don't let him get away!" roared their leader.
The chase had raged for days, leaving both sides exhausted. At last, Chu Feng spied the outlines of a city on the horizon.
"Haha! Keep following me, you fools, and see what happens!" he hollered in triumph.
Suddenly—boom!—an explosion sounded nearby. Grandmaster Chu Feng was knocked sideways, his body wracked with fresh wounds. A lone figure stood before him, similarly dressed in black but sporting two claw marks on the mask—one on each side.
"N-Nascent Soul?" Grandmaster Chu Feng gasped, blood leaking from the corner of his mouth. "Who in the world are you people?"
The masked Nascent Soul cultivator didn't even bother to respond. Without hesitation, he lunged for the kill. It was clear these people were highly trained, wasting no time on talk.
"Well, well, well… I didn't expect you to be so reckless, baby boy Chu Feng," came a disembodied voice from all around them.
The Nascent Soul cultivator who had been poised to strike Grandmaster Chu Feng suddenly went rigid. An instant later, his head toppled from his shoulders.