Long after the sun had set.

  A figure floated in the air veiled by a cloud of mist. Staring closely, one would be able to make out the fluttering of pale blue robes that poked out from time to time.

  The figure was Qin Yueshan.

  She held a set of jade instruments in her hand, and her brows were tightly furrowed.

  Her gaze peered through the elegant patterned windows that lined the Wen Ancestral Hall, reaching Liu Yuming. He was kneeling at the foot of the Ancestral Tree, feeling its root and cycling qi rapidly.

  He had been at it for over an hour.

  After the sabotage at the tree ritual, Qin Yueshan had implemented a number of measuring instruments around the Tree. As she assessed the measurements she felt both alarmed and bewildered.

  Liu Yuming wasn’t drawing any qi towards himself… yet a strange resonance channel was forming within the tree.

  Was he trying to extract karma?

  Qin Yueshan didn’t believe it. How could he pull that off, even if he had help?

  But his resonance with the Tree is deepening—like two frequencies aligning.

  She was also slightly angry.

  It was as if the Liu Family was slapping her across the face and daring her not to react. This was simply too brazen! Too shameless!

  So she sent a message to Jingquan, requesting to take Yuming back to the Sect for questioning.

  Another jade slip pulsed at her waist. This one gave her periodic reports on the state of the Ancestral Tree. She had only started observing Yuming after he had arrived at the Tree—perhaps something happened earlier.

  The readings made her freeze.

  This—what is this? What in the world is the Liu Family doing?

  Her face reddened. They thought they could step over her like this? How humiliating!

  Two hours ago there had been a massive karmic disturbance within the Tree. The weight alone damaged the Tree significantly.

  This is urgent. I need to notify the Sect immediately and take the boy away.

  She turned around to make a report, but suddenly—

  A streak of brilliant flames shot like a dart across the night sky towards the Ancestral Hall.

  Liu Tianjue landed with a crack, surrounded by shattered tiles. His hand was already around Yuming’s collar, yanking the boy away from the Tree’s roots.

  “We’re leaving. Now.”

  Yuming’s eyes flew open, dazed and disoriented. He was still half merged with the resonance he’d been building.

  “S-Senior—”

  Tianjue didn’t give him a chance to finish his sentence. He blasted through the roof and turned to escape, all while ensuring Yuming didn’t get harmed.

  Yueshan’s fury ignited.

  He thinks he can take away my evidence?

  She noticed the way Tianjue protected the boy—he was clearly valuable.

  If I can’t stop him, I can make carrying the boy impossible.

  Her hands formed seals. Water condensed from the night air, forming thin tendrils that shot toward Tianjue's retreating form.

  But they didn’t target Tianjue, they targeted Yuming.

  Tianjue sensed them coming. He twisted mid-flight, fire flaring along his free arm, evaporating the first tendril before it arrived.

  But Yueshan had sent three.

  One missed wide right, thinning gradually before dissolving into a haze of Water Qi.

  But the other grabbed Yuming’s ankle, dragging him back towards the courtyard.

  Tianjue eventually destroyed it and restabilized, but his altitude had dropped by over a dozen feet.

  “Jingquan wretch,” he spat as he attempted to accelerate.

  “Fellow Daost, put him down and we can discuss this matter civilly.”

  Tianjue flicked a barrage of flames toward her face in response.

  Yueshan formed a circle with her arms, creating a mirror-like surface. The fire splashed against it as it hit, turning into steam.

  Stolen story; please report.

  Defend, run, and protect the boy. I won’t let you do all three.

  Through the steam, she sent five tendrils that threaded around Tianjue, seeking Yuming.

  Tianjue twisted, burning through two. But the third wrapped around Yuming's ankle. The fourth caught his trailing sleeve.

  He couldn't burn them without burning Yuming.

  Yueshan pulled.

  Not hard enough to tear Yuming free, that was too difficult. Just hard enough to make him heavy. To turn him into an anchor dragging at Tianjue's arms.

  Your strength means nothing if your hands are full.

  She sent the next volley low, targeting his legs. If she could destabilize his movement—

  Tianjue kicked through them, but his grip on Yuming slipped. He dangled by one arm now, still dazed, completely deadweight.

  Now.

  Yueshan pulled moisture from the ground below. Water from the pools and the dew still clinging to the spirit taro fields. It rose in a spiraling column, not toward Tianjue, but toward the space between him and the boy.

  Suspended in midair, the water spread into a disk directly beneath the dangling Yuming. Anything passing through it would feel resistance, their movement would become sluggish.

  More tendrils ejected from the water disk, grabbing onto Yuming once again.

  Yueshan yanked all of her tendrils at once. Finally, Tianjue’s grip broke.

  Yuming fell.

  He passed through the water disk, his descent slowing enough that he wouldn't shatter on impact. He hit the outer edge of the Wen compound with a heavy thud, rolling twice before coming to rest near the boundary wall.

  Tianjue bit his lip upon seeing this.

  She’s strong. Not as strong as me, but I have to protect him too.

  He thought of the attack she’d just used.

  She’s certainly starting to tire after that. Still, this is too important to take chances on.

  Tianjue didn’t want to involve Liu Mingchen or the Wen Family cultivators in this. The less parties involved, the better.

  But Qin Yueshan was already moving to position herself between him and Yuming.

  It can’t be helped.

  “Mingchen!” he roared. “Get Liu Yuming!”

  From across the compound, a figure in rumpled robes stumbled out of the guest quarters. It was Liu Mingchen, who had confusion written across his face.

  “Tianjue, what—”

  Tianjue interrupted him.

  “No time for questions, important order from above.”

  Mingchen sighed. To be bossed around like this by a junior… how humbling.

  Mingchen's eyes found Yuming's crumpled form near the boundary wall. He hesitated for only a moment before activating his Cloud Drift steps, flowing towards Yuming.

  “Audacious!” Qin Yueshan sneered. She summoned three flying swords from her storage pouch and darted them toward him.

  Mingchen dodged, but found that the swords continued to circle around Yuming, cutting off his path.

  He was only at the early stage of Qi Condensation. He didn’t enjoy the idea of confronting a late stage Qi Condensation for unknown reasons.

  He made up his mind. I’ll just hover back here and look like I’m struggling.

  Tianjue looked at him and frowned. Useless old thing, no wonder his cultivation has been stuck all these years.

  His eyes drifted towards the core of the Wen compound.

  Lights were flickering on throughout the estate. Servants peered through quarter-open doors—their eyes full of fright—before ducking back inside. Children’s cries echoed from the family quarters.

  Groups of cultivators gathered to respond to the situation.

  Three powerful auras flew out from the main compound.

  Wen Yuanfeng, the Family Head, flew out from the main house. His face was solemn and unsurprised, as if he had been waiting for this.

  Behind him came the youngest Qi Condensation cultivator present, Wen Lingling. She took a few deep breaths before drawing her sword.

  An old man emerged from another corner of the compound. He was Wen Peng—the Old Ancestor of the Wen Family. The boy who had risen from an obscure mortal background to found his own cultivating clan.

  Tianjue, seeing the three, momentarily ignored Mingchen and cupped his fists. He sent each a voice transmission: ‘Fellow Daoists, I apologize for the intrusion. This matter is of great significance to my Liu Family, your contributions will be rewarded tenfold.’

  He glanced over at Qin Yueshan, who kept her guard raised while holding off Mingchen.

  ‘You three simply need to operate the formation and keep her busy, while providing me with a steady supply of qi. Your lives won’t face any risk.’

  The three moved towards the formation’s main nodes. Tianjue nodded in satisfaction and launched a few moves at Qin Yueshan.

  No need to tire myself right now. I’ll just keep her busy until the formation is up.

  The aged Wen Peng made his way to a secluded formation node.

  Upon arriving, he pulled out a necklace tucked under his robes. The necklace bore a single pearl; it was hazy green and carried a faint glow.

  He sighed.

  He’d once been the son of a mortal merchant who was randomly tested for a spiritual root. It was found that he possessed one.

  Despite the root only being of low-grade, he was the pride of his family and his community. Women flocked to him, and those nobles who had once disdained him were forced to bend their knees.

  He entered the world of immortal cultivation in high spirits, ready to pursue the Dao and ascend to the Heavens.

  But reality proved far less magnificent.

  He struggled for years, barely reaching the peak of Marrow Tempering after taking more odd and dangerous jobs than he could count. He savored every caddy of spirit rice like it was his last, but still found he could never purchase anything of significance.

  Resolved to achieve at least Meridian Unblocking, he swallowed his pride and joined the lowly Heiyin Sect.

  But the Sect proved even worse. Previously, he at least had spirit rice. Soon after joining the Sect he found himself in serious debt.

  He could only risk his life and venture out seeking opportunity.

  Thinking of the past, Wen Peng caressed the green pearl gently.

  He chanced upon a remarkable opportunity.

  Wen Peng began cycling qi, preparing the formation.

  He took advantage of the opportunity, and his cultivation rapidly rose. Meridian Unblocking, Dantian Awakening, and eventually Qi Condensation—the dream of countless lower cultivators.

  It was only then that he learned his opportunity gave him a “remarkable karmic connection” with the Jingquan Sect.

  Why had his Wen Family managed to produce three Qi Condensation cultivators in less than a century? That green pearl!

  What could that spectacular pearl do? It could purify one’s Self.

  And who in Zhao State had the power to define what was pure? The Jingquan Sect!

  Who is ever truly free?

  Tianjue waited expectantly for the formation to fully activate.

  Spiritual stones began to hum. At the northern anchor, old Wen Peng pressed his palms against a weathered rock. Across the Wen compound various smaller nodes flickered to life and formation lines began to stir with qi.

  From the northern anchor first, a thin stream of spiritual qi threaded upward. Then came a thread from the east. One by one, threads of differing sizes merged together, their tributaries compounding to form a ball of glistening energy above the compound.

  Good. Tianjue steadied his stance. Once they complete the barrier, Qin Yueshan will be trapped inside with me. With the reinforcement of the formation, I can handle—

  The knot of qi pulsed once, then moved.

  But not towards him.

  It flowed toward Qin Yueshan!