Inside the quiet chamber, Qin Lu sat ensconced in a wide master’s chair, sipping tea as he listened to Steward Chen’s report. The steward detailed the latest intelligence circulating through the market with practiced efficiency.

When the report concluded, Steward Chen bowed deeply, retreating from the room with the utmost reverence.

Qin Lu leaned back, his gaze drifting to the ceiling as he fell into deep contemplation.

Lately, the Wuji Market had been buzzing with gossip. Rumors of the conflict between the Wuji Sect and the Dragon Tiger Sect were spreading like wildfire. It was said that the Dragon Tiger Sect was amassing forces at the border, staring down their rivals with predatory intent.

These whispers stirred anxiety among the loose cultivators, causing a ripple of unrest. Yet, despite the tension, panic had not yet set in. The geography offered a sense of security.

Wuji Market sat on the westernmost edge of the sect’s territory. The Dragon Tiger Sect lay far to the east. Even if full-scale war erupted, the bloodshed would be confined to the eastern borderlands.

If the Wuji Sect were to crumble and retreat, the flames of war would likely stop at Mount Cangwu—the sect’s central headquarters. It was unlikely the chaos would reach this remote western outpost.

Still, while the cultivators here weren’t fearing for their immediate lives, they silently prayed for a Wuji victory. The status quo was comfortable. If the overlords changed, it was always the bottom-rung cultivators who suffered the most.

Qin Lu shared this sentiment. He preferred the devil he knew.

He sighed softly, his mind churning. “Peace is truly a fleeting luxury in this world…”

“It’s too dangerous out there. I need to reach Foundation Establishment just to have a sliver of self-preservation,” he muttered. “But hitting the bottleneck at the peak of Qi Refining is a nightmare. The Qi Gathering Pills are useless now.”

He shook his head in frustration. His cultivation speed had hit a wall. What used to take three months now projected to take over half a year. The time requirement had doubled, and his patience was wearing thin.

Boom!

A thunderous explosion shattered the midday calm, jolting Qin Lu from his thoughts.

His expression darkened instantly. He sprang from his chair, his senses locking onto the source. The blast had come from the sky.

“What the hell is happening?”

He strode out of the room, kicked off the ground, and vaulted onto the roof in a few fluid motions. He looked up, his eyes narrowing against the glare.

High above, two figures were locked in a vicious aerial duel. The metallic clang of colliding artifacts rang out like temple bells.

“Li Qingdu!”

Qin Lu recognized one of the combatants immediately. Someone was actually fighting the Market Master within the boundaries of Wuji Market.

“Holy shit. Who is that?” Qin Lu stared, dumbfounded. The opponent was a stranger—a Foundation Establishment cultivator he had never seen before.

Before he could analyze the situation, movement from the neighboring courtyard caught his eye. The Gu siblings had also emerged, craning their necks to watch the spectacle.

“Brother Qin! What’s going on?” Gu Can shouted, his face flushed with excitement.

“I have no idea,” Qin Lu replied curtly.

He shifted his gaze to Gu Yue. The gentle, demure facade was gone. With a flick of her wrist, she summoned a flying sword. Without a word, she shot into the sky like a streak of light.

“I will assist Market Master Li!” she declared, her voice cold steel.

Qin Lu watched her ascending figure with a helpless look. This woman was a veritable valkyrie—fearless and eager for blood. She was exactly like her maniac brother.

As if on cue, Gu Can’s eager voice shouted over the wall. “Come on! Let’s go up and watch closer!”

Qin Lu didn’t even turn his head. “Not going.”

“Don’t be like that! You pilot the boat, I’ll handle the attacks!” Gu Can pleaded, itching to join the fray.

“Not interested,” Qin Lu refused flatly.

As they argued, three more streaks of light erupted from different parts of the market. The other three Foundation Establishment guardians of Wuji Market joined the encirclement.

“Forget it,” Gu Can sighed, spreading his hands in defeat. “Five against one. That guy is dead meat.”

Qin Lu nodded. The stranger was only at the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment. He was already struggling against Li Qingdu alone. Against the combined might of the market’s five elites, his fate was sealed.

The aerial battle sent the market below into an uproar. Cultivators flooded the streets, pointing and gasping. For many low-level Qi Refiners, seeing Foundation Establishment experts fight was a once-in-a-lifetime event.

Cheers erupted from the crowd, rooting for Li Qingdu.

High above, the encirclement tightened. The stranger was forced back, blood spraying from multiple wounds.

Shing!

A flash of spiritual light severed the stranger’s right arm at the shoulder. His face turned the color of ash as the limb plummeted toward the earth.

Li Qingdu shook the blood from his weapon, his laughter booming like thunder. “Hahaha! You fool! You dare come here alone to throw your life away?”

His voice, amplified by spiritual energy, rolled over the entire market.

“You bastard!” the assassin screamed, grief and rage contorting his features. “You butchered the disciples of the Immortal Crane Sect! Karma will find you!”

“Ridiculous!” Li Qingdu sneered, his arrogance palpable. “Do we cultivators believe in fate? We defy the heavens with every breath we take!”

“Kill him!”

At Li Qingdu’s command, the five masters launched a synchronized assault.

The stranger let out a final, mournful wail. “Damn it all!”

Slice.

A cold light flashed. The assassin’s head separated from his shoulders, tumbling through the air as his body went limp.

The battle ended as quickly as it had begun. The four reinforcements were unscathed, while Li Qingdu looked slightly pale but triumphant. After a brief exchange in the sky, the masters dispersed.

Gu Yue descended, gliding back toward the Gu residence.

Qin Lu immediately jumped over the wall to the Gu courtyard to get the full story. Gu Yue looked pristine, her breathing steady. The short skirmish hadn’t even warmed her up.

“Sister, who was he?” Gu Can asked, rushing to the table where she sat.

Gu Yue stowed her weapon and poured herself a cup of tea. “Apparently, a friend of that man, You Ye. He came to assassinate Market Master Li.”

“Assassination?” Qin Lu raised an eyebrow. “Bold.”

“Yes,” Gu Yue said calmly. “Master Li said the man used a high-grade artifact to mask his cultivation. He infiltrated the government office and tried to ambush Li Qingdu in his own hall.”

“Li was alert enough to dodge the fatal blow, and the fight spilled outside. You saw the rest.”

“That explains why Li Qingdu looked pale,” Qin Lu analyzed. “The initial ambush must have landed a hit.”

Gu Can crossed his arms, nodding with grudging respect. “That guy was loyal, though. Charging into a tiger’s den alone to avenge a friend? That’s got the flair of a tragic hero.”

Qin Lu shot Gu Can a withering look. “That’s not flair. That’s brain damage. Revenge is a dish best served after careful planning.”

“True,” Gu Yue agreed, sipping her tea. “He was too impulsive. A solo raid on a fortified market is suicide.”

“Exactly,” Qin Lu said.

The three continued to chat in the courtyard, dissecting the event. But beneath the casual conversation, Qin Lu’s mind was racing.

The assassination attempt on Li Qingdu was a wake-up call. The war wasn’t just a rumor on the eastern border anymore. Its bloody tendrils were already reaching Wuji Market.