Qin Lu stood amidst the debris of the pulverized peak, laughing to himself.

The power had far exceeded his expectations.

“If maxing out the [Finger Flick Technique] unlocks a Wind Affinity talent, then maxing out the [Ignition Technique] should grant Fire Affinity…”

His mind raced with the possibilities. “Does [Bright Light Technique] lead to Light Affinity? [Lightning Strike Technique] to Lightning Affinity? What about the [Cutting Technique]?”

He grinned, his earlier boredom vanished. “I’m getting excited.”

“The next project: max out the Ignition Technique. Let’s see if my theory holds.”

He clenched his fist, feeling the surge of potential.

“Don’t even think about running!”

A furious shout shattered his reverie.

Qin Lu froze, his head snapping toward the source of the noise.

“A pursuit?”

Clang! Bang! Boom!

The sounds of combat were getting louder. And they were coming straight for him.

“Damn it,” Qin Lu cursed. “Even in the deep wilderness, I can’t catch a break.”

Annoyance flashed across his face, but his reaction was swift. He cast the [Disguise Technique].

His features shifted like molding clay. His mouth shrank, his eyes widened, and his jaw squared. In seconds, his handsome face twisted into the visage of a brutish, menacing thug.

Disguise set, he deployed the [Flying Cloud Paper] and rocketed into the sky.

He had no interest in getting entangled in a grudge match. In this world, curiosity killed more cultivators than old age.

Of the Thirty-Six Stratagems, fleeing is the best.

He steered his artifact away from the commotion, aiming to put as much distance between himself and the trouble as possible.

But he wasn’t fast enough.

A thunderous explosion erupted from the forest behind him. Qin Lu glanced back and saw three figures tearing through the canopy.

“Flying without artifacts?” Qin Lu’s heart skipped a beat. “Three Foundation Establishment cultivators.”

It was a hunt. Two middle-aged men were chasing a lone youth dressed in black. The quarry’s face was a mask of icy resolve, even as he fled for his life.

The combatants crossed Qin Lu’s flight path, their trajectories intersecting.

All three noticed him.

Qin Lu kept his expression flat, meeting their gazes briefly as he accelerated away. He projected an air of studied indifference—just another passerby minding his own business.

The two pursuers, seeing that Qin Lu had the good sense to flee, relaxed slightly and ignored him.

The black-clad youth, however, shot Qin Lu a look of disappointment. He had clearly hoped for intervention, but upon sensing Qin Lu’s Qi Condensation aura, he realized the stranger was useless to him.

BOOM—!

“Looking for death!”

“Bastard!”

The chase thundered past, disappearing into the distance in a swirl of curses and spellfire.

Qin Lu watched them go, exhaling a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.

“Even here, far from the borders, chaos reigns,” he murmured. “Three Foundation Establishment experts fighting openly… I can’t let my guard down.”

He turned his flight path back toward White Jade Market, his desire for wilderness solitude thoroughly dampened.

Back in the safety of the market, Qin Lu dropped his disguise and passed through the gate’s security screen. He walked home, the tension of the encounter slowly bleeding away.

His new estate was a sanctuary. The highlight was the massive phoenix tree in the corner of the courtyard. Its broad canopy cast a deep, cooling shade over the garden.

Qin Lu had furnished the spot with a wooden rocking chair and a small tea table, creating a pocket of leisurely elegance.

He sank into the chair, letting the gentle afternoon breeze lull him into a half-doze.

Through his [Heavenly Eye Technique], he sensed the rhythmic pulse of Qi from the backyard. Feng Xi was cultivating.

Qin Lu smiled. The ghost incident in the Great Zhou Dynasty had lit a fire under her. After being injured and overshadowed by Cao Mo and Wu Zhengtian, she had thrown herself into training with a vengeance. Her hard work had paid off; she had recently broken through to the second layer of Qi Refining.

The chair creaked rhythmically.

Creak. Creak.

Qin Lu’s thoughts drifted to his other companions. The refugee group had finally settled into the rhythm of White Jade Market.

The Gu siblings lived down the street. Like Qin Lu, they had rented in the Inner City, though a few hundred meters away. Flush with cash, they had hired a staff of servants and settled into a life of leisure. Gu Can spent his days drinking and carousing, while Gu Yue remained a mysterious shut-in. They were the idlest of the bunch.

The Cao family, by contrast, were industrious. Cao Yunxi and his wife had joined a local hunting team, venturing thousands of miles to Centipede Ridge to harvest beast meat—a return to their old trade.

Their son, Cao Mo, was equally busy. Since reaching the fourth layer of Qi Refining, the little fatty had pestered Qin Lu for talisman lessons. Qin Lu had obliged, teaching him the intricacies of the [Body Protection Shield]. Cao Mo was now obsessed, practicing day and night, often forgetting to eat or sleep.

Then there were the Lu clan members.

Lu Xian and his wife, Qian Li, had wasted no time. Within three days, they had secured jobs at an auction house and an artifact shop, respectively.

Lu Xian’s friend, Shi Geng, hadn’t been as lucky. He was currently renting a small courtyard in the slums, unemployed and drifting.

Surprising everyone, the quiet Lu Anchen had moved out of his family home to rent a place with the equally taciturn Xu Ruling. The two introverts had seemingly found their own world together.

Lu Xuan and Wu Zhengtian had rented a place next door to them, forming a little neighborhood of unemployed bachelors.

“Everyone has stabilized,” Qin Lu thought, a warm feeling spreading in his chest.

They had survived the escape from Wuji Market together. That shared history—that hometown camaraderie—mattered. Knowing they were safe brought him a deep sense of satisfaction.

After half an hour of rest, Qin Lu stretched languidly and rose from the chair.

It was time to get back to work.

He headed for his room, eager to discover exactly what this new Wind Affinity talent could do.