Gu Liyong let out a mournful wail, his body trembling as he delivered the nightmare news.

“Two days ago… Lei Liheng led five Foundation Establishment experts and over thirty late-stage Qi Refining cultivators to attack the Red Maple Lake formation. I don’t know what sorcery they used, but they breached the array in less than a quarter of an hour! Once inside, they slaughtered anyone they saw. Elder Brother… Red Maple Lake has fallen!”

“What? How could this be…?”

Gu Lizhan’s eyes widened in horror. “The foundation our ancestors built over eight hundred years…”

Rage and anxiety attacked his heart simultaneously. The rush of blood was too violent for his body to handle.

“Pfft!”

He violently spat a mouthful of fresh blood onto the floor. His vision blackened, and the world seemed to spin wildly around him. His knees buckled, and he collapsed heavily to the ground.

“Elder Brother!”

“Brother Gu!”

Gu Liyong and the bystanders rushed forward to support him. The festive atmosphere of the tournament evaporated instantly.

Ye Jingshan waved his hand sharply, ordering the family stewards to clear the area. “Disperse the disciples! Now!”

The remaining family heads hurriedly carried the unconscious Gu Lizhan into the council hall.

Inside, they laid him on a sickbed. His face was a terrifying shade of paper-white.

Ji Shuguang, possessing a Wood Spiritual Root, was the most Proficient among them in the healing arts. He stepped forward, placing a hand on Gu Lizhan’s chest to regulate the chaotic flow of True Essence ravaging the man’s meridians.

Moments later, Gu Lizhan’s eyelids fluttered open.

The instant consciousness returned, his hand shot out, seizing Gu Liyong’s wrist in a vice-like grip.

“You are a Foundation Establishment cultivator!” Gu Lizhan roared, his voice hoarse with fury. “Your duty was to defend the family! Why did you flee?”

“E-Elder Brother!” Gu Liyong shrank back, terrified. “I… I exchanged moves with Lei Liheng! But he is at the peak of Foundation Establishment! Your younger brother was truly no match for him! I… I could only grab the family’s core texts and records and escape. I did it to preserve our legacy! And to bring the news to you!”

“You spineless trash!”

Smack!

Gu Lizhan swung his arm, delivering a vicious slap across his brother’s face.

“Injured? You had time to raid the library for books!” Gu Lizhan’s chest heaved. “You planned to run from the very start! You only exchanged blows so you could claim you fought!”

Gu Liyong wailed as he was knocked to the floor. He didn’t even try to stand. He simply lay there, weeping into the stone tiles.

The other family heads watched in uncomfortable silence. For a Foundation Establishment cultivator to be so cowardly—and so willing to discard his dignity in public—was a rare and pathetic sight.

“Brother Gu, mind your health,” Ye Jingshan said, stepping in to mediate. “We have noted this blood debt with Green Bull Market. We will help you seek vengeance.”

Ji Shuguang, however, looked down at the weeping man with a cold, analytical gaze.

“Your brother is not lying,” Ji Shuguang said smoothly. He pointed at Gu Liyong. “His injuries are severe. And frankly, his choice was correct. If he hadn’t fled like a dog, you and I would still be in the dark.”

He paused, his expression hardening into ice. “The people of Green Bull Market… to dare cross the border and ambush us so brazenly… They simply do not take me seriously!”

Bam!

He slammed his hand onto the table, the wood groaning under the impact.

Gu Lizhan forced himself to calm down. Ji Shuguang was right. Red Maple Lake was already lost; beating Gu Liyong to death would be pointless. More importantly, he needed the Burning Heaven Sect’s power. If he wanted to rebuild the Gu Family, he could not afford to offend Ji Shuguang.

Struggling against his weakness, Gu Lizhan pushed himself off the bed and performed a solemn, deep bow.

“Brother Gu, what are you doing? Lie back down!”

“No.” Gu Lizhan shook his head, tears streaming down his face. “Everyone… the thieves from Green Bull Market arrived only two days ago. They are likely still stripping the resources from our territory. That will buy us time. But my Gu Family has two other Spirit Mountains… surely they will not spare those either.”

He choked back a sob, closing his eyes painfully.

“I implore you all… set out immediately. Help me stop Lei Liheng. I, Gu Lizhan, will be eternally grateful!”

With a thud, Gu Lizhan dropped to his knees, kowtowing to the room.

“Brother Gu, please, stand up!” Ye Jingshan and the others rushed to lift him.

But Gu Lizhan refused to budge, slamming his forehead against the floor again. “Please! Promise me!”

The room fell silent. All eyes turned to Ji Shuguang. With war imminent, a rescue mission was a dangerous variable. Only the representative of the Burning Heaven Sect had the authority to make this call.

Ji Shuguang pondered for a moment, tapping his finger against the table.

“Family Head Gu, rise. This Elder agrees. I will lead the Foundation Establishment cultivators to support your Gu Family.”

“Thank you, Elder Ji!” Gu Lizhan scrambled to his feet, desperation burning in his eyes. “Time is of the essence! We must move with godlike speed! Please, let us depart now!”

Ji Shuguang frowned slightly. He understood the man’s grief, but being ordered around was not something he tolerated.

He raised a hand, cutting Gu Lizhan off. “Family Head Gu, emotion is the enemy of strategy. We will discuss our plan before we move. If we rush blindly into a trap, can you bear the responsibility for our deaths?”

Gu Lizhan struggled, his face twisting with impatience. But staring into Ji Shuguang’s emotionless, reptilian gaze, he wilted.

“Everything… is at Elder Ji’s discretion.”

“Good. We will keep it brief.”

Ji Shuguang nodded. He wouldn’t push Gu Lizhan too hard; a desperate dog was useful. The Gu Family now had nothing left to lose, meaning their two remaining Foundation Establishment cultivators would fight like maniacs against Green Bull Market. This served the Sect’s goals perfectly.

“Elder Ji,” Ye Jingshan spoke first. “I believe Green Bull Market struck first to weaken our alliance. By culling the weak, they reduce the pressure on themselves for the coming war.”

Xu Minglang chimed in, his voice grim. “Since the Zhao, Lei, and Cheng families were present, there is no reason the Wang and Li families would sit idly by. Brother Gu’s other two Spirit Mountains are likely…”

He trailed off.

Gu Lizhan’s face twisted in bitterness. He remained silent, but his fists were clenched so tight that his fingernails pierced his palms, drops of blood hitting the floor with a soft tap-tap.

He Junyi stroked his beard, a sudden realization dawning on his face. “Wait. If they conquered the Gu Family so easily… I fear they won’t just pack up and leave. Our families… we are all gathered here!”

The realization hit the room like a lightning bolt. Terror washed over the faces of the family heads.

They had brought their strongest fighters to Double Dragon Mountain. Their home bases were defenseless. If Green Bull Market mobilized ten Foundation Establishment experts, they could sweep through the entire Maple Leaf region unopposed!

Even Ji Shuguang felt a flicker of panic.

Losing the Gu Family was an acceptable casualty. But if the entire coalition was dismantled piece by piece, his mission would fail catastrophically. The Sect would hold him responsible.

He scanned the room urgently. “Who is closest to the Gu Family’s territory?”

“The Si Family,” Ye Jingshan replied, forcing himself to stay calm. “They only have two Foundation Establishment cultivators. Even if Si Zhijie is there, they cannot hold out for long.”

Ye Jingshan was relatively composed; his own Ye Family had ten experts gathered here. Unless Lei Liheng’s head had been crushed in a door, he wouldn’t dare attack the Ye stronghold.

“Good. We go to the Si Family immediately!” Ji Shuguang slapped the table, making the decision. “We intercept them there!”

“Elder Ji?” Gu Lizhan froze. “What about my Gu Family?”

Ji Shuguang’s face returned to its mask of indifference.

“Family Head Gu, do the math. It has been two days. It will take us another two days to reach your territory. If you were leading ten experts, would it take you four days to conquer two undefended mountains?”

Gu Lizhan opened his mouth to argue, but the logic was suffocating.

“If you want to go back to Red Maple Lake, take your own people and go,” Ji Shuguang continued ruthlessly. “I will not stop you. But I must consider the big picture.”

He leaned forward, his voice dropping to a harsh whisper. “My advice? Your family still has two Foundation Establishment experts and dozens of core disciples. If we win this war, you can rebuild. But if you act on emotion and die in a pointless skirmish, the Gu name dies with you. That is all I have to say. Think on it.”

Without waiting for a response, Ji Shuguang turned to the other patriarchs.

“I know you are worried about your own homes. But look at the map. The enemy cannot cross that much distance so quickly. The Si Family is the choke point. Blocking them there is our best—and only—option. Does anyone object?”

The family heads exchanged glances. Slowly, they nodded.

“Good,” Ji Shuguang said, satisfied. “We depart immediately. Send messengers to your families—tell them to raise their shields and prepare for war!”