Bam!

Before Wang Ba could even react to the noise, the door of the central house flew open.

A figure shot out like a bolt of lightning, crossing the courtyard to the manor’s entrance in the blink of an eye.

It was Senior Brother Shi.

But this was not the haughty, imperious cultivator who had looked down on Wang Ba moments ago. His expression was now one of utter, servile respect. It was the same fawning demeanor he had shown the purple-robed envoy, perhaps even laced with a deeper, more visceral fear.

Lin Yu followed close behind. Her makeup was freshly applied, lending her a seductive allure she hadn’t possessed a moment before. She stood behind Shi, head bowed in humility, her eyes darting with a mix of anticipation and nerves.

Chu Erniu, sluggish and slow to react, finally realized what was happening. A flicker of panic crossed his eyes. He hesitated, then shuffled over with small, uncertain steps.

Vaguely, he felt as if his limbs weren’t quite obeying his commands, a strange stiffness in his joints. He dismissed it as a symptom of his panic and didn’t give it a second thought.

The three of them bowed in unison. “Senior Brother Zhao.”

Wang Ba watched from the side, his eyes thoughtful. It seems Senior Brother Zhao, despite being an Outer Sect disciple, holds a status far higher than his rank implies…

As the three looked on with eager deference, a figure strode through the gate.

He was tall and severe, a sword strapped to his back. His face was a mask of cold indifference, his aura sharp as a blade.

Zhao Feng swept his gaze over the welcoming committee without breaking stride.

“Elder Gao of the Punishment Hall has ordered the requisition of two hundred Spirit Poultry. Here is the toke—”

He stopped. His icy gaze landed on the figure standing off to the side.

“Junior Brother Wang? What are you doing here?”

The frost in his voice instantly melted into familiarity.

The three disciples at the entrance froze. Their minds reeled.

Junior Brother Wang?

There’s someone else here?

But isn’t it just the three of us? There’s no one named Wang…

Chu Erniu, being the youngest, was the first to connect the dots. A thought, impossible and terrifying, bloomed in his mind.

Wang… Junior Brother?

Hiss—it can’t be. Not the laborer?

The other two realized it a moment later. They exchanged horrified glances, unable—or unwilling—to believe it. Senior Brother Shi’s face turned the color of old ash.

But the more they prayed it wasn’t true, the more reality conspired against them.

Zhao Feng walked straight past them and approached Wang Ba.

Shi and Chu Erniu felt their hearts plummet into their stomachs. Lin Yu’s beautiful eyes widened in genuine shock.

It really is him.

To their absolute horror, the famously cold-faced executioner of the Punishment Hall—a man known for showing no quarter to anyone but the invincible First Disciple—cracked a smile. He began chatting with the laborer as if they were old friends.

Lin Yu and Chu Erniu were merely stunned, but Senior Brother Shi was shaken to his core. He knew Zhao Feng’s reputation. For him to treat a laborer with such warmth…

This Wang Ba… is he really just a laborer? Or is he a hidden disciple of the Sect?

Doubts gnawed at Shi’s composure.

Suddenly, Zhao Feng frowned. He pointed at the fresh stains on Wang Ba’s robes. He turned, his eyes narrowing into slits as he swept a gaze over the three disciples.

“What happened here?”

His voice was soft, but it carried a chilling intent, sharp enough to cut skin.

Chu Erniu’s heart slammed against his ribs. He felt the gazes of Shi and Lin Yu boring into his back. His scalp went numb with terror.

Shock, fear, resentment, regret—emotions swirled in his gut like a poisonous brew.

Senior Brother Shi stepped forward, sweat beading on his forehead. “Answering Senior Brother Zhao, this is—”

“I was clumsy,” Wang Ba interrupted suddenly, his voice calm. “I slipped and fell just now.”

The group blinked, stunned by the interjection.

Zhao Feng looked at Wang Ba with mild surprise, then turned his cold gaze back to the trio. “It better be.”

He waved a hand dismissively. “What are you still standing there for? Prepare the Spirit Poultry immediately!”

Chu Erniu and Shi felt as if they had been granted a pardon from the executioner’s blade. They hurriedly cupped their fists and scrambled to round up the chickens. Lin Yu bit her lip, lingering for a moment as if wanting to speak, but her courage failed her. She turned and followed the others.

Wang Ba made to leave as well, to give them space, but Zhao Feng raised a hand.

“Stay. It is good that you are here; I was planning to visit your manor to find you.”

“Find me?” Wang Ba blinked.

“Correct.”

Zhao Feng’s expression turned serious. With a thought, a yellow Talisman slipped from his sleeve and ignited in mid-air. An invisible barrier shimmered into existence around them.

“There. Now no one can overhear us.”

Wang Ba’s confusion deepened. What sort of conversation required a silence talisman?

Zhao Feng looked him in the eye. “Do you remember when I told you that the Sect is about to undergo a major upheaval?”

Wang Ba nodded. It was that warning, along with Shopkeeper Lu’s words, that had sparked his plan to flee. The emergence of the ‘Ascension Society’ had only solidified his resolve.

“Then you should also remember,” Zhao Feng continued, his voice grave, “that I suspected someone within the Sect was involved in Senior Brother Lu’s death.”

Wang Ba nodded again, then his eyes widened. “You found evidence?”

Zhao Feng shook his head and tapped his temple. “No. And I don’t believe in evidence… I only believe in my intuition.”

“My gut tells me that these people are planning to make a move during the upcoming expedition.”

“Uh…” Wang Ba was momentarily speechless. So we’re still just guessing?

Still, he didn’t care much about the details. As long as it didn’t interfere with his escape in a few days, the Sect’s politics were none of his business.

Zhao Feng leaned in, his tone urgent. “Listen to me. You must be careful. If something truly happens—if chaos breaks out—remember this: come to this manor immediately.”

Wang Ba felt a rare warmth in his chest. Despite his cynical nature, he couldn’t deny the sincerity in Zhao Feng’s voice. Their bond had started over the tragedy of the Lu family, but Zhao Feng’s continued concern was genuine.

“Thank you, Senior Brother,” Wang Ba said earnestly. “I will remember.”

Zhao Feng nodded, but the worry didn’t leave his eyes. “Do not hesitate. Immediately.”

“Understood!”

Only then did Zhao Feng relax.

Shortly after, the two hundred Spirit Poultry were loaded into a spirit beast bag. Zhao Feng took the bag, gave Wang Ba a final nod, and strode out as quickly as he had arrived.

Lin Yu watched his retreating back with a look of longing regret.

Senior Brother Shi and Chu Erniu, however, just slumped in relief. When they turned back to Wang Ba, the atmosphere had shifted completely. They stood awkwardly, unsure how to address the man they had treated like dirt.

Lin Yu, having the least baggage, recovered first. She swayed over, a charming smile plastered on her face.

“Wang…”

“Wang Ba,” he supplied helpfully. “The ‘Ba’ from ‘Hanba’, the Drought Demon.”

“Oh! Wang Ba. Hehe, that’s… quite a unique name.” Lin Yu didn’t miss a beat, her tone dripping with sudden warmth.

“Indeed. I was born during a great drought, when people resorted to eating one another… My father named me ‘Ba’ in memory of those times. People often mispronounced it when I was young.”

“My, what a tragic backstory… By the way, Brother Wang Ba, what is your relationship with Senior Brother Zhao? Why does he call you Junior Brother?”

She cut straight to the chase, voicing the question burning in everyone’s mind.

Shi and Chu Erniu pricked up their ears, desperate for the answer.

Wang Ba pursed his lips and gave a polite, impenetrable smile. “We are merely acquaintances.”

Nobody believed him. Even the dim-witted Chu Erniu knew that “acquaintances” didn’t get silence talismans and brotherly warnings.

But this time, no one dared to press him.

Senior Brother Shi stepped forward, his face arranged into a mask of benevolent seniority.

“Wang… ahem, Junior Brother Wang. There were some misunderstandings earlier. If you have any interest in the scrolls and books in my collection, please, feel free to borrow them at any time.”

Wang Ba bowed deeply, maintaining his facade of humility. “Thank you, Immortal Master Shi.”

“No, no, no need for that,” Shi said hastily. “Just like Lin Yu, please call me Senior Brother Shi.”

“Hehe. Thank you, Senior Brother Shi.” Wang Ba smiled.

Shi let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding, smiled tightly, and retreated into his house.

Lin Yu hesitated, glanced between Wang Ba and the door, then shook her head and sashayed back to her room. She hadn’t offended him, and even with his connection to Zhao Feng, she felt no need to grovel.

That left Chu Erniu.

The young disciple stood there, his face a conflict of greed and terror. He reached into his robe and pulled out the pouch of twenty Spirit Stones. He squeezed it, his knuckles turning white, clearly loath to part with the fortune.

But the fear of Zhao Feng—and the mysterious status of Wang Ba—won out.

He threw the pouch back to Wang Ba.

“Cough… We… We’re even now!”

Chu Erniu stammered the words, his voice trembling. As soon as the pouch left his hand, a violent shiver raked through his body. He wrapped his arms around himself, rubbing his elbows as he hurried toward his room.

“Strange…” he muttered, his teeth chattering. “Why is it so cold all of a sudden?”

As he turned away, the sunlight caught the side of his head. There, at his temples, the hair was dry and brittle. Unnoticed by him, specks of white were silently, slowly spreading through the black strands like frost on dying grass.

Wang Ba stood alone in the courtyard.

He caught the pouch of Spirit Stones and weighed it gently in his hand.

He watched Chu Erniu disappear into the shadows of the house. The humble smile vanished from his face, replaced by a look of cold, calculating indifference.

“I paid a heavy price for this…”

He pocketed the stones, his eyes dark.

“And you think we’re even just because you say so?”