Two weeks of grueling training had passed. Chen Mo had even left Jian City at times, venturing into the wilderness where he could stretch his body without restraint. The intensity of Muscle Refining realm cultivation couldn’t be contained within a simple hotel room—every session demanded space, freedom, and seclusion.

  Today, as he meditated in his room, the Clear Pulse Recovery Pills worked silently, repairing minor injuries from previous sessions. Sweat clung to his skin, but his mind remained sharp. He opened his panel, checking his progress:

  Realm: Muscle Refining (Early) 35/600

  Thirty points gained in two weeks using two full sets of medicine, totaling 720 taels of silver. For most mortals in this world, such progress would have been astonishing—but to Chen Mo, it was far too slow. The urgency of power pressed on him like a weight he could not ignore.

  A few days ago, a caravan passing through Jian City had brought shocking news from Lian City. The Silver Crane Martial Hall— the relentless pursuers of his past—had been utterly destroyed. Most of its experts were killed or captured in a horrific battle. Rumors even claimed that the eastern districts had been razed entirely. Chen Mo’s heart didn’t quicken with fear, but a chill ran through him. The balance of power was shifting, and the path forward had just become even more dangerous.

  Chen Mo even changed his hotel and took extra precautions, concealing his true face with cosmetics and always wearing his bamboo hat. Though he was now a registered member of the Mercenary Hall, he feared that those responsible for destroying the Silver Crane Martial Hall might still pursue any loose ends. The odds were slim, but he preferred caution. A small smirk crossed his face as he recalled using a fake name when registering—“Jiang Mo” was his shield for now.

  As he strolled through the bustling streets, his mind weighed on the fastest way to earn money. He might have to take on some tasks from the Mercenary Hall to fund his cultivation, at least for the time being.

  Passing through the central square, a familiar sight made him freeze. A portrait pinned among a wall of wanted posters caught his eye—and his heart sank.

  He approached, eyes narrowing in disbelief. The portrait… was him.

  “What the… fuck,” he muttered inwardly. “They really want to cut loose ends… and five hundred taels for capture?!”

  Chen Mo studied the poster carefully. It depicted his old self, the boy who had just joined the Silver Crane Martial Hall—thin, smaller, unrefined. Months of grueling cultivation had changed his body entirely: broader shoulders, denser muscles, taller stature, and subtle shifts in facial structure. The portrait was barely a likeness now. Only those intimately familiar with him could recognize the young martial artist he had once been.

  Lian City, City Lord’s Mansion

  Xu Haoran’s expression was as dark as storm clouds. The Silver Crane Martial Hall had resisted far more fiercely than expected. The eastern districts had been nearly razed to the ground, and both the Crimson Fist Hall and the Jade Lotus Hall had each lost an Organ Refinement expert.

  Yet the greatest failure of all gnawed at him like a thorn.

  They had found no trace of the legacy he sought.

  His fingers tightened around the armrest as he turned to Commander Qi.

  “What about Elder Zhou Heng?”

  Commander Qi straightened, sweat beading at his temples. “We are still tracking him, my lord. He was gravely injured during the battle. We did not expect the other elders of the Silver Crane School to fight so desperately just to carve out an escape path for him.”

  Xu Haoran’s eyes sharpened. “Find him at all costs. This time, I will act personally.” He paused, then added coldly, “And make sure your report clearly states that the Silver Crane Martial Hall attempted to rebel against the crown.”

  Qi bowed deeply. “It has already been handled, my lord. Also…”

  Xu Haoran glanced at him. “Also what?”

  Qi hesitated before continuing. “We interrogated the prisoners in the dungeon, especially that Muscle Refining expert, Ah Gu. He insists that everything traces back to the escaped boy, Chen Mo. I believe it may simply be a personal vendetta. Nonetheless, we issued a wanted notice and distributed it to nearby cities.”

  Xu Haoran frowned. “And why is that relevant?”

  “My lord,” Qi replied carefully, “according to both the captives and our independent sources, the bandit stronghold was destroyed the day before the Silver Crane arrived in the area. Ah Gu claims that escaped disciple was responsible.”

  Xu Haoran’s eyes flickered. “Bring him here. I want to question him myself.”

  “Yes, my lord.”

  A short while later, Qi returned with several guards. Between them hung a man in chains, bloodstained and barely standing. It was Ah Gu. He did not know that his prolonged detention and torture had, ironically, saved his life. Though broken and battered, he still breathed.

  Xu Haoran looked down at him, his gaze icy. “Tell me what you know, and I may spare you.”

  Ah Gu raised his head with great effort. “This humble one will answer anything, my lord.”

  “You were assigned to search the area around the bandit stronghold,” Xu Haoran said. “Speak. In detail.”

  “Yes, my lord,” Ah Gu rasped. “We were pursuing that traitor, Chen Mo. He betrayed the school, and we confirmed he had been active in that region. We believed he sought shelter among the bandits. But when we arrived… the stronghold was already in ruins.”

  His eyes burned with resentment. “I believe he did it. That boy is extremely cunning.”

  Xu Haoran let out a cold snort. “Do you take me for a fool? That boy was merely a newly advanced Skin Refining martial artist. You expect me to believe he exterminated an entire bandit stronghold alone?”

  Ah Gu clenched his fists, chains rattling. “My lord does not know his talent. That boy reached Skin Refining in barely a month. Later, while serving as a steward in the storage facility, he stole vast amounts of resources. With such preparation and cunning, killing the two Skin Refining bandit leaders would not have been difficult.”

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  He swallowed hard before finishing, “As for the rest… they were nothing more than ordinary men.”

  The hall fell silent, the weight of his words lingering like unsettled dust in the air.

  Xu Haoran sat in silence, fingers tapping lightly against the armrest, eyes lowered in thought. After a long moment, he spoke.

  “You searched the area for seven days.”

  Ah Gu bowed. “Yes, my lord. There was no trace of that wretched boy. However, we received news that one bandit survived. He was from one of the nearby villages. He was captured later, but we never had the chance to interrogate him properly.”

  Xu Haoran slowly lifted his gaze and looked toward Commander Qi. The commander gave a slight nod and gestured with his hand.

  Moments later, two guards dragged a trembling man into the hall and threw him to the ground before the city lord.

  Xu Haoran’s voice was cold. “Speak.”

  The man hastily kowtowed. “My lord, I am just an ordinary person. Please spare my life!”

  Xu Haoran’s expression darkened. “Did your stronghold shelter a boy named Chen Mo?”

  The bandit shook his head frantically. “No, my lord. At least, not while I was there. The stronghold leader sent us out to collect the usual tolls from the villages. When we were about to return, I stayed behind with my family. Later, I heard that the stronghold was destroyed and all my companions were killed.”

  Xu Haoran narrowed his eyes. “Did your leader have enemies? Or did you witness anything unusual during your stay?”

  The man hesitated, fear written plainly across his face. After a moment, he spoke in a trembling voice.

  “My lord… we only dealt with ordinary villagers. But—yes, there was something. Months ago, the leader ordered us to search the mountains for strange markings. We searched for months. In the end, the search focused near a steep cliff. We tried to explore it, but many brothers fell to their deaths. After that, the leader decided to investigate it himself.”

  His voice faltered.

  “Who could have known… that before he returned, everyone—including the leader—would be killed.”

  Silence fell over the hall, heavy and suffocating, as Xu Haoran’s eyes gleamed with a dangerous light.

  Xu Haoran’s fingers stopped tapping.

  He gestured lightly toward Commander Qi. “Take this person. Investigate the location he mentioned. Thoroughly.”

  “Yes, my lord,” Qi replied without hesitation.

  The guards dragged the man away as his pleas echoed faintly through the hall.

  Soon, the chamber emptied. One by one, officials withdrew, leaving Xu Haoran alone.

  He leaned back in his seat, eyes narrowed, thoughts churning like dark clouds.

  Meanwhile, within a quiet courtyard in Jian City, two figures sat beneath a heavy, oppressive atmosphere. They were none other than Li Yuxue and Zhang Qiang.

  “Lord Zhang,” Li Yuxue asked softly, her voice trembling, “will my father be alright?”

  Zhang Qiang shook his head slowly. Even now, he could not fully comprehend what had happened. The attack had come without warning. Li Zhen’s urgent message had been clear: take Li Yuxue and leave for the capital immediately.

  Zhang had obeyed without hesitation. Gathering what little he could, he escorted Li Yuxue away, not stopping until they reached Jian City.

  “Young miss,” Zhang said gravely, “the master ordered us to head for the capital and prepare for that event. That is what you must focus on now.”

  “But… Father…” Li Yuxue whispered.

  “Master Zhen is a Bone Forging expert,” Zhang replied firmly. “He can take care of himself. And if he cannot…”

  His voice hardened.

  “Then you must avenge him in the future.”

  Zhang Qiang said, “I will go and see when the caravans bound for the capital are departing. We cannot remain here for long. In the meantime, you must stay here. We may still be in grave danger.”

  With that, Zhang placed a bamboo hat over his head and left the courtyard.

  Upon reaching the central square, he headed straight for the notice wall to check the wanted posters. He had visited Jian City many times in the past and was familiar with its layout. His eyes moved swiftly across the notices, and a flicker of surprise crossed his face.

  Neither he nor the young miss was listed.

  Instead, he saw a familiar name.

  Chen Mo.

  Zhang’s pupils shrank as he stared at the poster. What? he cursed inwardly. That boy’s wanted notice has already reached Jian City, yet ours hasn’t?

  Although startled, he did not linger on the thought. If anything, this was good news. With no bounty on his head, he could register openly and secure a place on the first caravan heading for the capital, moving safely under the cover of legitimacy.

  Zhang Qiang lowered his gaze and took a step back from the notice wall, the bamboo hat casting his face into shadow. His fingers tightened briefly beneath his sleeves before relaxing again.

  A bounty already…

  He had underestimated the ruthlessness of those people. For a mere outer disciple to be hunted so thoroughly, it could only mean one thing. Someone feared what Chen Mo represented, not who he was now, but what he might become if left alive.

  Zhang’s eyes flicked once more to the portrait. The resemblance was there, yet imperfect. Anyone unfamiliar with Chen Mo would hesitate, and hesitation often meant survival. Still, the fact that the notice had reached Jian City so quickly spoke volumes about the force moving behind the scenes.

  Silver Crane Martial Hall truly left no small ripples behind, he thought.

  A faint, humorless smile tugged at the corner of his lips. Fate had a strange sense of balance. While Chen Mo was forced into the shadows, hunted like a cornered beast, he and the young miss remained unlisted, untouched for now.

  This worked in their favor.

  Jian City’s caravans were strictly regulated. Names were recorded, seals verified, and martial cultivators scrutinized. Anyone with a bounty would struggle to pass unnoticed. But for those without one, the process was little more than a formality.

  Zhang turned away decisively.

  Good The roaf to the capital remains open.

  As long as they boarded the first caravan and left Jian City behind, the young miss would be one step closer to safety and one step closer to the storm gathering at the heart of the empire.