Chapter 35: The Storm Has Broken

At the foot of the mountain, Fan Jianqiang wiped the sweat from his brow as he gazed up at the distant silhouette of the Moon Embracing Sect. The cool evening breeze brushed against his face as he murmured to himself, "No traps triggered, no scarecrow decoys detected... They're really this trusting?"

He couldn't help but feel a flicker of surprise. "The Second Elder clearly suspects me, yet she's letting me roam freely?"

Though he had countermeasures prepared even if they had targeted him, the implicit trust from his new Sect sent a warm ripple through his cautious heart.

'The Moon Embracing Sect might be weak now, but with this kind of atmosphere... growth is inevitable.'

A faint smile touched his lips before he shook his head. "No, no—getting sentimental is dangerous. If enemies attack, we're all dead meat. Can't slack off now!"

With renewed determination, he returned to his meticulous preparations.

…..

Liu Family Estate, Hongwu Immortal City

Liu Xun stood before his father, the Liu Family Head, looking as mournful as if he were attending his own funeral.

"How could you lose him?!" The Family Head's voice was sharp with frustration. "The Moon Embracing Sect's strongest is only at the ninth level of the Cave Heaven Realm! Not only did you fail to capture Fan Jianqiang, but you lost your storage bag too?!"

Liu Xun hunched his shoulders. "Father—"

"Family Head in the hall!" the older man snapped.

"Family Head, I... underestimated them."

He couldn't bring himself to admit he'd been outsmarted—that his cleverness had backfired spectacularly.

"I've recovered now," Liu Xun added quickly. "When I return to the Moon Embracing Sect, I'll definitely bring him back. As for the storage bag... I doubt the Moon Embracing Sect took it. There's no trail to follow."

The Family Head's glare could have melted steel. "And you call that an explanation?!"

"You may go," he said after a tense pause, "but do not underestimate them again."

"Also... it might not have been the Moon Embracing Sect's doing."

Liu Xun blinked. "What do you mean?"

"The Moon Embracing Sect was once a first-class power. Even in decline, who knows what remnants of their former strength they cling to? We cannot afford carelessness."

"That seems excessive—"

"Excessive?!" The Family Head's roar made the younger man flinch. "What do you think has kept our family secure in Hongwu Immortal City all these years? Luck? Luck is part of it! But more crucial is caution—using your brain! Act without thinking, and you'll only survive until noon. Know why?"

Liu Xun shook his head mutely.

"Because you'll be dead by evening!"

Seeing his son's blank expression, the Family Head massaged his temples. 'Is this really my bloodline?'

"Take two elders with you as backup," he ordered. "And wait before making a move. Xiao Ling'er's disappearance hasn't gone unnoticed. Many eyes are on the Moon Embracing Sect now. Let others test the waters first. If the Moon Embracing Sect falls, you can swoop in as a 'rescuer' to win over Xiao Ling'er and Fan Jianqiang."

"But if the attackers are the ones who fall..." The Family Head paced; hands clasped behind his back. "Then you extend an olive branch. Forge an alliance. Prioritize trade for their high-grade pills—do not make enemies of them!"

Liu Xun gaped. "Father, this is—"

"Do exactly as I say!" The Family Head's patience had frayed to nothing. "If you disobey, I'll have your hide!"

Some lessons, it seemed, could only be taught with threats.

…..

Moon Embracing Sect

Days later, a torrential downpour lashed the mountainside. Thunder rolled across the darkened sky as Lin Fan stood motionless in the deluge, his robes untouched by the rain.

Profound Yuan energy thrummed around him as he watched the storm clouds gather like an invading army.

"Black clouds press upon the walls, poised to shatter them..." he murmured.

The time had come.

Through the curtain of rain, he spotted Fan Jianqiang sprinting up the path—unusually early today. Normally, the cautious disciple wouldn't return until moonrise.

Progress among the disciples had been steady. Xiao Ling'er had broken through to the eighth level of the Condensing Yuan Realm, while Fan Jianqiang...

Outwardly, he remained at the first level.

Lin Fan himself was nearing the third level of the Condensing Yuan Realm, his cultivation growing more formidable by the day.

"All preparations are complete," he said to the storm. "Whether we survive this calamity... now rests with fate."

He sent a final message to the elders: No one leaves the mountain. The protective formation stays active at all times.

…..

Nightfall

Shadows moved at the base of the mountain. A group of cultivators watched the Moon Embracing Sect's gates with predatory focus.

"Once a top-tier sect, now reduced to this," their leader sneered. "A talent like Xiao Ling'er is wasted on them."

His lieutenant nodded. "Everything's ready. Do we move?"

The leader hesitated. "...There are others watching too. I sense multiple auras—some not even bothering to hide. If we strike first—"

"What's there to fear?" the leader blustered—yet gave no order to advance.

His subordinates exchanged relieved glances. Being the first to charge the Moon Embracing Sect's gates was tantamount to suicide, even if they succeeded in grabbing Xiao Ling'er.

Then—a new presence.

A scout stiffened. "Demonic qi approaching! Why are demons involved?"

"Xiao Ling'er's alchemy skills are valuable to anyone," someone muttered. "Or maybe they're here to curry favor with the Yu Clan's Third Divine Son after his humiliation at the conference..."

Lightning split the sky.

Finally, impatience overcame caution. A figure shot forward like a black arrow, streaking through the rain toward the Moon Embracing Sect's gates.

The storm had broken.