Starting as dockworkers, they swept through Chongqing.

On the other side, the car had slowly come to a stop.

This is not the previous hotel, but a detached house near the sea. The iron fence outside the door is towering, the corridor lights are bright, and the surrounding streets are unusually quiet. It is obviously a place that the Brotherhood uses to accommodate distinguished guests.

Yuri got out of the car first and opened his umbrella.

Midas did not move immediately, but looked at Xilun.

"Stay here tonight. Yuri will pick you up at nine tomorrow morning."

Xilun nodded: "Okay."

Just as he was about to push the door open, Midas suddenly said something else.

"Silon".

"President."

"If you want to look up, you have to learn to live longer down here first."

Xilun looked at him and nodded slowly.

"I've got it."

He pushed open the door and got out of the car. A cold wind carrying drizzle rushed in, instantly pulling him back to reality from the warm car.

Yuri tilted the umbrella over his head, muttering to himself:

"The president isn't the type to talk this much to people alone. You're lucky, at least it means he really thinks you're interested."

Xilun took the umbrella handle and smiled. "Should I be flattered?"

[At this point, I hope readers will remember our domain name 12199.99]

"Come on." Yuri rolled his eyes. "Go take a shower and go to bed. Be more alert tomorrow. You can't go into the treasure vault every day."

Xilun hummed in agreement and turned to walk into the courtyard.

The doorman immediately came forward and opened the door for him.

Heating, lights, thick carpets—everything was just right.

But just as he stepped across the threshold, he paused very slightly.

Listen from afar.

That talent is like an invisible fine net, naturally spreading outwards.

Besides the sound of rain, there was the faint sound of car wheels rolling over puddles at the end of the street.

At the entrance of the alley on the left, someone stood under the eaves, holding their breath, their clothes rubbing against the wall.

Further into the darkness, another group of people moved with lighter steps and more spread out, like a group of experienced hunters, wary of each other and waiting for the right moment.

Xilun's gaze gradually turned cold.

It seems there's more than just one drinking session tonight.

He didn't turn around or show any unusual expression. He simply handed the umbrella to the servant, unbuttoned the top button of his white suit, and calmly walked upstairs.

Xilun paused for a moment at the door before stepping inside.

The light cast a long shadow over him.

The room was spacious and tastefully furnished. A dim yellow light shone from the hallway lamp outside the door, illuminating the soft texture of the carpet and the excessively quiet shadows in the corners.

He didn't turn on the light.

Darkness, on the contrary, makes people feel more at ease.

It's like pushing the whole house back into the night, causing those prying eyes outside to lose a clear focus.

Xilun loosened his collar, casually draped his coat to one side, and slowly sat down on the sofa. He didn't speak or rush to wash up; he simply closed his eyes.

Midas's last words still echoed in my ears.

If you want to look up, you have to learn to live longer down here first.

These words sounded ordinary, but to him they carried more weight than many people's stern threats.

Live longer...

Xilun leaned back on the sofa and tapped the armrest lightly with his fingertips. Yuanling Tianfu spread out silently like an invisible net.

The rain had lessened a bit, and a layer of glistening water had accumulated on the street.

There are people at the alley entrance.

He was standing under the eaves on the left, his breathing was very low, and his steps were steady, unlike a novice.

Further away, there were two more groups, not too close to each other, yet subtly forming a triangular formation.

Xilun's lips twitched slightly.

They are cautious enough, and they value their lives enough.

He sat for a while, seemingly lost in thought, or perhaps thinking about something else. After a long while, he stood up, went into the bedroom, lifted the covers, and lay down peacefully.

His breathing quickly became even.

It looks like she's really asleep.

……

Across the street, raindrops fell diagonally.

Hawke stood under a black umbrella at the intersection of the tree shadows and the streetlights, his gaze fixed on the quiet house.

The curtains weren't fully drawn, and a faint glimmer of light shone through from the second floor.

The figures were indistinct, only vague outlines were visible.

He waited a moment, then finally raised his hand and pressed it down behind him.

"Come back."

The voice was low, yet it carried an undeniable chill.

"There's no chance anymore."

On the other side, in the black sedan parked at the alley entrance, Oin's face was gloomy, and Oro couldn't help but push the door open and get out first.

"Is there no chance anymore?"

Auro stared at Hawke as he approached, his voice laced with suppressed anger. "Didn't we agree to make our move? He's alone tonight, and staying in a place like this, isn't this the perfect opportunity?"

Hawke glanced at him, looking at him like he was a fool who didn't know what was going to happen to him.

"Our agreement was to kill Xilun when he was alone."

"You didn't see it just now, but Midas came back with him."

"Midas?"

Oin narrowed his eyes, while Oro instinctively asked, "Who is that?"

Hawke seemed to laugh in anger, a cold smile curving his lips.

"It's not surprising that a family from the Northern District like yours wouldn't know. But I know all too well..."

He slowly exhaled, a trace of lingering fear still visible in his eyes.

"The current president of the Brotherhood, Midasius, was promoted to high-ranking knight at a young age, placing him among the top tier of third-tier extraordinary individuals. If you're looking to die, don't drag me down with you."

Raindrops slid down the umbrella ribs, hitting the puddles and creating tiny ripples.

Hawke's voice grew lower and lower.

"If that kind of person is really inside, if you rush over now, it won't be an assassination attempt, it will be walking into a trap."

Oro's expression changed, and he wanted to say something, but Oin raised his hand to stop him.

Oin didn't speak immediately, but simply raised his head slightly and, through the rain, took another look at the two connected houses.

On the surface, the lights were quiet and there was nothing unusual.

But the more he did this, the stronger his uncomfortable feeling became.

Suddenly, his gaze settled on the second floor of the house next door.

Behind a half-open French window stood a middle-aged man.

The other person didn't hold up an umbrella or say anything; they just watched them quietly, as if they had been watching for a long time.

That face was unremarkable, even mild-mannered.

But in the instant that Oin's eyes met his—

He felt a slight stinging sensation in his vision.

It was as if he wasn't looking at a person, but rather gazing at a deep sea, a chasm, or a giant beast lying quietly, yet ready to tear everyone apart at any moment.

Oin's breathing paused almost imperceptibly.

The next second, the middle-aged man frowned slightly and let out a faint snort.

The sound wasn't loud.

When it landed in Oin's ear, it felt like an ice needle piercing his scalp.

Oin's pupils contracted sharply, and a chill instantly ran down his spine.

"Hurry up!"

He almost shouted it out, slamming his hand heavily on the car door.

Oro paused for a moment, never having seen his father with such an expression before, and instinctively opened the car door and climbed in. Hawke didn't hesitate either, turning and retreating.

Several cars quickly started up and drove away one after another in the rainy night.

Behind the second-floor window, the middle-aged man watched their hasty retreat, his eyes showing little emotion.

After a moment, he calmly withdrew his gaze.

"Turns out he's just a paper tiger, yet he dared to pretend to be a dragon crossing the river..."

He chuckled softly and turned away from the window.

The room fell silent again.

Meanwhile, in the bedroom of another mansion, Xilun, whose eyes had been closed, slowly opened them.

Listening from afar, one could clearly hear footsteps, the sound of tires crunching through water, and changes in breathing.

He stared at the ceiling for two seconds, then tilted his head and listened for a moment to the shadow outside the window, which had mostly dissipated, a thoughtful look in his eyes.

After a while, he lay back down.

"It's good to rest in the shade of a big tree."

The voice was so soft it sounded like a whisper in a dream.

After saying that, he closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

……

On the way back, Oin remained silent.

Oro sat beside him, his face also looking grim.

Inside the carriage, only the faint hum of the steam engine and the occasional muffled thud of the wheels rolling over puddles could be heard.

After a long silence, Oro finally couldn't help but ask, "Father, are we really just going to let it go like this?"

Oin raised his head and looked out the window at the street scene, blurred by the rain, his eyes dark and somber.

Originally, it was just about getting rid of a young man who was blocking the way.

In his mind, this wasn't even a big deal.

A commoner of lowly birth who climbs to the top through sheer luck and ruthlessness, even if he manages to reach the second tier by sheer luck, is only just beginning. If the right opportunity is seized, one decisive strike will end it all.

But when he actually started doing it, he discovered that there were one variable after another around this person.

The fraternity's bias, Midas's attitude, Austin's subtle indulgence, and Celen's astonishingly rapid growth...

After all that effort, they couldn't even get close to Xilun, let alone take it down.

A newly promoted second-tier cultivator has already become so difficult to kill.

Oin lowered his head, interlaced his fingers, and gently rubbed the knuckles of his thumb, his gaze gradually turning cold.

Could it be... that I really have to do it myself?

But that would be too risky.

If he makes a mistake, or if Austin finds something to hold against him, the advantages his lineage has accumulated over the years will be wiped out.

After thinking for a long time, he finally let out a slow breath.

"There's no rush yet."

Oro turned to look at him.

Oin said in a deep voice, "Investigate again and see if there are any suitable opportunities. If there are, do it cleanly. If not, don't linger, come back as soon as possible."

He paused, a hint of ruthlessness flashing in his eyes.

"Even if we can't kill him, there's no need to rush to draw blood."

"The Profound Yin Breathing Technique is not easy to master. Water resources are already scarce, and Yin Spirit Source Water is even more priceless."

"By cutting off his resources, making his method impossible to implement, and waiting for him to get trapped, we can seize the opportunity to ambush and kill him; that will also take his life."

Oro nodded slowly.

"I see."

Aoin leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and his face was a mixture of exhaustion and ruthlessness.

He wasn't acting out of a sense of duty to his family.

Ultimately, he just wanted to pave a wider path for his son.

Within the Tussor family, the main branch is powerful, and Austin is shrewd and calculating. If Oro cannot truly establish himself in this generation, he will only be gradually squeezed out of the inner circle in the future, eventually living on scraps.

That's not what he wanted to see.

What he couldn't get when he was young, he should at least leave to his son.

Whoever stands in front of you will die.

……

The next morning, sunlight streamed down from behind the clouds.

Last night's rain seemed to have been swept away by the sea breeze, leaving only a cool, damp feeling in the air.

Xilun opened his eyes, leaned against the headboard, and listened quietly for a moment.

The outside is already very clean.

There was no extra breath, no wheels stopped, and no hunter-like presence in the night.

He yawned, threw off the covers, got up, quickly washed up, put on his coat, and went out.

Behind the guild hall, there is a narrow stone path leading to a spring near the hillside.

Spring water flows down the gray-white rocks, forming a shallow stream with a clear, melodious sound, and the surrounding area carries the scent of wood and damp earth.

Xilun sat down cross-legged by the creek.

call--

Suck--

The Xuan Yin Breathing Technique was slowly activated.

The already chilly mountain air seemed to be drawn in by some unseen force, seeping into his mouth, nose, meridians, and flesh.

His shoulders and back gradually quieted down, his breathing became long and even, and his face became exceptionally peaceful.

An hour later, the sun was higher in the sky.

Xilun opened his eyes and exhaled a breath of white air. The white air condensed and lingered in front of him for two breaths before slowly dissipating.

"It's still not quite there."

He muttered something under his breath, stood up, and stretched his shoulders and neck.

Immediately afterwards, he slowly ran out along the stone path outside the guild hall.

For him now, morning runs are more like a way to organize his thoughts.

The soles of my shoes trod across the wet pavement with a light and steady rhythm.

Xilun drove through the seaside neighborhood, past old-fashioned lampposts, newsstands, and bakeries that weren't fully open yet, finally tracing a long arc.

When he looked up, his steps slowed down.

A familiar manor quietly comes into view.

At the entrance, a middle-aged man was leaning against the iron gate, yawning, with a bunch of keys in his hand.

"Savi".

Xilun walked over with a smile.

The middle-aged man looked up at the sound, paused for a moment, and then looked somewhat surprised.

"Mr. Sir Lun? What brings you back?"

"I was just passing by the teacher's house and thought I'd ask how things were going." Xilun glanced deeper into the manor. "Shouldn't he be cultivating at this time?"

Savi's smile remained unchanged, but he quickly shook his head.

"Unfortunately, the young master went out a few days ago and it will probably be a long time before he returns."

Xilun frowned slightly.

"You went out? Where did you go? You haven't come back for so long."

Savi's gaze flickered for a moment, then returned to normal.

"I can't say much about that. If you want to know, you should wait for the young master to return and ask him yourself."

Xilun looked at him but didn't reply immediately.

Savi was Lund's most trusted confidant. He didn't say many things, not because he didn't know, but because he couldn't say them.

After a moment, as if afraid that Xilun would overthink it, Saiwei added a sentence.

"Young Master has gone to the ocean-going docks."

Ocean-going port.

As these four words were spoken, Xilun's eyes flickered slightly.

Those less-than-pleasant memories surfaced almost immediately from the depths of her mind—Fan, Balk, the suffocating pressure, and the expression on the other party's face when Ms. Sarah intervened, a look of clear reluctance yet forced to back down…

That place doesn't seem like a good omen.

Xilun paused for a moment, then nodded.

"I see."

Savi opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he just sighed.

"Mr. Siren, the young master is very sensible, so please don't worry too much."

"Um."