Starting as dockworkers, they swept through Chongqing.

He sighed.

"If I hadn't been prepared, and hadn't retreated immediately upon hearing the first sound, and hadn't had backup arranged by the clan chief waiting outside—I probably wouldn't have made it back."

Xilun remained silent for a moment.

"Why did the choir use their ancestral weapons against Tusol?"

This question caused Austin and Campbell to exchange a glance.

"That's the problem." Austin stood up, walked to the window, and turned his back to the two men.

"Using ancestral instruments is no small matter. For a choir, the cost of using the Echoes is extremely high—as far as we know, each time it is used, a little less of the lacquer is removed from the box."

"It is not infinite."

"So—" Xiren's eyes narrowed slightly, "they have a compelling reason to use it."

“Indeed.” Austin turned around. “Camber’s trip was originally just to inquire about the whereabouts of the missing clansmen on behalf of the family, but the other party directly used the ancestral artifact. This shows…”

"They wanted to silence us," Xiren added calmly.

Austin nodded heavily.

"The missing Evan and Mace are likely no longer alive. And perhaps they discovered something they shouldn't have before they died."

An oppressive silence fell over the room.

Xilun quickly organized and archived this information in his mind.

A choir. Ancestral artifacts. Silencing. What did the missing tribesmen discover?

The matter was far more complex than he had imagined.

"Alright." Austin patted Campbell on the shoulder. "You should focus on recovering first. We can discuss these things once you've recovered."

Campbell nodded.

Austin turned to Siron: "Let's go, let's not disturb the patient's rest."

Siren stood up and nodded slightly to Campbell.

"Recover well."

"Hmm." Campbell leaned back against the pillow, his gaze following Siron's retreating figure until he walked out of the room.

The moment the door closed, Campbell muttered something to himself.

"Twenty years old..."

It seemed like he was expressing some kind of sentiment.

……

After leaving the quiet room, Xilun did not go directly back to his guest room.

He arrived at a document room on the first floor of the Tusol family's main house.

The room wasn't large, but all four walls were lined with bookshelves, stretching from the floor to the ceiling.

The shelves were crammed with leather-bound books, scrolls, binders, and loose documents of all sizes—some looking brand new, others yellowed and curled at the edges, exuding the slightly sour smell of aged paper.

This is the Tusol family's internal archives.

It wasn't the kind that was publicly accessible—but rather a semi-closed archive that required permission from the clan chief or elders to enter.

Xiren clutched the pass that Lucas had given him.

The note bore Austin's personal seal, authorizing him to peruse it freely within a week.

"This is the chieftain's intention," Lucas said. "You've been a great help; reading a book is nothing."

Xilun started reading from the first row of bookshelves.

He wasn't aimless.

As someone who possesses life techniques but knows very little about their principles, what he needs most now is systematic knowledge.

Regarding mysticism, the history and schools of life techniques, and the underlying logic of "extraordinary" in this world.

The first three rows of bookshelves contained the Tusol family history, genealogy, and business records, which Siron quickly glanced at and skipped.

Things that interested him started appearing in the fourth row.

"An Introduction to the Extraordinary Ranks," "A Brief History of Northern Mysticism," "The Origins of Breathing Techniques," "Third-Order Distortions and the Structure of the Mind"...

Xilun pulled out a few books and quickly browsed through them.

The contents of these books were far more detailed than anything he had encountered before—especially the descriptions of the third-order aberrants, which gave him a clearer understanding of what he would have to face in his future advancement.

As he read, he mentally noted down the key information.

Time passed slowly.

When he turned to a bookshelf on the second row, near the inside, a thin book with a dark red cover caught his eye.

Overview of the Life School – Known Lineage of Techniques.

Xilun pulled it out.

The booklet was thin, less than thirty pages, and resembled someone's notebook rather than an informal publication.

The handwriting is neat but has a personal style, like a combination of copying and summarizing.

He turned to the first page.

"The Life Technique originates from the Pure Intent lineage of the ancient cults. Among the known inheritors of this technique on the mainland, no more than ten can be identified. The following are some of the publicly or semi-public records—"

Xilun flipped through the pages one by one.

He had never heard of most of the names. Some were long dead, and others were missing.

Until page seven.

His gaze stopped.

A familiar name.

"Lady Black Raven".

Full name – Talia.

The description in the brochure is very brief:

"He has wandered the world for over three hundred years. He has no fixed abode and is said to have reached the fourth level of extraordinary beings or above, but his specific level is unknown."

In addition to life-related techniques, he is also proficient in divination, and can discern the threads of destiny.

It appears around key moments in major historical events, but never directly intervenes.

His personality is eccentric, his whereabouts are elusive, and no one can determine his true purpose.

Three hundred years, those of the fourth rank and above, can divine their fate.

Xilun frowned.

In the snowy wonderland, it was this Black Crow Lady who somehow "enlightened" his prayer bud.

The situation was too chaotic at the time, and he did not investigate further.

But now, seeing these words, a subtle sense of unease rises in my heart.

Why would someone who has lived for three hundred years help a second-tier extraordinary being for no apparent reason?

Siren doesn't believe in anything free.

He memorized the contents of that page and then continued turning the pages.

The remaining pages contain scattered variations and application examples of life techniques—mostly focusing on purification, repair, and life extension. There isn't much new information.

Xiren closed the thin book and then took three related books from a nearby bookshelf:

Mental Structure and Pollution Classification

The Refining and Storage of Yin Spirit Water

A Study of the Pure Mind Lineage of the Ancient Sangha

He tucked the books under his arm and left the archives.

Back in his room, Xilun laid the book out on the table and began to study it carefully.

He needs to know more.

About his own techniques, about the rules of this world, about the secrets hidden deep in history.

Only by knowing enough can one avoid being treated as a pawn in this game of chess.

……

at the same time.

Tusol's main residence, the patriarch's study.

Austin sat behind his desk with a cup of tea that had gone cold in front of him.

Lucas stood to the side, his hands behind his back, waiting for his master to speak.

Austin remained silent for a long time.

Then he said something.

"Lucas, I thought I could control Xiren."

The old butler did not rush to respond.

"Now it seems..." Austin leaned back in his chair, his gaze fixed on the ceiling, "I underestimated him."

Lucas hesitated before speaking, "You mean...?"

"His asking price is very reasonable," Austin said.

This statement may sound like a compliment at first glance, but Lucas, who had served the patriarch for thirty years, understood its deeper meaning.

"One case of Yin Spirit Source Water, six bottles of Cold Marrow Essence, two cases of Spirit Incense, three cases of Medicine—plus a negotiated compensation clause." Austin's fingers gently caressed the rim of his teacup.

"He didn't ask for a high price."

"But it's not low either."

"It's just within my acceptable range."

Lucas paused for a second, then whispered, "So, in other words—he knows exactly where your bottom line is."

“That’s not all,” Austin said. “He knew my bottom line, but he didn’t try to cross it. He asked for a price that was comfortable for both of us. That means—”

He paused.

"He doesn't want to break ties with me. But he also doesn't want to owe me a favor."

The study was quiet for a few seconds.

"Difficult to control," Lucas concluded.

Austin gave a soft "hmm".

He pondered for a moment, then asked, "Lucas, what kind of person do you think Xilen is?"

The old butler pondered for a moment.

"I can't stand to suffer any loss," he said.

Short, but precise.

Austin smiled slightly.

"So what do you think... he needs?"

This question is more difficult to answer.

Lucas frowned, his graying brows furrowing, and remained silent for a long time.

He has already obtained the Yin Spirit Source Water, and the cultivation resources are also in place.

A third-tier powerhouse owes him a favor, and his reputation in the North District is at its peak. What else could he possibly lack?

lack……

"Perhaps..." Lucas spoke slowly, carefully choosing his words, "a third-tier potion."

The moment those four words were uttered, the atmosphere in the study suddenly changed.

Austin stopped rubbing his fingers.

His gaze shifted from the ceiling to Lucas's face.

Silence, a long silence.

Then, Austin chuckled softly.

"No wonder he's been with me for thirty years."

He stood up, walked to the window, and pushed it open a crack.

The evening breeze carried the scent of grass and earth from the garden into the study.

"What he's lacking is indeed the third tier."

Austin looked into the distance.

"At the peak of the second tier at twenty years old—with his talent and hard work, breaking through to the third tier is only a matter of time. But time... is the most precious thing."

"What if someone could give him a shortcut?"

Lucas did not respond.

He knew that the clan leader had already begun to make plans in his mind.

Austin turned around, his eyes sharp with the edge of an old hunter.

"Autumn hunt," he said.

The next morning.

Xilun was told that the chieftain wanted to see him.

This was the second time they had been summoned alone—only two days after the last time they negotiated terms.

Xiren quickly mentally considered the possible topics, then straightened his collar and followed Lucas to the east wing study.

When he pushed open the door, he noticed that the atmosphere today was different from last time.

Last time it was a business negotiation, and both sides knew that they would have to haggle.

Austin was more relaxed today—he sat on a low sofa by the window rather than behind his desk, with a fine white porcelain tea set on the coffee table in front of him, the tea already brewed.

"Come, sit down." Austin gestured to the sofa opposite him.

Xilun took his seat.

Lucas poured him a cup of tea, then quietly slipped out, closing the door behind him.

"Camber is recovering very well," Austin said first.

"Yes, at a normal pace, it should take another half month to recover to its pre-injury condition."

"You deserve a lot of credit."

Xilun picked up his teacup, took a sip, and didn't reply.

Austin wasn't in a hurry.

He leaned back on the sofa, his gaze sweeping over Xilen as if he were re-evaluating the young man.

"Silon".

"exist."

How much do you know about the history of the Tusol family?

This question comes as abruptly as to what we're talking about.

But Celen did not show any surprise.

"Not much," he answered truthfully. "I only know that our family has been rooted in the North District for nearly two hundred years and is one of the earliest merchant families to migrate from the Old World."

“Two hundred and seventeen years,” Austin corrected. “My great-grandfather crossed the Strait of Heron with three merchant ships and sixty-seven family members to this continent. At that time, the North was still a wasteland, without even a decent port.”

He looked at the surface of the water in the teacup.

"How did the Tusol family grow from three merchant ships to its current size over the past two hundred years?"

Xilun did not answer.

"It's not just about business," Austin himself answered, "it's also about—being extraordinary."

He put down his teacup, and his tone became more formal.

"The ability of a family to stand firm in chaotic times ultimately depends on how strong its fist is."

No matter how many merchant ships you have, they can be wiped out overnight. But if you have a third or fourth-tier extraordinary individual in charge—that's a different story.

Xilun listened quietly.

"Therefore, cultivating extraordinary individuals has always been a core strategy of the Tussor family." Austin paused here.

"And what is the biggest bottleneck in cultivating extraordinary individuals?"

"Potion," Siron replied.

"Not bad." Austin nodded. "Especially the potion for advancing from second to third tier—'Easy Potion'."

Xilun didn't move, but his attention instantly became extremely focused.

"The breakthrough from the first to the second tier depends on talent and hard work. With diligent practice and the right opportunity, you can always find a way to break through," Austin continued.

"But going from the second to the third tier... not only requires accumulating strength to the extreme, but also a special magic potion to catalyze the 'aberration' of the spiritual core."

"Without this potion, no matter how strong you are, you will always be stuck at the second tier ceiling."

Xilun's breathing unconsciously became a little lighter.

Austin looked at him, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"The formula for the Easing Potion is known to only three powers in the entire Northern District, and the Tusol family is one of them."

"But even if we master the recipe, the materials required are extremely scarce—some can only be collected deep within specific ruins. Therefore, our family produces no more than three portions every three years."

No more than two copies every three years.

This means that within the Tusol family, a large number of peak second-tier extraordinary individuals are queuing up to wait for this potion.

"For fairness—or rather, to encourage competition." Austin's tone became calm and somewhat suggestive. "The Tusol family organizes an event every three years."

"Autumn Hunt".

When Austin said those two words, they carried a special weight.

"All second-tier extraordinary individuals under the family, regardless of age or background, are welcome to participate," he said. "The one who performs best in the autumn hunt will receive an facilitating potion as a reward."

Xilun's expression remained unchanged.

But his mind was racing.

Tier 3 potion.

This is what he lacks most right now.

His strength is slowly increasing at the second tier level—he's a master of heavy armor spear techniques, his dual breathing method and profound Yin breathing technique are deeply ingrained, and he's also mastered the basics of Prayer Sprout and Crimson Star Spear...

His combat strength has far surpassed that of an ordinary second-tier extraordinary individual.

But he is still a second-order rank.

Without a third-tier magic potion, he would never be able to cross that chasm.

There may not be a need for potions for advancement in the short term, but that day will come eventually.

Austin stared at Celen's face, trying to catch even the slightest change in expression.

But that young face was as calm as a mirror.

He didn't even flinch.

"Until the next autumn hunt..." Xilun began calmly.

"It's about a year or so," Austin said. "If you're interested, you can come and take a look—to get a feel for the rules and the level of your competitors."

"The autumn hunt, as a competition among extraordinary individuals, is also extremely entertaining!"

Xilun picked up his teacup and took a small sip.

lay down.

"I see."