“Fled…?” Standing alone in the middle of the garden, Lu Sheng repeated the word under his breath.
The weight of it settled heavily. The Zhen Family’s presence was the pillar upon which the Northern Lands stood. Without their suppression of the supernatural, the region would soon resemble drought-stricken Yun Province—ravaged by demons, devils, and ghosts, with humanity barely clinging to life.
Yes, another Noble Family would eventually intervene. The human race still held value, after all. But how many lives would be left in the Northern Lands by the time they acted?
Lu Sheng’s heart sank like a millstone.
He cared nothing for the nameless masses who would perish first. What worried him was the Crimson Whale Sect—and himself. As a direct vassal of the Zhen Family, the Sect held more of their secrets than any other faction. Once word spread of the Zhen Family’s withdrawal, the Crimson Whale Sect would become the first target on Scarlet District’s list.
Understanding the enormity of the situation, Lu Sheng stepped closer, lips parting, yet no sound emerged.
“Zhen Family has left. Which means that from now on, we’re on our own,” Hong Mingzi said, his voice tinged with fatigue and resignation. “I’ve already ordered our hidden agents outside to withdraw to the Central Plains with whatever manpower and resources they can gather. Perhaps… one day, we can start anew.”
“Why so pessimistic, Senior Apprentice Brother? Even at the very end, there may still be a chance to turn the tide!” Lu Sheng replied, eyes firm with resolve.
It had taken him just over a year to transform from a wealthy young master into a rising power within the sect. To the common folk, it seemed as though he had concealed his martial prowess since youth, waiting for the right moment to reveal it. Only he knew the truth—he had built everything within a year.
That was precisely why he never dared to tell his family the true extent of his cultivation. It was simply too unbelievable.
From the moment he felled a ghost with a single palm strike, Lu Sheng had ceased to be the meek, gentle young master he once was. That man no longer existed. He would never again bow his head or accept defeat.
“It’s no use… Without the Noble Family… there’s no way we can put up a fight against Scarlet District…” Hong Mingzi murmured, shaking his head as if all courage had drained from him.
“How can you say that, Senior Apprentice Brother? In life, nothing is decided until the end. And even if we die, we should at least drag some of our enemies down with us!” Lu Sheng said, licking his lips slightly.
But Hong Mingzi only looked more beaten, shoulders slumped under the weight of hopelessness.
“You don’t understand how powerful Anomalies truly are… you don’t know… Those who haven’t seen them think they’re like ghosts, but in truth, ghosts can’t even compare…” He let out a weary sigh. “I’ve arranged for a carriage team to depart for the Central Plains. If you wish, Junior Apprentice Brother, you can join them. You’re a recent addition to our upper ranks—Scarlet District may not blacklist you…”
“Perhaps. But I’ve never placed my hopes on chances,” Lu Sheng said, steadying himself.
The thought of Scarlet District pressed against his chest like an enormous, suffocating weight. Not only his heart, but every high-ranking member of the Crimson Whale Sect felt it.
He was approaching the realm of Bind, yes—but Bind was merely the first, lowest step among Noblemen and Anomalies. Such strength was nowhere near enough to weather the coming catastrophe.
Hong Mingzi looked at him with weary eyes. “So what do you intend to do, Junior Apprentice Brother?” To him, any struggle at this point was meaningless. A mortal resisting an Anomaly was like a rabbit trying to bite a tiger to death. The very comparison was absurd.
“Nothing much,” Lu Sheng replied after a brief pause. “May I borrow some contribution points, Senior Apprentice Brother? I want to browse a few more martial arts manuals to broaden my horizons.”
“It’s already come to this and you still…!” Hong Mingzi’s voice faltered. He could not find the right words. Yet when he looked into Lu Sheng’s unwavering eyes, he understood—Lu Sheng must have his own plan. So he held his tongue.
“Very well then. It’s of no use to me anymore. I’ll lend you three significant contributions to the sect—enough to exchange for any martial arts manuals you wish from the Martial Proclamation Library.”
“Since the sect is about to fall apart, why cling to these so-called rules? Why not simply open the Martial Proclamation Library?” Lu Sheng said. Three contributions were far from satisfying.
“That is the rule. It was set by the Zhen Family from the very beginning…” Before he could finish, the old Sect Master drifted into a blank stare. After a long moment, he shut his eyes and waved his hand weakly. “Whatever… take whatever you want… as long as the librarian agrees…”
Having achieved what he came for, Lu Sheng offered a few words of comfort to Hong Mingzi before leaving the garden.
Hong Mingzi did not head toward Transformation Clan. Clearly, he already possessed inside information—or perhaps he had personally confirmed what he feared.
Exiting the quiet garden, Lu Sheng walked along the corridor, descended the wooden stairs, and made his way straight toward the Martial Proclamation Library.
‘Such a pity… all the upper-level members who know the truth must be drowning in despair. If not for my Modifier and Yin Qi… without enough martial manuals to upgrade, I would be just as hopeless as these ordinary people…’
Decades of bitter training, yet their life’s cultivation could not withstand even a single blow from a ghost or an Anomaly. Staring into such an impossible gulf, they had no hope that anything in the short term could reverse their fate.
‘But I still have a chance.’
Lu Sheng steeled himself. If he pushed his cultivation to its limits—relying on tonic herbs and Yin Qi to bridge every gap—he might yet achieve a decisive breakthrough.
‘At the very least, I can leave the Northern Lands with my family. Even if we’re arrested, they’ll underestimate me, and I’ll still have a chance to fight. However…’
A glint of cold viciousness flashed through Lu Sheng’s eyes. ‘That would be my final resort. If Scarlet District has truly blacklisted me, they won’t let me walk away alive. Leaving Mountain-Edge City might be even more dangerous.’
Countless possibilities flickered through his mind, only to collapse into the same inevitable conclusion.
‘No matter what, increasing my combat strength as fast as possible—that’s the only path forward.’ He still had untapped potential, waiting to be pushed to its limits.
After departing the garden, he made his way directly to the Martial Proclamation Library.
The building was quiet, deserted except for the old librarian dozing behind the counter. The doors stood wide open, and the warm glow of oil lamps filled the space with stillness.
Lu Sheng approached at an unhurried pace.
“Sir Librarian, why are you still here? With the calamity closing in, shouldn’t you be seeking refuge in the Central Plains?” he asked as he stepped up to the counter.
The old man blinked awake, cloudy eyes lifting toward him. “Seek refuge?” he muttered. “There’s no point. Our ties to the Zhen Family run too deep. And you seem like someone who understands the situation. If anything happens, staying inside Mountain-Edge City gives you the best chance of survival.”
“Mountain-Edge City?” Lu Sheng echoed, taken aback.
“That’s right… in the end, it depends on how much face Scarlet District is willing to give the royal family behind the court…” The librarian waved a hand dismissively. “Enough of that. Speak—why have you come?”
Lu Sheng paused for a moment, then said calmly, “Now that the Zhen Family is leaving, there’s no longer any meaning in keeping the library’s rules, is there? I’d like to browse the manuals freely. What do you think?”
The librarian froze for a heartbeat. He had clearly not expected such a request. He had assumed Lu Sheng was here on Hong Mingzi’s orders to help in the looming conflict—not asking for access to manuals.
After a long breath, he replied, “Rules are rules. But you’re senior management… and these are extraordinary times. If it’s just you alone, you may choose a few manuals freely.”
Lu Sheng offered his thanks, then turned toward the staircase leading to the second floor.
“Although I don’t know why you’re here to browse manuals, this old man advises you to hurry. The Martial Proclamation Library is one of Crimson Whale Sect’s core grounds. All manuals and resources will soon be packed and taken away. We’re about to begin preparations,” the old librarian reminded him.
“Thanks for the reminder.” Lu Sheng quickened his pace.
He went straight to the shelves he had browsed before and quickly located the hard body skills he sought.
Dusk Dantian Inflating Skill, Golden Veil Skill, and several other Strength Proficiency–level hard body techniques collected by the Crimson Whale Sect. But none of them reached the Intent Proficiency level.
Lu Sheng selected five in total and, while he was at it, picked out two inner force mantras as well.
When he descended the stairs to exchange them for their official copies, the old man’s eyelids twitched violently.
“You’re trying to empty the entire library!” he exclaimed, utterly speechless.
“I’ll return them after reading,” Lu Sheng replied with complete sincerity.
“Can’t you borrow them one by one?”
“No, I can’t. I’m afraid there may not be a next time,” Lu Sheng answered honestly.
“So you do know there won’t be a next time?” The librarian looked even more exasperated.
He let out a sigh. “These hard body skills are fine. But as for the two inner force techniques… since these are extraordinary times, I can only lend you the hand-written duplicate copies.”
“Alright then.” Lu Sheng understood well. The sect was preparing to pack its treasured manuals; during such a perilous period, every original they loaned out was one less martial art the sect possessed. Allowing him to borrow so many at once was already a favor.
Perhaps it was partly because of his ties to Crimson Sun Sect.
In any case, his inner force had already reached the limits of what his body and meridians could bear. He couldn’t practice the inner force techniques even if he took them. Losing the originals made no difference to him.
“Alright then,” the old librarian muttered as he retrieved the original copies of the hard body skills. Not all hard body techniques required meditative intent diagrams; several of them existed only in handwritten form.
Lu Sheng considered raising a fuss, but the librarian merely rolled his eyes in response.
“Well then, junior takes his leave.” Lu Sheng gathered the manuals and cupped his hands politely.
“Go on, go on…” the old librarian muttered, unmoving behind the counter, as though he intended to guard that lonely post until the end of time.
Just before turning away, Lu Sheng cast him one final glance, wondering what lay behind that calm, unmoving demeanor. There was a faint sense of mystery about the elder—though he couldn’t tell if it was real or simply his own imagination.
Leaving the Martial Proclamation Library, Lu Sheng headed straight for the dispensary within Crimson Whale Sect and swiftly collected all the herbs and medicinal ingredients required for the hard body skills. He even took a few extra bundles; once chaos erupted, gathering such ingredients would become impossible. The ordinary pharmacies in the city would never stock the rare, martial-oriented herbs he needed.
With a large pack slung over his back, Lu Sheng stepped out onto the deck—only to be met with the sight of a noisy crowd being escorted aboard by Crimson Whale Sect disciples.
“Who are these people?” he asked with a frown, turning to a nearby guard.
“In reply to External Head—these are survivors from Transformation Clan! They were injured in the fire and have been brought here for medical aid!” the guard shouted, his voice barely rising above the commotion.
“I thought it wasn’t actually a fire? Then why are there burn victims? Has the Transformation Clan Chief been found?” Lu Sheng pressed.
“Er… this subordinate isn’t too clear.” The guard hesitated. “But I heard that when the beacon fire was lit, it accidentally spread to the clan’s main building.” He leaned closer, lowering his voice to a whisper. “They say even the Clan Chief was roasted alive… his remains mixed in with the ash and dust of the collapsed beams. A terrible sight…”
His rising intonation and accented dialect made it clear he wasn’t a native of Mountain-Edge City.
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