He was still heading away from the Black Wind Mountain when he came to a stop. A small village sat ahead of him, quiet and settled at the edge of the forest. "The people here seem to be low level cultivators. But why are they living near this dangerous forest?" He was still lost in that thought when he noticed movement along the dirt path. A woman walked toward him carrying a basket of fresh water herbs. Her steps slowed the closer she got. She raised her head slightly when she saw him standing there alone. "You're not from Windridge village are you?" she asked softly, her voice calm but cautious. She stopped a few steps away and studied him quietly. "No. I am from the Li Celestial Clan." Li Tian scratched the back of his head as he said it. The woman, Su Cha, dropped her gaze briefly to his clothes. They were burned and torn, barely holding shape. "I hope you are not injured. Can you please follow me to change your clothes?" She turned and headed toward her residence. Li Tia

Li Tian stepped closer to the entrance and looked outside. Ten bandits stood in the open ground before the village hall. Armed, loud, and completely at ease. One of them had pushed forward from the group and stood at the front, a large scar running down half his face, a brown leather cloth across his broad frame, and an axe hanging from his grip. "Come out, Shen Wuji, you fools!" Li Tian turned to the nearest village member. "Who are these people?" The man was trembling so hard he could barely speak. "They are a group of bandits that have been terrorising our village for a very long time. They take us captive. They rape our women. They torture our men. Because we have no strong cultivators, there is nothing we can do to stop them." Li Tian looked back toward the entrance. "They did all of this." and his gaze settled on the scarred man at the front. "And looking at this bandit group, some of them should be around Soul Awakening Grade Seven." Li Tian says to himself quietly Th

The bandit stumbled forward, panting heavily as he sprinted through the camp. "Mo Luo! Mo Luo!" His desperate cries echoed across the area. At the center of camp, Mo Luo sat leisurely on a large wooden chair. His powerful body was clad in thick brown leather armor that left his broad chest and well-defined abdomen exposed. His long hair was tied behind his head. A black eye patch covered his left eye, giving him an intimidating appearance. Two beautiful women sat beside him, pouring wine and entertaining him as he enjoyed his afternoon. "Mo Luo! Mo Luo!" The frantic voice rang out again. Mo Luo's brow twitched. The smile on his face vanished. His single visible eye narrowed as irritation spread across his face. "Which bastard keeps shouting my name like that?!" He rose slightly from his chair and looked toward the source of the commotion. Moments later, a bandit rushed into the clearing. His clothes were stained with dust, his face pale with fear, and his entire body trem

Li Tian slowly opened his eyes. Warm sunlight streamed through the wooden window, illuminating the modest room. A thick blanket covered his body, and for a moment, he simply stared at the ceiling as memories of the previous night surfaced in his mind. The battle. The villagers. The bandits. He rubbed his forehead and sat up. "How long have I been asleep?" he muttered. Beside the bed was a neatly folded set of clean clothes. After changing into them, he pushed open the door and stepped outside. The fresh morning air greeted him immediately. "So I spent the entire night here..." Li Tian sighed. "I was supposed to return to the clan yesterday." He pinched the bridge of his nose in disappointment. Just then, a familiar voice called out from behind him. "Li Tian, you're finally awake." Turning around, he saw Su Cha approaching with a smile. She carried a steaming cup of tea in her hands. "Here." Li Tian accepted it gratefully. "Thank you, Su Cha." He drank

The atmosphere within the Li Clan became increasingly tense after news spread that an envoy from the Ye Clan had arrived. Clan disciples gathered in small groups throughout the clan , whispering among themselves. Everyone knew why the Ye Clan had come It was about the marriage agreement and the name at the center of it all was Li Tian. Meanwhile, Li Tian walked quietly through the inner district of the clan, completely unaware of the commotion surrounding him. His expression remained calm as usual. The warm morning breeze brushed against his robe as he headed toward the eyes Art Hall "Brother Li Tian! Brother Li Tian! Wait for me!" A loud voice suddenly echoed through the pathway. Li Tian frowned. The shout was so loud that several nearby disciples turned their heads. He stopped and looked behind him. A young boy with black hair and bright blue eyes was running toward him at full speed while waving both arms wildly. The boy wore the robes of an Inner Disciple.