“Don't stop. If we reach the town before the others, we can disappear among the merchants.”The wounded guard stumbled over a protruding root and nearly fell.His companion caught his arm.Both men wore the remnants of Zhao Clan armor beneath travel-stained cloaks. Their breastplates were gone, their weapons had been discarded, and mud covered their boots. One had a cut across his forehead. The other kept glancing over his shoulder, as though expecting the bronze bell to appear between the trees.They had escaped the gorge alive.That was all.Behind them, the narrow trail descended toward Azure Stone Town. Somewhere farther south, the other survivors were making for the Regional City, carrying the news of Zhao Feng's death directly to the clan.The two men had chosen the town because they needed food, medicine, and somewhere to recover before deciding where to go next.Neither spoke again until the first rooftops appeared between the trees.By then, the morning market had already beg

The spiritual energy inside the cavern suddenly surged.A deep tremor passed through the stone walls. Dust descended from the ceiling as the spiritual Qi gathered around Lu Chen, flowing toward his body in countless streams.His eyes remained closed.Beneath his skin, the foundation established by the Chaos Iron Body Blueprint stirred. His meridians carried the surging Qi through his body, while the Primordial Chaos Scripture continued its profound circulation.Then—Crack!A faint sound emerged from within him.The spiritual energy surrounding his body abruptly changed.The Qi that had gathered in the cavern no longer flowed in scattered currents. It began to move in an ancient, orderly rhythm, as though responding to a presence far older than the mountain itself.Lu Chen opened his eyes.A profound light passed through his gaze.His cultivation had advanced.Meridian Opening Middle Stage.The breakthrough did not come with an explosive release of power. Instead, the spiritual energy

The ancestral tablet fell from its stand and shattered against the floor.No one in the Zhao Clan's main hall spoke.The messenger kneeling before the elders kept his forehead pressed against the ground. His travel clothes were torn, his face pale, and one arm was wrapped in bloodstained bandages.Across the hall, Zhao Wu slowly lowered the report in his hand."Repeat what you just said."The messenger swallowed."Young Master Zhao Feng was killed at the gorge. The two shadow-trackers sent to investigate were intercepted. Zhao Ke was killed, while Zhao Yuan returned with serious injuries."He hesitated before continuing."The northern convoy was also robbed. Its entire shipment was taken."A heavy silence settled over the hall.Zhao Ming struck the armrest of his chair."That bastard!"The wooden armrest cracked beneath his palm."First Zhao Feng, then our trackers, and now our supplies? Has he mistaken the Zhao Clan for a merchant stall he can rob whenever he pleases?"Zhao Shuren, s

The ancient toll had not yet faded.Above Lu Chen's head, the Chaos Great Bell remained suspended in the air. Its dark bronze surface shimmered beneath the golden radiance of the Heaven-Sealing Formation, while the ancient patterns of dragons and clouds seemed to move across its body.Opposite it, the Mountain-Sealing Manifestation towered over the ancestral courtyard.Old Ancestor Zhao stood beneath its shadow, one hand extended toward Lu Chen. His robes fluttered in the violent currents of spiritual Qi.The two manifestations remained locked in confrontation.Neither had yielded.Old Ancestor Zhao's gaze moved briefly toward the enormous bell.He had already experienced its resonance twice. Even with the golden seal protecting his Divine Soul, each toll had shaken his consciousness and disturbed his control over spiritual Qi.Yet the young man before him was still at a lower major realm.That difference could not be ignored."Your Dao Weapon is extraordinary," the old ancestor said.

“Those records are incomplete.”The accusation came from the old steward standing beside the eastern warehouse ledger.Lu Chen did not look up.“Explain.”The steward swallowed. Around them, several Zhao Clan elders stood in silence. The main estate had fallen, its treasury emptied, and its surviving branches now answered to the man who had killed their Old Ancestor.Yet the old steward had chosen this moment to speak.“The records you examined yesterday only account for the goods held under the Zhao Clan's name. Several consignments were stored in our warehouses on behalf of outside merchants. If you seize them as clan property, you will be taking what does not belong to us.”Lu Chen finally raised his eyes.“And you expect me to believe that distinction matters to you now?”The steward lowered his head.“I am telling you because those merchants will eventually come looking for their goods. Some have traded with the Zhao Clan for generations. Others maintain connections with powerful