In a large hall inside the Dim gold hotel,

“Patriarch Liu and Fairy Yafeng, I can assure you that our sect knew nothing of this.” A scholarly man said with a stoic posture. He was dressed in a simple but elegant moon-motif robe with long sleeves and a mandarin collar, and had an air of calm intelligence and strength as he stood tall, unafraid of the two powerful figures before him. His eyes clear and piercing, his face framed with a well-groomed goatee and moustache. His hair was neatly slicked and he had a slight smile on his face as he spoke.

And though this man addressed Youjin Liu too, he mostly looked at Su Yafeng.

This was a core formation elder from the Malignant moon sword sect. He had flown under the night on his flying sword.

The previous evening, after raising a ruckus on the sudden attack, both the Youjin clan and the Free sparrow gang stormed the south-eastern Dim Gold City. They surrounded the Baishui compounds, demanding answers.

The Baishui patriarch handed a sound transmission token to Youjin Liu and Ziyou Maque, sweating tubs full of sour sweat.

If the Malignant moon sword sect elder did not promise to give a satisfactory answer to both the Youjin and the Su fox clans, Yung wondered if the Baishui patriarch would piss his pants.

Thankfully, it didn’t come to an all-out war.

“Disciple Duan left the city two nights ago.” The scholarly elder played with the jade slips in his hand. “In this capture, even those three scum mentioned they wouldn’t share the ‘loot’ with Disciple Duan. I would suggest that as proof enough for our innocence.”

“Fellow daoist Han.” The Youjin patriarch said with a friendly smile. “We do understand that. However, we must answer to the Su fox clan. What of the three’s decision when they talked about accosting our fellow clansman, and Fairy Su’s newest servant, Ziyou Yung?”

“They made their own decision.” The scholarly elder said. “These three were trash disciples stuck in the outer sect for decades. They were barely at the Imperfect Heaven 1st realm 6th stage. But I digress. I make no excuses.”

He took out a bunch of treasures from his storage artefact. Violently gleaming spirit stones, colourful treasured herbs, cool-looking magical artefacts, and more objects with awesome visual effects.

“Trash they may have been, the Malignant moon sword sect cannot deny they were our disciples. These, in total, have the same worth as a steelcast spirit stone.”

Floofy jumped off Su Yafeng’s embrace and hurriedly pocketed a few weird-looking flowers and herbs from the pile; the scholarly man smiled. “Our sect scoured our treasury overnight when we heard of this unfortunate event. I do hope that Fairy Su will be satisfied with these Essence qi treasures.”

Floofy barked, then ran to Yung and brushed against his leg. The scholarly elder’s eyes followed the fox. He looked up, and there was something there that Yung did not appreciate.

Disdain. Pity. Hatred?

Yung shuddered. Floofy growled. The scholarly elder smiled. “I hope Reverent Ziyou will find it in his heart to forgive our sect.” He took out a sword from his storage artefact. “This is our sect’s malignant moon sword. Though a replica of the original and only a common class craftsmanship, it is yet an Unfolding Heaven 1st grade offensive artefact. Please, take it.”

More anger. Despite addressing Yung as ‘Reverent,’ a respectful way to address divine cultivators, the malice in this man’s Empathic link gave Yung no illusions.

“Thank you, this one humbly accepts. I am sure that those thugs only acted out of some sick sense of obligation towards Young Master Duan Louheng without even asking first.” Yung put on his best politician face, “And to dare smear the face of not only the Su fox clan but their sect of origin too with such bandit-like behaviour. Tut.”

The disdain was still there, but the malice seemed to have lessened.

“I thank Reverent Ziyou.” The scholarly man turned towards Youjin Liu, “The Baishui Clan will give their due, I assure you. Though I doubt the patriarch had anything to do with it, one of the three was certainly surnamed Baishui. Such a pity, those scoundrels. I do hope the good patriarch Liu will not take it to heart.”

A Baishui trying to rob a Youjin. And it was all captured on jade slips!

Only their ties with the Malignant moon sword sect, a great power of the Warring twilight region, stopped the all-out war. But the Youjin were not afraid, as they had many members in sects too. Especially the Selenosilver valley, where Youjin Liu’s elder brother resided. The man was apparently as strong as this ‘Daoist Han.’ The Baishui had no such direct blood backing.

This arrangement suited Yung’s tastes. After all, as one of Jung’s favourite wise men once said, “When the rich wage war, it's the poor who die.”

In case of a war, no doubt the Baishui bloodline would be erased. The Youjin had secured the Su fox clan’s backing. They could afford a war. The Baishui could not.

Genocides are really a thing here. Damn. Not all Baishui people are sinners. Yung thought about the small children he saw hiding behind barely opened windows. Fear. Curiosity. Confusion.

Yung would not blame them for what happened. But the Youjin clan would.

So it was better to make them leave.

Youjin Liu beamed at the man, “We have been neighbours for a century now, and every clan has their black sheep. So we wish we could let bygones be bygones. But with the current weakness of our Youjin clan, the missing foxmoths, and Fairy Su’s urgent orders….”

Youjin clan was going to fleece the Baishui until they puked up their intestines. The Duan clan, the Westmoon royal family, and the Malignant moon sword sect had no justification to stop it.

The Baishui patriarch bowed to Youjin Liu, someone he had always treated as an equal; now, he had to lower his head. It was not a good feeling. “We have heard of Fairy Su’s search for her artefact. The Baishui will contribute all we can to compensate for this sin.”

Youjin Liu smiled. Su Yafeng watched on impassively. Ziyou Maque cracked his neck and said, “We don’t want to see your ugly face around here anymore. Pack your bags and leave.”

“You!!”

“I’m speaking the obvious here. Do you think the Baishui can still act like they did after this incident? Go to the Westmoon capital. You have an estate there; am I wrong?” Ziyou Maque looked at Yung, then grinned. “My gang will buy your land.”

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

They had talked about this last night. Ziyou Maque, Youjin Liu, and Yung all felt a bloodless victory would be for the best. And if it could give a madlander power actual legitimacy in the city, then all the power to it. It was a shame for the Baishui but better than murder.

However, that was not the case for cultivators that honoured face above all else.

“Out of the question! We have worked hard for the Dim Gold City. Our ancestors—”

"Hush, patriarch Baishui." The scholarly elder said, and the enraged Baishui patriarch closed his mouth. The scholarly elder turned to Ziyou Maque, "I suppose it was unavoidable. Would you offer a fair price for all Baishui properties? And a safe passage?"

“Elder Xinglou—”

Han Xinglou, that was this man’s name. He raised a hand, and the Baishui patriarch paled, stepping back.

Ziyou Maque offered a price.

“Oh, that is quite fair.” Han Xinglou said, “I did not expect that. Not from a madlander.”

“We may be savages, fellow daoist Han,” Ziyou Maque touched his scar, “But we ain’t idiots. Neither are we bandits.”

Hang Xinglou gave Ziyou Maque an appraising look, "That remains to be seen." He asked Youjin Liu, "Does the Youjin clan agree to the terms?"

Youjin Liu affirmed.

“Then it shall be so.” Han Xinglou bowed to Su Yafeng one last time, and the incident came to an end.

***

“… is what basically happened.” Yung finished narrating the story to Youjin Chao. Wang Lihou was also in the room, tinkering with void jades and spirit stones.

“I can’t thank you enough. If you hadn’t been there, this one would most likely have perished.” The boy was almost healed of his injuries. Not even scars were left with the Youjin clan’s best treatment.

Youjin Gangkai had carried Youjin Chao to the Youjin Citadel that day under the commands of Youjin Chun. For safety, as she had said it.

“You were reckless.” Yung said, “Why did you lead those three into the forest?” He doubted Youjin Chao would’ve been helpless despite his grave situation. As the leader of those thugs said, how many more tricks did this guy have up his sleeve?

“One must remove weeds from their roots, or they keep ruining the crop,” Youjin Chao said, not at all remorseful.

“Couldn’t you have tried, I don’t know, talking to them in a place with more people?”

“I know their kind, Brother Yung. Weak to the strong, yet strong to the weak. They would’ve given me lip service, yet make their move where there were no eyes. What was I supposed to do, hide in the city like a coward?” Those red eyes burned with defiance. “I did nothing wrong.”

No, you didn’t. It’s this world that’s messed up. Cultivators do not answer to the weak.

“Let’s stop. Please don’t fight.” Wang Lihou raised his arm in a placating manner. “Brother Chao, you should not disregard Brother Yung’s advice. He did risk his safety to save you.”

Youjin Chao backed down. He slumped his shoulders, then said, “I know. I just… Sigh, okay. I admit I was idiotic.”

“There. Brother Yung too. You shouldn’t agitate a wounded person so much!”

Yung held the olive branch. “It’s fine. I know that the situation was unexpected. Brother Chao only acted in self-defence.” After creating a situation where his foes couldn’t help but try something. He baited them to their deaths. …Like I did when I used Empathic fixation on Youjin Hong.

Yung sighed. I don't have the right to criticise him. But… The severity of these two events can't possibly be compared. Right, Silky? Would I also mindscrew someone to death if necessary? Would I also make excuses and not take responsibility? … perhaps I would.

Yung metaphorically shook hands with Youjin Chao. Wang Lihou beamed.

Yung had a thought ever since the post-auction banditry. An absurd thought. But Moira’s existence proved fate was a thing, even on this side.

This Youjin Chao boy had his cultivation crippled, had a mysterious all-purpose artefact, had his engagement broken by a jade beauty, and, more importantly, had a fat best friend. Oh, and his celestial link, a mysterious thing that seemed to connote aptitude, was thicker than Jupiter.

One of these matching would be expected. Two, a coincidence. But all five?

Fate, in some internet forums, was also called ‘trope.’

Yung needed to confirm a hypothesis. He needed to verify if the sixth trope matched too.

“On that point,” Yung raised his hand in surrender, showing he wasn’t about to argue, “it was lucky that Brother Chao’s artefact was so… marvellous! I have never seen anything like it. It reflected back all damage, right? Instantly killing two of those thugs.”

Youjin Chao smiled. It was a despondent smile.

“Sorry for asking this. You don’t have to answer if it’s a sensitive topic. Is it really a mystical artefact, and not a magical one?”

“You could say that.” Youjin Chao said. Sombre.

Wang Lihou lamented, "I never could've thought Brother Chao had something so awesome. I'd love to pick it apart one day! The formations must be amazing for it to be able to utilise even lesser quality qi to function. Since magical artefacts, no matter how high the class, can only be used with qi of the same realm."

“It can even heal!” Yung fanned the flames.

“You would say that when it attracted so much negative attention?” Youjin Chao said. “Now the whole world knows of this artefact thanks to Brother Yung's light capturing token. Oh, I am not blaming you. It is just that I might really have to hunker down in the city after this, until I pass the sect recruitments.”

“That’s the thing, no one other than the Youjin clan and us knows… Well, I guess the Su fox clan too.”

“How so?”

“The Youjin clan’s formation and crafting elders tinkered with the light and sound captures. They modified it, so this artefact wasn’t mentioned.” I'll have to look into that. Since when did cultivators have non-linear media editors? Yung made a mental note.

Life seemed to return to Youjin Chao’s face.

“You should thank Youjin Chun.”

Youjin Chao recoiled like he touched a cockroach.

“But it’s good. That was some quick thinking from that sl—Young Mistress Youjin Chun.”

“Where did you get that artefact, by the way? I don’t remember the Youjin clan ever owning something of such a high grade.” Yung asked naturally.

“It’s not from them. Though Uncle Liu knows. It’s from my real parents.”

Hook.

“They… is it a memento?”

“No, no. They are alive. They should be, I think. The last time I saw them, I was 6 years old. They left for….”

Line.

“Like I said, you don’t have to speak if it’s a uncomfortable topic.”

Wang Lihou also looked distressed.

“No, you deserve to know. You saved my life, and this artefact was the one who attracted those thugs in the first place.”

Sinker!

“If Brother Chao can trust me that much, I’ll be grateful.”

“I… am not originally from this continent.” Youjin Chao said. He spoke slowly, looking down.

“Oh, then from the mainland? The Gilded radiance continent?” Yung tried his best to sound shocked.

“Farther. On the other side of the Continent of madness. I grew up in the Violet horn continent and lived with my mother’s clan until I was six.”

Youjin Chao had a distant look on his face. As though he was looking past Yung, far south across the horizon where his true home lay.

“I only told this story to Lihou before. Oh, and Youjin Chun, I guess, when things were….” Youjin Chao shook his head, “My mother’s clan was powerful, with an Harmonious Heaven 3rd Realm cultivator. My grandmother, actually. She was the matriarch. It was a clan of alchemists. This vambrace, the mirror fortress, was originally my grandmother’s, who passed it on to my mother…. Who then passed it on to me before she returned to the violet horn continent with father.”

The boy had intentionally left out the name of the clan. Yung could guess why.

“Was?” Yung asked.

Youjin Chao took a deep breath.

“Brother Chao…” Wang Lihou called out. Yung had not felt even a shred of negativity from this jubilant fat boy.

“I’m fine.” Youjin Chao said. He had made up his mind. His eyes gleamed with determination, fixation, and,

“My mother’s clan was exterminated by a rival power ten years ago. They were betrayed by their closest allies!”

And pure, unadulterated malice.

“My parents barely escaped with me. They left me here, to my father’s home clan. I lost my cultivation because of an injury from back then. But it doesn’t matter.”

With each word uttered, the air itself seemed to shake. An ideal was being stated here, one Youjin Chao would follow like a zealot.

“One way or another,”

Youjin Chao clenched his fist. He bit his lips so hard that blood flowed out. No, it wasn’t blood. It was a promise.

“I will get my cultivation back,”

Yung observed his every move. Every twitch of a muscle, every breath he took. He scrutinised Youjin Chao’s Empathic link like a stalker.

“I will crawl back to the Violet horn continent,”

If this ideal had a face, it would have crimson eyes, pale white skin, long black hair, and the body of Kratos.

“And I will kill each and every last one of the traitorous scum who dared raise their fangs against my mother’s clan like the filthy weeds they are.”

It was a promise of uncompromising revenge. Of unfiltered hatred.

Bingo. Yung took it all in with the solemness it deserved. You’re the protagonist.