Yin Hu had to interject. He had to be brash and straight to the point with no chance for a word in between. Xinyi was clearly on the losing end of this entire dialogue, if he let it continue, he was quite sure the bandit lord would eat her alive.

“We are comfortable here.” Finality. He wasn't going anywhere.

Even if they brought him a palace. He would only struggle to leave it in a few months when it was time to go. Comfort was one of the few things that could ruin him. He had to build his base and strength–he wasn’t sure how yet, but it was on his list to figure out–before he could enjoy his luxurious dreams.

The best situation now would be a position where they could leave at a moment's notice. Not a second later.

Dong ZhenKang’s eye twitched, but his plastered and practiced smile never wavered. “If that is what the Hu Ancestor wishes.” He gave a small bow. “But, I’ve also come to some worrying news. Hence, my initial offer…”

He paused, hoping Yin Hu would take the bait. But he wasn't about to give him anything more than clipped final words. Xinyi was going to keep quiet now that he decided to speak.

Dong ZhenKang, sat in silence for a few long seconds, before he started speaking again. He was quick to recover from a failed attempt to gather information. “I’ve received a missive from the second son of the Spider Cult Valley.” He gave them a knowing look.

Xinyi paled.

Yin Hu made sure to keep the most stoic face he could make. Was there more depth to his words that flew over his head? What was it that seemed so vital that Xinyi would react that way?

Dong ZhenKang gave an exaggerated surprised face. “Forgive me, Hu Ancestor!” He gathered more information even with Yin Hu’s silence. “You must not have been on this plane or exited seclusion not too long ago. I will explain. The second son of the Spider Cult Sect married an inner disciple and daughter of one of the higher Elders of…”

He paused dramatically.

“Of the Dark Gate Palace!” Dong ZhenKang swung the sleeves of his robes theatrically.

Fuck.

Yin Hu had no clue what that was supposed to mean and it was clear from his lack of response. Even Dong ZhenKang’s practiced face twitched a bit. Was the Dark Gate Palace supposed to be some ancient monster? Sect? Person? An actual palace with a king and princlings?

Dong ZhenKang leaned forward. “Hu Ancestor…? Do you not–”

“They are all children in my eyes.” Yin hu spouted, channeling his epic ancient look.

He missed the shocked face of Dong ZhenKang, it was a brief flash before his political face and placid smile returned. Dong ZhenKang only laughed heartily after having schooled his expression. “Indeed.” He couldn’t hide the scheming look his face was naturally set in.

Yin Hu did see the scheming look on his face. That man had a plan and that did not bode well for him or the Hu sisters. He made plans to leave within two months maximum. The need to strength Hu Xinyi still existed, and that was the quickest he could get her to break into the Liquid Core Stage if the Compendium was correct.

She already had a solid foundation for her Gaseous Core. It was only a matter of time before she would break through into the next major realm that consisted of the Liquid core. They had tested that multiple times.

Dong ZhenKang scratched the back of his head. “Well, that missive explicitly stated that they were coming for…” he paused theatrically again, giving Xinyi a long look. “He is coming for the Hu Daughters. To finish what his predecessors failed at so long ago. If it wasn’t for the existence of the Hu Ancestor, I would not have the courage to let them know of what calamity is going to arrive at their door steps in two weeks–”

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

Yin Hu zoned him out.

Two fucking weeks?! What the hell am I supposed to do in that time?

That was nowhere near enough, they needed four times that amount. They would still be in the preparatory stages and getting her core and spiritual roots to her ranks peak. Forget setting Hu Shui up for when they arrived at the nearest righteous city.

His mind was running like an escaped bull on the butcher's block. Too many thoughts ran through his head. His eyes looked past the Bandit lord and…

One of the two that arrived behind the bandit lord stood at the Great Tree’s offshoot. He played with the leaves and thin infantile branches. With a twist of his finger, he snapped off a piece. Xinyi gasped, jumping to her feet.

She looked at him with eyes of concealed rage. She feared the Bandit lord, but the offshoot was that important to her. And that made sense, it was the last thing–other than the battered and nearly broken wooden sword–they had of their home. A memento that if they lost, they would have nothing to remind them of the people that died that day.

The loved ones they lost.

The pain and suffering they struggled through knowing their parents, brothers, sisters, friends, uncles, and everyone they had ever known had been slaughtered like cattle.

It was a perfect storm for Yin Hu to express his frustration. Even without making a proactive decision.

Yin Hu grit his teeth and stared hard at the perpetrator. That was all he could see. The world disappeared and the only thing that existed was him and this man. They existed in a blank world, color was mute, and no sound existed. The man turned with bulging eyes, eventually falling to his backside. He clawed at his throat. Foam bubbling from his mouth. He gasped with an extended hand…

“Hu Ancestor!” A voice roared.

Yin Hu snapped out of his trance.

The sprawled man took a deep shaking breath, terror on his face. He sputtered and hacked, body shaking visibly even under all those robes.

“...Hu Ancestor.” Dong ZhenKang’s shaky voice rang in his ears. “Forgiveness. Forgiveness. Forgiveness.”

Yin Hu’s eyes unfocused and returned to a bigger picture vision. Everything suddenly sharpened in image and became clear. The Bandit Lord leaned forward, struggling to keep his legs from falling under him. The other person that came with them was on the ground, having lost consciousness.

He was weaker than the other two.

Everyone except Hu Xinyi and Hu Shui looked shaken. The girls only had shocked faces and mouths nearly dropping to the floor.

Yin Hu remembered an interview Mike Tyson had. The interviewer brought up the ferocious fighter's dead daughter he had lost not too long ago. It was a second difference, but even a dunce could see the ability to cause catastrophic harm in Mike Tyson’s face. Even through the screen, you could see a veritable ocean of suffocating aura around the monster fighter. His words ended the interview instantly.

Yin Hu took a deep raspy breath. He stared into Dong ZhenKang’s eyes and said. “You have to go. Now.” It brokered no amount of refusal or rebuttal. It was a clear warning. “You understand, right?”

Dong ZhenKang visibly paled more than Xinyi when she heard of the Spider Cult Valley’s second son. The massive man laughed nervously and nodded. Unable to speak from terror.

“Thank you.” Yin Hu said, then waved them away.

They ran out the courtyard.

Yin Hu only got up once he was sure they were far gone. They had no time. If the Dark Gate Palace was as strong as they made it out to be, it would be ridiculously stupid to wait for them to get close before trying to escape.

For all he knew, they could actually have ancient ancestors waiting for him on the sideline. Or an army ready to be mustered at a moments notice. He had no clue what the power ranks were.

And there was no way he was about to wait and find out.

“We are leaving. Now. Gather your most important things.”

“Ancestor…?” Xinyi tried to question him.

He raised his hand. This was a moment to imprint their hierarchy. He was the leader. His word was law. “I will broker no questions.”

With a theatrical slick of his sleeves, he learned that from the Bandit Lord, he turned and stalked as slowly as he could into the building. His mind could not escape the last few moments with Dong ZhenKang.

Combine that with how sharp his punches were when he had showed Hu Shui how to punch properly, instead of the ballerina and wide girl slaps, Yin hu had to think deeply on a simple question.

Was he as weak as he thought he was?

He had to find out without breaking his cover.

How was he going to do that without putting his life or the life of his insurance plan–the Hu Girls–in imminent danger? He had no clue.