Inside a hidden underground chamber, a young man sat cross‑legged at the centre of a complex black formation.
His face was deathly pale, eyes pitch‑black and unsettling. Loose black robes draped over his frame, and his long dark hair tumbled behind him like shadows. Around his body, foul, impure evil qi churned endlessly, giving him the presence of something far removed from a normal man.
Scattered across the stone floor behind him lay several naked women. Their eyes were empty, lifeless… as if their very souls had been drained away.
Slowly, he opened his eyes, his gaze drifting toward a high stone platform.
There sat a man in his mid‑twenties, dressed in grey robes, posture relaxed, eyes closed. Thick, impure evil qi coiled around him like living serpents.
Then he shifted his gaze downward, fixing it on another figure below.
A middle‑aged man in his fifties sat with a straight back, face ruddy and dignified, carrying an aura of natural authority. He bore a clear resemblance to an older version of himself.
"Father… although this Yin‑Draining Formation allows me to absorb Yin Qi from multiple women at once… it's still…" Lu Tang muttered, frustration creeping into his voice.
He spoke again, more sharply, "I don't think these women are enough for me to break through to the Golden Core realm…"
Lu Tang's father, Moon City Lord Lu Yang, spoke, his voice firm and authoritative.
"Senior Mo Xuan has just received word from Young Master Edrick, who is currently in Great Eastern City."
Lu Yang added, respectfully but urgently, "He won't have to worry about the disciples of the Great Eastern Sect after him… He can return now, and we will go with him. But before that…"
He clenched his fists.
"I'll capture some Peak Foundation Establishment women for you. You'll have enough Yin Qi to reach Golden Core. If you manage to get in Young Master Edrick's good books, there'll be plenty of opportunities in the future."
Lu Tang thought to himself, 'Senior Mo Xuan has been on the run since last year, but Father secretly helped him stay hidden. In return, he was given resources and dark cultivation arts to break through a minor realm. Now, as Young Master Edrick's subordinate, he can finally return.'
'Young Master Edrick is a big shot… and if I become his subordinate too, there'll be plenty of opportunities waiting for me.'
Suddenly, Mo Xuan, seated on the high platform, opened his eyes and spoke.
"The news of that woman with the Pure Yin Physique…" His voice was slow, arrogant, and emotionless.
"…has already reached Young Master Edrick."
Lu Yang and Lu Tang both stiffened.
"He has ordered us to capture her," Mo Xuan continued indifferently.
"If she dies, bring back her body… even her corpse is a valuable source of Yin Qi. Without her, I will not return… and neither of you may leave with me."
He released his full cultivation aura onto Lu Tang, forcing him to drop to his knees immediately.
"You useless fool," he said coldly.
"How could you let such a golden opportunity slip away… hmph."
Lu Tang lowered his head, his fists trembling.
Mo Xuan then shifted his gaze between father and son.
"That woman is far more important than your mere breakthrough," he said in a commanding tone.
"Put every resource you have into finding her."
He continued, this time slow and piercing.
"I don't care what methods you use…"
"We need her…"
"As soon as possible."
He then looked behind Lu Tang and spoke coldly,
"You three will follow Lu Tang. As the sun sets, disguise yourselves and begin the search. If you manage to find her… I will reward you accordingly."
The three figures in black robes narrowed their eyes slightly, but said nothing. They simply nodded in silence.
A young scholar in white robes, with an exquisitely handsome face and arrogant eyes, walked toward the gates of the Moon City. His steps were neither hurried nor slow. With his hands clasped behind his back and his chin slightly raised, he carried himself as though everyone beneath heaven stood below him, exuding a casual yet natural arrogance.
Behind him followed a dark-tanned cultivator with a weathered face. A long scar ran across his cheek, and a heavy axe was strapped to his back. He remained silent and obedient, like a loyal subordinate.
"The City Lord is at the Early Golden Core realm, according to those cultivators we dealt with earlier," the scar-faced Su Wen said calmly. "You'll handle him. I'll take care of Lu Tang for you."
He paused briefly.
"But we must first confirm whether there are any other Golden Core cultivators in the city. If there are… we'll have to be very careful."
'Young Master K' glanced at Su Wen with lofty, superior eyes for a few seconds, nodded faintly, then turned his head away with the indifference of a true arrogant young master.
Su Wen: "..."
As they reached the city gates, Su Wen stepped forward and flashed the same pendant he had used to bluff previously to the guards.
"This is the token of the Five River Sect from the Central Continent," he said proudly. Then he pointed toward Du Yue.
"And this is Young Master K. He came to the Eastern Continent to temper himself in the mortal world."
His gaze sharpened slightly.
"On the way here, we heard many rumours about the Moon City's City Lord's son… and about a girl with a rare physique named Du Yue. Tell us about the situation."
His tone was so domineering that the guards didn't even dare think about refusing.
One of the guards looked at the arrogant Su Wen, then at the aloof Young Master K, who was calmly admiring the countryside scenery outside the city walls. He was completely stunned.
"Y-Young Master, I…"
Before he could finish, Su Wen took out a small pouch containing thirty low-grade spirit stones and shoved it into his hands.
"Consider this the Young Master's generosity," he said arrogantly.
Then he leaned slightly closer, his gaze cold and sharp.
"And don't even think about taking advantage of him, if you know what's good for you."
The guard stiffened, glanced around nervously, then hurriedly stored the pouch in his storage ring. After steadying himself, he bowed deeply.
"Young Master, I am at your service. Please ask anything."
Young Master K didn't say a word, not even sparing him a glance.
Su Wen spoke instead, his tone calm but commanding.
"Tell me about this Young Lord… and his recent movements."
The guard swallowed hard. He looked left and right first, then leaned closer and lowered his voice, as if afraid the walls might hear him.
"Y-Young Master… a year ago, the City Lord left the city for unknown reasons and only returned a few months ago, just after the incident with Du Yue. But after he came back… everything about him felt different."
He hesitated briefly, then continued quietly,
"Since then, something felt different about their… attitude and behaviour. There are rumours that the City Lord recently made a minor breakthrough. And even his son… who was publicly known as trash before… suddenly broke through in cultivation as well."
The guard frowned.
"He never took cultivation seriously before, and…"
His voice dropped even lower, disgust flashing in his eyes.
"…he was a skirt-chaser. He forced himself on many women. That time, he even bribed Du Yue's father with spirit stones to poison her… so he could have his way."
The guard clenched his fist.
"Du Yue has special Pure Yin Immortal Physique which they were unaware of, and when they moved against her they didn't expect her to be so powerful. She killed four of their men and seriously injured her own father. When the poison reacted, she triggered a Heavenly Tribulation..."
He sighed softly, a trace of pity in his voice.
"She failed to break through, but managed to escape while badly injured. Until now… no one has been able to find her."
Su Wen nodded and asked calmly,
"Young Master K will be visiting the City Lord's mansion soon. Tell me in advance… is there anything we should be concerned about?"
The guard thought for a moment, then leaned closer and whispered,
"I did notice a few people, especially around Young Master Lu Tang. They all carry a shady aura and rarely show themselves in public…"
He hesitated, then added in a lower voice,
"There's also one senior. We don't know his name, but the City Lord favours him a lot. He's extremely mysterious, and no one knows where he came from."
Eager to curry favour, the guard continued quickly,
"Ever since the City Lord returned…"
He paused again, his voice dropping even further.
"…many girls have gone missing in the city and the nearby villages. Everyone believes the two matters are connected, but no one dares to say anything openly."
Su Wen's expression darkened. He murmured through Soul Sense,
"Looks like there is something bad going on in this city… Wifey, I think we should first investigate that mysterious senior…"
Young Master K finally glanced at him.
"He" looked at Su Wen for a few seconds with a blank, unreadable expression, then gave a single nod and calmly turned away without saying a word, walking straight into the city.
'Say something, will you?' Su Wen thought, half exasperated.
Su Wen could only nod toward the guard and follow behind. The guard hurriedly returned the nod, not daring to say anything else.
As they entered the city, Su Wen waited for Young Master K's response, unsure whether to feel relieved… or even more worried by that silent reaction.
After a few moments, he spoke again, using his Soul Sense,
"Wifey… do you want to walk around the city while I gather some information about that senior?"
Young Master K glanced at him once more.
Those discreet, emotionless eyes swept over Su Wen for several seconds, making cold sweat appear on his back.
He was about to speak again when Young Master K finally spoke out aloud.
"No need."
The manly voice was calm, commanding, and strangely gentle… young, yet carrying a wifely authority that made Su Wen straighten his back unconsciously.
"We're going directly. Don't worry about some trivial senior."
Su Wen froze for a moment.
He wanted to say that they should be careful… that rushing in blindly might be dangerous…
But when Young Master K glanced at him again, his throat tightened, and all those words were forced back down.
"…As you command, Young Master," he muttered helplessly.
And so, one walked with arrogant confidence.
The other followed with silent worry.