One week passed quickly when I was busy. It felt like it vanished in the blink of an eye, and by the end of it, despite all my efforts, I still felt unsure about everything.
With away, I could only hope Wu Yan wouldn't get impatient and attempt to break through to Foundation Establishnt. I'd warned her countless tis, but children rarely listened. Regardless of her talent, if she had an elental alignnt that didn't suit her, her cultivation journey could end prematurely.
Her comprehension didn't match her raw potential yet, so we had to keep a close eye on that. If only she had been born into a martial family with the right training and mindset, Wu Yan had the best chance of surviving her supposed death at eighteen if she indeed had an Extre Physique.
I looked up at the underground cavern's roof and around at the rest of the clan mbers who had gathered here.
"What are you thinking about?" asked Liu Qian, standing beside with the rest of my cousins from the Blazing Sun Sect. Even the twins were here.
"Nothing. Just zoning out, imagining how easy it would be to cause a cave-in and kill us all," I replied. "I an, this place is secret and all, but it's a terrible spot for a eting in such large numbers. A spy could probably take us all out in one go."
"Your mind works in strange and scary ways," Liu Qian remarked, staring at .
"Just keep this in mind for the future. Better to et sowhere with open exits, there's plenty of unused farmland," I advised.
"Honorable Senior truly has a visionary view of things," said the effeminate-looking twin, indicating he was the brother.
I nearly groaned aloud at the title. I wasn't particularly special here; Liu Bo was Brave Senior, Liu Heng was Fierce Senior, and Liu Qian was Beautiful Senior Sister.
The only one who genuinely enjoyed this praise was Liu Bo, he relished being called Brave Senior.
Not long after, the eting began. The Clan Head took his place on a stone platform and began discussing strategies for dealing with Thunder Wolves and other monstrous beasts.
They went into surprising detail, especially when it ca to Thunder Wolves. Their centuries of experience battling these creatures showed in their knowledge.
"In the end, due to unforeseen circumstances, we have decided to collaborate on a scouting mission with the other clans," the Clan Head announced.
My grandfather's face soured at that. He didn't seem surprised, though, which showed that the Clan Head hadn't made this decision on his own and had consulted others beforehand.
"The Fu Clan and the Jie Clan have agreed to our arrangent. To mark our alliance with the Fu Clan, we have arranged the marriage between the Fu Clan Head's daughter, Fu Yating, and our own Liu Feng," the Clan Head declared, casting a look in my direction. The rest of the clan mbers followed suit, their expressions blank and unreadable. Then the Clan Head continued, "Also, for the Jie Clan, my daughter Liu Qian will marry the Jie Clan's young master, Jie Chen. Of course, these marriages will only be confird after winter, with further negotiations to secure additional benefits if our side performs better."
Suppose I hadn’t overheard my grandfather’s slip-up last week. In that case, I might have actually believed the clans intended to work together.
I turned to Liu Qian, smirking. “Congratulations on the marriage, dear cousin.”
She narrowed her eyes at , catching my tone instantly. “I see that mocking glint. And yes, I know you’re itching for payback after ddling with your ‘relationship’ when Fu Yating was around. Just so you’re clear, my so-called fiancé is twelve years old.”
“Oh, I didn’t know you had a taste for fresh faces,” I teased, grinning wider than necessary.
Liu Qian flashed a patently fake smile, knowing full well that ignoring would sting less than her feigned amusent. It was her way of turning the joke back on .
But I had more where that ca from. “No need to worry, I get it. It can be hard to connect with people your own age sotis.”
This ti, she gave no reaction, which took the fun out of my teasing. Despite the banter, though, we both knew there was a decent chance our marriages would be annulled by winter’s end. In Liu Qian’s case especially, sending her away wouldn’t make sense after all the clan had invested in her training. Besides, she had talent, at least by the standards here in the sticks.
This only solidified my suspicion that the clans weren’t planning to cooperate but might even betray each other on a massive scale, likely on an extinction level. Liu Qian’s marriage would probably be dissolved regardless.
Of course, there was always the chance I was wrong, but I would prepare for the worst either way.
I recalled how my grandfather had reassured about facing Foundation Establishnt Cultivators during what was supposed to be a beast wave. That alone hinted at the possibility of clan battles… or even a civil war. And if my grandfather was so confident in my safety, it suggested I might be needed in the conflicts ahead.
Still, I hoped my grandfather and the others would at least hold off their bloodthirsty plans until spring. If they chose now, it might be easier to make deaths look accidental in the winter, but it would also be riskier for everyone.
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“The first act of cooperation will be through scouting enemy territory. Each clan has promised to send only Qi Gathering Cultivators or below,” announced the Clan Head. “We will honor that agreent and do just that.”
A murmur went through the crowd, so mbers speaking of honor as if our clan were the only one with integrity.
“The elders and I have carefully chosen our team, and in the end, we decided to send our best!” the Clan Head roared, his voice thick with likely rehearsed emotion. “Liu Qian, Liu Feng, Liu Bo, Liu Heng, Liu Lia, and Liu Long! These young mbers represent our finest and will showcase the strength of our clan.”
I wasn’t entirely sure why they wanted us, the promising younger generation, to go. But perhaps it was because our training with the Blazing Sun Sect made us the strongest among the Qi Gathering Cultivators.
After more rousing speeches about clan glory and so exaggerated accounts of our “history of honor,” the eting ended.
Everyone left through a concealed exit, while those of us chosen for the mission stayed behind to speak privately with the Clan Head.
With the crowd gone, the Clan Head seed calr, no longer the hype man he’d been monts before. Generally, people perceived loud talkers or those who threatened others as powerful, and those types often exuded a certain confidence.
In both worlds, while big talkers could indeed be dangerous, it was the quiet ones who concerned the most, as their intentions were harder to read.
Take the Blazing Sun Sect leader, for example. I had never seen him threaten anyone or boast about the Sect’s greatness or past glory.
With only us remaining, the Clan Head approached and said calmly, “You will set off tomorrow. Be cautious out there, and try to ensure the other clans leave as many of their Qi Gathering Cultivators behind as possible.”
Well, he just ca right out and said it.
I’d half-expected this to be the kind of mission where backstabbing was whispered about behind closed doors, not laid out so plainly. But then again, our team consisted entirely of people from the Blazing Sun Sect, and even the Body Tempering twins had been roped in.
“We are honored you have chosen us for this,” said Liu Long, the more feminine-looking twin. His expression was starry-eyed as if this truly was an honor.
I couldn’t quite understand his enthusiasm. Couldn’t he see the situation he was in?
The twins were clearly here to act as a buffer between us and any potential threats. If the clans decided to start picking us off subtly, they’d likely begin with the weakest, naly, the twins. They’d serve as an early warning for the rest of us if anything went wrong.
Why else would Body Tempering Cultivators be on this mission?
It seed inevitable that backstabbing would be part of this so-called cooperation among the three clans against an unknown threat. But I didn’t question the Clan Head’s strategy. There was a strong chance the other clans had similar plans in mind.
…
The next day, after saying my goodbyes to my parents and giving last-minute instructions to Wu Yan and Speedy, I was about to leave when Wu Yan ca up and hugged for the first ti. I smiled and hugged her back.
Then, I joined my team at the gate of the outer wall.
We were all dressed in gray, nearly white clothing in case we needed to blend in with the snow.
After so brief discussions about formations, where the weaker mbers should be placed, and the pace we’d maintain, we ironed out all the details and ensured everyone knew their roles. Then, we set off.
We’d left early in the morning and reached the edge of the forest by evening, just before the sun was about to set.
Ordinarily, we would have camped here, as traveling in the dark when fatigued could be risky. But it was even more dangerous to arrive late and give the other groups a chance to strategize, perhaps setting traps to catch us off guard.
“Liu Lia, Liu Long, follow and step only where I step. The ground is icy, so if you feel tired, let us know. We’ll slow down rather than risk a fall on this terrain,” I cautioned.
They nodded and followed along.
By the ti darkness fully settled, we had covered a reasonable distance through the forest, reaching what could be considered the boundary of Thunder Wolf territory, a place where Thunder Wolves prowled even in the sumr months.
We were technically at the eting spot, but with no specific point designated, we had to keep our Qi senses on alert, waiting to detect the presence of another team.
Yes, we didn’t trust them in the slightest.
“Before we et the other teams, I think we should decide who will lead our group,” Liu Qian suggested.
I nodded. “Your father should have appointed soone.”
“You know the situation in the clan. He can’t show favoritism; certain people are just waiting for a misstep to hold against ,” she replied, leaping from branch to branch in the quiet darkness around us. “I think you should take charge, Liu Feng.”
“Why?” I asked.
This wasn’t the ti to feign modesty. I knew I was a strong candidate for team leader, but I needed to understand her reasoning.
“Because you have experience with monstrous beasts and are well-versed in handling underhanded plots,” she pointed out.
Good points, but they didn’t necessarily make the best leader for this mission. I knew little about my teammates’ strengths and weaknesses or their specific techniques.
“I think you should lead,” I countered. “But I’ll offer suggestions if I notice anything amiss.”
Second-in-command suited better. It made less of a target, and if Liu Qian were attacked first, I could still retaliate. My main vulnerability was being taken out before deploying my arrays, which could be lethal against anyone in Qi Gathering. Even in an ambush, I could turn the tables if the conditions were right.
If an opponent aid for the weak, they’d target the twins; if they went for the strong or the leader, they’d target Liu Qian. As long as I kept a low profile, they were unlikely to go after first.
“Why ?” Liu Qian asked, her tone calm.
“There are too many reasons to list here,” I replied, mindful that the other team might have techniques to overhear us. “But leadership involves more than knowledge, and while I might outmatch you in theory, I think you’re the better leader overall.”
It wasn’t wise to openly discuss our strengths and weaknesses, so I kept it vague.
After wandering for several minutes, I finally sensed so Qi signatures. They must belong to the other teams.
I couldn’t help but wonder if Fu Yating was among them.
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