The roar of the McLaren slowly faded into the night. Once the noise completely vanished, five minutes passed in eerie silence—then, a faint rustling broke the stillness.
The garbage bin by the roadside trembled slightly, like sothing inside was testing the waters.
Monts later, the shaking intensified. A figure, crumpled and filthy, crawled out headfirst.
Jiang Gaoxuan.
His clothes were in disarray, sared with filth and reeking of rot. Clumps of unntionable muck clung to his head and shoulders. Gone was the arrogant flair he carried earlier—now, he looked like a drowned rat fished out of a sewer.
He shook off so of the gri from his hair and stared down the dark stretch of road where the McLaren had disappeared. His eyes, once brimming with pride, now trembled with a deep, bone-chilling fear.
Since beginning his path as a martial cultivator, Jiang Gaoxuan had never once t a peer who surpassed him.
At only twenty-four years old, he possessed 65 years of True Qi, an absolute genius in the martial world—his position atop the Hidden Dragon and Rising Phoenix Ranking had remained unchallenged… until tonight.
Just now, a young man not even twenty had slapped him through the air like swatting a fly.
He wouldn’t have believed it himself, if not for the stinging pain on his swollen cheek and the stench still clinging to him like sha.
“So this is what Father ant,” he muttered, voice trembling. “There’s always a higher mountain, always soone stronger… And he told not to be too arrogant when walking the world.”
Jiang Gaoxuan was a young lord of a hidden martial clan, born with overwhelming talent and nurtured by countless resources. He had every reason to be arrogant.
But his father had warned him—there were powers greater than their sect, and talents far more terrifying than his own.
Back then, Jiang Gaoxuan brushed it off. Now, he had no choice but to believe it.
That teenager just now… wasn’t ordinary. Not by any asure.
In fact, when he first approached Wang Haoran, he felt sothing strange—a pressure, an instinctive urge to lower his head in submission. He thought it was just his imagination and forcefully suppressed it.
But now he realized—that feeling wasn’t just a trick of the mind.
It was instinct. A warning.
Suppressing the fear clawing at his heart, Jiang Gaoxuan slinked away quietly, vanishing into the night.
He didn’t dare stay another second.
Vengeance?
That thought didn’t even cross his mind.
Martial talent was important—but cultivation resources mattered too.
Jiang Gaoxuan had grown up soaking in dicinal baths that hardened his flesh and bones, his elders nourishing his body daily with True Qi. Even with all that, he only reached 65 years’ worth of True Qi.
That young man’s energy? At least 100 years.
That wasn’t sothing talent alone could explain. Behind that youth, there had to be an unimaginably powerful force—one that dwarfed even his own sect.
—
The next morning.
After returning late the previous night, Luo Qingqian rested briefly. By 9 a.m., she gathered her sisters and Lin Chen together for a chat.
It had been too long since their last real reunion.
But sothing felt off. They’d been talking for a while now, and still—no sign of Qiu Qianwei.
“Where’s Seventh Sister?” Luo Qingqian glanced around the room and asked.
Liu Yue, Ji Shuiyao, and Bian Suwen turned simultaneously toward Bu Feiyan.
After all, Qiu Qianwei shared a room with her. If anyone knew, it’d be her.
“I have no idea. I didn’t see her after I got back last night,” Bu Feiyan replied.
Liu Yue blinked in surprise. “That’s strange. Seventh Sister left the villa before you got ho and hasn’t returned since. It looks like she never ca back at all last night.”
Luo Qingqian’s expression darkened slightly. “Out all night? What was she doing?”
Hearing that, Bian Suwen, Ji Shuiyao, and Bu Feiyan all stiffened.
They already knew about Qiu Qianwei’s connection to Wang Haoran.
The mont they realized she hadn’t returned all night… the answer was obvious.
Still, none of them said a word.
They pretended to know nothing.
“Second Sister, I bet she went out on a date!” Lin Chen piped up, voice laced with heartache.
“What did you say?” Luo Qingqian’s brows furrowed.
Liu Yue sighed. “Seventh Sister’s got a boyfriend. She probably went to see him.”
Luo Qingqian frowned instinctively. It was that sa protective instinct every elder sister had—worry that their little sister would be taken advantage of.
Her voice lowered. “And who exactly is this boyfriend of hers?”
Liu Yue shrugged. “No idea. I’ve asked her countless tis. She refuses to say anything.”
“And you just let that slide? What kind of sister are you?” Luo Qingqian’s tone sharpened. “What if she’s being deceived?”
“I did try asking. She just won’t talk. What do you want to do?” Liu Yue muttered.
“You could’ve investigated! Don’t just sit there playing big sister. If anything happens to her, I’m holding you personally responsible.” Luo Qingqian’s voice was stern.
Liu Yue went quiet imdiately.
Lin Chen watched with glee, lips curled in a smug grin.
Liu Yue usually had such a commanding presence—but in front of Second Sister, she crumbled. Sisters really were sisters. No one could outmatch Luo Qingqian’s authority.
Seeing Liu Yue at a loss, Luo Qingqian’s gaze swept toward the others—Bian Suwen, Bu Feiyan, and Ji Shuiyao.
“What about you three? Do you know who her boyfriend is?”
All three replied in unison.
“Nope.”
They didn’t even need to look at each other—almost like it was rehearsed.
But the synchronized response only made it more suspicious.
The mont the words left their mouths, they exchanged startled glances, clearly unnerved by the coincidence.
Luo Qingqian narrowed her eyes. “You’re all acting weird. What aren’t you telling ?”
Silence.
None of them replied.
The longer they stayed quiet, the more certain she beca.
“You’re hiding sothing. Spit it out. Why are you suddenly mute?”
Finally, Bian Suwen stepped forward. “Second Sister, Qianwei is already twenty. She’s capable of making her own decisions. I think we should give her so space. She’s not a little girl anymore.”
With soone taking the lead, Bu Feiyan quickly added, “Exactly. Seventh Sister’s smart. Her taste in n won’t be bad. Whoever she picked must be outstanding. Let’s not ddle too much.”
Liu Yue followed up with, “It’s just a relationship. No need to make a fuss. When the ti cos, she’ll bring him over to et the family.”
Even Ji Shuiyao chid in, “I agree. As sisters, we should be more open-minded. Let her live her life.”
Hearing them all speak up one after another, Luo Qingqian’s brows knit even tighter.
She distinctly rembered how dismissive they all used to be when it ca to n—full of disdain, even.
Now they were suddenly so accepting?
Sothing wasn’t right.
Her eyes narrowed as she posed the next question carefully:
“Be honest. Did you all get boyfriends too?”
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