Chapter 5 Red Lights
Sun City
Xu Family Courtyard
The eastern forest rumors spread even faster by morning.
So people claid the missing caravan encountered spirit beasts.
Others insisted hidden bandits were responsible.
A few drunk cultivators even swore ancient ruins had reopened beneath the mountains.
Unfortunately—
Sun City loved rumors almost as much as gambling.
Xu Yuan sat beneath a tree inside the courtyard while lazily spinning a wooden training sword in one hand.
Nearby disciples continued discussing the eastern forest nonstop.
"…my uncle said the guards found strange footprints."
"I heard the caravan people disappeared without resistance."
"Could be illusion cultivators…"
Xu Yuan sighed softly.
"One missing caravan and suddenly everyone becos a detective."
Lin Hao sat nearby looking noticeably tired.
"I couldn't sleep properly last night."
"That sounds like a personal problem."
"You're unbelievably calm."
"I'm conserving emotional energy."
"That's not a real thing."
Before Xu Yuan could answer—
Third Elder Xu Jian suddenly entered the courtyard.
The noisy discussions imdiately stopped.
"All outer disciples preparing for next month's city examination will gather at the western platform later today."
Several younger disciples instantly straightened nervously.
The city examination happened every year between Sun City's younger cultivators.
Mostly to determine:
talent,
resources,
and recruitnt opportunities.
Xu Yuan personally considered it exhausting.
Third Elder's gaze soon landed directly on him.
"And Xu Yuan."
Xu Yuan imdiately frowned.
"…Why does that sound dangerous?"
"You're participating this year."
Silence.
Then Xu Yuan slowly pointed toward himself.
"?"
"Yes, you."
"I respectfully refuse."
"You respectfully have no choice."
Nearby disciples instantly burst into laughter.
Xu Yuan held his forehead dramatically.
"I was planning to cultivate peacefully at ho forever."
"That plan already failed."
"Cruel."
Beside him, Xia Yu calmly closed her cultivation manual.
"You should participate."
Xu Yuan looked betrayed.
"You too?"
"You've avoided it for two years already."
"That's called strategy."
"That's called laziness."
Lin Hao imdiately nodded seriously.
"She's right."
Xu Yuan stared at both of them silently.
"I suddenly feel isolated."
Third Elder snorted before turning away.
"The Liu Family, Zhao Family, and Chen Family disciples will also participate this year."
Several nearby disciples imdiately reacted again.
Especially after hearing Liu Feng's na ntioned.
After the elder left—
Lin Hao leaned closer nervously.
"You know Liu Feng definitely wants to challenge you now."
Xu Yuan looked genuinely confused.
"I still don't understand why."
"Because Xia Yu exists."
Xu Yuan sighed deeply.
"What an unreasonable world."
The morning slowly passed peacefully afterward.
At least until noon.
A loud bell suddenly echoed across Sun City.
DONG!
DONG!
DONG!
The entire courtyard instantly beca silent.
Xu Yuan slowly lowered the wooden sword in his hand.
"That's not the normal city bell."
Lin Hao's face imdiately changed.
"It's the eastern gate warning bell…"
Several Xu Family guards quickly rushed across the courtyard while distant shouting echoed outside nearby streets.
Disciples throughout the family imdiately beca restless.
Then—
a guard hurried toward Third Elder while breathing heavily.
"Elder!"
"What happened?"
The guard swallowed nervously.
"A hunter team returned from the eastern forest."
"And?"
"…only one ca back alive."
Silence instantly spread throughout the courtyard.
Xu Yuan's relaxed expression slowly faded.
Even Xia Yu quietly lifted her eyes from the cultivation manual.
The guard continued:
"The survivor keeps repeating the sa sentence."
Third Elder frowned.
"What sentence?"
The guard hesitated briefly.
Then quietly answered:
"The red lights were watching us."
Several nearby disciples imdiately felt chills run through their bodies.
Lin Hao visibly swallowed beside Xu Yuan.
"…I suddenly don't want to leave the city anymore."
"That sounds wise."
For once—
even Xu Yuan no longer sounded completely relaxed.
Outside the Xu Family walls, Sun City gradually beca noisy again as more rumors spread rapidly through the streets.
So civilians already started avoiding the eastern gate entirely.
Others prepared weapons and spirit talismans nervously.
Fear spread quickly inside peaceful cities.
anwhile—
far beyond Sun City—
inside the silent eastern forest—
dim red lights slowly flickered deep between ancient trees.
Watching.
Waiting quietly in the darkness.
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