Liu Shenglan walked over resignedly and stroked her daughter’s back. Looking toward the courtyard entrance, she saw Lin Hui’s tall figure slowly walk in.

Lin Hui had grown taller again, now standing at 1.9 meters. While that was considered tall in the surrounding towns, among Martial Artists, it was merely average.

"Father, Mother, I’m back to see Xiaoliu." Lin Hui’s black hair cascaded down, his features having grown softer and more harmonious from his long years of cultivation.

In terms of looks alone, he was no longer as plain and unnoticeable as he used to be.

"It’s good you’re back," Lin Shunhe grumbled. "Your mother was just talking about you the other day. All you ever think about is cultivating. You’ve already come this far, what more is there to train?"

Lin Hui just smiled, not saying anything in response.

In his family’s eyes, he had already achieved Inner Power Perfection, the absolute limit for a Martial Artist from the Outer City.

To advance any further, it was said to be impossible unless one was a disciple from a great family, trained since childhood, or someone born with exceptional innate talent.

Therefore, in the eyes of others, his Inner Strength had already peaked. No matter how powerful his Martial Arts and Secret Techniques became, it was all meaningless if his life itself could not undergo a fundamental transformation.

The limit was, after all, the limit.

And so, everyone believed his focus should now shift to marrying, carrying on the family line, managing his affairs, and raising successors to ensure a comfortable life in his later years.

But only he knew the truth: he was still far from reaching his limit.

Lin Hui’s gaze swept across the room. He first greeted his mother, then turned to his sister, Lin Xiaoliu, who was hiding like a timid quail.

"Xiaoliu, it’s about time for you to start your training, isn’t it?"

"Now we just have to decide where in the Inner City to enroll her," Liu Shenglan said with a nod, looking a little worried. "It will certainly be one of The Three Greats; the crucial part is choosing which one." 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

"We were initially thinking of the Rain Palace, so your older brother and sister could look out for her. That would be better for her future development. But a recent test found that Xiaoliu’s Heart and Spirit is naturally much stronger than average. In that case, the Government Office is actually the better choice," Lin Shunhe explained.

"Why? Why would the Government Office be more suitable than the Chen Family and the Rain Palace?" Lin Hui asked, confused.

"It’s mainly about well-rounded development. The Government Office is the institution where the Moon Tower has gathered the widest variety of Martial Arts and Summoning cultivation systems. Behind it, you have the Original Blood Nobility of the Moon Tower. The Chen Family, on the other hand, is backed by the largest private clan among the great families. It’s still a fair bit weaker than the Government Office, which acts as the voice for the collective will of all Original Blood Nobility.

"Lastly, the Rain Palace is its own separate system," Liu Shenglan explained in detail. "The Palace Master and Vice Palace Master may seem like its supreme leaders, but they are actually an independent branch of the Federation, theoretically tasked with monitoring the conditions in every region and city. Think of it as a large-scale inspectorate. As long as the Federation remains stable, the Rain Palace will be secure."

"So, if you want to focus on personal development and unearthing her greatest potential, the Government Office has the most abundant and comprehensive resources," Lin Shunhe added.

"Anyway, let’s drop it for now," Lin Hui said, pulling over a chair and sitting down. "I was outside earlier and ran into some people from the Inner City investigating something. What’s been going on lately? Father, have you heard anything?"

"Don’t you have people from the Inspectorate at your temple? You should be better informed about this sort of thing than I am," Lin Shunhe said with a sigh.

"It just crossed my mind, so I thought I’d ask. I can always verify it when I get back," Lin Hui said with a smile.

"It’s nothing major," Lin Shunhe said simply. "There have just been a lot of missing persons cases lately. The official word from the Inner City is that it’s the work of organized groups of wanted fugitives, so they’re having us assist in tracking down a list of high-priority criminals."

"Anything else?"

"What else would there be? The Inner City People rarely concern themselves with the affairs of the outside. The Government Office is the main channel for all communications," Lin Shunhe said, giving his son an odd look.

"Alright. That’s good, then," Lin Hui said with a nod.

"Your older brother knows the most about these matters. He happens to be here as well, you should go to his courtyard and chat. He’s our family’s great hope now," Lin Shunhe said with a smile.

"Older brother is here? Then I’ll go find him." Lin Hui remembered that he had just received a Moth Car from Hou Xihan. He had to tell his brother about it.

Without another word, he stood up and ruffled Lin Xiaoliu’s hair.

"I’m heading over, then."

"Go on," Lin Shunhe said, then suddenly asked, "By the way, when are you and Miss Han going to have children? Why has it been so long with no news?"

"There’s no rush. We’re both martial artists, after all. We’re still young," Lin Hui replied, shaking his head.

"I just don’t understand you young people..." Before Lin Shunhe could get another complaint out, Lin Hui’s figure flickered and vanished.

「Meanwhile, in Liu Wu Jun’s small courtyard.」

He was in the middle of scolding his sister, Liu Xiao, who had just returned.

Apparently, Liu Xiao had gone off on her own to attend some special event at the Moon Tower. He had found out and was worried about her.

As Lin Hui reached the courtyard gate, he could hear his older sister, Liu Xiao, arguing back, her defiant tone making it clear she was not backing down.

Perhaps sensing his arrival, the siblings’ voices gradually trailed off.

Lin Hui then took the opportunity to knock on the gate and clear his throat.

"Is that you, Ah Hui? Come in," Liu Wu Jun said in a mild tone.

"Older Brother, Second Sister. Long time no see." Lin Hui walked in to see Liu Xiao dressed in travel-worn attire, still draped head-to-toe in white gauze with her face veiled, revealing only a pair of bright, beautiful, crescent-shaped eyes.

It had been a year or two since her breakthrough to the rank of Priest. Now that her cultivation level had stabilized, her temperament was also far less impetuous than before.

"One minute you’re calling me ’Older Sister,’ the next you’re calling me ’Second Sister.’ Can you please pick one?" Liu Xiao snapped.

"Older Sister, then? As long as Older Brother here doesn’t have a problem with it," Lin Hui said with a smile. "What were you two talking about?"

"I heard you went to the Moon Tower a few days ago. We were just talking about how your older sister here wouldn’t listen to me and went to one of their ’special events.’ An event at a place like that... is that somewhere she should be going?" Liu Wu Jun’s anger surged again. His handsome face flushed, and his voice rose several degrees.

Lin Hui gave his older sister Liu Xiao a stunned look.

"What kind of event was it? Older Sister, can you tell us?"

"It was a birthday celebration for one of the elders from Extreme Desire Heaven. They personally invited all the top brass of our palace. If I hadn’t gone, wouldn’t that have been incredibly disrespectful?" Liu Xiao retorted, her tone just as sharp.

’Extreme Desire Heaven.’

Lin Hui instantly understood his brother’s worries. ’Extreme Desire Heaven? What kind of elders do they have there?’ Having been to the Moon Tower himself, he could guess what sort of "style" the event would have.

"So, Older Sister... did you go?"

"I went. And I was stopped at the door and sent back by your dear older brother," Liu Xiao snapped.

"Older Sister, you’ve... never been with a man, right?" Lin Hui asked.

"That’s right. So what? Is there a problem with that?" Liu Xiao’s tone turned fierce as she glared at Lin Hui, a sight he found rather adorable.

Of course, to an outsider, it wouldn’t be adorable at all, because Liu Xiao was the type who might actually kill someone at a moment’s notice.

But to her own family, a display like this was just...

"In that case, I have to side with Older Brother. Extreme Desire Heaven... I recently visited a friend whose mother is one of their elders. The ’style’ of their events... it’s usually a lot of men and a lot of women... doing things to each other... Older Sister... you understand."

Lin Hui let his words trail off, saying no more.

Upon hearing this, Liu Xiao’s expression darkened as well.

"But it was a birthday celebration!"

"The people invited... were they all young, attractive men and women with good figures? Were there any elderly people there? Anyone unattractive?" Lin Hui pressed.

"..." Liu Xiao fell silent.

Clearly, Lin Hui had hit the mark.

"Don’t you see? What kind of place do you think the Moon Tower is? It’s a paradise for the Original Blood, but for outsiders... it’s the most dangerous place imaginable. Someone like you goes in, and in a matter of days, I guarantee you’d vanish without a trace, lost forever to decadent bliss! I’ve had several former colleagues fall for this exact kind of trap."

Liu Wu Jun’s tone softened as he looked at his sister.

"You received a personal invitation, delivered directly to you. That means an Original Blood Noble from the Moon Tower has their eye on you. It’s like they’re picking dishes off a menu, and they’ve chosen you. If you refuse, that’s one thing; the name of the Rain Palace can still ward off most of the predators. But if you willingly accept... once you go in, I honestly don’t know if the person who comes out will still be you," Liu Wu Jun said, his voice dropping to a low, somber tone.

"..." Liu Xiao was no fool; she was beginning to understand the gravity of the situation. As a Priest herself, she knew just how terrifying the perception-altering abilities of a High Priest or higher-ranked individual could be.

With such abilities, they could make a person appear perfectly normal on the surface, while in reality, their thoughts and even their very being had been reshaped to fit the manipulator’s desires.

"So many people go into the Moon Tower just once and come out completely changed. It’s not that their willpower is weak; it’s that they’ve been remade into someone else from the inside out..." Liu Wu Jun said softly.

"Alright, alright, I think Older Sister gets it now. That’s enough," Lin Hui interjected, trying to smooth things over. "Our sister has her pride, let’s not keep harping on it."

"See? Ah Hui is the sensible one," Liu Wu Jun said. "If you ask me, forget about that Miss Han. You should just get together with Xiao Xiao. It would make our families even closer..." Before Liu Wu Jun could finish, a fist from Liu Xiao came flying at him.

BAM!

A muffled shockwave erupted in a series of transparent ripples.

Their Void Power clashed, sending a tremor through the courtyard grounds.

It was clear Liu Xiao had put some real force into that punch.

"That’s enough out of you!" Liu Xiao’s pretty face was flushed, the pink of her cheeks visible even through her veil.

"Alright, alright, I’ll stop," Liu Wu Jun said, turning to Lin Hui. "Ah Hui, you must have come here for a reason, right?"

"Yes, I can’t hide anything from Older Brother." Lin Hui proceeded to tell them about his invitation to the Moon Tower and how he had received a Moth Car.

"A Moth Car?!" Liu Xiao’s eyes went wide. That was something she had wanted for ages. But instead of her getting one, her little brother Ah Hui had gotten one first.

’What kind of ridiculous luck is that!?’

"Let me borrow it!" she immediately and brazenly demanded. "Come on, Ah Hui, we’re family! A generous guy like you wouldn’t mind letting his big sister play with it for a few days, right!?"

"...Alright," Lin Hui said, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. "If Older Sister wants to use it, of course there’s no problem. If you or Older Brother want to use it, you can go directly to the flight point near the South Nine Gates. Just give them your names. I’ll arrange it beforehand."

"You’re the best!" Liu Xiao patted Lin Hui’s arm, satisfied. Her foul mood from earlier seemed to have vanished.

"I have to go. You two talk!" She shot Liu Wu Jun a glare, then turned, her figure flickering and disappearing in an instant.

The two men were left behind, both wearing looks of resignation.

"You really have your hands full with her, Older Brother," Lin Hui remarked with a sigh.

"Ai..." Liu Wu Jun sighed as well. He had lost count of how many times he’d had to clean up his sister’s messes over the years. Liu Xiao was exceptionally talented and competent, but she was also a world-class troublemaker.

"I understand about the Moth Car. I’ll explain it to Teacher. But more importantly, have you gotten involved with the Nine Dreams Sect recently?" he asked via voice transmission.

"Somewhat," Lin Hui said simply. "They took an interest in a Martial Art I created, so they sent someone to exchange experience and ideas. For inspiration, I suppose."

"If you can, you should do your best to maintain that relationship. The Nine Dreams Sect is one of the Three Sects, and they are incredibly powerful. Their Supreme, Master Yunxia, reached the Palace Master realm many years ago. In terms of actual combat, he’s in the top tier of his level. On top of that, he cultivates both Summoning and Martial Arts. During the war for the Evil Soldiers, he even managed to seize one of the three great replica Evil Soldiers said to be closest to the originals. His power is a Triple Overlap, making him terrifyingly strong. That’s why the Nine Dreams Sect ranks first among the Three Sects and Six Gangs."