"Master Yunxia... is *that* strong?!" A chill went down Lin Hui’s spine.

He’d never imagined that the carefree old geezer who acted young and seemed to care only about burying himself in Martial Arts was actually so formidable.

"Extremely strong. But don’t you worry," Liu Wu Jun said, his tone relaxing. "My master is only a step behind him. If he can advance in the future, he’ll even have an edge over him. It’s not a big deal."

He sized up Lin Hui, observing his current state and aura.

"Your cultivation seems to have improved significantly. Though you’re still at Inner Power Perfection... I get the feeling your physical constitution is much stronger."

"I can’t hide it from you, Big Brother. My Inner Strength has reached its limit, so I’ve had to find other ways to increase my power," Lin Hui explained.

"That’s certainly one way to go. On another matter, regarding your Miss Han... I’m not just saying this for fun. I suggest you’d be better off separating from her. Consider Xiao Xiao; she’s actually a better fit. I can see she isn’t that resistant to you. As for Han Xiaoyue, I’ve recently received news that her background and identity are quite complicated," Liu Wu Jun said grimly.

"Don’t worry, Big Brother. I know what I’m doing," Lin Hui nodded. "Your sister is a good person, and I quite admire her, but you can’t force these things. It all comes down to fate." 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

In truth, he didn’t care much about marriage. As long as it didn’t affect his cultivation, he would be fine with either Han Xiaoyue or Liu Xiao.

In fact, he would even be fine not ending up with anyone at all.

"Just as long as you’re aware of the situation. There’s one more thing. A wanted notice came down from the higher-ups for a criminal from our Xinyu Town, a felon named Four Faces. I got his file, and they want a manhunt. You know this place better than anyone, so keep an eye out for me."

"Alright, leave it to me!" Lin Hui nodded, his expression unchanging, though he was inwardly speechless.

"So what did this Four Faces do? It sounds pretty serious," he added.

"Mm, very serious stuff. He’s been robbing the treasuries of minor clans all over the Inner City, abducting beautiful women in broad daylight, trafficking illegal contraband, and even destroyed and stole key formation components from the Moon Tower to sell... I heard he also got several women of Original Blood pregnant, swindled them out of their family fortunes, and then skipped town after causing trouble," Liu Wu Jun listed off.

"..." As Lin Hui listened, his curiosity slowly gave way to bewilderment.

’I did those things?’

There was no way he could have done any of this petty, scummy shit!

Someone was clearly impersonating him.

"The guy’s a real piece of work. If you get any leads, let me know right away," Liu Wu Jun said, waving his hand dismissively.

"Understood," Lin Hui nodded.

"Liu Xiao is back, and I’ll have to accompany my master to an inter-city exchange soon. I’ll need you to keep an eye on things at home. I’m always a little worried about your sister. You’re more reliable. And sometimes, she actually listens to you," Liu Wu Jun said. "To be honest, deep down, she really admires you. Being able to crawl your way out of the mire of the Outer City, step by step, to get where you are today... for anyone else, that would be a nearly impossible accomplishment."

"Is that so? You give me too much credit, Big Brother. I’ve just been fumbling around," Lin Hui said with a laugh.

"It’s already very impressive," Liu Wu Jun said, patting him on the shoulder. "I’ll be gone for about ten days or so. Remember to keep an eye on your sister for me."

"Alright!"

*

*

*

「The Fog Area surrounding Tuyue.」

Deep within a dark palace buried far underground.

Hazy fog drifted through the palace, its wisps and tendrils flowing like living things.

At the heart of the palace was a great hall, like one where an emperor would hold court.

Figures wearing all sorts of silver masks appeared one after another, finding their places on either side of a central aisle and standing motionless.

Green Luminous Stones embedded in the walls and ceiling cast a faint phosphorescence, bathing the entire hall in a sinister, eerie green.

Soon, eighteen people in total stood in two rows, each in their place.

Although they all wore masks, their builds revealed they were men and women, old and young, of every age and gender.

Once everyone was in position, all eyes turned toward the seat of honor at the head of the hall.

There, on a golden dragon throne, a humanoid figure in Black Armor wearing a Dark Gold Mask abruptly appeared.

"I am pleased that not a single one of you is missing. After a two-year interval, this is truly a cause for celebration." The voice of the Black Armor figure was a layered chorus, as if many men, women, old, and young were speaking at once, making it impossible to discern its true timbre.

"I have summoned you all this time for three primary reasons."

"First, the upcoming inter-city exchange is an opportunity to contact our fellow cultists in other urban zones. Do I have any volunteers?"

"I will go. I have not seen my old friends in a long time, and I miss them dearly," a white, cat-faced old man standing beside Lord Black Face said slowly.

"Good. Then Old Cat will go. The second matter... the Bai Tong Fog Spirit is beginning to stir again, secretly recruiting cultists in some of the suburbs around Tuyue. Who volunteers to resolve this?"

"I’ll do it. I didn’t get to kill my fill last time," Lord Black Face spoke up. As Lin Shunhe’s direct superior, he commanded his own faction within the Good Heart Sect in Tuyue and had a considerable number of subordinates.

"Acceptable." The Black Armor figure nodded.

"Lastly, regarding the new members—Yun Feng, Hei Zhao, Bu Xiang, and Four Faces. Dragon Maiden, you were their guide. Has the detailed evaluation report been prepared?"

"It is done. It can be sent to the secret archives for storage," Dragon Maiden said respectfully as she stepped forward.

"Good. These four have immense potential; Four Faces has even established a connection with the Nine Dreams Sect. After passing his assessment, he proved his background is completely clean. Therefore, Dragon Maiden, you are responsible for maintaining a good relationship with him. In the future, we may well need him to provide cover for some of our operations in the Inner City."

Dragon Maiden hastily and respectfully agreed.

The meeting soon adjourned, and Dragon Maiden handed over the confidential files for the four new members. Old Cat was responsible for receiving and inspecting them.

The members dispersed, and the Black Armor figure also vanished silently from the dragon throne.

Only a few who still needed to handle miscellaneous tasks at the Tuyue headquarters remained.

Holding the four booklets Dragon Maiden had given him, Old Cat was just about to turn and leave.

"Brother Cat. Could I take another look at those files?" a woman wearing a white fox mask suddenly called out, stopping him.

"That is against the rules," Old Cat said coldly.

"Rules are made to be broken. Brother Cat, the favor you owe me is not so easily repaid," the fox-masked woman said softly.

"...Whatever you’re planning, this is the last time," Old Cat said in a heavy tone.

"Agreed." The white fox smiled.

’The last time indeed,’ she thought. ’Soon, I won’t have to hide in the shadows underground anymore. Including this new list of members, I’ll have the identities of nearly half the members of the entire Good Heart Sect in Tuyue.’

An organization thousands of people strong.

’Once I return to the Moon Tower and expose this list, the merit from this accomplishment will absolutely guarantee me a promotion. I can finally reverse my family’s decline!’

*

*

*

「Several days later. The Fog Area.」

In the fog, a tall, humanoid monster with three crow heads crashed to the ground. Its severed heads rolled far away, spilling green blood all over the ground.

Lin Hui frowned, looking down at the Ruyi in his hand.

’This is supposed to be a high-risk monster? A Three-headed Crow-man, a monster on par with Priests and High Priests? I heard its Divine Power is astonishing and its physical defenses are so strong that even Void Power has to strike the same spot several times to break through?’

Yet Lin Hui felt as though he had dispatched this so-called high-risk monster with a single, casual slash, as if he were slicing tofu.

Ever since he felt something was off last time, he had proactively sought another opportunity to come out and test his Wind Disaster Affinity while continuing his search for suitable ruins in a No-Fog Zone.

He gave the Ruyi a light swing and fell silent, carefully sensing the aura of power on the blade.

Faint, transparent wisps of energy were flowing from the sword’s blade, continuously merging into the invisible, swirling wind around the Ruyi Sword.

’Is it... absorbing the Three-headed Crow-man’s power!?’

A chilling guess flashed through Lin Hui’s mind.

On his way here, he had killed every monster he encountered as if moving through an empty realm. Because of this, he gradually became aware that his Ruyi Sword and the Wind of Surrounding enveloping his body were naturally growing thicker and stronger, even without him using his Typhoon Swordsmanship.

Moreover, from what he observed, this enhancement seemed to be a permanent increase that grew with every kill.

That was a bit outrageous.

’This Wind Disaster Affinity... is insane...’

Lin Hui lowered his sword and simply took off, sprinting along the Jade Sea coast, heading further and further away from Tuyue.

His speed had already reached an absurd level. If he ran without activating the Special Effects of his Wind Disaster Affinity, he would trigger a deafening, explosive sound in the air.

At the same time, the Wind of Surrounding covering his body would begin to glow red, change color, and heat up.

All signs indicated that he had likely broken the sound barrier within the fog, creating a sonic boom.

The fog ahead receded rapidly, parting before him.

The ground, trees, and mountain forests were a blur, flying past on both sides of Lin Hui.

He ran in a perfectly straight line, not daring to make the slightest turn, which would make it easier to find his way back.

A little over an hour later.

A massive black wall, spanning from left to right, gradually appeared ahead.

The wall was more than ten meters high, its surface covered with dried moss and dead, withered black vines.

Lin Hui quickly decelerated, stopping before the wall and tilting his head back to take it in.

Soon, to his right and ahead, near the Jade Sea, he spotted a Scale Stone Stele stuck in the ground.

Scale Stone Steles were markers left by the Government Office specifically to provide directions within the Fog Area.

Lin Hui walked closer, wiped the grime from the Scale Stone Stele, and carefully read the somewhat blurry inscription.

’Ahead lies the Boundary Wall. Beyond the Boundary Wall is a public zone. The danger level of the Fog Area will surpass Destruction Level. Fog Spirits are numerous. Please carry a concealment relic before proceeding! —Taixu Federation.’

’Boundary Wall?’ This was the first time Lin Hui had ever heard of such a thing.

He looked up at the black wall, finding it odd that it could divide the Fog Area into two separate regions.

’Well, I can’t find any monsters here to test the limits of my strength anyway. Maybe I could go out and give it a try... I’ll start by testing the area just beyond it. If it feels alright, I’ll venture deeper.’

Lin Hui began to understand. The area on this side of the Boundary Wall must be the safe zone around Tuyue that the Taixu Federation had cleared.

Outside was the public zone, which had not been cleared at all.

That must be what the Fog Area looked like in its most primitive state. He was quite curious about it.