The night was terrifyingly still.
I lay in bed, unable to sleep no matter how hard I tried. Meng Li breathed softly beside me, sleeping soundly. For the past few days, everyone in the Wu Family had let down their guard, but I alone could not forget those low, rumbling growls.
That sound was like a roar from the depths of hell, carrying a heart-palpitating sense of oppression that lingered relentlessly in my mind. I had once secretly asked Father about it, but he merely shook his head, saying it was probably some powerful fierce beast passing by, and told me not to overthink it.
Yet my intuition told me that the situation was definitely not that simple.
"Dong! Dong! Dong!"
Right at that moment, a flurry of urgent bell chimes shattered the tranquility of the night. This was the highest-level alert of the Wu Family, sounded only during times of life-or-death crisis for the clan.
I jerked upright, my heart skipping a beat as a bad premonition surged into my mind.
"What's wrong, Big Brother?" Meng Li was also startled awake. She rubbed her drowsy eyes and looked at me in bewilderment.
"Something major has happened!" I had no time to explain too much; I snatched up my clothes and rushed outside.
Realizing the situation was wrong, Meng Li hurriedly followed.
We burst out of our rooms to find the normally quiet Wu Family estate brightly lit and bustling with voices. Everyone was running in the exact same direction—the martial arts arena.
Meng Li and I exchanged a glance, both of us seeing shock and unease in each other's eyes. Exactly what had happened?
By the time we reached the martial arts arena, hundreds of people from all levels of the Wu Family had already gathered. Elder Wu stood upon the high platform with a grave expression. Behind him stood several of the clan's strongest elders, every single one of their faces etched with anxiety.
"Everyone!" Elder Wu's voice was resonant and dignified, carrying across the entire martial arts arena. "Just moments ago, we received word that an unidentified army is closing in on our Wu Family!"
"An army?!"
An uproar instantly erupted in the crowd, everyone wearing expressions of disbelief.
"How is that possible? Who would dare attack the Wu Family?"
"How many of them are there? What is their background?"
...
Various discussions rose and fell in succession, throwing the entire martial arts arena into chaos.
Elder Wu raised both hands to signal for silence. Once the crowd gradually quieted down, he continued, "According to reports from our scouts on the front lines, this army is massive in number, well-equipped, highly disciplined, and moreover..."
He paused, his brow furrowed as if harboring something difficult to articulate.
"Moreover what?" someone in the crowd couldn't help pressing.
"Moreover, the aura they emit... is extremely bizarre!" Elder Wu took a deep breath and said in a heavy voice, "It is identical to the roaring we heard the other night!"
Hearing this, my heart plummeted, and a chill surged straight from the soles of my feet to the top of my head.
Sure enough, my premonition was correct!
This army was definitely connected to those bizarre roars! Discussions broke out in the crowd again, fear spreading like a plague. I clenched my fists; those roars seemed to ring in my ears once more, bringing a wave of inexplicable chill. Meng Li also grabbed my hand, and I could feel that her palms were icy cold.
"Big Brother, I'm scared..." Meng Li's voice trembled slightly.
I gripped her hand back, giving her a resolute look. "Don't be afraid, Meng Li. I'll protect you."
"But..."
I cut Meng Li off directly, turning to look at Elder Wu on the high platform, and spoke in a loud voice, "Elder, I request to lead a team of disciples to the front lines for reconnaissance! We must figure out the situation with this army before we can formulate a countermeasure!"
Meng Li reacted as well and immediately chimed in, "Elder, I'll go too!"
The crowd instantly quieted down, everyone looking at Meng Li and me in astonishment.
Elder Wu furrowed his brow, pondered for a moment, and finally nodded. "Very well! Kong Chen, Meng Li, you are both outstanding disciples of the Wu Family, and I trust your abilities. Remember, safety comes first above all else. If you encounter danger, retreat immediately!"
"Understood!" Meng Li and I replied in unison.
Soon, we assembled an elite squad of twenty people, mounted the Wu Family's unique spirit beasts—Cloud-Treading Steeds—and galloped furiously toward the direction of the enemy's attack.
The Cloud-Treading Steeds moved at extreme speed; in less than an hour, we reached the edge of the Wu Family territory.
"Stop!" I shouted in a low voice, signaling the troop to halt.
We dismounted and hid within a dense patch of woods, carefully observing our surroundings.
"Big Brother, look!" Meng Li pointed ahead, lowering her voice. "There seem to be people over there!"
I looked in the direction Meng Li was pointing. Sure enough, on a hillside not far from us, a squad of soldiers clad in black armor had appeared.
These soldiers moved swiftly and with strict discipline, looking every bit like a well-trained elite force.
"It really is them!" A chill went through my heart as I spoke in a low voice to the team members behind me, "Prepare for battle!"
Yet before we could make a move, deafening battle cries suddenly erupted from all around us.
"Not good! We've fallen into a trap!" I cried out mentally, hastily swinging my sword to parry an attack coming from the flank.
As it turned out, that enemy force was merely a decoy; the real killing blow was hidden in the shadows!
We had fallen into the enemy's encirclement!
"Meng Li, be careful!" While struggling desperately to fend off the enemy's attacks, I kept a close eye on Meng Li's safety.
Although Meng Li's strength was inferior to mine, she could still be considered a standout among the Wu Family youth. Wielding a long sword with nimble movements and coordinating with the team members around her, she barely managed to fend off the enemy's assault.
However, we were outnumbered, and we gradually began to lose the upper hand.
"We can't go on like this! We have to break through!" Panic surged in my heart, yet I was utterly helpless.
Just then, a heaven-shaking roar of beasts suddenly echoed from the distance.
"It's Father!" Joy flooded my heart, and I hurriedly shouted at the top of my lungs, "Father, we're over here!"
"Chen'er, Li'er, hold on! I'm coming!" The voice of my father, Kong Fang, came from afar.
We saw Father riding a massive Crimson Flame Tiger, charging over from the distance like a ball of raging fire.
Behind Father were a group of elite disciples from the Wu Family, each of them possessing extraordinary martial prowess and an imposing momentum like a rainbow.
"Kill!"
With a furious roar, Father brandished the long saber in his hand, took the lead in charging into the enemy formation, and instantly cut down several enemies.
"Charge!"
The morale of the Wu Family disciples soared. Like fierce tigers descending a mountain, they pounced savagely upon the enemy.
However, the enemy's numbers were simply too vast; we remained trapped within the encirclement, struggling to break out.
The battle entered the white-hot stage...
Father's arrival undoubtedly injected a shot of adrenaline into our veins. Wherever the Crimson Flame Tiger passed, enemies were overturned like blades of grass, and the long saber in Father's hand cut through resistance like bamboo, every single strike claiming multiple lives. Under his leadership, the Wu Family disciples were like a flood breaching a dike, completely unstoppable.
"Kill! Leave none alive!" I shouted loudly, the long sword in my hand dancing like a spiritual snake as I cut down the approaching enemies one by one. Meng Li was right beside me; her sword technique was light and ethereal, resembling a fairy dancing, yet every sword strike accurately hit the enemy's vital points.
Fighting and retreating, we gradually drew closer to Father's position. However, the enemy numbers were simply too vast, appearing as if they could never be slain and continuously surging forward. I witnessed with my own eyes many Wu Family disciples falling in pools of blood, their faces still bearing the resolute expression of those facing death without fear.
"Break out! Quickly!" Father's voice was hoarse and anxious. He was drenched in blood, and the Crimson Flame Tiger was also injured, yet he continued to fight desperately.
Just as we were on the verge of breaking out of the encirclement, a black arrow pierced through the air, heading straight for Father's back!
"Father, look out!" My eyes split with grief and anger. I wanted to warn Father, but it was already too late.
"Thud!" The arrow accurately struck Father's back, knocking him down from the Crimson Flame Tiger.
"Father!" Grief devoured my heart and I rushed toward Father regardless of everything else. Meng Li followed closely behind, her face streaming with tears.
"Chen'er, don't worry about me, go!" Father struggled to stand up, only to collapse powerlessly. "Take everyone... go quickly..."
"Want to leave? Not that easy!" A chilling voice rang out not far away, carrying a heart-palpitating murderous intent.
I raised my head and saw a figure clad in a long black robe and wearing a golden mask slowly descending from the sky. A powerful oppressive might radiated from him, causing the surrounding space to seem as though it had frozen.
"Who are you?" I gripped the sword in my hand, my heart filled with vigilance.
"Who I am is not important," the man in black said coldly. "What is important is that all of you are going to die here today!"
With that, he raised his right hand, and a terrifying power instantly erupted, knocking all the surrounding Wu Family disciples flat to the ground.
"Not good, he is a Dan-Condensing Realm expert!" Terror gripped my heart. With our current strength, it was utterly impossible for us to be his match.
Right at this critical juncture, a beam of golden light descended from the heavens, blocking the path of the man in black.
As the golden light dissipated, an elderly man clad in white robes and possessing the air of an immortal appeared before us. Holding a horsetail whisk and wearing a gentle smile, he gave off a feeling as refreshing as a spring breeze.
"What manner of person are you, Excellency? Why interfere in my grudge with the Wu Family?" A trace of wariness flashed in the eyes of the man in black when he saw the elderly man.
"This old man is merely an idle traveler passing by," the elderly man said indifferently, "and I simply cannot stomach seeing you bully the weak."
"Hmph! Meddlesome busybody!" The man in black snorted coldly, turned into a streak of black light, and vanished into the horizon.
The elderly man did not pursue. He turned to look at us, a trace of gratification in his eyes. "You did well. Leave the rest to me."
With that, he waved his horsetail whisk, and a gentle force enveloped us, whisking us away from the battlefield.
"Many thanks to Senior for saving our lives!" I said gratefully.
The elderly man shook his head. "No need to thank me; I merely did what I ought to do. You must remember, this is only the beginning—the true crisis still lies ahead."
His words exploded beside my ears like a thunderclap. I knew that an even greater storm was about to arrive...
The elderly man's words cast a shadow over my heart. A crisis—an even greater crisis—what on earth could it be? I gazed at Father's pale complexion, my heart filled with worry. The man in black's parting words, "All of you are going to die here today," echoed in my ears like a curse.
"Father, how are you feeling?" I gripped Father's hand. It was frighteningly icy, and his once-ruddy complexion was now completely pale.
"I'm fine, won't die yet." Father's voice was very weak, but he still tried hard to squeeze out a smile. "Just suffered some injuries, will be fine after a rest."
"What time is it and you're still trying to act tough!" Elder Wu walked over, his expression equally unsightly. "Kong Fang, your injuries this time are severe. You must treat them immediately, otherwise..."
He left the rest of the sentence unsaid, but we all understood his meaning. The strike from the man in black had evidently injured Father's foundation; if not treated promptly, his life would likely be in grave danger.
"Meng Li, take your Uncle Kong down to treat his injuries. Leave things here to me," Elder Wu instructed.
Meng Li nodded and supported Father as they left. I watched their retreating figures, my heart filled with a sense of powerlessness. I hated my own weakness; I hated myself for being unable to protect the people I wanted to protect.
"Kong Chen, you needn't blame yourself too much either." Elder Wu patted my shoulder, his tone heavy. "None of us anticipated what happened today. Those men in black were clearly prepared, and their strength far exceeds our imagination."
"Elder, who on earth are those men in black? Why did they attack the Wu Family?" I asked, my doubts growing deeper by the moment.
Elder Wu shook his head and sighed. "I don't know either. However, I have a premonition that today's event is probably just the beginning. An even greater storm is sweeping toward us..."
His words sent a chill through my heart. An even greater storm? Could there really be something worse than the current situation?
"What should we do now?" I asked. "Are we just going to sit here and await our doom?"
"Of course not." A sharp gleam flashed in Elder Wu's eyes. "We must seek external aid! Kong Chen, take Meng Li and make a trip to the Qingyun Sect. Tell the Qingyun Sect Master what has happened here and request their support!"
The Qingyun Sect was our Wu Family's ally, as well as the most powerful sect in the vicinity. If we could secure their help, perhaps we would still have a glimmer of survival.
"Alright, I'll go right now!" I agreed without hesitation. There was no time to lose; I had to reach the Qingyun Sect as quickly as possible and convey the news here.
"Be careful in all things," Elder Wu exhorted. "Remember, come back alive!"
I nodded, turned to rendezvous with Meng Li, and together we embarked on the journey to the Qingyun Sect. I knew this was a path full of unknowns, but I had no other choice. For the Wu Family, for Father, and for Meng Li, I had to give it everything I had!
The setting sun stretched our figures out long, foreshadowing a future where the mountain rain was about to sweep in and fill the tower with wind. My heart was filled with anxiety, wondering what on earth awaited us and the Wu Family...