The mountain wind was calm, but the horizon whispered of coming storms.
Preparing for Larger Enemies
In the grand main hall, beneath towering banners of black and red, Xuan Long sat in a commanding position, surrounded by maps, sealed scrolls, and jade slips pulsing with cultivation data. Hei Mo stood beside him, hands behind his back.
"Tell me," Xuan Long said, voice quiet but firm, "about the Heavenly Flying Sect. How strong are they really?"
Hei Mo bowed slightly. "Their Sect Master is a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator. They have six Core Formation elders, twenty Foundation-level disciples, and over a hundred Qi Vein cultivators."
Xuan Long's expression didn't change. He leaned back, eyes half-closed in thought.
"Not a problem. They're dangerous, yes—but not immortal. Give us time… and we'll be more than ready."
He opened his eyes again, crimson glowing with resolve. "I don't move recklessly—only precisely."
Hei Mo bowed again. "Understood, Master. I'll begin gathering information on their internal structure. There are rumors of internal strife—perhaps we can exploit it."
Xuan Long gave a slight nod. "Do it."
A Soft Moment in a Hard World
Outside the hall, in the stone-paved courtyard beneath the afternoon sun, Xue'er quietly followed Xuan Long like a shadow. Her five-year-old frame looked even smaller amidst towering warriors and fortified walls, but she didn't care. Her hand gripped the hem of his robe tightly.
Xuan Long stopped and looked down, smiling faintly.
"Still following me, little tail?" he asked teasingly.
He bent down and picked her up gently into his arms.
She didn't smile. She just buried her face in his chest and whispered, "You're not allowed to leave me…"
Mu Chen and Hei Mo, standing nearby, said nothing. Their eyes softened.
"Come," Xuan Long said. "It's time you met your brothers properly."
He gently handed her over to Mu Chen. She flinched at first but didn't resist.
"Don't worry," Xuan Long said. "Mu Chen is your big brother too."
Mu Chen smiled and held her carefully. "Brother Mu Chen is here."
Xue'er looked at him for a long moment… and then gave the tiniest nod.
Hei Mo stepped forward next, bowing with mock seriousness. "And I'm Hei Mo. Your scary-looking demon brother."
She blinked at him—then giggled, just once, before quickly hiding her face again.
Mu Chen and Hei Mo exchanged a knowing glance. In that brief moment, they felt something deeper than cultivation—a reason worth fighting for.
Toys, Sweets, and Laughter
Later that day, for the first time in years, the mountain stronghold echoed not with clashing blades or roaring qi—but with laughter.
Mu Chen and the demi-human brothers created a makeshift playground in the training yard using wooden swords and simple spirit illusions. Candy was passed around—spiritual fruit dipped in honey, sweet buns from the city, and treats bought just for her.
Xue'er giggled as the demi-human brothers turned into silly illusionary animals. She even climbed onto Hei Mo's back, demanding, "Faster, demon brother!"
He obliged, growling playfully as he ran around the yard with her on his shoulders.
Everyone watching smiled.
Even cultivators needed warmth.
And Xue'er… was their flame.
Secret Preparations
Later that night, the stars shimmered above the darkened peaks. Xuan Long stood in a torch-lit underground chamber, speaking to Hei Mo.
"I need a way to control certain people permanently," Xuan Long said. "Loyalty is fragile in this world."
Hei Mo nodded.
"There are two methods, Master," he replied. "The Oath of Soul—binding someone through a spiritual contract. Once signed, their soul is linked to yours. If they betray you… they die."
"The second is more ancient. The Mother-Child Insect—a dark parasitic technique. A mother worm lives in the master's core; the child in the target's body. They're connected forever."
Xuan Long's eyes narrowed.
"Start growing the insects. Quietly. We won't use them yet… but we must be ready."
Hei Mo bowed. "As you command."
Ripples of Chaos
Far to the east, in the ancestral halls of the Lu Family's main branch, the elders stood over reports of their mountain family's annihilation.
"The entire branch… gone?" an elder said, stunned.
"Demonic cultivators," another snarled. "They used forbidden arts. Poison. Illusions. Blood techniques. We must act."
"Prepare an elite force," the Patriarch commanded. "We will burn the mountain where they hide. Their souls will scream for eternity."
Elsewhere…
Within the heavenly spires of the Heavenly Flying Sect, silence reigned in the Hall of Discipline.
An elder stood before a jade table.
"All twenty disciples sent to investigate… are dead."
Gasps rang out.
"A rogue army did this?"
"Someone is building a power far too fast."
The Sect Master, a Nascent Soul cultivator with golden eyes like twin suns, opened his mouth for the first time.
"Investigate. Quietly. If they threaten our name… eliminate them."
And so, the shadows began to move.
The storm had not yet arrived.
But the winds had already changed.
In the quiet mountain base, Xuan Long sat by a fire, Xue'er asleep in his arms.
He looked up at the stars.
"They're coming," he whispered.
"Let them."