It didn't take them long to reach the Jia Lie Clan estate.
The group moved through the silent streets, shadows stretching long under the moonlight. Jia Lie Ao led the way, face pale but composed. Behind him, two guards dragged along a trembling Liu Xi, whose eyes darted nervously as if the very night might crush him.
When they reached the tall, red gates of the Jia Lie Clan, the guards on duty froze in confusion. Their young master never returned home like this — quiet, cautious, and accompanied by a hooded stranger.
"Open the gate," Jia Lie Ao ordered, his tone sharp but uneasy.
The gates creaked open. Lantern light spilled across the courtyard as servants peeked out, whispering. Something about the air felt heavier than usual.
Wu Chen followed silently.
Inside the main hall, the clan leader Jia Lie Bi waited with several elders. He frowned as his son entered.
"Ao'er, what's going on? You look like you've seen a ghost."
Jia Lie Ao hesitated, then quickly bowed. "Father… this Senior is someone extraordinary. I met him by chance and invited him here as our honored guest."
The elders exchanged doubtful glances. The young master inviting someone with that tone of fear? That didn't sound right.
Before Jia Lie Bi could question further, a weak groan came from behind.
Liu Xi, half-conscious, struggled to lift his head. His face was white, eyes wide with horror.
"He's… he's a Dou Wang (斗王)…!"
The words hit the room like thunder.
"What?" one elder blurted. "A Dou Wang? Here?"
Liu Xi's voice cracked, trembling. "I—I felt it myself… that pressure—so heavy I couldn't breathe! He could've killed us all with a glance!"
Jia Lie Ao froze, realizing any denial would sound like mockery. He clenched his jaw, bowed even lower, and said,
"Yes, Father. Senior's strength is… beyond anything I've ever seen. We were fools to offend him. I brought him here to beg forgiveness."
Jia Lie Bi's face shifted instantly from confusion to alarm. He stepped forward, clasped his fists, and bowed deeply.
"Senior, if our clan or my son has offended you in any way, please forgive us. The Jia Lie Clan would be honored if you would rest here as our guest."
Wu Chen remained silent for a moment, then slowly lifted his gaze.
"Your son was arrogant," he said flatly. "But he knew when to kneel. That's why I'm standing here instead of tearing this place down."
The hall fell utterly still.
Jia Lie Bi bowed deeper. "We understand, Senior. Please, allow us to make amends."
Jia Lie Bi kept his head bowed as silence filled the hall. The only sound was the faint crackle of lanterns.
Then one of the elders, unable to hold back his curiosity, spoke carefully. "Patriarch… Liu Xi looks badly injured. What happened out there?"
Jia Lie Ao hesitated, his mind racing. He couldn't admit they'd been crushed by Xiao Yan in front of his father—not after bringing this "Senior" as a guest.
He swallowed hard. "We… had an encounter at the market, Father. With the Xiao Clan."
Jia Lie Bi's eyes narrowed. "The Xiao Clan? Again?"
"Yes," Jia Lie Ao said quickly. "Their young master, Xiao Yan, was there. He… caused some trouble."
The room stirred. A few elders muttered among themselves.
"Xiao Yan? The fallen genius?"
"What kind of trouble could he cause now?"
Wu Chen stayed silent, leaning back slightly in the chair like a man amused by ants arguing.
Jia Lie Bi turned his glare on his son. "Explain."
Jia Lie Ao clenched his fists. "Liu Xi had a small disagreement with him. Words were exchanged. Things got… physical. Xiao Yan struck first. I intervened to support Liu Xi, but…" He hesitated, glancing at the trembling alchemist on the floor. "…Xiao Yan's strength was beyond what we expected. He beat Liu Xi down before I could stop him."
The elders looked at one another in disbelief.
"What? That boy hasn't even recovered his Dou Qi! How could he overpower Liu Xi?""Impossible. Liu Xi's a six-star Dou Zhe!"
Their confusion filled the air like smoke.
...
The servants moved quickly and politely, their steps soft on the polished stone. A middle-aged woman with a tight bun and lowered eyes led Wu Chen down a side corridor lit by red lanterns. The air smelled faintly of sandalwood and a sharper chemical tang from the clan's pill rooms.
"This way, Senior," she whispered.
Wu Chen nodded without much expression, his hooded shape sliding like a dark smudge through the hall. Jia Lie Ao followed at a careful distance, his earlier pride gone. He kept silent. Liu Xi had been taken to the healers' wing; his soft cries faded down the corridor like an insect's dying buzz.
"If you need anything, Senior, ring the bell," the servant said, bowing so low her forehead nearly touched the floor. She slipped away like smoke, leaving Wu Chen in the hush.
He pushed back his hood a little, revealing sharp features scarred by many fights. The door clicked shut, and he breathed out, his shoulders finally relaxing. Dou Wang — what a useful mask, he thought. In this small town, a single title made people kneel.
He lay back on the bed with his hands behind his head and watched the latticed ceiling. Moonlight came through the paper windows in silver patches. But his thoughts were busy, sorting the night's chances into plans.
Hours passed in silence. The room was quiet except for the soft crackle of the brazier and the distant murmur of the estate settling into uneasy sleep. Wu Chen's eyes remained closed, but his mind never rested. Tho
A faint breeze stirred the paper windows. Wu Chen muttered under his breath, almost a whisper to himself, "She should be here…"