The streets of Clearwater City were beginning to quiet as dusk settled into full night.
Jin Hao navigated the twisting alleys, avoiding the main thoroughfares where the city guards maintained their patrols.
He reached the perimeter of the Jin Family Estate. The explosion from the previous night had left a scorched hole in the western wall, but it was now heavily guarded by dozens of anxious sentries.
He scaled a tall oak tree near the eastern servant's entrance, settling onto a thick branch that offered a clear view of the staging area.
Below him, the courtyard was a hive of frantic activity.
Three reinforced ironwood carriages sat in the center, their wheels groaning under the immense weight they bore. Guards were hauling heavy chests bound with glowing spirit seals and loading them into the carriages.
The air was thick with the scent of high grade medicinal pills and the metallic tang of refined ores.
He watched intently as the last of the chests were secured. A squad of ten elite guards, all at the Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment, formed a tight perimeter around the carriages.
"Ten elites," Jin Hao scoffed silently. "Is that the best you can do, Bolin? You underestimate me."
The heavy gates of the eastern entrance swung open with a dull screech. The convoy began to move, the iron rimmed wheels clattering loudly against the cobblestones.
They turned right, heading toward the less populated merchant roads that led to the Iron Lotus Compound.
Jin Hao waited until the convoy was a block away before slipping down from the tree.
He followed them like a shadow, moving effortlessly from rooftop to rooftop, keeping pace with the lumbering carriages.
The route took them away from the bustling center of Clearwater City, winding through a district of warehouses that were empty and silent at night.
It was a secluded stretch of road, bordered by high brick walls.
There were no ambient lights here, only the flickering torches carried by the escorting guards.
"Perfect," Jin Hao murmured, a cruel smile touching his lips.
He leaped from a rooftop, landing lightly in the center of the road, directly in the path of the approaching convoy.
The lead carriage jolted to a halt as the driver pulled hard on the reins. The elite guards instantly drew their weapons, forming a defensive wall in front of the transport.
"Who goes there?!" the lead guard shouted, leveling his spear at the hooded figure. "This is a Jin Family transport! Step aside or be cut down!"
Jin Hao stood perfectly still, letting the silence stretch for a long moment. Then, he slowly reached up and pulled back his hood.
The guards froze. Recognition dawned on their faces, quickly followed by a mixture of shock and fear. The stories of the crater in the slums had already spread through the ranks.
"Jin Hao!" the lead guard gasped. "You... you madman! You dare show your face here?"
"I dare," Jin Hao sneered. "Now, step aside and leave the carriages and I might let you live long enough to tell my uncle I said hello."
The guards exchanged nervous glances, but their discipline held.
"Formation!" the leader barked. "Take him down!"
The ten elites surged forward, their Qi flaring as they launched a coordinated assault.
Jin Hao raised his right hand.
He channeled his Qi, igniting the Celestial Fire Purging Palm.
A blinding white gold flame erupted around his hand and forearm, casting stark shadows against the brick walls.
He thrust his palm forward.
A spectral hand made of pure white fire roared down the street. The fiery palm slammed into the front line of guards.
The heat was so intense that their armor simply melted into slag and their bodies were reduced to ash in a fraction of a second.
Four elite Foundation Establishment guards were erased from existence in a single heartbeat.
The remaining six guards halted their charge, their eyes wide with pants wetting terror.
"What... what is that art?!" one of them choked out, backing away.
"That," Jin Hao said, walking slowly toward them, the white fire still crackling around his hand, "is the power of a true genius."
He raised his hand again, an arrogant laugh escaping his lips. He unleashed another wave of the Celestial Fire Purging Palm.
The white gold flames roared forward, enveloping three more guards who were too paralyzed by fear to even attempt a dodge. They were vaporized instantly.
The last three guards broke. They dropped their weapons and turned to run, their courage entirely shattered.
"Cowards," Jin Hao spat.
He casually flicked his wrist, sending three small bolts of white fire tearing through the air. The bolts pierced their backs, expanding upon impact and reducing them to cinders.
The street fell silent, save for the panicked whinnying of the carriage horses.
Jin Hao stood alone amidst the drifting ash, his chest heaving slightly. The power of the technique was intoxicating. He felt invincible.
He turned his attention to the three heavy carriages. The sealed chests inside were practically vibrating with stored energy.
He took a step toward the first carriage, his hand outstretched to initiate the Devour protocol.
Suddenly, the air around him grew unbearably heavy. It was a crushing pressure that slammed down on his shoulders, forcing him to his knees. The cobblestones beneath him cracked.
The ambient Qi in the street froze, solidifying into an invisible vice.
"A very impressive display of power, nephew," a familiar voice echoed from the shadows of the warehouse roof above.
Jin Hao gritted his teeth, fighting against the crushing pressure to look up.
Standing on the edge of the roof, his gold threaded robes billowing in an unnatural wind, was Patriarch Jin Bolin.
Behind him, dropping silently from the surrounding rooftops, were twenty more figures. They were the Jin Family's core elders, all possessing cultivation at the Peak of Foundation Establishment or the Initial Stage of the Golden Core realm.
They landed in a perfect circle, completely surrounding Jin Hao and the carriages.
Jin Hao's heart hammered against his ribs. The smug arrogance vanished, replaced by a cold spike of realization.
"You..." Jin Hao gasped, struggling to push himself up against the oppressive aura. "This... this was a trap."
Bolin floated down from the roof, landing lightly on the cobblestones. He walked slowly toward his nephew, his hands clasped behind his back.
"Of course it was a trap, you imbecile," Bolin sneered, his voice dripping with contempt. "Did you truly believe I would move the bulk of my remaining wealth through the city with only a token guard of ten men?"
He stopped a few paces away, looking down at Jin Hao with undisguised disgust. "Your greatest sin, Hao'er, is that you are stupid. You think with your greed, not your brain."
Bolin gestured to the three carriages. "There is nothing of value in those chests. They are filled with rocks and cheap iron, enchanted to give off a strong spiritual signature."
Jin Hao stared at the carriages, the realization crashing down on him. The "secret relocation." It was all a lie. A carefully constructed narrative designed specifically for him.
"How?" Jin Hao snarled, forcing himself to his feet, his knees trembling under Bolin's Golden Core pressure. "How did you know I would come?"
Bolin laughed. "Because, you arrogant fool, you leave a trail of arrogance a mile wide. When you miraculously escaped the slum shack, I knew you had an informant. Someone was feeding you information."
He took a step closer. "I suspected there were spies among the servants. So, I had my most trusted captains loudly discuss a 'secret relocation' of our assets, making sure the rumor reached the ears of every low level maid and stable hand in the estate."
Bolin's eyes narrowed. "I knew that whoever was helping you would pass the message along. And here you are."
Jin Hao felt a cold dread settle in his stomach. Su Lian's maid, Suyu. She had heard the rumor in the market. She had brought it to Su Lian and Su Lian had brought it to him.
Su Lian.
The thought of her, waiting for him in the safe house, her eyes filled with trust... it fueled a sudden surge of anger. He had to get back to her. He had promised.
He ignited the Celestial Fire Purging Palm again, the white gold flame roaring to life around his hand, pushing back slightly against Bolin's aura.
"I wiped out your elite squad," Jin Hao threatened, leveling his burning hand at his uncle. "I will burn you to ash just like them."
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