Dahua City.
Most of the shops along the way were tightly shuttered.
Occasionally, a few pedestrians hurried past the street corners, all wearing expressions of fear.
Wang Canglan walked all the way to the east of the city.
From a distance, he saw that manor which occupied a vast area.
The red silk on the vermilion gates had not yet been removed, but it was blown crookedly by the wind, hanging halfway off the doorframe.
The stone lions guarding the residence were still tied with large red flowers.
However, after several days of wind and rain, the red flowers had withered and drooped, looking as if they had been beaten up.
Beside the vermilion gates, the two welcoming Deer Demons that should have been there were naturally nowhere to be seen.
In their place were several Ma Family servants with tense expressions.
They watched every passerby on the street with vigilance.
When someone approached within a few steps, the servants would all tighten their grip on their sword hilts at once.
Only after confirming the person was just a passerby would they breathe a small sigh of relief.
Wang Canglan took it all in.
This appearance of facing a formidable foe indeed matched what the people in the teahouse had said.
He was in no hurry to approach.
First, he found a shaded corner in an empty alley across the street, sat cross-legged, and circulated his power to suppress the surging Pure Yang Fire within his body.
Once the scorching heat subsided slightly,
He straightened his robes, put on a gentle and humble smile, and stepped toward the main gate of the Ma Residence.
"Halt."
But before he could get within five zhang of the gate, he was stopped by a low shout.
Three servants stepped out with swords drawn, blocking his path.
The leader was a sallow-faced middle-aged man with a raspy voice.
"What are you doing here?"
Wang Canglan cupped his hands, his smile amiable. "I am a Loose Cultivator traveling through this area. I heard that the Ma Family of Dahua is a prominent clan of Cultivators in the Yu Mountain Great Range, so I have come specifically to pay my respects."
The middle-aged servant sized him up from head to toe.
His gaze lingered for a moment longer on those red robes.
"The Ma Family is not seeing guests."
His tone was blunt, leaving no room for negotiation.
The smile on Wang Canglan's face did not fade. Just as he was about to speak again, he heard a flurry of footsteps from inside the manor gates.
Several servants were carrying trunks and boxes of all sizes on their shoulders or in their hands, heading out.
Behind them followed several women and children with panicked expressions, clutching bundles as they hurried across the front courtyard.
Wang Canglan was slightly taken aback.
Such a commotion...
Are they planning to flee?
Seeing Wang Canglan's gaze peering inside, the middle-aged servant's face darkened, and he took a step across to block his view.
"I said no guests, do you not understand?"
Wang Canglan withdrew his gaze and pondered for a moment.
He didn't want to waste time on these minor characters, but he also couldn't use his cultivation.
But if he couldn't even get through the door...
Thinking of this,
Wang Canglan sighed.
This trip out could be said to have made up for all the setbacks he hadn't experienced in over a thousand years...
He fished out a silk pouch from his sleeve and handed it over.
"I truly have urgent matters to discuss with the Ma Family Head, and I mean no ill will."
He lowered his voice. "This small gift is a token of my respect. I hope you can make an exception."
The middle-aged servant instinctively took the pouch; it felt heavy in his hand.
He pulled open the opening and took a peek.
His pupils shrank suddenly.
What a generous gift!
The middle-aged servant swallowed hard.
After hesitating for a long while,
"Wait here. I'll go report this."
...
After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea,
Old Master Ma finally arrived.
The Old Man looked even more haggard than a few days ago. As he walked out of the manor gates with a hunched back, his steps were unsteady, and two servants followed closely behind him, never leaving his side.
Seeing that the visitor was an unfamiliar man in red robes, a hint of vigilance flashed in Ma Dewang's cloudy old eyes.
"May I ask who Your Excellency is...?"
Wang Canglan bowed with cupped hands, his voice gentle.
"I am but a Loose Cultivator passing through Dahua City. I happened to hear that some changes occurred at the Ma Residence a few days ago..."
Hearing the word "changes,"
Ma Dewang's eyelid twitched.
He involuntarily took half a step back.
"You... who exactly are you?"
The Old Man's voice clearly carried a tremor. "Could you be sent by some Demon Emperor?"
Wang Canglan quickly waved his hands, looking innocent. "Family Head Ma misunderstands. I am just a Loose Cultivator and have no connection to any Demon Emperor."
He paused.
He weighed his words and sighed.
"To be honest, I have a very close friend who passed through the Yu Mountain Great Range some time ago, and there has been no word from him since."
"I have been searching everywhere, and along the way, I heard people mention that a great change occurred at the Ma Residence in Dahua City. I felt anxious, worrying if my friend was caught up in it..."
"Therefore, I took the liberty of visiting, only wishing to ask Family Head Ma about the events of that day to see if there is any news of my friend."
"I have no other intentions."
Although this explanation was made up on the spot, it was watertight.
Ma Dewang sized up Wang Canglan for several breaths.
The Old Man had spent most of his life struggling in Yu Mountain; what kind of person had he not seen?
The red-robed man before him spoke politely and behaved decorously. Though his cultivation was unclear, that gentle, jade-like temperament was definitely not something an ordinary Loose Cultivator could possess.
He shouldn't be here to cause trouble...
But,
Just because someone didn't look like they were looking for trouble, did it mean they really weren't?
In terms of appearance,
Who could look more approachable than that young girl?!
And the result?
She still caused a massive scene at the Ma Residence like a Demon Child!
Ma Dewang shuddered, not daring to think further.
"That friend of yours—what is his name? What does he look like?"
Wang Canglan was prepared and casually made up a name and appearance.
Ma Dewang thought for a moment and shook his head.
"I have no impression of him."
"Although there were many guests at the manor that day, most were local Cultivators or demons... As for outside Loose Cultivators, I didn't pay much attention to others."
Wang Canglan showed a look of disappointment.
Then he asked tentatively,
"Then what exactly happened that day? I've heard several versions on my way here; some say it was quite mysterious, something about a True Dragon descending or black mist covering the sky... I really can't tell which is true and which is false."
Hearing this, Ma Dewang gave a bitter laugh.
He remained silent for a long time.
Finally, he let out a long sigh and gestured with his hand.
"Come inside and we'll talk."
...
A few incense sticks of time later,
Watching the red-robed man's back gradually disappear into the distance,
The servant beside him approached and asked in a low voice,
"Master, this person's origins are unknown. Why did you tell him about the events of that day just like that?"
Ma Dewang was silent for a long time.
"What does it matter if I told him... Everyone in Dahua City knows what should be known. It's just a few words anyway; consider it an act of goodwill... It's just that this principle is the only one I've ever gotten wrong in my life, and it has caused the Ma Family to fall to such a state... Fate truly toys with people, fate truly toys with us..."
The servant was stunned.
He didn't understand what the master meant.
But Ma Dewang did not answer.
He turned around and looked at the Ma Residence's plaque that had hung for thousands of years.
Weather-beaten by wind and sun, the lacquer was mottled.
"Go urge the second brother's branch. See if they've finished packing their things."
Ma Dewang's voice was hoarse.
"Before dawn tomorrow, we must be on our way..."
...
Outside Dahua City,
Wang Canglan stood alone atop a hill.
The cold late-autumn wind poured into his sleeves, making his red robes flutter loudly.
He faced the west.
That endless expanse of vast mountains was being swallowed inch by inch by the twilight.
"Wangchuan, is it..."
The corners of his mouth slowly curled into a ferocious grin.
Crushing a crowd of Demon Emperors...
That truly counts as a Genius.
No wonder she dared to provoke him...
However,
Once that young girl sees an existence even more of a Prodigy than herself,
I wonder what kind of wonderful expression she will have..."