Chapter 98: Shocking the Whole City.
The sun rose over the horizon, casting a golden hue across the Mystic City. Slowly, the bustling city awakened from its slumber.
The streets, once silent, now filled with the sounds of shopkeepers preparing their stalls, the clattering of carts, and the chatter of servants rushing about.
Yet, amidst this ordinary morning bustle, shocking news began to ripple through the streets like wildfire.
"Have you heard the news?" a woman asked, her voice hushed but urgent.
"News? What news?" her neighbor replied, pausing with curiosity as he arranged the goods in his small stall.
The woman glanced around quickly, her eyes darting left and right to make sure no one else was listening.
She leaned closer, pressing a finger to her lips. "Keep your voice down. This isn’t something to shout about."
The old man frowned.
Why so much secrecy?
What kind of news demanded such cautious behavior?
And this only made his curiosity grow stronger.
When she finally beckoned him closer, he leaned in eagerly. She whispered directly into his ear, her breath trembling with excitement and fear.
"I heard the Gong clan’s store was raided last night... and set ablaze."
The man’s eyes widened. "What!" His shout turned several heads.
"Shhh! Fool!" the woman hissed, glaring at him. "Do you want the whole street to hear you?"
But the man ignored her insult. He stared at her with disbelief. "Are you certain about this?"
"What do you mean by certain?" she snapped, folding her arms.
"Half the city is already talking about it. If you don’t believe me, go and see with your own eyes." Snorting, she turned back to arrange her wares, no longer interested in indulging his shock.
The old man, however, felt a chill run down his spine.
The Gong clan was not weak; they might not rival the Jun clan, but their power ran deeper than most dared to admit.
Even the two great academies treated them with respect.
And yet, someone had dared to attack their store?
Burn it to the ground?
Without waiting another moment, he hurried off toward the Gong clan’s store, his heart pounding.
....
Inside the City Lord’s mansion, the atmosphere was far more controlled.
The City Lord sat calmly, sipping tea as his butler finished recounting the night’s events.
"My Lord," the old butler asked cautiously, "Who do you think would dare such a thing?"
The City Lord’s expression did not shift, his gaze steady and unreadable. He understood the weight of the matter well.
The Gong clan’s store being destroyed wasn’t just a private blood feud. It was an open act that threatened the fragile balance of power within the city.
"How would I know?" he said at last, setting down his cup.
"Send the guards to investigate, but do not dig too deep." He waved his hand, signaling the end of the conversation.
"Yes, My Lord." The butler bowed deeply before leaving.
Left alone, the City Lord leaned back in his chair, squinting as he muttered, "Could it be him?"
There was only one name in his mind: Jun Wu.
The boy had been dismissed as trash for so long, yet lately his actions had shaken the entire city.
Still, the City Lord could not fathom why Jun Wu would target the Gong clan.
After a long moment of thought, he shook his head. "This has nothing to do with me," he whispered.
"Let the clans handle their own quarrels."
....
At the Mystic Path Academy, the vice dean sat behind his desk, his sharp eyes fixed on the woman standing respectfully before him.
"Who do you think is responsible for this?" he asked.
The woman bowed her head slightly. "I cannot say for certain. But apart from the Jun clan, who else would be bold enough to kill and set the Gong clan’s store ablaze?"
The vice dean drummed his fingers on the table, thoughtful. "Very well. Ensure that no student leaves the academy premises for the next week. We cannot predict how the Gong clan will respond to such a blatant provocation."
"Yes, Vice Dean," the woman replied with a respectful nod before hurrying away.
When she was gone, the vice dean exhaled slowly.
Like many others, he suspected the Jun clan, but he could not understand why.
Unable to unravel it, he resolved to remain cautious and simply observe how the situation unfolded.
...
In the Han clan mansion, the scene was far less composed.
The Han clan master lay wrapped in bandages, his body resembling a mummy, only his weary eyes visible. He winced in pain with every breath.
"W-What... do you say?" he croaked, his voice hoarse.
His butler knelt beside him, his tone grave. "My Lord, the Gong clan store has been razed to the ground. Everyone inside was slaughtered."
The Han clan master’s eyes widened, and pain shot through his body so suddenly that he let out a sharp cry.
"My Lord, please, calm yourself!" the butler pleaded, rushing to steady him.
But the Han clan master barely heard him.
His mind was filled with the terrifying face of Jun Wu, a face that haunted his thoughts since their last encounter.
He had originally planned to warn the Gong clan about Jun Wu, but now...
Jun Wu’s warning still echoed in his ears.
When had the boy transformed into such a monster?
His heart thudded heavily, fear coiling in his chest.
’From now on, I must avoid that demon at all costs,’ he swore silently.
Unbeknownst to him, the Chen clan master and the Lian clan master were arriving at the same conclusion.
They were merchants, not warriors.
They had no desire to provoke Jun Wu again.
Better to let the Gong clan fight their own battles than be dragged into his wrath.
Their only concern now was survival, and perhaps repairing their fractured ties with Jun Wu.
And while speculation raged in the city, a lone carriage galloped through the streets, its wheels clattering against the cobblestones.
It drew to a stop before the Jun Wu’s mansion gate.
From within the carriage, a young woman stepped out. She was coldly beautiful, her presence commanding immediate attention.
She lifted her gaze toward the mansion doors, her eyes unreadable.