Tian Heng was ecstatic. His grin stretched wide, the kind that only greed could sharpen. Before him stood Yun Che—known here under the alias Mu Che—and the fool had just shouldered the debts of every patron in the house. To Tian Heng, this was divine irony.
A thousand men could come and go, but one man this stupid—one man who would throw himself into ruin with a smile—was a prize from the heavens.
"Mu Che…" Tian Heng drawled, lounging back in his chair, his rings clinking as he steepled his fingers. "You must be truly stupid to shoulder all this debt. Every coin. Every loss. It's your neck now."
Yun Che only tilted his head, that familiar, lazy smirk playing across his lips. "Maybe," he said, voice calm as silk. "But who said I won't be paying them?"
The crowd stirred. The gamblers who had been ready to flee—men who moments ago had been prepared to cut their losses and run—now leaned closer. The Jin Family soldiers had offered to escort them safely to the watchkeep, but not one of them moved. Curiosity rooted them to the floor.
They weren't staying for Tian Heng.
They were staying to see if this quiet, grinning stranger could actually beat him at his own game.
Tian Heng's smile twitched. "Do you really want to do this, Mu Che?"
"Yeah," Yun Che replied, reaching into his sleeve. "You won't mind if I buy a chip worth one million purple profound coins, right?"
The hall went dead silent.
Every head turned. One million purple profound coins was a fortune—enough to buy a small sect or raise a town.
Tian Heng blinked, then barked a laugh that didn't reach his eyes. "You want to add another million to your debt?"
Yun Che's grin widened. "Don't mind if I do."
Tian Heng motioned sharply. One of his attendants scurried forward with a parchment and ink. With a dramatic flourish, the gambling lord wrote out the IOU himself, stamping it with the seal of the First Gambling House.
When he was done, he slid a large, gleaming chip across the table. The chip shimmered faintly—purple gold, etched with protective arrays, radiating wealth and danger both.
Yun Che caught it between two fingers, twirling it once before setting it on the table with a click.
Even Mulan and Xia Qingyue, watching from the balcony, exchanged glances. Qingyue's gaze narrowed, the faintest sigh escaping her lips. Mulan folded her arms, half-frustrated, half-impressed.
They both knew that look in Yun Che's eyes—reckless, daring, but never without reason. Might be cheeky all the time but, extremely smart and calculative.
"Let's play it like this," Yun Che said casually, flipping the massive purple-gold chip between his fingers. The motion was lazy, deliberate—like a predator stretching before a kill.
Tian Heng leaned forward, eyes gleaming with anticipation. "So, what will it be?"
"The same as before," Yun Che replied. "Big or small."
A low chuckle rumbled from Tian Heng's throat. "Big or small, eh?" he said, voice dripping with confidence. "Simple enough for a man who doesn't understand what he's walking into."
He raised the dice cup, shaking it expertly, the motion smooth and practiced. Inside, his special dice—modified through a delicate array—rolled in perfect sync with his intent. Just a flick of the wrist, a subtle twist, and he could decide the outcome before the cup ever touched the table.
The crowd leaned in, eyes darting between the two men. Yun Che stood still, hands loose at his sides, no trace of tension.
Tian Heng's smirk deepened. "Big or small?" he repeated.
Yun Che's gaze flicked briefly toward the dice cup. His spiritual sense swept across it once—reading the faint distortion, the trick of the weighted rune etched on the hidden corner. He smiled faintly.
Yun Che smiled, sliding his purple-gold chip forward across the table. "Small," he repeated calmly, the single word cutting through the air like a blade.
Tian Heng's grin turned predatory. Perfect. He'd roll the dice to show a big number—enough to crush the boy's arrogance in front of everyone. He tilted his hand ever so slightly, and the dice fell exactly as he wanted them to.
"This is over, kid," he said, flipping the cup open with a flourish.
Yun Che didn't even blink.
As Tian Heng leaned back, victory already swelling in his chest, Yun Che's fingers tapped the table once—softly, rhythmically. The sound was almost nothing, just a faint thunk that resonated through the wood.
The dice twitched.
A subtle vibration, a ripple of profound energy guided by Yun Che's control of vibration—not enough for anyone to notice, but just enough to reflip the dice. They rolled over each other once… twice… and then stopped.
Small.
The room fell silent.
Tian Heng froze, eyes wide. "W–what…?"
He placed the chip before Tian Heng's stunned face. "I'll take my winnings now."
The attendants looked between the dice, the cup, and Tian Heng, unsure of what to do. The crowd erupted in murmurs—some cheering, some laughing, others whispering about the impossible switch they had just witnessed.
Yun Che simply turned the chip once between his fingers and added with a grin, "You might want to use fair dice next time."
And for the first time all night, Tian Heng's confident smirk broke.
"Next round?"
Tian Heng's tone was still confident, but there was a slight tremor in it — the kind that slips through when arrogance starts giving way to disbelief.
"Sure," Yun Che replied, almost too casually.
And so they played again.
Yun Che smiled faintly. "Then let's try something new."
He reached into his coat and produced a small, rectangular deck — cards of a type no one in this realm had ever seen. Sleek. Painted. Lined with symbols and numbers.
"I propose a game from where I come from," he said, shuffling them with one hand, the cards snapping sharply in the quiet room. "We call it… Black Jack."
The crowd leaned forward, murmuring.
Yun Che spread the cards face-up for a moment. A full deck — fifty-two cards, divided into four suits. Numbers one through ten, and four letters: J, Q, K, and A.
The writing on the cards shimmered faintly as he infused a bit of profound energy into them — the symbols subtly morphing to the language of the Blue Wind Empire.
J is 勾儿
Q is 圈儿
K is 凯
A is 尖儿
He looked up, meeting Tian Heng's eyes with that same calm, confident smile. "I assume you know how to count?"
Tian Heng's jaw flexed. "Damn you… of course I know."
"Good," Yun Che said pleasantly.
He handed the deck to one of Tian Heng's dealers. "You'll handle the cards. Fair play, right? Here's how it works: both players start with two cards. You can take more to get as close as possible to twenty-one. Go over, and you lose. Whoever gets closer wins. Cards can't be swapped, and the top card must be taken as it is. Simple enough?"
Tian Heng's eyes narrowed. A game of pure chance, it seemed. No hidden dice. No sleight-of-hand tricks. No illusions.
He sneered. "Fine."
The dealer shuffled and dealt. The cards hit the table — two for Tian Heng, two for Yun Che.
Tian Heng glanced down, lips twitching. Not bad. Not perfect, but workable. He took a breath, pretending calm. "Hit," he said, gesturing for another card.
The dealer placed one face-up.
The crowd craned their necks to see.
Yun Che simply leaned back, arms crossed, that knowing smile never once leaving his face.
In truth, his spiritual perception was already spread across the deck. He could see through every layer of card stock, every etched symbol. For him, the deck wasn't mystery — it was math. Every card was already turned face-up in his mind.
He wasn't gambling. He was choreographing the entire game.
Tian Heng didn't know it yet — but the moment he said "Hit," his fate had already been sealed.
Tian Heng's knuckles were white as he held his final card. The dealer's hand hovered over the deck, waiting.
"Done," he growled.
Across the table, Yun Che smiled faintly. "Done," he echoed, leaning back as if this were just another casual game between friends.
The air was thick with anticipation. The crowd that had gathered was silent—so silent they could hear the faint crackle of the lantern flames on the walls. Even the attendants had stopped moving.
Tian Heng's grin widened as he flipped his cards. "Twenty."
A safe hand. A winning hand in any normal game. He savored the number, letting the crowd murmur its approval before turning his gloating eyes toward Yun Che. "Your move, Mu Che. Let's see if your luck holds."
Yun Che's smile didn't waver. He slid his fingers over his cards, then turned them one by one.
Ten. Ace.
Twenty-one.
A perfect score.
The crowd erupted. Gasps, shouts, even laughter filled the gambling hall. The noise rolled through the room like thunder.
Tian Heng's grin froze—then cracked. He stared down at the cards as if the numbers might change if he glared hard enough. "What—how—"
Yun Che tapped his winning hand lightly against the table, a small, confident smile tugging at his lips. "Guess I win this one too."
The dealer's voice cracked as he announced the result, but the crowd hardly needed the confirmation. They had seen it with their own eyes. Every game, every hand, every twist of fate had gone Yun Che's way.
Two purple-gold chips became four. Four became eight. Eight became sixteen. Sixteen became thirty-two. Thirty-two became sixty-four. Sixty-four became one hundred and twenty-eight.
By now, the once-raucous First Gambling House had fallen utterly silent. No laughter, no chatter—only the sound of hearts pounding in disbelief.
Each victory had multiplied his winnings as Yun Che calmly pushed everything forward, going all in with the quiet assurance of someone who already knew the outcome. Whether his hand was a perfect blackjack, a flawless twenty, or simply a safe number while Tian Heng overreached and busted, Yun Che never faltered.
And Tian Heng… he was unraveling.
He had switched dealers. He had even rigged the shuffling with an embedded array, ensuring that every card would fall to his advantage. He aimed for the blackjack each time, setting the deck so Yun Che would pull nothing but mediocrity—numbers too low to compete.
Yet every time, Yun Che seemed to know.
When the odds tilted toward Tian Heng, Yun Che would push just one small card forward, letting the other man "win" in meaningless rounds to bait him deeper. But when the deck turned in his favor—when the pattern shifted just enough—Yun Che's eyes would gleam faintly, and he'd slide his entire pile forward without hesitation.
"All in," he would say softly.
No one ever saw him move. No one noticed how his fingertip brushed the edge of the table just as the dealer dealt, how a whisper of profound energy nudged the cards Tian Heng had stacked. To the untrained eye, it looked like fate itself was on Yun Che's side.
But for those who watched closely—Mulan, Qingyue—they saw the truth. It wasn't luck. It was control.
Each time Tian Heng tried to cheat, Yun Che subtly divided the deck mid-shuffle with a flick of spiritual energy, scattering the cards the man had arranged. Tian Heng never realized that the trap he laid was turned against him the instant the cards left his hands.
And now, it was over.
Finally, the dealer—sweating and pale—began counting the chips, his trembling fingers brushing the polished surface of the purple-gold cards. The pile in front of Yun Che doubled again, climbing higher and higher until the gleaming tower of wealth seemed almost surreal.
Two hundred and fifty-six purple-gold cards. Two hundred and fifty-six million purple profound coins.
The weight of it pressed on the entire hall like a physical thing.
Tian Heng's breath came ragged, his jaw tight. The color drained from his face as he stared at the impossible stack of winnings before him—each card a nail in his own coffin.
Around them, the gamblers whispered:
"Impossible…""He's untouchable…""Is he even human?"
Yun Che leaned back in his chair, the faintest smirk curving his lips. The light from the lanterns gleamed in his eyes like molten gold as he looked across the table at Tian Heng, who now sat frozen in disbelief.
"Still want to play another round?" he asked calmly.
And for the first time all night, Tian Heng had no answer.
Two hundred and fifty-six million purple profound coins. And with just one more round, the debts of every patron in the house would be paid in full—and Tian Heng would owe Yun Che another seventy-one million on top of it.
Every eye was on the table. Even the gamblers who'd once cheered Tian Heng's name now watched Yun Che with awe and disbelief. The man wasn't playing — he was dissecting every game piece by piece, exposing its bones for everyone to see.
Someone in the crowd whispered, "He's blessed by luck…"
"No," Mulan muttered under her breath from the upper balcony.
Xia Qingyue glanced sideways, her tone even. "Luck has nothing to do with it."
Mulan's lips curved slightly. "Observation. Sleight of hand. Precision. He's not even gambling."
Yun Che reached forward, stacking the cards neatly before him. "So…" He glanced up, eyes glinting with amusement. "What will it be?"
Tian Heng's composure finally broke. "Damn you!" he spat, slamming his fist on the table. "Damn you!"
"Oh, come now." Yun Che's voice was light, his smile infuriatingly calm. "Don't be a sore loser. I thought this was your game?"
He leaned back in his chair, resting an elbow casually against the table's edge as Tian Heng seethed, his entire body trembling with barely restrained rage.
The crowd laughed now—not cruelly, but with the breathless delight of witnessing a tyrant humbled. Coins clinked, whispers raced through the air, and for the first time in years, the First Gambling House didn't belong to Tian Heng.
It all came down to the final round.
The air in the gambling house was so thick with tension it could have been cut with a blade. Every gambler, every servant, every soldier watching from the walls held their breath. The lamps flickered, their flames trembling with the charged energy between the two men seated across from each other.
If Yun Che won this last game, not only would every debt in the gambling house be paid—but Tian Heng himself would owe him seventy-one million purple profound coins. A sum so massive it could buy entire provinces.
The dealer set the cards. Two for each player.
Yun Che leaned back, that same infuriatingly calm smile on his lips, as if he already knew how this would end. Across from him, Tian Heng's jaw tightened. The once-proud gambling lord's hands shook as he glanced down at his cards. Not terrible, but not good either.
"Your move," Yun Che said simply, voice smooth as glass.
Tian Heng hesitated. His instincts screamed for him to stay. But that smug grin—that quiet, unshakable confidence on Yun Che's face—burned through his pride like acid. He couldn't stand it. He had to beat him.
"Hit," Tian Heng snapped.
The dealer obeyed, sliding a card forward.
Tian Heng flipped it open—then froze.
"Twenty-four…" he whispered.
Busted.
The word rippled through the hall like a thunderclap.
For a long, suspended moment, there was only silence. Then Yun Che chuckled softly, tossing his cards onto the table.
A clean, steady fifteen.
He hadn't even bothered to pull another card.
The quiet broke into chaos. The patrons—once debt-ridden, broken men—erupted in cheers that shook the walls. They shouted his name, pounding their fists against the tables, the floor, anything to release the surge of disbelief and euphoria flooding the room.
"He did it!"
"All debts cleared!"
"Mu Che—no, Master Mu Che! He actually did it!"
The dealer's hands trembled as he pushed the final pile of purple-gold chips toward Yun Che, his voice barely steady enough to speak. "A-all debts… have been paid in full…"
Tian Heng sat frozen, eyes wide, mouth dry, the color drained from his face. The mountain of wealth he'd built on deceit, greed, and fear had crumbled before him—all undone by a single man who'd never gambled at all.
Yun Che rose slowly, sweeping the pile of winnings into his hand. His smile remained calm, almost polite, as if this were all routine.
"Pleasure doing business," Yun Che said, his tone smooth—almost gentle—but every syllable cut sharper than a blade.
He turned the last purple-gold chip between his fingers, letting the lamplight glint off its polished surface. The crowd was still roaring, but his voice sliced through the noise effortlessly.
"Debts cleared." He glanced down at Tian Heng, who sat rigid, pale, and sweating beneath the weight of his ruin. "As for the seventy-one million…" Yun Che paused, his smirk returning. "I heard the Xu Family and Zhang Family backed you, didn't they?"
Tian Heng's eyes twitched. "What about it?" he spat, trying to sound defiant, but the tremor in his voice betrayed him.
Yun Che twirled the chip once more between his fingers before letting it fall onto the table with a sharp click. "Seventy-one million purple profound coins…" he repeated, letting the number roll lazily off his tongue. "Isn't that the exact amount the Xu and Zhang families still owe the Jin Family?"
The color drained from Tian Heng's face.
"You—" he began, but Yun Che was already turning away, his coat fluttering behind him as if the matter bored him now.
"Well," he said casually, glancing over his shoulder with that infuriating half-smile, "I suppose you'll be paying them next. Make sure to settle the debt properly. I'd hate for you to owe twice."
A ripple of laughter ran through the crowd, followed by thunderous applause and cheers.
The soldiers, gamblers, and merchants—men who had once trembled in debt under Tian Heng's thumb—now stood and bowed their heads as Yun Che walked past. His footsteps were calm, unhurried, each one echoing with the sound of poetic justice.
Behind him, Tian Heng slumped into his chair, his trembling hands clutching the table's edge. The world that had once revolved around his greed and manipulation had collapsed in a single night. His empire, his pride, his arrogance—all dismantled by the man who never gambled to begin with.
Clap… clap… clap.
The applause was slow, sardonic — the room's new mood, half celebration, half challenge.
"So, It is really you, Mu Che… Rumor had it you were dead. Now you came back and dragged Tian Heng under the mud. Now, you're dragging us?" an older man said, stepping forward. Flanking him were two familiar faces from the tournament: a woman with a sharp, practiced smile and a man with the same greasy bravado who'd tried to hypnotize his opponent.
The woman's name snapped through Yun Che's memory like a thorn — Xu Qian. She'd been the one to harass him in the arena, to call him her nominal husband, to demand divorce theatrics before he'd wound up with Jin Mulan. Now she stood here with a fiancé and a middle-aged patriarch at her shoulder.
"You don't even give face," the middle-aged man said, forcing a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Remember your own father-in-law?"
A ripple of murmurs ran around the hall. Heads turned. Conversations dropped like knives. The patrons watched as the elderly figure moved forward — the patriarch himself: Xu Guangyun.
Xu Guangyun's voice was velvet over iron. "I knew Xu Qian divorced you, but harboring a grudge against the entire family… that was unnecessary. Why not let bygones be bygones?" He smiled in a way that suggested forgiveness was a favor owed to him.
Yun Che didn't bother with formalities. He looked Xu Qian up and down and said bluntly, "Oh, you're that woman from the tournament. Didn't Retsu chase you off?"
He eyes her fiancée next to her. "Weren't you the one caught cheating against me?"
"You—" Xu Qian bristled. Her fiancé paled. The man who'd once tried to hypnotize someone in the arena stepped forward, face flushed with a mix of outrage and embarrassment.
"You!" Zhang Jin thundered, pointing a shaking finger. "If you hadn't existed, I would have won!"
"How entitled are you," Yun Che said flatly, "to blame the only man who exposed your tricks?"
Watching them, something cold and precise flickered through Yun Che's mind. He had seen people like this in his world—predators wrapped in the silk of virtue, masters of twisting blame until they looked like the wounded party.
They always claimed righteousness, even as they fed on others. When they lost, they wailed injustice; when they won, they called it destiny.
He had seen entire nations fall to people like that in the previous world—self-proclaimed saviors who burned cities "for peace," who crushed the innocent and called it justice. The pattern was always the same: the louder they cried for fairness, the more they feared its true weight.
Pathetic, he thought.
In every age, the world eventually balances the scales. Those who build their thrones on deceit are always the first to drown when truth comes rushing back.
He let the thought slide down like a stone. For tonight, Yun Che wasn't the one to mete out justice. That burden—if anyone was worthy to bear it—belonged to Cang Yue.
Across from him, Xu Guangyun's smile faltered as he realized the younger man had already dismissed him. The patriarch straightened his robe, forcing composure back into his voice. "You've made many enemies tonight, Mu Che," he said, tone cool and heavy. "All debts paid—honorable, yes. But honor is costly to those who profit from disorder."
The crowd stirred uneasily, whispers fluttering like leaves in the stale air. Some waited for Yun Che to snap back; others leaned forward, hungry to see what came next.
Yun Che, however, only tilted his head, that faint grin returning. "I didn't come here for enemies," he said lightly. "I came to clear debt."
He let his gaze sweep the hall. "Besides, let's not twist the story. It was Jin Zhuo who paid the debt. He's the one who won the hearts of the people tonight—after being reinstated as lord of this city. The people know what happened under Liu Wuyan's corruption… under the Cang Outer Family's shadow. Now, they also know whom they should trust."
Xu Guangyun's jaw tightened visibly, his nostrils flaring as murmurs rippled through the audience—many nodding in agreement.
At his side, Xu Qian's face flushed crimson. Zhang Jin's knuckles whitened as he fought to keep his composure.
The hall held its breath.
The next move belonged to them.
"Mu Che," Xu Qian began softly, her voice dipping into the same honeyed tone she had once used in the arena. "We don't have to end it this way. We can… settle this peacefully."
She took a slow step forward, letting her eyes glimmer with the same false warmth she'd once weaponized. But before she could come closer—
A sharp, cold pressure filled the hall.
Xu Qian froze. The temperature seemed to drop as two figures descended from above, landing lightly beside Yun Che.
The first, tall and composed, wore the crest of the Jin Family—her hair gleaming like sunlight through amber. Her mere presence exuded strength and pride.
Jin Mulan.
The second, silent and veiled, radiated an almost divine chill that silenced even the whispers of the crowd. Her eyes shone faintly beneath the veil, an ethereal calm masking something far greater.
Xia Qingyue.
The moment their feet touched the ground, Xu Qian and Zhang Jin recoiled instinctively.
"This… aura…" Zhang Jin stammered, stepping back. "Jin Mulan…?"
Xu Qian's breath hitched. Her gaze snapped toward the veiled woman, and color drained from her face. "And that… that's Xia Qingyue!"
Recognition struck her like a blade. The two women standing beside Yun Che weren't just prodigies—they were legends.
The same Xia Qingyue, the veiled beauty whose icy power had nearly frozen the entire arena during the Blue Wind Ranking Tournament. And the Jin Mulan, the former fifth-place finisher—strong, poised, noble—now standing protectively beside the man who had shattered their expectations.
"So she was with Mu Che…" Xu Qian's voice trembled. "I thought they met in the hallway by chance… But they know each other."
Her eyes flicked toward Mulan and hardened. The memory of that day—the public divorce of Mu Che, the humiliation, the disbelief—burned like acid in her chest.
How… how did this happen?
That same man she'd scorned now stood flanked by two of the most powerful women in the empire. Mu Che—the man she'd once thrown away like refuse—had risen to become Yun Che, the strongest youth of the Blue Wind Empire.
The current runner-up, Xia Qingyue. The former fifth-place Jin Mulan from seven years ago. Both standing beside him, united by loyalty and strength.
While she and Zhang Jin—once arrogant, adored, and confident—now stood trembling before them, stripped of all dignity.
The difference was no longer rank or power. It was worth.
"Yeah, I know Xia Qingyue personally," Yun Che said coolly, his gaze steady. "Back then, you didn't."
Xu Qian stiffened. "You… you know her? How could someone like you—"
"That's not your concern." Yun Che's tone cut through her words like a blade. "What is your concern… is the debt your family owes the Jin Family."
He shifted his gaze toward Xu Guangyun, whose forced smile did little to hide his unease."Che'er… we're family once. Surely, you wouldn't be so heartless to your former father-in-law?" the man said with an oily grin.
"Zip it." Yun Che's voice dropped cold, sharp as winter steel. "You tossed me into the streets without a second thought. You lost the right to call me family. So here's the deal — you and the Zhang Family owe the Jin Family seventy-one million purple profound coins. Time to pay up."
Zhang Jin slammed his palm on the table, face red. "Why should we pay? Tian Heng was the one who lost to you!"
"Oh, that?" Yun Che smirked. "I don't plan on collecting his gambling debt. I'm not interested in money won through foolish bets. But the seventy-one million your families stole from the Jin Family after my so-called death? That's a different story."
Xu Guangyun's expression darkened. "Stole? That's a serious accusation."
"Is it?" Yun Che took a step forward, eyes burning with restrained fury. "You ruined them. Drove the Jin Family to the brink — stripping them of their lands, their businesses, their honor. You conspired to remove Jin Zhuo as governor, replaced him with that puppet Liu Wuyan, and poached every ally they had. Seventy-one million purple profound coins' worth of damage."
He paused — his voice low, almost dangerous."So I'm here to collect. Not for myself… but for what you took from them."
Silence pressed against the walls like a physical thing. Even breaths sounded loud. Yun Che's voice, low and certain, cut through it.
"Seventy-one million. I'll give you one chance to make it right."
Xu Guangyun laughed, brittle. "And what makes you think we'll do as you say?"
Yun Che smiled — no warmth in it. "Trust me, old man. After tonight, you won't have the alliances that propped you up. Princess Cang Yue is alive and standing with Jin Zhuo — and she doesn't side with the noble families."
A shadow passed over Xu Guangyun's features. He opened his mouth, closed it.
"You can twist the truth, smear names, and buy loyalties," Yun Che went on, voice cool as steel. "But the people who matter have a new patron — Jin Zhuo freed them from Tian Heng. They remember who helped them. They remember who didn't. Once Cang Yue severs ties to the Outer Cang Family, your control of this region will unravel. The market chaos will stop, and who do you think will be feeding the hungry then?"
"Damn you, Mu Che," Xu Guangyun spat.
Yun Che's grin widened, sharper now. "So what's it going to be? Pay up, or watch everything you built fall apart."
Xu Guangyun's jaw tightened, his molars grinding audibly.
One by one, the events of the past two days flashed through his mind like a string of curses.
Liu Wuyan—taken down last night.
Jin Zhuo—reinstated as City Governor.
Princess Cang Yue—alive and well.
The Wu Clan had been attacked, their security now doubled.
The Nine Noble Families — humiliated, defeated, and shackled in debt to the Jin Family. And Tian Heng — once untouchable — had been stripped of his influence, forcing his debts upon the Xu and Zhang Families to save his own hide.
The marketplace was chaos incarnate. Law enforcers, once loyal to the noble houses, now cowered before a few veiled women whose strength had shattered their ranks overnight. Even the gangs that once patrolled the trade routes to Jin Zhuo's watchkeep had lost control, their power routes severed.
Everything was unraveling.
Xu Guangyun could feel it — the fragile network of favors and intimidation that had kept the noble families in power was crumbling. Their patrons, once the cornerstone of their control, had turned their backs. Without those bindings, the lesser families would start breaking away… and if he dared pressure them now, they might just vanish altogether.
The Wu Clan?
Busy preparing for their grand event, their gates closed, their guards doubled. Word on the streets said they were hunting the culprits behind last night's assault — and Xu Guangyun had a sinking feeling he knew whose hand had orchestrated it all.
Yun Che stood before him — calm, collected, and untouchable. Every move, every word, every "accident" of the past week… led here.
Xu Guangyun's palms began to sweat, but he kept his expression steady. Barely.
This wasn't just revenge. This was a calculated purge.
Xu Guangyun gritted his teeth. Mu Che — that wretched name still carried venom in his mouth. The man who should've stayed dead… had returned. Stronger, sharper, and somehow even more infuriating than before.
Once, he had been nothing — a crippled insect hiding behind the Jin Family's shadow. Now, he stood tall, commanding strength, influence, and fear in equal measure. Ever since his return, the region had turned upside down — chaos spreading like wildfire wherever he walked.
Xu Guangyun had heard whispers of his so-called counterpart's backstory from Mulan. And now, facing him again, the realization only deepened his unease.
Yun Che's eyes glinted with quiet amusement. "I remember being kicked out back then. Tell me, Tian Heng — still think I owe you that thousand gold coins?"
Tian Heng stiffened, anger flashing across his face. "That debt… was already settled."
"Good," Yun Che said with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "I was just wondering if I should play another game to repay it."
"There's no need," Tian Heng muttered, barely restraining himself.
Yun Che's gaze shifted to Xu Guangyun. "And you, former father-in-law… accusing me of stealing a dye that I created myself? You even tried to have me arrested. How shameless can one man be?"
"You—! It was proven you didn't steal the dye! Why bring that up now?!" Xu Guangyun barked, his composure cracking.
"It's not about the dye," Yun Che said coldly, taking a step closer. "It's about what you did when I was down. When I was powerless, you made sure to grind me into the dirt. And now you come here—pretending to make peace?"
He shook his head slowly. "No. I'll let bygones be bygones… but don't mistake that for forgiveness."
"So you're letting the debt go?" Xu Guangyun asked cautiously.
"No." Yun Che's answer was sharp, final.
Xu Guangyun's eyes widened. "But you just said—"
"I said I'd let our matters rest," Yun Che interrupted. "Xu Qian has nothing to do with me. Zhang Jin's cheating, your betrayal, your arrogance — I'm done with it. But the debt…" he paused, his tone dropping low and dangerous, "…belongs to the Jin Family. You'll settle it with them, not me."
Xu Guangyun's jaw tightened, but he didn't reply. The hall was silent once more.
"I guess that concludes today's matter," Yun Che said finally, turning away. His coat fluttered as he walked toward the exit.
Qingyue and Mulan followed closely behind, their expressions unreadable.
The patrons who had stayed behind exchanged uneasy glances before silently following the Jin soldiers back toward the watchkeep.
Their debts were finally paid, but their freedom… that now belonged to the Jin Family. Even so, it wasn't a cruel fate. The Jin Family treated their servants better than any noble house ever did — and every single one of them knew they owed this mercy not just to Jin Zhuo, but above all, to Mu Che.
-------------
The crash of splintering wood echoed through the gambling house as Xu Guangyun hurled a table across the room, shattering it into pieces. The dice scattered across the floor, rolling until they stopped in eerie silence.
"Damn that Mu Che!" he roared, his face flushed with fury. "He's ruining everything! Every plan, every connection—gone! And now he's made us indebted to the Jin Family of all people!"
Xu Qian stood a few steps away, her eyes cold and calculating beneath the flicker of the lantern light. "Father… Mu Che has become a thorn in our side. The cripple Tian Heng once spared has turned into someone we can't even touch."
Xu Guangyun slammed his fist on what remained of the counter, veins bulging on his temple. "He was a problem back then, and he's a bigger one now! That bastard!"
He forced himself to breathe, his chest rising and falling in sharp bursts. After a long, tense moment, he exhaled and straightened, trying to reclaim his composure."…No. We can't act recklessly. Not now."
Xu Qian tilted her head. "Then what do you suggest, father?"
"We'll speak with the Zhang Family's Great Elder. If we want to retake this city, we have to get rid of the Jin Family entirely. Mu Che may be their sword, but if we cut off the arm wielding it…" His eyes gleamed darkly. "…he'll have nothing left to protect."
"The Wu Clan," Xu Qian murmured. "They could be the key."
Xu Guangyun nodded slowly. "Exactly. Their strength, their influence — if we can sway them, or at least use their name, the city might once again fall under our control."
But even as he said it, his voice lacked conviction.
Xu Qian's gaze hardened. She had underestimated Mu Che before — his mind, his adaptability, his ability to survive. Once, he was a crippled fool barely tolerated out of pity. Now, he was a storm — calm on the surface, unstoppable underneath.
She remembered the day they heard of his supposed death — she'd felt relief. But seeing him again… that same relief had turned into something colder. Fear.
Not only was he strong now, but protected — by the Jin Family, by Princess Cang Yue, by people whose names carried weight even the noble families dared not cross.
She glanced at Zhang Jin, who sat in sullen silence beside them. His hands were trembling, though he tried to hide it behind his sleeves.
Xu Qian spoke quietly, her tone flat and sharp."Father… even if we move against him, we'll need more than plans and whispers. We'll need shadows, patience… and someone willing to strike where he won't see it coming."
Xu Guangyun looked at her, eyes narrowing as a slow, dangerous smile crept across his face.
"Then start preparing, Qian'er. This city isn't big enough for both of us and that cripple-turned-hero."
The air in the gambling hall grew heavy again — a mixture of dust, smoke, and the stench of desperation.
-------------
High above the city, Yun Che, Qingyue, and Mulan soared through the skies. The wind rippled against their robes as the sun dipped below the horizon, painting streaks of violet and gold across the clouds.
Qingyue's gaze drifted toward the two ahead of her — Yun Che and Mulan, their majestic wing gliders spread wide behind them, crafted with elegant precision. She felt a faint spark of envy. The craftsmanship was exquisite — delicate, efficient, and alive with faint spiritual energy.
They were Nemu's creations — and Qingyue knew she couldn't simply ask for one. She wanted to earn the girl's affection slowly, genuinely. Not by favor… but by trust.
Her thoughts broke when she finally asked, "Qingyue still can't believe you paid off all that debt… with gambling?"
There was disbelief in her voice — and perhaps a hint of curiosity.
Yun Che turned his head slightly, a small, knowing smile tugging at his lips. "I didn't take any of the money," he said. "Not a single coin. I'm not about to feed you girls with gambled money."
"Then… why gamble at all?"
"Because I had to balance the game," Yun Che replied simply. "I only did it to pay their debts. Rigged or not, gambling isn't about luck when you already know the outcome. It's just… a performance."
Qingyue tilted her head slightly, watching him through the golden light of dusk. "Still… that's quite the performance."
Yun Che chuckled softly. "Don't worry about it. What matters is that the problem's solved. Now the city can breathe again."
He turned midair, a teasing glint in his eyes catching the last streaks of sunset. "So, since we have some time… how about we pay a little visit? I'd like to see what Cang Yue is up to."
Qingyue smiled faintly, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "You mean watch over her."
"Observation," Yun Che corrected smoothly, lips curving into a grin. "It's called tactical concern. I just hope she hasn't transformed into Shin Yue again."
Mulan burst into laughter. "Oh, heavens—remember the last time she did that? She nearly bowed the entire villa down!"
Yun Che chuckled, shaking his head. "Exactly why someone has to keep an eye on her. That girl's divine power is as dramatic as her temper."
His wings flared, catching the golden wind. "Come on, let's go before she decides to 'enlighten' another building. Literally."
"Is this… Shin Yue version of her really that powerful?" Qingyue finally asked, her tone cautious, almost reluctant.
Yun Che glanced at her, his expression sobering. "Qingyue, just don't ever piss her off. Shin Yue isn't someone you can face right now."
He paused, his voice taking on a low, steady weight. "That girl carries over a thousand years of mastery in the ancient arts of water — and not just that. Fire, wind, earth, lightning… she's versed in all of them but she is recently awakened so the other arts are not used for now. What we know now, the water-based ancient arts? That's just one droplet in her ocean."
Qingyue fell silent, the air suddenly colder despite the drifting warmth of dusk.
Yun Che's eyes darkened slightly as he continued. "The first time she awakened was when the Outer Cang Family picked a fight with her — tried to kill her personal attendant. Retsu managed to save the girl, but it was too late. The moment Shin Yue emerged, everything changed. The aura alone turned the entire courtyard into a water park."
"Shin Yue…" Mulan muttered, shaking her head. "The dark side of Little Yue."
"Exactly," Yun Che said. "Cang Yue is the gentle one, the compassionate side — she'll never kill unless there's no choice. But Shin Yue?" His eyes narrowed. "She wouldn't hesitate. She kills like she breathes — calm, efficient, and without remorse."
"The second time was worse," Mulan added quietly. "Cang Yue willingly let Shin Yue take over for a day. But the villa made the mistake of turning the royal palace into their outpost."
Yun Che chuckled darkly. "Big mistake. Shin Yue lost it. She crippled the entire villa. Ling Kun managed to stop her before she flooded the entire sect."
Qingyue stared ahead, speechless for a moment. The image of calm, elegant Cang Yue turning into that — a being of divine rage and elemental chaos — was hard to imagine.
"So… as long as I don't anger her," Qingyue said slowly, "she won't pursue me?"
"Pretty much," Yun Che replied with a small smirk. "Treat her kindly, and she'll act like she doesn't exist. But the moment you threaten what she treasures…" he glanced toward the horizon, "…you'll see why she's called Shin Yue — the Dark Empress. I don't want her to target the Frozen Cloud Asgard or she might become your Asgard's thousand year calamity."
"I see…" Qingyue murmured, nodding faintly. Even with her mastery of the Frozen End Arts, she knew she wouldn't stand a chance. Someone who commanded all five elements of the ancient arts — and did so without restraint — was far beyond her reach.
Still, deep inside, curiosity stirred. The thought of ancient arts — of power so vast it transcended balance — was as dangerous as it was tempting.
And Qingyue, though calm on the surface, could not help but wonder…What would it take to reach that level?
--------------------------------
"So, that's what happened," Yun Che finished, his tone casual but his eyes gleaming with satisfaction. The room still carried echoes of his story—the fall of Tian Heng, the dismantling of every illegal structure the man and his allies had built, the quiet ruin of the Xu and Zhang Families who had once thought themselves untouchable.
"You really caused quite a storm," Cang Yue said softly, folding her arms as her veil fluttered faintly in the evening breeze. Despite her sigh, there was a hint of admiration in her voice. For once, she had seen him not as a reckless fighter, but as someone who fought for the voiceless.
Yun Che chuckled. "Yeah, well—on the bright side, the city's turned upside down. By tomorrow, a surge of new members will flood into the Jin Family."
"More than a surge," Jin Mulan added, her tone measured but proud. "Father's already considering limiting new recruits until proper housing is built inside the Watchkeep. With the new marketplace we secured, the economy's stabilizing. And without those absurd taxes imposed by the Cang Outer Family…" She paused, gazing toward the distant skyline where fires of industry and lanterns alike glowed. "It might take time, but the city will return to its former glory."
Yun Che nodded approvingly. "I'm sure your father can handle it. We've given him the tools—the funds, the manpower. Now it's up to him to rebuild."
Xia Qingyue's voice softened. "So… the woman from before—was that Shin Yue?"
Cang Yue blinked at the sudden question, glancing over. "Yes," she said after a moment, her expression gentling. "That was her."
Her tone carried a mix of gratitude and exasperation. "She's… a bit vile, sure, but also kind of odd."
"Hey, I heard that," came a lazy, teasing voice inside her mind.
Cang Yue's lips twitched, resisting the urge to sigh.
"I see…" Qingyue murmured thoughtfully. "When Yun Che said she could use ancient ice arts—was that true?"
"Yes," Cang Yue said quietly. "But it's not something that can be easily taught. She told me mastering even the first stage could take seventy-five years… and reaching perfection might take a hundred."
Qingyue's eyes widened slightly. "A hundred years…"
Cang Yue nodded. "I can't learn it yet—not until I fully master the Three Sword Style. But one day, when I do, I'll teach you too. We can learn it together."
Qingyue looked at her, surprised, then smiled faintly beneath her veil. "Please… guide me when the time comes."
"Pfff…"
Yun Che tried to hold it in, but the chuckle slipped out anyway.
Xia Qingyue blinked, turning to him with that serene calm of hers, veil fluttering in the evening breeze. "Anything amusing?"
He smirked. "Yeah… it's just odd seeing you get along so easily with Mulan and Little Yue. You, the famous Xia Qingyue of the Frozen Cloud Asgard, making friends like it's nothing."
Qingyue tilted her head slightly, thoughtful. "It's a start," she said softly. "I wish to make… a hundred friends one day."
That caught him off guard. Yun Che blinked, then snorted. "A hundred? You're oddly specific."
"I just think," she continued, gazing toward the Xuanwu City in the distance, "that learning to understand people… could make me stronger. Kinder, maybe. Less… distant."
Yun Che chuckled again, shaking his head. "That statement reminds me of something."
"Oh?" Qingyue's tone was curious, faintly amused. "What kind?"
"An ice queen in my previous realm," he said, lips twitching. "She had trouble talking or socializing in school, but she had this dream—to make a hundred friends. She got help from this stubborn boy who wouldn't take no for an answer. Pfff… I swear, you sound almost like her."
Qingyue blinked, then looked away. "It does sound… oddly familiar," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "Is that strange?"
"Nope," Yun Che said warmly. "It's kind of cute, actually."
"Cute?" she repeated, her tone somewhere between disbelief and embarrassment.
Before she could reply further, Lin Yueru joined the conversation, holding up her new jeweled longbow, its surface gleaming faintly with profound light. "By the way, this bow really is strong," she said, examining it with pride. "How did you even make something like this?"
Yun Che grinned, eyes sparkling with mischief. "Well… I have my ways. You like it?"
Lin Yueru's lips curved into a reluctant smile. "Thank you," she said, then added with a huff, "for a pervert."
He groaned. "You can drop 'pervert' for god's sake."
"Princess Cang Yue, we found these in the treasury. Thought they might interest you."A Jin soldier stepped forward and set two familiar statuettes on the stone table.
Everyone leaned in. The figures were the same as the ones recovered last night—the small, ornate guardians that once held the blue orb fragments. Their metal skin still faintly hummed with residual profound energy.
"Combat adjudicators," Yun Che muttered, recognizing the sigils. "So there were four of them. Someone gave them out as favors…"
"Want to try them out?" Yun Che asked, glancing at Cang Yue and Qingyue.
"Can we?" Cang Yue's voice was bright with curiosity.
"Yes." Yun Che spoke, already stepping forward. "Both of you can handle single blades. Mulan can handle a spear. I'll teach you a simple attack formation to break them. Yueru, you should learn it too—don't rely on your bow all the time."
Lin Yueru blinked, caught off-guard but willing. "You'll teach me a sword technique?" she asked, half-excited, half-horrified.
Yun Che smiled. "I taught this to Retsu and Mio this morning. If they could pick it up, so can you." He reached into the air and called forth a slender blade of condensed light—the Divine Rapier—then assumed a low stance.
The blade flashed as he demonstrated, each motion precise and economical. He moved in a compass pattern: northwest, northeast, southeast, southwest—four strikes that danced around an invisible point—then finished with an upward, shattering blow into the center. The rapier's final strike detonated as a tight, controlled shockwave against the air.
They watched the sequence play out, breath held.
"This technique is called Starry Tear," Yun Che explained. "Five hits: four to lock and pierce vital points, one to collapse the center with concentrated force. If you learn and perfect this version, I'll teach the evolved form—an eleven–hit sequence that expands the pattern and multiplies the impact. But that only comes after you've mastered the basics."
Qingyue's eyes twinkled beneath her veil. Mulan's lips pressed into a determined line. Lin Yueru's grip tightened unconsciously around empty air where her bow would be. Cang Yue's expression softened into the same focused calm she had in battle.
"Show us again?" Cang Yue asked, already settling into a stance without thinking.
Yun Che obliged, repeating the compass turns with measured tempo, letting them imprint the rhythm. The courtyard echoed with the rapier's clean notes. It was simple to watch—and far harder to execute.
"Alright," Yun Che said when he finished. "One by one. I'll correct your form. Remember: it's not about raw power. It's geometry, timing, and where you put your will. Hit the points, then collapse them."
======================
"Can we go back now? It's almost dusk…" Yun Che finally sighed, rubbing his temples as the sun dipped low beyond the courtyard walls. The fading light cast long shadows over the training ground where Cang Yue, Xia Qingyue, Jin Mulan, and Lin Yueru stood, still panting lightly—faces flushed, hair slightly disheveled, determination burning in their eyes.
They had been at it for an hour, each attempting to perfect the Starry Tear. Even though none of them had managed to completely shatter the Combat Adjudicator, they refused to yield. Every strike got sharper, cleaner, closer.
Yun Che had to admit, they were stubborn in the most endearing way.
He opened his mouth to call it off again when a teasing, familiar voice cut through the evening air.
"Araaa… what do we have here?"
He turned around—and his expression softened immediately.
"Ah, Retsu, Mio, and Little Fairy," Yun Che greeted with a small smile.
Unohana Retsu stood poised and serene, her soft eyes taking in the sight of the exhausted yet eager trainees. Mio bounced beside her, expression curious as always. And Chu Yuechan— Little Fairy herself—walked behind them with her usual grace, quiet but unmistakably amused. Even Nemu's drone hovering above them.
"We were waiting at the meeting point for ten minutes," Mio said, pouting slightly, "but none of you showed up, so we decided to come here."
"We would've been there," Yun Che groaned, "if these four hadn't insisted on finishing the Starry Tear before sunset. They've been trying to break the adjudicator nonstop."
Retsu's eyes drifted toward the two metallic guardians standing motionless nearby. "Ara… you found two more?"
"Yup," Yun Che said, gesturing toward them. "And these four won't give up until they break one."
"Starry Tear, hmm?" Retsu mused, her lips curving into a small smile. "Ufufu… they really are persistent."
"They have to be," Mio said in Japanese, tilting her head playfully. "You're the alpha wife soon, Ret-chan. None of them want to lose to you."
Retsu chuckled softly, answering in kind, But we have the system after all. It feels a bit unfair—we master it instantly while they have to work so hard.
"Unfair, yes," Yun Che replied, understanding enough to sigh with mock exasperation, "but that's why I let them do it the long way. The effort matters."
The four trainees glanced at each other, half-embarrassed but still glowing with pride.
With a soft wave of his hand, Yun Che summoned his Spirit Ki. The Combat Adjudicators shimmered, then dissolved into motes of light as they were stored away into his inventory.
"Wha—?!" Cang Yue gasped. "Wait, I almost had it—!"
"If I didn't do that," Yun Che said with a weary but amused smile, "the four of you would keep swinging until midnight. You can continue tomorrow."
The four women paused, breathless and glowing with determination, their blades still faintly humming with residual profound energy.
"I've never seen Qingyue so eager to master a technique," Little Fairy murmured softly, her voice tinged with admiration.
Yun Che chuckled quietly. "She's an eager one, that's for sure. This is technically my first proper lesson with her. Haven't even taught her Haki yet." He shook his head, smiling faintly. "There's… a lot I owe her."
His tone softened at that last part—so subtly that only Retsu noticed, her eyes glimmering with quiet understanding.
The courtyard fell into a calm silence, broken only by the chirping of distant crickets and the faint creak of the cooling statues. The sun had dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in deep violet hues.
Yun Che finally turned toward the path leading back to the Watchkeep, the light of the setting sun catching on his shoulders. With a soft rush of air, his wind glider unfurled from his back, spreading wide like molten silk against the twilight.
"Come on," he called, glancing over his shoulder with a teasing grin. "A hot bath, hair refinement and dinner sound a lot better than breaking statues right now."
Cang Yue and Mulan exchanged glances, then both smiled and followed. Lin Yueru groaned dramatically but trudged after them, muttering something about not letting the statues "mock" her again tomorrow.
But Qingyue lingered.
She stood a few steps behind, the veil around her stirring in the breeze, eyes locked on the spot where the Combat Adjudicator had stood. Her fingers flexed around the hilt of her Snowflower sword.
Her usually calm eyes held a quiet fire—rare, fragile, but unmistakably real.
This was her first lesson with him. The first time he had taught her something directly, not as a rival or companion, but as her husband and teacher—someone she'd once quietly admired from afar.
And though he'd told her to stop for now, she made a silent promise to herself.
Tomorrow, she thought, I'll perfect it.
Qingyue exhaled, a small, almost imperceptible smile tugging at her lips. "Tomorrow then," she whispered to herself, before following after him—each step light, silent, and filled with resolve. He had many more to offer her and this technique is the first of all that he prepared for her.
Lin Yueru sighed in defeat. "He's right. I can't feel my arms anymore."
Mulan gave a rare small smile. The Starry Tear technique can be used with a spear as well. "Tomorrow, then. We'll finish it."
"Deal," Cang Yue said determinedly, brushing the dust from her dress.
The four looked up at the sky — the once-bright horizon had already deepened into dusk. They'd been striking at the statue for hours without even realizing how much time had passed.
As they started heading back together, Mio stretched her arms high above her head with a small yawn."They're really something, huh?" she whispered to Retsu, eyes flicking toward Yun Che and the others.
Retsu chuckled softly. "Well, at least they try. That's something."
"They've got effort," Yun Che replied casually, hands behind his head.
"Ufuu~ effort makes learning fun though," Retsu teased with a grin.
Then Yun Che turned toward Cang Yue. "Little Yue, I need to see your Ki tomorrow too."
"Eh? I haven't tuned it perfectly yet…"
"No buts."
"...Yes." Cang Yue slumped her shoulders.
Mulan giggled quietly. "I never knew he was this strict."
"He is," Cang Yue said with mock despair. "Last time, he barred me from breakfast just because I didn't finish my Haki refinement. Even my puppy eyes didn't work on him anymore…"
Qingyue and Mulan exchanged amused glances. "Looks like we'll have to finish learning Starry Tear by tomorrow then," Mulan said.
Qingyue nodded firmly. "Agreed."
However, the word 'Ki' triggered another curious question from her.
"Ki?" Qingyue asked curiously.
Yun Che smiled faintly. "It's an evolved form of Haki. Once you master Haki and bending, I'll teach you Ki. We'll start at dawn tomorrow. As for Little Fairy here," he said, nodding toward her, "you'll start bending training with me. Retsu, Mio, and Nemu will handle their own drills, so I'll focus on your basics — especially Haki. Little Fairy can help out."
"Qingyue is looking forward to it," she said softly, her tone calm yet filled with quiet determination.
The group walked on beneath the fading sunset, laughter and light chatter drifting behind them — a rare moment of peace before the next morning's trials began.
"Well, they certainly have effort compared to us," Yun Che said towards Retsu with a small laugh, watching as the four girls trudged off the palace courtyard, their exhaustion outweighed only by determination.
"Ufuu…" Retsu's melodic chuckle followed, her hands folded neatly before her under her veiled hat. "Effort makes learning worth something. Instant mastery is convenient, but seeing them struggle and grow… it has its own beauty, doesn't it?"
Yun Che smiled softly. "Yeah. Makes learning something fun again."
Then, Little Fairy looked at him curiously. "That technique you taught them—Starry Tear. Mind if I learn it too? All I have from you so far is the Table Hopper Technique and Haki. I want to learn more—something only you can teach."
Yun Che turned toward her, nodding in approval. "Sure. Tomorrow morning, then. I'll start teaching you right after Retsu, Mio, and Nemu finish perfecting their Ki control."
"Their Ki control isn't perfect yet?" Cang Yue asked, blinking in mild surprise. Even Retsu and Mio, who had trained the longest, hadn't fully mastered it?
Yun Che chuckled softly, his expression somewhere between teacherly and amused."Kind of. Perfect Ki control is essential before they can perform a Spirit Charge. Without it, the flow becomes unstable, and the body can't sustain the strain. Once they achieve balance, then — and only then — can they begin learning Ki-based techniques properly."
"I see…" Qingyue murmured, eyes soft with thought. "So it's like refining the soul first, to refine the energy."
"Exactly," Yun Che replied, his tone warm but certain. "A calm spirit refines the Ki. A disciplined mind commands it. Only then does true power take form."
Qingyue's gaze lingered on him a little longer than she intended — drawn by both his certainty and the quiet weight behind his words. Refining the soul to refine the energy… It made sense. Every cultivation path she had studied led to the same truth, yet Yun Che's method felt… deeper, almost alive.
Her curiosity bloomed like fire beneath calm waters.How powerful could she become if she mastered this?If she refined her Ki until it sang in harmony with her soul — perhaps even he would have to take her seriously in battle.
Yun Che noticed the faint spark in her eyes and smiled knowingly."If you want to learn more, be early at dawn."
Qingyue looked away, hiding a small smile."Then I'll be ready by dawn," she said softly.
Retsu, who had been listening, smiled faintly and added, "I'm waiting for Yuu-kun to teach me the Kamehameha move. He promised to teach it to me once I've mastered my Ki control."
Mio immediately puffed her cheeks. "No fair, Ret-chan! I wanted to learn it too!" she squealed, playfully swinging her folded fan at Retsu.
Retsu covered her mouth with an elegant chuckle. "Ufufu… then let's see who masters it first, shall we?"
"You're on, sister!" Mio declared dramatically, pointing her fan toward Retsu like a dueling sword.
The others laughed softly at their playful rivalry—except for Xia Qingyue, who tilted her head, curiosity gleaming beneath her veiled hat. "Kamehameha?" she repeated, unfamiliar with the strange word.
Yun Che chuckled, raising his hand as if to demonstrate. "Kamehameha means 'Turtle Destruction Wave.' Remember the beam I fired at Yuanba during the Semi Finals match?"
Qingyue froze, eyes widening slightly as the memory returned—the blinding blue energy, the air splitting from its force, and the ground tearing open in its wake.
"…That was the Kamehameha?" she said, her usually calm voice carrying a rare note of awe.
"Yup," Yun Che replied casually. "That was just the basic version. There are at least fifty variations."
Qingyue fell silent, her mind replaying the sheer destruction of that attack. The power, the control… she had only seen a glimpse of what Ki could truly do. So many arts, so many paths of strength—yet all flowing from the same origin.
She clenched her hand slightly at her side. There's still so much to learn.
As if sensing her thought, Yun Che smiled, folding his arms. "Once you master Haki and bending, I'll teach you Ki. We'll start awakening your Haki at dawn tomorrow. Mulan, Yueru and sis Ling should began refinement since your Haki is now awakened."
Mulan and Lin Yueru nodded in understanding.
He then turned toward Chu Yuechan. "As for you, Little Fairy, I'll focus on teaching you bending tomorrow. Since Retsu, Mio, and Nemu will be busy with their Ki refinement, you'll be my main student for the morning session."
Little Fairy nodded respectfully, though a flicker of excitement flashed in her eyes. "Understood."
"Qingyue is looking forward to it as well," Qingyue added softly, her tone carrying quiet anticipation.
Yun Che's smile widened, faintly proud. "Good. We'll make the morning worth it."
With that, he spread his wings again, the crimson light gleaming faintly beneath the dusk sky. One by one, the others followed—Retsu, Mio, Mulan, Cang Yue, Qingyue, Yueru, and the Little Fairy—each rising into the air as the wind carried them toward the Jin Watchkeep.
Below them, the city of Xuanwu glowed faintly, its broken streets and towers bathed in the soft orange of twilight. For the first time in years, the people slept without fear.
And as Yun Che looked down from above, a rare calm filled him.
Enough chaos had been sown for one day. Tomorrow, a new dawn would rise—and with it, a reborn Xuanwu City.