The Earth Sect had never experienced such a day.
Before dawn had even fully arrived, the mountains began trembling once more.
Rumble.
Rumble.
Rumble.
The vibrations rolled through the sect continuously.
Stone pathways cracked.
Ancient halls shook.
Dust drifted from rooftops.
Even the spiritual rivers surrounding the mountains rippled unnaturally.
Disciples rushed from their residences in confusion.
Elders gathered atop mountain platforms.
Nobody cultivated.
Nobody trained.
Nobody spoke loudly.
Because everyone felt it.
The Earth Vein was grieving.
Not merely fluctuating.
Not merely unstable.
Grieving.
A sorrow so vast that even ordinary disciples could feel it in their hearts.
Some felt inexplicable sadness.
Some suddenly remembered lost loved ones.
Others found tears falling from their eyes without understanding why.
Fear spread through the Earth Sect.
And no one knew the cause.
Then—
The mountain exploded with pressure.
BOOOOM!
A pillar of earth-colored spiritual energy shot into the sky from the forbidden depths beneath the sect.
Countless disciples dropped to their knees.
The air became heavy.
The earth became still.
A figure slowly emerged from beneath the mountain.
Ancient robes.
Silver hair.
Eyes carrying the weight of centuries.
The Old Ancestor had emerged.
For a moment—
The entire Earth Sect froze.
Then every elder immediately bowed.
Every disciple knelt.
Even the Sect Leader and Vice Sect Leader hurried forward.
"Greetings, Ancestor!"
Their voices echoed together.
The old man's gaze swept across the sect.
His expression remained calm.
Yet the pressure surrounding him caused everyone's hearts to tremble.
His first words stunned everyone.
"Why is the Earth Vein crying?"
Silence.
No one answered.
Because no one could.
The Ancestor slowly closed his eyes.
His Heaven Enlightenment spiritual sense spread throughout the sect.
Like roots extending through soil.
Like rivers flowing beneath mountains.
He followed the sorrow.
Followed the grief.
Followed the mourning.
Until...
his eyes opened.
Looking directly toward the isolated courtyard.
Toward Xiao Tu.
The Ancestor disappeared.
A moment later—
He stood before the confinement formation.
The old man's eyes narrowed.
The surrounding earth energy was obvious.
A cage.
Not a protective formation.
A prison.
His expression darkened immediately.
"Who built this?"
No one answered.
The Sect Leader lowered his head.
The Vice Sect Leader remained silent.
The Ancestor's gaze became colder.
Then he looked beyond the formation.
Toward the young man sitting peacefully beneath an old tree.
Xiao Tu slowly rose.
Then respectfully bowed.
"Junior greets Ancestor."
The old man studied him.
Long.
Carefully.
This was the person causing the Earth Vein to mourn.
Yet before him stood neither a monster nor an ambitious cultivator.
Only a young man with calm eyes.
Gentle eyes.
Eyes without greed.
Without resentment.
Without fear.
The Ancestor frowned.
"Do you know why you are imprisoned?"
Xiao Tu smiled softly.
"More or less."
"Are you angry?"
"No."
The answer came instantly.
The Ancestor blinked.
No anger?
No hatred?
No resentment?
After everything?
For the first time, genuine confusion appeared on the old man's face.
Xiao Tu simply looked toward the mountains.
"The earth carries everyone equally."
"Why should I hate people for being afraid?"
The Ancestor became silent.
The Sect Leader became silent.
Even the elders became silent.
Because they suddenly realized something.
The young man they feared...
had never feared them.
The Ancestor looked at the confinement formation again.
Then at Xiao Tu.
Then at the mourning earth beneath his feet.
Something was wrong.
Terribly wrong.
He turned toward the gathered elders.
"Explain."
No one moved.
No one spoke.
The pressure in the air became heavier.
Finally—
One elder stepped forward.
Then another.
Then another.
Little by little.
The truth began emerging.
The awakening of the Earth Vein Ruins.
The blessing.
The suspicions.
The rumors.
The investigations.
The secret observations.
The fear spreading among the elders.
The attempts to study Xiao Tu's cultivation.
Everything.
The Ancestor listened silently.
His expression growing colder with every sentence.
The Sect Leader's face became pale.
The Vice Sect Leader's hands quietly clenched inside his sleeves.
Then one elder finally whispered:
"We feared he might affect the sect's foundation."
The Ancestor laughed.
It was not a pleasant laugh.
It was anger.
Cold anger.
"He affected the foundation?"
His gaze swept across everyone.
"The Earth Vein itself chose him."
"The Earth Vein itself blessed him."
"The Earth Vein itself mourns for him."
"And you fools concluded he was the threat?"
No one dared answer.
The mountain became deathly silent.
The Ancestor slowly turned toward the Vice Sect Leader.
His eyes lingered there slightly longer than on the others.
The Vice Sect Leader felt cold sweat forming along his back.
Because for the first time—
Things were slipping beyond his control.
The Ancestor had emerged.
The Earth Vein had spoken through its grief.
The sect's actions were being exposed.
Everything was unraveling.
And at the center of it all...
stood Xiao Tu.
The one person he could no longer manipulate.
A dangerous thought slowly entered the Vice Sect Leader's mind.
If the Ancestor continued investigating...
everything would be discovered.
The pills.
The schemes.
The control.
Lan Yue.
Everything.
His eyes darkened.
A decision formed.
A terrible decision.
Xiao Tu must die.
Soon.
Before the truth surfaced completely.
Before the Ancestor could stop it.
Before control was lost forever.
Meanwhile—
Lan Yue stood among the gathered disciples.
Watching everything unfold.
Watching the Ancestor defend Xiao Tu.
Watching elders reveal hidden truths.
Watching the lies begin to crumble.
For the first time in many months—
Hope appeared.
A fragile hope.
Perhaps...
Perhaps he could survive.
Perhaps the Ancestor would stop everything.
Perhaps fate could still change.
Tears filled her eyes.
Not from grief.
From relief.
A tiny spark of relief.
But she never noticed the cold gaze her father briefly cast toward her.
A gaze that carried hidden intentions.
Hidden preparations.
Hidden cruelty.
Far away.
Beyond worlds.
Beyond realms.
Little Water suddenly opened his eyes.
The Bloodline Connection pulsed violently.
His heart pounded.
His soul felt restless.
Every instinct screamed danger.
Something was approaching.
Something irreversible.
Without hesitation—
He stood.
Spiritual energy exploded around him.
Space trembled.
The boundary between worlds distorted.
An incarnation began forming.
A projection powerful enough to cross realms.
Powerful enough to reach his brother.
"Little Earth..."
His voice was low.
Dangerously low.
"Hold on."
The void cracked.
And his incarnation began its journey toward the Middle Realm.
Back within the Earth Sect—
Night slowly descended.
The disturbances gradually quieted.
The disciples returned to their residences.
The elders dispersed uneasily.
The Ancestor remained watchful.
And Xiao Tu once again sat beneath the old tree.
The same tree.
The same courtyard.
The same peaceful posture.
The Earth beneath him whispered softly.
Not with words.
Not with sounds.
But with emotion.
Sorrow.
Affection.
Farewell.
Xiao Tu closed his eyes.
Listening.
Smiling.
As though speaking with an old friend.
The stars shone above.
The mountains stood silent.
And for the first time—
Xiao Tu felt completely at peace.
As though his heart had already accepted everything.
As though tomorrow no longer frightened him.
As though he had already chosen his ending.
Elsewhere—
Lan Yue suddenly froze.
Pain surged through her body.
A strange force moved beneath her skin.
Invisible chains tightening around her spirit.
Her pupils trembled.
Her breathing became erratic.
Fear filled her eyes.
"No..."
She could feel it.
Something was wrong.
Something hidden inside the pills.
Something awakening.
And somewhere beyond the mountains—
Little Water tore through the boundary between worlds.
Racing against fate itself.
While beneath the silent moon...
the final tragedy quietly began moving into place.
---Waiting---