Spring City.
On the second floor of a teahouse, by the window.
A middle-aged man in a gray cloth robe was drinking tea with a young man in a Western-style overcoat.
The middle-aged man had a lean face and sharp eyes.
He was idly turning an ancient bronze seal over in his hand.
"Ninggu City's situation doesn't look good. I'd say those northern clans are at their wits' end right now." The middle-aged man lifted his teacup and took a light sip.
"Who cares?"
"It shouldn't affect the south for now."
The young man did not seem particularly concerned. Smiling, he said, "Spring City has plenty of its own messes."
"Let's deal with the local problems first."
"Who has the time to worry about the north?"
"Besides..."
Suddenly.
His voice cut off abruptly as he looked toward the northwest outside the city.
"Something's wrong."
The man in gray looked over at the same time, frowning slightly. "Isn't that direction Twinwood Village?"
"Yeah."
The young man's eyelids twitched wildly. "Don't tell me something happened to that village too?"
He could clearly sense it.
A burst of Supernatural Aura had erupted in that direction.
It was extremely intense.
"Locust Tree Alley, Sea God Temple... and the recent disappearances. Now even Twinwood Village is having problems."
"So it isn't just the north."
"Before long, the supernatural in the south will probably spiral out of control too."
The middle-aged man's gaze darkened.
"No need to be so pessimistic."
The young man watched the storm clouds slowly gathering in the distant sky. His eyes grew equally sharp, though his tone remained calm. "We knew Twinwood Village had a problem long ago."
"It was bound to erupt sooner or later."
"I heard Yan Bingwen has been investigating that village for quite some time."
"He even opened