Hold Steady, Don't Panic!

"Why had the family head suddenly summoned us to the main hall?" Pei Ling frowned. He was merely a collateral descendant, one whose father did not cherish him and whose mother did not love him. Since childhood, he had seen the family head fewer times than he had fingers on one hand.

"In reply to Seventh Young Master," the servant said hurriedly as he turned to notify the next master, "Immortal Master Zheng returned from outside and told the family head to do this. You should hurry over. Immortal Master Zheng seemed to be in a rather bad mood."

Pei Ling's heart jolted, and he swiftly calculated the feasibility of continuing his escape.

Unfortunately, his odds of survival were basically zero.

Though he had just advanced to Qi Refining Layer 3 and possessed the strength to fight lions and tigers, let alone Chongming Sect's disciples, even everyone in Pei Manor could easily take care of him.

The crucial point was that Pei Manor's rules were strict. When the family head summoned someone, anyone within the manor who failed to arrive within the time it took to burn an incense stick would immediately have experts sent to investigate and deal with them.

Especially since this gathering concerned Zheng Jingshan. To avoid losing face before Chongming Sect's outstanding disciple, Pei Manor would only move more efficiently. If he ran now, he probably would not even make it out through the Pei Family gates.

"Don't panic!" Pei Ling steadied himself and analyzed the situation calmly. "If Zheng Jingshan knew I entered his room and stole the Bone Quenching Pill, he would have had Pei Manor send people to arrest me—or even kill me on the spot—instead of merely sending a Mortal servant to summon me..."

With that thought, he called out to the servant, who had already walked some distance away. "Did Immortal Master Zheng go straight to the main hall after returning? He did not go back to Jade Wutong Courtyard to rest?"

"No." The servant shook his head and urged him again. "Seventh Young Master, please set out quickly. Do not make the Immortal Master wait too long! Otherwise, the family head likely will not be lenient."

Pei Ling weighed it swiftly. "Fine. I'll go now."

A short while later, at Pei Manor's main hall.

Family Head Pei Xuan sat upright and formal. Sect Son Pei Hong Nian stood waiting at his side, while three family elders sat below them, all wearing grave expressions.

In the seat of honor sat a young man with a face like carved jade and ruggedly handsome features. He was none other than Chongming Sect's Inner Disciple, Zheng Jingshan!

After Pei Ling entered and paid his respects to the family head, Pei Xuan casually waved a hand, signaling for him to withdraw to the side with the others and await orders.

From beginning to end, no one paid him any attention.

That disregard finally restored a little of Pei Ling's sense of security as a Person of the Dogged Dao.

Clearly, Zheng Jingshan still did not know what had happened at Jade Wutong Courtyard.

That was truly wonderful!

Pei Ling let out a breath of relief and quickly adjusted his expression. Like the other Pei Clan descendants around him, he looked at the five people seated above with curious, reverent eyes.

The cultivation realms of this world were divided into the Qi Refining Stage, Foundation Establishment Realm, Core Formation Realm... Among them, the Qi Refining Stage was further divided into Layers 1 through 9. After Layer 9 came Foundation Establishment, which itself had three stages: Early Stage, Mid Stage, and Late Stage. Only above Foundation Establishment Late Stage came Core Formation.

As for realms above Core Formation, the Pei Clan's teachings contained no record whatsoever. After all, in all of vast Luquan City, there was not even a single Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator. On the Surface, the strongest expert was Pei Xuan, at Qi Refining Layer 7.

Sect Son Pei Hong Nian, upon whom the family had placed great hopes and spent abundant resources to send into Chongming Sect's Outer Sect, had only reached Qi Refining Layer 4 even now.

Yet among the two Chongming Sect disciples who had come here, Zheng Jingshan alone, despite still being young, was already at Foundation Establishment Middle Stage.

In other words, if Zheng Jingshan wished it, he alone could slaughter all of Luquan City clean.

Thus, it was no wonder that at a single command from him, the entire Pei Family did not dare show the slightest negligence.

As Pei Ling pondered why the other party had gathered the Pei Clan descendants, he suddenly sensed someone nearby staring at him with undisguised hostility.

He looked over instinctively and saw Pei Tu, his half-brother by the same father in this life, glaring viciously at him.

Had I used the wrong way of lying low today? Pei Ling was deeply puzzled. Although his relationship with this cheap little brother had never been particularly good, as he became increasingly marginalized within the family, his stepmother and Pei Tu had felt they had already ground him beneath their feet. Usually, they acted as if he did not exist whenever they came and went. Why were they suddenly showing such obvious hostility now?

Pei Ling's mood immediately grew heavy. Had I gotten carried away after activating the system without realizing it?

Just as he carefully reflected on every aspect of his behavior lately, wondering whether he had violated the Dogged Dao, he saw a servant approach Pei Xuan. After whispering several words into his ear, Pei Xuan gave a faint nod and cleared his throat. The hall instantly fell silent as a graveyard.

Pei Xuan addressed Zheng Jingshan with extreme respect. "Fellow Daoist Zheng, the descendants of my humble family are all gathered here. Please give your orders freely."

Zheng Jingshan opened his eyes expressionlessly, swept his gaze over the crowd, and said indifferently, "A traitor of my sect, Wu Tingxi, fled into Yuan Lao Mountain recently. His whereabouts are currently unknown. From this moment onward, you will enter the mountain and search for him. Whoever discovers traces of Wu Tingxi will receive fifty Bone Quenching Pills."

"If there are no objections, you may depart now."

Upon hearing this, the Pei Clan descendants all wore different expressions and instinctively looked toward the family head, the Sect Son, and the family elders.

Pei Xuan looked troubled and coughed dryly. "Fellow Daoist Zheng, that Wu Tingxi was once an outstanding disciple of your esteemed sect, as well as Elder Luo's personal disciple. I have heard that his cultivation has already reached Qi Refining Layer 7, while my humble family's descendants possess only meager strength. This..."

"Rest assured." Zheng Jingshan spoke calmly. "Wu Tingxi is severely wounded at present, and less than one-tenth of his cultivation remains. Even a cultivator who has just entered the Dao can capture him. He is now a stray dog driven from its home and would never dare show himself openly."

Pei Xuan relaxed and swept his gaze around the hall. "Did you all hear that? Whoever dares be negligent and ruins Fellow Daoist Zheng's important matter, do not blame this family head for being merciless!"

As he spoke, he formed a hand seal and conjured a figure in the hall. It was a loose-haired man with a sinister face and cold, sharp eyes. He introduced him, saying, "This is Wu Tingxi, traitor of the Sacred Sect. If you discover his traces, do not delay. Immediately send the family's signal for aid. Fellow Daoist Zheng will then arrive and capture him."

The Pei Clan descendants replied in unison, "We obey the family head's command!"

Pei Xuan nodded. "Why are you not hurrying off?"

Seeing everyone else already rubbing their fists and flexing their palms as they took their leave, Pei Ling hurriedly put on a look of barely restrained excitement and followed the crowd out.

Then, with subtle shifts of his steps, he silently moved to the very front of the group.

He had already made up his mind. Once they left the city and everyone headed for Yuan Lao Mountain, that would be his chance to slip away quietly and flee a thousand miles.

He had brought all the important things with him anyway. He could run at any time.

Otherwise, Zheng Jingshan might not yet know someone had broken into his room and stolen something, but once he went back and took a look... Pei Ling would definitely be finished!

...Watching the many Pei Clan descendants depart, Pei Xuan smiled at Zheng Jingshan. "Fellow Daoist Zheng, my manor recently received some spirit tea. Would you have the refined interest to sample it?"

"No need." Zheng Jingshan rose to his feet and said indifferently, "I need to return to Jade Wutong Courtyard. I will accept Family Head Pei's kind intentions another time."

He hurried to Jade Wutong Courtyard, but rather than entering the room where he lived, he went to a more concealed Refined Chamber behind it.

The Refined Chamber looked elegant, with a string of wind chimes hanging beneath the eaves. They swayed gently in the breeze, set against low thatched roofs and whispering green bamboo all around, creating an air of tranquil leisure.

But upon closer inspection, one would discover that the wind chimes were strung together from Skulls. Countless phantom faces twisted and struggled upon them, letting out soundless howls.

Even though Zheng Jingshan had already achieved Foundation Establishment, one careless glance still made him feel dizzy.

He hurriedly guarded his mind and turned his gaze to the ground. Upon reaching the door of the Refined Chamber, he bowed respectfully. Before he could speak, an incomparably icy voice came from within. "Have you found him?"

"In reply to Senior Sister, it has been confirmed that Wu Tingxi fled into Yuan Lao Mountain. Elder Luo's other disciples have all been executed, and the Six Desires Secret Canon must be in his possession." Zheng Jingshan hastily said. "I have already had the Pei Family..."

"Useless trash!" Before he could finish, the person inside interrupted him with an icy rebuke. "I do not have so much time to waste here. Do not stand idle either—go search with them! If I do not see the Six Desires Secret Canon within three days, I will extract your soul and refine it into a tool!"

Zheng Jingshan's expression changed drastically, and he immediately dropped to his knees. "Yes!"

After a moment, seeing that the person inside had no further orders, he rose and carefully withdrew.

Once outside, he realized a layer of cold sweat had already formed on his back.

He turned to glance at his own room. After a brief hesitation, he ultimately did not dare delay. Without even informing the Pei Family, he hurried away toward Yuan Lao Mountain.

At the same time, Pei Ling successfully slipped away while the main group passed through a stretch of forest.

Yuan Lao Mountain lay north of Luquan City. After leaving the forest, he identified his bearings and headed southwest. Before him stretched a wilderness. Beyond it lay the official road, which led to several other cities.

He had already planned it out. He would first go to the nearest city. If he had not been arrested by the time he arrived, he would disguise himself, quickly find a traveling convoy to blend into, and go as far away as possible.

Although the Bone Forging Art did not emphasize speed, after Iron Bone reached great completion, power filled every part of his body, and his steps naturally became much swifter than before.

Pei Ling feared that Zheng Jingshan had already discovered what happened at Jade Wutong Courtyard, so he did not dare slacken. He ran nonstop for over two hours before finally easing up slightly upon seeing no one around.

But soon, he felt something was wrong.

Someone was watching him!