As the night deepened, the little courtyard fell silent. Only the steady breathing of his sleeping family rose and fell softly in the darkness.
Chen Jing sat alone by the window, quietly listening to this rare peace, while his gaze slowly grew more resolute.
He knew full well that he could no longer wait passively.
Neither revenge nor protecting his family could be achieved through patience alone.
If he wanted to truly take control of his fate, there was only one way: seize power for himself.
The Three Families of the Inner City had held sway over Red Rock County for more than a century, their influence having long since seeped into every corner.
There was no escaping them.
Since that was the case, rather than passively endure, he might as well go with the flow, use Zhuang Tao to gather the Outer City's strength, and break the deadlock.
That way, he could secure the cultivation resources he urgently needed and lay the groundwork for settling accounts in the future.
Once he had made up his mind, Chen Jing no longer hesitated.
As soon as the watchman's clapper sounded in the distance at the hour of Hai, he rose, changed into a neat black shirt, and melted into the night.
Zhuang Tao had already been waiting outside the courtyard gate for quite some time.
He, too, had changed out of his daytime blue robe and into dark, fitted clothes. His whole bearing seemed sharper than usual.
When he saw Chen Jing appear, a glint lit Zhuang Tao's eyes. He stepped forward and asked in a low voice, "Brother Jing, have you made up your mind?"
Chen Jing nodded. "Brother Tao, I'm in."
"That's what I like to hear!"
A hearty smile spread across Zhuang Tao's face. He gave Chen Jing's