Heaven's Collapse

Liu Bowen's figure appeared in the light screen.

Lu Zhen spoke at once. "Liu Bowen, what is it?"

The old man got straight to the point. "Lu Zhen, the Yun Clan from the Heavenly Ark Realm has come."

Lu Zhen raised his eyes slightly. "Oh?"

"The Yun Clan's patriarch came in person, along with Elder Yun Cang and the siblings Yun Ting and Yun Jiaojiao. They kept their heads low and said they'd come to apologize."

"Apologize?" Lu Zhen sneered.

"They brought lavish gifts," Liu Bowen continued. "Several cartloads of rare treasures, plus deeds to a few spirit veins. The patriarch made it clear he wanted to yield and put that business with the marriage proposal behind us."

Lu Zhen said nothing and listened.

"But they slipped in a reminder." Liu Bowen's gaze darkened. "An ancestor from the Heavenly Ark Realm is now in the Inner Sect of the Supreme Unity Mystic Sect. Their meaning was clear: a soft approach backed by a hard threat. They want you to take what's offered and stop there."

An Inner Sect disciple of the Supreme Unity Mystic Sect?

Lu Zhen considered it.

"The council doesn't dare decide this," Liu Bowen said, watching him. "Whether we accept the gifts is up to you."

Silence settled over the cabin for a moment.

"Liu Bowen," Lu Zhen said suddenly, "while I was training on the Ancient Star, unknown assassins came after me."

"What?!" Liu Bowen's expression changed sharply on the other side of the screen.

"Two waves of them." Lu Zhen's tone remained flat. "I'd wager either the Sacred Blood Realm or the Yun Clan paid for them."

Liu Bowen drew a sharp breath, his expression shifting.

After a long pause, he slowly sat down, his brow furrowing deeper.

"The Sacred Blood Realm has been driven