That night, dark clouds crowded the sky, and the wind was cool as water.
Beyond-the-World Valley lay shrouded in the dark curtain of night, peaceful and quiet as ever.
Midnight had passed. Even the insects seemed to have fallen silent, settling down to rest in the stillness of the night.
Suddenly, the oil lamp on the inn's counter sputtered, startling the attendant dozing there awake.
He yawned, stood up, and stretched his limbs.
In just a few days, the inn's lobby had gone from overflowing with guests to so deserted that sparrows could gather at its doors. But the attendant paid little heed to the shifting winds behind it all. He merely felt this was rather nice: at last, he could steal a little time to slack off and rest properly during his shift.
Boom!
Suddenly, a tremendous explosion sounded overhead, roaring like a thunderclap.
The attendant stumbled and fell to the floor, utterly dazed. Only after a long while did he climb to his feet, muttering in bewilderment, "What was that?"
He hurried to the doorway and looked out, only to see flames rising from a nearby cliff face. Thick smoke billowed into the sky, as though the air were filled with the smoke of battle.
To Han Gusheng, a True Disciple of Mystic Xin Peak, his surroundings were as bright as day, and every attacker was clearly visible.
"So you finally couldn't resist making your move... Rogue cultivators are despicable. I knew you would try something like this!"
He spoke in a low voice, then suddenly chuckled, his gaze sharp as a sword.
"You want to fly into the flame like moths, have me kill you, then frame me for it? Very well. I'll grant your wish..."
"No!" Lian Xiong abruptly interrupted him. His expression carried a measure