In another corner of Chang'an City, a group of people in black robes were holding a secret discussion.
They were members of the Crimson Church, the very people responsible for the attacks on the Ji and Liu Families and the fires at their facilities.
They spoke in hushed voices, apparently discussing their next move.
That night, the public disturbances in Chang'an City made the situation even harder to unravel.
Some citizens who did not know the truth began gathering in the streets, talking among themselves as rumors spread everywhere.
Some said the Ji and Liu Families had offended an important figure and brought this calamity upon themselves.
Others suspected it was an act of revenge by the Crimson Church.
Some said the Ji and Liu Families had hoarded goods to drive up prices, cutting off other people's paths to wealth.
Still others claimed the Ji and Liu Families possessed a peerless treasure, and the attackers intended to kill them and seize it.
Wind filled the tower before the mountain storm arrived; the turmoil threatened to grow ever greater.
The great clans and sects also convened emergency meetings to discuss countermeasures. They feared this incident would trigger further unrest and might even threaten their own interests.
As time passed, the tension in Chang'an City grew increasingly intense.
The major powers wrestled in the shadows, each trying to secure its own gains amid the turmoil.
Xue Churan, meanwhile, found herself caught between two fires. She had to maintain Chang'an City's stability while confronting pressure and threats from all sides.
The forces concealed in the darkness also began stirring.
Whether driven by self-interest or some secret, unspeakable purpose, they began observing the situation from the shadows, searching for an opening.
Undercurrents surged through Chang'an City as the contests and struggles between its various