The Gathering Storm

"Three directions, at least five teams." Shen Moxin placed the intelligence booklet on the metal plate, lowering her voice, "The Cloud Mist Sect, the Stone-Splitting Sect, the Blood Saber Stronghold, and several scattered forces are all converging on this mountainous area."

The only sound in the stone hall was the crackling of oil lamp wicks popping.

Lin Xiao licked his canine teeth with the tip of his tongue. "Troublesome."

"Not only that." Yun Youzi stroked his beard, his face so dark it could wring water. "Rumors of ruins in the Black Stone Mountain Range have circulated for years, so it's not surprising that smaller forces come to take advantage. But the simultaneous appearance of the Cloud Mist Sect and the Stone-Splitting Sect, with such a clear objective—that's unusual."

Lu Yuan's fingertips scraped along the edge of the board. "' Eye of Shadow '."

"Yes." Yun Youzi nodded. "The infiltration failed, the prisoners went missing, and they know a direct assault is difficult. So they've decided to let the wolves in, using these local forces to force us to expose ourselves, or perhaps to use someone else to do their dirty work."

Shen Moxin adjusted her glasses. "No matter how well-hidden the ruins are, they can't withstand a large-scale search. Tracking, ley line sensing, mountain-drilling experience... they can reach the outer perimeter in three days at most. Once they're surrounded, we'll be completely at a disadvantage."

Shi Jian slammed his fist on the table. "What are we waiting for? Move out immediately! Take the backup exit to the south, get into the old forest, and shake them off!"

Several men chimed in.

"Relocate?" Lin Xiao scoffed. "Taking dozens of people, along with research data and ' Source Seed ' crystals, how big of a target would that be? Entering the forest would slow us down even further; would we just wait to be caught and killed? If you ask me, we should use the terrain of the ruins to our advantage. We know this place well; there are formations and traps. We might not be unable to hold it."

Shen Moxin countered, "How long can we hold out? Food and water are only enough for half a month of normal consumption. What about replenishing our Soul Power? The energy nodes are unstable and can't withstand high-intensity defensive battles." She looked at Lu Yuan, "Our core objective is to study the ' Source Seed ' and uncover the secrets of the ' Gate of Finality.' Being trapped here will prevent our research from progressing; it's a slow death."

Yun Youzi pondered, "Perhaps... we can divide and conquer them. These forces are not monolithic. The Cloud Mist Sect and the Stone-Splitting Sect have old grudges, and the Blood Saber Stronghold is only allied with the other two for mutual benefit. Creating conflict and instigating internal strife might buy us some time."

"What about time?" Lu Yuan asked, and the stone hall fell silent instantly.

He looked up. "Dividing and weakening requires intelligence, contact, and carefully planned provocation. What we lack most right now is time. The Cloud Mist Sect will reach the outer perimeter in three days at most, and the Stone-Splitting Sect and Blood Saber Stronghold won't be much slower. Once they complete the encirclement and establish a foothold, we'll be completely passive."

He walked up to the structural diagram, his finger landing on the area of the energy chamber and the vertical fissures.

"Staying put up with limited resources will eventually lead to exhaustion. Relocating is too ambitious and risky, tantamount to abandoning research foundations and potential opportunities. Dividing and disintegrating requires time and opportunity, which we lack."

Lu Yuan turned around. The lamplight cast a deep shadow on his face.

"I have an idea." He paused. "It's risky, but it might be the only chance to break the deadlock right now."

In the stone hall, you could hear a pin drop.

"Since the external pressure stems from the secret of this ruin," Lu Yuan said slowly, "Then we'll use this secret to create... an even bigger 'variable'."

He looked at Yun Youzi.

"Senior Yun Youzi, regarding that rift, regarding the ' Gate of Finality '... could we conduct a limited, controlled 'disturbance'?"

Yun Youzi's white eyebrows suddenly shot up.

"We don't need to actually open that 'door'," Lu Yuan said, quickening his pace. "We just need to create a sufficiently astonishing and unusual energy phenomenon. The range needs to be large enough, and the intensity high enough, so that all the forces surrounding the Black Stone Mountain Range can sense it, making them believe... that something extraordinary is awakening deep within the ruins."

Shen Moxin gasped. "You want to muddy the waters completely?"

"Yes." Lu Yuan nodded. "Once that level of energy phenomenon erupts, the attention of all external forces will be drawn, potentially causing panic and chaos. Their fragile tacit understanding will be broken—will they continue to besiege us, or will they first seize the 'treasure'? Will they be wary of each other, or will they temporarily join forces to investigate?"

He tapped the crack mark with his finger.

"Chaos is our opportunity. We can either use the chaos to relocate and break out of the encirclement, or exploit their fear and greed to create new traps and turn the tables. Or even... if handled properly, we might be able to guide them to test the depth of the rift for us."

Lin Xiao's eyes lit up. "You've got guts."

Lu Qinghe's lips moved, but he didn't make a sound. His hands, resting on his knees, clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

Yun Youzi remained silent for a long time. His aged face looked particularly solemn under the oil lamp.

"You're a promising young man." His voice was soft. "You're... playing with fire on a volcano. You just experienced the loss of control during the ' Source Seed ' resonance experiment. You know better than I what lies deep within that fissure. To conduct 'limited disturbances'? Easier said than done. One wrong move, and it might not just create chaos, but prematurely detonate a disaster that none of us can afford."

Lu Yuan met his gaze. "So we need your help. Your research on ancient runes and energy structures is deeper than mine. We need to design a plan, a 'trigger' that is as precise and controllable as possible, to use the ' Source Seed ' and the relic energy network to create a directional, brief, but impressive 'energy eruption.' Like lighting a giant firework, letting it shoot into the sky, light up the night sky, and then extinguish it, leaving only speculation and fear."

Yun Youzi stared at him, then looked at the "Source Seed" crystal on the table, whose cracks had mostly healed.

After a long while, he let out a long breath.

"Theoretically... it might be feasible. But it requires time for calculation, extensive preparation, and absolutely precise control of Soul Power. Moreover, the success rate... is no more than 30%. If it fails, the consequences could be partial collapse of the ruins, energy rampage and backlash, or even..."

He didn't finish his sentence.

Lu Yuan nodded. "I know the risks. But the risk of passively waiting is 100%. A 30% chance is worth the gamble."

He surveyed the stone hall. "Now, let's vote. Those who agree to try, raise your hands."

Lin Xiao was the first to raise his hand.

Shen Moxin was silent for a few seconds, then pushed up her glasses and raised her hand as well.

Mo Chen stared at his hands, which were covered in grease, and slowly raised them.

Su Yan raised her hand almost simultaneously, her movements firm.

Shi Jian and the other men looked at each other, gritted their teeth, and raised their arms.

Lu Qinghe looked at his son, then at the raised hands around him. His large, calloused hand slowly and heavily lifted up.

Lu Yuan looked at Yun Youzi.

Yun Youzi gave a bitter smile, shook his head, then nodded. "My life, and the lives of these students, have long been staked on this path. Count me in."

Wen Yuan silently raised his hand.

"Alright." Lu Yuan withdrew his gaze, his voice steady. "From now on, everyone enters a state of high alert. Teacher Shen, strengthen perimeter surveillance; I need real-time information on the movements of every force. Uncle Mo, inspect and reinforce all defensive formations. Lin Xiao and Su Yan, inventory combat supplies and emergency supplies. Shi Jian, organize personnel to familiarize themselves with evacuation routes."

He paused.

"Senior Yun Youzi, Mr. Wen Yuan, and I—the three of us—must immediately begin designing a 'disturbance' plan." Lu Yuan glanced at the blurred carvings on the stone wall. "We have at most two days."

Yun Youzi looked solemn.

"Two days... that's too tight."