The deep night in Jiayuan City carried a heart-palpitating chill amidst the silence. Wen Buhuo moved like a ghost, rising and falling between the high roof ridges, his spiritual sense spreading outward like fine threads of spider silk.

In a narrow, deep alley in the east of the city, he captured two extremely subtle spiritual fluctuations. They were two rogue cultivators, an elder and a youth, moving against the wall with bated breath. They emitted the aura of the Qi Refining Incantation; although their cultivation routes were more sophisticated and complex than what Wen Buhuo had previously practiced, in the eyes of the now-Foundation Establishment Buhuo, their concealment methods were as clear as a candle flame in the dark.

Appearance of the Demonic Shadow

At that moment, the calm night sky was torn apart by a shrill whistling sound. A burly man, blood-red and massive, crashed down at the mouth of the alley like a meteorite. His muscles were knotted, his skin a nauseating dark red, and his eyes spat out a frenzied, bloody light.

"Little mice, so this is where you are..." The demon-man’s voice was hoarse and dry, like two pieces of rusted iron rubbing together.

It was a demon cultivator at the Great Perfection of Qi Refining! He lunged at the grandfather and granddaughter with a grimace. The young girl cried out in terror. The elder’s eyes nearly split with rage as he shouted, "Run!" He threw himself forward, desperately channeling his spiritual energy to strike two blows directly onto the demon-man’s shoulder. However, the demon-man didn't even flinch; with a backhanded palm strike, he knocked the old man unconscious.

Just as the demon-man prepared to deliver the killing blow, a mountain-like pressure of the Foundation Establishment stage crashed down.

"Who is it?!" Feeling the suffocating spiritual pressure, the demon-man’s face changed drastically. Knowing he was no match, he bit the tip of his tongue without hesitation and performed a bizarre blood-colored escape art, vanishing toward the Chen Estate as a blurred shadow.

Wen Buhuo did not pursue him deeply; the internal situation of the Chen Estate was still uncertain, and there were injured people on the ground. He furrowed his brow and whispered, "The Chen Estate... as expected, they are involved with the demonic path." He quickly settled the terrified young girl and, using his finger like a blade, swiftly carved the events of Jiayuan City onto a sound-transmission talisman, which turned into a red light and shot into the sky to request his Master to send a demon-slaying squad.

The Dragon’s Cry Physique and the Ill-Fated Lovers

The next day, Wen Buhuo went to Qi Yunxiao’s shop as planned. Pushing open the door, he saw Qi Yunxiao slumped on a stone stool, his face full of sorrow.

"Brother Qi, how is the progress on the Reversed Five Elements Array?"

Qi Yunxiao looked up abruptly, his eyes filled with guilt and helplessness. "Brother Wen, to be honest... I am not proficient in formations. The arrays are all the work of my wife, Xin Ruyin. But she is currently..."

Wen Buhuo followed Qi Yunxiao into the back room and saw a refined woman whose face was as pale as paper, her breath as thin as silk. He took her pulse, and his heart jolted—this was the "Dragon’s Cry Physique" recorded in ancient texts.

"The Qi of strengthening tendons and bones has mistakenly entered a woman's body; the meridians surge like a dragon's cry, yet it constantly overdraws her lifespan," Wen Buhuo sighed softly. He took a century-old herb radiating dense spiritual energy from his storage bag. "I cannot cure this condition, but this medicine can temporarily suppress the turbulence in the meridians. Brother Qi, let your wife take it."

Qi Yunxiao clutched the herb like a lifesaver, weeping uncontrollably. Under the medicine's power, a hint of color returned to Xin Ruyin's face. She leaned into Qi Yunxiao's arms, her gaze beautiful yet tragic. "Brother Wen’s great kindness is beyond repayment. The array is seventy percent complete. While it cannot fully block a Golden Core (Golden Dan) cultivator, it is more than enough to withstand Foundation Establishment attacks. These are the formation insights I have studied all my life; please, Brother Wen, you must accept them."

Wen Buhuo took the heavy jade slip with both hands, his heart filled with mixed emotions. As he left and looked back at the two relying on each other, he sighed inwardly: in this cruel world of cultivation, such true devotion is rare indeed.

The Hongmen Banquet

Returning to the Wang Estate, Master Wang was pacing anxiously in the courtyard. Seeing Wen Buhuo return, he nearly knelt. "Young Master! The Chen family has sent an invitation, inviting us to a dinner banquet. Their momentum is overwhelming now—even the current Emperor fears them. If we don't go, I'm afraid..."

"No need for formalities, Master Wang. I will accompany you," Wen Buhuo said calmly.

The following evening, the setting sun was as red as blood. Wen Buhuo changed into an inconspicuous green robe and accompanied Master Wang and his son to the Chen Estate as a "distant relative." Looking at the magnificent mansion ahead that faintly reeked of blood, his right hand instinctively brushed over the storage bag at his waist.

He knew that this was absolutely a "Hongmen Banquet"—a trap disguised as a feast.