After Nian Xifeng got home, he saw Nian Yuchi waiting on the couch.

“Hey, Yuchi. Still up?”

“Mhm. I was waiting for you.” Nian Yuchi stood and walked toward him, slow and light.

“Alright, go sleep.” Nian Xifeng patted her head, smiling.

“Okay.” She answered obediently, then went back to her room and closed the door softly.

It was already late. Nian Xifeng returned to his room and lay on the bed.

He stared at the ceiling, thinking of what Shen Yundi had said.

If the Wang Clan came only for him, fine. But if they meant harm to Yuchi, he wouldn’t sit by. Even a hint of that thought, and he wouldn’t let it go.

He wouldn’t allow anyone to lay a hand on Yuchi. Not even the thought of it.

When it came to himself, he didn’t care. He could brush them off. But if it involved Yuchi, his attitude changed.

So he wanted to sound out the Wang Clan’s stance.

Shen Yundi said his spies saw the Wang Clan aiming at him. But he couldn’t be sure the intel was true.

He and Nian Yuchi had grown up relying on each other. Their bond ran deep. He doted on her and wouldn’t let her suffer even a little. His past actions made that clear.

In this world, the only people he could trust were himself and Nian Yuchi. He wouldn’t take others at their word. Only what he saw with his own eyes was real.

That was a lesson he’d learned over many years. You only truly get it after going through enough.

So he decided to test the Wang Clan first. If their attitude matched the Shen Family’s intel, he could relax. If not, he needed to prepare.

With that, Nian Xifeng sprang up, slipped out the door, and stopped outside Yuchi’s room. He pushed it open a crack. Seeing her asleep on the bed, he finally let out a quiet breath.

He closed the door gently, then left the house.

Outside, he glanced around. No one was paying attention. His figure flickered, and he vanished, heading toward the Wang Clan.

Inside the Wang Clan’s manor, Wang Kun was grinning obsequiously at the man before him.

The man wore a scarlet long robe embroidered with dragons and phoenixes. He stood out, carrying a noble air.

“You said you found someone worth using. Is that true?” Before Wang Kun could speak, the red-robed man asked first.

“Yes, my lord. His strength is terrifying. Even if I threw the entire Wang Clan at him, we wouldn’t be his match.” Wang Kun sounded a little ashamed. Just thinking of how the man wiped out the Yu Family—equal to the Wang Clan—made his hair stand on end.

Worse, the Wang Clan seemed to have already offended him. If the man had a bad day and came to erase them, who could he cry to?

So he had to be ready. This man was his preparation.

The man wasn’t from this city. He came from another, far larger, with many experts.

He belonged to a great clan in that city. He came because Wang Kun said a rare talent had appeared.

His goal was to recruit that talent into their clan.

“Heh. Someone who can crush your little Wang Clan so easily does have some skill. He’s qualified for us to recruit.” The man glanced at Wang Kun with contempt. Wang Kun could only keep smiling, not daring to be angry.

“When will you make a move, my lord?” Wang Kun asked, anxious. After the failed negotiation, the other party took offense. These days, he lived in fear, worried they’d deal with the Wang Clan like they did the Yu Family.

“In such a rush?” The man cast him a cold look. That one look made Wang Kun’s hair prickle. He almost felt the urge to kneel.

As head of the Wang Clan, he forced himself to hold back.

He gave an awkward laugh and fell silent. It wasn’t his call anyway.

The man waved lazily. “Since you’re so anxious, take me to see him tomorrow.”

“Ah—yes. Thank you, my lord.” Wang Kun hadn’t expected him to agree. He was overjoyed.

“Right. Tell me about him first, so I’m prepared,” the man added, as if remembering something.

“Yes, sir.” Wang Kun agreed at once.

At that moment, a shadow outside the room rippled. Nian Xifeng appeared there, unnoticed. He slipped in without a sound.

Even the man in the room failed to sense him.

It wasn’t that his perception was weak. When he entered, he had spread his senses across the entire manor. But Nian Xifeng was simply too strong. He felt nothing as the man drew near.

Nian Xifeng had heard their talk the moment he arrived, and his brows tightened.

“His name is Nian Xifeng. We don’t know his exact level. If he could wipe out the Yu Family with ease, he won’t be weak. He has a younger sister, Nian Yuchi. She’s a beauty. He’s lived with her since they were little. They rely on each other, with no background. He’s kept a low profile for years. No one expected he hid such power.” Wang Kun laid out everything about Nian Xifeng.

He’d only ordered an investigation after learning Nian Xifeng’s strength. Before that, he wouldn’t have bothered checking on a commoner.

But now it was different. Nian Xifeng’s power shocked him, and he had offended the man. He had to dig into Nian Xifeng.

Know your enemy and yourself if you want to win. All the more against an enemy.

Standing by the door, Nian Xifeng’s eyes leaked killing intent. Wang Kun was already a dead man in his mind. Anyone who pried into him and planned harm—he never showed mercy.

The red-robed man listened with interest. When he heard there was a younger sister, his eyes lit up.

“Oh? He has a little sister? And a peerless beauty?” A trace of greed flashed in his gaze. If that was true, this trip would be worth it.

In his eyes, Nian Xifeng was just a commoner. So was his sister. He was from the Yan Clan. His status there wasn’t high, but before commoners, he stood above them.

Commoners had no power. Toying with them drew no criticism. On this continent, strength ruled. The weak could only bow.

No one pitied the weak. No one cared if a commoner lived or died.

“That’s right,” Wang Kun nodded without hesitation, sharing a look every man understood.

“Haha. In that case, I’ll pay him a visit tomorrow. Get to know him.” He bit down on “know,” making the other meaning clear.

Wang Kun met his eyes and smiled.

In the shadowed doorway, Nian Xifeng’s gaze frosted over. A wave of killing intent spread from him.

If they wanted to target him, so be it. But now they dared set their sights on Nian Yuchi. He had to act.

His killing intent rolled out and blanketed the two.

Wang Kun and the man both blanched. They tensed up, eyes sweeping the room.

“Who?” Wang Kun barked. That aura was terrifying. His hair stood on end, as if death would scythe him down in the next second.

The man said nothing, but his energy started to circulate. He was ready for an ambush.

With a single flicker, Nian Xifeng appeared in the room. He stepped out of the darkness, unhurried.

Wang Kun and the man both jolted. He was already inside, and neither of them had noticed.

What did that mean? His strength let him bypass their senses and walk past the Wang Clan’s guards.

“Who are you?” the man asked, voice heavy. He stared at Nian Xifeng, energy gathered and ready.

Wang Kun saw the face clearly, and his pupils shrank hard.