Volume One, Chapter Nine: The Hidden Sect

Just as Yun Qianbai pocketed the money pouch and turned to leave, the stout merchant suddenly reached out to stop him.

Yun Qianbai was taken aback and instinctively stepped back, a flicker of caution flashing in his eyes.

“Hey, little brother, don’t rush off just yet,” the stout merchant said with a broad smile, lowering his voice. “There’s something I think you ought to be warned about.”

“What is it?” Yun Qianbai asked calmly, though his mind churned with unease.

Could this stout man have seen through something?

“This mission—those other four psychics dying doesn’t really matter. But that bald guy…” The merchant deliberately paused, watching Yun Qianbai’s reaction. “His brother? He’s no ordinary man.”

Yun Qianbai’s heart sank, his expression shifting slightly.

“That bald guy’s brother is a psychic at the Innate Realm, with a terrifying 15% toxin resistance!” the merchant continued, his tone laden with meaning. “If he finds out the bald guy’s dead, I’m afraid… he’ll come looking for you trouble.”

Yun Qianbai’s pupils suddenly contracted, panic flashing in his eyes before he quickly composed himself.

Feigning calm, he said, “Boss, what do you mean? We actually encountered the queen bee; they all died protecting me…”

“Heh, little brother, no need to explain it to me.” The merchant waved him off, interrupting. “I don’t buy that story about everyone dying to a queen bee and you lucky enough to come back alive. The mandrake seeds are deep inside the hive; trying to collect that many without alerting the queen? That’s just nonsense!”

Yun Qianbai’s heart skipped a beat. This stout fellow was no fool! His eyes flickered as he struggled to find a reply.

Seeing Yun Qianbai’s wary expression, the merchant’s smile grew wider. “Hey, don’t be nervous. I just want to be friends. This little piece of intel? I’m not charging you.”

Yun Qianbai’s confusion deepened.

What was this stout man really after? No one offers kindness for nothing—either a trick or a trap. He didn’t trust this man for a second.

“Boss, what exactly do you want to say?” Yun Qianbai asked in a low voice.

“I’m saying…” The stout merchant leaned in close, lowering his voice mysteriously. “Little brother, your skills aren’t simple! How about… we team up?”

Yun Qianbai had no interest in such a partnership; all he wanted now was to get away from this mess.

He repeated firmly, “We really did encounter the queen bee. They died because they were outmatched.” With that, he turned and quickened his pace.

Watching Yun Qianbai hurry away, the merchant’s smile grew even broader. He rubbed his round belly, muttering to himself, “Trying to cover things up only makes it more obvious! This kid is interesting, really interesting!”

He called out toward Yun Qianbai’s retreating figure, “Little brother, whenever you’re ready, come find me! I’m sure you’ll be coming soon, hahaha!” His voice echoed down the empty street, filled with certainty and… pride?

---

Yun Qianbai heard the merchant’s words and stopped dead, frowning.

That stout fellow was like a stubborn leech—impossible to shake off!

He cursed inwardly: That fat man’s smile was like a fox caught stealing chickens—there was definitely some scheme brewing.

Knowing he shouldn’t linger here, Yun Qianbai hastened his steps, vanishing around the street’s corner with a few swift movements.

His mind was consumed by thoughts of that bald guy’s brother—the Innate Realm psychic with 15% toxin resistance. This wasn’t a joke! With his current strength, he probably couldn’t even block the man’s finger.

But when the enemy comes, you counter; when the water rises, you build dikes. Yun Qianbai was no pushover.

“I need to find a way to boost my power—fast!” he resolved inwardly.

Lost in thought, he headed toward the slums.

Suddenly, he stopped, a bitter smile crossing his face.

He’d been reckless. His sister was still waiting at home! If she found out he’d gotten into trouble again, she’d be beside herself with worry.

Trying to appear calm, he pulled out a hefty chunk of jade coins and bought a skewer of bright red candied strawberries from a nearby stall.

But when he pushed open the creaking wooden door, a familiar scene chilled him.

The room was empty—there was no cheerful laughter from his sister, no sign of her bustling about.

“Mi Yang? Mi Yang!” he called twice; his voice echoed harshly in the vacant room.

He hurried into the inner chamber. The blankets on the bed were neatly folded, the wooden carved rabbit he’d gifted her sat on the bedside table—everything was as usual except for the absence of the figure he longed to see.

Frantic, he searched inside and outside the house, even under the bed and behind the wardrobe, but there was no trace of his sister.

Just as despair began to set in, he spotted a note weighing down a piece of paper on the table, written in his sister’s familiar handwriting.

He grabbed it and read eagerly.

The handwriting was uneven, hurriedly scrawled, with no mention of where she’d gone. She only told him to live well and that if he encountered difficulties, he could seek help from the Hidden Sect.

Beside the note lay a dark token, its material unidentifiable, engraved with a simple, ancient character meaning “Hidden,” exuding an aura of mystery.

Yun Qianbai’s heart sank to the depths. His sister’s disappearance was clearly linked to this so-called Hidden Sect! But Mi Yang was just an ordinary girl, even weaker than most due to years in the slums. What purpose did they have in taking her?

---

He gripped the token tightly, his knuckles whitening from the pressure.

His power was too low now—he couldn’t even face the bald guy’s brother, let alone provoke this enigmatic Hidden Sect.

“Hidden Sect… Innate Realm…” he murmured, his eyes reflecting complex emotions.

He recalled the stout merchant’s greasy grin and those loaded words: “Little brother, whenever you’re ready, come find me! I’m sure you’ll be coming soon, hahaha!”

Could the merchant have known this would happen all along? Who exactly was he? And what was his connection to the Hidden Sect?

Questions swirled in Yun Qianbai’s mind, leaving him restless.

He slumped onto a stool, overwhelmed by a sense of helplessness he’d never known before.

“Brother, you’re back! Look what I brought you to eat!”

He jerked his head up, but the doorway was empty, only a cold breeze stirring the air with a chill.

He let out a bitter laugh—it had been a phantom voice.

“Mi Yang, where are you really? Do you know how worried your brother is?”

Carefully, he tucked away the note and token, then approached his sister’s bed, gently stroking the wooden carved rabbit—as if he could still sense her presence.

“Mi Yang, don’t worry. Brother will find you. No matter what this Hidden Sect is, I won’t let them harm you!”

Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to calm down.

The most important thing now was to increase his strength. Only then could he find his sister and protect those he cared about.

He recalled the divine feedback system he had awakened—absorbing poison to enhance his power.

“Looks like it’s time for a big fight,” he said with a cold smile, eyes gleaming dangerously.

Stepping out the door, he looked up at the sky. Above the slums, a gray, toxic haze drifted. To others, it was deadly poison—but to him, it was the perfect tonic to grow stronger.