“Elder Cao Gang is a Sixth Layer Wujun, and Cao Family City Five likely has two or three other Wujun. Unless the Xu family sends a Seventh Layer Wujun or higher, they’d struggle to gain any advantage here.”
The youth continued, “Even in the entire Xu family, such experts can be counted on one hand, and they rarely act. Besides, if a fight breaks out, we small fry can just leave. These big families wouldn’t bother with us.”
“You’re right,” Lin Xiao nodded, gave a quick farewell, and left.
Elsewhere, Lin Xiao’s voice rose again:
“Hey, heard the news? The Xu family’s genius Xu Wei and a Fourth Layer Wujun were killed by two Cao family Wujun. The Xu family sent experts to hunt them down, no idea if they succeeded.”
…
Then, in another spot, he whispered:
“Word is, Xu Wei was killed by a Cao family elder. Wonder what the Xu family will do next. Think they’ll sneak into Cao family city?”
…
“Big news! Xu family’s genius Xu Wei and a Fourth Layer Wujun fell, and the Cao family’s Third and Fourth Layer Wujun were killed by Xu family experts. The two families are at war.”
…
In various places, Lin Xiao spread the rumours, deliberately mixing different versions, targeting young martial artists.
Soon, the explosive news spread like wildfire through the city.
By the time it circulated, its origins were untraceable, passed from mouth to mouth.
In the Cao family’s grand courtyard in City Five, Cao Gang’s face darkened with rage upon hearing the news. “Where did this come from?” he demanded.
“It’s spreading all over the city, no clear source,” a middle-aged man reported, shaking his head sceptically. “Elder Cao Gang, Cao Chen and Cao Zheng dead, Xu Qin and Xu Wei killed—it can’t be true, can it? Someone’s stirring rumours, aren’t they?”
“Cao Zheng and Cao Chen did go east. Send people to investigate,” Cao Gang ordered sternly.
“Yes!” The man nodded and left.
The news shook the entire Cao family in City Five. Such big news rarely came from nothing unless someone was deliberately spreading lies.
But in Cao family city, few dared to start rumours unless it was a rival faction.
The Xu family, their fiercest competitor, wouldn’t spread a rumour that implicated their own.
If anyone had the audacity and motive, it might be the Lu family, with whom relations were lukewarm.
But the Lu family was farther from City Five than other cities, making it an unlikely choice for rumour-mongering.
It could be someone with a grudge against the Cao family, like a rogue cultivator, or the news might be true. If neither the Xu nor Cao families lost elders, such rumours would quickly collapse, serving little purpose.
Still, for the Cao family, investigating was no trouble, even if the news was false.
They also sent more people to trace the rumour’s source.
Anyone daring to spread lies would face the Cao family’s wrath.
Meanwhile, Lin Xiao, who’d first planted the news, was now with Mei Tianmo in a lavish restaurant, enjoying themselves while waiting for the rumours to take effect.
“Xu Wei’s been killed? That’s massive! The Xu family’s four geniuses are down to three.”
“The Cao family has only three geniuses. Cao Yuhua, ranked third, is said to be between Xu Wei and Xu Rong in strength. Could it be Cao Yuhua’s doing? I heard he went out for training recently.”
“If Cao Yuhua fought and it was a life-or-death battle, why would elders get involved? Both families have an unspoken rule: elders don’t touch the younger generation, or mutual slaughter would harm both sides.”
“Heh, that’s under certain conditions. If a top genius faces death, you think their elders would stand by?”
“True. If top geniuses clash, elders won’t let their side fall. If one dies, they’d ensure the other side’s genius falls too.”
…
The buzz of discussion filled the restaurant, a hub for gossip and a favourite haunt for martial artists.
Looking around, Lin Xiao noticed a young man sitting alone, unusually quiet. In his early twenties, dressed plainly, he seemed unremarkable, his aura restrained.
But Lin Xiao could tell the youth’s cultivation was at Third Layer Wuzun, an impressive talent.
Amid the heated talk of the Cao and Xu families, Lin Xiao sensed a chill from the youth, sparking his curiosity about what had triggered it.
“Cao Yuhua! Cao Yuhua’s here!”
A voice rang out, silencing the lively crowd. Lin Xiao, along with the others, turned toward the entrance.
On the restaurant’s second floor, a refined young man in white strolled in unhurriedly.
Barely in his early twenties, his cultivation had reached Sixth Layer Wuzun, shocking Lin Xiao. For the Cao family’s third-ranked genius to be this strong, what about the top two?
“The southeast corner pales in comparison,” Lin Xiao thought with a sigh.
In the southeast, covering the Lanlan Empire and Chaos Lands, no young cultivator reached Fifth or Sixth Layer Wuzun.
Yet the Cao and Xu families each had three or four such talents—a stark gap in quality.
It made sense, though. The southeast domain had richer resources, with plenty of spirit stones. Major families like the Cao piled resources into their talents, so reaching such levels by their twenties was normal.
Behind Cao Yuhua followed four youths, all in their early twenties and at Wuzun level: one at Third Layer, one at Second Layer, and two at First Layer—all prodigies.
“That’s Cao Shi, Cao Zheng, Cao Xiang, and Cao Qing, all top Cao family talents. Cao Shi, at Third Layer Wuzun, is a key focus, though not on Cao Yuhua’s level. Didn’t expect them all to show up.”
“Someone like Cao Yuhua with four top talents in tow makes sense, but why are they here?”
Whispers reached Lin Xiao’s ears, and he was quietly shocked. Forget Cao Yuhua—any of these four would be a top genius in the Ling or Su family regions.
For one Cao family city to produce so many talents showed their deep foundation as a major clan.
Judging by their demeanour, they weren’t here to dine or relax. Lin Xiao grew curious—what were these geniuses up to?
