Chapter 388: The Silent Threat
"Are you saying the Du clan young princess visited the store?" the Shi young master asked as he raised his head to look at the middle aged man standing before him.
His tone was calm, yet a faint sharpness lingered beneath it.
"Yes, Young Master," the man replied with a respectful nod. "She demanded to see the grandmaster behind the No Heat Stove. However, she was sent out along with everyone else inside the store."
A faint pause followed.
The Shi young master’s eyes widened slightly in disbelief.
He was very familiar with the temperament of the Du clan young princess. She was known for her arrogance and unreasonable behavior throughout the city.
Hearing that she had been dismissed so casually, he could already imagine the chaos that must have followed.
"So, did she destroy the store?" he asked.
His tone carried certainty, as though the outcome had already been decided.
"No, Young Master," the man answered, shaking his head. "She was taken away by her protector. According to our findings, her protector appeared to be fleeing."
"What?" the Shi young master exclaimed.
For the first time, genuine shock appeared on his face.
The Du young princess’s protector was a well known cultivator at the Intermediate Nascent Soul Stage Four level.
Such a figure was powerful enough to dominate most forces within the city.
What kind of situation could force her to retreat?
From all their intelligence, the new store did not appear to have any strong backing.
So why did she flee?
"Young Master, that is not all," the man continued carefully. "Our spies reported that a tense situation emerged in the Du clan estate after the protector and the young miss returned."
"Really?" The Shi young master leaned forward slightly, his curiosity clearly stirred.
"Yes," the man confirmed. "The inner courtyard has been sealed. No one is allowed to approach it."
"We believe something significant is happening within the clan."
The Shi young master fell silent.
He did not doubt this information.
His brows slowly furrowed as he sank into deep thought.
What could compel a powerful clan like the Du clan to seal off their inner courtyard?
Such actions were never taken lightly.
This development could be crucial to his plans.
If he intended to proceed further, he needed to uncover the truth behind this incident.
"Send our men," he commanded in a grave voice. "They must find out what is happening inside the Du clan and report immediately."
"Yes, Young Master," the man replied before bowing and withdrawing.
Left alone, the Shi young master narrowed his eyes.
The first clan to uncover the secret behind these powerful artifacts would gain a tremendous advantage.
Perhaps even enough to dominate the entire city.
Meanwhile, inside the City Lord mansion, the atmosphere was equally tense.
The City Lord sat behind a wooden table crafted from century old spirit wood.
His brows were tightly knit.
"What is going on with the Du clan?" he asked in a low voice. "Everyone expected their troublesome young princess to stir trouble and expose the hidden forces behind that store."
"I believe that was indeed the intention, My Lord," the butler replied respectfully. "However, the store appears to be far more complex than we initially thought."
"Something unknown must have occurred, forcing her protector to retreat with her."
"I agree," the City Lord said as he nodded slowly.
"But what exactly happened?" he murmured.
His frown deepened further.
"With the inner courtyard sealed, the situation must be extremely serious," he added thoughtfully.
"That is likely the case," the butler agreed.
"Send our spies," the City Lord instructed firmly. "We must uncover the truth behind this matter."
"Yes, My Lord," the butler replied before leaving the room.
Once alone, the City Lord rose to his feet and walked toward the window.
He gazed out at the bustling city below.
’Is it possible they have encountered a power beyond this city?’ he wondered silently.
In his mind, that was the only explanation that made sense.
Even when dealing with him, the Du clan had never shown such caution.
At the same time, while the noble clans were busy investigating the Du clan incident, subtle changes were taking place across the outer city.
With all the stores closed, those who wanted to purchase the Moon Orb were left disappointed.
Commoners complained openly.
Some even cursed the unfairness of the situation.
Among the middle level clans, however, a different perspective began to form.
Many began to believe that the force behind these strange and innovative artifacts was not as powerful as initially thought.
After all, they had retreated in the face of pressure from the three dominant gangs.
In a world where strength reigned supreme, retreat was often seen as weakness.
And weakness invited exploitation.
Gradually, several middle level clans began to form plans.
Their eyes turned toward both the stores and the football arena.
They sought to carve out their own share of the growing influence.
Yet, in their eagerness, they failed to notice something important.
The silence of the three dominant gangs.
Inside the Red Serpent Gang headquarters, a heavy atmosphere filled the hall.
Fear and panic were evident on every face.
"Leader... what is happening?" one of the members asked with great difficulty.
His voice trembled, filled with pain.
At the center of the hall, the Red Serpent leader sat cross legged.
Her expression was twisted with agony.
A thin line of blood trickled from the corner of her lips.
She was desperately trying to control her spiritual energy, which had gone completely berserk.
Her meridians were in chaos.
Every movement brought unbearable pain.
Her breathing grew uneven.
Her body trembled slightly.
’Why is this happening?’ she thought desperately.
’Who did this to us?’
For the first time in years, true fear gripped her heart.
She could not understand how an enemy could attack her without her noticing anything.
And it was not just her.
Most of the upper echelon of the gang were suffering from the same condition.
Some had already lost consciousness.
Their fates were uncertain.
The air inside the headquarters was thick with despair.
Alchemists and physicians who attempted to treat them soon found themselves afflicted as well.
The toxin was terrifying.
It spread silently to anyone who came too close.
For the first time, the Red Serpent leader felt that death might truly be approaching.
A chilling thought surfaced in her mind.
’Could it be them?’
Her eyes trembled slightly.
Unknown to her, their gang was not the only gang in this predicament. The two other gangs were also suffering the same thing.
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