Outside Jun Wu's mansion, a shadowy group crouched in silence, their eyes locked on the mansion like hungry hawks circling its prey.

"How long are they going to stay inside?" one muttered, his voice tight with impatience.

"Patience," another hissed back. "As long as they don't decide to live there permanently, he'll soon fall into our hands."

"But still… I can't believe a mere boy could invoke the blessings of heaven," a third voice added, disbelief dripping from every word.

"Who could have predicted that? The ways of heaven are beyond our understanding. Stop talking and focus on the mission."

Their conversation ended as quickly as it began, and silence once again descended on the group.

They remained still, their gazes glued to the grand gates of the mansion.

An hour later, they felt movement from the mansion's entrance. The heavy gates creaked open.

Instantly, the men stiffened and pulled deeper into the shadows.

The sun had long sunk in the west, leaving Mystic City swathed in darkness.

The only light came from the pale-yellow lanterns swaying above the gates, their glow stretching across the quiet street.

One by one, the leaders emerged from the mansion, their eyes filled with anticipation.

In their heart, two words ring like a tolling bell.

Master Teachers.

They climbed into their carriages, eager to return to their organizations and set the plans in motion.

Hidden in the shadow, the men watched closely.

When the last carriage departed into the night, evil grins twisted across their faces. Finally, at last, they could act.

Just as they prepared to move, a firm voice cut through the air. "Wait ten minutes before you attack."

The men froze.

They exchanged glances but obeyed without complaint. With the departure of the two deans, the mansion was no longer secured.

There was no need to rush.

And with their combined strength, Jun Wu had no chance of escaping.

Ten long minutes slipped by.

Then, with calculated calm, the black-robed figures crept from their hiding places.

Each wore a mask to conceal their identity, their steps heavy with confidence as they strode toward the mansion.

"No one should hold back," one instructed in a low growl. "Once we destroy the protective array, one of us will seize Jun Wu. The rest will cleanse the mansion."

The others nodded grimly, bloodlust gleaming in their eyes.

They surged forward.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Five Master Realm cultivators struck simultaneously, unleashing their full force against the mansion.

In response, the Mountain Shield Array Formation flared to life.

A dome of golden light surged upward, forming a radiant, impenetrable shield that enclosed the entire estate.

"What?!"

The five Masters staggered back in shock. They stared at the shimmering barrier, disbelief etched across their faces.

Each of them had poured their strength into the strike, yet not even the faintest crack appeared on the array.

"What kind of formation is this?" one whispered hoarsely.

Confusion swept through them, but their desperation made them recover quickly.

They couldn't afford hesitation.

"Again!" another barked.

Their strikes rained down like thunder, each one fiercer than the last.

The barrier quaked, rippling under the assault—but held firm.

If they delayed too long, the city guards would surely notice.

Inside the mansion, everyone had already gathered outside, their faces tight with fear.

"Y-Young Master, this is bad," Mao Yun said, his voice grim. "They're all Master Realm warriors."

Elder Peng and Zhang Wei shared the same heavy expression. None of them had expected so many Masters to move against them in one night.

Xinyue clutched the hem of her robe with trembling fingers, her entire body shivering at the crashing sounds outside.

Jun Wu, however, stood calm, his gaze steady.

"Relax. As long as they are only Masters, they cannot break through the protective array."

Everyone turned to him in disbelief.

His words sounded reckless in the face of overwhelming power, yet his tone carried unshakable confidence.

Zhang Wei opened his mouth to argue but faltered when Mao Yun shot him a sharp glance and he pressed his lips shut.

Mao Yun, however, couldn't suppress his uneasiness in his mind.

Something about Jun Wu had changed since his return from the open lecture.

He was different now…calmer, sharper, more dangerous.

Though Jun Wu did not have any intimidating aura, Mao Yun's instincts screamed otherwise.

Whenever he looked at him, he felt an inexplicable sense of dread, as though a hidden blade was aimed at his throat.

Could Jun Wu have become a Master?

No… impossible.

The path to the Master Realm required rare and powerful secret technique, guarded by clans.

How could Jun Wu, without returning to the clan, possibly obtain such a method?

Boom!

A thunderous roar tore through the night sky. Everyone jerked their heads upward.

A figure hovered in the air, radiating crushing pressure.

Fear and panic gripped the hearts like a vice.

The man in the sky was no mere Master, he was an Expert Cultivator. A realm beyond the Master Realm.

Jun Wu's face tightened. Even he had not expected his enemies to send an Expert against him.

His mind raced.

The Mountain Shield Array could only withstand three full-force Expert strikes before collapsing.

He had to find a way out.

"Damn it," he cursed inwardly.

"Young Master…" Xinyue's lips quivered, her eyes filled with terror as she clung to him for reassurance.

Jun Wu steadied his breath.

"Nothing will happen. Do you think such a powerful Expert would dare to attack without alerting the deans?"

His words rang with confidence, though in truth it was a gamble.

He refused to believe the two deans could fail to sense such a presence looming so openly above the city.

High in the air, the Expert narrowed his eyes, staring at the radiant array below.

Impossible.

His attack had failed.

"This is… bad," he muttered, unsettled.

With his cultivation, no array should have been able to withstand his strike.

And yet…

A chill ran down his spine.

His skin crawled, every hair on his body standing on end as a suffocating premonition washed over him.

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