That hair, that outfit, that sword. It’s her, the girl swimming on the lake. ‘Oh my god, if I had been caught there, I would be long dead by now.’ Cold sweat threatened to drip from Seth’s forehead while he thought how much trouble he avoided because of the warning Lexi gave him.

While Seth was lost on his thoughts the girl started an apologetic introduction. “I’m sorry. My name is Huo Lilian a fellow disciple at the Blazing Phoenix Sect. I need to thank you for helping my sister.”

Seth’s red robe pretty much told the girl that his status as that of an outer sect disciple.

Seth, still showing his weakened state, dusted off his robe and said: “It’s alright. Luckily you held off your power at the end. I’m just too tired now, spent my entire Qi trying to escape the attack. I think that after a good rest everything will be alright. So, I’m bidding farewell.”

“Wait! You are hurt, how about we accompany you back to the sect?” Huo Yuyin proposed. She really seemed to like her new acquaintance.

“Yuyin, you should be bothering more with yourself! Why did you suddenly leave the lake to tour in the woods? When we head back, I’ll prepare you a good punishment!”

“Ehhh!? I’m sorry big sis, it was just so boring there.”

‘Poor little girl, such a poor looks on her face.’ Seth started to feel pity for her. He took advantage of their discussion to retreat. Leaving stealthily and in silence.

“I’ll tell dad of your misbehavior.” Both girls were engrossed on their discussion.

“No, Big sis, don’t tell dad, please. I promise to listen to you from now on! Big brother Seth, help me out here. Big brother…”

Seth was already far away. They could only see his small figure by the time they came to themselves.

“Hey, wait!” Yuyin prepared to follow him.

“Let him go!” Lilian stopped her.

“But…”

“No buts. We need to go back, it’s getting late. Or could it be that you want me to tell dad? Weren’t you going to listen to me?”

“Ah… OK.”

“So troublesome. Sigh.” Lilian checked their surroundings, spotting the dead wolf. “At least you got some fighting experience. Good job on hunting that wolf, despite it being only a Qi Gathering Late-stage beast.”

“That wolf? I didn’t kill it. It was Seth who defeated it.” Yuyin said unconcerned.

“Stop lying, he was only at the Qi gathering Initial-stage, how was he even able to kill it? Even if he used all his Qi to attack, he would at most hurt it lightly.”

Yuyin got amazed. “Woah! Amazing! He is so strong! I was not lying big sis, I swear!”

Lilian couldn’t believe it. “What? Is that true?”

“It’s the truth!”

Lilian quickly recalled the facts that happened minutes ago.

She thought the boy was an enemy and used her power with no restraints, going as far as using an advanced technique, the Phoenix chaser beam. Impressively, he resisted! And there were no major injuries!

She was 19 this year. Being the Sect Master’s Daughter, she had every kind of resources up at her disposition. Adding her huge talent, she was already at Profound Qi Late-stage Realm of cultivation.

A whole realm above the wolf. Actually, it wouldn’t take too much more time for her to breakthrough.

She could easily defeat that wolf, but not when she was only at the Qi Gathering Initial-stage, even using her powerful bloodline as fuel to add more power to her techniques would not be enough to kill that wolf. But he impressively did it!

“Too abnormal!” After remembering the facts, she even lost her cool for some seconds.

“Hm? Is there anything wrong sis?”

“Yuyin, we are getting back! I’ll not tell father about anything. Actually, don’t even mention what happened here to anyone!” She said in an ordering tone.

“Really? Yay! I’ll not tell anything.” Yuyin crossed her fingers before her lips.

Somewhere next to the Outer Sect grounds.

“Why did you leave those huge clues behind, Seth? They will figure out you are not a common person.”

“Lexi, let me ask you something. How would you approach someone without raising that person guard against you?”

“Hmm… You got to make it as natural as possible.”

“Correct! And is there a better way than making the said person take some interest in you, even going as far as approaching you, on her own?”

With sparkling eyes Lexi said. “At least you’re not just a pervert, you can even think sometimes!”

Seth eyebrows twitched.

Entering his own yard, already darkening outside he yawned. “I guess I’ll rest earlier today.”

He opened the front door, and as soon as he took his first step inside the house he stopped there.

“Who’s there?” He couldn’t feel the other individual aura, nor sense him in any way and that showed this was a powerful individual. But as sensitive to darkness as Seth was, he could feel that gloomy distortion brought by it.

Swoosh!

“Keen, as always.” A shadow appeared before Seth, slowly revealing what was a grayish old man. He seemed more dead than alive. Many years in contact with dark environments transformed him in what seemed to be a dried tree branch.

His aura, opposite to his body, was strong if not heavier than Seth’s when he took the bracelet off. But that aura was totally under his control, as he didn’t want to attract any form of attention.

“Valic… My abilities can’t compare to yours.”

“Seth, there is no need to be humble. Who from the younger generation can be compared to you? Only old geezers like me can keep an eye on monsters like you.”

From now on Seth knew he wouldn’t be able to move freely. Someone came to observe his actions.

“Seems like Sect Master can’t trust me that much.”

“Hehehe.” Valic laughed creepily at that joke, because he knew it was impossible for Seth to betray his master. The conditions wouldn’t let him.

“Why did you come here? This place is very far from the Sect, it is impressive to think it would have something of value to you.”

“Nothing much. I’m here to investigate some things. You don’t need to bother.”

“Is that so? Then I’ll go rest.”

“Have you heard of anyone named Tao Zhong?”

“!!!” Seth didn’t show any signs on his face, but something was off.

“Not really. Who is he?” Seth lied. Unfazed.

Valic was observing Seth’s expression, but didn’t notice any changes.

“Don’t bother then, but if you ever discover his location or who he is, immediately report it to me.”

Swoosh. Valic left, leaving those words behind.

Seth stood there thinking.. ‘Things are getting complicated.’