---
The journey back to Sunstone Village began with a familiar, weary rhythm. The villagers, their sacks heavier on their shoulders but lighter in their hearts, chatted about prices, purchases, and the fleeting wonders of Stonegate Town. Wu Ken, despite the long day, felt unusually alert. The dull bronze scrap tucked into his satchel gave off a faint warmth, like a quiet heartbeat against his side. It wasn't loud, but it was constant—reminding him that something had changed.
His encounters with Stonegate's cultivators had stirred something deeper than curiosity. Ambition. The road home no longer felt like a chore—it felt like a test.
As the sun dipped low, painting the sky in molten hues, the group entered the denser stretch of the Whispering Woods. The trees here were older, their roots gnarled and their branches thick with shadow. The air grew still.
Then came the whistle.
Sharp. Piercing. Followed by rustling leaves and snapping twigs. Before anyone could react, nine masked figures emerged from the gloom, surrounding the villagers like wolves circling prey.
They were a ragged crew—cloaked in patched garments, faces hidden behind crude masks. Each held a blade or cudgel, their stances confident, predatory. At their head stood a towering man, his posture radiating command. Through the slits in his mask, his eyes gleamed with cruel amusement.
"Well, well," the leader's voice rumbled, rough as gravel. "A flock of plump little lambs, straying from the fold. Hand over your goods, and no one gets hurt."
Fear rippled through the group. Elder Huan stepped forward, his voice trembling. "We are but humble villagers, sir. We have little of value."
"Silence, old man!" one of the bandits snarled, raising a jagged iron spear.
Wu Ken's blood ran cold—but not from fear. It was anger. Protective, rising like a tide. He sensed the aura around the bandits. The leader's energy was refined, sharp—likely a 4-star Body Tempering cultivator. The others carried faint traces of cultivation, hovering around the 1-star and 2-star levels. To the villagers, they were monsters. But to Wu Ken, now solidly at 1-star himself, they were dangerous… but not invincible.
"Looks like this one has some spirit," the leader chuckled, his gaze settling on Wu Ken, who had instinctively stepped closer to Auntie Mei. "Or perhaps just foolishness."
Wu Ken's fists clenched. His heart pounded, but his mind was clear. He couldn't fight nine men head-on. Not yet. But he wouldn't stand by and watch his people suffer.
A plan began to form—reckless, desperate, but possible. He would create a diversion. Something loud. Something bold. Just enough to give the others a chance to flee.
The quiet strength that had been growing within him now demanded its first true test.
---