Setting Sun

The following day. In the early morning, the sprawling Huang Manor bustled with excitement. Lanterns and banners were strung high, and the vermilion gates were thrown wide as servants and robust maidservants carried fresh fruits and fine wine, bustling along the verandas and across the courtyards. Dressed in a deep purple brocade robe belted with white jade, Huang Xunjiu sat in the main hall with a ruddy glow on his face, conversing with relatives and friends who had come to offer congratulations. Huang Qian sat at his left hand, smiling faintly and chiming in now and then with an air of relaxed poise. Beyond the main hall, outside the great vermilion gates, numerous carriages were lined up along the entrance, nearly blocking the passage for passersby. Smiling men and women in splendid silks stepped down from their carriages and were guided into the estate by gatekeepers and servants. It was a bustling scene, filled with cheerful conversation and joyful celebration. Yet as time went on and the sun climbed higher, the smile on Huang Xunjiu's face grew less sincere and natural. He pulled his eldest son, Huang Qian, aside into a wing room and let out a quiet sigh. "The banquet begins at noon, yet not one of the distinguished guests we invited has arrived. They didn't even bother sending a presentable congratulatory gift—they wouldn't even deign to pay us lip service. "Only a few prominent clans who once had closer ties with our Huang family sent gifts over, but not a single person showed up. "The rest who came to pay their respects are either in-laws and old acquaintances who simply can't cut ties with us, or opportunists looking to curry favor." Huang Qian, however, was not particularly disheartened. "Wasn't this anticipated all along? The prominent clans and high officials of the commandery seat will naturally lean toward Huang Tian. Unless Huang Tian suddenly loses all his talent or gets killed, they won't want to get involved with us." "I anticipated it, yes, but seeing it with my own eyes still chills my heart," Huang Xunjiu sighed. "While our Huang family might not be among the very top influential clans in the commandery seat, we still count as second-rate with plenty of prestige. In the past, whenever we hosted a grand celebratory feast, endless throngs would come to congratulate us and deliver gifts. Yet today..." Huang Xunjiu gave another sigh and forced himself to rally his spirits. "Still, at least a few major clans sent gifts. If there hadn't been a single one, our days ahead would truly be miserable." Huang Qian nodded in agreement. If none of the prominent clans in the commandery seat paid any heed to the Huang Manor's banquet, they wouldn't even need to struggle anymore... Yet a few prominent clans had indeed sent gifts today. Even if no representatives had come in person, it offered them a glimmer of confidence, proving that Huang Qian's success in drawing qi had indeed yielded a notable positive impact. At this thought, Huang Xunjiu's gaze toward Huang Qian softened further. "Qian'er, from now on, focus on your cultivation with peace of mind. If you need any resources, do not hesitate to ask the family. I will deny you nothing..." Huang Qian replied solemnly, "I understand, Father. I will surely cultivate diligently and revitalize our family!" "Good, good, good!" Huang Xunjiu stroked his beard and smiled with gratification. *** At the Baoqing Ward Company Office. The brothers Tang Fu and Tang Gui had taken several men out on patrol through the ward's streets and alleys. Qi Hong remained in her office quarters cultivating, while Luo Chan was busy going over account ledgers with several scribes. Huang Tian stayed in the hall, unhurriedly practicing his Cloud Dragon Stance with a placid expression. At noon, a clerk brought Huang Tian his midday meal with cautious, tiptoeing steps, holding his breath as though treating the young man like a ravenous beast ready to devour anyone in sight. Huang Tian found the sight amusing. While his subordinates had always held him in awe, they had never been this skittish. Behaving like this today was probably out of fear that he was in a foul mood over the Huang Manor's celebratory feast, and they feared being caught in his crosshairs. In truth, he hadn't given the Huang family a second thought. His mind was entirely devoted to cultivation, with only the occasional thought spared for the Feihong Sect's plot to ambush him. Through his 'Observation,' he had already confirmed that Zhang Yu and his cohort would make their move today, and he had even pinpointed their ambush location... Chuckling softly to himself, he waved for the clerk to withdraw and began his meal. The clerk tiptoed out of the room. Recalling the smile on Huang Tian's face, he felt secretly bewildered: *The Company Commander was smiling just now? Could he actually be in a good mood today?* Shaking his head, he simply couldn't fathom it. Inside the hall, after finishing his lunch and resting for a short while, Huang Tian took two more Blood Condensation Pills and resumed his stance work, circulating his blood-qi. The deep rumble of internal thunder hummed softly within him as threads of spiritual qi were drawn into his body. His true qi accumulated steadily, continuously nourishing and tempering his physique. Time slipped quietly by. The sun sank toward the west, igniting the clouds along the horizon into fiery brilliance. The radiant gold-red gradually softened into a pleasing apricot-pink, before yielding to the fading embers of purplish-gray at the edge of the sky—layered washes of color, splendid yet desolate. *Dong!* A dull drumbeat sounded in the distance. It was the drum marking the dismissal of official duties, signaling that the workday was over. The clerks of the Company Office packed up their belongings and prepared to head home. Huang Tian drew in his stance, straightened up, walked out of the room, and stepped out of the Company Office alone. Standing before the gates of the Company Office, he looked toward the west. That was not only where the sun was setting, but also precisely where the Huang Manor lay. As twilight gathered, the faint afterglow of the sunset lingered on the Huang Manor's vermilion-lacquered gates. Inside, the celebration was still underway, lit as brightly as day. Splendid decorative lanterns swayed gently in the evening breeze, illuminating the courtyard in brilliant light. Silk-clad guests drank merrily, while pretty maidservants flitted like butterflies among the crowd carrying colorful platters of food. The evening feast was even livelier than the midday gathering. Withdrawing his gaze, Huang Tian leisurely made his way toward Qinghui Garden. The moment he set off, Nie Kun and Tie Qi, concealed in a secluded spot, immediately followed behind. *Tap, tap...* Walking along the road at an unhurried pace, he rounded a corner and entered a quiet, sparsely populated alleyway. *Tap, tap...* Dressed in his dark official robes, Huang Tian strode calmly into the alley. His footsteps were clear and steady, echoing between the high walls on either side. Yet this rhythmic cadence was abruptly shattered! *Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!* Seven figures, who had been lying in wait for hours, materialized atop the wall like vengeful ghosts and shot forward like razor-sharp arrows! Even in the dim alley light, Huang Tian could clearly make them out. Among the seven hurtling toward him, two exuded the most formidable aura—one tall and one short, both middle-aged men. Although the tall man wore a partial mask, his emaciated features were still visible. His ten fingers were as withered as talons, faint eerie glimmers swirling around the fingertips. He had clearly cultivated a toxic art, fusing poison into his true qi; a single strike from those claws would undoubtedly numb the entire body and tear flesh from bone. The short man was stocky and solid. His meaty palms were as broad as cattail-leaf fans, glowing with a dark crimson sheen akin to burning flames. As he lunged forward, his strike compressed the air, unleashing a wail like howling ghosts and weeping wolves! These two were none other than Deacon Wu and Deacon Liu. And hurtling close behind them were five sixth-rank martial artists led by Zhang Yu. Wielding blades and swords that flashed with cold light, they formed a seamless, airtight net of attack. The glint of steel aimed straight for Huang Tian's forehead, throat, and heart. Even before the blades could strike home, their piercing chill already bit sharply at his skin! "Insolent scoundrels, how dare you?!" In that split second, two furious roars erupted like thunderclaps. Two figures shot forward from behind Huang Tian like cannonballs, churning up a shower of shattered earth and stone as they crashed straight into the Feihong Sect assailants.