"Who on earth is it?"
Night Spring's brows furrowed tightly. For the first time, a grave expression appeared on her face.
"This sound—it feels like it's right next to us, but when you really listen, it seems so distant and ethereal."
Night Summer was clearly puzzled.
"Playing tricks, acting mysterious."
Night Autumn looked displeased. He spoke with casual indifference, but in reality, he was already secretly gathering his qi.
The others only felt that the footsteps sounded strange and uncanny.
But the one who truly felt uneasy was Night Winter.
The moment the footsteps sounded, he suddenly realized that no matter how he pushed his qi or tried to control the massive hammer he'd condensed, it simply wouldn't obey him.
The giant hammer, filled with his qi, hovered in midair just five inches above Allen Ju, unable to move any further.
It was as if the entire hammer had run into an invisible wall. No matter how hard it pressed down, that formless barrier could completely neutralize its force.
After several failed attempts, Night Winter finally joined everyone else in staring at the doors of the Ju family ancestral hall behind them.
The ancestral hall doors stood quietly.
From this side, you couldn't see anything unusual outside the doors.
Yet the footsteps coming from that direction grew closer and closer.
Each step thundered like a drum.
"What's going on?"
Chase Ju, seeing the giant hammer still suspended, grew impatient. He almost wished he could rush forward and lend a hand himself.
But he too sensed the sudden, eerie atmosphere rising around them.
Everyone seemed to be waiting for someone to arrive.
Yet it seemed no one really knew who they were waiting for.
It was a strange feeling.
Like waiting for a plane at the harbor, or waiting for a ship at the airport—a ship that would never arrive.
"A true expert."
The Ju family patriarch spoke up unexpectedly, his voice low.
The steward beside him, face grave, nodded heavily. "Very strong."
"Just how strong, I still can't tell."
Can't tell.
Hearing those words from the steward, even the Ju family head found it hard to believe.
After all, this Ju family steward had reached third-grade Pointing-to-Mystery years ago.
Third-grade Pointing-to-Mystery!
Even among the ancient martial Rowe clan, that would be elder-level cultivation.
All these years, with the steward guarding the Ju family, they've been safe and sound—no one ever dared cause trouble.
This time, Nightstar mobilized so many people precisely because they were worried about the Ju family's steward.
But now, it seemed another force had appeared—one that couldn't be ignored.
The four—Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter—were already at the peak of the Diamond Body path. If they advanced any further, they'd reach Pointing-to-Mystery.
To ordinary people, Nightstar seemed untouchable. But the four had a special secret technique: when they all appeared together, they could unleash their strongest power. That's how they dared to come demand people from the Ju family.
The Ju patriarch listened to the steward and nodded slightly.
At that moment, he couldn't help but glance at Allen Ju, who was sprawled on the ground.
Allen Ju had no strength left to get up.
Covered in wounds.
Stubborn, unyielding—even on the verge of death, he still held to his principles.
That was the rarest and most precious quality of all.
It was also what the Ju patriarch valued most this time.
Originally, the Ju patriarch intended to use this incident to teach Allen Ju a hard lesson—to show him what should and shouldn't be done.
To keep him from growing arrogant just because he's the Ju family's Third Young Master, and to make sure he didn't think he could do whatever he wanted because of his status.
Now, it seemed the lesson had worked.
In fact, it worked even better than expected, which genuinely surprised the Ju patriarch.
Originally, the plan was for the steward to act, drive out all of Nightstar, and then the Ju patriarch would personally visit Nightstar to negotiate. At most, they'd pay a price and the matter would be temporarily settled.
But now, things had changed.
The Ju patriarch's thoughts raced, his feelings complicated, while Allen Ju kept his eyes fixed on the doors.
The footsteps drew closer, sounding clearer than ever.
At first, it was like they rang in your ears. Now, it felt as if each step landed on your heart.
The sound wasn't loud, but it carried a rhythm all its own.
Gradually, everyone in the ancestral hall fell silent.
The qi swirling around Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter began to howl and gather. It looked scattered, but in reality, they were more focused than ever.
Chase Ju, who had been mocking Allen Ju moments ago, suddenly found himself speechless.
He was filled with unease. In contrast, even in his dire state, Allen Ju remained as determined as ever.
A guy who isn't even afraid of death—there's really nothing left that can shake him.
Outside the ancestral hall.
Evan Lin's footsteps were neither hurried nor slow.
With each step forward, the ground beneath him cracked a little more.
Evan Lin looked up, gazing at the Ju family ancestral hall drawing closer, at its gray stone-brick walls and the bright red wooden doors.
Even from a distance, Evan could already sense the surging qi inside the hall.
"It's about time to settle this."
Evan's expression was calm. He'd come straight from the high-speed rail station, grabbed a cab, got stuck in traffic for a bit, but luckily wasn't too late.
No Four-Directions Sword Array, no sign of the Three Maiden Spirits.
Everything around him seemed like a peaceful painting. The only thing growing larger in his view was the Ju family ancestral hall.
Inside the hall, qi surged like waves made solid, and people were poised for battle, tense and ready.
Outside, the youth walked steadily, calmly, each step firm and unhurried—like a stroll through a quiet courtyard.
One hundred meters.
Fifty meters.
Ten meters.
The closer he got, the more Evan could sense the difference in qi inside and outside the doors.
The condensed qi inside seemed like snake tongues flicking coldly, just waiting for Evan to step in.
But Evan seemed totally unfazed, walking calmly with no intention of stopping.
Only five meters left to the ancestral hall doors.
Evan paused, looked up at the plaque above the Ju family ancestral hall, noting the marks of time etched into it.
Inside, swords were drawn and bows bent.
Outside, everything was as calm as ever.
Two worlds, two separate realms.
"Did Nightstar really bring everyone here?"
Evan Lin muttered to himself, shook his head slightly, showing not a hint of fear.
He wasn't even the least bit surprised.
After pausing for a moment, Evan moved forward.
Step by step.
With his first step, the calm air around Evan suddenly erupted with overwhelming pressure.
Streams of qi appeared at Evan's side.
Surging like a tidal wave.
Boom!
Inside the doors, Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter, all standing ready, suddenly changed expressions.
Their eyes on the doors shifted instantly from vigilance to shock.
With just that first step, the aura—even through the doors—was terrifying beyond belief!