Chapter Four: One Night

On the other side, Tu Lu rushed home in a hurry, but before he could even step through the door, he saw his sister anxiously waiting outside. Instantly, joy overwhelmed him; the unease he'd carried finally settled, and in his excitement, he shouted and dashed forward, scooping his sister up in a hug. Lin Ru shrieked in surprise.

"Tu Lu! Why are you only just getting back?!"

Once she'd regained her composure, Lin Ru's cheeks flushed slightly as she asked with a hint of reproach. Yet Tu Lu, riding high on excitement, paid no mind to her scolding. He grinned mischievously, "Sis, guess what good news I brought home!"

"Just tell me!" Lin Ru's face hardened.

Tu Lu froze at her sternness, realizing she was genuinely upset; he scratched his head sheepishly and began to recount what had happened, careful not to upset her further. He felt a little aggrieved—he'd only been gone a bit longer than expected, not on purpose, and after all, he'd risked his life for their family's sake. His sister was being awfully strict. But he kept these thoughts to himself, daring not to voice them aloud.

"...That's what happened. I seized the moment when that stone beast wasn't paying attention and managed to escape Thunder Mountain. Then, on the road, I ran into the same man who threw me into the back hills. You know, he actually caught another girl..." As he spoke, Tu Lu grew increasingly agitated.

But Lin Ru's expression changed abruptly, cutting him off at once.

"Hold on! The rest can wait until we're inside!"

She glanced around to make sure no one was watching, then led the way back home. She'd already noticed Tu Lu's servant attire from the Lord's residence but hadn't questioned it until now. Hearing his story, she finally realized something was amiss, and her face darkened. What puzzled her, though, was how calmly she reacted to Tu Lu becoming a cultivator—she wasn't surprised, and even when he mentioned the black stone, she only seemed mildly taken aback.

Tu Lu scratched his head, having expected his sister to doubt him. He had already prepared to show off his newfound prowess, bracing himself internally, but her lack of astonishment felt like punching into cotton—leaving him oddly disappointed.

He shook his head and followed Lin Ru into the house.

...

Some time later.

"What did you say? You tossed the red-bearded brute into the back hills, and then gave the little girl a thunder stone the size of a fist?!" Lin Ru drew a sharp breath.

Tu Lu gave a nervous, sheepish smile and nodded. Though he was fearless by nature, that never applied with Lin Ru. It had always been this way since childhood—even now, as a cultivator, nothing had changed.

The sack of thunder stones he'd brought from the back hills sat on the table, along with those he'd taken from Ding San. Yet there was no trace of joy in the room; Lin Ru, in particular, radiated an inexplicable pressure.

"You really... were far too careless!"

Lin Ru sighed. "Since you've offended that man, you shouldn't have left him alive. And the little girl—what am I to say to you!"

"It... it's probably fine, right? I threw him into the back hills—he can't possibly have survived. Even if he did, he's just a servant. Now... now I'm a cultivator..." Tu Lu's bravado faltered under his sister's stern gaze, his confidence waning.

When she remained silent, he added softly, "And that little girl... She seemed so pitiful, I couldn't help but give her a thunder stone."

Seeing Lin Ru about to speak, he hastily raised his voice, "It's fine, really! I brought home so many thunder stones—losing one or two doesn't matter!"

Lin Ru, seeing his demeanor, wanted to scold him further but found herself too weary.

"You—do you think I'm blaming you for giving the girl a thunder stone?"

Tu Lu was taken aback by her words.

Lin Ru sighed again. "A thunder stone the size of a fist is rare. A girl carrying such a thing... Do you know what that means? She can't possibly keep it safe herself, and I'm afraid... even we could be implicated. Cultivators defy the heavens—killing and stealing treasures from each other is common. You, a newcomer to the Mountain-Moving Realm, are carrying so many thunder stones..."

She paused, hesitating to continue.

She'd watched Tu Lu grow up—ever since she found him, he'd always been so naive. It wasn't surprising he'd land himself in such trouble. The worries that weighed on her were perhaps too much for him just yet...

Though Lin Ru didn't finish her thought, Tu Lu was clever enough to understand. His face paled, cold sweat breaking out.

"What... what should I do?" His throat felt dry.

Lin Ru hesitated, then reassured him, "Don't panic—this is just the worst-case scenario. If the girl is smart, she'll break the thunder stone into standard pieces and sell them gradually. Nothing might happen. Still, we can't be too careful. Here's what we'll do: I'll disguise you, and tomorrow morning you take these thunder stones to Tianlong Workshop in the east city. Ask them to exchange one for a Tianlong Token, and the rest for Marrow-Washing Pills. Then, find a secluded spot to change clothes. We'll leave Shenfeng City together!"

Tu Lu hesitated. "Shouldn't we break these thunder stones into standard sizes first? That way, they won't stand out so much..."

"It's too late. Also—take off those servant clothes!"

Hearing this, Tu Lu nodded and was about to act when he paused, uncertain. "Sis, you seem awfully practiced at this..."

"What nonsense are you spouting?" Lin Ru tapped his head.

Tu Lu instinctively tried to dodge, but as always, failed to avoid her. "Ouch!" he cried, clutching his head and backing away, looking at her with wounded eyes.

...

Soon, the night passed.

The next morning, Tu Lu donned a black hemp robe and shouldered his thunder stones, leaving home.

His appearance had changed drastically. Though he still had a young man's frame, his formerly plain face was now thoroughly transformed—he looked like a middle-aged man, worn and haggard, with ragged clothes that made him seem utterly destitute and malnourished.

But the most crucial part of his disguise was not his looks, but his vitality!

Lin Ru had somehow acquired a small pamphlet detailing a set of Body-Tempering disguise techniques. Tu Lu spent the night learning them. Though he hadn't mastered them completely, he'd managed to suppress his robust energy enough that even other Mountain-Moving cultivators would take him for a middle-aged man with depleted blood.

Thanks to this disguise, Tu Lu was full of confidence in his mission and quickly left the slums behind.

What he didn't know was that, at the very moment he exited the slums, another group passed him by, heading in the opposite direction and entering the poor quarter!

It was the little girl he'd given the thunder stone to—she was now accompanied by a retinue of attendants from the Lord's residence.

At their head was none other than the Grand Steward.