After the confrontation with Mei Hongli, Luotian and Wuji made their way toward the Peacock Pavilion, the administrative heart of Divine Bird City.
The Mei Clan governed both the school and the city. Mei Xuankong served as Clan Chief, Headmaster, and City Lord, tying the fortunes of the institution and Divine Bird City closely together.
The Peacock Pavilion rose from the earth like a sculpted relic of a forgotten era. Its jade-inlaid walls gleamed under the midday sun, each tier etched with intricate artistry that whispered of ancient power and bloodline legacy. Despite its elaborate appearance, it served a practical purpose as the seat of power for hundreds of miles.
Each floor dealt with matters of increasing importance. The lower floors hummed with the mundane—lost property, merchant disputes, and petty grievances. As one ascended, the air grew quieter and the stakes grew higher. The fifth floor, the apex of the Pavilion, was reserved exclusively for the City Lord and the most critical matters of state.
Luotian and Wuji bypassed the lower tiers, heading straight for the summit where Mei Xuankong awaited.
As they entered the grand hall of the fifth floor, the vast space felt heavy with the scent of aged parchment and latent energy. At the far end, two figures commanded the room. One sat behind a massive desk overflowing with scrolls and strategic maps, his bearing both authoritative and remarkably calm. Beside him stood an elderly figure, composed and vigilant, his eyes like those of a hawk watching the horizon.
The seated man was Mei Xuankong. Known as the strongest cultivator in the city, he was a Five Wings Master—a towering figure whose mere existence acted as a deterrent to rival territories. His bloodline, the Thousand Illusion Aurora Peacock, had earned him the illustrious title of the [Peacock Lord].
Standing at his side was Mei Changkong, the First Elder of the Mei Clan. A Four Wings Master in his own right, his presence solidified the absolute dominance of the clan's leadership.
Feng Luotian stepped forward and bowed. "Uncle Mei. First Elder."
Sun Wuji bowed beside him, a little more stiffly. "Greetings, Peacock Lord. First Elder."
The contrast in their greetings highlighted their vastly different standings within the Pavilion. Luotian had been raised alongside Mei Yue'er since childhood; his father's legendary contributions to the city had earned him a permanent seat of honor within the clan's inner circle. Mei Xuankong, in his father's absence, had stepped in as a guardian, treating Luotian more like a son than a ward.
Despite this bond, the Peacock Lord strictly adhered to a solemn vow made to Luotian's father: he would never intervene in the boy's personal battles, regardless of how dire the stakes. Even if Luotian's life hung by a single, fraying thread, the Lord would remain a spectator. This agreement, paired with Luotian's own fierce pride, ensured the boy never leaned on the City Lord's shadow to resolve his conflicts.
Luotian held no resentment for this detachment. On the contrary, he deeply admired the man's ironclad principles. To him, Mei Xuankong was a mentor and a pillar of stability.
Wuji, however, remained an outsider. Despite being a sworn brother to both Yue'er and Luotian, he held no blood or legacy ties to the Mei Clan. His deference was a calculated reality, adhering to the formalities expected of an outsider before the city's highest authorities.
The Peacock Lord set aside his scrolls. "Tian'er, tell me what happened."
As a Wing Master, Xuankong's range of perception spanned miles; he had sensed their return the moment they crossed into the school's territory. Their condition told him something grave had happened. Still, all three had returned alive, so he could wait for their report rather than rush down in a panic.
"A Wight Wolf attacked us in the Green Zone of the Warland Thicket, Uncle Mei. It was a One Talon Monster."
He gave a concise account of the attack, feigning ignorance about the "divine intervention" that had saved them.
The Peacock Lord exchanged a frown with the First Elder. A Talon-class beast should never have been that close to the city.
"Are you sure you were still in the Green Zone?" the Peacock Lord asked. "You hadn't gone near the Yellow Zone?"
"We were only about ten miles from the city wall, Uncle Mei. No farther than that."
The Warland Thicket, a sprawling, primordial wilderness bordering Divine Bird City, served as the primary proving ground for the city's cultivators. To manage the risks of such a volatile environment, the Mei Clan had long ago partitioned the woods into strictly monitored zones based on the lethality of the inhabitants.
The Green Zone, hugging the city walls, was considered a "tame" sanctuary intended for Fang Realm disciples to blood their blades. It was only at the Yellow Zone, roughly a hundred miles deep, that Talon Monsters typically began to prowl. Beyond that lay the Orange, Red, and Black Zones—each a deeper descent into a territory where even Wing Masters trod with caution.
Hearing that a Talon-class predator had struck within the Green Zone sent a ripple of alarm through the hall. Such a beast simply did not belong there.
First Elder Mei Changkong frowned. "That close? I doubt it wandered there on its own. Something must have driven it in."
"Wight Wolves usually stay in their own territory," the Peacock Lord said. "A stronger beast could have chased it out. Or someone brought it there."
"I think it was someone," Luotian said. "The way it behaved… it was almost like it was following orders."
Wuji looked at him. He had noticed that the wolf had a target, but he hadn't thought someone might be directing it. He waited for Luotian to explain.
"What did it do, Tian'er?" the Peacock Lord asked.
"It comes down to two things: Activation Range and Effective Range."
"Activation Range is how far away a Wight Wolf can use Ghost Walk," Luotian explained. "Stronger wolves can stay hidden longer, too. Effective Range is how close it can get before you sense it with Theríon. That depends on the difference in strength. The stronger the wolf is compared to you, the closer it can get without you noticing."
He glanced at the two elders. "You both know how Ghost Walk works. What bothered me was when the wolf stopped using it."
"Yue'er was the strongest of us. Even she shouldn't have sensed it until it was within a hundred and eighty meters, maybe closer. But it showed itself at almost twice that distance. And it didn't attack. It just stood there, making sure we saw it."
"A Wight Wolf normally stays hidden until it's ready to kill. Why give us time to react? This one seemed more interested in scaring us first."
Luotian paused. "That's why I think someone was controlling it."
For a moment, nobody spoke. Wuji stared at Luotian. Across the desk, the two elders looked just as surprised.
Mei Changkong had hunted Wight Wolves for three generations. He knew their habits well, but he had never worked out those distances so precisely.
"Hold on, Brother Feng." Wuji turned to him. "Since when do you know this much about Wight Wolves? You're a Monster Tamer now?"
Luotian shrugged. "I read about them."
"You? When? Every time I come looking for you, you're out training. I've never seen you pick up a book."
"Before I met you." Luotian grinned. "I had a lot more peace and quiet back then."
"Oh, so now it's my fault? You're not getting away with—"
The Peacock Lord raised a hand. "You two can argue about books later."
He looked back at Luotian. "I didn't know those distances either, Tian'er. You've done well. Your father would be proud."
After a moment, he added, "You don't have to explain where you learned it. I'm glad you knew enough to notice something was wrong."
Luotian gave Wuji a sideways grin. Wuji rolled his eyes. Luotian could hardly blame him. Wuji had always found him training, never with a book in his hands.
And now he was explaining things even the Peacock Lord hadn't known.