After weighing the pros and cons, the Four Madmen eventually agreed with Lü Liang's proposal.
They decided to start mobilizing more cannon fodder—and set a plan in motion to lure Ding Shimian into their scheme.
Without hesitation, Xia He pulled out her phone and dialed Ding Shimian's number.
The call connected quickly. A rough, forceful voice answered on the other end:
"What do you want?"
Xia He responded with her signature flirtatious purr, her voice syrupy sweet:
"Brother Ding~~ Can't I just call for a little chat?"
But Ding Shimian wasn't swayed by such tricks.
There was a pause on the other end, then his cold reply:
"I'm busy. If that's all, I'm hanging up."
Xia He immediately realized her usual charms weren't going to work on him.
She switched tactics instantly, her voice sharpening into something serious and composed:
"Wait, Brother Ding. We actually have something important to discuss."
Her sudden change in tone made Ding Shimian hesitate. Though he didn't reply, he also didn't hang up.
That was all Xia He needed.
She breathed a quiet sigh of relief—if her flirty act had ruined the deal, the entire plan might've collapsed.
She quickly laid out the core of their proposal.
When she mentioned the appearance of a powerful new fighter, Ding Shimian clearly perked up.
Sensing the shift, Xia He pressed the advantage, offering him the condition they had just agreed on: they would do everything in their power to hold back the others—so he could duel the Old Celestial Master one-on-one.
For a martial fanatic like Ding Shimian, this was the ultimate bait.
After a moment of silence, he agreed.
"I'll be at the Trinity Gate Gathering," he said—and hung up.
The moment the line disconnected, everyone in the room relaxed slightly.
Having Ding Shimian on their side was a huge win. Whether it was fighting the Old Celestial Master or that terrifying unknown powerhouse, he would drastically lighten the pressure on them.
But while the others were celebrating, Lü Liang couldn't shake a growing unease.
Things won't go this smoothly, he thought.
His mind raced—and he devised another plan.
Lü Liang crafted a message and spread it online:
"A mysterious young expert has appeared by Zhang Chulan's side—rumored to have mastered the Qi Source Technique."
Half true, half false—just enough to ignite a firestorm across the entire world of gifted individuals.
No one could prove it—but plenty would gamble on the chance it might be true.
And just like that, Zhang Chulan—who had faded from attention due to the upcoming Trinity Gate Gathering—was suddenly back under the spotlight.
And so was Hikaru.
A previously unknown name had now entered the public eye.
Hikaru had never cared to hide himself, and soon, all eyes were on him.
Opportunists crept in from every direction, seeking the secret of the Qi Source Technique.
But they learned fast:
This seemingly young man was terrifyingly ruthless.
None of them ever returned.
Not even ashes were left.
Whether it was someone from the Lü Clan or the Wang Clan, Hikaru didn't so much as glance at their names—he just incinerated them. One sweep: kill, burn, scatter.
Some even tried calling the police—but the reports mysteriously vanished.
Whispers began spreading—maybe Hikaru had official protection.
The Lü and Wang Clans were furious.
To them, Hikaru was a thorn that needed to be ripped out—now.
But the one who was most enraged… was the Old Celestial Master.
Zhang Chulan, as the grandson of his late junior, was family in all but name.
He never said it aloud, but everyone knew—this entire Trinity Gate Gathering was for him.
So when half the world came to harass Zhang Chulan? That was a direct slap in his face.
You think this old monster is soft?
Thus, when the Lü and Wang Clans prepared to send assassins to kill Hikaru and "escort" Zhang Chulan back—
They were stopped before they even left.
Thunderstorms broke out above both clan estates.
Those who dared step outside were instantly struck down.
Lightning claimed them, one after another.
In the end, Lü Ci and Wang Ai had no choice but to personally call the Old Celestial Master and beg for mercy.
Only then did the storms fade.
And frankly—they should count themselves lucky.
If they had sent people…
They might've needed coffins by nightfall.
As for Hikaru?
He never sensed any of it.
His sensory abilities were absurd—but when he wasn't actively using them, he ignored the world's noise.
If he didn't, the flood of information would drown him.
During all of this, Lü Liang had been secretly monitoring the fallout.
But in the end, he failed to spark the larger chaos he'd hoped for.
The whole purpose of spreading that rumor was to probe Hikaru's limits.
But with the Trinity Gate Gathering set to begin tomorrow, he was out of time.
Worse… he realized something terrifying:
His time might already be up.
As that thought took root, he turned—and there stood Hikaru.
The moment he saw him, despair took over.
Lü Liang knew exactly why he'd come.
Still, he tried to keep his cool.
"Ah, we meet again, sir. What can I do for you today?" he said with a shaky grin.
Hikaru looked at him with a faint smile—but one that didn't reach his eyes.
He had spared Lü Liang once.
After all, there hadn't been any true enmity between them.
If anything, Lü Liang had even helped—Twin Perfection Hands was thanks to him.
But today was different.
Lü Liang had crossed a line.
His rumor had brought countless greedy vultures to Zhang Chulan.
If Hikaru weren't as strong as he was, Chulan would be long dead.
This wasn't something he could let go.
Someone else would've been buried already.
Just because he was powerful didn't mean Lü Liang could walk away.
And Hikaru wasn't the kind to let debts slide.
Lü Liang knew this. He'd felt it.
He prayed silently that maybe—just maybe—he could be spared again.
But Hikaru stayed silent.
The pressure in the air chilled his bones.
He could feel death looming behind him.
Unable to take it anymore, Lü Liang finally broke:
"Sir, I… I was wrong. I won't do it again, I swear! Please—spare me this once!"
Hikaru's faint smile remained—but his voice was ice:
"Oh? What exactly did you do wrong? Because I don't seem to recall."
Lü Liang's heart froze.
That illusion of having his limbs torn off… it resurfaced, raw and real in his mind.
That helpless pain, that hopeless terror…