# Chapter 82: A Catastrophic Disaster
Hearing the distant noise, Yun Che's gaze sharpened as he jumped down from the bed. He tapped his chin, his brows furrowed low.
"What's coming will come eventually. Although Qin Wuyou had told him that protecting disciples was the duty of a palace master, Yun Che, given his nature, certainly wouldn't rely entirely on Qin Wuyou. Moreover, he didn't fully believe that Qin Wuyou would completely sever ties with the Xiao Sect's branch, the most powerful force in New Moon City, just for a newly entered disciple of the New Moon Mystic Palace... Protecting him publicly today was already going above and beyond."
His door was pushed open, and Xia Yuanba, his arm wrapped in bandages, rushed in breathlessly, his face still pale from internal injuries. He grabbed Yun Che and said anxiously, "Brother-in-law! Hurry, run! It's the Xiao Sect! They really don't care about the previous agreement to not pursue this—they've come to capture you! Go out through the back door now... I'm such an idiot! I should have made you leave right after the banquet!"
"Yuanba, don't panic."
"How can I not panic? That's the Xiao Sect, the Xiao Sect! Brother-in-law, you're very strong, but you absolutely can't afford to offend the Xiao Sect. If you fall into their hands, then... then..." Xia Yuanba trembled with urgency, his face flushed red, pulling Yun Che's hand toward the door.
"Since they've come to capture me, they won't let me escape so easily. They're at the front, and they've surely stationed people at the back and side doors as well. I'd guess they even have people watching the city gates of New Moon City. Going out the back door now would only land me in their hands immediately," Yun Che said calmly.
Xia Yuanba froze, scratching his head frantically, pacing in circles. "Then what do we do... what do we do?"
Yun Che patted his shoulder and instead reassured him, "Yuanba, don't worry. This new Palace Master of ours is no simple figure. He should be able to hold them off. And even if he can't, I have plenty of ways to keep them from catching me."
"Ah? Really?" Xia Yuanba's eyes widened, seemingly a bit relieved.
"Go check the situation at the main gate for me. Be careful. If a fight breaks out, you must hide as far away as possible."
---
By nightfall, the area in front of the New Moon Mystic Palace's main gate was brightly lit, the atmosphere tense and at a breaking point.
Xiao Tiannan had come personally, followed by Xiao Zaihe and over a hundred Xiao Sect disciples. Their rage was palpable, their killing intent fierce. The main gate of the New Moon Mystic Palace had been smashed to pieces, scattered as a pile of debris. The gatekeeping disciples of the palace stood there, drenched in cold sweat, trembling, not daring to breathe loudly. Normally, when encountering an ordinary Xiao Sect disciple, they would instinctively lower their heads. But tonight, the branch leader of the Xiao Sect had come in person—their hearts were already pounding in their throats.
Qin Wuyou finally arrived with the elders and disciples, shouting sternly from afar, "Who goes there? How dare you cause trouble at my New Moon Mystic Palace!"
"Xiao Tiannan of the Xiao Sect! Are you Qin Wuyou, the new palace master of the New Moon Mystic Palace?" Xiao Tiannan said with a dark face.
He had expected his name alone to give the new palace master a great fright. But to his disappointment, upon hearing his name, the new palace master not only showed no surprise but instead chuckled: "So you are the current branch leader of the Xiao Sect's New Moon branch. Your son mentioned this afternoon that you were unwell and not fit to go out. I was thinking of visiting you tomorrow. Now it seems unnecessary."
"Hmph!" Xiao Tiannan's face darkened sharply. "You dare bring up my son! Palace Master Qin, today I want to see what kind of explanation you give me!"
"Explanation? What explanation?" Qin Wuyou's face also showed anger. "Your Xiao Sect breaks into my New Moon Mystic Palace without cause, destroys my palace gate, and even claims to raze my palace to the ground! If anyone owes an explanation, it's you, Xiao Tiannan, to my New Moon Mystic Palace!"
"Without cause?" Xiao Tiannan laughed loudly, his voice harsh. "Half a month ago, I heard that Palace Master Qin came from the Cangfeng Imperial City, noble in birth and gentle in temperament, upright and just. But now I see you're nothing but a man who confuses right and wrong and talks nonsense! Your palace disciple Yun Che maliciously severely injured my son Xiao Luocheng, severing all his meridians and profound veins, ruining his entire life! Such a grievance—even dismembering that Yun Che into a thousand pieces wouldn't be enough to repay it!"
"Oh, this matter," Qin Wuyou said with a look of sudden realization, then asked with feigned confusion, "I was present at the time and saw it clearly. Could it be that Branch Leader Xiao is so furious about this incident? Haha, then I don't understand. Before my palace disciple Yun Che and your son Xiao Luocheng fought, they had an agreement. In their spar, no matter who was severely injured, neither could blame the other in the slightest. Hundreds of people present witnessed that agreement, seeing and hearing it with their own eyes! Including the person behind you—he knows it very clearly!"
"Since there was an agreement beforehand, what do you mean by coming to demand an explanation now? Is your Xiao Sect, a millennium-old sect, accustomed to such shameless acts of betrayal? Aren't you afraid of tarnishing the reputation of the Xiao Sect's main branch and inviting scorn?"
Qin Wuyou spoke these words with resolute strength and righteous conviction.
Xiao Tiannan frowned deeply, turned his head, and said in a low voice, "Zaihe, what's the meaning of this?"
Xiao Zaihe lowered his head, speaking nervously, "The young master did indeed make that agreement with Yun Che before they fought, and he specifically had everyone present witness it, but... but..."
"Enough!" Xiao Tiannan waved his hand sharply, then suddenly burst into wild laughter. "Hahaha! Ridiculous! What a huge joke! The hatred of my son being crippled cannot be wiped away by some dogshit agreement! Even if I have to bear the infamy of betrayal for the rest of my life, I will avenge Luocheng! Qin Wuyou, hand over Yun Che now! Don't force me to go in and capture him myself! Otherwise, this entire New Moon Mystic Palace of yours will be in chaos!"
"Since the dignified Sect Leader Xiao has even discarded his face, then I have nothing more to say." As Qin Wuyou's voice fell, his robes suddenly began to billow without wind, puffing up high. "If you want to take my palace's disciple, you'll have to get through me first!"
For a hundred years, the New Moon Mystic Palace had always been suppressed by the seven major sects. Previous palace masters would tread carefully when meeting the Xiao Sect branch leader, afraid of offending him. But this new palace master, Qin Wuyou, not only refused to yield in words but was actually ready to fight him. This took Xiao Tiannan by surprise, followed by a burst of loud laughter: "Hahaha! Palace Master Qin is truly noble-minded! For the sake of a mere newly entered disciple, you're willing to risk the safety of the entire New Moon Mystic Palace!"
"Heh, even if he entered my palace only a day ago, he is still my palace's disciple! If I can't even protect my own disciple, what face do I have to call myself the palace master!" Qin Wuyou said with a serious expression.
"Fine! Then let me see how capable you are of protecting this disciple of yours!"
Xiao Tiannan's robes also swelled suddenly, and a massive aura erupted, splitting the ground beneath his feet into countless fragments in an instant. His vast profound energy spread like a giant net, enveloping Qin Wuyou and the several elders behind him. Qin Wuyou let out a low shout, pushing his right palm out flatly, colliding with Xiao Tiannan's profound energy in the void.
A thunderous roar echoed, and dust flew into the air. Between Xiao Tiannan and Qin Wuyou, a deep pit nearly seven or eight meters wide appeared shockingly.
The vice palace master and all the elders of the New Moon Mystic Palace were extremely conflicted. They had expected the Xiao Sect to come seeking trouble, but now seeing Qin Wuyou actually fighting the Xiao Sect leader, they were filled with dread. Yun Che had indeed brought great glory to the New Moon Mystic Palace today—it was arguably the most triumphant day in years. His astonishing talent was a once-in-a-century occurrence for the palace. But his crippling of Xiao Luocheng was an undeniable fact—what a disaster this was! To protect him, the palace would have to make an enemy of the Xiao Sect. Was it really worth it?
Because the possible outcome was that the entire New Moon Mystic Palace would suffer a great calamity as a result!
Now, seeing Qin Wuyou so resolutely determined to protect Yun Che, they didn't know whether to feel relieved or worried.
In a fight between experts, one move reveals their depth. For the first time, Xiao Tiannan's face showed surprise. In that brief exchange, he realized that Qin Wuyou's strength was in no way inferior to his own! Xiao Zaihe had told him on the way that Qin Wuyou's strength might be at Level 5 of the Earth Xuan Realm or above. He hadn't believed it then. Now, he had no choice but to believe.
Xiao Tiannan did not continue attacking. Instead, he said in a deep voice, "A super-strong expert at the late stage of the Earth Xuan Realm—anywhere on this continent, such a person could be a grandmaster—yet you come to New Moon City to be a mere palace master!"
"No matter where I am or what position I hold, being able to serve the imperial family fills me with honor and no regrets. Since I am the palace master of the New Moon Mystic Palace, I will do my duty to the fullest! Protecting my disciples is the most fundamental responsibility!" Qin Wuyou said with authority. "Branch Leader Xiao, please leave. I am willing to pretend tonight never happened. Otherwise, not only will you fail to get what you want tonight, but you will also bring more infamy upon the Xiao Sect! The agreement between your son and Yun Che had hundreds of witnesses!"
Xiao Tiannan's face darkened once more. Having witnessed Qin Wuyou's strength, he knew he couldn't succeed tonight. He had come hastily, bringing only a hundred or so ordinary disciples, thinking that with his personal intervention, the insignificant New Moon Mystic Palace would obediently hand over a disciple. But he never expected that this new palace master was completely different from the previous ones—unafraid in the face of the Xiao Sect, and his profound strength was no less than his own.
"Heh!" Xiao Tiannan sneered. "As long as I can avenge my son, I, Xiao Tiannan, am not afraid of bearing infamy! With Palace Master Qin here tonight, I can only return empty-handed. But tomorrow... let's see if I have the courage to raze this New Moon Mystic Palace of yours to the ground!"
"Raze the New Moon Mystic Palace?" Qin Wuyou snorted coldly. "You have quite the nerve! This New Moon Mystic Palace was established by the imperial family. Are you planning a rebellion?"
"Rebellion? Hahaha! I, Xiao Tiannan, indeed dare not. If you had merely severely injured my son, no matter how furious I was, I wouldn't truly raze the New Moon Mystic Palace. But my son Luocheng is not just the young master of my Xiao Sect branch!" Xiao Tiannan's face became extremely grim. "Now I might as well tell you. The reason my son Luocheng's talent is extraordinary is because, when he was young, he consumed the Tianlin Baodan bestowed by the main sect! Such a treasure—my mere branch had no right to enjoy it. But my son Luocheng is the prospective grandson-in-law of the Grand Elder of the Medicine Sect of the main sect! The engagement was arranged four years ago, and he was granted the Tianlin Baodan. The betrothal banquet was held half a year ago, and the marriage is set for half a year from now!"
As soon as Xiao Tiannan said these words, Qin Wuyou, who had remained calm as still water, instantly changed expression drastically. The elders and disciples behind him also showed extreme terror. In the distance, leaning against a corner of the wall, Lan Xueruo's body trembled, and her face also showed fear...
Crippling a young master of a Xiao Sect branch was one thing.
Crippling the grandson-in-law of an elder of the Xiao Sect's main sect was an entirely different concept!
One was a disaster.
The other was a catastrophic disaster!