After the training session finally ended, the atmosphere inside the villa gradually changed.

The joking and casual mood disappeared. Now was no longer the time for training. It was time to prepare, time to plan, and time to deal with the storm that was slowly approaching.

Xavier personally gathered everyone inside the villa’s main living room.

One after another, martial artists arrived. Some Lucas had seen earlier. Others were completely unfamiliar.

The spacious living room that had looked almost empty before was now filled with people. No one spoke loudly.

No one laughed. Yet the pressure inside the room continued rising.

The discussion quickly shifted toward the Vayne Clan.

Xavier sat at the center, calm and composed, like a commander preparing for battle.

"The Vayne Clan hasn’t moved yet," Xavier said quietly. "But they will."

The room remained silent. Everyone understood what he meant. The information from Xavier’s sources had already been verified. The Vayne Clan was investigating.

Once they finished gathering information, they would make a decision. Whether that decision would be negotiation or conflict, nobody knew.

Xavier slowly tapped his fingers against the armrest.

"I don’t want a war between the two clans."

Several people nodded. A conflict between powerful martial clans never ended cleanly. Too many people would become involved.

Too many resources would be consumed. Too many relationships would be damaged.

But Xavier’s next sentence made the room colder.

"Unfortunately... the choice may no longer belong to us."

Silence filled the room. Everyone understood. If the Vayne Clan chose confrontation, backing down would only invite further pressure.

A clan could compromise, but it could not kneel when its reputation was at stake.

One of the older martial artists finally spoke.

"If it reaches that point..."

His eyes sharpened.

"We fight."

Several people nodded immediately. No hesitation. No fear.

Xavier looked around the room and slowly nodded.

"Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that. But if it does, we will be ready."

The discussion continued for nearly two hours. Plans, contingencies, possible responses, and possible outcomes were all considered. Nothing was left to chance.

Meanwhile, the person responsible for all this trouble was currently lying face-down on a bed upstairs.

Lucas groaned. Every part of his body hurt. Even turning over felt like hard labor. The more he thought about it, the angrier he became.

All because of Bianca.

Training? What kind of training was that? That woman had practically beaten him into the floor for an entire afternoon.

Lucas stared at the ceiling and sighed. As much as he hated admitting it, he had learned a lot. Unfortunately, that didn’t make his body hurt any less.

Nearly two hours later, Lucas finally forced himself out of bed. His entire body protested. Every step reminded him of Bianca’s "lessons."

By the time he reached the stairs, he was already considering revenge.

He slowly walked downstairs to the living room.

The moment he entered, he froze.

The atmosphere inside was completely different from before. More than twenty people occupied various seats throughout the room. Some were standing.

Some were sitting. Others simply leaned against the walls.

Yet every single person drew attention. Not because of what they were wearing, but because of the pressure they carried.

Lucas had never seen so many martial artists gathered in one place before.

The moment he stepped inside, dozens of eyes briefly landed on him. His heart skipped a beat.

Even with the System, he felt a trace of pressure. These were people who had spent years, sometimes decades, walking the martial path.

The aura they unconsciously released was enough to make normal people nervous.

Lucas suddenly had a strange thought. If an ordinary person accidentally walked into this room, they might genuinely forget how to speak. Or worse, forget how to walk. The atmosphere alone was intimidating.

Xavier noticed Lucas immediately. A small smile appeared on his face.

"There you are."

The conversation stopped. Everyone looked toward Lucas. For a brief moment, Lucas felt like an animal being observed at a zoo. Not hostile. Just curious.

Xavier slowly stood up and gestured toward him.

"This is Lucas. The reason everyone is gathered here tonight."

The room remained silent. Several martial artists examined him carefully. Some looked surprised. Others looked skeptical.

After all, the young man standing before them didn’t seem particularly impressive. At least not at first glance.

Yet this same young man had defeated Blake and Jade. That fact alone was enough to earn their attention.

Xavier continued.

"From this moment forward, Lucas is under our protection."

Several heads nodded. No one objected. That alone told Lucas a lot about Xavier’s influence.

Xavier then briefly introduced several of the people present. Some were elders. Some were instructors. Others were trusted members of the clan. Lucas greeted them one by one.

The introductions were short, but the meaning behind them wasn’t. These people weren’t here because they were free.

They were here because Xavier considered the situation serious. Now Lucas truly understood how much trouble he had caused, or perhaps how much trouble was coming.

After a few more minutes of conversation, Xavier finally waved his hand.

"That’s enough. Lucas still looks half-dead."

A few people laughed quietly. Lucas almost coughed blood. Half-dead? Whose fault was that?

His gaze immediately found Bianca. The woman was calmly drinking tea as if she had done absolutely nothing wrong.

Feeling Lucas staring at her, Bianca casually looked back. Then smiled.

Lucas immediately looked away. The woman was dangerous. Far too dangerous.

Xavier chuckled.

"Go rest. Tomorrow will be busy."

Lucas didn’t argue. His body was already begging him to leave. After saying goodbye to everyone, he slowly headed back upstairs.

Behind him, the discussion resumed. The storm hadn’t arrived yet, but everyone in the villa could feel it approaching.

Meanwhile, Dorian’s car tore through the mountain roads like a black arrow. The engine roared as he pushed the vehicle far beyond what most drivers would dare.

Sharp turns. Blind corners. Steep mountain paths. None of it slowed him down.

For the first time in years, Dorian felt a genuine sense of urgency. The information he had gathered was too important. Every minute wasted was a minute the clan remained blind.

His eyes remained fixed on the road ahead. The image of Willow Residence kept replaying in his mind.

Originally, Dorian had gone there expecting to investigate a talented young martial artist. Instead, he had discovered something far more troublesome.

A prepared opponent. An opponent who already knew the Vayne Clan was coming.

Two hours later, the moment the car entered the clan grounds, he jumped out and headed straight toward the council hall.

Several disciples noticed his hurried expression. Their hearts immediately tightened. Something had happened, and it wasn’t good.

Word quickly spread through the mountain. Soon, the senior members of the Vayne Clan gathered once more.

Inside the council hall, the atmosphere was already tense. The Clan Leader sat at the head of the long table. The elders occupied both sides. Alistair was present as well.

The moment Dorian entered, everyone’s eyes landed on him. The hall became silent.

Dorian took a deep breath and cupped his fists respectfully.

"Clan Leader. Elders. I have returned."

The Clan Leader studied him carefully.

"What did you find?"

Dorian didn’t waste time. He immediately began his report. At first, the elders listened calmly. But as the report continued, their expressions gradually changed.

"The villa is heavily guarded. The people protecting Lucas are not ordinary martial artists. There are multiple experts stationed around the property. Their awareness is extremely high. I couldn’t approach without exposing myself."

One elder frowned.

"How many experts?"

Dorian hesitated briefly before answering honestly.

"Enough."

The hall grew quieter. That answer alone carried significant weight.

Dorian was not someone who exaggerated. If he said there were enough experts, then there were enough experts.

The Clan Leader’s fingers tapped lightly against the armrest.

"Continue."

Dorian nodded.

"The most important discovery is Xavier. Xavier is personally involved. Not only involved, he appears to be directing everything."

The room instantly became colder. That was the worst possibility they had considered, and now it was becoming reality.

Dorian took another breath before delivering the final piece of information.

"Their side already knows we’re investigating."

The room fell silent. Nobody spoke. Nobody moved. Even Alistair’s expression changed.

Dorian’s voice remained calm.

"They aren’t reacting blindly. They aren’t panicking. They aren’t hiding."

Instead, his eyes swept across the room.

"They’re preparing."

The words landed like a hammer. Several elders exchanged looks. The Clan Leader’s gaze sharpened.

"What exactly do you mean?"

Dorian answered immediately.

"I mean Lucas and Xavier already expect us to make a move. They’re gathering people, strengthening security, and making preparations."

He paused before slowly adding:

"They aren’t waiting to see if we’ll come. They’re waiting for us to arrive."

A strange silence filled the council hall. The confidence behind that statement unsettled everyone.

They were preparing for battle. Whether that battle was political or physical remained unclear. But one thing was obvious.

The other side was not afraid.

The Clan Leader slowly leaned back in his chair. Genuine interest appeared in his eyes.

"So..."

He spoke quietly.

"Our opponent is already prepared."

Dorian nodded.

"Yes."

The Clan Leader’s gaze became distant and thoughtful. Then he spoke the words that caused the entire hall to tense.

"It seems... we may have underestimated Lucas once again."

Nobody disagreed.