# Chapter 10 — Locked Gates
# Sun City — Xu Family Main Hall
By dawn—
Sun City officially entered lockdown.
The eastern gates closed first.
Then the northern district followed shortly afterward.
No civilians could leave without permission from the city lord himself.
---
Inside the Xu Family main hall—
elders gathered around a large stone table discussing the recent attacks seriously.
Several younger disciples stood quietly near the walls listening nervously.
Xu Yuan personally regretted attending already.
---
“Three incidents in two nights,” one elder said coldly.
“A caravan.”
“A spirit beast.”
“And now a cultivator inside the city itself.”
Another elder frowned deeply.
“No ordinary spirit beast behaves this way.”
---
Xu Yuan sat near the back beside Lin Hao while lazily supporting his chin with one hand.
Lin Hao whispered nervously:
“Why do I feel like we’re about to die?”
“You always feel like that.”
“Because survival instincts exist!”
---
At the front of the hall, Third Elder Xu Jian spoke seriously.
“The city lord requested cooperation from every major family.”
Several elders nodded immediately.
“We’ll strengthen patrols tonight.”
“Outer disciples should remain inside family grounds.”
“And the younger generation?”
“We keep them protected for now.”
---
Xu Yuan quietly glanced sideways toward Xia Yu.
Unlike everyone else—
she remained completely calm.
Peaceful even.
Almost like the current situation failed to affect her emotions at all.
Xu Yuan honestly found that slightly terrifying sometimes.
---
Suddenly—
an elder near the front spoke again.
“There’s another issue.”
The hall became silent.
“The Liu Family reported missing disciples this morning.”
Several people immediately frowned.
“How many?”
“Two.”
“Inside the city?”
“Yes.”
---
Lin Hao’s expression instantly worsened.
“We’re definitely doomed.”
Xu Yuan sighed.
“You panic professionally.”
“That’s because nobody else here is panicking enough!”
---
One elder suddenly looked toward Xu Yuan directly.
“You were near the northern district last night, correct?”
Several gazes immediately landed on him.
Xu Yuan blinked slowly.
“…That suddenly sounds suspicious.”
“Answer the question.”
“Yes.”
“Did you notice anything unusual?”
Xu Yuan thought briefly.
Then calmly answered:
“Besides the dead body and terrifying claw marks?”
The elder looked visibly irritated.
---
Before the conversation could continue—
a Xu Family guard suddenly rushed into the hall breathing heavily.
“Elders!”
Everyone immediately turned serious.
The guard swallowed once before speaking.
“Another body was discovered outside the western streets.”
Silence instantly spread through the hall.
Even the elders’ expressions darkened now.
---
Xu Yuan slowly straightened slightly.
Something felt wrong about the timing.
The attacks were becoming more frequent.
Too frequent.
---
Third Elder immediately stood.
“Where?”
“The old lantern district.”
Several elders quickly moved toward the exit afterward while nearby disciples became visibly restless.
Xu Yuan quietly stood too.
Unfortunately—
Third Elder instantly pointed toward him.
“You stay here.”
Xu Yuan looked offended.
“You specifically looked at me while saying that.”
“Because you specifically ignore instructions.”
“That sounds slightly biased.”
“It’s extremely accurate.”
---
Lin Hao immediately nodded beside him.
“He really does.”
Xu Yuan stared at both of them silently.
“Betrayal everywhere.”
---
The hall slowly emptied afterward until only younger disciples remained behind.
Uneasy discussions immediately spread throughout the room.
“You think it’s really spirit beasts?”
“No spirit beast enters the city repeatedly…”
“What if it’s a hidden cultivator?”
“That’s worse!”
---
Xu Yuan quietly walked toward the outer courtyard afterward.
Xia Yu naturally followed beside him.
The morning sky above Sun City looked gray today.
Heavy clouds slowly covered the crimson moon still faintly visible above.
---
Several Xu Family guards moved through the outer grounds carrying spirit weapons and formation flags.
The entire family now looked like it was preparing for war.
---
Xu Yuan leaned lazily against a courtyard pillar.
“This city became troublesome very quickly.”
Xia Yu looked toward the distant eastern mountains silently.
Then softly said:
“It’s getting closer.”
Xu Yuan’s relaxed expression faded slightly.
“You feel it too?”
Xia Yu nodded once.
For several seconds—
neither spoke afterward.
Because both understood something now.
Whatever existed beyond Sun City—
it was no longer staying inside the eastern forest.