The fish took the bait.

Qin Ran was incredibly busy—so busy that he didn’t even bother hiding his clones anymore. Many disciples of the Dao Sword Sect had noticed that the Dan Peak’s leader possessed a miraculous clone technique. After all, he seemed to be everywhere at once, making it impossible not to take notice.

At Dan Peak, he rushed in and out, diagnosing and treating the wounded, refining pills;

Outside, among the teams cleaning up the battlefield, he helped with anything related to medicine. Occasionally, he even assisted in sorting and cataloging the spoils of war, creating tables and classifications—his efficiency far surpassing that of the average disciple who muddled through the task;

Every day, he wandered around the ruins of the sect’s Guardian Mountain Formation with the Profound Underworld Spirit Tiger, putting on the appearance of preparing to set up a formation;

Some even reported seeing him frequently entering and leaving the sect leader’s cave residence, though no one knew what he was doing there;

Others claimed to have spotted Qin Ran leading a group of disciples out of the Dao Sword Sect…

Qin Ran was everywhere, yet unlike Cao Cao, he couldn’t appear at a moment’s notice. The only explanation was that he had clones. Eventually, Qin Ran stopped pretending altogether, often appearing in multiple places simultaneously, confirming the suspicions of the Dao Sword Sect’s disciples.

They could only sigh in awe: "The Dan Peak’s leader is truly terrifying!"

"Dad, when are you actually going to start setting up the formation?" Chasing the Wind, who had been following Qin Ran like a shadow, asked yet again.

"Once I’ve surveyed the terrain, pinpointed the right locations, and determined the formation’s layout, I’ll begin refining the materials needed to construct it," Qin Ran replied.

"How much longer will that take?" Chasing the Wind pressed. "With your level of expertise in formations, do you really need this much preparation time?"

"I told you to study formations, but you wouldn’t listen. Now you’re clueless, aren’t you?" Qin Ran snapped irritably. "This Guardian Mountain Formation is extremely advanced. Of course, it requires extensive preparation."

Truthfully, it was Chasing the Wind’s fault for not studying formations properly. He hadn’t realized that his father wasn’t actually preparing to set up the formation—or rather, that his father simply couldn’t construct a formation of this level.

Qin Ran casually brushed off Chasing the Wind’s questions and continued strolling leisurely along the ruins of the Guardian Mountain Formation. After a few steps, he noticed the lack of incessant questioning and turned back curiously, only to find Chasing the Wind on the verge of tears.

"Dad…" Chasing the Wind sniffled, his voice trembling. "You’re not planning to set up the formation at all, are you?"

Qin Ran was startled. Since when had this fool become so sharp? How had he guessed his thoughts? He quickly strode over, cupping Chasing the Wind’s tear-streaked face in his hands and staring into those watery eyes. "What nonsense! Of course, I’m going to set it up! Would I lie to you?"

Chasing the Wind studied Qin Ran’s face intently for a long moment, finding nothing but sincerity in his gaze. Finally reassured, he whimpered, "I know you wouldn’t lie to me… but I really miss Big Brother…"

Relieved that his deception had worked again, Qin Ran sighed inwardly and turned away, resuming his walk. "I know you miss him. That’s why I’m working so hard!"

Then, he began manipulating Chasing the Wind again, pointing at the disciples hauling away corpses. "Look at them—those who died in this war. They didn’t make it onto the Geniuses Ranking, and they can’t be revived through formations. Once dead, they’re gone forever. But your Big Brother can still be brought back. It’s just a matter of time. So don’t rush me…"

Chasing the Wind stared at the mangled bodies, pity swelling in his heart. Convinced by his father’s words, he fell silent.

The tiger and his human father continued their walk along the ruins. Suddenly, Qin Ran stopped in his tracks, causing the absent-minded Chasing the Wind to bump into his back.

"Dad? What’s wrong?" Chasing the Wind blinked in confusion.

Qin Ran gazed into the distance, where dusk was settling, and smirked. "A fish has taken the bait."

"What fish?" Chasing the Wind squinted, his sharp tiger eyes spotting a group of over a dozen figures sneaking toward the Dao Sword Sect under the cover of twilight and the forest.

"Who are they?" he asked rapidly. "What are they doing?"

"They’re the fish," Qin Ran replied, then gestured toward them. "Go tear them apart for me."

"Why?" Chasing the Wind, ever the innocent fool, launched into his endless questions. "They’ve done nothing to us. Why should we kill them for no reason?"

Qin Ran smacked the back of Chasing the Wind’s head. "Why, why, why—must you always ask why? Since when do you question your father’s orders? Are your wings grown now? Just do as I say!"

The hypocrisy was glaring. When Li Shiyin had said, "They’ve done nothing to us…" Qin Ran had patiently explained. But when Chasing the Wind asked, the response was a slap.

Rubbing his head, Chasing the Wind frowned. "Dad… I don’t have wings?"

"Scram!" Qin Ran kicked him toward the intruders.

Mid-air, Chasing the Wind twisted his body gracefully, still shouting back, "Dad, I’m not a dog! Why do you treat me like one?"

Qin Ran nearly lost his temper. He was convinced the idiot was deliberately provoking him out of resentment for not reviving his brother.

This first wave of "fish" was from a minor sect—barely worth mentioning. Though they had sent over a dozen men, most were only at the Foundation Establishment stage. Chasing the Wind didn’t even need to reveal his true form; a few swift strikes were enough to leave them battered and broken.

Proud as a cat, Chasing the Wind sauntered back, flicking his eyebrows at Qin Ran as if asking for praise.

Qin Ran responded with another kick to his smug face. "You killed them—now bring the bodies! This is fishing. You don’t just catch and release. We need trophies!"

Grumbling, Chasing the Wind returned and summoned a gust of wind to blow the corpses over. Naturally, the wind also messed up Qin Ran’s hair, earning the tiger another kick.

"These fools came to scavenge, not realizing they’re the ones being scavenged. Since we intercepted them, their belongings are ours now," Qin Ran explained, then began teaching Chasing the Wind the art of looting. "Looting—ahem, collecting spoils—is an essential skill for wandering the martial world. This is your father’s secret technique. Don’t spread it around…"

As he sorted through the loot, Qin Ran glanced toward the distant horizon beyond the Dao Sword Sect. Spotting something, his lips curled into a mocking smirk.

"Dad, why are you grinning so creepily again?" Chasing the Wind asked, seeing nothing.

"Creepy?"

SMACK! Another slap landed on the tiger’s head.

"Dad, can you please stop hitting me?" Chasing the Wind protested under the cover of night. "I'm all grown up now—I'm the Tiger King! What if others see this? If the little animals within a ten-mile radius witness this, how am I supposed to maintain my dignity?"

"Tiger King, huh?"

Whack!

Sure enough, his suggestion for Qin Ran to stop hitting him was promptly rejected—with another hit.