Wu Tan City.
It was smaller than the Burning Flame Valley's outer city, but it possessed a unique vitality. The streets were paved with blue stone, and the air smelled of medicinal herbs and forging iron.
Tang Chen didn't rush. He knew that in a world of cultivation, information was just as deadly as a sword.
He rented a small, run-down room in the chaotic southern district—an area populated by mercenaries and low-level merchants. It was dirty, but it was the perfect place to disappear.
For the first three days, Tang Chen didn't even look at the Xiao Clan.
He explored.
He mapped out the layout of the city. The Miteer Auction House stood tall in the center, a golden dome reflecting the sunlight. The properties of the three major clans—Xiao, Jia Lie, and Ao Ba—were divided like slices of a pie.
He memorized the patrol routes of the city guards. He located the best escape routes into the Magic Beast Mountain Range. He found the black market shops where stolen goods were fenced.
Only when he felt he understood the pulse of the city did he turn his eyes to his target.
Day 4: The Observation.
Tang Chen sat on the second floor of a cheap tea house, picking at a plate of peanuts. From this window, he had a clear view of the main street leading to the Xiao Clan estate.
Around noon, the gates opened.
A group of children walked out, flanked by four guards.
In the center was a boy wearing expensive moonlight-white robes. He walked with his chin held high, basking in the admiring gazes of the pedestrians.
Xiao Yan. The Genius.
He was surrounded by sycophants—cousins and side-branch disciples trying to curry favor.
"Cousin Yan, your Qi cycling speed is amazing! You'll definitely break through to 5-Star soon!"
"Of course," Xiao Yan laughed, his voice brimming with the naive arrogance of someone who has never tasted failure. "My father says I might even surpass the clan's history records."
Tang Chen watched through the window, his eyes narrowing.
'He is proud,' Tang Chen analyzed. 'He enjoys the attention. He feels untouchable.'
His eyes shifted to Xiao Yan's chest.
There it was. The black ring hung on a red silk cord around his neck. Xiao Yan fiddled with it unconsciously, tapping it against his chest.
'He keeps it close. Snatching it in a crowd is impossible. The guards are 5-Star Dou Practitioners or higher. If I make a move, I die.'
Tang Chen needed a moment of vulnerability. A moment where Xiao Yan was alone, and where he felt safe enough to lower his guard.
Day 7: The Routine.
Tang Chen had become a shadow. He had swapped his travel clothes for the rough, patched tunic of a local street urchin. He rubbed soot on his face to hide his distinct features.
He followed Xiao Yan's group from a distance of two hundred meters.
He discovered a pattern.
Every afternoon, when the sun was hottest, Xiao Yan would ditch his entourage. The "Genius" found playing with the other kids boring. He wanted to train alone, or at least, pretend to train while actually slacking off.
Xiao Yan would slip away to a secluded waterfall pool at the base of the Back Mountain, just outside the direct perimeter of the Xiao estate. It was technically public land, but everyone in Wu Tan City knew it was the Young Master's favorite spot, so no one dared disturb him.
'That's the spot,' Tang Chen decided.
He didn't act immediately. He went to the market and bought a cheap, black iron ring that looked vaguely similar to the artifact. It wasn't a perfect replica, but from a distance, it would pass.
Day 9: The Strike.
The afternoon sun was blazing. The cicadas were buzzing loudly, masking the sound of footsteps.
Tang Chen lay flat in the tall grass near the waterfall pool. He had been waiting here for two hours, letting his heartbeat slow, merging his breathing with the wind. He suppressed his Dou Qi completely.
Footsteps approached.
Xiao Yan walked into the clearing, kicking a stone. He looked annoyed.
"Stupid elders," Xiao Yan grumbled to himself. "Telling me to study theory. I'm already a genius, why do I need to read books?"
Xiao Yan looked at the cool, inviting water. He stretched his arms.
"A quick swim, then I'll meditate."
Xiao Yan began to strip off his expensive outer robes. He placed them neatly on a large, dry boulder.
Then, he reached for the red cord around his neck.
Tang Chen held his breath. 'Take it off. Don't swim with it.'
Xiao Yan hesitated. The ring was his mother's memento. But the water was cold, and he hated the feeling of a wet cord sticking to his skin. Besides, who would dare steal from the Xiao Clan Genius in his own backyard?
Xiao Yan pulled the necklace off and placed it on top of his folded clothes.
Splash!
Xiao Yan dove into the pool, swimming toward the waterfall on the other side, laughing as the cold water hit him.
'Now.'
Tang Chen moved.
He didn't run. Running created thudding sounds. He flowed like a snake through the grass, using the Fire Steps movement technique but suppressing the visible flames.
He reached the boulder.
Xiao Yan was twenty meters away, splashing under the waterfall, his back turned, making noise.
Tang Chen reached out. His hand didn't shake.
He snatched the Dark Black Ring with the red cord.
In the same motion, he placed the cheap iron decoy on the rock. It wasn't on a cord, but in a panic, a child wouldn't notice immediately.
Tang Chen turned and slithered back into the tall grass.
He retreated ten meters. Twenty meters.
Once he was in the dense tree line, he stood up and sprinted. He didn't look back. He ran with every ounce of strength in his six-year-old body, channeling his Dou Qi into his legs to boost his speed.
The Forest Edge.
Tang Chen didn't return to the city. If the Xiao Clan realized the ring was missing, they would lock down the gates. The city was a cage now.
He ran straight for the outskirts of the Magic Beast Mountain Range.
He found a safe spot near the perimeter—a hollowed-out base of a massive ancient tree, obscured by thick ferns. He crawled inside, his chest heaving, his small body trembling from the adrenaline dump.
"Safe," he wheezed, wiping sweat and dirt from his face.
He waited for an hour. No shouting guards. No alarm bells. It seemed his switch had bought him time.
Tang Chen finally relaxed. He opened his clenched fist.
The Dark Black Ring lay in his palm. It was cold, heavy, and ancient.
He took a sip from his waterskin and opened his spatial bracelet. He needed to take inventory. He couldn't go back to civilization for a few days.
He pulled out some dried meat, a change of clothes, and a few wooden boxes he had swiped from the Burning Flame Valley's treasury before he left.
"Dad always said these were good for the soul," Tang Chen whispered to himself, opening one of the boxes.
Inside sat a Purple Spirit Flower. It was a Tier-2 medicinal herb, emitting a faint, refreshing fragrance. It was meant to help calm the mind during meditation, but it was also rich in pure soul energy.
Tang Chen picked up the flower, admiring its glow.
"Maybe I can eat this to get stronger?" he mumbled, playing the role of a curious child even when no one was watching—just to stay in character.
He picked up the ring in his other hand, turning it over to inspect the markings.
Then, he made his move.
He "clumsily" tried to put the flower back in the box, but his hand slipped. The Purple Spirit Flower brushed directly against the black metal of the ring.
Fwoosh.
The reaction was instant.
The ring acted like a starving beast. A suction force erupted from the metal, latching onto the flower. In the blink of an eye, the Tier-2 herb withered, turning into grey ash as its essence was violently ripped out and swallowed by the ring.
"W-What?!"
Tang Chen yelped—a genuine sound of surprise at the speed of the absorption—and instinctively threw the ring away.
It landed in the dirt a few feet away.
Hummmmm.
The ring began to vibrate. A faint, icy blue light pulsed from it.
Tang Chen scrambled back against the wood of the tree hollow, pulling his knees to his chest. His eyes were wide with feigned terror.
"It ate it... it ate the flower..."
A chilling breeze swept through the small hollow. The temperature plummeted.
White mist began to seep out of the ring, swirling and twisting in the air. Slowly, the mist formed the translucent upper body of an old man with long white hair and flowing robes.
Yao Lao's spirit form hovered in the air. He took a deep, shuddering breath—or the ghost equivalent of one.
"Ah... Soul energy..." Yao Lao murmured, his voice echoing slightly. "Finally... awake..."
He opened his eyes. They were disoriented at first, filled with the confusion of a long slumber, but they quickly sharpened.
He looked around the forest. Then, he looked down.
He saw a six-year-old boy with messy red hair, pressed against the tree trunk, trembling, looking at him as if he were a demon from hell.
Tang Chen let out a strangled squeak.
"G-G-Ghost!"
Tang Chen grabbed a handful of dirt and threw it at the floating old man, then covered his eyes with his hands. "Don't eat me! I don't taste good! I haven't bathed in three weeks!"
Yao Lao blinked. The dirt passed harmlessly through his transparent body.
A small, amused smile touched the corner of the old man's lips. 'A child? And a spirited one at that.'
Yao Lao floated closer, lowering his altitude to be at eye level with the terrified boy.
"Peace, little one," Yao Lao said, his voice trying to be soothing, though it still carried a spectral echo. "I am not a demon. I do not eat children."
Tang Chen peeked through his fingers, his eyes wide and watery. "Y-You aren't?"
"No," Yao Lao chuckled. "I am merely... a lingering soul. Did you provide that Spirit Flower just now?"
Tang Chen nodded slowly, sniffing. "I... I dropped it. And the ring ate it! It was my snack!"
"Your snack was a Tier-2 Purple Spirit Flower?" Yao Lao raised an eyebrow. He scanned the boy with his spiritual perception.
'Oh?'
Yao Lao's expression shifted from amusement to surprise.
'Bone age: six. Cultivation: 5-Star Dou Practitioner. Attribute: Fire... and a very pure Fire at that.'
Yao Lao drifted closer, his eyes narrowing slightly as he sensed the boy's soul.
'And his Soul Perception... it is incredibly strong for a child. He sensed the ring's fluctuation before I fully manifested.'
This wasn't just a random beggar kid. This was a raw, unpolished gem.
"What is your name, boy?" Yao Lao asked gently.
"Tang... Tang Chen," he stammered, slowly lowering his hands. "Are you the grandpa inside the ring?"
"Grandpa?" Yao Lao twitched slightly. He was vain about his appearance. "You may call me... Old Mister Yao. Tell me, Tang Chen, why are you hiding in a tree hollow in the woods? Where are your parents?"
Tang Chen looked down, scuffing his shoe in the dirt. He channeled the loneliness of his previous life and the fear of his current one.
"Run away," Tang Chen mumbled. "I ran away."
"Why?"
"Because... because they wanted to keep me in a cage," Tang Chen said, his voice gaining a little strength. "They said it was to protect me. But I don't want to be a bird in a cage. I want to be strong. I want to see the world."
Yao Lao fell silent. The words resonated with him. He looked at the determined glint in the boy's fearful eyes.
'A runaway from a wealthy clan, judging by the resources and talent,' Yao Lao deduced. 'Fire attribute. Strong soul. And he happens to wake me up by accident in the middle of nowhere.'
It felt like fate.
Yao Lao stroked his beard. He was weak. He needed a host to help him recover soul force. Xiao Yan—the boy he had originally watched—was talented, but this kid... this kid was standing right here, and his talent was arguably even sharper.
"Tang Chen," Yao Lao said, his tone shifting to one of grand mystery. "You say you want to be strong?"
Tang Chen nodded vigorously.
"Strong enough to fly? Strong enough to burn mountains?"
"Yes!" Tang Chen's eyes lit up with childish wonder.
"I can help you," Yao Lao said, floating back slightly and crossing his arms behind his back, assuming the posture of a master. "I was once a very powerful cultivator. If you help me recover my strength, I can teach you things your family never could."
Tang Chen looked skeptical. "Really? You look kinda... see-through, Mister Yao."
Yao Lao coughed, embarrassed. "That is temporary! I just need medicinal herbs. Like that flower you dropped. If you find me herbs, I will teach you Alchemy. I will teach you Dou Techniques."
Tang Chen paused. He looked at the ghost, then at the ring on the ground.
He crawled forward and picked up the ring. He didn't put it on. He held it out to Yao Lao.
"If I help you..." Tang Chen asked innocently, "Will you promise not to tell my dad where I am?"
Yao Lao laughed, a loud, hearty sound that shook the leaves.
"Deal. It will be our secret."
Tang Chen grinned, a gap-toothed, innocent smile that hid the cunning mind of a transmigrator.
"Okay, Mister Yao! I have some more dried herbs in my bag. Are you still hungry?"
Yao Lao looked at the dirty bag the kid was holding and felt a strange sense of anticipation he hadn't felt in years.
"Yes, little disciple. I am starving."