The night embraced him like an old companion.
Lin Xuan moved across the rooftops with silent precision, his entire body concealed beneath the Night Veil Phantom Cloak. The dark cloak covered him completely from head to toe, its hood casting a deep shadow over his face.
No skin was visible, no features distinguishable. Even his body outline appeared blurred, as if the cloak itself distorted perception.
To any observer, he was nothing more than a moving shadow—not a person, not an identity, just an absence where something should have been.
His movements were faster than usual. The cloak enhanced his speed by twenty percent under the night sky, but its most valuable ability was far more profound. It erased him—not physically, but spiritually. His Qi signature was completely concealed, and even cultivators relying on spiritual senses would perceive nothing.
No presence. No cultivation. No life.
Only emptiness.
He leapt across a wide alleyway, landing silently atop another rooftop. The tiles beneath his feet did not even creak. Below, guards patrolled with alert expressions, their spiritual senses sweeping their surroundings periodically.
Yet none of them noticed him.
Because to them—he did not exist.
Lin Xuan continued moving, his cloak fluttering faintly behind him. The fabric absorbed light, blending him perfectly into the darkness. Even if someone looked directly at him, they would only see a vague, unrecognizable silhouette.
No face. No identity. No clues.
This was absolute concealment.
And it felt natural.
Familiar.
Comforting.
This was the world he had once belonged to.
His destination soon appeared in the distance—the Heavenly Balance Trading Association branch. Its grand structure stood illuminated beneath countless lanterns, its presence commanding authority and neutrality.
Even now, late at night, people entered and exited freely. Merchants, cultivators, masked figures. And tonight—another shadow.
Lin Xuan descended from the rooftops, landing silently in a nearby alleyway. His cloak covered him completely, its hood ensuring that not even his chin was visible.
He stepped onto the main street calmly, his pace neither hurried nor slow.
Passersby walked past him without reaction.
Even when their eyes briefly landed on him, they quickly looked away—not because they recognized him, but because they couldn't.
The cloak distorted perception itself, and their minds simply registered him as an unimportant, forgettable presence.
He entered the Heavenly Balance Trading Association.
The interior was luxurious, lit by warm golden lights reflecting off polished marble floors. No one questioned him. Masked individuals were common here, and his cloak ensured that even those nearby could not sense his cultivation or recognize his physical form.
He approached the reception desk.
A woman stood behind it, her posture elegant and composed. Lin Xuan activated All Seeing Insight discreetly.
Name: Liu Mei
Age: 24
Cultivation Realm: Body Tempering Realm – Late Stage
She smiled professionally, her expression polite and welcoming.
"Welcome to the Heavenly Balance Trading Association. How may I assist you today?"
Her eyes never showed suspicion, because she saw nothing identifiable. His face was hidden completely beneath the hood, his presence erased.
His voice emerged low and monotone.
"I require information."
She nodded politely without hesitation.
"Please follow me."
She led him upstairs calmly. Even walking beside him, she could not sense his cultivation or feel his presence. To her perception, he was simply a masked client, nothing more.
She brought him to a private booth and gestured toward the seat.
"Please wait here."
Lin Xuan nodded slightly.
She left.
He sat calmly, his posture relaxed yet alert. Still. Silent. Invisible.
Five minutes later, the door opened again.
A man entered, his steps steady. Lin Xuan activated All Seeing Insight instantly.
Name: Chen Wei
Age: 28
Cultivation Realm: Qi Refining Realm – Early Stage
Chen Wei sat down across from him, his eyes scanning Lin Xuan briefly. But he saw nothing useful. No face, no cultivation, no identity—just darkness beneath a hood.
"What information do you require?" Chen Wei asked calmly.
Lin Xuan spoke simply.
"I require records of crimes."
Chen Wei paused slightly.
"That is a broad request," he said. "Petty theft, street fights, scams—all fall under crimes."
Lin Xuan clarified without hesitation.
"Murder."
A pause.
"Kidnapping."
Chen Wei's gaze sharpened slightly.
"Corruption."
Silence deepened.
"Abuse of power. Bribery. Officials. Nobles."
Chen Wei's expression grew more serious as he understood the weight of the request.
"That information has a cost."
Lin Xuan nodded.
"State it."
"Twenty gold coins."
Lin Xuan did not react.
He already possessed ten gold coins from selling pills previously. It was not a large sum, but sufficient to begin.
"For now," Lin Xuan said calmly, "I will purchase ten gold coins worth."
Chen Wei studied him briefly.
Then nodded.
"Payment first."
Lin Xuan placed ten gold coins on the table.
Chen Wei accepted them smoothly.
"What timeframe?" Chen Wei asked.
"Two months."
Chen Wei nodded.
"It will take one hour."
Lin Xuan leaned back slightly.
"I will wait."
Chen Wei left the room, closing the door behind him.
The room fell silent once more. Throughout the entire time, Lin Xuan never removed the cloak. Never exposed his identity. Even sitting directly across from him, Chen Wei could not identify him in any way.
Lin Xuan remained seated, his thoughts calm and precise.
This information would serve as the foundation of everything.
Targets.
Power structures.
Weak points.
And opportunities.
His Sovereign Primordial Equilibrium Body ensured minimal fatigue. Even after the events of the day, he remained perfectly functional.
Time passed quietly.
One hour later, Chen Wei returned with a thick bundle of papers in his hands.
"This contains the requested information. Since the timeframe was 2 months, it contains only the big crimes or notable crimes in brief with 10 gold coins. To get a detailed report on them additional 10 gold coins is needed, amounting to orginal 20 gold coins worth."
Lin Xuan accepted it and stored it instantly within system storage. The bundle vanished without a trace.
Chen Wei did not react—it was not uncommon for cultivators to possess storage treasures.
Their transaction was complete.
Lin Xuan stood.
"Return tomorrow if you require the leftover information," Chen Wei said calmly.
Lin Xuan gave a slight nod.
Then left.
The association doors closed behind him.
Back outside, the night greeted him once again.
He moved across rooftops effortlessly, his cloak ensuring complete concealment. No guards noticed him, no cultivators sensed him, and no witnesses identified him. He was nothing more than a phantom moving through the city.
Eventually, he stopped atop a high rooftop overlooking the city.
He sat down quietly.
Watching.
The city glowed beneath him, peaceful and unaware. His cloak flowed gently around him, its darkness merging perfectly with the night. Even here, exposed atop a rooftop, no one could identify him.
Azure Sky City at night was beautiful.
Lanterns glowing softly.
Wind whispering gently.
Peaceful.
Deceptively peaceful.
He leaned back slightly.
He allowed himself a rare moment of stillness.
In his previous life, he had rarely allowed himself such pauses. Survival had always come first. Missions had always come first.
But now—he had time.
Freedom.
Control.
After an hour, he stood once more.
He activated the Shadow Step Bracelet.
His marked waypoint—
His shower.
Space distorted silently around him, folding inward.
And instantly—
He vanished.
Reappearing inside his private bathing chamber.
No sound.
No disturbance.
Safe.
Hidden.
Untouched.
He removed the cloak carefully and stored it within system storage. The moment it left his body, his presence returned. His identity existed once more.
He stepped into his room.
Qing'er sat on the bed, meditating peacefully. Her Qi flowed steadily around her, calm and stable.
Lin Xuan's gaze softened slightly.
He did not interrupt her.
He changed into normal clothing and lay beside her quietly.
Waiting.
Watching.
Protecting.
And preparing.
Tomorrow—
The hunt would begin.
Because tomorrow—
The shadows would claim their first prey.