Fan Xiao crouched on the rooftop, black robes blending with night shadows. The Yiwei Sect's gates loomed below, guarded by crisp-uniformed disciples. A crescent moon cast silver shadows on the mountainside.
With a flick of his wrist, dark mist swirled, obscuring his form. Fan Xiao dropped into shadows, landing soundlessly within sect grounds. His mission: Qin Yueliang, the revered leader, was to die by his hand. The demon clan's orders were absolute.
Navigating silent pathways, he avoided patrols. His striking features – jade eyes, raven hair – seemed to draw whispers from the night. A deadly beauty, one cultivator had called him.
At the central pavilion, he paused. Qin Yueliang sat alone, reading under a lantern's glow. Fan Xiao's fingers twitched, itching for the dagger in his sleeve.
Yet something stayed his hand. A sense of... unfamiliarity. Why was this man, his target, radiating an aura of calm that unsettled him?
"Lost, little one?" a low voice purred behind his.
Fan Xiao spun, hand on dagger. A Yiwei disciple, grinning mischievously, hadn't noticed his aura.
"Just admiring the view," he purred back, stepping closer.
The disciple's smile faltered as he met his gaze. "Uh, night watch is that way."
Fan Xiao laughed softly, letting him guide him away. Closer to his target, closer to... what?
His mission seemed simple. But the night had just turned complicated.