Above, the night sky was ink-black, the silver moon hanging high. Pale moonlight draped the earth in a veil of silver, lending an air of mystery to everything it touched.
After the clamor of daylight, Wutan City sank into darkness and silence. In some of the street-side houses, occasional sounds drifted out—men's labored breathing, women's stifled moans.
In the Xiao Clan's rear courtyard, a young man lay face-up upon his bed. His eyes, black as the night above, gleamed with a cold light that had been absent before.
"Teacher, at your current state, what's the minimum strength you can muster?" After a long silence, Xiao Yan's voice came soft and measured.
"What's wrong?" A casual reply drifted from the black ring on his finger. A moment later, Yao Lao's voice came, slightly muffled: "Though I'm in a purely spiritual state now, with the Heavenly Flame at my disposal, dealing with minor nuisances like Great Dou Masters or Dou Lings shouldn't be a problem."
A flicker of satisfaction crossed Xiao Yan's face, but his eyes held a colder gleam beneath.
"You want to go kill that brat from earlier?" Noticing Xiao Yan's expression, Yao Lao's tone carried a note of surprise.
"Jie Lie'ao isn't worth the trouble." Xiao Yan smiled faintly: "The two-month deadline is almost here. I'm losing patience with the Jia Lie Clan. So I'm going to quietly eliminate that alchemist, Liu Xi. Once he's dead, the Jia Lie Clan will lose their sole source of healing medicine. Even if the clan survives, their power will collapse. They'll never threaten the Xiao Clan again."
"Hmm... is it really about losing patience? That doesn't sound like you at all." Yao Lao's voice turned teasing: "It seems you really do care about that little girl Xun'er. All it took was that man acting like a lecher, and you've already decided to kill him. What a jealous child."
A flush crept across Xiao Yan's face. Having his thoughts laid bare, he retorted with a touch of embarrassment: "My time is already short. I can't afford to keep playing games with them. Even if I hadn't run into that fool today, I would have started using other methods."
"All right, all right—it has nothing to do with the girl." Yao Lao laughed, the amusement in his voice making Xiao Yan roll his eyes in exasperation.
"Since you've decided to act, let's get moving. I'm in a spiritual state, so I'll need to borrow your body." The laughter subsided, and Yao Lao's tone grew businesslike.
Xiao Yan nodded quickly, sprang from the bed, and drew a dark crimson Spatial Ring from his chest. From it, he produced a voluminous black cloak, which he slipped over himself with practiced ease. In an instant, the slender youth transformed into a bulky, enigmatic figure shrouded in darkness.
"Let's go. You don't need to do anything—I'll control your body. With my spiritual energy shielding you, there's no risk of anyone detecting your identity." Seeing Xiao Yan ready, Yao Lao offered a final reminder.
"Mm." Xiao Yan nodded, tiptoed to the window, and peered out in every direction like a thief before slipping outside. As he plunged downward through the air, an inexplicable force surged from the ring on his finger.
The mysterious power enveloped his entire body. In an instant, his plummeting form froze in midair. He alighted upon a rooftop like a feather, then launched himself forward, his cloak billowing behind him.
The wind whistled past his ears as he darted between buildings, silent as a ghost. With Yao Lao guiding his movements, his steps were fluid and assured—far beyond what his own abilities could have achieved.
He touched down in a dim alley, his feet barely making a sound. The narrow passage was steeped in shadow, the moonlight unable to penetrate the thick canopy of eaves above. Yao Lao's spiritual sense swept outward, mapping every detail.
"The Jia Lie Clan residence is three streets north. Liu Xi should be there—alchemists are always accommodated in the inner quarters." Yao Lao's voice was calm, calculating.
Xiao Yan moved without hesitation. His black cloak melted into the darkness as he glided through the alleys, past sleeping houses and silent courtyards. Not a soul stirred.
The Jia Lie Clan compound loomed ahead, its walls high and imposing. Yao Lao's spiritual sense probed the defenses—two guards at the main gate, half-asleep. Several more patrolled the perimeter at irregular intervals.
"Over the east wall. There's a gap in the patrol pattern—twelve seconds." Yao Lao's voice was clinical.
Xiao Yan scaled the wall without pause, Yao Lao's power carrying him over the top as though he weighed nothing. He dropped into the compound garden, landing in the shadow of a large banyan tree.
Inside, the compound was quieter than the streets outside. The occasional bark of a guard dog echoed distantly.
"Liu Xi's quarters—northwest corner. Second floor. One person inside, likely sleeping." Yao Lao's spiritual probe found its mark.
Xiao Yan crept along the garden's edge, keeping to the deepest shadows. He reached the northwest building and paused at the base of the stairs. A faint light glowed from the second-floor window.
"Careful—there's a barrier on the door. Nothing elaborate, but a sloppy approach would trigger it." Yao Lao's voice was a whisper.
Xiao Yan nodded. Yao Lao's spiritual energy wrapped around his hand, neutralizing the barrier as he eased the door open. The hallway beyond was dark and empty.
He ascended the stairs, each footfall cushioned by Yao Lao's power. The light came from a room at the end of the corridor. Through the gap beneath the door, a warm glow spilled onto the floor.
Yao Lao's spiritual sense probed once more. "He's alone. But he's awake—muttering to himself."
Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed. He positioned himself beside the door, drew a steadying breath, and Yao Lao's power coiled around his limbs like a spring.
The door swung open.
Liu Xi sat at a table, a half-empty wine cup before him, staring into space. At the sound of the door, he looked up—a flicker of surprise, then confusion, as he registered the dark figure in the doorway.
"Who—"
Before the word left his lips, Yao Lao's power surged. Xiao Yan's hand shot forward, and the world blurred.
Liu Xi's eyes widened. He opened his mouth to scream, but no sound emerged. His body crumpled sideways from the chair, crashing to the floor. The wine cup toppled, its contents spreading across the table in a dark pool.
Xiao Yan stood over him, breathing evenly. The room was silent save for the dripping of spilled wine.
"Done." Yao Lao's voice was calm, matter-of-fact. "No one will connect this to you. The spiritual residue will dissipate within an hour."
Xiao Yan studied the fallen alchemist for a moment, then turned and vanished into the shadows. He retraced his path through the compound, over the wall, and into the night beyond.
Behind him, the Jia Lie Clan slept on, unaware that the man who had brought them hope—and who had set their destructive schemes in motion—had drawn his final breath.