(If you find North changing his character template uncomfortable, feel free to skip to the yellow mark in the chapter—you won’t miss anything important. That said, this will likely be the last chapter where he uses this template in this arc.)

North didn’t rush back toward the main festival. Instead, he took a longer route, cutting through a different section of the Plum Gardens. It was a simple trick—No point risking someone connecting a jade beauty's appearance in one area with a young master's disappearance in the same spot. Avoiding patterns was the key to avoiding suspicion. He adjusted his posture, letting his steps become more casual, more unbothered, just another Visionary enjoying the festival. His stolen pouches of Rain Coins were now stored in his Imaginary Island, completely secured and preserved.

North swept another gaze across the festival, taking his time, letting the sights and sounds of the Plum Gardens wash over him. He looked for someone rich, but isolated. Someone like his previous victim—wealthy enough to carry more money than sense, but foolish enough to agree to a jade beauty request he had met a minute ago.

Anyway, there were a lot of people to choose from.

Like a certain young master nearby stumbling through the gardens, drowning himself in fine wine and rejection. With every swig from his ornate wine flask, his expression twisted between anger and heartbreak, as if he couldn’t decide whether to curse the woman who rejected him or weep at her feet.

Perfect. North let out a slow breath and activated his Tragic Jade Beauty template. His form shifted subtly, his features softening, his presence growing ethereal, like a fragile flower swaying in the wind. His eyes carried a quiet sorrow, the kind that invited curiosity, that made people want to lean in and ask, “What’s wrong?”

He let his steps become more graceful, more delicate, his posture subtly melancholic, as if he too were burdened by some unspoken grief. Meanwhile, internally he was suffering painfully.

Then, he moved.

…

"Stupid girl… doesn’t know what she’s missing…" the drunk yet lonely young master muttered, tipping back his wine flask again, only to realize it was empty.

He shook it violently, as if that would magically refill it.

"Hah. Look at me now. Drinking alone. In the gardens. Like some pathetic—"

He suddenly paused, blinking clearly. North had stepped just into his line of sight, standing under the soft glow of a hanging lantern. The young master froze. The wind stirred gently, carrying the faint fragrance of blooming plum blossoms as North lowered his gaze slightly, letting his sleeves fall delicately around his fingers. A vision of elegance, standing in the quiet of the garden, radiating sadness without saying a word.

For a moment, the young master just stared. Then, as if forgetting his own heartbreak entirely, he straightened and cleared his throat.

"Ah—Apologies, young miss, I didn’t see you there."

North let out a soft defeated sigh, barely audible, as if caught in his own deep thoughts. Then, slowly, he lifted his gaze, eyes shimmering with something unreadable. "You were not meant to see me," he murmured, shivering inside by his own words and voice that seemed to be carrying the weight of someone who had just lost everything.

The young master blinked rapidly, clearly thrown off by the response. "I—uh—That’s…" He scratched the back of his head, suddenly looking very self-conscious. "Are you—are you alright?"

North acted like he was debating whether to speak. Then, ever so slightly, he smiled, a smile so faint it barely lingered before fading. "It is rare for anyone to ask."

The young master completely forgot his own heartbreak, all his attention now fixated on the beauty before him. "Ah, well… I was just drinking. You know, bad night and all. But—uh—if you need to talk, I’m here." He quickly tried to adjust his robe, failing to make himself look more presentable. "A lady shouldn’t look so sad. If someone has wronged you, I—"

North raised a delicate hand. "No need. Some things cannot be undone."

The young master nodded solemnly, as if he completely understood despite having no idea what North was actually talking about.

Then, as if remembering his role, he puffed his chest slightly. "You know… not all men are fools. Some of us—" He hesitated, as if realizing how badly he was about to phrase that. "I mean, you shouldn’t waste tears on people who don’t deserve them."

North nodded softly, allowing just enough warmth to slip into his expression to pull him further in.

The young master’s shoulders squared a little, clearly gaining confidence. "If there’s anything I can do…"

North let the silence linger, as if weighing something in his mind. Then, finally, he exhaled. "A walk. Just away from here. The crowd… is suffocating."

The young master perked up immediately. "Of course! Of course. Anywhere you like."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After fifteen minutes, North strolled out from the bamboo forest, his steps light, his posture composed, but inside—he was grinning ear to ear. Tonight had been exceptionally profitable. He played with three more heavy pouches now tucked in his hands. The weight of freshly stolen Rain coins was a feeling he could never get used to. Who knew young masters were so easy to rob?

All it took was a pretty face, a melancholic sigh, and just enough mystery to make them feel important. The Tragic Jade Beauty template was a gold mine.

North couldn’t believe it. He had never heard of any Jade Beauty doing this, not in any story, not in any legend. Was he the first? Probably. And honestly? It was a lucrative business. North chuckled under his breath, adjusting his robes as he stepped back into the brighter festival grounds, blending effortlessly into the crowd. But the success also came with a price. Each time he switched to the Tragic Beauty template, acting like a Jade Beauty, speaking in soft, sorrowful tones, carefully feeding the egos of the young masters, he seemed to lose a piece of himself. It was so uncomfortable that he never wanted to speak about it to another soul.

He shook the thought away. It didn’t matter. What mattered was the money in his pocket and the fact that no one had caught him. He had just robbed two rich idiots blind, and no one suspected a thing. That was all that mattered. Still, as he walked, his fingers instinctively curled around the pouch of coins, as if grounding himself in reality.

Two down. Maybe one more for the night?

Thereafter, North walked into a more secluded area of the garden, away from the lantern-lit pathways, where the sound of music dulled. The air here was cooler, the bamboo swaying gently above him, their long shadows casting eerie patterns on the soft grass beneath his feet. With a final glance around to ensure he was truly alone, he reached into his sleeve and—with a thought—summoned the stolen pouches from his Imaginary Island. A small pile of leather and silk drawstring bags appeared before him, their weight satisfyingly heavy.

Slowly, he untied the first pouch and poured its contents onto the ground. A glimmering cascade of silver coins spilled into his palm. Rain Coins. He smirked. He was sure that these pouches didn’t contain all of the two young masters’ wealth—no doubt they had far more tucked away inside their Imaginary Islands, secured beyond his reach.

But he had no way to get to those. For now, this was more than enough. North began counting.

1, 5, 25… 357… 485…

Each coin was small, finely minted, almost identical in size and weight to Nether Coins, except one was silver, and the other was violet. Nether Coins, from what he had gathered so far, were the standard currency in this region, while Rain Coins were rarer, usually hoarded by Visionaries for high-level transactions. But one thing bugged him. How are these even made? He had programmed so much of this world, designed entire economies, but the exact mechanics behind Rain and Nether Coins had never been something he paid much attention to. Maybe they’re refined from Nether Essence? If he had spent more time detailing their creation during development, perhaps he could reproduce them here, generate an infinite supply from nothing.

A thought for later. For now—what mattered was the total. North stacked the coins into neat piles, doing a quick tally. By the time he counted the last silver piece, the total came to 534 Rain Coins.

By normal standards, this was enough for a commoner to live comfortably for all his life, enough for a small-time merchant to start a business, enough for an ordinary Visionary to purchase decent Imaginary expanding resources. But to North? It was a ticket. Enough to buy a few Rank 1 self-protection Images. Enough to get a party or a merchant to take him out of the city without asking too many questions.

He let out a long breath, staring at the piles of coins. He wasn’t out of danger yet, not by a long shot, but at least now, he had the means to do something about it.

Standing up, he dusted off his sleeves and adjusted his robes until they fell just right. The night wasn't over. There were plenty of fishes in the river, and he could rob a few more before creating any suspicions. North even considered coming back tomorrow, running the same scheme again, but then quickly shook off the thought. No. There was no telling when the clan authorities investigating Yue Lingxi's murder might come knocking on his door. So tonight, he had to milk this game dry—take as much as possible before anyone even suspected him.

With that in mind, he drifted back into the crowd, allowing his Tragic Jade Beauty persona to settle fully into place. At first, he still switched between templates, shifting slightly between different variations of himself, tweaking his expression, adjusting his posture.

But as time passed, he stopped bothering entirely. Why should he? People fell for the same act every single time.

Why fix what isn’t broken?

His next few victims were just as gullible as the first two.

A drunk noble heir, looking to impress beauties with his awesomeness and powers—easy.

A low-rank Visionary from a wealthy family, desperately trying to impress him—easier.

An arrogant merchant’s son, bragging about his latest business deal—pathetic.

One by one, he led them into quieter corners of the gardens, emptying their pouches, drugging them, and slipping away without a trace. His collection of Rain Coins grew heavier. By the time three hours had passed, North was practically glowing with satisfaction.

This was better than gambling.

He barely even felt like a criminal anymore.

…

...

But, just as North was preparing for one last haul, the calm of the festival shattered. Two voices, loud, furious, and unmistakably panicked, echoed through the gardens—

"THAT DAMNED THIEF!!"

North’s entire body froze. He turned his head, and sure enough, two young masters, One was missing his outer robe entirely, pale chest gleaming in the moonlight, while the other's hair had come undone from its elaborate topknot, falling around his face like a storm cloud. They charged through the garden like angry bulls, their faces red with rage and humiliation.

"FIND THAT BITCH!!" one of them bellowed, glaring around wildly, “I WANT TO KILL HER WITH MY OWN HANDS.”

"She was... was right there!" the first young master stammered, clutching his borrowed outer robe closer. A crowd had already formed around them like bees to honey, drinking in every detail of their humiliation.

"Such a beautiful jade-like face," the second one added, still lost in the charm of thief's eyes, his disheveled hair onlyadded to his wild appearance. "Said she was from the Chen family of the Eastern District—"

"The Chen family has no daughter," someone in the crowd muttered.

"Well, we know that NOW!" the first master snapped, face burning brighter.

“She… she led us into the bamboo forest! Whispered about something! Then—THEN—SHE POISONED ME AND KNOCKED ME OUT COLD!!”

“ME TOO,”

North wanted to laugh, but he also wanted to throw up.

Literal gasps from the surrounding audience.

A jade beauty clutched her jade necklace, whispering to her friend. “Drugged them? And then robbed them?”

An older Visionary in the crowd stroked his beard, shaking his head. “Tsk, tsk. Such deceit. Truly tragic that the young masters of today fall for beauty so easily.”

One of the younger noble heirs, a cocky-looking man in a crimson robe, scoffed. “You idiots got robbed by a woman? And you didn’t even realize it?”

The shorter young master twitched violently. “IT WAS NOT JUST ANY WOMAN! SHE WAS—” he took a deep breath, trying to find the words. “She was… devastatingly beautiful…”

The first young master nodded furiously, eyes filled with lingering awe and despair. “Yes! An ethereal beauty, with sorrow in her eyes! Like a dream made real! She… she was unlike any woman I have ever seen!”

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Another pause. The crowd shared a look. Then someone chuckled. Then another. Then someone outright burst into laughter.

Within seconds, half the Plum Gardens was shaking with laughter as realization dawned on them. These two were scammed. Completely, utterly, shamelessly scammed. And they fell for it headfirst.

The cocky young master wiped a fake tear from his eye, grinning. “Ah, so you didn’t just get robbed. You got seduced first.”

The taller young master’s face twitched violently.

“SHUT UP! IT WAS A TRICK!”

“Oh, of course.”

“We were drugged and knocked out!”

“Sure, sure.”

The older Visionary with the beard sighed theatrically. “A true femme fatale, bringing ruin to foolish young men.”

The shorter young master twitched violently, his hands shaking in rage, but before he could retaliate— Someone in the crowd suddenly frowned.

Meanwhile, North sat at a table with another young master, midway through convincing him to take a nice private walk into the gardens, when his soon to be victim’s head snapped toward the shouting. North followed the gaze. Then immediately looked back down at the table.

Shit.

The lucky young master was still watching the scene unfold, half intrigued, half amused, which gave North just enough time to smoothly excuse himself. He stood abruptly, pressing a delicate hand to his forehead, faking a slight stagger.

“I—Oh, I suddenly feel faint. The night air must be getting to me.”

The young master immediately turned to him, concerned. “Ah? Do you need help—”

North bowed slightly, already stepping away. “No, no. Just some fresh air. I’ll be fine.”

Before the young master could stop him, North was already slipping through the crowd, making his exit. With practiced ease, he ducked into a less crowded section of the gardens, rolling his shoulders as he smoothly deactivated the Tragic Jade Beauty template.

In less than a second, his features snapped back to his original look. It felt like stepping out of a costume that had clung to his skin too tightly. He adjusted his sleeves, rolling his neck.

Alright. That was close.

Now, time to leave. With careful but determined strides, he walked toward the main entrance gates of the Plum Gardens.

…

"Wait a moment… where is Young Master Wu?"

The crowd's laughter hitched slightly, as people glanced at one another. Another noble furrowed his brows, scanning the crowd.

"And Young Master Fan… wasn’t he drinking here earlier?"

More murmurs. Another young master, still seated at his table, squinted at the empty chair next to him.

"My alcoholic cousin was just here an hour ago. Where the hell did he go?"

One or two young masters getting scammed by a beauty? Hilarious. But half a dozen missing?

"This isn’t just some seduction trick."

"Who else is missing?!"

"Check the private booths!"

"Check the cherry gardens!"

Some of the servants and attendants scurried away to search for their masters, the rising tension quickly infecting the crowd.

An older elder, his robes marked with the insignia of the Lustrous Sky Clan, suddenly slammed his cane on the stone floor, sending a small shockwave through the air. The murmuring immediately ceased. The elder’s eyes burned with authority as he swept his gaze over the assembled guests.

"Guards! Lock the Plum Gardens! No one enters or leaves until we uncover the truth!"

The black-and-gold armored guards immediately moved, heading toward the main gate. More were dispatched to search the bamboo forests and private pavilions for the rest of the missing young masters.

North felt relieved for changing his template soon as he observed the growing chaos he had caused. There was no slipping away unnoticed now. But, but at least there was no way to trace him back to the Tragic Jade Beauty he had played. And the two young masters were still pointing frantically at every beautiful woman in sight, their faces growing redder by the minute. He almost wanted to laugh. To each mark, he had been someone different: the tragic Chen family daughter, a mysterious beauty from the Southern Isles seeking cultivation partners, a noble lady fallen on hard times.

He straightened his robes, slipped into his natural posture, and turned casually toward the commotion, feigning polite curiosity. Just another noble guest, caught in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Soon, one by one, more than a dozen young unconscious Visionaries were dragged out of the Jade Bamboo Forest, their clothes missing and their faces pale as if they had just woken from a fever dream.

Gasps rippled through the assembled guests as they watched the unfortunate young masters laid out in the open, their clothes stripped from them, their dignity even worse off.

"This… this is unprecedented!" one elder exclaimed, his wrinkled hand gripping his cane tightly. Never he had seen anything like this happened before. Truly a strange scene.

Another elder, wearing flowing silver robes embroidered with cloud patterns, knelt down beside one of the victims, pressing his fingers to his wrist.

A second later, his expression darkened.

"They all have been knocked out by the same poison, which means same villain."

Another Jade beauty clutched the hem of her skirt, whispering frantically to her companion. "A beauty who lured them away… drugged them… stole everything… this sounds like something out of a demonic visionary's playbook!"

An older merchant stroked his beard, shaking his head. "Whoever this woman is, she’s no ordinary thief. This was carefully planned."

"Planned?" someone else scoffed. "This was an outright massacre of dignity!"

"Unacceptable!" a noble father bellowed, his eyes filled with fury. "A disgrace! My son—look at my son!"

He pointed toward one of the unconscious victims, a young master with tangled hair, butt high in the air, sprawled on the floor with his underwear clinging loosely to his hips.

"He looks like he’s been violated!"

North, still standing among the guests, watched as more and more young masters were discovered. He counted six… seven… eleven… fifteen. His lips twitched. He wanted to laugh out loud, yet tried his best to hold it inside to not get beaten up by the angry family members.

Meanwhile, various elders wasted no time.

"Describe her!" one of the senior elders demanded, his voice sharp as steel.

The fourth victim—the short, furious young master—immediately shot upright, eyes burning with vengeful intensity.

"She was… she was the most breathtaking woman I’ve ever seen!"

The crowd groaned.

A noble heir from the side rolled his eyes. "We’re looking for a criminal, not a goddess. Give us details."

"She had this tragic air, as if carrying the weight of the world!" another victim added dramatically, gripping his head.

"Her eyes—depthless pools of sorrow!"

"Her voice—a melody of heartbreak!"

The six victim, still half-drunk from whatever he had been drinking before he was robbed, sighed dreamily.

"Even as she drugged me, I still can't feel mad…"

Silence. Then—a chorus of snickers from the crowd.

A few young ladies in the audience whispered among themselves, some clearly trying not to laugh too openly. One of them fanned herself dramatically. "Oh my, perhaps I should start robbing men too. It seems quite profitable."

"ENOUGH!" the elder barked, his patience thinning rapidly. "We need a real description!"

"She had dark hair, skin like jade, and a graceful, elegant manner!"

The elder's eye twitched. "You have just described half the girls in this city."

Still, he waved a hand, and two dozen Rank 3 and Rank 4 guards immediately sprang into action. They scattered through the Plum Gardens, checking every secluded corner, every group of guests, every passing noblewoman, looking for the elusive "Tragic Jade Beauty."

North, standing perfectly still among the crowd, let out a very slow breath.

And after twenty full minutes of searching…

Nothing.

Not a single trace of the mysterious seductress. The guards returned empty-handed, their expressions grim. The elders frowned, some muttering among themselves.

Then, slowly, complaints began rising from the crowd. "Really? You’ve locked down the entire Plum Gardens over this?"

"It’s been almost half an hour! If she was here, she’s long gone!"

"Young people these days, falling for such cheap tricks…"

A broad-shouldered merchant scoffed loudly. "What’s there to cry about? This isn’t a crime—it’s natural selection! If they were dumb enough to fall for it, they deserved to be robbed!"

Laughter rippled through the audience.

A silver-haired scholar stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Truly, this is a lesson in wisdom. Perhaps they should thank the thief for their education."

More murmurs of agreement.

"I mean, did they have to go into the forest alone? Were they expecting poetry?"

"No, they were expecting romance and got hit in the head instead!"

"If they had half a brain, they’d still have their dignity and face!"

The fifteen young masters, who were already burning with humiliation and rage, now looked like they wanted to crawl under a table and die. One of them, face red with embarrassment, tried to shuffle toward the trees. Another simply covered his head with his hands, muttering, "Just take me out of this world."

The elders, seeing that they were losing public support, looked increasingly frustrated.

North, standing amidst the jeering crowd, nodded sagely.

"Yes, yes. This is the natural order of things."

…

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the gates of the Plum Gardens creaked open once again. The guards, looking thoroughly defeated, stepped aside, allowing the noble guests to filter out into the city streets. With a mix of reluctance and bruised pride, the victimized young masters shuffled away, rejoining their own groups, some trying to walk with dignity, others covering their faces, hoping no one would recognize them later.

As the last echoes of laughter and ridicule faded, the Plum Gardens returned to a forced state of normalcy.

The festival continued. Music resumed. Dancers twirled once again in the air.

To an outsider, it would have seemed as if nothing had happened. But North knew better. This incident would be the only thing people talked about tomorrow—no, probably for years to come—this incident would be the talk of every Festival of the Season. A tragic beauty who stripped a dozen young masters of their clothes, dignity, and face in one fell swoop. By morning, the entire city would know the legend of the 'Tragic Jade Beauty'—the one who robbed over a dozen arrogant young masters blind.

Meanwhile, North could almost hear the rumors forming in real-time.

Some would say she was perhaps a fox spirit, stealing their essence.

Others would insist she was an assassin, targeting the foolish.

A few might even romanticize her as a vengeful spirit, punishing the corrupt.

And of course, the young masters themselves? They would never admit how easily they had fallen for it.

North exhaled, stretching his arms casually, as if shaking off the last remnants of responsibility. "Anyway, none of this has anything to do with me."

He let a small, satisfied smirk creep onto his lips. Then, without another word, he stepped through the open gates, onto the open streets, and disappeared into the night with his pockets full.

Though, he didn’t go or enter his home. Instead, he took his time walking through the dimly lit street, using his senses to scan the surroundings for anything unusual around the house and the neighbourhood. Even if no one had caught onto him yet, it didn’t mean they wouldn’t. The last thing he wanted was to let his guard down, only to have some Lustrous Sky Clan investigator suddenly appear at his doorstep.

His instincts told him that, for now, he was safe. There were no strange figures lurking in the shadows, no footsteps tailing him, no hushed voices discussing his crimes. But he knew that peace probably wouldn’t last.

After ensuring there was nothing, North made his way toward the high-end district of the city. He wasn’t foolish enough to sleep in a place which could be raided any moment, especially not when he had the means to afford something better. Walking past inns meant for commoners and low-level Visionaries, he finally arrived at a towering, elegant structure with jade pillars and golden lanterns hanging from its entrance—The Swan Resting Palace.

This was the kind of place only the wealthy or influential stayed in, and that was precisely why it was the best hiding spot. No one would expect a murderer to be sleeping in luxury.

Stepping inside, he was immediately greeted by a well-mannered attendant who bowed slightly and asked if he required a private courtyard or a deluxe suite. North, without hesitation, requested the best accommodations available. The price? eight Rain Coins for the night, including a meal. He handed over the money without a second thought, relishing the feeling of being a true young master.

The suite was exactly what he needed—spacious, elegant, and most importantly, private. The moment he stepped inside, he headed straight for the bath, stripping off his robes and sinking into the hot water. The warmth eased the tension in his muscles from the day’s fight and washed away the lingering traces of the festival. He stayed there longer than necessary, letting the steam clear his mind before stepping out and drying himself off. By the time he strolled out, dressed in fresh robes, a grand feast had already been laid out for him. He didn’t waste time, sitting down and digging in.

The food was unlike anything he had eaten since arriving here—perfectly roasted meats, fragrant rice, delicate fruits that left a cool sensation in his mouth. It was a far cry from the salty meal he had at his home, and as he took another bite, he couldn’t help but think, I could get used to this.

But the real moment of satisfaction came after he finished eating. With a casual flick of his hand, he summoned all the pouches filled with Rain Coins from his Imaginary Island, letting them spill onto the silk-covered bed. Silver glinted under the dim light of the lanterns. The weight of the coins, the sheer amount he had accumulated over the night, was staggering. He ran his fingers through the scattered piles, savoring the moment before beginning to count.

One by one, he tallied the total, stacking the coins into neat piles as he went. His lips slowly curled into a satisfied smile as the number climbed higher and higher. By the time he reached the final count, he could hardly believe it.

Over five thousand Rain Coins.

It was absurd. He had come into this world with nothing, and now he had a sum that could buy entire estates, fund an army of hired mercenaries, or in his case, propel him through the early ranks of a Visionary faster than most people could dream of. Had he been able to stay in the city, this amount of wealth would have easily allowed him to advance to Rank 3 or even the threshold of Rank 4 in a matter of months. With the right resources, he could have expanded his Imaginary Island, strengthened his foundation, and secured a future far more promising than the chaotic life.

But that wasn’t an option. He had no choice but to leave soon, and that meant spending wisely. He needed to use this money to ensure his survival first. If he could buy protection, if he could make the journey out of the city safely, then he could worry about power and advancement later.

Leaning back against the plush cushions, he exhaled slowly, running a hand through his damp hair. He had risked a lot tonight, but it had been worth it.

He smirked, tossing one of the silver coins into the air and catching it effortlessly.

"Not bad," he murmured to himself.

With that, he carefully stored the coins back into his Imaginary Island, securing his wealth where no one could reach it. Then, stretching out onto the soft bed, he closed his eyes, organizing his priorities.

First, Images.

What he had now—his Borrowed Might Image—was useful, but it wasn’t enough. If he wanted to fight, defend, or escape properly, he needed at least three or four more that complemented his fighting style. Images weren’t just flashy skills; they were his foundation as a Visionary. A well-selected set of Images could make the difference between dying in an alley and thriving in this world. He would go to the best Image merchants in the city, scour through the options, and find something truly useful—not just for short-term survival, but for long-term growth.

Second, Imaginary Island expansion: No matter how strong his Images were, they meant nothing if his Imaginary Island was weak. It was the core of his strength, the place where his Nether Essence gathered and refined itself. Expanding it was just like expanding his potential. And now that he had five thousand Rain Coins, he wasn’t going to settle for the usual cheap soil and basic resources. No. He was going to get the best. The most potent Island Boundary Expansion resources available. Stuff that would push him through Rank 2 as fast as possible and lay a solid foundation for Rank 3.

Third, leaving the city.

This was perhaps the most important step. Staying here for too long was asking for death. The Lustrous Sky Clan would soon catch up to him, even if he was innocent. But, they needed a scapegoat to blame and he would become that goat automatically, which he naturally couldn’t accept. The city suddenly seemed to have become a cage.

Luckily, big cities like this had constant movement. Merchants, caravans, mercenary groups, sect disciples—people were coming and going every day. If he found the right group, he could blend in and leave without attracting attention. The best option would be a well-guarded merchant caravan, one that could provide security without him having to fight or reveal his strength.

Alternatively, a group of rogue Visionaries looking for travel companions might work, though they could be riskier.

Regardless, by tomorrow evening, he needed to have secured his way out.