“Well, I need to prepare ingredients for my poison... and a bait.” Yanwei muttered, adjusting his disguise before stepping out.
….
At the foot of the mountain, beyond the sect’s borders, a lively trade district bustled with activity. Rogue cultivators bartered over rare materials, alchemists peddled their wares with exaggerated boasts, and mercenaries advertised their services to those who could afford them.
Near one of the stalls, a sect disciple haggled with a vendor.
“Fellow Daoist, can’t you lower the price a little?” the disciple asked, eyeing a pouch of medicinal herbs.
“No! That’s the final price. Do you even know how close I was to death getting this medicine?” the shopkeeper snapped.
The two locked eyes, a silent battle of patience and wit. But in the end, the merchant stood firm, forcing the disciple to sigh in defeat.
“Fine. Just give me one.”
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Yanwei watched the exchange unfold, a flicker of amusement in his eyes. Still the same. Mortals scrabbling for scraps, low-level cultivators barely any better. But that suited him—chaos made it easier to move unnoticed. He scanned the crowded stalls, searching for a specific herb, a key piece in his preparations.
“Hmm… I should stay here for a few days. Otherwise, these merchants will try to rip me off,” he mused.
Stepping into an inn, he waved down a young waiter—just a mortal boy, no older than ten.
“How much for a room?” Yanwei asked. “And bring me one of every dish on the menu.”
The boy beamed. “Only two spiritual stones for a month, sir! Do you prefer mortal dishes or magical beast meat?”
“Mortal dishes.” Yanwei flicked a spiritual stone toward him. “Also, any news about the sects? The secret realm? Notable participants?”
The boy caught the stone and grinned. “Oh, plenty! Right now, the Marquis family’s genius is stealing the limelight. Not only is she stunning, but she’s fierce—took down three late-stage Rank 1 cultivators without even using her full strength!”
Yanwei remained expressionless. A feat like that meant little to him. Unless she had the power of a true Rank 2, she wasn’t a threat. Still, a top family’s genius would have plenty of hidden cards.
“Anything else?” he asked.
The boy tapped his chin before lowering his voice. “This might not be about the secret realm, but there’s a rumor spreading through the sects. A ruthless demon cultivator has been hunting disciples. A number of them have gone missing... and none have been found.”
Yanwei smirked. He leaned in slightly, his voice carrying a hint of mockery.
“Oh? A demon cultivator hunting sect disciples?” He shook his head, climbing the stairs to his room. “How ridiculous. I’m a disciple of Divine Breeze Sect—how could they slander me like that?”
He rolled his eyes, lips curling into a smirk as he disappeared into the upper floor.