The market district bustled with life as usual, but within the Chamber of Commerce, tension suffocated the air. Servants and workers moved cautiously, eyes lowered, afraid of attracting the attention of Lu Cheng, the furious overseer pacing in the private hall.
His fingers drummed against the table, his patience wearing thin.
"Still no trace of him?" His voice was unnervingly calm, yet the trembling subordinates before him knew it was only the calm before the storm.
A black-robed scout hesitated before stepping forward. "Senior Lu, we’ve searched the entire area. Not only is Chu Xu missing, but we can’t even find the battlefield. It's as if he vanished into thin air."
Lu Cheng's fingers stopped. A suffocating silence followed.
Then, in a flash—
CRASH!
The ornate teacup in his hand shattered against the wall, shards scattering like the remains of his patience.
"You useless worms!" he bellowed, his face contorted with rage. "If Linglong doesn’t get her order, do you think I can save your pathetic heads?! If she’s displeased, our entire branch could suffer! Do you even understand who she is?!"
The subordinates flinched. Of course, they knew. Linglong, the marquis family’s genius. A young prodigy whose talent made even sect geniuses wary. But it wasn’t just her power that made her terrifying—it was her temperament. If things didn’t go her way, she wouldn’t hesitate to vent her displeasure on those beneath her.
The shopkeeper, the woman who had set this all in motion, felt her knees weaken. "Senior Lu, please, I—I was only thinking of our profits—"
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"Shut your mouth!" Lu Cheng snarled. "If that brat wasn’t an easy target, then why did you act so sure?! You said he was only Rank 1 middle stage, and now he’s made Chu Xu disappear! Do you know what that means?!"
The woman trembled violently. "I—I was wrong, senior! Please, I—"
Lu Cheng’s gaze was like a blade. "You’re only alive because your past contributions are useful. But if we don’t find that brat by tomorrow, your corpse will be dumped in the gutter alongside the rest."
Her body shuddered, but she kept silent, knowing any further words might seal her fate.
Meanwhile…
A few blocks away, Yanwei leisurely ate his meal, enjoying the mortal dishes as if none of this concerned him.
A faint smirk played on his lips. He could already imagine their desperation—the frantic searching, the flaring tempers, the blame being tossed around like a hot stone.
‘They still think I’m some clueless low-rank cultivator who got lucky. How naive.’
He took another bite of his food, savoring the flavor. He hadn’t tasted ordinary dishes in a long time. Compared to the spiritual meat delicacies cultivators indulged in, this was bland, but somehow nostalgic.
“Lu Cheng is cornered. He’s just a merchant, not a real powerhouse, so he can only rely on fear to control his subordinates. But no matter how much he rages, he’ll never find me.”
A chuckle escaped him.
“And tomorrow, when Linglong arrives and doesn’t get her precious order…”
He could already see the scene unfolding in his mind. Would she fly into a rage and start throwing people around? Would she coldly punish the fools who failed her? Or would she be the calculating type, punishing them quietly, without making a scene?
Either way, someone was going to suffer.
And that thought amused him.
“Should I watch?”
It was tempting. Seeing these people squirm was enjoyable, but he wasn’t here just for entertainment.
Yanwei leaned back in his chair, fingers tapping idly against the wooden table. He had to think ahead.
“The marquis family isn’t just some random noble house. Their backing is solid. If Linglong starts investigating, she might dig deeper than these idiots. I need to be careful.’’
He wasn’t worried about them finding him right now—his illusion merit, granted by the universe, wasn’t some mere sidetrack technique. His movements had also been too precise to leave any traces. But if the situation escalated, the risk would rise.
“I should start preparing to leave. But before that… let’s see how this little storm plays out.’
With that thought, Yanwei finished his meal and stood, stretching lazily. He had things to do before tomorrow.
Things that would make this situation even more entertaining.