The stories were crazy, and the shadow stalked the man that had somehow usurped the leadership of the Street Gang. The shadow snuck into the room, and watched the young man sleep with the two naked women. He didn't do anything to them, well, other than touch them in all the inappropriate places, but he didn't seem particularly interested in them.
The girls tried to please him, but it just annoyed him so he commanded them to stop.
The shadow wondered. Was this a trick? He radiated no presence, no aura of power. None of the telltale signs of a cultivator with incredible power.
Did he have any special artefacts that gave him an edge?
The shadow watched, and waited.
Eventually, he decided to try and sneak close to the man. He wasn't ordered to kill him, but he wanted to see whether he could.
The dagger was almost touched his skin, and the young man, Zahar, didn't react. The shadow frowned.
This was a trick. He decided to leave, and return to the City Lord's chambers. It was time to report to the young lady.
***
The shadow didn't notice, of course, Zahar following closely behind. Zahar was a master, an Emperor. He was familiar with all these stupid stealth tricks, and have done them to death a countless lifetimes.
Hell, he even knew the shadow wouldn't kill him.
So, when Zahar reverse-uno-ed and followed the shadow back to the City Lord's mansion, the shadow didn't know at all.
"What happened with the Street Gang?"
"Young mistress. A young man named Zahar has somehow defeated the old gang leader and claimed the title. Eyewitness claimed he ripped out the old leader's heart. Yet, when I stalked him in his bedroom, he looked defenseless, young mistress. I suspect the presence of some kind of ancient artifact." The shadow entered through the balcony, and then knelt before the young mistress. The young mistress was sat at the tea table, sipping tea with a teacup in her fingers.
There was a flower pot with local flowers arranged in a colorful pattern on the table. Zahar, thoroughly invisible, landed in the curtains and watched.
Zahar's eyes finally landed on a beauty worth his time. She was a young lady aged eighteen, and dressed in a pink silk robe covered with reddish rose patterns. Her hair was tied up in a bun, with some hair flowing down the back. She had a bright red pin on her hair.
"That is strange. Who is this boy?"
"Eyewitness claim he was an orphan that used to be called Wisan, but he began calling himself Zahar."
"Very strange indeed. Do you think this is the act of the other sects?"
The shadow wasn't sure. "Unlikely. I didn't detect any skills or abilities found from the other sects. If they want to seize control of the city, they are usually more blunt. I could kill him if I wanted to."
The young mistress frowned. "Father wouldn't like this change in leadership. Arrange someone to make friends with this Zahar, see what he wants, and who he works for."
"Affirmative."
The young mistress took out a gold coin and flicked it to the shadow. "Your reward for your excellent service."
The shadow nodded, and then, moved away. The shadow left through the balcony again, and Zahar snuck in. The young mistress shut the balcony door, and then sat back at the tea table.
She was now alone.
"Greetings, young mistress." Zahar said, making his presence known.
The young mistress panicked as her eyes suddenly darted in the direction of the voice, shocked that there was someone there.
Zahar could feel her cultivation bubbling within. She was stronger than the gang leader for sure, at least a full realm above, but still no more than an insect.
"No need for such hostilities. You wanted to find out who I worked for, so here I am."
"I didn't feel you here at all." The mistress said, suspicious. "I should summon my father and have you killed."
Zahar laughed. "I'm Zahar. Your father can't kill me, and trust me, it'll be the greatest mistake you ever make in your life if you chose to do so."
The mistress was a lady with a very sharp intuition, and at that moment, her intuition screamed in horror and fear. This man was thoroughly dangerous, and could certainly act on his threat.
"I suggest you listen to your instinct. The Bone of the White Dragon in your shoulder is clearly letting know its fear."
"-how-"
"Shh." Zahar laughed, and sat on the chair. He poured himself a cup of tea, and began to sip it. "Ah, finally some half-decent tea. And a temperature controlled teapot. Funny how useful such an invention was."
The mistress glared, her heart a mix of worry and fear. She felt like she was a rabbit, in the presence of a dragon.
"Alright, what's your name?"
"I am Sana Eshtar." The mistress wasn't sure how to behave. She decided to go with politeness, trusting her instincts.
"Ah. yes, your father is City Lord Eshtar then."
She nodded.
"Great. That makes you perfect. I happen to have my eye on you, and would like to make you one of my concubines. Or maybe maids."
"What!" Sana looked at the boy in front of him in absolute horror. She had never been propositioned in such a blunt way. Not just that, one-of-his-concubines? She was not some lowly peasant slut that a rich man gathers for his private harem! "No! I won't be a maid or a concubine."
Zahar laughed. "That's what all the girls say at first. I really love that when that happens. Here's why you should accept. One. I can help you reach greater heights. It's easier to rise up when you have someone supporting you, and I will assure you that there's no one better than me. Two. The consequences of rejecting me is the same. I will destroy everything, and then enslave you anyway. Might as well just follow me willingly."
"That's not much a choice." Sana countered. "It's degrading for a woman my stature to lower myself to a maid or a concubine."
Zahar laughed some more. He wondered whether he should flex his origins as the Zenith Emperor of the Immortal Realms. He decided it wouldn't be fun if he flexed it now. It was like a sure-win move. "Well, I'm asking you to trust your instincts."
Sana paused and digested the message. She quickly reviewed what she knew about this strange man. One, he emerged out of nowhere and defeated a cultivator. Two, he could trace the shadow back to him, and remain thoroughly unseen. Those two points suggested he had some power to back up his arrogance.
In the cultivation world, everyone took threats carefully. It was important to truly weigh what that threat was. "One condition." Sana decided to trust the intuition in her. "I want to fight you."
Zahar nodded. "Certainly, certainly. Let's do so now?"
Sana nodded. "There's a place I know, come with me."