The familiar, torturous sensation of teleportation once again tore Yun Zhen from his unconscious state.
As his senses returned, he found himself in the all-too-familiar empty room. Slowly, he wiped the sweat from his brow, his movements deliberate as he forced himself to stand and leave once more.
This time, however, stepping out of the room did not land him in the eerie hallway filled with glowing runes. Instead, he emerged into a vast courtyard surrounded by crumbling, dilapidated walls. The passage of time had clearly taken its toll here—the once-pristine ground was dry, the marble blocks yellowed with age and cracked, barely holding the structure together. Yet, despite the decay, this place seemed to endure.
Yun Zhen paid little attention to his surroundings. It felt like returning home after a long journey.
In truth, it had been a long journey for him, one in which he had sought to break through from Qi Condensation to Foundation Establishment.
His efforts had failed, but rather than feel despair, he stood resolutely, unwilling to let one failure shake his determination. He lifted his chin and continued trying.
Unfortunately, his small break was cut off, as his credits ran out.
'If only I had a few more months... maybe then...'
'Sigh, just a few more kills, and I'll be free to return and try again.'
Lost in thought, Yun Zhen made his way toward the northern wall of the courtyard. Without hesitation, he murmured, "Kaiban."
His words were nearly drowned out by the howling wind that swept through the open space, but a response soon came. A large shadow engulfed him, swiftly pulling him toward the ground.
To an outsider, it would seem as though he was swallowed by the earth itself.
...
Once swallowed by the shadow, Yun Zhen's sight was restricted. He felt something slithering across his body, a sensation he had long grown accustomed to. The organization he worked for used this procedure to identify and verify its members before granting them access to mission assignment locations.
The uneasy sensation passed quickly, and soon he found himself standing in a narrow alley lined with papers and posters of all shapes and sizes. Upon closer inspection, the posters revealed a variety of missions, each one graded according to the number of brush strokes in the top-right corner.
One brush stroke indicated that the mission required a minimum cultivation stage of Qi Condensation, two strokes for Foundation Establishment, three for Golden Core, and four for Nascent Soul.
Yun Zhen gave no heed to the walls covered in posters advertising missions—whether they were kill orders, material gathering, or bodyguard tasks.
They were beneath him.
His confidence wasn't unfounded; he had built a reputation as a remarkable scout, despite his relatively low cultivation level. His nickname, "Ink Death," was tied to a tracking technique he had perfected—the "Thousand Yard Ink Splash."
At first, completing missions had seemed nearly impossible, but over time, he became more proficient, earning credits and steadily growing his reputation.
Rather than spending his hard-earned credits on resources to advance his cultivation, Yun Zhen had sought guidance from a senior, who advised him to purchase the "Thousand Yard Ink Splash" technique. It was a versatile, powerful method, especially useful for a beginner.
He had spent countless hours training to master this technique, and it had been the key to his survival.
Yun Zhen still remembered the senior's words with gratitude.
'It's a pity he's dead now. I would've transferred some credits to him as a token of thanks…'
His thoughts wandered, but before he knew it, Yun Zhen had arrived at a large plaza. At the center stood a dragon statue carved from black marble, its presence commanding attention. The plaza was mostly empty, with only a handful of people scattered about, each studying the mission-filled walls.
Taking a deep breath, Yun Zhen took a step forward, his eyes scanning the crowd. His gaze soon fell on a familiar figure.
A woman, shorter than him, stood leaning against a wall, meticulously cleaning a small dagger. She wore a loose grey robe, and her dark hair and eyes gave her an almost mysterious air.
Yun Zhen approached her without haste, his face betraying nothing. He was unshaken, as though nothing in this world could disturb his calm.
Sensing his approach, the woman looked up and a small, knowing smile tugged at the corners of her lips.
When he reached her, she put the dagger away and spoke.
"Hey Ink, how'd your breakthrough go?"
Yun Zhen ignored her teasing tone, replying flatly,
"A displeasure to meet you too, Miss Yi. Now, could you kindly let me know the time of our departure?"
"You're always like this," she said, shaking her head lightly, before gesturing for him to follow her.
Without a word, Yun Zhen followed, the two of them walking through winding streets flanked by high walls. The air felt thick with the weight of their silence.
Eventually, Miss Yi stopped, sitting down on the ground with her back against a gray wall. Yun Zhen did not sit but remained standing, his eyes scanning their surroundings. The area was devoid of mission posters, which meant no one would come here. His suspicions grew, and just as he was about to turn away, Miss Yi spoke again.
"Do you miss your sect?"
Yun Zhen froze. Though his expression remained impassive, a vein pulsed visibly on his forehead, betraying his true emotions.
"What's it to you?" His tone was colder than usual, more distant.
"This whole place used to be your sect's," she said, her voice softer now, as if she were treading on delicate ground. "Before they took it over and turned it into one of their mission assignment locations, right?"
"..."
Yun Zhen was silent, his gaze fixed ahead.
"If I recall," Miss Yi continued, "it was called the Light Slash Sect. But the people renamed it the Carefree Sect because of the unfettered, joyful nature of its disciples and elders."
"..."
Silence hung between them as Yun Zhen processed her words. His heart ached, though he refused to show it.