"Oh? As expected of an assassin—you recognize it at a glance."
"Spirit Flow weapons aren't something common folk can own," the assassin said coldly, his grip tightening. "Tell me—how did you acquire it?"
Lin Yuan glanced at the saber in his hand and let out a faint sigh. "Picked it up two days ago in the Sinking District. Cost me everything I had."
Spirit Flow metal—though far beneath cultivators' spirit artifacts—still surpassed all mortal steel. In the hands of someone who could use it properly, it could easily turn a balanced fight into a one-sided slaughter.
"You realize the Authority will come for you the moment this gets out."
He moved the instant his words ended.
Two small metal spheres shot from his hand, spinning rapidly through the air toward Lin Yuan.
Lin Yuan's expression changed. "Spirit Flow bombs."
He retreated immediately, his body shifting backward without hesitation.
In less than a breath, a sharp explosion tore through the alley. The blast caught him mid-step, throwing him backward as he crashed against the ground and slid several paces before stopping.
"Coward," Lin Yuan muttered under his breath as he pushed himself up, his movements slower than before.
He scanned the alley quickly, but the assassin was nowhere to be seen.
His shoulders eased slightly, though the feeling did not last. The ground beneath him seemed to sway, his vision blurring as strength drained from his limbs, forcing him down onto one knee.
"Good… he's gone." He coughed lightly, a trace of blood staining his lips.
Looking at the saber still in his grip, he exhaled slowly. "Another few exchanges, and I'd be the one lying there."
Most people in the world were mortals with only a faint inner core, unable to sense anything beyond the most basic fluctuations. Even so, they could still fuel Spirit Flow weapons for brief moments through sheer vitality.
Lin Yuan, however… was different.
After the incident at the Pearlroot Temple, the head priest had told him the truth. His inner core was incomplete, only half-formed since birth, a flaw likely caused by an injury his mother suffered before he was born.
It explained everything.
Why heat overwhelmed him too quickly, why cold seeped into him without resistance, and why his endurance always fell short at the worst moments.
With such a core, he could barely sustain a Spirit Flow weapon for more than a few breaths before exhausting himself completely.
"As expected… it left you injured."
A cold voice sounded from behind him.
Lin Yuan's body tensed instantly as he turned his head. The assassin stepped out from the shadows, calm and steady, as if he had never left at all.
It was clear now.
He had only been waiting.
Lin Yuan's expression cooled as he watched the man approach. "So, you've got me now. Before I die, at least tell me—who sent you?"
Seeing him kneeling with a pale face, the assassin let out a low snicker.
"Weren't you acting fearless just a moment ago? As if no one could touch you?"
Lin Yuan shook his head calmly, his breathing steady despite his condition. "No need to mock me. You've already won."
"You brat…" The assassin's expression twisted with irritation. "You made me waste two Spirit Flow bombs. You think I'll grant you any last request?"
He raised his saber, preparing to strike.
Suddenly, his body jerked violently.
He doubled over, coughing out a mouthful of blood as his hand clutched his chest.
"W–what… what have you done…?" He collapsed onto one knee, his breathing turning erratic.
"Isn't it obvious?" Lin Yuan looked at him with plain disdain.
"P–poison?" The assassin forced out a bitter laugh. "How? You never even touched me…"
"Tsk. Ignorant." Lin Yuan lifted a finger and lazily traced a circle in the air.
The assassin's pupils trembled.
"Th—the air…?" Another violent cough wracked his body. "When? I was careful… I would've noticed—"
His voice cut off abruptly.
Understanding struck all at once, and his pupils shrank sharply. He tried to inhale, but all that came out was a choking cough before his body collapsed sideways onto the wet ground.
Lin Yuan watched him for a moment, then let out a quiet scoff and spat lightly toward the corpse.
"What a terrible person. Couldn't even grant a dying man's last wish."
He stood up slowly, brushing dirt from his clothes before stepping closer to check the body. Pulling back the hood, he finally saw the assassin's face clearly.
"Hm. Not bad. Still not on my level," he muttered.
He searched the body briefly, only to find nothing of value.
"What a poor fellow. Not even a single copper coin. Waste of time." He clicked his tongue and gave the corpse a light kick.
"I should leave before the Authority comes to investigate," he murmured, turning away without hesitation.
It did not take him long to leave the alley and make his way back toward Stone Street. The rain had softened by the time he arrived, leaving the road slick and quiet.
When he finally saw the sign of his shop, he let out a faint breath.
For a moment, he had wondered if someone might have broken in—or worse.
"I guess being former property of the Jade Stream Sect still has some use," he muttered, unlocking the door and stepping inside.
He shut it behind him and moved directly toward the underground chamber, the place he actually used to rest.
---
Far from Azure Harbor City, in the Oceanic Highlands—
Rain poured heavily across the ruined land, turning the ground into mud and ash. Smoke still rose into the sky, marking the remains of a massive fire that had swept through not long ago.
Four black-robed figures stood atop what remained of a shattered rooftop.
"Wasn't this too much? Burning the entire Pearlroot Temple with everyone inside?" one of them asked, unease creeping into his voice.
"We couldn't risk leaving survivors or evidence," another replied coldly. "Fire was the safest method. By now, they're nothing but ash."
"Most of them were mortals. If this gets out, the Imperial Authority will hunt us," a third said, his tone tense.
In a world where cultivators and mortals coexisted, strict laws governed their interactions.
All major sects had long agreed on a single rule.
Mortal affairs were to be handled by mortals, and cultivators were forbidden from interfering.
Anyone who violated that rule would face punishment from the Imperial Authority.
Those laws had prevented countless tragedies, stopping cultivators from slaughtering mortals or using their lives as leverage.
"None will find out," the first figure sneered. "There's nothing to trace. We avoided using any techniques."
"That's right. We dealt with those low-level priests directly. As for the rest, the fire was enough."
"What about the Jade Stream Sect?" another asked.
"Hmph. They won't bother with a small temple. It's beneath their notice."
The fourth figure nodded slowly, his gaze distant.
"Then the boy in Azure Harbor should be dead by now as well."