The town had quieted.
Lanterns burned low. The streets were sparsely populated—only late wanderers and night guards remained. The fox walked at an unhurried pace, paws soundless against the stone.
Perched atop its head, the lizard remained invisible, wings tucked neatly against its body.
"The night market gates are closed," the fox said through a calm voice transmission. "There's one last matter I need to settle there before we leave River M. Since that won't happen tonight… we'll stay."
There was no urgency.
No tension.
As though they had merely returned from an evening stroll.
They turned down a side street and stopped before a modest inn. Wooden exterior. Two lanterns swayed gently at the entrance. Nothing about it stood out.
"Drop the invisibility," the fox murmured.
The lizard complied, its form flickering back into view.
At the same time, the fox's body blurred—an illusion settling over it. Fur receded. Limbs reshaped. When the distortion faded, the fox was gone, replaced by the same quiet young boy as before.
Together, they stepped inside.
The interior was still.
Only a few tables were occupied. A faint scent of tea and incense lingered in the air.
They approached the front desk.
A woman stood behind it, posture straight, expression polite.
"Welcome—"
She froze mid-word.
Her pupils flickered.
Then glowed.
Turquoise.
Bright. Unnatural.
Her entire demeanor shifted instantly. The warmth drained from her face, replaced by something… precise.
Measured.
Her voice changed—lower, steadier.
"Follow me."
No explanation.
No inquiry.
She stepped out from behind the desk and began walking toward the back corridor, not waiting for a response.
The fox's eyes narrowed.
Just a fraction.
But it smiled.
It glanced upward slightly.
The lizard remained still.
Silent.
They followed.
The inn's back corridor was dim, lanternlight casting long shadows along the wooden walls. The woman never once looked back as she walked.
Not until they reached a closed door at the very end of the hallway.
She stopped before it.
Her turquoise eyes flared brighter for a brief second.
Then—
She opened the door, revealing a modest upper room.
No lanterns were lit inside.
No scent of incense.
No hidden arrays visible to the naked eye.
"Your room," she said evenly.
The turquoise glow faded from her eyes.
Her expression returned to normal, as though nothing unusual had occurred.
She gave a small bow.
"Rest well."
The door closed behind her.
Silence.
The fox did not move immediately.
It stood still.
Listening.
Then—
Its divine sense expanded outward.
Smooth.
Controlled.
It flowed through the walls, through the floorboards, down into the inn's foundation. It brushed past sleeping guests, drifted across the empty dining hall below, extended into the street… and then farther still.
Rooftops.
Alleys.
Nearby courtyards.
No disturbances.
No concealed formations.
No lurking sixth-layer aura suppressing itself in ambush.
After several breaths, the fox withdrew its divine sense.
"Clear."
It reached into its storage pouch and retrieved the advanced defensive formation tool won at the auction.
A compact disk of etched jade and silver latticework.
Without hesitation, it activated it.
Light surged outward.
A translucent barrier expanded—
—instantly attempting to envelop the entire building.
The fox's eyes narrowed.
"No."
With a subtle adjustment of intent and control, it redirected the formation's boundaries. The expanding dome contracted, compressing inward until it sealed only the room itself.
A faint hum settled into the air.
The walls shimmered briefly before returning to normal.
Invisible.
Contained.
Secure.
The fox exhaled softly.
"Getting this was a good idea."
It stepped forward, inspecting the faint ripples of energy with satisfaction.
"Though it's a defensive tool, it's also a formation. It doesn't require imprinting before use… and even without actively pouring spiritual energy into it, it can function. Since it's a formation core, it balances its own structure."
It tilted its head slightly.
"Dual balancing makes the barrier a bit weaker than if I fully fueled it myself… but that's fine."
Another pulse of divine sense brushed outward—lighter this time, merely confirming stability.
"Didn't sense any cultivators in the surrounding area."
Its gaze shifted upward slightly toward the lizard.
"For tonight, we stay here."
Outside, the town remained quiet.
Inside the sealed room—
Nothing could enter without breaking through first.
The defensive formation disk hummed faintly as it floated above the center of the room, lines of light drifting across its surface like breathing veins.
The fox let its illusion dissolve.
Fury tail swaying lazily behind it.
Sharp eyes gleaming in the dim light.
"Now we can get right to our business."
The weight on its head shifted.
The lizard slowly phased into view—translucent scales solidifying, fractured horns faintly veined with residual lightning. It stepped forward and leapt down lightly, wings spreading just enough to slow its descent before landing soundlessly on the wooden floor.
The fox looked at it.
"Alright."
With a flick of spiritual energy, its storage pouch opened.
Corpses spilled out in heavy succession.
Thud.
Thud.
Thud.
Scarred man.
Wind tiger.
Talisman master.
Formation master.
Half-shifted demonic beasts.