Elias stepped out of his cultivation chamber, his plain, somewhat dusty outer sect robes hanging loosely on his frame. Beneath the fabric, his new combat outfit was a mere whisper against his skin. He'd reactivated his Chameleon Veil immediately, letting the light refraction cloak settle over him like a second, ordinary skin. His unnervingly sharp features softened, his glowing complexion dulled, and his formidable aura vanished, replaced by the mundane presence of any other unremarkable disciple. He looked exactly like Junior Brother Shen Yu, the quiet, easily overlooked one.
He wasn't interested in drawing attention, especially not now. He had something far more interesting to do than participate in sect politics or impress elders. He needed to test his toys.
Instead of heading to the usual training grounds, Elias walked toward the Sect's Hall. This grand, imposing building was where all official business was handled, from resource distribution to mission assignments. He needed a mission, something simple that would get him outside the sect's protective formations without raising any flags. He was looking for an "outdoor experience," as he liked to call it.
As he moved through the bustling courtyards, he caught snippets of conversation—excited chatter about the recent tournament, predictions for the Inner Sect trials, and complaints about tedious chores. He even saw Fu Yu, looking slightly less ghostly than before, though still a bit downcast. Elias gave him a quick, almost imperceptible nod as he passed, a silent acknowledgment of the gift he'd bestowed.
He approached the mission board, a large stone tablet glowing with various tasks. Most were mundane: collecting spirit herbs, patrolling sect borders, or assisting nearby villages with minor spirit beast infestations. Just as he reached out to select a low-difficulty patrol mission, a few disciples gathered nearby, looking curiously at the board.
"Hey, Junior Brother Shen Yu," one of them, a cheerful-looking girl with braided hair, greeted him. "You heading out on a mission?"
Elias cleared his throat, remembering his 'weak' persona. "Ah, yes. Just… sightseeing, you know." He shrugged casually. "Thought I'd get some fresh air. Been cooped up cultivating."
Another disciple, a lanky young man, piped up, "Really? Most of us are trying to grind out contribution points for better pills. You don't seem too worried about the Inner Sect promotion."
Elias chuckled, a thin, unconvincing sound. "Nah, I'm more of a… solitary type. Prefer to just watch from the sidelines. Besides," he lowered his voice conspiratorially, "my cultivation is a bit… stuck. Figured a change of scenery might help." He gave them a sad, resigned smile that he hoped conveyed utter incompetence.
The disciples nodded sympathetically, accepting his explanation without question. "Good luck then, Junior Brother," the girl said kindly. "Be careful out there. The forests can be tricky."
"Oh, I will," Elias assured them, managing to sound meek. "Just a little stroll. Nothing dangerous." He selected a mission to survey a section of the outer forest border for unusual spiritual activity, a task typically assigned to low-ranking disciples who posed no threat to anything more than a startled rabbit. It was perfect.
He collected the mission scroll from the bewildered elder behind the counter, who gave him an odd look, clearly expecting someone more eager for glory. Elias simply offered a small, awkward bow and headed for the sect gates.
The sect guards barely gave him a second glance as he passed through the glowing defensive formations. To them, he was just another anonymous face leaving for a routine task. The moment the last energy ripple of the sect's protective barrier faded behind him, Elias felt a profound sense of liberation. The air tasted different out here—wilder, untamed.
He walked for a few more minutes, putting a comfortable distance between himself and the sect walls. Then, with a flicker of thought, the Chameleon Veil shimmered and dissolved. His true appearance snapped back into place—the sharp features, the subtle glow, the aura of contained power. At the same time, his plain outer robes unraveled into shimmering particles and vaporized, revealing the sleek, matte black of his combat uniform underneath. The blue-light filament seams pulsed faintly, mirroring the controlled, violent hum of his tokamak core.
He stretched his limbs, feeling the boundless energy thrumming through his fiber-optic meridians. He took a deep breath of the untamed air, a genuine smile gracing his lips for the first time in days.
"Alright," he murmured, his voice now crisp and resonant, full of a terrifying anticipation. "Time to introduce some real techniques to this world."
The forest before him looked peaceful, but Elias saw it as an empty canvas, ready for the violent strokes of his optimized abilities. He had a vast, green laboratory waiting for him.