The crisp morning air in Azure Cloud City carried the faint tang of metal and incense, a combination only found in a city preparing for a large-scale cultivation gathering. Merchants hurried along the narrow streets, their voices sharp as they barked out the prices of rare herbs, talismans, and spirit beast eggs. Banners fluttered from rooftops, painted with sigils representing the great sects in attendance.
Li Tian moved through the crowd without hurry, his loose robes swaying with each unhurried step. The ever-present system prompts in his mind remained blissfully silent today, and he had no intention of disturbing that peace by seeking trouble. Trouble, however, had an annoying habit of finding him.
From the corner of his eye, he spotted Mei Lin negotiating with a vendor over a small jade vial. The vendor was sweating bullets—either from the sun or from Mei Lin's bargaining skills. Her tone was polite, but her words struck like a sword tip.
Li Tian smirked faintly. Some things never change. He approached slowly, hands tucked into his sleeves.
"You're frightening the poor man," Li Tian remarked, his voice dry.
Mei Lin glanced over her shoulder. "If he's going to charge triple the value, he should be prepared to face the consequences. What brings you here?"
"Wandering. Trying to avoid chaos."
"You and I both know that's impossible for you," she replied, sealing the deal with the vendor and walking away with her prize.
They moved together through the street, Mei Lin scanning the stalls for other potential finds. At her side walked a tall, broad-shouldered cultivator with a calm but guarded expression—her dao partner, Jian Mu. His quiet presence contrasted with Mei Lin's sharp energy. When their eyes met briefly, Jian Mu gave Li Tian a polite nod, nothing more.
Li Tian returned the nod without breaking stride.
The trio's path led them toward the city's central plaza, where a towering announcement board stood. Notices of duels, sect recruitment, and missions fluttered in the wind. A large crowd had gathered, drawn by a fresh posting written in bold red ink:
"Unclaimed Bounty: Investigation of Disappearances Beyond the Northern Gate."
A murmur swept through the crowd. Rumors had been circulating for days—entire caravans vanishing, patrols never returning. The posting promised a hefty reward in spirit stones and rare treasures.
"You're thinking about it," Mei Lin said suddenly, looking at Li Tian out of the corner of her eye.
"I'm not," Li Tian replied instantly.
"You are."
"I'm really not."
Jian Mu spoke for the first time, his voice low but steady. "We were considering taking that mission. If you're interested, you could join us."
Li Tian blinked at him. "And why would I do that?"
"Because you're already involved whether you like it or not," Mei Lin said. "I heard the victims were last seen near the same route you took last month."
That made him pause. I did notice the quiet out there… but I thought it was just me enjoying the peace.
Before Li Tian could respond, a loud voice rose from the crowd. A young cultivator in blue robes stepped forward, jabbing a finger toward the posting. "Another ghost story. This is just the city guard's way of offloading their work. I bet there's no real danger."
Several others laughed and agreed.
But Jian Mu's expression tightened. "Underestimating a threat is the fastest way to disappear yourself."
The crowd began dispersing, but Li Tian lingered, staring at the bounty notice. The red ink almost seemed to shimmer under the sunlight. He could walk away right now, return to his quiet days of tea and napping. But something about the posting itched at him.
Mei Lin tilted her head. "Well?"
He sighed. "Fine. I'll go. But only because I don't trust you not to start a war out there."
Jian Mu's lips quirked upward—barely. "We leave at first light."
The next morning, the three of them met at the Northern Gate. The city guards gave the group wary looks, as though silently mourning them in advance. The road beyond stretched out like a silver ribbon into the mist, flanked by fields that eventually gave way to shadowy forests.
They traveled in silence for hours. The wind carried faint whispers through the trees—not quite voices, but not just the rustle of leaves either. Li Tian noticed Jian Mu's hand never strayed far from the hilt of his sword.
As the sun dipped low, the forest thickened, and the road became uneven. The air grew colder, sharp enough to bite at the skin. That was when they found the first sign of trouble—a shattered cart half-buried in leaves, its wood splintered as though crushed by something massive.
"No blood," Mei Lin observed, crouching beside the wreckage. "Whoever was here… they didn't fight."
"Or they didn't get the chance," Jian Mu replied.
Li Tian stepped closer, running a hand over the splintered edge. The break was clean on one side, jagged on the other—a strange inconsistency. He straightened and glanced around. The forest was too quiet.
"We shouldn't camp here," he said.
They pressed on until nightfall, finally stopping in a small clearing. Jian Mu set up a perimeter with talismans while Mei Lin lit a small fire. Li Tian sat cross-legged near the flames, his gaze fixed on the darkness beyond.
He wasn't sure when he heard it—a faint scrape, like claws dragging against stone. It came from the trees, circling them.
Jian Mu drew his sword in one fluid motion. Mei Lin rose to her feet, one hand slipping into her pouch for a talisman.
The sound stopped.
Then the forest erupted.
Something huge lunged from the shadows, its body shrouded in black mist. Its eyes glowed faintly, and its form seemed to shift like smoke. Jian Mu moved first, his blade slicing through the air with a flash of cold light. Mei Lin's talisman flared, throwing the creature back a step.
Li Tian stayed seated for a moment longer, watching the thing regroup. Then he sighed, stood, and cracked his knuckles.
"Of course. Trouble."
The beast lunged again, and this time, Li Tian met it head-on.