Upon reaching, Wei Shiyan turned slightly, his sharp eyes sweeping across the bustling interior of the inn before settling on the female guide at his side. His voice was calm, but there was weight in it as he instructed,
"Go and book a good courtyard within this inn. The rooms here are far too small, I feel like I am being pressed inside them."
The female guide gave a polite nod, turned gracefully to the right, and walked down the long corridor of the inn, her slim figure quickly swallowed by the flickering lantern light.
When she left, Wei Shiyan raised an eyebrow at the man still standing there, uninvited yet unwilling to leave. His lips curved into a faint mocking smile as he spoke,
"You have been following us… what is it, Pighead Ma?"
The man gave a low chuckle, scratching his nose awkwardly before replying,
"Lord Wei, I have a business opportunity that I wish to discuss with you. I hope we can enter into a… cooperation."
Wei Shiyan gave him a sideways glance, his face unreadable. After a moment, he replied in a voice that was light yet cutting,
"Who told you I am good in business? … Well, if you meant ensuring justice, or perhaps looting—cough, ahem, I mean borrowing—then indeed, I am excellent at it."
Pighead Ma almost choked on his own breath. He muttered under his breath, his eyes twitching,
"How shameless… what a thick-skinned fellow."
Wei Shiyan's face remained flat, expressionless, as though he did not hear a single word.
Seeing his indifference, Pighead Ma quickly straightened, trying not to lose the moment.
"How about you first listen to the business opportunity, Lord Wei?" he said hastily.
Wei Shiyan's gaze turned contemplative, his hand lifting slightly as if to wave him off, but before he could reply, the female guide returned. She held out a bronze-colored token with two engraved characters glowing faintly upon it.
"The yard has been secured," she said softly.
Wei Shiyan accepted the token, his lips curving into a thin smile.
"Good. Take everyone there. I will be coming behind."
The girl nodded, gesturing to the others as she led the group away, even helping support the crippled Liu, who moved with slow, unsteady steps.
Wei Shiyan lingered in the corridor, his hands falling behind his back. His eyes closed gently, and the world around him seemed to fall into silence. A strange, invisible ripple began spreading from his body, subtle yet sharp as it warped the air around him.
His spiritual consciousness surged forth, coated in his soul power, condensing rapidly into a miniature version of himself. That tiny figure floated in front of him, expression coldly indifferent, before darting into the shimmering mirage door behind the inn.
The mirror-like door trembled, its surface twisting violently as if resisting the intrusion, but before it could mount any defense, the small form of Wei Shiyan slipped inside effortlessly.
All this happened without a sound, as though the world itself dared not interfere.
Wei Shiyan opened his eyes again, calm and unhurried. Without sparing even a glance backward at the door portal, he simply continued walking deeper into the inn, his steps light, as though nothing at all had transpired.
In a White Space…
The miniature version of Wei Shiyan stood upright, calm and steady. His dim, silver-glowing eyes scanned the vast blank space around him. His presence alone seemed to alter the very flow of energy in this strange domain.
Outside, in the physical world, Wei Shiyan's real body walked casually through the inn, his eyes flickering briefly with a sharp silver light before it vanished again. His mind split in two, multitasking effortlessly—his body walking, while his consciousness operated within the hidden realm of the mirage door.
Inside the space, his spiritual incarnation raised its hand. At once, his eyes lit up with brilliance, beams of light spreading outward like ripples across water. His fingers moved with calculated precision, weaving intricate seals and drawing out ancient formations that intertwined and pulsed with power.
Time passed in silence as countless marks of power were carved into the void. He dismantled, rebuilt, and reinforced structures within the hidden space. The entire energy flow of the mirage portal was reshaped by his hands.
Finally, the spiritual body lowered its hand. A faint glow lingered, evidence of the countless alterations made. From now on, ninety-nine percent of everything thrown into this portal would no longer fall to the original source—it would instead be diverted and stored into an independent hidden space created by Wei Shiyan's own will. The consumption of energy was minimal, yet the results remained flawless.
When his spiritual consciousness merged back into his true body, all was calm once more.
By the time he arrived at the courtyard that the female guide had secured, his task was already completed.
The courtyard opened before him like a secluded world apart from the noisy inn. The moment Wei Shiyan stepped through the gates, he was greeted by a cool breeze infused with faint spiritual energy.
The yard itself was not overly large, but it was exquisitely designed. A stone-paved path stretched from the gate to the main house, lined with clusters of bamboo swaying softly under the moonlight. A clear pond lay to one side, with jade-green lotus leaves floating quietly upon its surface, their subtle fragrance mixing with the damp, fresh scent of water.
A large round table carved from a single block of spirit stone sat at the center of the courtyard, its surface etched with natural glowing veins. Around it were heavy stone chairs, each polished smooth, radiating coolness even in the warm night. Lanterns hung from the eaves, their glow neither too bright nor too dim, casting long shadows that made the place look tranquil and mysterious.
Wei Shiyan nodded slowly, satisfied. He stepped forward, hands behind his back, and seated himself upon the largest chair at the stone table. His posture was regal, his gaze sweeping over everything with approval.
"Sit," he commanded simply, motioning for the others to take their places.
Everyone sat down obediently, except for Liu, who had already been settled inside a room within the courtyard to await the treatment of his broken body, as Wei Shiyan had promised.
The silence stretched for a moment before Wei Shiyan turned his gaze upon the female guide.
"How much is your service?" he asked, his tone calm yet firm. "You have been helpful, but I intend to extend an arm further. How about you continue working for me?"
The female guide froze, her lips parting slightly, stunned by the sudden proposal.
She hesitated, clearly wanting to speak, but before a word could leave her mouth, Pighead Ma cut in with a grin.
"Thank you, Lord Wei. She will think about it. By tomorrow, she will come to you with her decision. How about that? I hope you are not offended by her silence tonight."
Wei Shiyan looked at him with a faint, unreadable smile.
"It is good that she thinks carefully. Nothing much. The door is always open… but only until tomorrow."
His words hung in the air like a sharp blade.
Then, turning away, he added with casual indifference,
"Now, how much for your guide service today?"
And there the air thickened, Pighead Ma glancing at the guide, the guide lowering her head, and Wei Shiyan waiting patiently, his hands still folded behind his head as he lean back noncha
lantly as the lanterns swayed softly in the courtyard breeze.