Chapter 29: Mission, Provoking the Tiger Gang-2
Shen silently stood there for several moments after exiting the cultivation room.
The shock inside his heart refused to calm down.
The spiritual energy inside that room was simply absurd. Even now, his meridians still felt warm from the rapid circulation of energy earlier.
If he stayed inside longer...
Shen genuinely felt that breaking through another layer would not be impossible.
And it wasn’t only that.
There was another strange feeling he couldn’t fully comprehend yet. Each time he circulated spiritual energy through his meridians, it felt as though every inch of his body had been laid bare before him. Everything flowed smoother, cleaner, and far more naturally than before.
’Was that what Any spoke about?’
Shen recalled the enlightenment his sister mentioned earlier and his heart shook slightly.
If the ordinary room could allow Any to enter such a state...
Then what exactly was the advanced room capable of?
As for his spell usage, Shen had a vague confidence that his improvements would surpass his sister’s by a large margin. His talent had always been superior.
Taking a deep breath, he forcefully suppressed the excitement in his chest before looking toward Darius seriously.
"Pavilion Master, I’ll head back first and prepare for tonight’s mission."
Darius casually nodded behind the receptionist’s desk.
"The target usually appears near the eastern district gate around midnight." He paused briefly before adding, "Well, not usually. He’s literally one of the guards stationed there according to the mission details, so you’ll definitely find him."
"I understand."
Shen no longer wasted time. After briefly glancing toward his sister, he directly turned around and left the pavilion.
Any quickly followed behind him.
The moment the siblings disappeared outside, Moon finally looked toward Darius once again.
For a brief second, he hesitated.
Then—
"Pavilion Master Darius," Moon calmly spoke. "Can I rent the advanced cultivation room as well?"
A faint smile almost appeared on Darius’s face.
Another fish hooked.
Still, outwardly, his expression remained calm.
"Ten spirit stones and one hundred gold coins for membership included."
Moon silently handed the payment over before sitting down to begin the registration process.
Soon, the pavilion became quiet once again.
Meanwhile...
Far away from the pavilion, Shen walked through the streets of Dragon City with hurried footsteps while Any continuously nagged him from the side.
"You actually hid something this huge from me?" Any angrily whispered. "An advanced cultivation room? And you even entered before me!"
"Not only that, you stole the mission first!"
Shen helplessly rolled his eyes.
"You already used the ordinary room before me. And it’s not like I can predict the future." He coughed awkwardly. "As for the mission..."
"May you choke on that fake cough!"
Tsk.
Shen clicked his tongue.
"I’ll repay you later, alright?"
Any instantly quieted down.
Truthfully speaking, even she herself didn’t fully understand why she was this angry. She was simply annoyed that Shen had rushed ahead the moment a mission appeared.
After several moments of silence, Shen’s expression gradually became serious.
"Any."
His voice suddenly turned heavier.
"You must never provoke Pavilion Master Darius no matter what happens in the future."
Any slightly paused.
"...I know."
"No," Shen shook his head slowly. "You don’t."
Recalling the terrifying pressure from earlier, lingering fear still remained deep within his heart.
That kind of suppression...
Shen genuinely believed that if Darius wished it, everyone inside the pavilion could have died instantly.
Yet such a terrifying existence was calmly running a small pavilion in a deserted area.
The more he thought about it, the more absurd it felt.
Soon, the siblings separated.
One returned home.
The other...
Prepared for hunting.
Of course, Shen’s real goal was something else entirely.
He wanted to stabilize the gains he obtained earlier and further comprehend that strange state Any described. If it truly was enlightenment...
Shen didn’t even dare continue thinking about it.
His figure instantly sped toward a cultivation center within the inner city. Since he already possessed a long-term subscription there, he saw no reason not to use the remaining time.
Besides...
After experiencing the Pavilion’s cultivation room, Shen seriously doubted he would ever willingly return there again.
Night gradually descended upon Dragon City.
The bustling streets slowly quieted while lanterns illuminated the roads beneath the dark sky.
Near the eastern district gate, a middle-aged man wearing ordinary worker clothes slowly walked while carrying several wooden boxes on his back.
From time to time, he casually greeted nearby guards with an honest smile.
To outsiders, the scene appeared completely normal.
Unfortunately...
Shen already knew the truth.
Killing intent flickered within his eyes as he stared at the guard stationed near the opened side gate.
Hidden atop a rooftop nearby, Shen calmly observed the man below.
A Tiger Demon.
A creature disguised among humans.
Recalling the mission details, Shen’s gaze turned colder.
This demon had secretly devoured several ordinary humans over the past few months while maintaining his disguise as a city guard. According to the mission records, there were likely even more victims whose disappearances had never been connected to him.
And despite all of that...
Nobody discovered him.
That alone proved how dangerous demons truly were.
’I wonder how many more are hiding inside the city like this...’
Thinking about the outer city and the countless crimes occurring daily, Shen suddenly felt that Dragon City was far less peaceful than it appeared on the surface.
Still, he quickly brushed those thoughts aside.
Tonight...
One of those hidden demons would die.
Shen silently jumped down from the rooftop before calmly walking toward the gate.
Soon, he approached the guard from behind.
"Brother Alex!" Shen suddenly shouted with a smile.
The disguised demon slightly froze before naturally turning around.
"Oh? Friend, do I know you?"
Shen laughed casually as though greeting an old acquaintance.
"We met near the western market before. We even drank together at a tavern. You probably forgot after so many cups."
The demon visibly relaxed.
Such encounters happened frequently in Dragon City, especially for someone constantly trying to build connections.
Far away within the darkness, Moon silently watched everything unfold.
One hand already rested atop the hilt of his sword in case something unexpected happened.
Even further away...
Inside a dark alley hidden from sight...
