Chapter 185: Darkness Under the Lamp

Whining cold winds swept over the hills. Amongst the dense forest, a dilapidated dog kennel stood in isolation.

Jian Changsheng huddled inside the kennel, covered by a stained blanket, and fiercely bit into a piece of bread he held in his hand. That was his lunch for the day.

Thanks to his uncle's relief, Jian Changsheng no longer had to scrounge for food in trash bins. Though he wasn't full after every meal, at least he wasn't starving.

He wiped away the breadcrumbs from the corners of his mouth, tucking each crumb into his mouth. After picking up the water bottle nearby and taking a few gulps, he let out a long sigh.

“I’m alive again...” Jian Changsheng muttered to himself, watching his body gradually return to normal.

After all, Blood Robe was one of the core skills of the Asura Path. After a day of recuperation in the kennel, Jian Changsheng, who had been on the verge of death, had mostly recovered. His vigorous life force mended the deficiencies in his body, and his skin began to regain its color.

Most crucially, after several instances of soul-shattering evidence retrieval, his mental strength had been honed to a terrifying degree. Unbeknownst to him, he had already broken through the first stage and entered the second stage. It had only been a little over ten days since he embarked on the divine path. Achieving such a rapid promotion in such a short period was an astonishing feat, even in the entire history of Aurora City.

Jian Changsheng's confidence, once mercilessly crushed by Chen Ling, finally returned somewhat. Indeed, he was still a genius; he had merely been born at the wrong time.

Having eaten and drunk his fill, Jian Changsheng's thoughts became active. He gazed at the swaying leaves outside the kennel, falling into deep thought.

Two days had passed since his escape from the Stargazer Merchant Guild. Those outside were likely still searching for him. Although hiding in the kennel allowed him to evade their notice to the maximum extent, constantly hiding like this was not a sustainable solution.

Moreover, the mysterious man who had rescued him from the dungeon had said, “Gamble with your life... Show us your worth, and perhaps we will give you a new opportunity.”

The mysterious man had the ability to rescue him from the dungeon, and naturally, the ability to take him away. However, the man had not done so. Considering this, and the words he had spoken, Jian Changsheng could roughly guess that all of this was an 'assessment' specifically for him.

Whether he could join the Twilight Society might depend on his actions in the coming days. Jian Changsheng doubted the Twilight Society would be interested in a coward who hid in a dog kennel for days.

Therefore, he had to take action.

Jian Changsheng thought for a long time, and an idea formed in his mind. He walked out of the kennel, used the blade at his waist to cut the pad of his finger, and a drop of crimson blood naturally welled from the cut.

Jian Changsheng flicked this drop of blood towards a distant rooftop. The blood swiftly pierced through the air. As Jian Changsheng formed a hand seal with both hands, his figure instantly vanished, only to reappear the next moment precisely where the drop of blood landed, firmly on the deserted rooftop.

Jian Changsheng looked back. The kennel was already hundreds of meters away. Pedestrians on the path below hadn't noticed anything unusual, as no one would look up to notice a single drop of blood streaking through the air.

The corner of his mouth curved slightly upward.

This was the second skill of the Asura Path, Blood Droplet Teleportation, that Jian Changsheng had naturally mastered after advancing to the second stage.

Unlike Blood Robe, which brought tenacious vitality, Blood Droplet Teleportation granted Jian Changsheng the power of instant movement. With this skill, Jian Changsheng's already impressive self-preservation abilities were significantly boosted once more. This was also his greatest reliance for daring to act during the day.

Jian Changsheng wore a tattered black outfit, and his face was largely wrapped in bandages, making his features indistinguishable. His figure continually warped through space with the blood droplets, and he soon arrived on a bustling street.

Jian Changsheng concealed himself in a blind spot on a rooftop, his bandaged gaze fixed on the magnificent building standing not far away. His eyes narrowed slightly.

That place was where he had once escaped from, and it was also the site of his nightmares: the headquarters of the Stargazer Merchant Guild.

Simply fleeing was meaningless. Jian Changsheng chose to take the initiative. Given his strength, he certainly couldn't directly confront the massive power of the Stargazer Merchant Guild. Thus, he could only temporarily hide here and search for an opportunity. The members of the Stargazer Merchant Guild who had been dispatched to find him would likely never imagine that he was hiding directly across from their headquarters, secretly observing them.

Jian Changsheng's gaze fell upon the entrance of the Stargazer Merchant Guild, and the figures moving in and out. He muttered to himself internally:

“Those in grey shirts are the Yan family's servants. At this hour, they should indeed be out purchasing ingredients for tonight's meal. Fourth Miss Yan Liuyan just returned; she probably spent all night out with men again, getting completely drunk. That long-haired one is... Oh? The vice-president of the Silvermoon Merchant Guild? Has the Silvermoon Merchant Guild encountered some business difficulties again?”

Jian Changsheng knew these figures moving in and out like the back of his hand. He had grown up in the Yan family and understood the situation here best. He could tell what some people were doing with just a glance.

Jian Changsheng remained patiently hidden in the shadows, motionless until dusk gradually settled. The vice-president of the Silvermoon Merchant Guild only left the Stargazer Merchant Guild in the evening. Just as Jian Changsheng thought today would yield no results, a stealthy figure silently emerged from the side entrance of the guild.

At this hour, there were few pedestrians on the street. The figure kept close to the shadows as it moved, as if afraid of being seen by anyone.

Jian Changsheng instantly noticed something unusual about this person. From the back alone, he couldn't tell who it was, but he was certain this person wasn't up to anything good. Jian Changsheng's eyes lit up, and he immediately used Blood Droplet Teleportation to follow.

Later that night, a series of urgent knocks echoed in the courtyard.

Chu Muyun raised an eyebrow, looking at Chen Ling in surprise. “It’s only been a few hours... Is Wen Shilin that efficient?”

“...I don't know.”

Chen Ling rose and walked towards the main gate.

Last night, Wen Shilin had promised to sort out his press pass. So Chen Ling had done nothing all day, merely resting and reading quietly in the courtyard. He hadn't expected someone to knock on the door just as the sun set.

Chen Ling opened the door, and seeing the person outside, he was slightly taken aback.

It wasn't Wen Shilin who had arrived, but the leader of the thugs Chen Ling had previously 'hired'. Seeing Chen Ling truly emerge from this 'mansion', the thug leader was also stunned for a moment, and his gaze towards Chen Ling grew even more fervent.

Chen Ling had given them his address previously for easy contact. When the thug leader followed the address and found it was a large mansion, he had doubted himself for a long time. In his impression, Chen Ling didn't seem particularly wealthy; he even had to pay the hiring fee later.

“What's wrong? Is something the matter?” Chen Ling asked, puzzled.

“Boss,” the thug leader's expression turned serious. “We found something...”