Jin Yu casually reached into his spatial ring and drew out five gleaming mid-tier spirit stones, their warm glow pulsing faintly in his palm.
The moment they touched his hand, the hall fell into sudden silence.
Even the clinking of scales and quiet murmurs at the corner tables ceased, every attendant, customer, and elder merchant turned subtly toward the scene, eyes widening.
Mid-tier spirit stones weren’t something common folk saw often, let alone used so casually in transactions. The sheer leap in tier from low to mid was a statement of wealth... or power.
Jin Yu extended his hand and dropped the five stones onto the counter. They landed with a crisp weight, each one worth ten thousand low-tier stones, fifty thousand in total, more than double his entire bill.
“Keep the rest.” he said lightly, already lifting his gaze toward the door.
With a wave of his hand, a soft flicker of spatial Qi shimmered around him. At once, the bundles and cases from each section vanished from sight, instantly stored into his ring.
The attendants, startled by both his extravagance and his indifference, tried to voice their thanks, but Jin Yu didn’t pause. Ignoring their bows and murmured praises, he strode out of the store as silently as he had entered, leaving nothing behind but awe-struck stares and whispers trailing in his wake.
Among the stunned onlookers, the young lady in the flowing blue dress stood motionless, her delicate fingers brushing the edge of a silk scarf she hadn’t realized she'd stopped examining.
Her eyes trailed Jin Yu’s retreating back, lingering on the quiet poise of his shoulders and the seamless, commanding way he moved, like someone used to getting what he wanted, not because he demanded it, but because the world simply bent around him.
A faint smile curled on her lips.
"Interesting..." she murmured to herself, voice soft, almost amused.
The silver ring on his finger, the casual wave that stored dozens of premium goods, and the effortless way he handled spirit stones like loose copper, it was too precise to be arrogance. No, this was the ease of someone far more dangerous.
She turned slightly, letting her long sleeves flutter as she gestured to her own attendant. “I’ll take those robes,” she said, still watching the door Jin Yu had disappeared through. “And send someone to find out which inn he’s staying at.”
She adjusted her hairpin, that same faint smile playing at the corners of her lips.
“It seems Jadeleaf just got more interesting.”
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Jin Yu’s brow furrowed faintly as he glanced up at the night sky. The full moon hung high above, bright and bold, casting its silvery glow over the cityscape. But what made him pause wasn’t the moon, it was what hovered beside it.
A second moon.
Faint and translucent, barely visible unless one truly looked.
It shimmered like a ghost of the first, as if caught between worlds. Jin Yu narrowed his eyes, uncertain at first if it was a reflection, until he noticed the subtle glow radiating from its own surface.
Two moons... one real, one veiled.
His lips twitched slightly. “This world keeps getting weirder.”
Shaking his head, he continued weaving through the lively streets. The City pulsed with life, merchants shouting prices, children laughing as they chased each other through alleys, the scent of roasted meats and fresh herbs clinging to the breeze. Jin Yu passed it all without slowing, his figure slipping through the crowd like a shadow.
Soon, the vibrant energy gave way to silence. He entered a narrow alleyway, the noise of the market fading behind him. Still, he didn’t stop. His steps remained steady, unhurried, as if led by instinct. Stone gave way to moss, light to darkness, until finally
He emerged onto a cliffside.
Before him, a great waterfall thundered down into a dark, crystalline pool. Mist rose from where the water met the rocks below, and the surface shimmered, illuminated by the twin moons above. One glowing clearly, the other watching silently from its dreamlike plane.
Jin Yu stood there for a moment, his face unreadable. Then a small, boyish smile tugged at his lips.
Without hesitation, he stepped forward
And dove headfirst
Splash!
The water swallowed him whole.
Beneath the surface, he let himself drift.
Arms spread wide, body relaxed, he surrendered to the cold embrace of the water. It pressed gently against his skin, soothing and refreshing, washing away the tension clinging to him.
How I love cold baths.
A quiet smile tugged at his lips, eyes closed in contentment. He could feel the chill deep in his scalp, seeping into his bones, and welcomed it. The silence here was pure; no voices, no thoughts, no whispers. Just water, and peace.
Minutes passed.
Still, he remained beneath, unmoving. Like a figure carved from stone, resting at the bottom of the pool. Only after a full ten minutes did he slowly rise, the surface breaking around him as he emerged. Water rolled off his face in rivulets as he exhaled softly, blowing a few droplets from his lips.
Without a word, he reached for the silver hairpin holding his long hair in place and slid it free. His hair spilled out like dark silk, floating gently around him. Then came the robe, he grabbed the front, peeled it off in one smooth motion, followed by his inner garments and trousers. Holding the bundle in one hand, he raised the other and released a soft breath of Qi.
Fwoosh.
The clothes vanished in a flicker of blue-white flame, leaving only steam behind.
His toned form shimmered beneath the moonlight, the twin celestial lights casting silver gleam across his muscular figure. The water gently distorted the view, but it only enhanced the ethereal grace in his stillness.
He lifted a hand to his scalp and began massaging it slowly, fingers gliding through his hair with a meditative calm. Eyes still closed.
Then they fluttered open, a flicker of memory passing behind them.
A grin bloomed across his face. Mischievous and free.
With no warning, he jerked his head to the side
Splash!
A wave surged outward as his hair whipped through the air, scattering droplets like falling stars.
The night, the water, the moons, and the man
For a moment, they all moved in perfect harmony, beautiful and poetic, until:
"Wooow…"
A soft, almost dreamy voice of admiration drifted through the air, subtle yet clear enough to shatter the peace like a stone through glass.
Jin Yu froze.
The calm, carefree aura he had worn moments ago vanished instantly, like an illusion dispelled by truth.
His eyes narrowed, sharp as blades. Muscles tensed beneath the shimmering water, and a wave of killing intent rolled off him, thick and suffocating.
Swish!
Without hesitation, he flicked his wrist
A blade of condensed Qi tore through the air, a streak of light aimed directly at the source of the sound.
In that breath of time, a blue Qi shield snapped into existence, but it was rushed, hastily conjured, trembling at the edges.
Crack!
The blade struck.
Bang!
The shield shattered like brittle glass, fragments of Qi scattering in every direction. The remnant force of the blow slammed heavily into the hiding figure behind it.
"ahh!"
A gasp.
A body flung backward.
And then silence.
