The trio hid quietly in the corridor, holding their breath.
It didn’t look like the men were leaving anytime soon, so Jin Yu decided to check his System interface.
[Dominion Protocol Interface]
Name: Jin Yu
Core Attribute: influence
Physique: 90 (Late Essence Core Realm reached)
Internal Strength: 90 (Late Essence Core Realm reached)
Spiritual Technique: Uninitialized
Qi Affinity: Holy Qi
Cultivation Technique: Sanctum Sword Technique (Peak Level)
Trait: Invading Qi immunity
Influence Points: 72,569
Thank God I wasn’t conscious when I reached the Late Essence Core Realm. Who knows if I’d still be alive...
I can’t afford to add points to myself now, or I might alert those men. Better to add techniques instead.
"Hold this, rainbow" Jin Yu put the soul tempering pill on rainbow's petal who immediately closed her petals to hide it.
He then quietly brought out the jade slip and peered into it.
Jin Yu didn’t notice it, but two foreign energies tried to enter his mind. Despite feeling no malice from them, his body instinctively rejected them.
Sigh… This innate ability of mine really has both pros and cons. If someone tries to heal me when I’m seriously hurt, what if it rejects the healing? I might actually die...
Worse, it’s passive. I have no control over it—it’s always active.
Whatever. I’ll just read instead.
He focused on the jade slip. Two distinct entities floated there. One of them felt like it didn’t even exist—he could see it, yet couldn’t sense it.
This must be the Misty Veil Technique.
Ding!
“Misty Veil Technique added.”
It took less than a minute.
Good. If I had to decode these weird writings myself, I might really spend centuries trying to figure them out. Looks like a work of art, but I can’t even grasp its essence.
He turned his attention to the second technique.
Woah... Why does it feel like it’s slipping away? Like a slime trying to wriggle out of my grasp.
The sensation was vague. The technique was clearly in front of him, but it felt distant—like it could vanish at any second.
The Divine Phase Technique...
These techniques feel like overkill. That old man must really be as strong as he claimed. Otherwise, he’d have died ten thousand times just carrying these around. Even an amateur like me can feel the power radiating from them.
Ding!
“Divine Phase Technique added.”
His interface refreshed.
[Dominion Protocol Interface]
Name: Jin Yu
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Core Attribute: influence
Physique: 90 (Late Essence Core Realm reached)
Internal Strength: 90 (Late Essence Core Realm reached)
Spiritual Technique: Uninitialized
Qi Affinity: Holy Qi
Cultivation Technique: Sanctum Sword Technique (Peak Level), Misty Veil Technique (Not Learned), Divine Phase Technique (Not Learned
Trait: Invading Qi immunity
Influence Points: 72,569
Perfect. Time to add points. But before that...
Crack!
He shattered the jade slip. It crumbled to powder. He cupped it in his palm, and the fine dust vanished without a trace.
Rubbing his hands in anticipation, Jin Yu mentally began assigning points.
Ding!
—10,000
“Initial Stage of Misty Veil Technique reached.”
Ding!
—10,000
“Beginning Stage of Misty Veil Technique reached.”
Wait, what?!
His eyes widened.
When did it become ten thousand points?!
He quickly reviewed his memories. He was sure it used to be just 1,000 per stage. Now it was ten times more.
That’s insane... Did my realm upgrade affect the point consumption too?
But... wait.
He paused, a new realization forming.
I can actually feel the technique’s power better and clearer than I ever did with the Sanctum Technique when I added it.
If that’s the case... then maybe—
His thought was cut short by a strange sensation.
Why do I feel like I’m fading...?
As if on cue, Haozi whispered from the side.
“Young master, where did you go?” He reached forward with a cautious hand.
“Ah!” he exclaimed as he accidentally touched Jin Yu. “Forgive me, young master! I thought you’d left.”
Jin Yu smiled faintly.
Now this... this is even better than expected.
But just as he was grinning, another hand touched him.
“What the—”
“Oh, that’s where you are, young master,” Min Lei muttered. “I couldn’t tell.”
“Alright, alright, stop touching me. I was just testing something.”
“Okay...” both of them muttered at once, a bit embarrassed.
Still smiling, Jin Yu continued.
Ding!
—10,000
“Mid Stage of Misty Veil Technique reached.”
Ding!
—10,000
“Peak Stage of Misty Veil Technique reached.”
The moment he reached the peak level, his body seemed to vanish like smoke. He was there—yet not there. He could move freely, and no one could see or sense him. It felt as if he were wrapped in thick mist, completely veiled.
The world around him grew silent—normal quiet, but oddly unnatural at the same time.
The two beside him confirmed the effect.
“Young master?” Haozi and Min Lei whispered at once.
Jin Yu didn’t answer. Instead, he walked up to Min Lei and stood directly in front of him. Min Lei didn’t react—he stared blankly at the spot where Jin Yu had been moments ago.
“Young master?” they repeated again, confused. They reached out and touched his previous spot—but found nothing.
“Where did master go, kid?” Min Lei asked Haozi.
“I don’t know. He said he was testing something.”
“I didn’t hear him move. Did he disappear?” Min Lei asked again, frowning.
“We’re both here, Brother Min. How am I supposed to know?” Haozi snapped slightly, clearly annoyed.
“Brat, I’m your elder! How dare you talk back? I’ll whip your ass!”
Min Lei’s patience was running thin, frustrated at the situation.
“Your realm is higher than mine,” Haozi shot back. “Shouldn’t you be the one to know, Brother Min?”
Silence. This brat...!
“Hmph! I can’t whip you here and ruin Master’s business, but wait till we get out. I’ll teach you to respect your elders,” Min Lei grumbled under his breath.
“I merely said the truth. Why are you angry, Brother Min?” Haozi responded stubbornly. He wasn’t backing down.
He’s not my master. Who does he think he is...
“Shut up now,” Min Lei hissed, raising a hand but stopping himself just in time. I can’t ruin Master’s plans here.
“Whatever.” Haozi rolled his eyes and turned away, not bothering to hide his defiance.
Master taught us to be fearless. I don’t fear you.
Jin Yu watched the two’s banter in amusement.
Let me try something.
He moved close to Haozi—so close he could feel his breath. He looked straight into his shifting eyes, which were still scanning around nervously, trying to find him. Yet Haozi didn’t react.
He can’t see me, even though I’m standing right in front of him. So this technique doesn’t block vision—it must distort space or something similar.
Jin Yu lingered for a while, silently observing until boredom crept in. Then he slipped past the corridor.
Inside the shed where the men were stationed, he saw one of them spraying something into the carriage. Within seconds, the muffled whimpers of the children faded.
He drugged them!
Jin Yu didn’t move too close. All the men here were mid-Essence Core Realm—not like Haozi and Min Lei, who were just in the Human Realm.
Still, this is a divine technique. Essence cultivators shouldn’t be able to see through it… Let’s test it.
He crept closer. Step by step, he circled the man who had sprayed the powder, even pausing behind him. Not a flinch. The man showed no suspicion at all.
Damn… That old man really spoiled me. If I were a thief, I could empty a vault without anyone noticing.
He smirked.
If a sect dares to offend me in the future, I’ll just stroll into their treasure vault and clean it out. Call it revenge… not stealing.
He chuckled to himself, then moved to the second man and took a look at his face—he looked like an innocent farmer. Who would’ve guessed someone like that was involved in something so dirty?
“All unconscious?” the second man asked, eyes scanning the area—right through Jin Yu.
“Yes,” the other replied.
“Good. I’ll get you past the city gate. You handle the rest. Be careful and generous with the guards at Jadeleaf City. Some men will collect the goods at the drop point. Understand?” He tossed a spatial pouch to him.
“Understood,” the man said seriously, catching it mid-air.
“Good.” He nodded. “Open the shed. Time to move.”
The man unlocked the door, revealing a forested backyard. A narrow path wound into the dark woods beyond.
The one in command grabbed a few heavy boxes from the corner and stacked them inside the carriage to fully hide the children from view. Then he bound the carriage door with a heavy chain and secured it with a lock.
The second man was already on the front seat, gripping the reins. With a whip of his hand, the horses trotted forward. Once the carriage stopped just outside, the other man shut the shed door and climbed aboard.
Jin Yu could only listen as the carriage rolled away, hooves fading into the distance.
He rushed back to Haozi and Min Lei, dropping his mist.
“Young mas—” they both began, stunned.
“We’ve got no time. Follow me, now.” His voice was sharp, urgent.
Seeing the seriousness in his tone, they didn’t ask questions.
“I’ll cloak you both as we leave. Not a sound.”
Jin Yu extended his Misty Veil to shroud them. A thin layer of mist clung tightly around them as they silently made their way down the dark corridor.
“Ah! Is this how you hid yourself, Master?” Haozi exclaimed in awe.
Min Lei just stared at Jin Yu as if witnessing a god’s descent.
“Yes. Now move.”
They quickened their pace, exiting the corridor and then the den in under a minute. No one looked their way—not a single soul acknowledged them.
They reached the three horses and mounted swiftly. Jin Yu kept the mist active as they circled around the den and reached the forest path the traffickers had taken.
He charged forward, a fierce light burning in his eyes.
You dare smuggle children in my city?
Your deaths are already certain, you bastards!
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