I alone am the Honoured One!

Zhao Tian slipped into the crowd as the two disciples made their way out of the cafeteria, mingling through the winding paths of the sect.

The sun cast a soft glow over the stone pathways, as he moved casually, keeping a careful distance as they walked briskly, exchanging glances with one another.

One of them suddenly threw a glance back, as if suspecting they were being followed.

Zhao Tian quickly stepped behind a pillar and blended into a group of fellow disciples walking by, to avoid suspicion.

As the disciples descended a set of winding stone steps, Zhao Tian maintained his distance, his footsteps light against the stone.

The path twisted and turned, sometimes doubling back, and he began to realize that they were taking a less-traveled route... one often used to avoid attention.

The air grew quieter as they reached the outskirts of the sect grounds, where the usual chatter of disciples training faded into silence.

The disciples glanced back again, this time with a flicker of nervousness, and Zhao Tian took cover behind a large tree off to the side.

Zhao Tian has already concealed his aura, keeping his breath steady as he watched them exchange whispered words, likely debating if they were being followed.

One disciple held the hem of his robes tightly, casting one last suspicious glance over his shoulder before they resumed their path.

Zhao Tian's eyes narrowed, and he trailed them even closer, staying out of sight as they finally approached the gates of the sect.

Once outside, they quickened their pace, slipping down a dusty path leading toward the bustling city in the valley below.

Zhao Tian followed them from a distance, his footsteps soft on the uneven ground.

The city came into view, its colorful rooftops and lively marketplace.

As they entered the outer edges of the city, the disciples moved faster, weaving through the narrow, crowded alleys.

Zhao Tian matched their pace, his gaze fixed on them as he darted through the crowd, slipping past vendors and shoppers with effortless precision.

The disciples turned back suddenly, their eyes scanning the bustling streets.

Zhao Tian quickly moved behind a merchant's cart, feigning interest in a display of charms and trinkets as he observed them from the corner of his eye.

He noted the anxiety in their expressions; they knew the risk of being seen.

Once they turned away, Zhao Tian resumed his pursuit, moving with the crowd but keeping them within his line of sight.

The disciples made a sharp turn into a secluded alleyway, and Zhao Tian sped up to close the distance, his steps soft as he entered the narrow passage.

He watched as they hurried to a quiet, abandoned section of the city, their eyes darting around one last time before they approached a crumbling building that seemed long-forgotten by the city's inhabitants.

Zhao Tian remained hidden at the alley's entrance, as he watched the two disciples approach the unmarked, aged wooden door.

One of them lifted his fist and tapped a peculiar, rhythmic pattern on the wood... three knocks, a pause, then two rapid taps.

A moment later, the door creaked open, revealing only the shadowy silhouette of someone inside, who quickly scanned the surroundings before beckoning the disciples to enter.

Zhao Tian's gaze sharpened looking at them.

He then glanced at the broken rooftops of the building and slowly flew up to the top, gently landing on top.

He crouched low, taking his steps carefully to avoid disturbing the loose tiles beneath him.

Reaching one of the small holes in the roof he peeked through where the sunlight passed through.

Inside, a dimly lit room stretched out, its walls cracked and adorned with strange, dark symbols.

Figures draped in cloaks clustered in a loose circle, all of them turned to face a tall man at the center.

Zhao Tian's blue eyes flickered to the man in front of him and his gaze narrowed 'A... vampire?'

He is not sure, but looking at the unusually pale skin, gleaming crimson eyes that seemed to drink in the dim light, and a set of elongated canines visible whenever he shifted his jaw to speak... he can only speculate that it is a vampire.

However, he cannot perceive what they are saying; it seems like they have placed a noise barrier, so no voice can reach outside.

Below, the vampire's gaze swept over the cloaked disciples and his eyes held an eerie authority.

Suddenly, the vampiric man's gaze shifted, examining the ground where the beams of light fell in uneven patterns from the rooftop's gaps.

Something seemed off... the man's face darkened, his eyes moving rapidly from one spot to the next, counting them.

There are usually 13 sunlight holes... but now there are only 12.

Huh?

Realizing this, he hastily raised his head and Zhao Tian too hurriedly pulled back his head from the broken rooftop.

"Fuck!"

*thoom* In the next instant, red energy pierced through the roof and Zhao Tian moved his head to the side, dodging the thick red line as it narrowly brushed past his ear.

"Blood?"

His gaze condensed sensing the danger and he hurriedly jumped off the roof.

*THOOOOMMM* Suddenly, the vampire's aura burst outward in a violent surge, ripping the rooftop apart beneath Zhao Tian's feet.

Splinters and chunks of shattered stone erupted skyward, forcing Zhao Tian to spring from the crumbling rooftop, propelling himself into the air just as the vampire's aura shattered what remained of the structure.

*swoosh* Zhao Tian hurriedly took a black hood from his storage ring, and wore it above him, hiding his face.

Levitating on the air, Zhao Tian glanced at the men wearing black cloaks dispering on all sides, trying to escape from the building.

"Trying to hide, are we?"

Hearing a chilling voice, Zhao Tian's gaze flickered to the handsome man who was walking out of the debris, his crimson eyes looking at his face below the hood.

"You made a grave error by spying on us,"

Zhao Tian frowned slightly as the man opposite him is obviously stronger than him and he can't see through his cultivation.

.net

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I hope you guys liked this chapter!