The man had a well-built frame, dressed in simple but high-quality robes. His eyes, sharp and calculating, immediately scanned the two cloaked figures from head to toe. His Spiritual Energy revealed him to be a Cultivator at the Fifth Layer of Martial Master Realm.
He was cautious but not overly aggressive, a seasoned merchant who understood that sometimes great profit came wrapped in great risks.
"My Young Master wishes to speak with you in private"Xiao Wei said, lowering his head slightly, playing the role of a humble servant. His voice was respectful but steady.
The middle-aged man narrowed his eyes and instinctively released a wave of sense to probe their Cultivation Realms.
The sense probe slid across Xiao Wei first—nothing particularly impressive, seemingly an Martial Apprentice. But when he tried to probe the cloaked figure standing silently in front—the Shadow Soldier—the middle-aged man's brows twitched.
He couldn't sense the exact Cultivation clearly, but it felt both hot and cold.
The man's instincts screamed at him to tread carefully.
"Please, both of you, come with me"the middle-aged man said quickly, his attitude becoming more respectful as he gestured toward a private room deeper inside the shop.
Xiao Wei nodded and allowed the Shadow Soldier to move first, maintaining the appearance of a loyal follower. He himself followed closely behind, never once stepping in front of his 'master.'
The private room was spacious but modest, lined with sound-isolating talismans on the walls. A simple tea set sat on a table between two elegant chairs. The middle-aged man gestured for them to sit.
Xiao Wei remained standing at the side, behind the Shadow Soldier who gracefully took the seat without a word, perfectly playing the role of a powerful but silent Young Master.
"So, What is it that you wish to discuss?"the middle-aged man said as he sat down opposite them, keeping a polite smile on his face.
Without answering, Xiao Wei silently pulled out two thick manuals from his Storage Ring and respectfully placed them on the table in front of the man.
The middle-aged man's eyes widened slightly as he read the titles stamped elegantly on the covers:
Mountain Fist – Middle Tier Human Grade Martial Art.
Wind Steps – Low Tier Human Grade Movement Technique.
Both techniques were famous within Mo City—especially among those familiar with the Mo Clan. The Mo Clan was notoriously protective of their Martial Techniques, passing them down only to core clan members. Seeing these manuals here, outside of Mo Clan hands, would be shocking to any insider.
Suppressing the sudden excitement bubbling inside him, the middle-aged man reached forward with trembling hands and began flipping through the manuals.
Page after page, he meticulously checked the handwriting, the illustrations, stances and more. Everything was detailed and accurate. These were not clumsy forgeries; they were true copies made by someone extremely familiar with the original techniques.
After confirming the manuals authenticity, the man slowly placed them back on the table and took a deep breath to steady himself.
He lifted his gaze to the cloaked figure—the Shadow Soldier—but ultimately directed his question to Xiao Wei, who appeared to be the servant handling the deal.
"Sir, may I dare ask who your Young Master is?"the middle-aged man asked carefully, trying to probe for information without being too disrespectful.
Xiao Wei bowed slightly, maintaining the facade of a loyal retainer.
"It's not important. My Young Master merely wishes to sell these manuals. That is all you need to know."Xiao Wei said smoothly.
The middle-aged man's brows furrowed slightly, but he was not foolish enough to press further. The Cultivation he had sensed earlier was enough to warn him that these were not people he should offend lightly.
"Very well. Our Hu Clan is always willing to make a good deal. For each manual, we are prepared to offer 100,000 Spirit Coins"the man said after a pause, forcing a smile onto his face.
It was a generous offer—especially for Martial Techniques of this caliber. But Xiao Wei had anticipated such an offer and was already prepared.
At the middle-aged man's words, Xiao Wei chuckled lightly, his voice laced with mockery.
"You think our Young Master is an idiot? If these were common Middle Tier Human Grade techniques, your offer might be reasonable. But these aren't just any martial arts—they are Martial Techniques belonging to the Mo Clan."Xiao Wei said, smiling faintly.
The middle-aged man's expression shifted subtly as he heard Xiao Wei's words. His fingers, resting on the table, tapped lightly, a soft but audible sound filling the silence between them. For a moment, a dark glint flashed across his eyes—a look that any seasoned merchant or rogue would immediately recognize.
Greed.
And then, cold intent.
"So what if the techniques are from the Mo Clan? If I want those manuals, I could simply kill both of you right here and take them. No one would notice, and no one would dare question the Hu Clan."the middle-aged man said in a low voice, his polite facade cracking slightly as gis Spiritual Energy began to rise, filling the room with a suffocating pressure.
His words were spoken with full confidence, his body already leaning slightly forward as if preparing to strike at any moment.
A cold, mocking smile appeared on Xiao Wei's face under his hood. His voice, calm and unshaken, cut through the rising tension like a sharp blade.
"You can try, even if you manage to kill me... you won't be able to kill my Young Master."Xiao Wei said slowly, enunciating each word.
The middle-aged man's brows furrowed slightly, but before he could respond, something strange happened.
Suddenly, the cloaked Shadow Soldier who had been silently sitting there seemed to... melt into the ground.
One moment he was there—the next, he was vanished.
The middle-aged man instinctively activated his senses, scanning the room frantically. His heart thudded loudly in his chest. But he found nothing.
There was no trace of the Shadow Soldier's aura anywhere. It was as if he had never existed.
The middle-aged man stood up abruptly, knocking over his chair in the process. A thin sheen of sweat appeared on his forehead despite the chill he tried to maintain outwardly.
"W-Where is he?"the man demanded, his voice betraying a hint of panic.
Xiao Wei, still standing calmly, tilted his head slightly.
"My Young Master is like a shadow. No one can capture and kill him, if he wants to run away. But remember, a small mistake from a clan member can destroy the whole clan"Xiao Wei said calmly, but it was threat.
The room's atmosphere grew heavier.
The middle-aged man's instincts screamed danger. He had been a Martial Master for many years, and he had encountered all sorts of shady characters—but this was different.
Before he could decide whether to call guards or attack directly, the cloaked Shadow Soldier reemerged—rising silently like a specter.
The Shadow Soldier's dark black eyes gleamed faintly from under the cloak, locking onto the middle-aged man with a cold, emotionless stare that made his heart skip a beat.
The middle-aged man stumbled back half a step unconsciously.
He opened his mouth, intending to bluster or threaten again, but no words came out.
Instead, he dropped on his knee in a hurried, clumsy bow.
"Forgive me, Young Master! It was I who was in the wrong!"the middle aged man said, his voice filled with fear and regret.
His forehead almost touched the floor as he bowed deeply, sweat dripping down his temples.
Xiao Wei remained silent, letting the Shadow Soldier simply stand there, silently exuding pressure. The middle-aged man's imagination filled in the gaps—he imagined a hidden monster ready to tear him apart if he made even the slightest wrong move.
After a long, tense moment, the middle-aged man slowly raised his head, his face pale but determined to salvage the situation.
"I... I would like to offer a token of my apology"the middle aged man said hoarsely.
From his Storage Ring, he pulled out a thick pouch and placed it on the table with great care, as though presenting a sacred offering.
Inside the pouch, Xiao Wei saw 400,000 Spirit Coins, far more than their originally agreed price.
But the man didn't stop there.
With another flick of his wrist, he pulled out a small, ornate box made of green jade. He placed it on the table and slowly opened it to reveal five Tier 2 Vitality Restoration Pills, each pill gleaming with a soft, spiritual light.
"These pills are my personal collection, they can heal wounds when injured. Please, accept them as a gesture of goodwill. I hope that Young Master will not bear any grudge against this humble merchant."the middle-aged man said hastily.
His voice was filled with genuine pleading. In his heart, he was screaming curses at his own stupidity. He had almost made an enemy of someone who could hide without releasing Spiritual Energy. If he didn't handle this carefully, the Hu Clan might find one of their shop managers dead without even knowing how he had died.
Meanwhile, under the shadowy cloak, Xiao Wei was grinning from ear to ear.