Chapter 112 – Fading Traces (IV)

Chapter 112

Fading Traces (IV)

Long night fell, the shadows curving as though light phased through a membrane on its way down.

Long Tao recognized it, as it was one of the ‘features’ that a lot of low-level large-scale formations couldn’t hide. Bending the Laws of Dao was already difficult, and trying to do so without being seen… well, it was nigh impossible.

None of the mechanisms of the city’s array worked on him–he simply took the darkness of the night as the means to meander about. He’d mostly listen for the pulses of Qi, seeking any potential underground chamber that might be hidden from the world. It was oft the hoarders’ dearest place to stash away the valuables.

Alas, not in here.

He mostly felt the faintest of traces here and there, largely within the tall structures, though none were all that inviting.

Tonight, in fact, was the biggest one yet–though he had already expected it. He was headed over to the central building of the entire place, called ‘Town Palace’, where the town chief as well as all the major figures resided. The pull was certainly the greatest, so much so that it caused him to frown; the pulse of energy was… strong. Tantalizingly so, in fact.

There was a myth-level treasure hiding within the vaults of the palace.

The ‘palace’ was actually a walled compound comprised of six individual buildings, all attached to the central one. It was five stories, terraced and layered, with inlaid courtyards everywhere surrounded by long and flat hallways. There were dozens of guards littering the area, some standing still and some patrolling, and most were at least in the second or third stage of Qi Condensation.

Considering that this was a town of mortals, it was… unnecessary.

At least from his perspective.

But there was always a reason for things like these–namely that the palace held secrets that could not get out, under no circumstances.

There were additional sets of smaller and more concentrated arrays rounding the compound. Some of them were even clever, in a cute sort of way, with flags inverted as to hide their true purpose.

About four layers of illusions existed, on top of a few ‘alarm’ arrays, and even two major killing formations.

The more he scrutinized the lavish and debauched gardens and garish walls, the deeper his frown got. This level of secrecy bordered stupidity. After all, just because you could layer arrays and formations didn’t mean they’d work in concert–two killing formations, for instance, would outright also attack each other. Of the four illusion arrays, two actually cancelled each other out, and one only worked on boys under the age of eleven due to its interaction with another one of its siblings.

This was ‘new wealth’, as it were; none of these things were laid down by Masters, but rather somebody who unearthed a tomb or a ruin and found them there.

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Curious, he mused inwardly, vaulting over one of the walls. He skidded right past a young man, and yet the latter merely yawned, seeming tired and entirely unaware that someone had sneaked in.

He wasn’t in a hurry; rather, he wasn’t even using his Master’s method just yet, as it was wholly unnecessary. He went building by building, first focusing on the side ones. For the most part, there wasn’t anything unique about them: some minor treasures, mostly just residential buildings for the guards and the officials, a few training rooms and warehouses of common tools, and some food… and that was it.

Eventually, he landed in front of the central one, craning his neck to look up at it from the front. There were six guards planted at the entrance, each of them at the peak of Qi Condensation, yet entirely blind to the figure standing literally ten feet from them.