Xuyun City, The Discovered Xu Tun

The next day.

Cloud Sky City was shrouded in a fine drizzle, painting the concrete streets in dark hues.

[An inheritor of the Devouring Spirit Demon Art—perhaps even a member of the Shadow Court!]

[Might be hiding in Cloud Sky City!!]

What kind of joke is this?!

Xu Tun walked down the streets of Cloud Sky City, his eyes shadowed with unease.

His mind replayed the news broadcast by the Martial Arts Alliance two or three days ago.

Have I been exposed?

Since when?

Sure, I’ve been practicing the Devouring Spirit Demon Art, but what the hell is this "Shadow Court"?

Just then.

Two enforcers in the white uniforms of the Martial Arts Alliance approached from ahead.

Xu Tun quickly pulled his hood tighter and lowered his head, pretending to be just another passerby. Beside him, a shop door swung open, the wind chimes ringing crisply in the rain—but the sound couldn’t drown out the conversation behind him.

"Master, have you heard? What exactly are we here for?"

A young enforcer whispered, keeping his voice low.

"Shh—"

The older enforcer glanced around warily. "Keep it down. Over here."

Xu Tun’s steps faltered slightly. Using the reflection in the shop’s display window, he caught sight of the two enforcers standing by a street corner noticeboard.

They held a stack of bulletins in their arms, seemingly replacing old notices with new ones.

As they worked, the older enforcer muttered, "The higher-ups say the inheritor of the Devouring Spirit Demon Art is likely hiding in Cloud Sky City."

"Rumors say they’re also a member of the Shadow Court."

"The Shadow Court?!"

The young enforcer sucked in a sharp breath. "Those monsters..."

Xu Tun’s heartbeat spiked.

Are they talking about me?

Or someone else? If there were another inheritor of the Devouring Spirit Demon Art in Cloud Sky City, I should’ve sensed them by now.

Pretending to tie his shoelaces, he crouched down, ears straining to catch every word.

At the same time, he stole a glance at the new notice the enforcers had just posted.

And with just one look, his blood ran cold.

Because the new notice was a wanted poster.

Though dampened by the rain, the image was still clear—a blurry figure.

Thud!!

Tap-tap-tap!

Xu Tun shot to his feet and hurried away, his pupils trembling.

What kind of sick joke is this?!

I’ve really been exposed?

And now I’m being linked to some nonsense about the Shadow Court?

What the hell?

Who’s framing me?

......

......

Moments later.

Xu Tun rushed back to a luxurious villa.

"Hah..."

He leaned against the closed door, exhaling deeply.

This was a property under the name of a wealthy young woman he’d once helped.

After he’d rid her of a malignant spirit, she’d generously gifted him the house.

Lately, the patrols by the Martial Arts Alliance enforcers in Cloud Sky City had grown more frequent.

He’d have to be even more careful when going out to buy meat for his devouring rituals.

Or... maybe I should just have Tao Tao buy it for me.

The thought had barely formed when a nervous voice called from inside.

"Xu... Xu Tun."

Hearing it, Xu Tun’s expression softened slightly. He looked up.

A refined young woman from a wealthy family stepped out from the living room.

It was Tao Tao, the eldest daughter of the Tao family.

He didn’t notice the tension in her demeanor as he walked toward her.

"Tao Tao, I won’t be going out for a while. I’ll make a list for you—"

The rest of his request died in his throat.

Xu Tun’s steps froze mid-stride, his pupils contracting violently.

Because behind Tao Tao, several figures emerged.

"Xu Tun... or should I say..."

"[Soul Devourer] of the Shadow Court?"

Qin Luo stepped forward in a black trench coat, a faint smirk playing on his lips. Behind him stood a squad clad in silver uniforms.

Even Xu Tun had seen the Silver Squad’s battles on Douyin.

They were the Martial Arts Alliance’s most advanced killing machines, forged with cutting-edge technology.

As those words hung in the air, Xu Tun’s face twisted into an expression of shock and fury. He instinctively took a step back, his gaze darting between Qin Luo and Tao Tao.

"You... you—"

Tao Tao kept her head lowered, fingers twisting the hem of her clothes. Her voice was barely audible.

"I’m sorry, Xu Tun..."

"I... I was too scared... because you kept eating raw meat..."

"Even though you said it was because of your cultivation method... but..."

Tears welled in her eyes as she suddenly shouted, "Isn’t that exactly how the Devouring Spirit Demon Art works, according to the Alliance?!"

"They’ve already issued a warrant for your arrest..."

"Xu Tun... please stop. Don’t help the Shadow Court anymore."

The moment she finished—

"Bullshit!!"

"You’re betraying me?!"

Xu Tun’s voice rose sharply, his eyes flashing with fury and disbelief.

In his past life, he’d been betrayed by Ling Long, the woman he trusted most.

And now, in this life, another woman had sold him out?

"I saved your life! And you—"

Before he could finish, Qin Luo chuckled and stepped forward.

"Saved her life?"

"Are you sure you didn’t just manipulate her mind with the Devouring Spirit Demon Art? Make her hallucinate about evil spirits?"

Xu Tun: ???

His breath hitched, his face turning ashen.

He wanted to scream that the Devouring Spirit Demon Art had no such ability!

But—

One look at Qin Luo’s stance told him everything.

No matter what he said, it wouldn’t matter.

In that case...

He took a deep breath—

BANG!

Without hesitation, he smashed through the window and fled.

My strength hasn’t fully returned yet—I have to run!!

I can’t let myself be captured, not when I still have to take revenge on Ling Long!

"Xu Tun!"

Tao Tao’s voice rang out, thick with disappointment.

Just as Instructor Qin said... has Xu Tun truly fallen into darkness?

Watching the scene unfold, Qin Luo’s lips curled slightly, his eyes glinting with something unreadable.

Run. There’s something even better waiting for you.

With that thought, he raised a hand and uttered coldly,

"Silver Squad. Don’t let the criminal escape."

"Roger!"

The moment the order was given, the Silver Squad members pulled their triggers in unison. Dozens of laser rounds streaked through the air, homing in on Xu Tun.

At the same time, several drones ascended, unleashing a web of crackling electricity that sealed off every possible escape route.

Faced with the onslaught, Xu Tun didn’t dare take the hits head-on. He weaved through the lasers like a specter, each dodge a hair’s breadth from disaster.

But even so, a few stray shots grazed him, blood seeping from the wounds.

"Damn it!"

Xu Tun sprinted through the streets, his teeth clenched in frustration, veins bulging on his forehead.

If only my strength had fully returned—I wouldn’t be reduced to this!

Just then, Qin Luo suddenly leaped into the air, his black coat fluttering like a meteor streaking across the sky.

Gathering a sphere of pure white energy in his right hand, he hurled it straight at Xu Tun!

"BOOM!"

The impact sent Xu Tun flying, his body crashing into the ground with enough force to carve out a crater.

Gritting his teeth, he struggled to push himself up, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

"Xu Tun. Give up."

Qin Luo descended slowly to the edge of the crater, looking down at him with an icy tone. "As a member of the Shadow Court, there’s no need for you to struggle any further."

"Bullshit! I’m not one of them!"

Xu Tun screamed hysterically, his eyes filled with humiliation and fury.

What the hell was going on?

Why did everyone he ran into insist he was part of the Shadow Court?

"Oh? Is that so?" Qin Luo raised an eyebrow, his voice mocking. "Then care to explain why your aura is identical to that of a Shadow Court member? The Martial Arts Alliance has the most advanced detection equipment, you know."

"And why do you know the Forbidden Devouring Art? Are all these just coincidences?"

"We’ve been watching you for days. Sneaking around, always just you and Tao Tao—yet every time you buy raw meat, it’s dozens of pounds at once. Clearly, you’re practicing the Forbidden Devouring Art."

"As the saying goes..." Qin Luo shook his head. "Today you use livestock, tomorrow it’ll be humans."

Xu Tun’s heart sank. Had all his actions been exposed?

Damn it—back in the Ancient Cang Realm, there weren’t this many surveillance devices.

Coughing up blood, he roared, "Ridiculous! The Forbidden Devouring Art isn’t exclusive to the Shadow Court! And since when does knowing it automatically make me one of those heretics?!"

As his words faded—

BZZZT!!!

A suffocating black mist erupted from the space behind Xu Tun.

At the same time, a sneering voice rang out.

[You’re such an idiot, Xu Tun. Getting caught like this.]

Xu Tun: ???