Destiny in Cinders

The logic held, but An Jing chose to ponder further. "Names and faces don't matter. They can be swapped easily. A spirit profile on the other hand..."

"Altering that is a simple matter as well." Yvelbane had extensive experience.

"Variations in spirit roots and mental traits result in differing spirit-energy pathways. These unique signatures are hard to disguise, but not impossible. By harnessing the power of your lifearc, you can easily mask your own traits with its unique characteristics. Furthermore, rare objects with their own internal spirit energy flow can serve as substitutes; I am one such example.

"As for options such as using the life of another, disguising yourself with a vital-origin fey soul, or using a concealment pill as a substitute... Those are either dark techniques of the unrighteous path or require means far beyond your reach. You can't use them."

Yvelbane was suddenly overcome with emotion. "In the past, I dedicated myself to exposing evil cultivators who used these methods to mask themselves. How the tables have turned. Now, I'm the one under scrutiny."

"Think of it as a covert investigation," An Jing said cheerfully. "Then I'll use my lifearc to disguise myself. And if I should ever get into trouble with the law of this world, you can cover for me. Even if this disguise fails, I can register a new identity with my original spirit energy. Anyway, I have to be careful!"

"It seems you've taken my warnings to heart." Yvelbane was pleased.

Masking his spirit-energy fluctuations with his lifearc was a simple task. An Jing needed only to activate his arc just enough to stain his qi. A spark of crimson ignited in his eyes, and just like that, his demeanor became unrecognizable.

"A person bearing the Pyrestar arc doesn't exactly look like a saint. Are you sure I'll be able to clear the security check?" An Jing remained skeptical, but the locals' open arms and bright smiles convinced him to take the plunge.

Two hours later...

"Name?" 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

"An Xuan."

"Age?"

"Sixteen."

"Hmm... you don't quite match. Anyway, you're a mess. Do you have enough merits? I don't want you to be dying in the city or anything."

"Yes."

"Are you sure you have enough?"

The city immigration offices sat on the fringes of Deepnight City. As the transit point between the Mortality Plains and the city, the place was strikingly reminiscent of a highway toll plaza from An Jing's past life. Long queues of travelers and vehicles stretched into the distance, waiting for their passage to be either automatically cleared, or to be pulled aside for a more rigorous manual inspection.

Registering as a first-time arrival from the badlands, An Jing couldn't avoid a manual clearance. He now sat in a dim, cramped chamber that felt uncomfortably like an interrogation room, facing an inspections officer shielded behind a thick glass partition.

While the inspections officer found An Jing's age surprising, he wasn't particularly concerned. Among the badlander tribes, a thirteen or fourteen-year-old was already expected to set out and work. What actually piqued his curiosity was the boy's strength and the fact that he managed to obtain a valid city pass.

To obtain a city pass at such a young age... His tribe must be powerful.

Regardless of his tribe's apparent strength, the boy was still a badlander. So after a few perfunctory questions, the inspections officer simply fell silent and gave An Jing a meaningful look.

"Sir, could you please check my city pass again?" An Jing was nothing if not cooperative. He tucked five merit bills under his city pass and respectfully offered them through the partition. Without batting an eye, the officer expertly pocketed the merit bills, gave An Jing another brief inspection, and grinned from ear to ear.

"Yes, yes, everything checks out." He activated the city pass with an altar-like artifact which flashed briefly before handing it back to An Jing. "Inject your spirit energy and you're set."

An Jing knew the moment of deception had arrived. He narrowed his eyes, masking the crimson flicker as he activated his lifearc, and channeled his altered spirit energy into his city pass.

"Everything is in order. Congratulations, Mister An Xuan. You're cleared for entry."

The inspections officer entered his data into the system, not suspecting a thing. Deepnight City was a place of crouching tigers and hidden dragons. Even if an entire gang of rogue cultivators from the badlands managed to slip inside, it would undoubtedly be the rogue cultivators who met their end. He had already accepted the merits, so he couldn't be bothered with further questions.

The moment he left the inspection room, An Jing breathed a sigh of relief. It's that simple?

In truth, the process couldn't be complicated. With a population as large as Deepnight City, a truly rigorous screening system would have slowed its operations to a crawl.

Just as An Jing cleared the checkpoint, leaving Mortality Plains for the outskirts of Deepnight City, a thunderous roar shattered the air and a series of low, rolling growls rippled across the sky.

Thunder, huh? An Jing's gaze was drawn instinctively upward. A sea of dark clouds roiled across the firmament, split by jagged veins of purple lightning that snaked through the overlapping layers, illuminating the billowing crests, before another peal of thunder reached his ears.

Between the journey and the long wait, night had already fallen by the time An Jing reached the checkpoint. The outskirts were a maze of odd shacks and unfinished buildings with sparse lighting, making it impossible to gauge what lay in the distance. Fine raindrops merged into long, shimmering threads that stitched the sky to the earth. Bolts of lightning tore through the gloom, turning the downpour into a tangled web of countless stars.

An Jing finally laid his eyes on it. Amidst the neon glare and lightning bolts, the spirit-vein city's buildings soared upward like a towering jungle of steel that pierced the sky.

Airships zipped past walls reflecting iridescent light, while zeppelins loomed over the city, casting waterfall-like holographic projections through the thunderstorm to market their latest wares to the citizens below. Familiar skyscrapers crowded by strange airships and a sea of advertisements, all submerged under the muddy, corrosive rain.

So this is it... From the mountains to the wilderness, An Jing had fought through wild beasts and gangsters on his path to reach this megacity, one of Skysource's largest hubs. He looked out at the sprawling heart of the spirit-vein city, where colossal towers ascended into the swirling clouds.

He muttered, "So this is Deepnight City."

After the initial shock wore off, a laugh escaped An Jing's lips. Perfect. By the looks of it, the city might lack the little things, but there's no shortage of technology and power. It's the kind of place where opportunity and danger go hand in hand. I bet I'll find something to slay more than just vilespawn fiends, even something to take down Clearing Realm martialists!

Steeling himself, An Jing knew he couldn't afford to get lost in the grandeur of Deepnight City. He was in a race against time, with a long list of things to do and only three days to pull them off. He needed resources to grow stronger, find weapons capable of killing the vilespawn fiend, and purchase drones to gather intel.

An Jing pulled up his map again without a second thought. Before long, he reached an abandoned plaza in the south of the city. The underground black market was right beneath his feet.