A sudden downpour hammered the streets, but just as quickly as it began, it ceased. Twilight deepened, and then, surprisingly, the clouds parted to reveal a bright moon overhead. Its pale light glimmered in the puddles scattered throughout the city, the water reflecting silver ripples.0

From his vantage point, Li Yuan noticed a small restaurant across the way and decided on a proper meal, two plates of local stir-fry and a bowl of rice. Halfway through his meal, one of the white finches he’d sent out to keep watch caught sight of a figure whose combat power displayed 350~388. Plus, the person’s short stature was a dead giveaway. It had to be Zhao Xiantong.0

Over the past year and a half, Zhao Xiantong’s power level had gone up by 10 points or so—nothing drastic, but a noteworthy increase. Confirming his location, Li Yuan silently commanded the white finch to continue its surveillance. Then he scraped the remaining dishes onto his rice, finished his food quickly,...0