2026-05-12 21:56:11
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The dawn of the next day broke over the horizon, a soft, pale light slowly peeling away the heavy shroud of night. Within the serene confines of the "Listen-to-the-Rain Pavilion," located roughly ten miles from the sprawling estate of the Valerius family, a fragile stillness took hold. Gentle, biting breezes drifted through the courtyard, causing the wind chimes dangling beneath the tiled eaves to sway. They sang out in a rhythmic, clinking melody—a sharp contrast to the chaotic, heavy downpour of the previous nights.Julian, the elder brother of Caelum, had been living through a period of profound strangeness. Since the unexpected arrival of the guests from the Fang family, he had been forced to vacate his own private quarters in the rear courtyard, settling instead into the middle yard alongside his personal staff. Though a deep sense of irritation simmered beneath his composed exterior, Julian adhered strictly to the protocols of hospitality. It was not merely a matter of pride; he
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Without a second thought, before Butterfly could alert Evangeline or Sylvia in the villa, Caelum circled around to the back of the wooden building and headed straight to his chamber. The air was thick with the scent of pine and the remnants of the night’s chaos. His heart thundered against his ribs, a frantic rhythm that mirrored the perilous reality he now inhabited. His clothes, damp and stained with the grime of the night, were a jarring reminder of the narrow escape he had just achieved. Every shadow in the villa seemed to hold a pair of watching eyes, and the silence of the night was not peaceful; it was heavy with secrets.At that moment, Butterfly hadn't run to Evangeline’s residence; instead, she had gone to find Beatrice, her heart gripped by an icy, paralyzing dread, hoping to wake her to search for Caelum together. When Caelum finally caught sight of her from the shadows, he felt a strange blend of amusement and a profound, melting warmth. This was perhaps the essence of hu
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"A Master of Medicine?"Caelum smiled to himself; the "Black Tortoise Breath-Holding" technique were rare arts. It wasn't that few physicians knew of them, but that few had the capacity to execute them. They required mastery of acupuncture, identifying acupoints with precision, and a solid foundation in martial arts. Only those with internal energy could repair damaged organs. This was why a warrior like Lance, who suffered from damaged meridians, treated a physician skilled in this art with such profound respect.As he continued his own treatment, Caelum said, "I don't deserve the title of Master. It is merely a minor trick."*A minor trick...*Lance’s jaw dropped, leaving him speechless. This young man was exactly like the legendary medical masters of the "Shadow-Echo Sect"—his arrogance was truly staggering. If "Qi-Needling" were that easy, why would he be hiding in The Hundred Herbs Pharmacy, hoping for a stroke of luck?After a moment of silence, Lance asked hesitantly, "Since y
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Caelum’s declaration was not a mere guess. It was a calculated realization born of cold, hard experience. Even now, with the dust settled and the chaotic echoes of the skirmish subsiding, the expected system notification—the reward he had banked on—had failed to materialize. That silence was louder than any shout; it signaled that the game was far from over, and that a far more dangerous player was watching from the periphery.He waited for a lingering moment, his senses stretched to their absolute limit. The night was thick with a damp, suffocating mist that seemed to press against his skin. When no one emerged from the shadows, he rasped out, his voice intentionally roughened to mask his true tone, "I just saved you from that black-clad assassin. Don't you think you owe me a conversation? Surely, the scions of the Valerius family aren't known for such blatant ingratitude, are they?"He scanned the narrow alley, his eyes darting through the darkness. It remained hollow, empty, and de
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The night air was heavy with an oppressive dampness, and the narrow, winding alleys behind the 'Hotel of the Immortals' seemed to swallow the moonlight. While listening to the conversation drifting from the distance, Caelum knitted his brows slightly, his mind racing with possibilities. Despite the tension coiling in his gut, his feet did not stop following. He moved with a practiced, feline grace, his steps making no sound against the uneven cobblestones. As he walked, he shed his heavy outer robe, tucking it securely into his clothes to reduce his silhouette."There are only a few houses behind the 'Hotel of the Immortals'," Caelum mused internally, his pulse steady. "If there was anyone nearby that night, they would certainly have heard the sounds, or seen those people, and... they would have seen me."If the witnesses were merely gullible citizens, there would be no cause for alarm. The true danger lay elsewhere. The greatest fear was that they might be plants—agents with maliciou
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Following the conclusion of Neil’s report regarding the initial phases of their counter-conspiracy, Caelum received the news with a strange, unnerving stillness. He did not celebrate, nor did he exhibit the relief of a man who had narrowly escaped catastrophe. Instead, he waved a hand with a dismissive, performative nonchalance, as if he were discussing the fluctuations of grain prices rather than the preservation of his own life. "Neil," he murmured, his voice laced with a subtle, mocking fatigue, "do not burden me with such grand titles. We are not architects of destiny; we are mere middlemen in a game far larger than our modest ambitions. The transactions between the Herb Pharmacy and the Xiao estate are matters for you and the Lady of the house. I am merely a glorified errand boy, ensuring that the ledger remains balanced, nothing more."In the dimly lit common area below, Silas, known across the lower levels of the criminal underworld as the 'Blade Maniac,' lay motionless. His bo
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