The fox's steps were soundless as it slipped between the courtyards, turquoise eyes catching fragments of light from distant lanterns. Mist clung to the stone, swirling faintly around its paws as though alive.
It paused mid-step.
A wave of spiritual energy pulsed through the air — faint at first, then heavier, shaking the dust on the rooftops. The fox's ears twitched, head turning slightly toward the source.
> "That direction…" it thought, gaze narrowing toward the inner estate. "That's where it went. And this pressure—"
Its tail lowered, fur bristling. A flick — lazy but sharp — cut through the mist as another flare of golden qi bloomed beyond the inner courtyard. The fox tilted its head, pupils shrinking slightly.
> "A Sixth Layer."
For a heartbeat, it stayed utterly still, reading the rhythm of the energy. Threads of gold and violet tangled across the night like storm clouds trying to devour one another. Each pulse was sharper than the last, thick with the taste of lightning and blood.
> "That's not ordinary Foundation qi. Sixth Layer — upper mid-stage," it whispered under its breath, voice so faint even the mist barely carried it. "So there really is one here… I assumed the chance was high, but to think we'd actually run into one now."
Its thoughts sharpened; its eyes grew colder, calculating. A quiet sigh slipped past its muzzle, vanishing into the night air.
> "That cultivator… he's strong. If it's truly a Sixth Layer, the gap's wider than it can bridge head-on. Still… lasting this long at Third Layer? Impressive."
The fox shifted slightly, paws making no sound against the tiles. Its gaze swept the horizon — faint lights from other estates flickering like fireflies in the haze. Somewhere out there, other cultivators would be stirring, drawn by the commotion.
> "That clash… too loud. Too bright. Everyone within a kilometer can sense it by now. The Lin estate's elders will have noticed — they're probably already moving."
Its tail brushed lightly against the tiles, the faint scrape of fur against stone lost beneath the whisper of the wind.
> "If they arrive before this is done, he won't be able to handle them all. He's strong, yes… but not invincible. I'll have to buy him time."
The fox's lips curled faintly, the shadow of a smile touching its expression.
> "Three minutes. That's all he needs. If he can't finish the Sixth Layer by then, I'll intervene myself — and we leave the city immediately. The last thing we need is attention from the other family."
The air around it shifted as it drew in a slow breath, qi converging around its body. Its form blurred — one with the darkness, one with the wind.
Right on cue, voices echoed faintly through the night — disciplined, urgent, layered with spiritual resonance.
Two figures darted across the roofs above, robes fluttering in the mist. Gold-threaded sigils on their sleeves shimmered faintly: the Lin family crest.
> "What's happening inside Elder Lin Canghua's courtyard?!" one shouted, voice sharp with authority.
The fox crouched lower, turquoise eyes tracking their movement. It let out a low exhale, soundless except to itself.
> "Exactly what I feared. If the others arrive, he'll have to face more than one opponent. Even if he could handle the Sixth Layer before… that won't hold if they interfere."
It pressed lower against the roof, pupils narrowing to slits.
> "I need to hold them off… at least for a few minutes."
The fox's qi folded inward, its presence melting into the night. Every trace of scent, heat, and sound vanished, until even the mist refused to cling to its outline.
The two cultivators landed lightly on a courtyard wall, scanning the shrouded grounds. One was early mid-stage; the other, late early-stage. Their steps were careful — confident but cautious. Neither noticed the ripple beneath their feet.
> "Only two," the fox murmured quietly. "And both just at the Second Layer. Guess the others aren't moving yet — they probably think it's a minor disturbance. Perfect."
A small, amused flick of its tail.
> "That just saved me a lot of trouble. Handling these two will be easy — I won't even have to burn through my talismans. But if I kill them outright, their disappearance will trigger alarms. Better to delay them… make them think the disturbance is already being contained."
The first cultivator stepped forward, hand resting on his sword hilt. "Qi fluctuation seems to be coming from the east wing," he said. "Let's—"
A ripple in the mist interrupted him. His partner stiffened, turning sharply.
> "Did you feel that—?"
The air trembled — and the mist surged.
A flash of turquoise eyes. Silence.
The first cultivator staggered, his spiritual perception scattering like broken glass. A pressure pressed down on his consciousness — heavy, suffocating — before everything went black. His companion barely had time to reach for him before the space between them folded, warping with a shimmer of azure light.
The fox appeared for a blink — a sliver of shape, fur glinting faintly in the dim glow — and then vanished again.
When the mist thinned, both cultivators were slumped against the wall, still breathing, but unconscious. Their meridians were sealed; qi flow frozen solid.
The fox stepped past them, eyes calm, tail flicking once.
> "Sleep," it murmured softly. "You'll wake soon enough. You were running straight toward your deaths anyway. So… I'll take this as payment."
Both pouches at the cultivators' waists glowed faintly, threads of qi snapping free. They floated upward, drawn to the fox. The pouch around its own neck shimmered open, and both smaller ones slipped neatly inside before the clasp sealed again with a faint flicker of light.
The fox smiled, voice smooth and amused.
> "Pleasure doing business with you. Maybe next time, we'll make it more formal."
It turned its gaze once more toward the inner courtyard, where violet lightning still crackled faintly against the skyline, illuminating the swirling storm of qi within.
> "I've bought you a few minutes," it whispered. "Don't waste them."
Then, with a flick of its tail, the fox dissolved into the drifting fog — its presence erasing itself from the world once more.