Kaelan began descending as the city came into view.
While flying, he controlled his body and doubled his size.
At the same time, he concealed his Demon Energy with his Spirit.
Only those whose Spirit surpassed his own would be capable of detecting his true cultivation.
To everyone else, he appeared no different from an ordinary crow.
Of course, his size ensured that nobody would truly believe he was ordinary.
That was exactly what he wanted.
Mystery.
Mystery discouraged trouble.
Kaelan had no interest in becoming involved with gangs, arrogant young masters, or the countless nuisances that seemed drawn to hidden experts.
In his previous life, he had read enough novels to notice a strange pattern.
The protagonists always hid their cultivation to avoid trouble.
Yet trouble somehow found them anyway.
If he wanted to attract enemies, that would have been another matter.
But he was not fishing.
He intended to remain in the city for a month or two until the disturbances outside settled down.
The less attention he attracted, the better.
As he flew lower, the city gradually revealed itself.
Nestled between several mountains, it resembled a vast forest more than a city.
Every building had been constructed from living trees.
Branches intertwined to form walls.
Vines twisted together to create roofs.
Massive trunks served as foundations for homes, shops, inns, and pavilions.
Unlike human cities, no stone walls surrounded the settlement.
No guards patrolled the entrances.
The entire city seemed to exist in harmony with the surrounding forest.
Kaelan descended toward the ground.
His claws touched the earth.
Then he calmly walked into the city.
The moment he crossed the boundary, he felt a powerful suppression descend upon him.
His Demon Energy immediately became sluggish.
The spells he had painstakingly developed could no longer be cast.
The city array suppressed cultivation.
Inside the city, violence was forbidden.
Kaelan showed no reaction.
He had already learned about the array from the owl's memories.
As he walked through the streets, he observed the surrounding demons.
Some walked upright.
Others moved on all fours.
Many wore human clothing.
Fox demons.
Wolf demons.
Rat demons.
Bird demons.
Countless races moved through the city.
Numerous gazes landed upon him.
Not because of his appearance.
Because of what they could not perceive.
His Demon Energy remained completely hidden.
The surrounding demons could sense nothing from him.
As a result, whispers spread wherever he passed.
"Can you sense his cultivation?"
"No."
"Neither can I."
"Is he a Demon General?"
"A Demon Lord?"
Most demons quickly rejected the second possibility.
Demon Lords rarely appeared in places like this.
The majority concluded that Kaelan was probably a Demon General skilled at concealment.
That was precisely the impression he wanted to create.
A mysterious Demon General was troublesome.
A mysterious Demon Lord was dangerous.
Either way, most demons would avoid provoking him.
Kaelan walked with purpose.
Using the owl's memories as a guide, he headed directly toward one of the largest trading establishments in the city.
Soon, a massive tree came into view.
A doorway had been carved directly into its trunk.
Numerous demons entered and exited the building.
Kaelan stepped inside.
The interior was spacious and brightly illuminated by glowing plants growing from the walls.
Several counters occupied different sections of the hall.
Behind them stood employees of various races.
After a brief glance around, he noticed an empty counter managed by a Rabbit Demon.
Unlike ordinary rabbits, she stood upright like a human.
Long ears hung behind her head.
The moment she noticed him approaching, her expression became cautious.
She lowered her head respectfully.
"Senior, what can I do for you?"
Even though the city's array suppressed everyone's cultivation, she remained extremely polite.
Without spells, demons still possessed powerful bodies.
A Demon General could easily kill weaker demons through physical strength alone.
Kaelan stopped before the counter.
From beneath one of his feathers, he retrieved the Flesh and Blood Pill.
Then he placed it upon the counter.
The Rabbit Demon's eyes widened.
Even without examining it closely, she could tell it was no ordinary pill.
Kaelan looked at her and said,
"I want to sell it."
The Rabbit Demon carefully picked up the pill.
After a brief inspection, she spoke softly.
"A Flesh and Blood Pill."
Her expression became even more respectful.
"Senior, please wait while I appraise it."
Kaelan nodded.
"Do it."
The Rabbit Demon carefully carried the pill away.
She opened a small door behind the counter and disappeared into a private room.
The door closed behind her.
Kaelan remained where he was.
Turning his head, he slowly examined the trading hall while waiting.
Many demons secretly observed him.
Some glanced at his oversized body.
Others stared toward the counter where the Flesh and Blood Pill had been displayed.
A few exchanged whispers.
Yet none dared approach.
Kaelan remained completely unconcerned.
His eyes calmly swept across the hall.
For the first time since arriving in this world, he had entered a true demon city.
And from what he had already seen, this place promised to be far more interesting than the wilderness.
Several minutes later, the Rabbit Demon returned.
She carefully placed the Flesh and Blood Pill back onto the counter.
Kaelan looked at her.
"What is the result?"
The Rabbit Demon lowered her head respectfully.
"The appraiser determined that it is a high-quality Entry-Level Extraordinary Pill."
Kaelan nodded slightly.
The assessment matched his own judgment.
In this world, pills and Magic Tools were divided into five major grades.
Mortal.
Extraordinary.
Mysterious.
Heavenly.
Divine.
Tier One Transcendents corresponded to the Extraordinary Grade.
Therefore, an Entry-Level Extraordinary Pill was exactly what he had expected.
"So," Kaelan asked, "how much will I get for it?"
The Rabbit Demon answered without hesitation.
"Ten units of Intermediate-Quality Spirit Dew."
Kaelan's eyes narrowed slightly.
Spirit Dew served as the primary currency of the transcendent world.
This world was only a Small World.
The density of Spiritual Energy was insufficient for natural crystallisation.
Instead, Spiritual Energy condensed into liquid form.
Using arrays and specialised Magic Tools, cultivators collected and refined that liquid into Spirit Dew.
Ten units of Intermediate-Quality Spirit Dew were not a small amount.
If spent carefully on food and lodging, it would be enough to live comfortably in the city for an entire year.
For Kaelan, it was more than sufficient as starting capital.
The Rabbit Demon looked at him cautiously.
"Senior, are you selling it?"
Kaelan nodded.
"Yes."
The Rabbit Demon immediately put away the Flesh and Blood Pill.
A moment later, she placed ten small crystal vials onto the counter.
Each vial contained shimmering silver liquid.
The liquid glowed faintly with Spiritual Energy.
Kaelan subconsciously attempted to raise a hand to take them.
Then he froze.
His wing had risen instead.
For a brief moment, an awkward silence settled between them.
He had forgotten.
He was a crow.
After entering this world and interacting with so many humanoid races, memories from his previous life had surfaced more frequently.
His instincts occasionally treated his current body as human.
Slowly lowering his wing, he looked at the Rabbit Demon.
The Rabbit Demon immediately understood his predicament.
Within the city, the suppression array prevented the use of spells and Demon Energy.
Without hands or magic, carrying ten vials would indeed be difficult for a crow.
Fortunately, she appeared accustomed to dealing with unusual customers.
Without saying a word, she retrieved a small storage pouch.
She carefully placed the ten vials inside.
After securing the opening, she walked around the counter.
Kaelan lowered his head.
The Rabbit Demon gently hung the pouch around his neck.
The weight was negligible.
Kaelan nodded.
"Thank you."
The Rabbit Demon smiled politely.
"It was my duty, Senior."
With the transaction complete, Kaelan turned and left the building.
The cool evening air greeted him as he stepped back onto the street.
The pouch containing his first fortune swayed lightly against his chest.
For the first time since entering this world, he officially possessed wealth.
As he walked through the city, numerous demons continued stealing glances at him.
Most quickly looked away after meeting his gaze.
Kaelan ignored them.
After walking several hundred meters, he arrived before another large building.
Unlike the trading hall, this structure appeared quieter.
Various signs hung above the entrance.
Many contained illustrations of spells and magical formations.
This was one of the city's spell markets.
The place he had truly come for.
Without hesitation, Kaelan stepped inside.
Over the following hours, he visited one store after another.
His purpose was simple.
Shadow spells.
Using the Spirit Dew he had earned, he browsed the collections of various merchants throughout the city.
By the time he finished, he had visited ten different stores.
Together, they possessed fourteen shadow-related spells.
Most were ordinary techniques.
Shadow Concealment.
Shadow Binding.
Shadow Needle.
Shadow Spear.
None particularly interested him.
One spell, however, caught his attention.
Shadow Walk.
The spell closely resembled the movement technique he had envisioned.
After casting it, the user could step into one shadow and emerge from another within a limited distance.
Although restricted, it possessed tremendous potential.
If developed further, it might eventually lead to insight into the Law of Shadow.
For a time, Kaelan seriously considered purchasing it.
Then he discovered another spell.
The Shadow Demon Hand.
The moment he finished reading its description, all interest in Shadow Walk vanished.
The Shadow Demon Hand could not truly be called a simple spell.
It was both a spell and a ritual.
The ritual required the caster to sever their own shadow.
The detached shadow would then be fused back onto the body through a special process.
Once completed, the shadow became a permanent extension of the caster.
Unlike ordinary spells, it remained functional even when cultivation was suppressed.
The shadow connected directly to the body's circulation system and grew stronger alongside its owner.
As Kaelan studied the spell, countless ideas emerged.
A normal demon would attach only a hand.
That was why the technique was called Shadow Demon Hand.
But he was not a normal demon.
He was a crow.
If he performed the ritual, the result would not be a shadow hand.
It would be a shadow wing.
And if he modified the ritual further...
A strange light appeared in his eyes.
According to the spell's theory, the shadow remained connected to the caster because it had become part of their body.
If he could attach not merely a portion of his shadow, but his entire shadow...
Then perhaps he could separate it later.
Transform it.
Shape it.
Perhaps even create a true shadow clone.
The more he analysed the spell, the more possibilities emerged.
Unfortunately, reality quickly crushed his excitement.
The Shadow Demon Hand was expensive.
Very expensive.
Its price was five High-Quality Spirit Dew.
The equivalent of five hundred Intermediate-Quality Spirit Dew.
Kaelan currently possessed only ten.
The gap was enormous.
In the end, he could only leave reluctantly.
Instead of purchasing any spells, he bought several Memory Seeds.
Memory Seeds were special items used to store information.
Spells.
Techniques.
Cultivation methods.
Historical records.
All could be recorded within them.
Since he intended to sell his own spells in the future, they would be necessary.
After completing his purchases, Kaelan searched for lodging.
Eventually, he found an inn specifically catering to bird demons.
The building itself had been grown from a colossal living tree.
Numerous branches extended outward, supporting hundreds of nest-like rooms.
After paying the fee, Kaelan rented a room for one month.
The cost consumed a portion of his savings, but it remained affordable.
Once inside, he closed the door behind him.
The room was simple.
A wooden floor.
Several perches.
A small window overlooking the city.
Kaelan settled onto the largest perch and removed the Memory Seeds from his pouch.
His original plan had been to record the Energy Bullet Spell immediately.
However, after careful consideration, he abandoned the idea.
The Energy Bullet relied upon his unique energy system.
Ordinary demons used Demon Energy.
He did not.
Although he currently possessed Demon Energy, the foundation of the spell had been built around a completely different energy structure.
If another demon attempted to learn it directly, they would likely fail.
Before selling the spell, he needed to adapt it.
He needed a version specifically designed for Demon Energy.
Only then would it possess real value.
With that thought, Kaelan closed his eyes.
His consciousness focused inward.
Inside his body, streams of energy circulated continuously.
He guided them carefully.
Vitality emerged from his flesh.
Energy flowed through his cultivation pathways.
Slowly, the two began merging.
Just as ordinary beasts formed Demon Energy.
Vitality fused with energy.
The resulting power gradually transformed.
Dark currents appeared among the flowing streams.
Kaelan observed the process carefully.
Every change.
Every fluctuation.
Every interaction.
If he wished to sell spells to demons, understanding Demon Energy thoroughly was essential.
The room gradually fell silent.
Outside, the lights of the city glowed beneath the night sky.
Inside, Kaelan immersed himself in cultivation and experimentation.
His first step toward becoming a spell merchant had begun.