The city of Nanzhong lay far from the center of Murim.
It was not a great city. Nor was it a place often mentioned in the conversations of Jianghu experts.
It stood in a border region, where trade routes were rarely passed through and major sects never planted their influence openly.
In the eyes of orthodox Murim, Nanzhong was nothing more than an ordinary city, unworthy of attention.
However, for those who understood the darker side of the martial world, Nanzhong was a different place entirely.
This was where those who failed in Murim gathered.
Former sect disciples. Bounty hunters. Jianghu refugees.
And those who wished to disappear from the martial world.
The rules of Nanzhong were simple.
As long as you did not provoke anyone, no one cared who you were, where you came from, or what sins you had committed.
Then you would be safe.
And in this city, a young man devoid of emotion began his new life.
Mo Zhaoyuan did not come to Nanzhong by choice.
He came because it was the closest city to his previous home.
Two months ago, the only family he had left, his grandfather, was murdered in their small house on the edge of the forest.
His grandfather's body was found split in two.
There were no screams.
No witnesses.
No clear clues as to the perpetrator.
Only a strange symbol etched into the ground beside the pool of blood.
A crescent moon split in half.
Mo Zhaoyuan did not cry when he buried his grandfather with his own hands.
He did not feel anger either.
Even grief never came.
He did not possess a strong desire for revenge, but that did not mean he would forget what happened.
After all, he had no other clue about the killer except for the symbol his grandfather had drawn before his death.
After the funeral was over, Mo Zhaoyuan left the ruined house without looking back.
In Nanzhong, Mo Zhaoyuan lived as an ordinary person.
He worked as a servant in a small inn that catered to merchants and travelers.
His work was simple.
Cleaning tables.
Sweeping floors.
Carrying water.
Serving food.
Lifting goods.
Listening to customers' complaints without responding.
He did not speak much.
He did not smile easily.
And he never involved himself in other people's affairs.
To the people of the inn, Mo Zhaoyuan was merely a quiet young man with empty eyes.
Someone who looked weak.
Harmless.
And completely without ambition.
He lived a normal life.
Work.
Eat.
Sleep.
As if he were nothing more than an insignificant part of the city of Nanzhong.
Yet in the world of Murim, a normal life was often nothing more than a pause before the next storm arrived.
…
Meanwhile, in a dense forest where daylight barely pierced through the trees, a caravan approached Nanzhong.
It consisted of a young master and ten guards escorting a horse drawn carriage.
Inside the carriage sat a young man with violet eyes.
His long hair was tied behind his back.
His face was smooth like polished jade, and he wore rather luxurious clothing.
The young man frowned slightly as he pressed a hand against his injured chest.
His condition was clearly not good.
His eyes were dull with exhaustion, and the wound on his chest was deep.
Although it had been wrapped in cloth, it had not been properly treated.
The reason was simple.
Their group had no physician.
"Young Master Lin Shuyuan, we will reach Nanzhong soon," Chen Yu, the captain of the guards, reported in a weary voice.
Chen Yu had a large build, and a long scar across his nose gave him a rugged appearance.
But now, instead of looking imposing, he looked exhausted.
If one observed closely, not a single person among them appeared relieved.
Some looked frightened.
Some looked weary.
Others looked resigned, as if death were approaching them at any moment.
Young Master Lin Shuyuan himself wore a similarly resigned expression.
The reason for the guards' state was simple.
They had failed to protect their young master.
Lin Shuyuan was the fourth young master of the Northern Sword Clan.
Lin Cangjian, the leader of the Northern Sword Clan, the greatest and strongest clan of the north, had five children.
Each child was born of a different mother.
However, Lin Cangjian did not marry all of his wives out of love.
Most of his marriages were political.
There was no affection in those relationships, only necessity.
Except for his fourth wife, Wu Ruyin.
Unlike the others, Lin Cangjian married Wu Ruyin purely out of love.
Unfortunately, Wu Ruyin did not come from a prestigious family.
She had no strong backing.
In the end, she died due to internal political intrigue within the clan.
Lin Cangjian felt a loss deeper than any other.
He possessed wealth, power, and authority.
Yet he could not protect the one thing that mattered most to him.
His wife.
Because of his overwhelming guilt, and because Lin Shuyuan resembled his mother so closely, Lin Cangjian cherished his son deeply.
He did not show the same affection to his other children.
Although Lin Shuyuan lacked political backing, the support of his father was stronger than any faction.
Even if the other children had powerful influences, Lin Cangjian's authority as clan leader surpassed them all.
And he did not hesitate to openly show his favoritism toward Lin Shuyuan.
Because of this, Lin Shuyuan's position remained stable despite his lack of political support.
But for the same reason, his siblings hated him.
The backing of the clan leader was a direct threat to their own ambitions as successors.
What use was political power compared to the will of the clan head?
There was a very real possibility that Lin Cangjian would choose Lin Shuyuan, his most beloved son, as his successor.
However, the Northern Sword Clan had one rule that could not be ignored.
To qualify as a candidate for succession, one had to achieve at least two major accomplishments.
The reason was simple.
Even before becoming clan leader, the successor had to be famous for his achievements.
It was also a way to display the might of the Northern Sword Clan to the Murim world.
Lin Cangjian could not abolish this rule.
Thus, he sent Lin Shuyuan to eradicate the notorious Black Forest Bandits.
He did not send his son unprepared.
He personally selected highly experienced guards to ensure both the mission's success and his son's safety.
Reality, however, did not match his expectations.
Lin Shuyuan was severely injured.
Somehow, the mission that was meant to remain secret had been leaked.
On the way, they were ambushed and trapped by the Black Forest Bandits.
Before his death, the bandit leader burned his own blood vessels.
This was a forbidden technique that guaranteed death after use.
However, for a brief moment, it drastically enhanced the user's strength and speed.
That blade struck Lin Shuyuan's chest.
Although the bandits were ultimately eliminated, Lin Shuyuan was gravely wounded.
His chest had been tightly bound to stop the bleeding as an emergency measure.
Still, he was weak from blood loss.
Fortunately, Nanzhong was not far away.
He might survive if he could find a physician in the city.
But that was all.
Survival.
The wound was far too severe to heal quickly.
Lin Shuyuan already suspected who was responsible.
His second brother, Lin Wenhao.
The second young master of the Northern Sword Clan.
He was known as the Venomous Little Serpent.
At only twenty years old, Lin Wenhao controlled the clan's main financial operations.
Among the succession candidates, he was also feared for his intelligence network.
Lin Shuyuan was certain that Lin Wenhao had leaked the information about the Black Forest Bandits.
Because of that leak, the bandits had time to prepare an ambush.
If he returned home in this condition, his siblings, like starving wolves, would tear him apart.
Lin Shuyuan did not possess martial prowess or political power like his brothers and sisters.
It was not that he lacked ambition.
He understood their bottom lines.
With only his father's support, he was already a threat.
If he gained martial strength or political influence, they would not hesitate to act.
They did not move against him because they feared Lin Cangjian.
They held back because Lin Shuyuan had not crossed their lines.
He understood this well.
But if he returned now, severely injured, death was inevitable.
To his siblings, he was the most dangerous candidate.
And now, an opportunity had presented itself.
Lin Shuyuan could imagine countless ways they would kill him.
As for the guards who failed to protect him, their deaths were already assured.
Even a minor injury would have been unforgivable in Lin Cangjian's eyes.
And this was far more than a scratch.
Once they returned, the clan leader would execute them without hesitation.
"We have arrived at Nanzhong, Young Master. I will find an inn first," Chen Yu said in a tired voice.
"Hurry. After securing the inn, find the best physician available. Do not worry about the cost. My father provided sufficient funds," Lin Shuyuan replied weakly.
"Yes."
Chen Yu exited the carriage and instructed the others to guard the young master while he searched for an inn.
Lin Shuyuan chose to be treated at an inn to reduce the risk of exposure.
If he went directly to a physician, his second brother might learn of his condition.
With that information, Lin Wenhao could act immediately.
To minimize the risk, Lin Shuyuan chose secrecy.
Though exhausted, Chen Yu moved quickly through the city.
Soon, he found an unremarkable inn clearly meant for the lower class.
That was exactly what he wanted.
Upon entering, his attention was drawn to a young servant being beaten by a guest.
The servant did not resist.
Even after being knocked to the ground, a cup was thrown, striking the side of his head.
Still, the servant did not fight back.
When the guest grabbed his long hair and pulled him up, the servant's violet eyes remained indifferent.
There was no fear in his expression.
Chen Yu froze.
The servant's hair had previously covered his face.
Now that he saw it clearly, Chen Yu could not believe his eyes.
The servant looked exactly like Young Master Lin Shuyuan.
The violet eyes.
The long hair.
The refined features.
The only differences were his servant's clothes and his untied hair.
That was when Chen Yu realized the truth.
This was not the young master.
But someone who looked exactly like him.
Chen Yu quickly booked an upper room, then rushed back to inform his young master.
Inside the carriage, he explained everything with barely contained excitement.
Lin Shuyuan's dull eyes lit up.
He understood Chen Yu's excitement.
With a look alike, they could use a substitute.
While the substitute played his role, Lin Shuyuan could recover.
Once healed, he would reclaim his identity.
And eliminate the substitute to erase all traces.
Lin Shuyuan exited the carriage with Chen Yu, wearing a cloak that concealed his face.
In Nanzhong, cloaked figures were known as people not to be provoked.
It was an unwritten rule.
If someone hid their identity, you did not ask questions unless you wished to die.
Often, such people were criminals on the run or young masters of powerful sects avoiding attention.
Provoking them meant courting death.
Upon entering the inn, they were greeted by the same servant who had been beaten earlier.
"Welcome, honored guests, to the Old Wind Inn. Allow me to guide you to your room," the servant said with a polite smile, bowing deeply.
Beneath the cloak, Lin Shuyuan was shocked.
The servant briefly glanced at him, his expression mirroring disbelief.
As they walked, the servant spoke politely.
"May I ask where you distinguished guests are from? Please forgive my curiosity, but I have never seen clothing like yours, even though I work here."
Before Chen Yu answered, he glanced at Lin Shuyuan.
Lin Shuyuan nodded.
"We are from the north. What is your name?"
"My name is Mo Zhaoyuan, sir. No wonder I have never seen you before. Please forgive my ignorance," Mo Zhaoyuan said respectfully, bowing his head.