An Invitation to the Ruins

When the steward entered the study carrying a gold-embossed invitation, Shen Fei was bent over the month's procurement accounts. His pen swept across the pages, assigning several suspicious expenses for losses to their respective categories with practiced ease.

"First Young Master, Second Young Master, the Sacred Nether Family sent someone with an invitation." The steward stood beside the desk and placed it within Shen Yue's reach. "They say the Gulan City Ruins are opening, and they're inviting the younger members of the major families to explore them together and search for an elder inheritance."

Shen Yue was using a soul crystal to hone his perception. At those words, he casually opened the invitation, skimmed it, and curled his lip. "The Gulan City Ruins? What could a desolate place like that possibly have? Besides, I'm at a crucial stage of condensing my soul force. Where would I find the time to run around with a bunch of people?"

He pushed the invitation aside as he spoke, his tone utterly dismissive. Right now, the Sacred Family valued him, its gifted youngest son, above all else. No one could force him to do something he did not want to do.

The pen in Shen Fei's hand paused. He lifted his gaze from the ledger and looked at the invitation.

The Gulan City Ruins.

He had little recollection of the place from his previous life. He only remembered that, six months before the Demon Beasts breached the city, there had indeed been a joint expedition by the younger members of the families.

Nearly a third of those who went had perished. Most survivors returned injured, bringing back only a scattering of low-tier inscriptions and medicinal herbs. No one had gained anything truly worthwhile.

At the time, Shen Hong had confined him to the family grounds. He had not even been eligible to go. Only later had he heard a few remarks from veterans of the City Guard, who said that elder restrictions lay deep within the ruins, and that people from the Dark Guild had slipped inside to strike.

In this life, he happened to need resources to advance, and he also wanted to get a clear picture of the Dark Guild's recent movements. An open joint expedition by the families provided the perfect cover.

"I'll go." Shen Fei set down his pen and spoke.

Shen Yue froze briefly, then turned toward him as though he had heard something amusing. "You? Brother, you're only Silver 3-Star. If you go somewhere that dangerous, don't end up needing someone to rescue you. You'd just disgrace our Sacred Family for nothing."

"I'll just be following the group. With the Sacred Nether Family leading, they wouldn't actually send the younger generation to their deaths." Shen Fei's tone was level. "You're too busy cultivating to leave, but our family can't send no one at all. If word gets out, people will think our Sacred Family is afraid."

With that, he rose and took the invitation to Shen Hong's study. Shen Yue scoffed behind him but did not stop him. As far as he was concerned, Shen Fei could go if he wanted. He would not stir up any waves anyway.

Shen Hong was reading documents on the city's defenses in his study. When Shen Fei explained why he had come, he did not even look up. His fingertips traced the page, and only after several seconds did he grunt in acknowledgment.

"Go if you want. Watch out for yourself, and don't cause trouble. If you really run into danger, remember to save your own life first."

His tone was no different from the last time Shen Fei had said he wanted to train outside the city: flat and indifferent, as though discussing some trivial matter.

To Shen Hong, an unvalued eldest legitimate son going out to explore was no great concern. It would be best if he returned, but it hardly mattered if he did not. The family still had Shen Yue, who was more than capable of sustaining the Sacred Family's future.

"Understood." Shen Fei bowed in acknowledgment, said nothing more, and withdrew.

Back in his own courtyard, Shen Fei began packing.

Ordinary changes of clothes, dry rations, a waterskin, and the usual Golden Wound Medicine and Antidote Powder-all of these were laid out openly.

In secret, he divided the Knockout Powder and the lethal, blood-activated Poison Powder he had picked up at the Black Market into separate packets, then concealed them in the hidden pockets inside his robes.

He also deliberately suppressed his cultivation to Silver 3-Star, drawing in his aura completely until even its fluctuations were no different from those of an ordinary family scion.

Once he had finished packing, he sat beside the table and sorted through the scattered pieces of information about the Gulan Ruins in his memories of his previous life.

The entrance to the ruins lay beneath the Site of Old Gulan City, and there were two levels. The first was the outer ruins, mostly populated by low-tier Demon Beasts and scattered medicinal herbs. There was little danger there.

The second was the main hall area. It contained inscription restrictions, and a single wrong step would trigger an attack. Most of those who had died back then had fallen there.

Then there was the Dark Guild. Among those who died on the expedition in his previous life, several had supposedly been killed by Demon Beasts or restrictions, but their wounds had been wrong. Someone had struck them from behind.

No one had suspected the Dark Guild at the time. Now, Shen Fei knew that the Dark Guild had set its sights on these ruins long ago.

This trip would be a good opportunity to probe the Dark Guild's strength as well. If he could intercept whatever they wanted along the way, he would also cut off one of their avenues.

Early the next morning, Shen Fei left with his pack on his back.

He did not have anyone from the family see him off, instead walking to the South Gate himself. The agreed meeting place was beside the main road outside the South Gate, three li from the city. By the time he arrived, quite a few people were already there.

More than a dozen warhorses were tethered beneath the nearby trees. Guards from the various families stood around the perimeter, while seven or eight young scions stood in the middle, dressed in their families' attire and chatting in small groups.

At the center stood Sheng Mingyuan, a member of the Sacred Nether Family's direct line. He wore fitted black clothes, with a short sword at his waist and a cool expression on his face. He was leading this expedition. His cultivation was said to be at Silver Rank 5-Star, which was respectable among the younger generation.

Beside him stood Huyan Ming of the Huyan family, along with two scions from minor families. Their faces looked familiar to Shen Fei, but he could not put names to them.

Shen Fei's approach drew only a few casual glances. Someone recognized him as the Sacred Family's eldest legitimate son and nodded in greeting, but no one came over to talk.

After all, everyone knew that Shen Yue was the one the Sacred Family truly valued. This eldest legitimate son was out of favor, and his cultivation was mediocre. There was little value in befriending him.

Shen Fei was happy to be left alone. He found a tree to lean against and swept his gaze over the gathering.

Before long, hoofbeats sounded in the distance.

Two fine horses trotted slowly toward them. Riding in front was Ye Ziyun, the legitimate daughter of the Wind Snow Family, dressed in blue, her features cool and elegant. Behind her rode a slender young man in gray cloth clothes. It was Nie Li.

The two dismounted. Ye Ziyun walked up to Sheng Mingyuan and gave him a slight nod. Nie Li followed behind her, his hands tucked into his sleeves. His gaze drifted over those present, his face showing little expression.

A few murmurs immediately rose around them.

"That's Nie Li? The one who beat Shen Xiu in the soul force test a while ago?"

"He looks ordinary enough. He's dressed like a commoner. How did he get so close to Miss Ye?" "Who knows? Maybe he got lucky and tested at Bronze 1-Star. Once we're actually inside the ruins, he'll probably be the first to buckle."

The murmurs were quiet, but loud enough for everyone present to hear. Nie Li acted as though he had heard nothing, casually surveying his surroundings. When his gaze fell on Shen Fei, it paused briefly.

That look was mild and held no hostility, yet there was an appraising quality to it. It was as though he were confirming something-or weighing an opponent's worth.

Shen Fei met his gaze calmly, neither looking away nor showing any unnecessary expression. He looked just like an ordinary family scion casually glancing at an unfamiliar face.

Two seconds later, Nie Li looked away first and turned to say something quietly to Ye Ziyun. She nodded and moved aside to stand.

Another quarter of an hour passed before Xiao Ning'er arrived.

She came alone on a white horse, dressed in plain-colored clothes, her face still somewhat pale. She was not particularly familiar with anyone present. After nodding to Sheng Mingyuan in greeting, she stood alone on the other side, so quiet she might not have existed.

Once everyone had arrived, Sheng Mingyuan took two steps forward and spoke.

"Everyone is here, so I'll repeat the rules. The Sacred Nether Family is leading this trip to the Gulan Ruins. We'll travel together and look out for one another. Anything in the ruins will be divided according to contributions. Whatever someone finds first belongs to them. No attacking others in secret to steal their finds. If we encounter danger, protect yourselves first and help others if you can. Anyone who doesn't want to go can still back out now."

His tone was cold and firm. When he finished, he looked around, then nodded when no one spoke.

"Since there are no objections, let's set out. We'll reach the Site of Old Gulan City before dark and enter the ruins tomorrow morning."

Everyone mounted their horses. Shen Fei led his own horse over, swung into the saddle, and took his place toward the rear of the group.

Hooves struck the main road, raising fine clouds of dust. The group headed west, and the scenery beside the road gradually changed from farmland to barren slopes, then to stretches of wild grass and low shrubs.

Those around him chatted in small groups, discussing the treasures the ruins might hold and the rumors they had heard. Some claimed there were ancient cultivation arts inside, others spoke of high-grade Demon Crystals, and someone even claimed that an imperial jade seal had been seen there. They told their tales with noses and eyes, as vivid as if they had witnessed everything themselves.

Shen Fei did not join the conversation. He held the reins and watched for movement beside the road.

He had never entered the Gulan Ruins in his previous life, but after spending years in the City Guard, he knew the wilderness intimately. He could tell that the farther west they traveled, the more signs of Demon Beast activity there were.

The roadside shrubs showed signs of being gnawed, and Demon Beast tracks marked the dirt. Judging by their size, they probably belonged to Bronze Rank Fanged Beasts.

And this was only the outskirts. Closer to the Site of Old Gulan City, they would likely encounter Silver Rank Demon Beasts.

He weighed things in his mind. The Demon Beasts on the first level were nothing to fear. What he truly needed to watch for were the restrictions on the second level, along with any Dark Guild members hiding in the group or lurking in the shadows.

As he was thinking, someone suddenly drew alongside him. It was Huyan Ming, who smiled and struck up a conversation.

"Shen Fei, I didn't expect you to come too. I thought you'd been helping your father manage family affairs lately."

"There wasn't much to do at home, so I came out to take a look," Shen Fei replied casually.

"I hear this place isn't very safe. Make sure you stay close to the group." Huyan Ming sounded sincere. "If we really run into Demon Beasts, we can look out for each other."

Shen Fei nodded without saying much. He remembered Huyan Ming. In his previous life, this man had also died on the city walls. He was not a bad person, just somewhat weak in actual combat.

They exchanged a few more casual remarks before someone nearby called Huyan Ming away. The group continued onward as the sun slowly sank westward, stretching everyone's shadows long.

Shen Fei could feel the gaze from behind settling on him again. Nie Li's gaze.

Since their departure, Nie Li had discreetly looked at him several times. Each time, he quickly looked away, as if merely glancing around. But Shen Fei could sense that the other man suspected him.

Of course. Nie Li already suspected me because of that anonymous letter about the night raid on the West Wall. Now I've suddenly turned up for this expedition. Given his temperament, it would be stranger if he weren't suspicious.

Still, suspicion is only suspicion. Without evidence, he won't do anything.

Shen Fei pretended not to notice. He leaned forward slightly and urged his horse a couple of steps ahead, putting himself half a body's length out of alignment with Huyan Ming beside him and neatly blocking the line of sight from behind.

As the sun slanted westward, the group finally reached the Site of Old Gulan City.

Before them lay a collapsed city wall, its broken remains buried in wild grass. When the wind blew, it swept up sand and dirt from the ground, lending the scene a desolate air.

Beyond the wall stretched a field of ruins. The houses had collapsed long ago, leaving only broken walls and rubble, through which the outline of the former city could still faintly be seen.

Sheng Mingyuan reined in his horse and raised a hand to signal a halt.

"We'll camp here tonight. We'll take turns keeping watch in pairs. Tomorrow at dawn, we enter the ruins on schedule."

Everyone dismounted and found places to pitch their tents. The guards went to gather firewood nearby, preparing to light fires and cook.

Shen Fei chose a spot beside a broken wall and pitched his tent in its shelter from the wind. His movements were swift, and he finished in no time. Rather than joining the bustle around the fires, he leaned against the broken wall, closed his eyes, and silently circulated the Dark Prison Reincarnation Art.

Darkness-attributed spiritual energy flowed slowly through his meridians, nourishing his dantian. He shut the surrounding voices, the wind, and the crackle of burning firewood out of his senses.

He could feel Nie Li's gaze sweeping toward him again from nearby. It lingered for a few seconds, then withdrew.

Shen Fei knew perfectly well.

This expedition won't be peaceful. Restrictions, the Dark Guild, and a Nie Li whose depths I can't fathom. All the unpredictable factors have come together.

But that isn't a bad thing for me.

The murkier the water, the easier it is to fish in it.

All I need to do is keep my trump cards hidden and seize what I want before anyone else can react.

The wind rose again, carrying sand and dirt against the broken wall with a faint pattering sound. From the distant woods came several Demon Beast howls, carrying far through the dusk.

Shen Fei opened his eyes and looked deep into the ruins.

The entrance lay beneath that expanse of rubble.

Tomorrow, once we go inside, the real beginning comes.