Dual Cultivation God Returns Chapter 1073: Without spilling a drop of blood

Absolute stealth was paramount, their movements a constant, fluid dance of changing trajectories. They angled their flight, dropped into stealthy descents, moved in direct lines, and then traced zig-zagging paths, punctuated by bursts of speed or maintained at agonizingly slow, steady paces.

Certain precautions were exclusively for Qian Ying. He alone employed a movement technique that stirred the air, necessitating adjustments to the wind's flow when navigating formations sensitive to such disturbances and the ebb and flow of Qi.

He found it surprising that neither Wu Long nor the twins required specialized Alchemy Pills to refine the aura of their specific Qi frequencies. The Bahshi Ghost Presence technique, synergized with the Bahshi Ghost Steps, inherently provided this effect.

During this perilous phase, conversation was a luxury none could afford. The two sisters, and even Qian Ying, required every ounce of their focus to slip through the formations undetected.

Wu Long, meanwhile, observed with keen interest the contrasting methods of the twins.

Hong Yue clutched a jade slip, its contents mirroring the information Wu Long had provided Qian Ying. She meticulously analyzed Qian Ying's every action, cross-referencing it with the intelligence at her disposal.

Hong Ye, in contrast, seemed to learn through pure intuition. After a single perusal of her own Jade Slip upon receiving it from Wu Long, she'd stored it away. Her focus was on the immediate reality, not detached analysis, yet her response times improved with remarkable parity to her twin's.

The low-level guards, oblivious to their presence, were beneath their notice. Their sole concern lay with the trap arrays and complex formations.

As they neared the headquarters, the formations grew in number and complexity. Yet, upon landing on the rooftop of the outermost building, a stark change occurred: the formations seemed to vanish, or at least, only a few were visible, scattered around individual structures.

[Eight guards, trained in detection techniques and residing within the Essence Gathering Realm, continuously patrol amongst the lower-level sentries. However, their routes, habits, and timing are known to us], Qian Ying stated, his voice a low murmur as he pressed onward. The others followed in single file, Wu Long covering their rear.

Instead of heading directly for the Auction House, they adopted a circuitous route, bypassing guards, array traps, and other defenses with the silent, traceless grace of phantoms.

[The Life Gate for formations integrated directly into structures is typically situated at the main entrance. We must utilize these adjacent pathways], Qian Ying remarked, producing several talismans as they hovered slightly above the roofline.

Hong Yue tilted her head slightly, a flicker of surprise in her eyes. She recalled Wu Long dismantling a potent formation embedded within a building at the Corrupt Path lair in the capital, a feat that had required considerably more talismans.

[My earlier efforts involved rudimentary talismans and extensive manual work. These are high-tier artifacts I personally crafted; they achieve the same result with a single use], Wu Long transmitted an individual sound message, sensing her doubt regarding Qian Ying's methods.

Qian Ying cast three talismans. They formed a luminous pattern, connecting before silently striking the roof, creating a small field of concealment.

They descended into this shielded area. Qian Ying then carefully placed a single talisman onto the roof; it sank in as if dissolving into the material.

Next, he produced an entire illusory array set, positioning the array disc and anchors. A spatial ring, brimming with spiritual stones, was connected. Activating the array required only a touch of the disc and a gentle infusion of his Spiritual Qi.

Hong Ye found herself increasingly reassured. The entire procedure seemed reliant either on identifying weaknesses in existing defenses—a skill honed by prior reconnaissance—or on the utilization of tools that demanded little specialized knowledge.

With the array now active, Qian Ying retrieved approximately two hundred talismans. Upon activation, they moved autonomously, gliding beneath the roof tiles. As he formed a hand seal, the tiles ascended, held aloft by the talismans. Alongside them rose several wooden planks, intricately carved with inactive formation patterns and symbols, revealing an aperture into the interior of the roof, the hovering sections cleverly masked by the illusion array.

They ascended through the opening. From that point onward, their path grew considerably less arduous. Their objective was merely to evade localized trap arrays and mechanical traps within a rather uncomplicated structure. The only challenge arose from specific trap arrays guarding the sole entrance to the basement vault, which necessitated disabling with array-disrupting needles. However, for the most part, the infiltration proved relatively straightforward.

Soon, Hong Yue and Hong Ye observed something peculiar. The nearer they got to their destination, the more Qian Ying seemed to fade from their perception, even with the spiritual treasure ring that was supposed to track his location. They found themselves needing to make a conscious effort to remember his presence, lest they completely forget he was even with them.

"It's the same effect as Daoist Zhao Biren," Hong Yue remarked, casting a questioning glance toward Wu Long.

"Almost, but different. It's a unique ability of Dao Practicing Cultivators to project their Dao into the world," Wu Long replied with a smile. "Zhao Biren, through his Wine Dao, projects a general dulling of caution and senses, spreading confusion and lack of clarity, making people feel as if they were getting drunk. Shadowless, however, is demonstrating the Theft Dao, the art of absence, mastering quiet movement and blending with gaps."

"Now, we only have two guards to worry about ahead," Qian Ying warned, halting his movement in front of a corner.

Hong Ye produced a dagger, prompting Hong Yue to instinctively do the same, and Qian Ying's eyes widened as he turned to Wu Long with a questioning look.

"Hahaha, let's not jump to conclusions, Ye'er," the latter chuckled.

"Oh! Right, right, right... stealing, not assassinating~" Hong Ye exclaimed, an enlightened look flashing across her face, followed by a self-deprecating roll of her eyes and a shrug. She then silently nodded several times and sheathed her dagger.

Her twin sister also appeared to have a moment of realization and reflection, nodding once.

This reaction left Qian Ying even more perplexed, but he quickly shook it off, refocusing on the task at hand. He retrieved an alchemy pill, crushed it in his hand, and blew the powder toward the corner. Both twins stared in astonishment as the powder, which lacked any concealing properties and should have been quite visible, seemed to vanish into thin air. They could sense that it was the flow of Qi in Qian Ying's breath as he dispersed the powder that caused this effect.

Almost immediately after sending out the powder, Qian Ying deployed two talismans.

They then rounded the corner to find the two guards fast asleep, yet standing upright, held in place by the talismans. An array on the floor had detected such irregularities, which the master thief had neutralized with another array-disrupting needle.

Qian Ying utilized all the tools Wu Long had provided to open the heavy vault door and disarm the formations, performing the task just as the authorized personnel of the Silverleaf Trade Hall would have done. This allowed them to enter and claim everything without any apprehension.

As they were exiting the now-empty vault, Qian Ying took out a dagger.

"Eh? We're still doing this now? Is it some kind of ritual?" Hong Ye queried, reaching for her dagger once more with a slightly bewildered expression. This caused Qian Ying, who was squatting down, to look at her again, utterly baffled. This time, however, Hong Yue refrained from following suit, despite her hand reaching for the handle of her own dagger.

"He's leaving his mark, Ye'er," Wu Long chuckled.

"Ah~" Both sisters nodded in understanding. A slightly spooked Qian Ying quickly scratched the character "Shadow" onto the floor, then drew a line through it, leaving a distinct imprint of Qi within the cuts.

A profound essence seemed to emanate from the mark itself. They detected a subtle transformation in Qian Ying, a feeling reminiscent of, though not nearly as intense as, a breakthrough in Cultivation – a mysterious aura enveloped the old man.

"You can go ahead and add yours," Qian Ying invited. "I don't know if tonight's mission will inspire you to pursue the path of the Theft Dao, but since you're at least considering it, this might serve as a way to grasp the feeling. You don't need to feel pressured to create a mark that signifies you forever; a temporary one will suffice."

The twins exchanged a glance, first with each other, then with Wu Long, who offered a slight, encouraging nod. Simultaneously, they drew their daggers again, lowering their stances.

They recalled the cultivation technique for the Theft Dao that Wu Long had given them, a mind Cultivation technique, and began circulating their Qi accordingly.

As they carved the characters "Night" and "Moon" onto the floor with their daggers, a profound, formless ripple spread from them, concealed by Wu Long with a barrier of talismans.

A unique surge of adrenaline coursed through them as the realization struck that they had successfully achieved their objectives without shedding a single drop of blood, completely unnoticed. This stirred a flicker of emotion within both of them. However, their rigorous training had instilled in them the discipline to maintain their guard and refrain from dwelling on such feelings at that moment, saving them for later.

They rose, exchanging another look, one filled with unspoken words and emotions, before turning to Qian Ying and Wu Long. They nodded, signaling their readiness to depart.

[Alright, this segment has concluded, yet a single detail remains – the primary treasure intended for the auction, as you are aware, resides within the spatial ring of the Silverleaf Trade Hall’s general manager], Qian Ying then elaborated to them.

Hong Ye drew her dagger once more, prompting both Hong Yue and Wu Long to offer wry smiles, while Qian Ying directed a beseeching gaze toward Wu Long, tinged with apprehension that mirrored his thoughts: ‘W-what is amiss with this young lady?! She won’t actually slit my throat once this is over, will she?!’

[Ah~, hold on, no! I’ve got it, I’ve got it, my apologies~ I’ve made an error yet again~], Hong Ye exclaimed this time, realizing her mistake independently. She nodded in understanding, gesturing with a finger as she sheathed her dagger.

The trio subsequently infiltrated the general manager’s chambers in an adjacent structure, bypassing vigilant guards. The manager was discovered meditating on his bed in the lotus position. Qian Ying then showcased his adeptness in the art of thievery, extracting the principal auction treasure directly from the manager’s spatial ring. Following this, they meticulously retraced their steps, exiting the Silverleaf Trade Hall and subsequently withdrawing from the Eastern Outskirts.