The strong man in black was stunned. Now that Zhao Kun was dead, there was no scapegoat. When the time came, who would bear the wrath of the Lu family of Daxia?!

Lu Zhong, who had fled, was most likely rushing back to report the news. Once that happened, all of Demonic City would be in chaos.

"Damn it!"

Realizing the situation had taken a turn for the worse and that "Lu Shou" had fallen, the strong man in black gritted his teeth and swallowed his frustration.

"Who dares to kill my grandson?!"

A terrifying aura approached rapidly—it was the ancestor of the Zhao family. Clearly, he had sensed Zhao Kun’s death.

"This is bad. Mr. Zhao is relentless. If I run into him now, things will get ugly!"

Sensing imminent danger, the strong man in black acted swiftly. With a single palm strike, he wiped out the remaining people in the manor and then left with Li Yang.

Watching from the shadows, you observed the chaos you had orchestrated. Thanks to your careful planning, the entire Magic City Manor was in turmoil. Multiple factions were now entangled in the mess, each scrambling to make sense of the situation.

With "Golden Cicada's Escape," the mastermind behind this killing game would have no choice but to shift focus away from you. Instead, they would have to brace for the Lu family's inevitable retaliation.

This would buy you valuable time—time to grow stronger.

Lu Zhong, the one person who knew the truth, would undoubtedly report everything once he returned. The Lu family would soon realize you were still alive, though they would likely play along with your deception.

However, this also meant they would become aware of your cultivation progress. That was unavoidable.

For now, you were still too weak. Every move had to be strategic, every action carefully planned.

Taking out Ye Chen's severed arm, you considered using the "Soul Nailing Method" to force out the secrets behind his "Nine Steps to Heaven" technique.

After his recent outburst, Ye Chen had clearly suffered some kind of backlash. He was most likely in a weakened state.

"But a cornered beast is the most dangerous. If pushed too hard, he might retaliate with a desperate attack, even at the cost of his own life. Better to let someone else go after him first."

After weighing the risks, you decided against pursuing him immediately.

If Ye Chen unleashed "Nine Steps to Heaven" again in desperation, you might not be able to withstand it.

Instead, it was far wiser to let the ancestor of the Zhao family—a powerful Saint—go after him. Meanwhile, you would remain in the shadows, waiting for the perfect opportunity.

"When you're out in the world, brains matter more than brute force. Those without intelligence end up as pawns for others."

You felt a sense of satisfaction, knowing you had manipulated Ye Chen, the supposed protagonist, into being your unwitting tool.

But the moment was fleeting. You quickly regained focus and disappeared before the Zhao family ancestor arrived. You had no interest in facing an enraged old monster.

With "Lu Shou" dead, you could no longer maintain this identity. It was time to assume a new one.

Your next move?

Live as "Su Meng" in Magic City, observe the unfolding chaos, and enjoy the show.

On the surface, Su Meng was an orphan from a humble background, working as a logistics handyman at Magic City University. In secret, however, he was a dead soldier of the Lu family.

Before he died, Su Meng had entrusted you with a final request: to take care of his younger sister. You had agreed.

Now, using your "Shadow" ability to assume Su Meng's appearance, you arrived at a small rental house near Magic City University.

There, you finally met Su Meng’s sister—Su Mei.

The moment you laid eyes on her, you were taken aback by her beauty. Despite being only eighteen, she had an undeniable natural charm, rivaling even Liu Ruyue.

The only pity? Her eyes.

She was blind from birth.

Just as you were silently lamenting this fact—while also realizing it would help conceal your disguise—you heard Su Mei speak.

"Brother, you're back. I'm hungry."

"I’ll cook something."

You knew she was naturally cold and distant, and besides, you were feeling hungry yourself. So, slipping into your role, you walked toward the kitchen.

Having lived a life of luxury for too long, your cooking skills were practically nonexistent. After fumbling around for a while, you finally managed to prepare two simple dishes.

The two of you sat at the dining table. When you took a bite, you realized you had added too much salt. The dish was almost inedible. Yet, Su Mei ate without showing any reaction.

After dinner, you washed the dishes before the two of you retreated to your respective rooms.

Once alone, you began meditating, using your resources to cultivate. You needed to strengthen yourself as quickly as possible.

You started practicing the "Ancient Dragon Elephant Sutra"—but soon, you noticed something unusual.

Your cultivation speed had increased dramatically. The surrounding spiritual energy had become incredibly active.

Alarmed, you traced the source of this phenomenon.

It was coming from Su Mei’s room.

There, the spiritual energy was at its densest, swirling unnaturally.

A realization struck you.

Su Mei was special.

She possessed a unique physique. Something extraordinary.

She was likely another "destined heroine"—just like Liu Ruyue.

"Another one?"

Lu Shou was surprised. He hadn’t expected to find another so soon.

But upon reflection, it made sense.

Su Mei fit the mold perfectly.

Orphaned. Blind. Raised alongside her brother, who acted as her protector. Then, left alone and vulnerable after his tragic death. And now, a hidden talent that accelerated cultivation…

Had you not intervened, her fate would have been predictable.

And, of course, when the moment was right, a destined protagonist would have arrived to "rescue" her.

But now?

You had taken that role.

The next day, you woke to find your cultivation had advanced significantly. You were now close to the high level of the supernatural power realm. Both your magical techniques—"Shadow Simulation" and "Dragon Elephant Domination Body"—had improved.

Rather than act recklessly, you continued playing the role of Su Meng. In the morning, you worked at Magic City University, gathering information. At night, you returned home, cooked for Su Mei, and cultivated.

On the first day, your physical strength reached the high level of the supernatural power realm. The "Ancient Dragon Elephant Sutra" underwent a transformation, granting your body the power of a dragon.

On the second day, you consumed vast resources to push forward. After six intense hours, you broke through to the peak of the supernatural power realm.

On the third day, you attempted to reach the fifth realm—Mountains and Rivers—but encountered resistance. Realizing it would take time, you shifted focus to mastering "Thousand Shadows Magic Skill" and "Talisman True Book," reinforcing your trump cards.

On the fourth day, you noticed remarkable progress.

Your "Thousand Shadows Magic Art" had reached the peak of the fourth level. You even gained a new ability—"Escape from the Shadow"—allowing you to merge into and travel through shadows undetected.

At the same time, your skills in talisman crafting had also improved. You successfully created a second-level "Lightning Talisman," officially becoming a second-level talisman master.

Everything was falling into place.