Blackwood Town sat at the edge of order.
Wooden walls circled it unevenly, patched and rebuilt so many times they looked more like scars than defenses. Smoke rose from chimneys, mixing with the smell of iron, sweat, and old blood.
Lin Chen felt it the moment he stepped inside.
Eyes.
Too many.
Some curious. Some predatory. Some bored.
This was not a sect. Strength here was not announced by robes or titles—but by how people moved and who stepped aside when you passed.
Fei let out a breath. "Still alive. That's a good sign."
Qiao laughed weakly.
Han Wu said nothing.
They moved toward the central market, where stalls crowded together beneath torn cloth canopies. Weapons, herbs, beast parts, information—everything had a price.
Lin Chen's presence drew attention.
Not because he looked strong.
Because he looked wrong.
No qi circulation. No obvious injuries. Yet he walked with calm control, like someone who did not expect to be challenged.
That unsettled people.
"Don't stare," Fei muttered to a vendor who lingered too long.
The man quickly looked away.
Han Wu stopped near a posting board nailed to a stone wall. Notices covered it—escort jobs, beast hunts, debt collections, disappearances.
Lin Chen read silently.
Low-level work. High risk. No protection.
Perfect.
"We're splitting here," Han Wu said. "Town's safer alone."
Fei nodded. "I need a drink."
Qiao hesitated, then looked at Lin Chen. "You… you got somewhere to stay?"
"No," Lin Chen replied.
Han Wu studied him. "You planning to stay?"
"For a while."
Han Wu reached into his pouch and tossed Lin Chen a small wooden token. "East side. Broken Roof Inn. Tell them Han Wu sent you."
Lin Chen caught it. "Why?"
Han Wu met his gaze. "Because you didn't run."
That was all.
They parted ways.
Lin Chen moved east, deeper into the town. The streets narrowed, buildings leaning closer together as if sharing secrets. Here, the smells were stronger. The noise quieter.
Dangerous.
At the inn, a heavyset woman eyed him skeptically, then glanced at the token.
"…Room's cheap," she said. "No trouble."
Lin Chen nodded.
Inside the small, dim room, Lin Chen sat on the edge of the bed and closed his eyes.
The cold energy stirred immediately.
Blackwood Town pressed in from all sides—bandits, mercenaries, rogue cultivators, hidden experts. This was not a place to hide.
It was a place to sharpen.
"You feel it," the voice said."This town eats the careless."
Lin Chen opened his eyes.
"Good," he said quietly. "I'm done being careful."
Outside, somewhere in Blackwood Town, someone was already watching.