The fox's voice carried like a silk thread through the vault—soft, even, unhurried.
As it spoke, its form began to fade.
First the edges—the faint turquoise shimmer of its fur dissolving into dust-light. Then the lizard's golden eyes, blinking once before they, too, went dim.
The pouch at its neck glowed faintly, then winked out.
Moyu didn't move. He couldn't.
He watched as the fox's tail was the last to vanish, curling through the air like smoke, dispersing into nothing.
And then—silence.
He stood there for what felt like minutes, muscles locked, breath shallow.
The air still felt heavy. Too heavy.
Moyu's breath hitched again.
The vault was silent.
How… how could something so tangible, so alive, just unravel into nothing?
His mind reeled. "Did it used a talisman, or was it a spiritual artifact."
A cold knot tightened in his stomach. This wasn't normal. Not at all.
Was this some trick? A warning? Or had he just witnessed power far beyond his understanding?
But his skin still prickled as if the fox's eyes were still on him—watching, waiting.
He couldn't tell if it was the quiet pressing down on him, or the ghost of the fox's presence hanging in the stale air.
His heart hammered loud in his chest.
He could still smell it—the faint, sharp scent of burned Qi and crushed herbs. Still feel the cold weight it left behind, like the echo of its gaze pressed against his back.
> It's gone.
It's gone… isn't it?
> It's still here.
He spun around, muscles taut, searching the shadows beyond the shelves, expecting the slightest flicker of movement, eyes sweeping the vault. The shelves stood bare and hollow, shadows clinging to their edges. Every creak of the stone sounded too loud, too close.
Nothing.
Just the cold stone walls, the empty shelves, and the faint scent of crushed herbs.
His hands trembled.
The lizard's quiet clicking echoed in his mind.
Still, he couldn't shake it—that feeling crawling along his spine, whispering that it was still here, watching, unseen.
He swallowed hard, forcing his racing thoughts back under control He forced himself to breathe. One slow inhale. One slower exhale.
> It's gone.
It's gone.
It's—
But the silence stretched—too thick, too heavy.
As if the fox's threat still lingered, waiting for him to lower his guard.
Moyu's breath caught.
The vault was empty.
But he still felt like the danger was far from over.
The fox was invisible, standing just beyond sight, its gaze fixed on Moyu.For a heartbeat, it studied him.
Interesting… guess he's not hiding anything else after all.
The lizard perched atop its head twitched, and the fox's voice, soft and precise, transmitted directly to it.
> "No time to linger. Nothing here for us anymore.
With a flick of its paws, the fox pivoted and began moving. Its steps were silent, deliberate, each motion flowing into the next.
Let's check the next family.
It didn't pause, leaping from roof to roof with feline grace, the lizard riding its head like a crown. There was no hesitation, no wasted movement—only the relentless momentum of a predator on a mission.
The fox came to a stop near the estate's fence, its raised head turning to inspect the barrier. Turquoise eyes glowed faintly, fixed on the intricate formation. It studied the patterns for a long moment, silent and calculating.
Huh… guess the weak point has already moved.
It shifted its thoughts to the lizard atop its head.
No matter. now we've the formation core passing through is a piece of cake .
The pouch at its neck flickered open.
The formation disc hovered into the air, spinning slowly as the fox gripped it carefully with its teeth.
With precise movements, it carved a hole in the barrier. The gap expanded steadily, edges humming with residual energy until it was large enough to slip through.
That should do it.
Satisfied, the fox flicked the disc back into its pouch with a practiced motion.
Without hesitation, the fox crouched, slightly. In one fluid motion, it leapt through the opening, tail flicking, paws tucking close,
invisible as it passed through the hole with the lizard still perched atop its head.
It landed softly in the alley on the other side, flowing seamlessly into a crouch before springing lightly to its feet. The fox glanced back, turquoise eyes catching the last shimmer of the formation as the gap closed behind it, edges knitting together as though it had never been there.
The lizard's golden eyes widened, glowing brightly in the dim light, staring at the sealed barrier as if impressed.
Alright… let's move, the fox murmured, its voice low and calm, almost swallowed by the shadows.
Still invisible, it pushed off the alley floor, leaping effortlessly from roof to roof toward the next target. Its tail flicked once; paws tucked close; the lizard clung lightly but securely atop its head.
Momentum carried them forward, silent and precise, every movement deliberate.