The City of Blades shimmered under the morning sun, but Ye Tian paid little attention to its bustle. From the high balcony of a quiet townhouse, he observed the web of movement stretching through its streets—the merchants haggling, nobles inspecting caravans, and common folk rushing to markets. To them, it was ordinary life. To him, it was opportunity.
Ye Tian's mind moved faster than any visible action. Merchant families first. Subtle visits by trusted operatives had already been dispatched early in the day. They moved quietly, hidden in plain sight, planting loyal spies, observing allegiances, and reporting every nuance. These families would come to see him as an unavoidable presence, even before he personally met them.
From the shadows of a nearby alley, a thin figure slipped a sealed note into the hand of a merchant's aide. Ye Tian activated the system and scanned it instantly.
[System Scan Activated]
Tang Family – Awareness: Moderate / Affection: Slight / Suspicion: Low
Liu Family – Awareness: High / Affection: Moderate / Loyalty: Minimal
"Observe them closely. No overt action yet. Influence must appear accidental," Ye Tian said softly, addressing the operatives around him.
"Yes, Master Ye Tian," one replied, disappearing into the crowd like a ghost.
Even the gambling houses, seemingly ordinary, had been strategically positioned as intelligence nodes. Every dice roll, every bet, and every whispered rumor was reported back to him through concealed channels. Patterns emerged, alliances revealed, and potential threats surfaced without a single overt command.
Ye Tian activated the system again, overlaying the streets with invisible markers.
[Notification] Hao Sect – Efficiency Excellent / Loyalty High
[Notification] Selected Merchant Families – Awareness High / Influence Moderate
[Notification] Reputation – Nightlord / Infamous / Recognized by Major Clans
The web grows stronger with every passing hour, he thought, lips curving faintly. By evening, they will already dance to my tune, unaware of the threads that bind them.
A messenger approached, bowing low, and handed him a folded scroll. He read the contents, then nodded. "Prepare subtle adjustments. Shift priorities in the Hao network. Notify those I instructed yesterday—let them feel they control the moves themselves."
"Yes, Master," the messenger whispered and melted away.
The system pinged again, showing reactions to his manipulations.
[Notification] Tang Family – Suspicion Moderate / Affection Low / Loyalty TBD
[Notification] Liu Family – Partial Compliance / Observing Moves
[Notification] Spies – Operational Status Excellent
"Good. Let them maneuver while unaware of my guidance. Those alive today may serve greater purpose tomorrow." Ye Tian's voice was calm, almost poetic, yet edged with lethal precision.
Even assassination requests—sensitive, high-profile, sometimes from nobles or rival clans—passed through him. Not every request was accepted. Some targets were more useful alive, their presence a lever for future schemes. If a rejected party reacted violently, Ye Tian would decide the outcome: either he eliminated the threat himself, or he manipulated another family to neutralize the problem discreetly.
"Remember," he instructed the operatives gathered in the townhouse's courtyard, "obedience is absolute. Precision is mandatory. Loyalty without question. Our success depends on the unseen hand, not the loudest sword."
The day stretched on with meticulous coordination. Merchant families had subtle whispers from Ye Tian's agents, gambling houses funneled information, and the Hao Sect quietly moved across the city. By afternoon, the city's pulse had shifted—a subtle current that only he could detect, flowing exactly as he intended.
Murmurs began to ripple through the streets. Citizens, traders, and lower-ranking nobles whispered in hushed tones as they passed one another:
"Have you heard? Some of the major associations… the ones everyone respects… they're working for him."
"Impossible. They can't all serve a boy of eighteen…"
"The Nightlord… it seems the whole city is quietly under his influence."
"Is he really the Nightlord? So young… yet… that cursed Night Physique… unstoppable… Ye Clan…"
Ye Tian allowed himself a faint smile. Let them wonder. Let them whisper. By nightfall, the banquet doors would open, and every gaze would be drawn to the young man whose invisible hand had already touched much of the city.
From a side room, his first disciple—a young man eager yet visibly tense—stood quietly. "Patriarch, all preparations are complete. Should I summon the other operatives?"
Ye Tian placed a hand on his shoulder. "Observe everything. Listen, and learn. Not every lesson is taught in the courtyard. Tonight, your eyes will see more than a month of training ever could."
"Yes, Patriarch," the disciple murmured, swallowing his nerves.
Even as the evening approached, Ye Tian's focus never wavered. He reviewed every branch of Nightshade Hall in the city, checking reports from security escorts and assassination operatives. Branches operated as normal, protecting trade caravans or managing minor disputes, but every move fed back to him. He decided who lived, who died, and which contracts were carried out—some rejected targets were allowed to thrive, serving a purpose he alone could foresee.
"Those alive today may yet be the key to tomorrow's victory," he murmured to himself. "Instinct, not compassion. Precision, not sentiment."
Lan Yuhua arrived quietly, adjusting the cloak around his shoulders. "Be careful, dear."
Mu Qingyao, beside him, placed her hand lightly over his arm. "Show them who truly commands respect."
Ye Tian inclined his head once, acknowledging them both. "I intend to."
Finally, he called for the disciple. "Stay close. Learn and observe, but do not interfere unless I instruct. Every action, every whisper, may become a lesson."
The city's streets seemed to hold their breath as they moved. Lanterns flickered in the twilight, casting soft shadows over the throngs of nobles, merchants, and spectators gathering for the city lord's grand banquet. Inside, the city's elite whispered:
"The young Nightlord… is he truly the one?"
"Cursed Night Physique… Ye Clan… even the merchant families whisper his name…"
"He is only eighteen… yet some of the most respected associations have already bent to him…"
Ye Tian's gaze was calm, unwavering. All the threads he had woven through the day—merchant influence, Hao Sect intelligence, selective assassinations, loyalty of his operatives—now converged into a single point. By the time the banquet began, he would be the star of the night, and the entire city would know why.
As he led his small entourage—his two wives and his first disciple—toward the grand hall, Ye Tian thought quietly: Now the continent's shadows have started to come under me. I'm slowly beginning to control them… and someday, perhaps, devour them without anyone noticing. Who knows if this will stop at this continent alone.