Chapter 57: Night Prowling, Night Thievery
When Xu Xiaoyan said she was going to steal a carriage, she meant it. She wasn’t about to spend a single coin.
As evening approached, they hid the stolen carriage in the forest. She sat on the driver’s seat, undid her fallen horse bun, and hummed a tune as she combed her hair.
Shi Hao stood beside her, watching… He had to admit, it was quite a pleasant sight.
Although she wore a simple village girl’s dress, she was just as beautiful as Du Yuejiao.
Her oval face, rosy cheeks, delicate features, and captivating aura… perhaps because she seemed more like a kindred spirit, Shi Hao even found her slightly more attractive than Du Yuejiao.
Of course, that was purely subjective.
Objectively, Du Yuejiao was also undeniably beautiful.
Xu Xiaoyan finished combing her hair and styled it into a “hundred flowers bun.”
“No peeking!” she said, climbing into the carriage. After a while, she emerged, now dressed in a form-fitting black outfit, a five-petaled flower tucked into her hair.
“Here,” she tossed a set of black men’s clothing to Shi Hao.
“You really came prepared,” Shi Hao said, impressed.
He changed into the black outfit in the forest.
It fit reasonably well, although a bit loose in some places… Since Xu Xiaoyan didn’t know his exact measurements, she had erred on the side of caution.
But the outfit had straps to tighten the sleeves and waist, so it wasn’t a problem.
As darkness fell, Xu Xiaoyan carefully drove the carriage to a hidden spot near Jing’an Monastery.
They then used the Evil Shadow Disguise Technique. Shi Hao became “Hao Xinghua” again, and Xu Xiaoyan became the “plain-looking girl” he had seen on the river.
This was one of the limitations of the Evil Shadow Disguise Technique. Although it was incredibly convenient, allowing them to change their appearance on the fly without any preparation, the number of facial muscles they could control was limited.
To create a drastically different appearance, the number of possible transformations was restricted.
No one who saw “Hao Xinghua” would connect him to Shi Hao; they looked completely different.
Altering every feature created a distinct persona. But changing only some features might give people a sense of familiarity, causing unnecessary trouble.
Xu Xiaoyan’s transformation was even more dramatic. Her nose became larger, her mouth crooked, her face rounder, and a small, but noticeable, bump appeared on her forehead, making her look… plain.
“Am I ugly enough?” she giggled, pushing her face close to his.
Shi Hao looked at her seriously, “No… you look quite… charming.”
Xu Xiaoyan snorted and glanced at him sideways, “You’re just saying that because you know what I really look like. Trying to flatter me.”
Shi Hao smiled, “I genuinely think you look… interesting.”
He watched as she put on a black mask, covering her face, and asked, “Why bother with a mask if you’ve already changed your appearance? And if you’re wearing a mask, why bother changing your appearance?”
Xu Xiaoyan chuckled, “Because masks aren’t foolproof. Some people, seeing a masked female thief, might think she’s a beauty hiding beneath the mask and try to capture her alive or remove her mask.
“And when the mask comes off, and they see my ‘ugly’ face, they’ll be so disappointed and disgusted that I can easily escape. And seeing it’s just a plain-looking girl, they won’t bother chasing me.”
Shi Hao said, impressed, “That’s clever.”
“And you,” Xu Xiaoyan, wearing the mask, approached him and looked at him in the dim moonlight, “You actually look like a real assassin with those sharp features and that menacing look. Perhaps after this heist, we can take on some assassination jobs. They pay well.”
Shi Hao recalled the Demon Spirit Assassination Order from the Red Hill Gathering. Two or three hundred taels per kill, even after the organization’s cut, still left a hefty profit.
Seven or eight kills, and he would have over a thousand taels. He had to admit… he was tempted to join the assassin organization.
Shi Hao also put on a black mask and asked, “How are we getting in?”
Xu Xiaoyan giggled, “Getting in is easy. Getting out is the tricky part.”
She took his hand, “Hold on tight, and don’t let go! Let’s go!” She floated towards Jing’an Monastery.
Shi Hao followed her, quickly approaching the monastery walls. They would be spotted if they went any further.
Xu Xiaoyan took out an object, and with a flash of light, they were enveloped in a black mist and floated upwards.
They drifted over the high walls, past the watchtowers and patrolling Daoists, undetected.
Shi Hao wondered what kind of powerful magic this was.
As if sensing his thoughts, Xu Xiaoyan leaned closer, her body pressing against his, and whispered in his ear, “This is the effect of the Night Wanderer Talisman. The divine crystal inside is the ‘Night Wanderer.’”
Shi Hao wasn’t very familiar with divine crystals. Those he had heard of before all ended with “Star,” like the Earth Dog Star, Heavenly Speed Star, Chopping Block Star, and so on.
This was the first time he had encountered a magical weapon named after a “god.”
He thought to himself, “If there’s a ‘Night Wanderer’ divine crystal, is there also a ‘Day Wanderer’?”
He felt like he was grasping something important.
Magical weapons had limited uses, but supernatural ability users didn’t have to worry about that. However, the power granted by the Night Wanderer clearly had limitations. It was useful as a magical weapon, but as a supernatural ability, it was too restrictive.
One couldn’t live their life in reverse, only going out at night, becoming a thief.
Since the talisman’s effect was temporary, Xu Xiaoyan didn’t waste any time, pulling him along as they quickly moved through the monastery.
There were at least hundreds of people within the monastery, and despite the late hour, patrolling disciples and Daoists could be seen everywhere.
They drifted past these patrols undetected.
When they encountered walls or buildings, they simply floated over them, effortlessly. This must be the “wandering” aspect of the “Night Wanderer” ability.
Xu Xiaoyan, a true master thief, quickly located the main alchemy room after a few passes.
The alchemy room wasn’t locked. They slipped inside, hand in hand, and began searching.
“Here!” Shi Hao, having learned alchemy from Daoist Lan Ke, quickly located a large crate based on the scent of medicinal herbs.
A seal was affixed to the crate. Normally, there was no need to seal crates of ingredients or elixirs used within the monastery. This sealed crate was clearly meant for the barbarian army.
Shi Hao sniffed the crate and whispered, “Minor Restoration Pills.”
Xu Xiaoyan whispered, “Are you sure?”
Shi Hao said, “I’ve refined these pills myself. I can recognize the scent.”
Xu Xiaoyan wasn’t entirely convinced. She didn’t want to carry it out only to discover it was something else.
She took out a small knife to cut the seal and check.
Just then, voices came from outside.
They exchanged glances, realizing they were in trouble.
They hadn’t expected anyone to come here in the middle of the night. Although the Night Wanderer Talisman’s effect was still active, it wouldn’t last much longer.
Xu Xiaoyan pointed upwards.
They silently floated up to the rafters, using their remaining invisibility.
But the rafters weren’t safe. If anyone looked up, they would be easily spotted.
Xu Xiaoyan, however, had already anticipated this and pointed to a partially enclosed area above the door. They quickly moved there and hid.
The space was narrow, and Shi Hao felt a soft weight against his back as Xu Xiaoyan pressed against him.
They were now completely hidden in a blind spot. Unless someone entered the alchemy room, walked all the way to the back, and then looked up, they wouldn’t be discovered.
Only someone who had spent years as a thief could find such a hiding spot so quickly.
The door creaked open, followed by flickering torchlight. Several disciples entered, placing torches in the wall sconces, illuminating the room.
“Leave us,” a low voice commanded.
The disciples bowed and left. The low voice spoke again, “Rest assured, Senior Brother Xuandu. The God-Sealing Stone has been sent away and will reach the sect soon. And the medicinal pills for the army are also ready… Senior Brother Xuandu?”
Another voice, deep and authoritative, said, “We’ll discuss that later.”
The low voice asked, “Senior Brother Xuandu, Junior Sister Zhuo, what happened?”
A woman’s voice said hesitantly, “Well…”
Shi Hao, hidden above, peeked through a crack in the wood. He didn’t see the woman who had spoken, but a young woman in a red Daoist robe.
It looked like a Daoist robe, but it was actually a brightly colored dress.
The authoritative voice said again, “Neither of you noticed anything unusual about him? Such a serious matter, and no one noticed anything beforehand? Yuejiao, you’re closest to him. You speak first.”
The girl in the red dress stammered, “We just… knew he wasn’t feeling well those few days. We didn’t see anything else. No one expected him… him to betray the sect.”
The low voice was filled with surprise, “Who are you talking about? Who betrayed the sect?”
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