Eldritch Assassin: Reincarnated With An SSS-Rank Devouring System-Chapter 128: A Letter

Daren stood alone in the training ground. His hand rested on his sword hilt. His mind was already working through possibilities and contingencies.

A Level 1 Primal Adept with that kind of skill was unusual. Very unusual. Either this person was hiding their true cultivation, or they possessed talent that would make them a serious contender in the upcoming Silver Rankings.

Either way, they couldn't be allowed to participate. Couldn't be allowed to potentially embarrass the Clearstar Estate further by performing well in a competition where Daren himself would be competing.

No. Better to eliminate the problem quietly before it became bigger.

His lips curved into that cold almost-smile again. "Silver eyes," he murmured to himself. "Let's see how long you survive in Mei Kingdom."

---

Meanwhile, across the city, Kael had returned to his room at the Golden Crane Inn. He sat on the edge of his bed, his mind reviewing the confrontation.

The fight itself had been trivial. Four guards at Level 5 Primal Adept against his Level 1 Primal Adept cultivation should have been a challenge, but their technique was sloppy. Their coordination was mediocre at best. They relied too heavily on their cultivation advantage and not enough on actual skill.

Still, he'd revealed more than he wanted to. Fighting that publicly, demonstrating ability far beyond his apparent cultivation level, it would draw attention. Exactly what he'd been trying to avoid.

"Stupid," he muttered to himself. "Should have just walked away."

But the arrogant young master had pushed too far. And Kael's patience for that kind of behavior had worn thin over the years. Sometimes a lesson needed to be taught, even if it complicated things.

He pulled out the map from his robes. Unrolled it carefully on the bed. His eyes traced the path to Mount Lianxu again. The cave marked in faded red ink.

Two months until the Skycloud Sect trials. One month of that needed to be spent in the Azure Mountains, advancing his cultivation to at least Level 5. Preferably higher.

That left one month in the capital to gather information, acquire resources, and prepare for the Silver Rankings that would determine who qualified for the sect trials.

But now he had another problem. The Clearstar Estate wouldn't let this go. That much was obvious. The young master had been too humiliated, and families like that didn't tolerate such public disrespect.

They'd come after him eventually. The question was when and how.

Kael stood and moved to the window. Looked out over the capital's rooftops. The sun was setting, painting everything in shades of orange and red.

He needed to be stronger before they made their move. Strong enough that whatever they sent wouldn't matter. And he needed better equipment.

Abyssal Fang was too recognizable now. The weapon's killing intent was too distinctive. Anyone with experience would recognize it as something far beyond a normal blade. Using it would raise questions he couldn't answer without revealing too much.

He needed a different weapon. Something good but not extraordinary. Something that wouldn't draw immediate attention.

And he needed new techniques. His current methods were effective, but limited. If he was going to compete in the Silver Rankings against Level 7, 8, and 9 Primal Adepts, he needed more options. More versatility.

A knock at his door interrupted his thoughts.

Kael's hand moved instinctively toward where his weapon would normally be. Then he remembered he'd stored it. He moved to the door cautiously. "Who is it?"

"Message for you, young master." The voice was female. One of the inn's serving girls. "Delivered just now."

Kael opened the door a crack. The girl stood there holding a sealed envelope. A plain paper with no identifying marks.

"Who sent it?" he asked.

"A servant from the Azure Sky Pavilion, young master. He said it was urgent." She held out the envelope.

Kael took it. Pressed a silver coin into her hand. "Thank you."

She bowed and hurried away.

He closed the door and examined the envelope carefully. There were no traps that he could detect and no unusual energy signatures. Just paper and wax seal.

He broke the seal and pulled out the letter inside. The writing was elegant, professional.

---

"Esteemed Guest,"

"The Azure Sky Pavilion is honored to invite you to our quarterly auction, to be held three days hence at the Hour of the Monkey. The event will feature rare cultivation resources, Antiques, weapons of exceptional quality, and techniques from various traditions.

As a valued customer, your attendance would be most welcome. Please present this invitation at the pavilion's main entrance on the evening of the auction.

We look forward to serving your cultivation needs."

Respectfully,

Master Feng

Auction Coordinator

Azure Sky Pavilion

---

Kael read the letter twice. An auction in three days. Perfect timing.

Auctions were where serious cultivators acquired the resources they really needed. Pills, weapons, techniques, everything had a price if you had the stones to pay for it.

And he had plenty of stones.

He'd need a weapon to replace Abyssal Fang for public use. Something good but not overly remarkable. A sword probably. Standard enough that it wouldn't draw attention.

And techniques. He needed offensive techniques that didn't rely on the Silver Lotus Flame. Methods he could use publicly without revealing his true cultivation path.

Defensive techniques would be useful too. His Adaptive Regeneration helped, but it wasn't enough against truly skilled opponents. He needed proper defensive arts. Maybe movement techniques to supplement his Eclipse Step.

The auction would have what he needed. It had to.

Kael folded the letter and tucked it away. Three days. He'd spend that time cultivating, restoring his energy completely, and preparing for what was to come.

The Azure Mountains could wait a few more days. First, he needed to be properly equipped.

He sat cross-legged on the bed, closing his eyes. His spiritual sense turned inward, examining his cultivation base. The Silver Lotus Flame pulsed gently in his dantian, stable and strong. His meridians were clear, energy flowing smoothly.

Peak Level 1 Primal Adept. He could already feel the threshold to Level 2 approaching. It was not far now. In maybe five days or a week of focused cultivation. Less if he had the right resources.

Kael opened his eyes. His silver gaze was cold and determined.

"Three days," he said quietly to the empty room. "Then we see what the Azure Sky Pavilion has to offer."

The sun finished setting outside his window. Darkness claimed the capital.