Ji Chen stood in front of the projector and took a deep breath. Seated in the meeting room were more than a dozen senior executives, including Qin Yue, the company president who rarely appeared in person. Today was the quarterly project briefing, and his segment—the Urban Commercial Hotspot Forecasting System—was the highlight.
Since the midnight attack a week ago, his life had changed completely. By day, he was a regular data analyst; by night, a cultivation disciple under Su Wan's guidance. Two completely different lives, alternating like parallel worlds.
"Ji Chen, you may begin," his department head, Manager Li, reminded him.
Ji Chen nodded and pressed the remote. The projector lit up, but instead of diving straight into the charts, he closed his eyes and activated Spirit Vision, a basic technique from the Grand Void Heavenly Tome.
It was a bold idea he had just thought of the night before—using spiritual perception to enhance work analysis. Spirit Vision revealed the true essence of things. Perhaps it could help uncover hidden trends within the data.
As spiritual energy coursed to his eyes, the world changed when he opened them again. Everything in the room was surrounded by colored auras representing emotions—Manager Li radiated a soft green of expectation, while several department heads glowed dull yellow with doubt. But Qin Yue...
Ji Chen's heart skipped a beat. A strange gray mist surrounded Qin Yue—eerily similar to the aura of Night Owl Sect members.
Suppressing his panic, Ji Chen turned his focus back to the screen. Under Spirit Vision, the dry figures became clusters of glowing points, their interconnections gleaming like neural pathways. He could now see patterns he'd never noticed before.
"Please direct your attention to the sales data for Q3," Ji Chen began, his voice steadier than usual. "At first glance, the East District shows the fastest growth, but actually..." He pointed to a minor drop in a graph. "A subtle decline in the West District is the real turning point."
As he explained, the hidden relationships among data sets became increasingly apparent. Ji Chen even projected anomalies for the upcoming quarter, pinpointing specific commercial areas and timelines.
The atmosphere in the room shifted. Department heads started whispering among themselves and nodding in approval. A faint smile bloomed on Manager Li's face. Only Qin Yue remained expressionless—though when Ji Chen mentioned "underground commercial layouts," the gray mist around him shuddered ever so slightly.
"Based on my analysis," Ji Chen concluded, "I recommend reallocating resources in the West District and monitoring these three potential surge zones."
As he deactivated Spirit Vision, a wave of dizziness hit him—extended use of spiritual techniques drained energy quickly.
Applause broke out.
"Outstanding work!" Manager Li beamed. "President Qin, what do you think?"
Qin Yue slowly rose. Though in his forties, he was impeccably maintained, his tailored suit highlighting a lean, muscular build. He walked over to Ji Chen and extended a hand. "Impressive insight, Ji... Chen, is it?"
The moment their hands met, a cold current surged toward Ji Chen's core. Instinctively, he circulated his spiritual energy in defense. The jade imprint on his palm pulsed faintly with heat. A flicker of surprise crossed Qin Yue's face—but it vanished as quickly as it appeared.
"Thank you, President Qin," Ji Chen said with a calm smile, retracting his hand.
"I'm hosting a private gathering Friday night—some investors would love to hear about your analysis." Qin Yue handed him a gold-embossed card. "Hope you'll join us."
Ji Chen accepted the card—and felt a sudden sting on his fingertips. On the back was a faint symbol—an eye entangled by thorny vines.
"A great honor," he replied, masking the alarm ringing in his heart. This was no ordinary invitation.
After the meeting, congratulations poured in. His colleague Wang Lei clapped him on the back. "Bro, you're going places! President Qin never invites people casually."
Feigning a smile, Ji Chen excused himself to the restroom. Once locked in a stall, he pulled out his phone and messaged Su Wan:
"Qin Yue invited me to a gathering this Friday. I think he might be linked to Night Owl Sect."
Her reply came instantly:
"Don't go! I'll look into him right away."
Too late. Ji Chen examined the business card again. Under Spirit Vision, the symbol leaked wisps of dark energy. Stranger still, the phone number on the card shifted every few seconds—imperceptible to normal eyes.
"I already accepted. He probed my spiritual energy during the handshake."
"Damn it! Come to my place after work. Bring that card."
As Ji Chen stepped out of the stall, a familiar voice called out.
"Senior Ji."
It was Su Wan, dressed in her intern uniform—hair tied neatly into a ponytail, arms hugging a stack of files. Within the company, she always pretended they were mere coworkers.
"Su... Wan?" Ji Chen blinked. "Why—"
"Manager Li asked me to deliver these." She handed him the documents—and slipped in a tiny folded paper. "Be careful with Qin Yue. He reeks of 'Soul-Eater Gu.'"
Keeping his expression neutral, Ji Chen replied, "Thanks." Once she walked off, he unfolded the note. It read:
"Don't go straight home after work. Loop around three times to check for tails, then come over."