Liam appeared above the roof of the inn where Chrises was staying. The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across Velaris, painting the city in warm amber tones, and from this elevated vantage point, he could see the entire capital spread before him.

It was currently late afternoon, which meant Chrises wouldn't be at the inn but at the store handling the day's business.

Liam descended from the roof, his landing smooth and controlled. Several people on the street witnessed his arrival, their eyes widening as they watched him touch down with grace. Whispers immediately began spreading through the nearby crowd.

"Who is that mage? He's dressed weird."

"Did you see him just appear from nowhere?"

"The aura coming from him... it's incredible."

"I've never seen him before. Is he visiting from another kingdom?"

Liam paid no attention to their speculation. He had more important things to focus on than managing curious onlookers. He started walking toward the business district where Chrises's store was located, his pace casual despite the stares following him.

As he walked through Velaris's streets, Liam took in the changes that had occurred during his absence. The most immediately noticeable difference was the Lucid devices. Almost everyone he passed wore the sleek smart glasses perched on their faces as naturally as any other accessory. Those who weren't actively wearing them had the devices hanging from their clothes or clutched in their hands, ready to be used at a moment's notice.

Liam smiled at the sight. The magic universe version of Lucid had been a resounding success, exactly as he'd expected.

More than five months has passed since the device launch, and that had been more than enough time for the device to spread throughout the capital and even beyond. The speed of adoption had probably exceeded even optimistic estimates.

But the Lucid's prevalence wasn't the only change he noticed.

The city itself felt different. Busier in some ways, yet paradoxically less crowded in others. It was a strange contrast that took Liam a moment to fully understand.

The streets had fewer people physically walking around, but the activity level seemed higher. Shops were doing brisk business despite smaller foot traffic. Street vendors called out to passersby who seemed to know exactly what they wanted before approaching.

Liam understood the reason immediately. The Lucid had fundamentally changed how people interacted with the city.

Why walk to three different shops to compare prices when you could check inventory and costs through LucidNet from home? Why wander aimlessly through the market when you could plan your route efficiently?

Yes, Lucy had launched LucidNet for the magic universe's Lucid version. It wasn't like the social media version of Earth's, it more like an announcement bulletin and an e-commerce platform.

The ease brought forth by the device had made daily activities more efficient. People could accomplish their business and shopping without the time-consuming aspects that had previously been unavoidable. But that same efficiency meant fewer people needed to be physically present in the streets at any given time.

This was one of the inevitable effects of technology, Liam knew. Convenience always came with transformation. Some would mourn the loss of the old bustling atmosphere, but most would appreciate the reclaimed time and reduced frustration.

Beyond these technological impacts, Velaris appeared more or less the same. The architecture hadn't changed and the general layout remained familiar.

When Liam reached the business district, the contrast became even more pronounced. This area was far busier than the residential streets with customers moving between establishments. Lucid might have reduced casual foot traffic elsewhere, but serious commerce still required personal attention.

He approached the store, its distinctive facade standing out among the neighboring shops. Through the slightly transparent glass front, Liam could see several customers inside browsing the merchandise.

Behind the counter stood Chrises, who now had a very professional demeanor to her. Beside her was a young woman he didn't recognize—probably an employee she'd hired to help with the increased business.

Liam smiled to himself and walked toward the entrance. The glass doors sensed his approach and slid open automatically, allowing him to step into the cool air-conditioned shop.

Chrises looked up at the sound of the doors opening, her eyes landing on Liam. For a fraction of a second, her professional mask slipped, genuine surprise and happiness flashing across her features. Then she composed herself, set down the magical artifact she'd been examining with a customer, and walked toward him.

She stopped an appropriate distance away and bowed deeply, her voice carrying clearly through the shop. "Master. Welcome back."

The young woman beside her—the employee—froze in complete shock. Her eyes went wide as she watched her normally unflappable boss, the woman who dealt with noble customers and wealthy merchants with perfect composure, bow with obvious respect to what appeared to be a teenager.

The employee's mind raced, trying to make sense of the scene, but she wisely kept her thoughts to herself and quickly followed Chrises's example, bowing as well.

The customers in the store had similarly dramatic reactions. Several of them had been trying to engage Chrises in conversation for weeks, hoping to learn more about the mysterious shopkeeper who ran this increasingly popular establishment.

But she had maintained perfect professional distance with all of them, never revealing personal information, never showing deference to even the wealthiest patrons.

Now she was bowing and calling this young man "master."

The questions that must have been exploding in their minds were almost visible on their faces. Who was he? Where had he come from? What was his relationship to the shopkeeper? Was he the actual owner of the store?

But none of them voiced their curiosity. The oppressive aura emanating from Liam made asking questions feel impossible. It was like trying to speak while standing at the edge of a cliff, looking down into an abyss. Their survival instincts screamed at them to stay quiet, to not draw attention, to simply observe and retreat at the first opportunity.

Liam offered Chrises a warm smile, genuinely pleased to see her. "Rise. How have you been?"

Chrises straightened, her expression neutral but her eyes carrying warmth. "I've been well, master. Thank you for asking. It's been quite some time since I last saw you"

"I know," Liam said with a slight apologetic tone. "I've been extremely busy. A lot has happened since I left."

His gaze shifted to the young woman standing slightly behind Chrises, still frozen in her bow. "You can rise as well," he said gently.

The employee straightened quickly, her face flushed with a mix of embarrassment and nervousness. She kept her eyes lowered, not quite daring to look directly at him.

Liam glanced around the store, noting the customers who were all trying very hard to pretend they weren't completely focused on this interaction. His attention returned to Chrises.

"You're clearly still busy with customers," he observed. "I don't want to interfere. Why don't we talk later this evening, after you close the store?"

Chrises nodded in immediate understanding. "Of course, master. I close at sunset. Shall I come to you, or would you prefer to meet here?"

"I'll return here after sunset," Liam decided. "That will give me time to handle some other matters I need to attend to."

"I'll be ready," Chrises assured him.

Liam smiled again, offered a slight nod to both Chrises and her employee, then turned and walked back toward the entrance. The glass doors slid open for him, and he stepped out into the late afternoon air of the business district.

Behind him, he could almost feel the explosion of whispered conversation that would erupt the moment the doors closed. The customers would definitely bombard Chrises with questions.

She would deflect them all with her characteristic professionalism, revealing nothing of substance while somehow making people feel like they'd learned something valuable.

Since Chrises was still occupied with business, Liam decided it would be more efficient to visit Master Han in the cultivation universe. It's been a while since he saw the old blacksmith.

Liam took a few more steps down the street, then simply vanished.

He reappeared on a street corner close to Master Han's shop. And immediately, several passersby noticed his sudden materialization. Their reactions were immediate and instinctive and recognition flashed across their faces.

Heads lowered automatically as they hurried past him, giving him a wide berth. A few even turned around entirely, deciding that whatever business they'd had in that direction could wait until the Demon God had moved on.

Liam paid no attention to their reactions, as he started walking toward Master Han's shop, his pace relaxed, taking in the familiar streets.

It's been a while since he came to the cultivation world and it really feels good to be back here.

But honestly, another thing Liam was looking forward to, was the action that would come after the news of his appearance spread all over Blackstone city.

The shop came into view after a minute of walking. Master Han's establishment didn't look like he had left it. It looked like some people had come there to look for trouble.

Liam immediately guessed the culprit. He smiled sinisterly, increasing his pace as he continued walking to the shop.

He hopes nothing bad happened to Master Han and his apprentice, or things are going to look really ugly.

***

What Liam didn't know was that two entities who had recognised his aura just from his brief presence in Velaris, were now rushing towards the city. They naturally noticed his disappearance of his aura, and they intend to wait for his return.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.