Chapter 3029: The Hooded Tracker

As the moon hung high over Ash Crown City, casting silvery light through the gently swirling clouds of ash, Meng Bai and Daoist Chu strolled down the quieter side streets, heading back toward the Ember Hollow Hall.

Despite the late hour, the city hummed faintly with life—night workers, cultivators, and those with more shadowed professions going about their business beneath the smogged sky.

Meng Bai glanced sideways at Daoist Chu, his mind still dwelling on their meeting with Lady Qin and the enigmatic information she had provided. "You know," he said slowly, "you seemed like you recognized the name. This ’Hooded Tracker.’ Do you?"

Daoist Chu gave a soft grunt of affirmation, the edges of his robe shifting in the warm wind. "Yes. I’ve heard of them before—more than once."

"From where?" Meng Bai asked, his voice hushed.

Daoist Chu folded his hands behind his back, his expression unreadable. "The Silent Lotus World, for one. But not just here. The Hooded Tracker’s name echoes through many other realms as well. Small mentions in passing. Fragments in intelligence records. Stories exchanged in whispers among traveling cultivators. No one knows their appearance, only their results."

Meng Bai frowned. "So... they’re some kind of legendary bounty hunter?"

"That would be putting it lightly," Daoist Chu replied. "They’re not famous because they kill the strongest cultivators or destroy sects. No. What makes them feared and respected is that they find who they’re looking for. Always."

The younger disciple wrinkled his nose. "What do you mean?"

Daoist Chu turned his gaze toward the distant horizon where the ash-laden skies blurred into shadows. "It is said... they can sniff out even the faintest trace of a target. Even if the trail has gone cold for years. Even if the person has taken on a different face, used dozens of disguises, or crossed to another world."

Meng Bai blinked. "Wait—sniff out? Do you mean literally?"

Daoist Chu chuckled. "It’s just a phrase. But with the way people talk about them, it might as well be literal. It’s as if they possess an instinct—or some kind of spiritual technique—that allows them to know where their target is. Or at least where they were. Some believe the Hooded Tracker walks the line between cultivator and beast."

Meng Bai rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Couldn’t we just try the same thing? I mean... Little Shrubby’s sense of smell is ridiculous. And the twin snakes—Xiao Yin and Xiao Yang—can trace people by qi fluctuations and smell too, right?"

Just as he finished, the two snakes hissed in reply from within his sleeves, their tones mixed with irritation and disapproval. Ashy, perched on Meng Bai’s shoulder, fluffed her feathers and translated with a soft chirp. "They say... they could, but this place stinks. Too much ash, too much chaos. The scents of people fade too quickly. They can’t track anything beyond the near vicinity."

Daoist Chu nodded solemnly. "The Verdant Ash Basin is not a friendly place for trackers. The air is thick with mineral ash, elemental interference from the Earth Flames, and countless cultivators passing through. It’s like looking for a needle in a sea of needles."

Meng Bai sighed. "So we really might need the tracker."

"Yes," Daoist Chu said simply. "If they’ve already been in the city for a month and haven’t given up the trail, then it means they’re onto something. If we’re lucky, we can get close enough to learn what they know. Maybe even work together."

The younger man looked skeptical. "You think someone like that would work with us?"

Daoist Chu gave a small smile. "That depends. The Hooded Tracker is not known for unnecessary conflict. They do not attack uninvolved parties. Their record shows precision—no collateral damage, no theatrics. Just quiet results."

"Still sounds scary," Meng Bai muttered. "I hope we can find some common ground."

"I hope so too," Daoist Chu said. "But we’ll be cautious. We don’t know what their goal is. We don’t know who hired them, or even if they’re working alone."

’If the tracker is working with the Ephemera Sect, it’ll really be problematic for us.’ Daoist Chu thought to himself.

They paused at the gates of the Ember Hollow Hall, the warm, elemental glow of Earth Flame lanterns bathing the courtyard in shifting amber light. Little Shrubby’s tall silhouette could be seen dozing near the entrance to the Earth Flame Room, his fur gently bristling with absorbed energy.

"I’ll inform Lin Mu tomorrow once we get the letter from Lady Qin," Daoist Chu said quietly. "He needs to know what we’ve learned. If this tracker is truly as skilled as I think, they might already know we’re here too."

"Why didn’t she give it to us right away though?" Meng Bai couldn’t help but ask. "She had it in her hand after all."

"Probably to confirm their own intelligence first. The Hooded Tracker is good at hiding too, so there’s a chance his last trail might’ve gone cold. If she gave it to us and it was wrong information or outdated, it won’t reflect well on their image." Daoist Chu explained.

"Plus I’m a VIP so they cannot be so sloppy. They have a standard to uphold, after all. If they did and I complained, the Silver Raven Alliance will probably punish them in some way."

"I see..." Meng Bai said, growing silent and looking at the sky.

After a few seconds of pause though, he spoke again.

"Do you think they’re watching us?" Meng Bai asked nervously.

"Possibly," came the simple reply. "And if they are, they’re probably wondering the same about us."

The courtyard gate creaked closed behind them, sealing off the night’s ash-blown winds.

And somewhere, not far beyond the edge of the city walls, a figure in a tattered gray cloak stood atop a lone, scorched plateau. Their face was hidden beneath a hood, their presence barely perceptible even to the beasts that prowled the basin.

Eyes the color of molten stone blinked once.

And the trail... grew clearer.

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