With the activation of the talisman, Lin Mu’s appearance began to shift subtly.

His aura restrained until it was no stronger than an ordinary disciple’s. His hair dulled, his eyes changed hue, his facial structure softened into something nondescript.

In moments, Lin Mu no longer looked like the feared figure that had shaken the entire Silent Lotus World but rather one of the young cultivators of the Hidden Cave sect he had picked at random.

Turning back to the group, he spoke with quiet certainty. "Remain hidden and prepare yourselves. Elyon and I will scout their sect from within. Once I have a clearer understanding of what we face, we will decide our next step."

Elyon vanished into the shadows at his side, his presence melting away as though swallowed by the sphere itself. Lin Mu adjusted his plain robes and made them look like the robes of the Hidden Cave Sect.

With the Silver Mirage Circlet, it was very easy for him to do so. Having done that, he stepped forward, ready to walk openly into the world of the Hidden Cave Sect, to uncover the truth behind their facade.

The others watched him go, their expressions a mixture of unease, curiosity, and trust.

Lin Mu moved with steady steps through the interior of the vast sphere, the faint light of glowing formations painting his path.

His gaze was locked on a particular structure clinging to the inner wall of the cavernous hollow. It was a modest building compared to the grand pavilions suspended in the air by massive stone chains, yet it carried a quiet seclusion that made it an ideal place to start.

That was precisely where the disciple whose appearance Lin Mu had copied resided.

The disguise was perfect on the surface, but even perfection demanded caution. Lin Mu knew that if the true disciple continued to remain visible, it would raise suspicions no matter how relaxed the sect seemed within these walls.

The simplest way to avoid that problem was to make sure the original went missing for a while.

The target was seated cross-legged in a small courtyard at the side of the building, completely immersed in meditation. His eyes were closed, his breathing calm, and there was no hint of awareness in his expression.

The courtyard was surrounded by a thin stone wall lined with faint moss, providing minimal separation from the surrounding structures. A few ornamental lanterns burned softly at the corners, giving the place a tranquil look.

Lin Mu appeared within the courtyard without a single sound, using his Spatial Skill Blink.

One instant he was walking outside, the next he was standing just a few steps away from the meditating disciple. His presence went completely unnoticed. With practiced ease, Lin Mu struck a precise acupoint at the base of the disciple’s neck.

THUD

The young man slumped forward instantly, his consciousness severed as if it had been snuffed out.

Not stopping there, Lin Mu tapped into his own qi and sealed the man’s meridians with careful control. He spread his qi in thin streams, locking each pathway in place until it would take days for the flow to even begin to recover. The disciple would remain unconscious for the foreseeable future, unable to raise an alarm even if discovered.

Lin Mu checked the body quickly, searching for the disciple’s belongings.

The most obvious was a Spatial Storage tool, a simple jade ring that he slipped off with ease. He broke the lock and swept through its contents with his spirit sense, noting a collection of Immortal stones, talismans, and some personal effects like spare robes and dried food.

The most important item, however, was exactly what he expected: the Identification Token.

’Hmm... A Core Disciple of the Hidden Cave sect... No wonder he had his own private courtyard.’ Lin Mu observed.

The token pulsed faintly with formations etched into its surface, carrying the mark of the Hidden Cave Sect. It was not only proof of membership but also a key that allowed access to different sections of the sect’s compound.

Lin Mu examined it carefully, deciphering the web of inscriptions before rewriting them subtly. He synchronized the token with his own qi signature, so that anyone checking it would believe it to be genuine. He even adjusted his cultivation base to the Third Tribulation Stage of the Immortal Realm to match that of the disciple he had just knocked out.

With that, his disguise was complete.

Satisfied, Lin Mu dragged the unconscious disciple into a secluded wardrobe within the courtyard’s rooms and left him there.

He layered an additional concealment talisman over the spot, making it nearly impossible for casual eyes to find the body. Only a thorough search with powerful Immortal sense would reveal him, and Lin Mu was confident no such search would occur anytime soon.

When he stepped back into the open, he did so without hesitation, walking openly as though he belonged.

The key to infiltration was not only the mask one wore but the confidence with which one wore it. He strolled casually toward the main thoroughfare of the sect, his robes marked with the Hidden Cave Sect’s sigil of a cave with a drawn curtain.

Disciples walked past him without sparing a second glance.

Some were alone, others in groups of two or three, chatting quietly or laughing. Training fields echoed faintly with the sounds of clashing weapons, though the aura of violence was strangely muted. There was none of the paranoia or harshness Lin Mu had associated with sects of this nature.

He let his ears open, catching fragments of conversation that floated freely in the air.

"Another week in this hibernation and I swear I will go mad," one young disciple complained. His voice carried the petulant tone of youth, restless and full of energy. "We have been here for months without stepping outside. I miss the air of the Silent Lotus World."

"Stop whining," his companion retorted, though his own sigh betrayed sympathy. "The elders said we must remain within the sphere until the orders change. You want to be the one who questions the Patriarch?"