The round hall was vast enough to resemble a ceremonial chamber of an imperial palace rather than an area to receive guests inside a manor. It was spacious enough to start a battle.
The entire structure was circular, its walls curving outward in perfect symmetry while towering nearly a hundred meters high. White-black marble layered the walls in alternating rings, creating the illusion of spiraling tides when viewed from below. Silver hydra carvings slithered along the surface of the pillars, their scales embedded with tiny sealed transcendent crystals that emitted a faint glow like starlight.
Twelve colossal pillars stood around the perimeter of the hall, each thick enough that dozens of people linking arms together still would not be able to encircle one pletely.
Davis leaned back against the sofa casually.
The silver-blue radiance from the enormous chandelier reflected against his crow mask, causing the dark surface to gleam faintly like cold metal beneath moonlight. His fingers tapped lightly against the armrest while Head Guard Rowen and City mander Yigan sat beside him as though showing solidarity with him.
The City Lord noticed this belatedly, feeling suspicious.
For what reason were these two subordinates, who should be working under him, seated with this masked man? Did this person have a grand status?
He wondered if this person was from the Hexadra Clan, but there was secretive channels for it. In that case, was he from the Laughing Hexamaniacs? No person there wore a crow mask, making him confused.
He couldn't tell, so he asked, "Are you from the Hexadra Clan?"
The atmosphere inside the round hall turned strangely silent.
The maids lowered their heads further, bowed, and left the hall.
Only the Steward, Head Guard, and City mander remained.
Davis gazed at the City Lord, able to tell that he was quite strong despite what handsome fatty said about him. His cultivation constantly hovered between Level Seven Exalt Stage and Level Eight Exalt Stage as though he was going to drop to Level Seven Exalt Stage.
As far as the density of the aura went, Davis was unable to determine if the City Lord's prowess was two or three levels higher. It wasn't clear. Even to a High-Level Primarch, it would appear as though the City Lord barely had any prowess left, but it couldn't escape Davis's perception. He presumed that if there weren't any injuries or cultivation deviation, this was the City Lord's way of hiding his true prowess.
Davis's opinion of him was that he was a careful person despite sucking up to the Hexadra Clan to get this position. However, whether it was sucking up to the Hexadra Clan or being invited by the Hexadra Clan, he didn't know.
He felt the latter was not possible since the Hexadra Clan would want to keep the City Lords of the Twelve Bastion Cities in their control, even if they didn't belong to them.
"Rumor has it that you were called a hero due to your achievements in the Asura Dimension Battlefields, which sprawled over the realm pathways of our galaxy. It's an honor to meet you."
Davis stood up and cupped his hands, bowing.
"Get on with it." The City Lord said impatiently, even looking annoyed that someone had brought up this past.
Davis raised his hands, "Alright, the truth is- I have nothing to say."
"What?"
The City Lord's brows narrowed, killing intent emerging from him.
However, Davis waved his sleeves.
"Not to worry. City mander, please hand this jade container to the City Lord. There's a confidential message inside."
He handed over a jade container to the City mander, who then took it to the City Lord.
The City Lord looked at it suspiciously, waiting a few moments before getting it from the City mander and opening it.
He blinked as he saw that there was nothing in the jade container. Just as he wondered if there was a hidden contraption between the container's walls, he raised his head and saw the masked man standing before him.
His scalp nearly turned numb as he didn't realize when this person had moved. It was impossible for a Level Three Empyrean to move without disturbing his perception.
For one, the City mander blocked his view, and two, Davis had used Misdirection to keep him focused on the jade container.
By the time Davis closed the distance with the City Lord, it was too late.
Davis was like a ghastly wraith.
The moment the City Lord barely managed to raise his head, he used State of Divine Possession. But this time, he didn't corrupt the Will. He began impersonating the City Lord's karma, usurping his fate.
However, it wasn't the same Karmic Impersonation he used on Awudan or G'haren Bloodrain.
The City Lord's ornaments shattered one after another, presumably treasures that defended the soul. The sound of these breaking was vivid and alarm-inducing. Head Guard Rowen came by Davis's side to protect him.
The City mander was confused, and the Steward was alarmed.
"What's happening?" The two of them asked the 'City Lord' who was standing, and not the City Lord who was seated.
"Worry not." Davis calmly said, "This young friend just treated the headache I had been plagued with. It turns out the soul jades given by the Hexadra Clan was the reason. Hmm, I feel good now."
"Indeed." Davis, who was seated on the City Lord's seat, said slowly, "The City Lord looked brooding and restless, so I had to do a trick before getting to the confidential information. Can't be too cautious since these soul jades could be listening artifacts. Everyone, I must burden you to leave since what we are going to talk about is of the utmost importance. Even if it is the Saint, you must also gain my permission before being allowed to enter."
"Yes," The three of them replied respectfully.
"Ah, don't speak of this to the missus lest they worry." Davis, who was standing, hurriedly reminded them.
They smiled and nodded, agreeing before they walked away from the hall.
Davis and Davis looked at each other, wondering where the City Lord had gone.
The two of them pondered what had just happened before finally realizing.
The two of them clapped hands and pointed at each other, using soul transmissions to municate.
The one who was standing pointed at the one who was seated, "You were the City Lord, but right now, you're the crow masked man with white hair and a fake aura."
The one who was seated pointed at the one who was standing, "You were the real Davis, but now you're masked in the City Lord's aura, so you must be the City Lord."
The two of them looked at each other, a bit dumbfounded. They had somehow swapped karmic identities without physically moving.
Davis hadn't moved after using Karmic Impersonation, yet the City mander and the Steward addressed him as the City Lord.
To each other, they were Davis, but to the perception of others, Davis was the City Lord and City Lord was Davis, or rather, his disguise as Dragon with a fake aura.
Even to Davis, it was dizzying to make sense of it.
The two of them raised their hands and drove it over their long hair.
"What the fuck…"
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