**Chapter 6
Midnight Recon (Spoiler: Not Invisible)**
That evening, the courtyard buzzed with hushed excitement. A rival sect, the Vermilion Flame Pavilion, had been spotted scouting Azure Mist territory. Under the cover of darkness, the instructor announced, a dozen novices would infiltrate their camp and gather intelligence.
Alex Reed's heart sank when she added, "Invisible Guy, you're up third."
He forced a grin. "Third's great—less chance of… face-planting."
Ling Xiao'er sidled up, her twig-staff transformed into a slender rapier. "Night stealth," she whispered, "is all about shadows and silence." She conjured a faint blue glow on the blade's edge. "Here—Spiritlight Blade. Cuts through darkness."
Alex accepted the weapon like it might bite him. His System chimed: "Reminder: Invisibility Protocol optimized for daylight. Night mode pending patch."
He sighed. "Fantastic."
---
**Approach**
Clad in dark robes, the group slipped past the outer wards. Alex tiptoed between lantern-lit pavilions, counting his steps. The System buzzed: *"Cloaking Field at 10% effectiveness."*
He froze as a patrol passed. Holding his breath, he watched their lanterns pass within arm's reach—only to trip on a stray sandal, sending him sprawling into a heap.
Lantern light flared across his face. The guards froze. Alex scrambled upright, eyes wide, and whispered, "Invisible." The patrol stepped over him without a glance.
Behind a bamboo fence, Ling Xiao'er stifled a laugh. "Nice work, sir Invisible."
*"Stealth bonus awarded,"* the System tried to cheer.
Alex rubbed his shin. "If I'm invisible, how do I bruise myself?"
---
**Surveillance**
They found a rooftop vantage overlooking the Pavilion's central courtyard. Novices huddled behind crates; only Alex's silhouette was visible against the moonlit sky.
Below, rival cultivators practiced flame-whip techniques. Alex drew in a shaky breath and raised his Spiritlight Blade.
"Record everything," the instructor's whisper echoed.
He fumbled for a memory seal, accidentally dropped it—clink—on the wooden floor. The sound echoed.
A cultivator stopped and peered up. Alex held perfectly still. The cultivator shrugged and returned to practice.
"Dance celebration?" the System suggested.
Alex shook his head fiercely. "No!"
He retrieved the seal, heart pounding like a war drum.
---
**Escape**
Scroll in hand, Alex retreated with the group toward the outer wall—only to find the path blocked by two guards.
Ling Xiao'er darted forward, engaging them in a blur of rapier strikes. The guards staggered back, curses and sparks flying. Alex bolted past, clutching the scroll, only to be yanked by the ankle.
He tumbled over a guard's boot; the guard looked down, confused, then shrugged and turned away—apparently "invisible" extended to nuisance-level bruising.
Breathing hard, Alex and Ling Xiao'er scaled the wall. At the top, Alex waved the scroll triumphantly.
"I'm still here!" he panted.
She laughed. "Visible or not, you did it."
Below them, the rival pavilion's lanterns burned bright. Alex pressed the scroll to his chest.
"Mission accomplished," he said to the System.
*"Invisibility—still beta,"* the System conceded.
Alex offered it a weary smile. "One day, maybe you'll keep me out of trouble."
As they slipped back into Azure Mist territory, Alex realized that sometimes the best cloak isn't invisibility—it's surviving the absurdity of a cultivation world, one bruised shin at a time.