The moment Wei Ji's third stage of Body Infusion and Qi rippled through the air, the ground beneath him quivered. Pebbles rolled. Dust spiraled.
The two men facing him shared a look before bursting into laughter, each of their voices dripping with mockery and arrogance.
"Third stage? Ha! You really believe you can take us on with that?" one of them taunted, unsheathing his sword with a sharp shiiing. "You're giving yourself way too much credit, kid."
The other added, his tone proud, "We're already at the fourth stage of Body and Qi Infusion. You're a step below. You should kneel while you still can."
Wei Ji remained silent, tilting his head slightly as the wind stirred his long hair. His expression was unchanged, and his breathing was surprisingly steady. Only the subtle flicker of his eyes hinted at his awareness of every twitch in their muscles.
Then, the first man lunged. In the blink of an eye, he disappeared from view, his speed increasing to a blur. Swoov! His sword shimmered as it sliced through the air.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
With each movement, he became sharper and faster, his speed escalating to the point where even the grass appeared to stand still.
Wei Ji didn't move. His eyes followed calmly, predicting, measuring, and calculating the enemy's movement.
When the blade finally reached his neck—Wei Ji snorted.
It was a low, rumbling sound, more like contempt than effort.
The next moment, the man's world spun. He blinked, seeing the sky. He didn't understand what had happened until pain erupted all across his back. It was like a mountain had slammed into him.
"Aaaghh!"
A scream erupted from him.
Wei Ji stood in front of him, one hand firmly holding the man's wrist. His eyes were cold. Immediately, his foot came down—
BANG!
Blood sprayed everywhere, the impact resonated like a thunderclap.
The man collapsed to the ground, unconscious before he even touched down.
The second cultivator's eyes widened in shock. "W-what the hell?!"
Wei Ji shifted his gaze to him, his smirk transforming into a mix of amusement and predatory intent. "You're surprised?"
The man stiffened. Wei Ji continued, his tone dripping with quiet disdain. "So there are cultivators here after all… interesting." He muttered more to himself than to his opponent, his eyes distant for a brief moment. "But your aura… it's different. This is nothing like the cultivator I once met. Perhaps you're—" He stopped mid-sentence. His gaze sharpened again.
"Forget it."
The second man roared, charging forward. His sword flashed five times in rapid succession.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
Five strikes, perfectly aligned, each aimed to kill. His movements were faster, more deliberate than his companion's.
But Wei Ji—though visibly slower—moved just enough to evade every single one. His body shifted inches at a time, almost lazily. The sword passed within a breath's distance of his skin, missing by sheer precision.
"First strike… too linear," Wei Ji said softly, ducking under the blade. "Second… your footing's weak."
He leaned back. The sword barely missed his nose.
"Third strike—overcommitted. You're chasing your own momentum."
He pivoted sideways. The sword slashed through air.
"Fourth—your left hand trembled. You lack balance."
The man growled, his face red.
"Fifth…" Wei Ji stepped closer, his breath whispering against the man's ear. "Sloppy."
With a swift motion, he pushed his palm hard against the man's chest.
Thud!
The cultivator stumbled back, gasping, his sword shaking in his hand. Sweat dripped down his forehead, and fury ignited in his eyes.
"You!" he shouted, his voice hoarse.
Wei Ji spat on the ground. "You're too weak to even stand before me."
Without hesitation, he struck the man's neck with the edge of his hand. Crack! The man collapsed like a heavy sack.
Wei Ji let out a quiet exhale, his breath steady. His gaze shifted to the side, where the massive Wolf had been lying—except… it wasn't there anymore.
He froze. "Huh?"
His eyes narrowed. "It escaped?"
He turned slowly, scanning the treeline. Faint traces of energy caught his attention—glimmers of the beast's spiritual essence fading into the distance.
"That's… odd," he murmured. "It shouldn't be moving that quickly, not after the damage it took."
A frown crossed his face as he pondered. "I shouldn't underestimate those who serve the future her… the Celestial Demon Empress." His voice was low, but bitterness laced every word.
He brought his hands together to form a seal and closed his eyes. The air around him fell silent.
Moments later, the earth beneath him began to stir. A single blade of grass shot up from the soil, twisting rapidly until it blossomed into a vibrant, glowing flower. Its petals sparkled like shards of emerald glass. Then—
BOOM!
It detonated, sending countless specks of green light swirling in every direction. Each green spore fragment carried a soft whisper of energy, moving through the forest like watchful eyes.
Wei Ji's consciousness expanded, reaching out to connect with every leaf, every root, and every heartbeat within the woods.
Then—he saw it.
A flicker of flame far away. Then another. Then another.
Each trail branched off in a different direction.
Wei Ji's brow furrowed. "So it left decoys…"
He exhaled slowly, his voice low. "Clever beast. Not even a full spiritual creature, yet it already knows deception."
He stood still, thinking. His thoughts came in murmurs.
"If I go after it, I might end up wasting a night's worth of spiritual energy… But if I don't, it'll regroup. Worse, it could inform someone stronger."
He glanced toward the Han Family territory where his wife was, the faint scent of her perfume still lingering in his memory, soft and comforting.
He sighed. "The Demonkins…" His voice grew firm. "They could strike again tonight. I can't afford to be too far away."
A faint chuckle escaped him, though it held no real humor it it.
He turned around, his aura fading into nothing.
"Next time, Wolf," he whispered, his eyes gleaming faintly red. "You won't escape."
Then, like smoke, he vanished into the shadows.
…
Moments later, the forest darkened. The trees seemed to bend inward, their shapes melting into the gloom. A chilling silence fell. Then—five figures stepped out from the darkness.
Three women and two men. All dressed in black, their faces hidden beneath smooth, featureless masks. Their movements were silent, their auras restrained but deadly.
The assassins of Lu Shaohua.
They surveyed the ruined clearing. One crouched beside a fallen body, pressing a hand to the man's neck. "Dead. Burn marks… but no blade wound."
Another spoke in a whisper. "Two soldiers of our Shen Flame Kingdom. Killed cleanly. The energy here is… strange."
The tallest among them lifted his gaze, eyes narrowing through his mask. "This wasn't a common fight. Whoever did this—wasn't ordinary. Possibly from the Five Element Sect."
One of the women moved to a nearby tree, her gloved fingers brushing against the bark. "There's another trace," she murmured. "Faint… as if someone else was here before them."
They exchanged glances.
"Another one?"
"But… who?"
The leader stood straight, looking toward the distance. The forest seemed to stretch endlessly, but somewhere beyond that darkness lay the direction of Lu Shaohua's encampment—where the Princess herself resided.
None of them spoke for a moment.
Finally, one of them muttered, "Whoever that person was… he's strong. Too strong. We couldn't even sense when he left."
A low unease spread through them.
The leader clenched his fists slowly. "Let's move. We'll report it to the princess."