Chapter 31 - The Hunt Begins
Wang Li sat beside the carcass of the Ironclaw Phantom Stalker, his breathing still heavy. The beast's blood soaked into the ground, dark and steaming. His body ached, but a victorious smirk played on his lips.
"One down. But how many more will come?"
The mist swirled around him, its eerie presence making it impossible to tell if another predator lurked nearby. The Phantom Mist Valley wasn't just dangerous—it was alive, and it was watching him.
He wiped his dagger clean and stood. If he wanted to survive the full seven days, he couldn't afford to sit still.
Back at the Sect: Plots and Poison
Meanwhile, back at the sect, Huo Jian sat in a dark chamber, his wounds already healed thanks to a rare spiritual elixir. His fists clenched around the wooden arms of his chair, rage burning in his eyes.
"You're telling me he's still alive?" he asked, his voice like ice.
A shadowy figure in a black robe knelt before him. "Yes. But the valley will take care of him—eventually."
"Not fast enough." Huo Jian sneered. "That bastard humiliated me in front of the entire sect. I want him crushed."
The figure chuckled. "Then perhaps... we should give the valley a little help?"
Huo Jian raised an eyebrow. "Go on."
The figure leaned in, whispering. "There's a group of rogue cultivators hiding in the valley—exiles, criminals, and beasts in human skin. If they were to... stumble upon Wang Li, well..."
Huo Jian's lips curled into a cruel smile. "Send them after him. Make sure they don't just kill him—make him suffer."
The figure nodded and vanished into the shadows.
Day 2: New Enemies
The morning in Phantom Mist Valley was as eerie as the night. Wang Li moved cautiously through the forest, keeping his senses sharp. He had already encountered poisonous fog patches, a nest of Shadow Vipers, and nearly fallen into a spirit-quenching pit—a natural formation that could drain a cultivator's qi.
"This place really doesn't want me to live."
But something felt different now. The air was... wrong. He wasn't just being watched by beasts anymore.
Humans were near.
A rustling sound.
Wang Li turned—just in time to dodge an incoming arrow. It buried itself into a tree behind him, vibrating from the impact.
"What the—?!"
Laughter echoed through the mist. From the shadows emerged four cultivators, dressed in mismatched armor, their eyes filled with cruelty.
"Well, well," one of them sneered, a scar running down his cheek. "Looks like we found ourselves a lost disciple."
Wang Li's grip tightened around his dagger. "Who the hell are you?"
The leader of the group chuckled. "You don't need to know our names, kid. Just know that your little vacation is over."
A second attacker, a burly man with twin axes, grinned. "You can run if you want. Makes the hunt more fun."
Wang Li's eyes narrowed. They weren't normal disciples. They were killers.
And they were here for him.
"Damn it. Huo Jian must've sent them."
The Fight Begins
The first attacker charged, drawing a jagged sword from his waist. Wang Li sidestepped, narrowly avoiding the strike. Before the attacker could recover, Wang Li lashed out with his dagger—
SLASH!
Blood sprayed as Wang Li cut deep into his opponent's arm.
"AGH!" the man howled, stumbling back.
The burly axeman roared and swung both weapons at Wang Li's head.
Too fast!
Wang Li ducked, feeling the wind from the swing graze his hair. He rolled backward, trying to gain distance.
But the third attacker, a woman with twin daggers, was already behind him.
SHING!
Pain seared across Wang Li's shoulder as one of her daggers cut him.
"Damn it! Three-on-one is bad enough, but I can't even sense them properly in this mist!"
The leader smirked, watching from a distance. "Don't kill him yet. Break him first. Then we'll drag him back to Huo Jian in pieces."
Wang Li's eyes burned with fury.
"Not today."
He exhaled, centering himself. If they thought he was just another weak disciple, they were dead wrong.
The Counterattack
Wang Li activated Shadow Step, his body flickering like a phantom.
The burly axeman blinked. "Where'd he—?"
SLASH!
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A deep gash opened across his back as Wang Li appeared behind him, moving faster than their eyes could track.
The dagger-wielding woman reacted quickly, slashing at where she thought he was—
But Wang Li was already gone.
THUD!
He kicked her in the ribs, sending her flying into a tree.
The leader cursed. "Enough of this!"
He raised his hands, forming a series of dark hand seals. Black qi surged around him, coiling like a serpent.
"A dark technique?!"
"Die, brat!"
He unleashed a shadow spear, the attack flying toward Wang Li like a bolt of black lightning.
Wang Li reacted on instinct. He channeled his qi into his dagger—
And threw it.
SHING!
The dagger pierced straight through the leader's palm, disrupting his attack.
"AAAGH!" the man screamed, clutching his ruined hand.
Wang Li closed the distance instantly, delivering a powerful palm strike to the man's chest.
BOOM!
The force sent him crashing into the ground, his body twitching from the impact.
The remaining two attackers looked at each other, fear in their eyes.
"This guy isn't normal!"
"We need to run!"
Wang Li exhaled, his body still burning with adrenaline.
"You came here to hunt me," he said coldly. "Now you want to run?"
His glare was sharp as a blade.
"No. You don't get to leave."
The Aftermath
By the time the battle ended, only Wang Li remained standing. The assassins lay scattered around him, unconscious or groaning in pain.
His body was covered in cuts and bruises, but he had won.
"Huo Jian, you bastard."
If this was just the first assassination attempt, what would come next?
He needed to get stronger—and fast.
Wang Li turned, disappearing into the mist once more.
The hunt was far from over.