Xing Wuye balanced on the thick branch of a towering tree, glancing down at the cave he had used for his breakthrough. He noticed the absence of his wolf mount, a pang of irritation flashing through his gaze.
How long have I been cultivating? he wondered, scanning his surroundings with sharpened senses. If days had passed, the wolf might have wandered off, or worse, attracted unwanted attention. Either way, he realized he'd been fortunate not to have been discovered mid-cultivation.
Moving swiftly, he leaped from tree to tree, his silhouette blending with the forest shadows. Suddenly, a flicker of green caught his eye in the branches up ahead, so subtle it might have been a trick of the light. He halted instantly, feeling an inexplicable chill coil down his spine. That faint green shadow was no foliage. Instinctively, he jumped back, his expression shifting into one of wariness.
How did I miss that until it moved? he thought, muscles tensing. From his new vantage point, he watched as a hulking beast—oblivious to the danger—lumbered past the tree. In an instant, the shade of green lashed out, and the beast disappeared in the coils of a massive serpent, its scales camouflaged against the canopy. Wuye observed as the snake constricted and devoured its prey, its sheer size and silent power almost impressive.
How deep have I wandered into the forest? He pulled out his old map, scanning for any familiar landmarks. Yet, the landscape around him seemed foreign, and large sections of the map were blurred or damaged. He frowned, considering the implication. So these blurred areas aren't just accidents—they're sections no one dares map because of what lurks within.
Deciding his mount wasn't worth the risk, he pushed down his irritation and stowed the map. Better to forget about the wolf. Right now, survival is the only concern.
Taking cover beneath a thick grove, he marked the sun's position and mentally oriented himself. North lay to his right. With calculated steps, he moved in that direction, leaping through the treetops but with far more caution, taking care to avoid the notice of any nearby beasts.
The tranquility of the forest was abruptly shattered by a violent surge of qi that tore through a branch just as he reached it. The wood splintered, sending him plummeting downward. Instinctively, he twisted midair, regaining his footing and landing on the forest floor in a crouch, his eyes sharp as he scanned for his attacker. Another faint ripple of qi pulsed, guiding his gaze. And there, stepping out from behind a broad tree trunk, was a figure he recognized.
His pursuer.
The man's expression twisted with rage as he stormed forward, each step radiating suppressed fury. "Because of you," he snarled, his voice rough from disuse, "I've been stuck in this cursed forest for two years!"
Wuye's eyebrows lifted in genuine surprise. Two years? Had this man really been lost all that time, solely due to Wuye's evasion tactics?
He couldn't help himself; he laughed, a low, mirthless sound that only seemed to further provoke the stranger's fury. "Well then," he replied coldly, his gaze sharp, "allow me to send you to the afterlife as an apology."
They moved simultaneously, each springing forward with deadly intent. Wuye's cold eyes flickered with calculation as he assessed his opponent's stance, noting the hardened weariness and honed desperation in his movements. The man's cultivation level was evident in the density of his aura—a solid mid-Foundation Building stage, if not slightly higher. Dangerous, but not impossible.
The pursuer threw a hand forward, sending a spiral of dark energy that carved jagged lines in the forest floor as it shot toward Wuye. In one fluid movement, Wuye sidestepped, his gaze never leaving the man, tracking the way his shoulders angled and his legs shifted.
He's reckless, Wuye noted, evading another swipe of the man's qi-infused fist. All that time here has dulled his control.
Leaping up, Wuye channeled his qi into his Gale Burst Fist, sending a surge of air pressure hurtling at his opponent. The pursuer grunted, barely managing to deflect the blow, but his balance faltered, and he staggered back. Sensing an opening, Wuye closed the distance, striking with relentless precision. Each movement was a lesson in controlled efficiency, a dance of strikes and feints designed to disorient rather than overwhelm.
The pursuer retaliated with raw, brute force, his swings more powerful but slower, less calculated. In his fury, he left small openings that Wuye exploited with cold precision, landing sharp, debilitating blows. Blood trickled down the pursuer's lip as he gasped, but his rage only grew.
"You think you can slip away again?" he spat, summoning a dark, swirling orb of qi in his hands.
Wuye's gaze narrowed as he recognized the technique, a forceful explosion that would devastate the surroundings. He shifted his stance, calculating his next move even as his opponent gathered energy.
But in his frenzied state, the pursuer's form faltered, his stance unsteady. Wuye used that slight error to his advantage. With a burst of speed, he sidestepped the impending explosion, closing in and slamming his fist directly into the man's unprotected side. The impact shattered the pursuer's concentration, sending the energy in his hands spiraling wildly, bursting into the ground with a deafening crack that left a crater in the forest floor.
The man coughed, blood splattering as he clutched his ribs, pain and desperation mingling in his gaze. Yet he managed a defiant glare, determination glinting despite his injuries. "I won't let you get away… not this time," he wheezed.
But Wuye merely gave him a cold, pitiless look. He stepped forward, his figure radiating an implacable resolve, each step amplifying his aura until it was a palpable force in the air. The pursuer's confidence wavered, his shoulders sagging as he tried to gather the strength for one last stand.
"Your time in this forest should've taught you when you're outmatched," Wuye said, his voice barely above a whisper yet brimming with finality. "But clearly, you're more stubborn than you are skilled."
Without waiting for a response, Wuye unleashed a powerful Gale Burst Fist, driving his fist into the man's chest, shattering his defenses. The pursuer staggered, his qi flaring erratically before fading. He sank to his knees, the rage in his eyes dimming to a look of resigned defeat.
Wuye stood over him, silent, watching the life drain from his gaze. Finally, he turned, his expression as composed as ever. The danger passed, he scanned the forest, assessing his route.
The forest may still be full of beasts, he thought, eyeing the shadows warily. But it's time to move.
With a final glance at his defeated pursuer, he leaped into the trees, his form disappearing into the thick foliage as he resumed his journey northward.