Lin Feng sat in the mud for a few moments, breathing heavily. His clothes were torn, his body aching, and half the power of the Nascent Soul Pill was gone—snatched by a mysterious masked woman with questionable motives.
The system, as always, was happy to rub salt in the wound.
System: "Cheer up, Host! You went from being hunted by lightning to gaining a weird stalker. That's what we call progress!"
"Progress?" Lin Feng groaned, pulling himself to his feet. "More like a downgrade…"
As he stood, trying to regain his balance, he realized two things:
One, he had absolutely no idea where he was now that they'd left the Venom Mist Swamp.
Two, the faint hum of spiritual energy in the distance meant more trouble was coming his way.
Lin Feng wiped his face. "What now?"
System: "Well, unless you want to meet Cloud River Sect disciples who definitely want to introduce you to death, I suggest you start running again. Staying in one place is so last season, Host."
Lin Feng rolled his eyes. "Great. No map, no allies, and the swamp air still smells like moldy socks."
He checked the Nascent Soul Pill—or rather, what remained of its power. It had indeed stabilized his cultivation at the Foundation Establishment Realm, but the progress felt… off. His body still ached as if the energy had been forcefully stitched into place.
"Next time," Lin Feng muttered, "I'm stealing pills with fewer side effects."
System: "Or fewer masked weirdos hanging around!"
Lin Feng swore under his breath and picked a random direction, hoping it would take him somewhere safe.
The Problem with Random Directions
After hours of trudging through the forest, Lin Feng found himself at the edge of a clearing. It looked peaceful—too peaceful.
In the middle of the clearing stood a tall figure clad in black robes embroidered with ominous red patterns. The air around him shimmered with latent spiritual power, as if waiting for an excuse to erupt.
"Oh no…" Lin Feng whispered, instinctively ducking behind a bush. "Please tell me he's not from another sect."
System: "Oh, he's worse than sect elders, Host. Judging by his fashion sense? Definitely a bounty hunter."
Lin Feng's heart sank. "Why is everything trying to kill me?!"
System: "Well, you did steal from one of the biggest sects in the region. Honestly, I think you've exceeded expectations! Everyone wants a piece of you now."
Before Lin Feng could make a run for it, the bounty hunter turned his head slightly, sensing something. A chilling grin spread across his face.
"There you are."
Lin Feng felt the spiritual pressure spike like a slap to the face. He didn't wait to hear anything else—he bolted.
The Chase Continues
Lin Feng sprinted through the forest, again dodging low branches and thorny vines. His body begged him to stop, but the bounty hunter was right behind him, his footsteps eerily quiet despite the speed.
System: "Host, are you noticing a trend? You steal, you run, and people chase you. It's like your life is a marathon."
Lin Feng gritted his teeth. "I swear, if we survive this, I'm going to—"
A heavy gust of wind roared past him as the bounty hunter appeared directly in his path, moving faster than Lin Feng could process.
"You can't outrun me, thief," the bounty hunter said, his voice calm and cold. "Give me the pill, and I might let you keep your limbs."
Lin Feng skidded to a halt, panic rising in his chest. His mind raced. He couldn't fight someone this strong—not with his current cultivation—and he was way too tired to keep running.
"Think, think!" he muttered to himself.
System: "Good news! I have a plan."
"Finally! What is it?"
System: "Surrender, smile politely, and hope he has a bad sense of humor."
"THAT'S NOT A PLAN!"
The bounty hunter raised his hand, gathering spiritual energy for an attack. Lin Feng braced himself. He knew he only had one chance to survive—and it was going to be incredibly stupid.
A Desperate Gamble
"Wait! I have something better than the Nascent Soul Pill!" Lin Feng shouted, raising his hands.
The bounty hunter's energy flickered for a moment. "Better than a Nascent Soul Pill?" His eyes narrowed. "What could a worm like you possibly have that's worth more?"
Lin Feng's mind raced. He didn't have anything remotely valuable on him, but bluffing was his only shot.
"Uh… I have a—uh—a… legendary cultivation technique!" Lin Feng blurted, praying the system wouldn't contradict him.
System: "Host, you don't have that. But hey, I respect the confidence."
The bounty hunter's curiosity was piqued. "A legendary technique, you say?" He took a step closer, lowering his energy attack slightly. "Prove it."
Lin Feng panicked. He had no idea what to say next, but then the system chimed in with a devilish idea.
System: "Just say something incomprehensible. Cultivators love mysterious-sounding nonsense."
Lin Feng took a deep breath and channeled his inner nonsense master. "Yes! It's called the Heaven-Shattering Mirage of Infinite Rebirth Path. It allows one to, uh, dissolve karma and reconstruct the soul threads across… timelines?"
The bounty hunter blinked, clearly confused.
System: "Perfect! Keep going. Add something about dragon veins. Cultivators love dragon veins."
"And—uh—through the awakening of the primordial dragon veins, you can tap into the… cosmic chi of forgotten realms!" Lin Feng improvised.
The bounty hunter scratched his head, genuinely puzzled. "Cosmic chi… primordial dragon veins?"
"Yes!" Lin Feng nodded furiously. "But only those pure of heart—or exceptionally desperate—can unlock it. Very rare stuff."
For a long moment, the bounty hunter just stared at him, processing the bizarre stream of nonsense.
When Luck (Almost) Saves the Day
Then, without warning, the bounty hunter's expression shifted from confusion to… suspicion.
"You're lying."
Before Lin Feng could react, the bounty hunter shot forward, grabbing him by the collar. "Enough games. Hand over the pill or I'll—"
Suddenly, a streak of white light shot from the forest, slamming into the bounty hunter and sending him flying backward into the trees.
Lin Feng collapsed to the ground, gasping. "What… just happened?"
A familiar figure stepped out of the shadows. It was the masked woman from before, her silver mask glinting under the moonlight.
"Troublesome as always," she said calmly. "I leave you for five minutes, and you almost die again."
Lin Feng stared at her in disbelief. "Why are you even here?!"
She smiled—though it was impossible to tell if it was friendly or sinister. "I told you. I like troublesome people."
System: "Host, I think she's got a crush on you."
Lin Feng buried his face in his hands. "I really, really hate my life."
System: "That makes two of us. But hey, at least you're alive—for now!"