In a forest several kilometers away from the Xuanyin Sect, a figure crackling with lightning darted swiftly through the trees.
It was none other than Bai Yun. With over ten hours already passed since the mission began, he had spent the time mastering the "Thunder Step" technique.
"Thunder Step," a renowned pinnacle-level movement technique from Xuantu Continent, lived up to its reputation. Even at the introductory stage, Bai Yun's speed was astonishing, leaving afterimages with every movement. According to its description, at the intermediate stage, the technique could even allow one to sprint rapidly through the air.
"It's time to hunt the mission targets."
Now familiar with Thunder Step, Bai Yun halted and entered the "Cosmic Evolver" space. At the bottom of the mission page, a radar-like interface displayed the locations of the targets.
Exiting the space, Bai Yun's lips curled into a sinister smile.
"Let the hunt begin."
"Senior Brother Zhao, do you think that Bai Yun has a death wish? How dare he poison and kill a core disciple!" In the woods, two young men in their early twenties were walking and chatting. Their eyes scanned the surroundings vigilantly, as if searching for something. One of them muttered in disbelief.
"Whether he wants to live or not doesn't matter! If we capture him, we'll earn a mid-grade Xuanshi," the other replied, swallowing hard.
"A mid-grade Xuanshi is worth almost a year's worth of our allotted resources! If we get it, our cultivation progress will speed up significantly."
"Stop daydreaming and stay focused. Make sure no one else captures him first. Bai Yun couldn't have gone far; he's probably nearby!" The one addressed as Senior Brother Zhao instructed sternly. The Xuanyin Sect had dispatched thirteen disciples, splitting them into six teams to search the area.
"Understood!"
The two then began carefully inspecting every possible hiding place.
As they passed beneath an old tree, a flash of lightning suddenly illuminated the area behind them. Startled, they instinctively turned to look.
Thud!
Before Senior Brother Zhao could fully turn, the sound of a blade piercing flesh rang out. His expression froze as his pupils constricted. His mouth opened slightly, but the lightning-infused energy of Bai Yun's strike had paralyzed his organs, rendering him unable to utter a sound. He collapsed lifelessly onto the ground.
The blade was a dagger.
After swiftly dispatching one, Bai Yun immediately lunged at the other stunned youth. With lightning wrapping around his dagger, he struck again with ruthless precision.
Moments later, Bai Yun dragged the two lifeless bodies into a concealed spot before darting toward the left side of the forest and disappearing from sight.
The Invisibility Technique required one to remain stationary, or else the effect would vanish. However, with the radar from the Cosmic Evolver space, Bai Yun could easily track the positions of the Xuanyin Sect disciples, positioning himself ahead of their path and waiting patiently for them to walk into his trap.
While waiting silently, Bai Yun focused his mind and entered the Cosmic Evolver space. On the mission page, a new notification caught his eye, filling him with delight.
Just moments ago, when he killed the two disciples, he had heard a distinct "ding."
The mission tracker now read 11/13, and his evolution points had increased from 300 to 500.
Apart from the 5,000 evolution points rewarded for completing the mission, killing each disciple also earned him 100 points.
Exiting the space, Bai Yun smirked. He was eager to eliminate the remaining targets, but he resisted the urge to act recklessly. He was well aware of his limitations. His earlier success was largely due to the combination of the Invisibility and Aura Suppression techniques. In direct combat, even with two top-tier Xuantu Continent techniques at his disposal, defeating his opponents would require significantly more effort and could alert others.
Fifteen minutes passed as Bai Yun waited motionlessly. His senses suddenly sharpened—two figures, a man and a woman, appeared within view.
However, their path didn't lead directly toward Bai Yun's position. If they continued parallel to him, they would remain three or four zhang away. Bai Yun frowned slightly.
At his current speed, he could instantly cross two or three zhang, but this would only allow him to ambush one of them. The other would inevitably engage him in combat. Since moving while invisible would break his stealth, he had no choice but to silently eliminate one and then confront the other.
Settling his nerves, Bai Yun waited patiently.
The pair seemed close, chatting and laughing as they searched. Their voices carried faintly through the forest, and the sound of light laughter reached Bai Yun's ears. Unwittingly, they drew closer to his position.
Bai Yun sneered coldly to himself. How touching—a pair of lovebirds.
As they passed directly in front of him, Bai Yun activated "Thunder Step" with a flash of light, driving his dagger into the man's back.
The blade plunged deep, stopping only when the hilt met flesh. The man froze, his body jerking as blood spurted from the wound. Bai Yun kicked him aside, swiftly pulling out the dagger and turning his focus to the startled woman.
Clang!
The woman managed to block Bai Yun's attack just in time, her sword clashing with his lightning-imbued dagger and sparking faint embers. Her face was pale with terror, but her instincts had saved her life—for now.
Bai Yun shifted tactics, activating Thunder Step again to flank her. This time, he aimed directly at her throat, showing no mercy.
The woman, now fully alert, cast aside her concern for her fallen companion. With her opponent right before her, she launched into the Xuanyin Sword Technique, hoping to fend off Bai Yun's relentless strikes.
Yet her opponent's movement was unpredictable. He suddenly appeared behind her, leaving her no time to react. Instinctively, she turned her head to look back, realizing too late that she should have leaped forward instead.
Slash!
Bai Yun's dagger sliced cleanly across her throat. Blood sprayed everywhere, splattering his face as she collapsed to the ground, clutching her neck. She tried to scream, but only gurgling sounds escaped before her body fell still. Her eyes were wide with terror, filled with regret and longing for life.
Standing there with blood dripping from his face, Bai Yun looked at the lifeless body before him. For a moment, his gaze wavered with a hint of confusion.
After a long pause, he exhaled deeply.
The woman's final gaze had unsettled him briefly, but thoughts of their mission—and his own survival—quickly restored his composure.
What's done is done. There's no need to seek solace in excuses.
"If killing is a sin, then this world is already steeped in it. Why should I adhere to outdated morals?"
This was a world where the strong preyed on the weak. Either he killed, or he was killed.
These truths had dawned on Bai Yun when he first joined the Xuanyin Sect, but now they had fully taken root in his mind.
At this moment, his only desire was to grow stronger, to earn enough evolution points to return to Earth.
He found himself longing for the familiar air of his homeworld.