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The battle at the hidden sect's temple had left nothing but destruction in its wake. The once-grand sanctuary, a place of peace and enlightenment, now bore the scars of war. Broken walls, scorched earth, and the blood of fallen cultivators stained the sacred grounds. The air was thick with the smell of burnt wood and iron, a painful reminder of the heavy price paid for victory.
Ye Chen stood amidst the devastation, his fists clenched. He had won, but at what cost?
Mei Ling approached, her expression grim. Her robes were torn, her face smeared with ash, but her gaze remained resolute. "We lost many good people today," she said softly. "Elder Zhang is badly injured, and several disciples are either dead or missing."
Ye Chen's jaw tightened. He had expected retaliation from the Shadow Hand, but he hadn't expected them to be so ruthless.
"This is my fault," he muttered. "If I hadn't brought their attention to the sect, none of this would have happened."
Mei Ling shook her head firmly. "No. The Shadow Hand is a plague. They would have come for us eventually. What matters now is how we respond."
Ye Chen exhaled sharply. "You're right. We need to rebuild and prepare for the next attack."
But before that, they had to take care of the wounded.
For the next few days, the remaining disciples worked tirelessly to repair the temple. Rubble was cleared, walls were rebuilt, and those injured in battle were tended to. Despite the devastation, there was still hope. Ye Chen's presence alone seemed to inspire them.
Elder Zhang, though weak, did his best to guide them. "Strength isn't just in power, but in unity," he told the disciples. "We survived because we stood together. And we will rise again."
Despite his words, it was clear the sect was vulnerable. Their resources were dwindling, and another attack from the Shadow Hand could wipe them out completely.
It was then that Su Lingxue arrived.
She rode in on a sleek black motorcycle, her silver hair flowing in the wind. Behind her were several vehicles, all loaded with supplies.
Ye Chen met her at the entrance. "You're a sight for sore eyes," he admitted with a smile.
Su Lingxue smirked. "The Iron Fist has been protecting my family. He sent me to check on you and deliver these supplies."
Ye Chen nodded, grateful. But then Su Lingxue hesitated, looking uncertain for the first time.
"I want to help," she said finally. "I know I'm not a cultivator, but I can't just sit back and do nothing."
Ye Chen studied her for a moment before nodding. "We could use all the help we can get."
But even as they worked to recover, their enemies were already plotting their next move.
In a dark chamber deep within the Shadow Hand's hidden stronghold, the Viper King sat at the head of a long table. His face was shadowed by flickering candlelight, his eyes filled with cold fury.
"Ye Chen humiliated us," he growled. "He made a fool of us, destroyed our forces, and walked away unscathed. That ends now."
His top agents stood before him, their faces grim.
One of them, a man with a scarred face, spoke. "He's strong, my lord. We underestimated him. Attacking the sect head-on again would be foolish."
The Viper King's lips curled into a sneer. "Who said anything about attacking head-on?"
He slammed a dagger into the table. "We'll hit them where it hurts most—their resources. Without supplies, they won't last long."
The plan was cruel but effective. Cut off their access to food, medicine, and weapons, and they would crumble from the inside.
And so, the Shadow Hand struck.
It started with an ambush.
A convoy of wagons carrying food and medicine to the sect was intercepted on a narrow mountain road. The Shadow Hand assassins struck with lethal precision, cutting down the drivers and torching the supplies. By the time reinforcements arrived, there was nothing left but smoldering ruins.
When Ye Chen received the news, his fury was palpable.
"They're trying to starve us out," Mei Ling said grimly. "Without those supplies, we won't last more than a few weeks."
Ye Chen's eyes flashed dangerously. "Then we fight back."
That night, Ye Chen led a team of elite disciples to a known Shadow Hand outpost—an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of the city.
The building was heavily guarded, but Ye Chen was no fool. He knew better than to charge in recklessly.
"We move in silence," he instructed. "Take out the guards one by one. No alarms."
Like shadows, they infiltrated the base.
One guard turned the corner and barely had time to react before Ye Chen's fist slammed into his throat, dropping him instantly. Another was taken out by Mei Ling, her dagger slicing through the night.
They moved swiftly, eliminating threats until they reached the heart of the warehouse. Inside, they found exactly what they had hoped for—a stockpile of weapons and supplies.
Ye Chen smirked. "This will hurt them."
Setting explosive charges throughout the warehouse, they retreated to a safe distance. Moments later, the night sky lit up with a fiery explosion, shaking the ground beneath them.
The Shadow Hand had struck first. But Ye Chen had struck back harder.
Back at the Shadow Hand's stronghold, the Viper King was livid.
"HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?!" he roared, slamming his fist into the table. "HOW DID HE FIND OUR BASE?!"
The scarred agent swallowed nervously. "He's…he's more dangerous than we thought."
The Viper King's eyes gleamed with malice. "Enough of these games. I want Ye Chen dead. No matter the cost."
As Ye Chen and his team returned to the sect, they were met with an unexpected sight.
A group of strangers stood at the temple gates, dressed in military uniforms. At their head was a tall, imposing man with a stern face. His presence alone radiated authority.
Ye Chen stepped forward cautiously. "Who are you?"
The man gave a small smirk. "General Wu. High-ranking officer of the military."
Ye Chen's eyes narrowed. "And why are you here?"
General Wu crossed his arms. "We've been watching you. Your actions against the Shadow Hand haven't gone unnoticed. We want to offer our support."
Ye Chen was silent for a moment. He had fought alone for so long, relying only on himself. But if the military was willing to join forces…
"And what do you want in return?" he asked warily.
General Wu's smirk widened. "The same thing you do—to destroy the Shadow Hand. Together, we can bring them down for good."
Ye Chen's mind raced. This was a dangerous move. The military had its own agenda. But with the Shadow Hand growing more aggressive, could he afford to refuse?
After a long pause, he finally nodded.
"Alright. We'll work together."