Several individuals could be seen heading in the same direction as Yanqi and his team. Dozens, then hundreds of people streamed through the city as if marching toward a war.
Lin Shu observed the growing tide. Kai asked, "How many people do you all think will join the hunt?"
Yanqi answered without turning. "From what I know, at least a thousand. They're all here to advance their rank and seize the opportunity."
Lin Shu walked in silence, watching the flood of cultivators pour into the arena's main building as the sun climbed higher. "Most will die. Probably."
Yanqi nodded grimly. "They will. I expect at least seventy percent of the participants to die. Everyone will be killing not just for rank, but for points. And allow me to tell you, Li, the rewards for this hunt are not trivial. They will attract attention from all over the region. The arena master has made it clear he wants this event to put his arena on the map. So while you fight to protect them, you should also aim for a high ranking. I'm sure you can break into the top fifty, at least."
Kai and Aoyan looked at Yanqi, surprised. "Only top fifty? Didn't you say he's one of the strongest in the arena?" Kai asked.
"Well, he is among the strongest of the known participants," Yanqi clarified. "But there's a very good chance others like him—hidden talents, rogue cultivators, clan secrets—will join. You won't know about them until you face them. Even then, I believe he could reach the top ten, but it won't be easy. Many will be hunting him specifically as the days pass, especially Su and Kun. I suspect they'll even hire extra blades. And he will have to protect you two throughout. He can't always engage freely, because he'll be a prime target."
Lin Shu nodded. That was one reason he'd pushed to master the Owl's Gaze—to kill from afar and avoid drawing premature attention. He planned to unleash havoc, but only later, perhaps once he'd secured Aoyan's safety as Yanqi had ordered.
They entered the arena proper, merging with crowds packing the stadium stands. After a few minutes, a man strode to the center of the main platform. His voice boomed, amplified by formation.
"DEAR FIGHTERS AND WELCOMED AUDIENCE! TODAY I STAND HERE TO WELCOME YOU TO THE FIRST MAJOR EVENT EVER HELD BY THE ARENA—THE HUNT!"
The crowd roared, a bloodthirsty cheer shaking the foundations.
"THE HUNT WILL SOON BEGIN, BUT FIRST, LET US REVIEW THE RULES! AND LET US WELCOME THE ONE WHO MADE THIS POSSIBLE—THE ONE WHO BUILT THIS ARENA INTO WHAT IT IS TODAY! THE ONE WHO GIVES EVERY CULTIVATOR A CHANCE TO SEEK VALOR, A CHANCE TO PROVE THEIR WORTH TO THE WORLD! THE ARENA MASTER—KUANG BAOTU, THE VALOR SEEKER!"
At the highest tier of the stadium, on a raised platform overlooking the masses, several imposing figures stood. The man in the center slowly rose and stepped forward. His height and build were beyond ordinary—tall, broad, and imposing. His head was bald, his eyes a sharp brown that seemed to gleam with contained power. A long beard reached his chest. His skin was a deep, weathered brown, standing in contrast to the lighter complexions around him. On his chest, a crest pinned his robe—a golden carnage beast, renowned for its endless hunt for blood.
He smirked as he gazed down, each step radiating a palpable pressure that quieted the crowd. He took a breath, and his voice thundered through the arena.
"I WELCOME OUR AUDIENCE, AND OUR COURAGEOUS FIGHTERS, TO THIS EVENT! AN EVENT THAT WILL MARK A NEW AGE FOR CULTIVATORS! THIS IS THE PLACE WHERE LEGENDS WILL BE BORN! THIS IS THE PLACE WHERE EVERYONE SHOWS THEIR VALUE TO THE WORLD! THIS IS THE PLACE WHERE WE SEEK VALOR, AND PLACE OUR MARK ON HISTORY!"
The audience erupted again, electrified by the words of an Emberwake cultivator. Lin Shu looked up, studying the man as he returned to his seat. "An Emberwake cultivator… I wonder how long it will take me to reach that height."
The announcer retook control. "NOW, BEFORE WE BEGIN—THE COMPLETE RULES OF THE HUNT!"
The announcer's voice rolled over the crowd, not as a dry recitation of rules, but as a chant, a promise, a catalyst for the frenzy to come.
"Each of you will be given a token," he declared, "a marker of your starting line. For those without rank, a bronze disc awaits. But these are not mere markers—they are your keys. Your ticket to ascendancy! Secure a token of a higher rank than your own, and you will claim that rank when the hunt ends. Imagine it—a bronze fighter, clutching a gold token, rising in a single, glorious leap!"
He let the image hang, then continued, his tone shifting to one of grim arithmetic. "But tokens are also your score. Bronze is worth ten points. Silver, one hundred. And gold…" He paused, ensuring every ear was strained to hear. "Gold is worth a thousand. These points will place your name upon the leaderboard," he boomed, gesturing to the luminous jade tablet that now glowed with ethereal light, "and that placement will decide your share of the spoils."
He began to climb the ladder of rewards, each rung more tantalizing than the last. "Those who place within the top two hundred will be rewarded with ten thousand gold. Reach the top one hundred and fifty, and that bounty doubles. But we reward distinction—the higher you climb, the greater the prize. Pills to refine your cultivation, weapons to arm your ambition, treasures to fund your ascent!"
The anticipation tightened like a bowstring. "Break into the top one hundred, and you will be paid in the currency of power—ten aether shards. The top fifty will receive twenty. The top twenty, forty." His eyes swept the sea of hungry faces. "But the true Valor… is reserved for the top ten."
A profound silence fell.
"Each of these ten," he said, his voice dropping to a compelling whisper, "will receive a peak-tier technique of their choosing, a trove of eighty blue sky shards, and peak-tier Crimson Flow Pills to burn through your bottlenecks."
He took a step forward, his presence commanding. "Now, the pinnacle. Fifth place: one hundred shards. Fourth: one hundred twenty. Third: one hundred sixty. Second: two hundred. And each of these five champions will also receive a mid-tier Ascendent weapon, forged to their hand and their path alone along side a peak tier technique of their desire."
He stopped. The air grew thick, charged with static hope. "And for the one who stands above all others… First place. A high-tier Ascendent weapon, bespoke and deadly. A peak-tier technique. Two peak-tier Crimson Flow Pills." He leaned into the silence. "And three hundred aether shards."
A wave of gasps and murmurs crashed through the arena. It was a king's ransom. But the announcer wasn't finished. A slow, knowing smile spread across his face.
"But that… is not all."
The murmuring died instantly.
"We have been honored with a gift from a most esteemed patron—the Sect Leader of the Iron Blood Sect himself. A gift for the victor of this historic hunt. An artifact that does not merely equip a cultivator… but transforms one."
He let the tension coil to its breaking point.
"It is… an Elemental Resonance."
The words landed not with a shout, but with the weight of a mountain. A stunned, disbelieving hush blanketed the stadium. Yanqi's head snapped up, his calculated composure cracking into sheer astonishment. To offer such a thing… it's not just a prize. It's something that can start wars.
Before the crowd could fully erupt, the announcer struck the final, devastating blow. "And if you wonder what manner of treasure this is… know its nature. Its element is Flame. And its rank…" he thundered, "is a Bright Resonance!"
Chaos. Pure, undiluted chaos. A Bright Resonance—the second-highest affinity known, a legendary treasure that could forge a clan or burn one to the ground. Clan members lunged for the exits to send word. Fighters stared at their neighbors with newly unveiled suspicion and naked avarice. The hunt was no longer just about rank or shards; it was about a legacy.
The announcer's voice cut through the bedlam, magnified to a deafening roar. "Mark this well! This chance is a comet—blazing, unique, and never to return! It is a gift for this hunt, and this hunt alone! So heed your final call! Tear your way through the competition! Spill whatever blood you must! And let the world witness who among you seeks true valor and posseses the ruthlessness, and the sheer will to seize a destiny that can set the very world aflame!"
The arena exploded. It was no longer a crowd, but a single, roaring beast. Lin Shu stood amidst the tumult, the announcer's words etching themselves into his mind. The points, the rankings, the weapons—they were all just steps on a staircase. At the top, shining with promised power, was the Bright Flame Resonance.
He looked at his hands, then at Kai, whose eyes were wide with fiery ambition, and at Aoyan, who seemed to shrink slightly under the staggering pressure. Yanqi met his gaze, the unspoken message clear: Everything has changed.
The hunt was beginning. And now, it was a war for a treasure worth clans.
Yanqi's gaze lingered on Lin Shu, his mind racing. "Should I stop Aoyan and Kai from going? Send him alone? His chances of winning would be higher... but I can't. The Patriarch will have watchers here. If Aoyan doesn't join, they'll brand her a coward and expel her from the heir race outright. And even if that weren't the case... Li is strong, maybe even top twenty material, but can he truly contend with the disciples of sect elders and young masters who have entire clans fueling their rise? Perhaps I should have invested in him more freely, not made every resource a transaction. But regrets are pointless now. If he can't win, I must at least ensure Su and Kun do not walk away with that resonance."
Lin Shu noticed Yanqi's distant, troubled expression before turning his attention back to the announcer, who had paused, allowing the staggering revelation to sear into every mind. "A Bright Flame Resonance... a thirty percent boost to any flame technique. It might even amplify my Ivory Detonation. But hoping for it is a fool's dream. Yanqi was clear—my priority is Aoyan." He glanced at her. She stood dazed, clutching her fox. She felt his look and offered a weak, awkward smile. "Yes, I need to stabilize her quickly. If she freezes at the sight of her siblings, it's over."
His thoughts were shattered as the announcer's voice boomed again. "NOW, LET US DISCUSS THE STAGE FOR OUR EVENT, AND HOW OUR DEAR AUDIENCE WILL BEAR WITNESS TO THE GLORY TO COME!"
A deep hum resonated through the arena. From the ceiling, a gigantic cube descended, suspended by glowing rods until it hung in the very center of the space. The crowd stared in wonder.
"BEHOLD, THE VISION CUBE!" the announcer proclaimed. "AN ARTIFACT OF LEGENDARY CRAFT! THE HUNT WILL TAKE PLACE WITHIN THE ABYSSAL FOREST, AND THROUGH A NETWORK OF SCYING ARTIFACTS, THE CUBE WILL PROJECT THE MOST PIVOTAL MOMENTS OF THE CONFLICT DIRECTLY BEFORE YOUR EYES! NO DEED OF VALOR, NO STRATAGEM, NO TRIUMPH WILL GO UNSEEN!"
A wave of excited chatter swept through the stands. Lin Shu studied the cube with keen interest. "A realm-wide observation tool... The resources to create this are unimaginable."
"NOW, TO HOW OUR CONTESTANTS SHALL REACH THEIR BATTLEGROUND!" the announcer continued, as intricate formations etched into the arena floor began to pulse with light. "BEFORE YOU AWAKENS A GRAND TELEPORTATION FORMATION! CONTESTANTS WILL BE SENT IN WAVES, EACH TELEPORT DEPOSITING THEM AT RANDOM COORDINATES THROUGHOUT THE FOREST! FOR THOSE IN TEAMS—STAY CLOSE! PHYSICAL CONTACT AT THE MOMENT OF TRANSPORTATION IS THE KEY TO ARRIVING TOGETHER!"
Kai nudged Lin Shu, buzzing with excitement. "A teleportation formation! Can you imagine the strategic uses for something like that?"
Lin Shu nodded, his mind already cataloguing the implications. "Ambush, retreat, rapid deployment... Its value in a war is incalculable."
The announcer raised his hands for final order. "THE LAWS OF THE HUNT ARE SIMPLE! FIRST: ANY CULTIVATOR ABOVE THE PEAK STAGE OF RANK ONE IS BARRED! SECOND: ALL IS FAIR! POISONS, ARTIFACTS, BEASTS, AND ALL MANNER OF TRICKS ARE SANCTIONED! ONLY DEMONIC ARTS ARE FORBIDDEN—ANYONE CAUGHT USING SUCH FILTH WILL BE DELIVERED TO THE IMPERIAL INQUISITION! NOW, PREPARE YOURSELVES! FORM YOUR GROUPS! THE FIRST WAVE DEPARTS SHORTLY!"
Yanqi quickly huddled his disciples. "Alright, this is it. Li, remember your task. Kai, your ears listen to him. Aoyan," he said, turning to her. She met his eyes, the fear in them plain to see. He sighed, his stern expression softening just a fraction. "Stay with Li. He will keep you safe. But do not lean on him for courage. Remember what you told me? You want to prove yourself. It is fine to rely on others, but not for the things you can do yourself. Do not expect him to hunt for you. Understood?"
Aoyan nodded, swallowing hard. Kai flashed a fierce grin and nudged Lin Shu. "Let's do this, Li! I know we can both crack the top hundred!"
Lin Shu nodded from behind his mask. "I'm sure we can." He looked at Aoyan. "Right, Aoyan?"
She hesitated, then seemed to grip a thread of resolve. "Yes," she said, her voice firmer than before. "We can."
Yanqi laughed, roughly ruffling each of their heads in turn. "Then go! And be careful! Remember my orders—your safety comes before points or pride!" They nodded and moved toward the gathering fighters, their new robes marking them as a team.
Yanqi watched them go, a weight settling in his chest. He turned to head for the spectator platforms reserved for elders and dignitaries. He hadn't taken three steps when a smooth, warm voice stopped him.
"Hello, Elder Yanqi."
He looked up. A woman with flowing hair and a deceptively gentle smile stood before him. Flanking her were two youths—one stood tall and stern, a sword on his back, his eyes the color of banked fires, a massive ash-furred ape-beast looming behind him. The other, younger boy wore a blindfold and smiled as he petted a large-eared monkey perched on his shoulder.
Yanqi's face hardened, a tempest of anger flashing behind his eyes before he wrestled it down. He brushed past them without a word, his entire body tense with restraint.
The woman's smile didn't falter. She glanced at the older boy. "It seems Elder Yanqi isn't feeling well. We can pay our respects later. Now, Kun, Mang you can go. Join the event. Find your brother Kai and... have a talk with him. Go on. Make your mother proud."
The older boy, Kun, gave a solemn, silent nod and strode away. The blindfolded boy, Mang, beamed. "Don't worry, Mother! We'll bring Kai back! You can count on me!" He skipped after his brother. The woman watched them go, her warm smile unwavering, before she too disappeared into the crowd.
Not long after, another group passed. A girl with long black hair and fiery eyes led them, her face an impassive mask. She wore a simple black robe that seemed to draw all light and attention toward her. Behind her trailed a entourage: another girl and a set of twins, along with a hulking young man.
"I don't see Aoyan or Kun," the black-haired girl mused aloud, her voice cool. "I assume they've already entered the arena. Ran, Weize, Jue Yue—stay close. We find them as soon as we are able." She moved with a predator's grace, a path clearing before her amidst a mix of fearful, awed, and envious glances.
Yanqi finally reached the upper stadium, a terrace where figures of influence gathered. He was immediately hailed by a familiar, teasing voice.
"You look terrible, drunkard. Having second thoughts?"
Yanqi's frown twisted into a mocking smirk. "Lanyue. Here to lose to my disciples again? Last time, you brought a General's disciple and still failed. It seems misfortune clings to you like a bad smell."
The woman, Lanyue, laughed. "Misfortune? Or are your fighters just as dishonorable as you are, Yanqi? That 'Li' only won because of underhanded tricks. That won't fly today."
Their barbed exchange was interrupted by a deeper, aged voice. "Long time no see, Yanqi. I see you and Lanyue remain as compatible as fire and water."
An old man approached, but only his silver hair betrayed his years. His body radiated a contained, formidable power. "General Tianhun," Yanqi greeted, his demeanor shifting to one of respect. "A surprise to see you here."
"I was dragged by my disciple to watch his fights," Tianhun said with a chuckle. "Which reminds me—I heard he lost to one of yours previously."
Yanqi smiled. "They had a team skirmish. As for a true one-on-one... we'll see if fate crosses their paths in the forest today."
"Speaking of encounters," Tianhun said, gesturing beside him. "There's someone you should meet I am sure You've heard of him he assisted me greatly in dealing with a some demonic Cultivators a few years back, but I don't believe you've been introduced." A man in elegant blue robes stepped forward, a young girl with long blue hair and eyes like a deep lake at his side. "This is Lu Zhenhai, and his disciple, Han Yi. They are also here for the event."
Lu Zhenhai offered a polite smile. "General Tianhun flatters me. I merely assisted him in a trivial matter some years ago—the Jiang clan demonic cultivator affair. He did the heavy lifting."
Yanqi nodded in recognition. "I remember the reports. It was a significant event."
As they spoke, a new group of youths approached. "Master! You're here!" Xie Lang called to Tianhun. His eyes then found Han Yi beside Lu Zhenhai. "Han Yi? You're here too?"
Han Yi nodded. Xie Lang's companions—Xu Jin, Zeng Shiyang, and Yun Qiu—gathered around.
"You should join us!" Yun Qiu said brightly, ignoring Xie Lang's subtle elbow to his ribs. "We're heading to the staging area now."
"Thank you," Han Yi said softly, "but I am accompanying someone else."
"Who?" Xie Lang asked, just as a young man with black hair tied back and deep green eyes appeared. He placed a familiar hand on Han Yi's head.
"Sorry I'm late. We can go now," he said. He offered quick, polite greetings to the assembled elders before turning to leave.
Xie Lang blinked. "Who was that, Han Yi? I've never seen him. Is he your..."
Han Yi blushed a furious red. The green-eyed young man laughed. "No, no! I'm her older brother!" he clarified with good humor before steering Han Yi away.
Xie Lang and Xu Jin deflated slightly, while Zeng Shiyang sighed. Yun Qiu, however, perked up considerably.
General Tianhun reached out and smacked the back of Xie Lang's head. "Why are you loitering? You summoned me all this way! Now go and fight, you brat! I didn't come to watch you socialize!"
Xie Lang cursed under his breath and hurried off with his team.
With the younger generation dispatched, the elders—Yanqi, Lu Zhenhai, Lanyue, and General Tianhun—turned and made their way to the highest section of the stadium, the pavilion reserved for the most honored guests. There, awaiting them, sat the man whose will had set all this in motion: the Arena Master, Kuang Baotu, the Valor Seeker himself.
The upper stadium was a world apart. Yanqi, Lanyue, Lu Zhenhai, and General Tianhun ascended to the pavilion where influential figures gathered, each identifiable by the tokens and colors of their affiliations. Yanqi's eyes swept the space, noting representatives from the Stormbreak Sect and, most prominently, the Iron Blood Sect.
Seated upon a stone throne that overlooked the entire arena, Kuang Baotu noticed their arrival. A deep, resonant laugh escaped him. "Ah! General Tianhun! Yanqi! I'm glad you both could grace us. I had heard the General might refuse my invitation, and Yanqi, I wondered if you'd abstain from the spectacle. And you, Lanyue," he added, his eyes twinkling, "I suppose Yanqi's presence was enough of a reason for you to attend!"
As lanyue immediately said"well i couldn't miss the chance to see his fighters get crushed by mine."
Tianhun offered a polite smile as he and Yanqi exchanged brief, firm handshakes with the Arena Master. Kuang Baotu then turned his gaze to the others. "And I see you've brought interesting company. You must be Lu Zhenhai. I've heard many tales of your deeds—crushing the Jiang clan's corruption before it could fester. Courageous work."
Lu Zhenhai gave a modest wave. "You praise me too much, Arena Master. I merely played a simple part it was general tianhun who did most of the work."
As they took their seats, Kuang Baotu continued, his voice a rich rumble. "I see most of you have disciples in the fray. Except you, Lanyue, unless you've finally taken a student?"
Lanyue offered a thin smile. "I haven't found one worth the trouble yet."
Yanqi allowed himself a slight smirk" i am sure everyone wants to be taught by you" which earned him a sharp glare from Lanyue. Before Kuang Baotu could respond, a sudden commotion rippled through the crowd below. Their attention snapped downward to the arena floor.
Earlier, on the Arena Floor:
Lin Shu, Aoyan, and Kai merged with the flood of contestants filling the designated teleportation zone. Instructors moved among them, barking final reminders.
"Prepare yourselves! Ensure direct physical contact with your teammates if you wish to arrive together! The formation does not discriminate—it will link whoever is touching!"
As the instructor droned on, Lin Shu's mind raced. "He said 'teammates and those you want to be sent together.' The loophole isn't just for teams... it's for anyone you can grab." A slow, cunning smile spread beneath his mask. He leaned close to Kai, whispering swift, urgent instructions.
"THE TELEPORTATION WILL COMMENCE IN THIRTY SECONDS! PREPARE!" the head instructor boomed, beginning the countdown.
It was then that Shang's cheerful voice cut through the tension. "Hahaha! Brothers! Looks like we're in the first wave together!"
Lin Shu turned to see Shang and Yu weaving toward them. "You two are entering as a pair, I assume?" Lin Shu asked, his voice deceptively calm.
"Of course!" Shang replied, his wings rustling slightly with anticipation. "Just came to wish my friends good luck! We'll try to meet up with you all in there and form up! Take care!"
As Shang waved and began to turn away, the instructor's countdown hit ten.
"TEN! NINE! EIGHT!"
Lin Shu's body coiled.
"SEVEN! SIX!"
"KAI! NOW!" Lin Shu shouted.
He exploded into motion. While dozens of fighters braced for teleportation, Lin Shu lunged, not away from danger, but toward Shang. He caught the winged youth in a vise-like chokehold from behind.
"WHAT THE HELL, LI?! LET GO!" Shang squawked, his wings flapping uselessly in the tight grip.
Simultaneously, Kai followed his orders. He didn't attack—he grabbed. He threw his arms around two unsuspecting fighters from a nearby group, yanking them off balance and pulling them backward into Lin Shu's orbit.
Yu's eyes widened in understanding. "DAMNIT! HE'S DRAGGING YOU WITH HIM!"
Yu tried to leap toward the scrum, but it was too late. Lin Shu, still holding a struggling Shang, jumped backward, his back colliding with Aoyan to ensure she was linked. Kai crashed into the pile with his two captured fighters. Aoyan who didn't what happened was suddenly pulled by Lin shu with his one free arm as she rested on him as her fox followed her.
The entire teleportation zone erupted in blinding, geometric light. The formation activated, its logic simple: it teleported clusters of connected individuals.
Yu, left standing alone as his intended partner was stolen, had only a split second to act. A frown broke across his face. "Should've thought about that"he looked around as he had to make a decision in just a second well i can also do what he did" He threw himself bodily at another nearby cluster of strangers, making frantic contact as the world dissolved into light.
In the Spectator Pavilion:
The audience murmured in confusion at the last-second scuffle, but the dignitaries above saw the cleverness instantly.
"Yanqi," Lanyue said, her voice edged with annoyance. "Isn't that your disciple, Li?"
Kuang Baotu leaned forward, interest piqued. "Is that so? It seems you've found a cunning one, Yanqi."
Yanqi allowed himself a genuine smile, pride cutting through his earlier worry. "He saw the loophole instantly. He's not just strong he's also cunning enough to not always rely on his strength. I truly should have invested more in him."
General Tianhun nodded in approval. "A tactical mind applied in an instant. I look forward to seeing how he fares."
Before anyone could comment further, the massive Vision Cube suspended above the arena hummed to life. Its surfaces shimmered, then resolved into crystal-clear images.
"HAHAHAHA!" Kuang Baotu's laugh shook the pavilion. "IT SEEMS WE HAVE OUR FIRST CONFLICT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, BEFORE THE DUST HAS EVEN SETTLED!"
In the Abyssal Forest:
The world snapped back into existence with a nauseating lurch. Lin Shu found himself three meters in the air, still clutching a furious Shang. They dropped, landing in a rough tumble amidst thick, primordial undergrowth.
"SHIT! HE HELD ME SO HE COULD DRAG ME WITH HIM!" Shang shouted, his wings flaring to their full span.
But Lin Shu was already moving. He rolled to his feet, ivory gauntlets forming in an instant. As Shang rose, Lin Shu drove a fist toward him—not to maim, but to intimidate. "DETONATION!" he roared.
Shang's eyes went wide. "ALRIGHT! ALRIGHT! I GIVE UP!"
Lin Shu's fist diverted at the last second, slamming into the earth beside Shang. The ground fractured with a sound like thunder, and a burst of white flame incinerated a circle of foliage, leaving smoldering soil.
Lin Shu didn't pause. He spun to see Kai in a tense standoff with the two fighters he'd kidnapped. They were yelling, faces red with outrage.
"THAT'S AGAINST THE RULES! YOU CAN'T DO THAT!"
Lin Shu answered with action. He charged. His fist, still wreathed in fading white embers, shot out. The lead fighter raised a hasty guard, but the concussive force of the blow smashed through it, exploding against his stomach with a sickening crunch. The man cried out, stumbling back, his courage evaporating. He turned and fled into the dense trees.
Lin Shu's arm extended, a single finger pointing like a blade. A spike of steel-coated bone formed at its tip. His eyes shifted, the irises melting into the piercing gold of an owl. "Scorch Piercer."
A muffled thump of released force, a flash of white flame at his fingertip, and the spike vanished. Over fifty meters away , the fleeing fighter jerked as a clean hole erupted in the back of his skull. He pitched forward silently into the ferns.
Lin Shu walked over, retrieved the fallen man's token—a silver one—and absorbed its points. One hundred points. Combined with his own gold token's value, he now had four hundred. He moved back to the group.
Shang was brushing dirt off his clothes, a rueful smile on his face. "That was a really dirty move, Li. Didn't expect it from you... but I did trick you last time, so I guess this makes us even?"
"Your token," Lin Shu said flatly, hand outstretched.
"Come on, you can't be serious! I'm on your team now, right? You shouldn't take points from your own teammates!"
Lin Shu took the token anyway, transferring its points before handing the now-worthless disc back. "Don't worry. I won't take points from you going forward. Since you're on the team." He pulled a set of folded clothing from his ring—the white robe with red rose stripes Yanqi had provided—and tossed it to Shang. "Wear this."
As Shang hurriedly changed, he grew serious. "Hey, Li. I'll be honest. We're a team now, but if I stick with you, I'll never score any points. Let me hunt on my own for a while. I want to try for the top hundred, at least. I'll link up with you later."
Lin Shu saw the logic. "Fine. How do we regroup?"
Shang's wings gave an experimental flap. "Don't worry about that. I can find you from the sky. Just don't hide too well." With a final nod, Shang shot upward, disappearing above the canopy.
Lin Shu turned to Kai and Aoyan. "Alright. We should start moving now. Aoyan, use your fox and track down by scent or qi any nearby fighters, Also we're gonna go by one simple Rule : the one who lands the kill keeps the points and the spoils."
Aoyan nodded, whispering to the white fox in her arms. Its nose twitched, and it pointed a delicate muzzle toward the east. Kai cracked his knuckles, a eager fire already glowing in his palms.
Lin Shu stripped off his cumbersome robe, leaving only the durable black pants and the balck sash adorned with red lines that formed into roses, tied around his waist. His torso, crisscrossed with faint scars and corded muscle, was bare to the forest air. It was practical; his armor would form unhindered.
"Let's go," he said, and the three of them melted into the shadows of the Abyssal Forest.