The wind shifted.
It carried the scent of pine, damp soil—and something else. Faint. Metallic.
Li Shen's eyes snapped open.
He wasn't alone.
[Soul Thread Sense: Passive Scan Active]
[Hostile Intent Detected – 42 meters, South-Southwest]
[Qi Signature: Concealed – Artifact Assisted]
[Danger Rating: High]
Someone was watching.
And unlike Qiao Yu, this one knew how to hide.
⸻
Moments Earlier – Deep in the Trees
Wei Zhen crouched atop a branch, cloak fluttering in the windless dark.
He'd seen the scorched earth. Smelled the blood soaked into the roots.
And he'd found the cairn.
A fresh grave, hastily made.
The Watcher smiled. "So you've begun killing already. It's faster than expected."
He held a tiny black bead between his fingers. A scrying orb. He whispered a spell into it.
"Target confirmed. Li Shen is active. Forsaken Root suspected—Level One Awakening. Awaiting purge authorization."
The bead dimmed, then blinked once in reply.
Authorization: Granted. Eliminate. Leave no trace.
Wei Zhen tucked it away.
"Time to end a mistake."
⸻
Back at the Clearing
Li Shen moved quickly.
He didn't run. That would be suicide.
Instead, he melted into the trees, moving like smoke, like memory. Every step was deliberate. Every breath measured.
His body ached. His reserves were low. But he had one advantage:
He knew someone was hunting him.
And they didn't know he knew.
[Soul Thread Sense – Focus Mode Engaged]
[Thread Profile: Azure Sky Sect Agent – Mid Qi Foundation Realm]
[Estimated Skill Loadout: Concealment, Spirit Tracking, Wind Step Technique]
[Weakness: Light dependency, overreliant on artifact focus]
Li Shen's heart pounded. "Qi Foundation... that's two whole stages above me."
But he had something the Watcher didn't.
Desperation.
And the Forsaken Root.
⸻
Minutes Later – Ambush Site
Wei Zhen landed lightly in the glade.
He looked around with narrowed eyes.
Something was off.
No scent. No fresh prints. No qi trails.
"Clever," he muttered. "But not clever enough."
He turned toward a patch of shrubs—and his instincts screamed.
Flames burst up beneath his feet.
Flame Palm – Rank 2, Overload Variant
The ground erupted.
Wei Zhen darted back, cloak burning at the edges, and hurled a blade of wind at the tree Li Shen had leapt from.
Li twisted midair. The blade grazed his side, drawing blood—but he landed in a crouch, already sprinting.
The Watcher was fast.
Li Shen was faster—in this moment.
He had no strength to overpower. No cultivation to shield him.
But he had his Soul Thread Sense—and he had studied Zhen's rhythm.
And he knew where to strike.
⸻
The Fight – Thread versus Blade
Wei Zhen blurred forward, his palm glowing silver with Wind Step energy.
He struck—Li Shen dodged barely, twisting and grabbing the attacker's wrist.
[Devour Protocol – Instant Drain: Activated]
[Target: Wei Zhen – Spirit Artifact Drain Attempt... Failed]
[Qi Syphon Partial Success – 3% Qi Transferred]
[Skill Fragment Extracted: Wind Step – Rank 1 (Unstable Copy)**
The Watcher snarled and broke free.
"You little parasite!"
Li stumbled, nearly collapsing. His nose bled. His skin smoked. That brief contact nearly shattered his meridians.
But he smiled through the pain.
"I only need to touch you once," he rasped.
Wei Zhen charged again—
And this time, Li vanished.
⸻
A Beat Later – Behind the Watcher
Li reappeared using a broken copy of Wind Step, the motion shaky but just enough.
He struck with both palms.
Double Flame Palm – Overcharge Mode
Wei Zhen screamed as fire engulfed his back.
He dropped to one knee, burned and furious.
"You—!"
He didn't get to finish.
Li Shen drove a shard of Qiao Yu's old dagger into his neck.
Twisted.
And pushed him off the ledge.
Wei Zhen's body tumbled down the rocky cliffside—striking trees, snapping bones.
By the time it stopped, he was dead.
⸻
Aftermath
[Target Eliminated – Azure Sky Watcher]
[Qi Absorbed: 7%]
[Skill Refined: Wind Step – Rank 1 (Stable Form Achieved)]
[Forsaken Root: 10% Unsealed]
[Trait Gained: Shadow Adaptation – You adapt faster when under pursuit or hunted.]
Li Shen stood at the edge of the cliff, chest heaving.
His wounds burned. His soul trembled.
But he was alive.
And stronger than ever before.
⸻
Back at Azure Sky Sect – Mount Zhenxu
Grand Elder Xuan Jie sat before a crystal mirror. The reflection dimmed.
"Signal lost," murmured one of the scribes. "Wei Zhen is gone."
Xuan Jie's eyes narrowed.
"...Then we've waited too long. The Root has begun to awaken."
He turned to the hall of elders.
"Send the Initiates. Send the Shadows. Burn the village if you must. But bring me the boy's head."