They left the restaurant and moved through the quieter streets of the town, side by side. Shang reached a familiar corner and slowed to a stop. "Alright, this is my stop," he said, turning to them with a casual wave.
Lin Shu and Kai nodded, beginning to turn away, when Shang suddenly bounded forward. He threw his arms over their shoulders, pulling them into an awkward, enthusiastic huddle. "We really should do this again! I had a lot of fun today. I'll even ask Yu to join us next time!"
Lin Shu gave a curt nod. "I did make a lot of wealth today. And unless they're a Rank 2 cultivator, anyone else is nothing to worry about." Aloud, he simply said, "Sure, why not."
Kai didn't speak at first, then grumbled, "Whatever. But next time you lie to us, we'll break your wings off, Shang."
Shang laughed, punching Kai's shoulder playfully. "Haha, sorry about that! But you guys do agree it was fun, right?"
Lin Shu shrugged noncommittally. Kai looked away, unable to bring himself to admit it aloud.
"I'll take that as a yes!" Shang declared, his grin widening. "So, let's meet in the hunt!"
Lin Shu nodded again. Kai started muttering promises to beat Shang up when they met, but there was no real heat in it now. Shang just laughed, and even Kai cracked a small smile.
With a final, cheerful wave, Shang bid them farewell and disappeared down a side alley, his figure swallowed by the shadows.
Kai and Lin Shu continued walking in silence for a while. Lin Shu looked up at the dark sky, the first hints of dawn still hours away. "Don't you think it's weird he's this friendly with us?" he asked, his voice low.
Kai wasn't ready for the question. "I... I don't know," he stammered.
"Just saying," Lin Shu continued, his tone neutral. "Don't trust him too much."
Kai looked back at him. "Well, it's not the first time he's been like this. Every time we fight in the arena, he's always... like that. Taunting, but weirdly chatty."
Lin Shu didn't respond for a moment. "Well, it's irrelevant to me, Kai. I just told you not to trust him because remember—he'll be trying to hunt me down with Yu to take my spot as Yanqi's top fighter. So don't trust them too much. For now."
Kai remembered the deal and the looming hunt. He nodded, his earlier camaraderie cooling. "Li's right. Shang is gonna try to fight him, and he even lied to us today to get us to help. We shouldn't trust him yet."
---
Somewhere else, Shang entered a nondescript building, climbed a narrow set of stairs, and slipped into a sparsely furnished room. Inside, Yu was sitting on the floor in a meditative pose, cycling his qi.
Shang walked over and collapsed onto a thin bed with a tired sigh.
"Where have you been?" Yu asked without opening his eyes.
"I met with Li and Kai," Shang answered, staring at the ceiling.
"And?"
"Well, Li was looking for a technique, so I helped him check out some auctions. On the way from one to another, we were ambushed by some bastards I have a... history with. He saw my Owl's Gaze technique and offered to buy it. I decided to ask for a favor instead of selling it."
"What was the favor?" Yu's eyes opened now, sharp with interest.
"Killing Hougu."
Yu raised an eyebrow. "Did you succeed?"
Shang nodded.
"I guess you forced him into revealing his techniques during the fight," Yu said, a statement more than a question. "So? Anything new we don't know about?"
"Well, we didn't fight Hougu," Shang corrected, propping himself up on an elbow. "Li fought him alone. Not only that, he took a direct hit from a Rank 2 technique Hougu managed to claw back. And he was able to blow the guy's arm off straight through the technique and his hardened flesh. Li walked away from it. Hurt, but standing."
Yu's skeptical look deepened. "You sure about this? He didn't pay you to say this to discourage me from hunting him, did he, Shang?"
Shang shot him a withering glare. "Go to hell, Yu. Why would I lie to you? I'm saying the truth. Take it or leave it."
Yu narrowed his eyes, his mind working. "Taking a Rank 2 technique head-on and crippling a fallen Rank 2 cultivator in exchange... Even weakened, that technique had the power of a quasi-Rank 2. And so does his defense. That means Li's armor can withstand that level of force, and he has an offensive technique capable of matching it."
"So what now?" Yu asked, his voice cool. "Don't tell me you're cowarding out, Shang. Are you still going to fight him?"
Shang looked back at the ceiling, his earlier bravado fading into something more contemplative. "Maybe. And maybe not. You just worry about your own turn."
Yu didn't reply. He closed his eyes again, returning to his cultivation, but his focus was shattered. A cold, tactical dread settled in his stomach. "So that's how it is. I'll just have to let others wear him down first. Wait until he's weakened after dealing with other hunters. Then I'll take my chance."
Days passed. Fearing he might not master the Owl's Gaze technique before the hunt, Lin Shu asked Yanqi for help in learning it. The latter agreed, somewhat surprisingly.
During this time, Lin Shu was now able to hit a target from a quarter of a li away more consistently, with close to a 60-70% success rate. It was enough. He didn't plan on using it at extreme distances anyway; his strategy was to use his Chameleon technique to hide, then ambush anyone who passed by.
Aoyan had also made significant progress. She had broken through to the peak stage of Rank 1 at the age of seventeen. She could now properly utilize the peak-tier techniques she had learned in advance but never had the qi reserves to wield.
Kai had refined his own techniques and battle style. In fact, Yanqi noted that while Aoyan was at a higher stage, she still hadn't surpassed kai in term of power yet but they are close to equals now. This made Kai privately worry about being left behind. "I need to get a good ranking in the hunt. That way, I can get resources to increase my cultivation speed. I need to reach the peak stage soon."
Lin Shu, Kai, and Aoyan now sat before Yanqi as he prepared to brief them. "You three know what I'm going to talk about. The hunt begins tomorrow. What I'm about to give are not suggestions—they're orders."
He looked at each of them. "First, I want you two," he said, pointing at Kai and Aoyan, "to always stay with Li. Secondly, you will obey him. Thirdly, I am authorizing him to kill anyone necessary. He does not need to share his points with you, nor do you have to share yours with him. Fourthly, the only time I want you to separate from Li is when he is fighting Kun, Su, or anyone of their caliber. I want him able to fight without having to protect you two. I am sure Li can hold his own against most, if not all, fighters there. But you two are still no match for Su or Kun. They have been peak-stage cultivators for two years now. Kai, you are still a high-stage cultivator, and even if your power makes you equivalent to a peak-stage, your qi simply can't sustain the peak-tier technique I gave you. That is why I told you to keep developing your own techniques—they are cheaper to use and powerful enough. And Aoyan, you are newly advanced."
Aoyan nodded, as did Kai. Lin Shu could see Aoyan's hand tremble slightly. Kai, on the other hand, radiated a different energy as Yanqi repeatedly told him to listen to Li and not recklessly pursue Kun or his brother.
Yanqi continued, "Now, I cannot tell you who all the participants are. In fact, I cannot give you a complete list, as anyone can join at any moment. So beware of anyone who seems unusual. Stay away from sect groups—they will move in formations. Do not target them unless they are not from one of the Four Great Sects. I have no elaborate plan for you three. This hunt will be chaotic. Most likely, hundreds will die, as this type of event is almost unprecedented for a force not equal to the great sects or the Empire. Be vigilant because this is no less then a war. You will encounter individuals that even Li might have trouble killing."
The three of them nodded. "Aoyan, Kai, you two go to your rooms and rest. As for you, Li, let's talk in private."
Lin Shu remained as Aoyan and Kai left for their rooms.
Yanqi leaned back in his chair. "Li, you remember our talk from before?"
Lin Shu nodded.
Yanqi looked at him. "Good. Now, our deal was that you protect Aoyan and try to kill certain individuals. The obvious targets are Kun, Su, Ran, Jue Yue, Weize, and Mang—Kun's blind brother. But don't let that fool you; he is only weaker than Kun and Su. He is the third strongest among all the potential heirs. But let's be clear: there are no other true heirs besides Aoyan, Kun, and Su. The others are lackeys following either Su or Kun."
He continued, his voice lowering. "I want you to kill as many of them as possible, Li. But I also want you to do something else. I want you to bring one of them alive to Aoyan and force her to kill him."
Lin Shu didn't expect that last request. "Force her?"
"Yes, force her," Yanqi said, his expression grim. "There is no one to fool here, Li. You know she is scared. You saw her face, how she keeps shaking. I want you to help remove that fear by forcing her to kill those who inflict it."
Lin Shu couldn't help but ask, "Why don't you do it? I mean, force her to kill them. I am sure you could capture any of them and then force Aoyan to do it. Why would you need me for that?"
Yanqi looked at Lin Shu, frowning deeply before sighing. "I... I can't force her into doing that, Li. I just cannot. I can't bear to see her cry. She is like my daughter—no, she is my daughter. And I can't see her break. But I still need her to overcome her trauma and move forward. That is why I need you to do this. In fact, consider this your second priority for the event: first, protect her; then, make sure you help her get past that trauma by killing its inflictors."
Lin Shu fell silent but was once again compelled to ask what they had done to her. The question escaped his lips. "What did they do to her?"
Yanqi's gaze hardened. "Why is none of your concern. Do not ask me about it again."
Lin Shu absorbed the warning, noting Yanqi's rising anger. "I understand."
Yanqi nodded, the intensity fading back into weary command. "You can go now and rest, Li. Because for the next few days, you won't be able to."
Lin Shu left Yanqi and walked down the hallway to his room. As he approached, his eyes opened slightly in surprise. Aoyan was standing there, her back against the wall. She saw him and offered an awkward smile.
Lin Shu moved closer. "Is there something you need, Aoyan?"
She pushed herself away from the wall. "I... I wanted to talk to you about something, Li."
Lin Shu opened his door and entered. "Alright." He sat in a chair, offering the bed to Aoyan. She moved slowly and sat down, her red bangs partially covering her eyes.
"So, what did you want to tell me?"
Aoyan took a moment, as if gathering her words. "I want you to stay away from Su and Kun."
Lin Shu raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
Aoyan looked to the side, a hint of shame in her expression. "I just don't think it's a good idea to face them."
Lin Shu looked at her as she avoided his gaze. "Your master clearly said I am more than capable of facing them. So there's no need for you to worry about it, Aoyan."
She looked back at him, her voice growing more insistent. "No, Li, you don't understand. You don't want to risk fighting them. They're not... they'll..." Her words kept cutting off, her breathing becoming uneven. Sweat dotted her forehead. Her eyes darted between the ground, her hands, and Lin Shu.
Lin Shu observed her. "Why is she this scared? She can't even form a coherent sentence. How can a disciple of someone like Yanqi be in such a state?" He leaned forward, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Listen, Aoyan. I know you're nervous, but you should already be assured by Yanqi's own words that I am fully capable. You should go and rest for the hunt tomorrow."
Aoyan suddenly stood up, her hands moving frantically. "NO, LI! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND! YOU CAN'T FIGHT THEM! THEY WON'T LET YOU GO IF YOU HELP ME AGAINST THEM! THEY'LL DO TERRIBLE THINGS TO YOU... TERRIBLE THINGS....!"
Lin Shu was surprised by her sudden outburst as she continued, her voice trembling. "PLEASE, LI! FOR YOUR OWN GOOD, DON'T FIGHT THEM! WE CAN JUST FIGHT OTHER PEOPLE! WE DON'T HAVE TO MEET THEM, RIGHT? PLEASE!"
Lin Shu looked at her and moved closer. "So you think I am weak, Aoyan?" he said, holding her gaze.
Aoyan stumbled back. "I... I don't. It's just that they're not..."
"Not what, Aoyan?"
"THEY'RE NOT HUMANS, LI! THEY'RE DEMONS! YOU CAN'T! I TRIED CONVINCING MYSELF THAT YOU CAN, BUT I KNOW IT'S NOT POSSIBLE! YOU'LL GET YOURSELF KILLED, LI!"
Lin Shu smiled, a cold, assessing curve of his lips, and walked closer. "Come on, Aoyan. You really expect me to believe you're worried about me this much? Even a blind man can see that you're scared shitless. Which really makes me wonder," he said, as Aoyan's back hit the wall. "What did they do to you to make you fear them this much? You tremble whenever they're mentioned. I wonder how they got you to this state."
Aoyan's face paled, as if struck by a memory. Lin Shu's smile vanished. "You're just trying to evade them. Like a coward."
Aoyan's frown struggled to form words, but they dissolved into shame. Her eyes looked down, her mouth forming a sad line as her eyes watered. "You should go and rest now," Lin Shu said, his tone final. "I don't appreciate you being here and calling me weak when I am supposed to protect and help you tomorrow." He turned away and moved toward his bed.
Aoyan didn't speak. She moved toward the door, looked back as if to say something, but remained silent. As her hand touched the handle, she heard his voice again, quieter now.
"Everyone grows fearful of something, Aoyan. Everyone has a cowardly past, and present. But we all try to move toward a version of ourselves that isn't held back by memories or trauma—but pushed forward by them. A version that doesn't cower away from fears, but clashes with them. So tell me: do you plan on living the rest of your life in this present, or taking a step toward the future?"
Aoyan looked down, caught in a fierce internal struggle. Lin Shu added, "You don't have to give me an answer now. In fact, you don't have to give me an answer at all. You only have to answer for yourself."
Aoyan still wore that tormented expression as she finally opened the door. She glanced at Lin Shu, who had already closed his eyes, the room's light flickering out.
She left without another word.
In a shadowed corner of the hallway, unseen, Yanqi stood. A pleased, almost proud look softened his stern features as he watched Aoyan walk away. He nodded slowly to himself and melted back into the darkness.
The sun began to rise as Lin Shu woke. He immediately started preparing, gathering everything he might need before leaving his room. As he walked down the hallway toward the main room, he saw Yanqi already there, sitting before five neatly folded sets of clothing.
Yanqi slowly opened his eyes. "I guessed you'd be the first one to wake. You see these clothes? I asked for them to be made specifically for all of you. Take them, wake Aoyan and Kai, and give each their set. This is the unified attire for our team. Other teams will wear similar clothing due to a new rule to make every team recognizable to the audience. Only unaffiliated fighters without teams are exempt."
Lin Shu moved forward and picked up one set: a brown robe with a hood, lined with red stripes that coalesced into a rose over the heart. The pants followed the same scheme. "This is Kai's. The two next to it are for Shang and Yu—you'll give those to them after they join you in the hunt. Yours is on the side, and Aoyan's is next to it. Three of these sets are Ascendent armor. Specifically, yours, Kai's, and Aoyan's are mid-tier Ascendent armor. Yu's and Shang's are not. You can inspect yours now."
Lin Shu picked up his own clothing. The colors were different—darker—but the pattern was similar. Yanqi continued, "Your clothing isn't as functionally necessary, given your own armor is more than sufficient. And since your armor formation tends to shred whatever you're wearing, I'd recommend taking the robe off before battle, or accept it will be torn. For your lower half, I got you black pants with a black sash to keep everything together."
Lin Shu observed the pants—they had subtle, empty lines that exposed the interior. "Why does it look already torn?"
"It's not torn," Yanqi clarified. "I've noticed your armor forms from specific points and spreads. Those openings are to accommodate that without destroying the pants. As for why I didn't do the same for the robe..." He paused, his face utterly blank. "I forgot."
Lin Shu stared. "You forgot?"
Yanqi nodded once. "Yes. I forgot to include that instruction in the letter I sent to the forge that crafted these."
Lin Shu didn't know how to respond. He simply nodded, storing the clothing in his spatial ring, and turned to leave.
"Wake the other two," Yanqi said, his tone dismissing further discussion.
Lin Shu headed to Kai's room first. He entered to find Kai asleep on the floor, surrounded by scattered scrolls. Lin Shu gave him a soft kick. Kai stirred, grumbling, and slowly sat up. Lin Shu tossed the clothing at him. "Wear these and get ready."
Kai blinked, then his eyes widened as if suddenly remembering the day. He scrambled to his feet. "Right! The hunt!"
Lin Shu left without another word and moved to Aoyan's door. He knocked softly. The door opened to reveal Aoyan already dressed, but her hair was slightly disheveled, and dark circles hung under her eyes. It was clear she hadn't slept.
Lin Shu sighed inwardly. "I'll need to make sure she doesn't collapse mid-hunt." He extended the set of clothing. "Elder Yanqi instructed us to wear these. Change and get ready. We're leaving soon."
Aoyan took the clothes, her eyes fixed on the floor. She was silent for a moment, but Lin Shu didn't wait. He turned and left. She watched his back, then retreated into her room.
Back in his own room, Lin Shu changed quickly. He stood before the mirror, shirtless, and examined the attire. At his waist was a black sash adorned with red lines that formed a delicate chain of roses. The pants were of the same dark fabric, with those strategic, subtle openings. A red belt embroidered with floral symbols held everything together.
He observed his reflection—his brown skin, the defined muscles, his hair now grown to his neck. He slipped on the robe: black, with red stripes converging into a rose over the heart. He decided to wear the sash over the robe, tying it into a clean knot at his hip, letting the excess drape down his leg. "I'll either remove the robe or let my armor tear through it. One less thing to worry about."
As he finished, Kai emerged from his room, dressed in his set. The style was similar, but the colors were softer—a warm brown with red accents, the rose emblem glowing faintly over his heart. He had no sash.
"Li!" Kai called, smiling broadly as he approached. "I didn't expect Elder Yanqi to give us something like this. I have to admit, it looks pretty good, doesn't it?" He seemed genuinely pleased, his earlier anxiety replaced by eager energy.
Lin Shu offered a slight smile behind his mask. Before he could respond, footsteps sounded behind them. They turned to see Aoyan.
Her robe was shorter, ending just below her waist. It was a striking red, striped with black, the pattern flowing into a dark floral design over her heart. Her pants were red with black striping. She moved slowly, her gaze tired but less wavering than before—as if her eyes were trying to focus ahead even as her head remained slightly bowed.
Kai greeted her cheerfully. Aoyan managed a small smile in return, then her eyes flickered toward Lin Shu.
Lin Shu turned away. "Come on. We don't have much time before we leave."
Kai fell into step beside him, buzzing with excitement. Aoyan followed silently, a few paces behind.
When they entered the main room, Yanqi was waiting. He smiled as he saw them, then stood. At his signal, Aoyan's white torch fox darted from a corner and leapt into her arms. She held it close, the familiar weight seeming to steady her slightly. Yanqi watched her, a flash of concern in his eyes, but he said nothing of it.
"Alright," he announced, his voice filling the room. "Since you're all ready, let's head to the staging grounds. The hunt begins soon."
Kai grinned, walking shoulder-to-shoulder with Lin Shu. "I can't wait to get my hands on Shang. I'm gonna roast that chicken."
Lin Shu allowed a faint smirk. "Well, the last time you two fought, he picked you up by the leg and dropped you from a height. He didn't even use an offensive technique—just gravity."
Kai frowned, nudging him. "Li, you know he's the one hunting you, not me, right? Why are you on his side?"
Yanqi chuckled, and even Aoyan let out a soft, breathy laugh. Lin Shu ignored the question, his mind already turning toward the chaos to come as they moved out into the dawn-lit streets.