Chapter 7 – The First Hunt
The night was restless. Beneath the shattered moonlight, the forests outside the Crimson Valley stirred with whispers. It wasn't the rustle of leaves or the cries of beasts. It was the presence of predators cloaked in shadow, their eyes glowing with killing intent.
Xu Lian sat cross-legged on a cliff edge, his aura quietly surging. The inheritance of the jade pendant still coursed through him, reshaping his meridians day by day. Yet he knew he could not afford the luxury of time.
He opened his eyes.
The stench of bloodlust lingered in the wind.
"They've come," he muttered, his voice calm, though his pulse thundered with anticipation.
---
From the darkness stepped five figures, clad in robes marked with the insignia of the Heaven-Slaying Pavilion, one of the Seven Realms' subordinate sects. Their leader, a middle-aged man with silver hair and eyes like razors, sneered.
"So it's true," he said, his tone mocking. "The boy who should've died with his family crawled out of the ashes."
Lian rose to his feet, expression unreadable. "If you came here to kill me, then don't waste words."
The man's smirk widened. "Arrogant little brat. Your father's blood still stains our blades, and you dare—"
Slash!
A streak of crimson light tore across the cliff. Xu Lian's blade sang as it left its sheath, and the closest assassin's throat split open before the man could finish his sentence. Blood sprayed into the night air, and the body crumpled like broken wood.
Silence.
The remaining four cultivators froze, their mocking smiles wiped away.
Lian's voice was ice. "You killed my family. You dare to speak their names? Every word from your mouths is an insult. Die."
---
The battle erupted.
One unleashed a storm of qi-infused daggers, while another summoned chains of spiritual fire. The leader moved like a phantom, striking with claws that shredded stone.
But Lian did not retreat. He advanced.
Every strike of his blade carried a fury that shook his enemies' hearts. His qi flared violently, growing sharper with each exchange. A dagger grazed his shoulder, tearing flesh—but he did not falter. He twisted, severed the wielder's arm, and with a second motion, split the man in half.
The fire chains wrapped around his torso, searing his skin. Instead of struggling, he pulled the chains tighter, dragging the wielder forward until their terrified face met his blade.
Blood rained.
---
Finally, only the silver-haired leader remained. His smirk had been replaced by grim determination.
"You're a monster…" the man whispered, his voice trembling.
Lian wiped blood from his cheek with a steady hand. His crimson eyes glowed in the moonlight.
"No. I'm what your masters created."
With a single step, he vanished. The leader's eyes widened—then his body collapsed to the ground, head severed cleanly.
---
When the silence returned, Xu Lian stood amidst five corpses, the cliff stained red. His chest rose and fell with heavy breaths, but his gaze never wavered.
The first hunt was complete.
Yet as he looked at the night sky, he knew this was only the beginning. If a mere hunting squad had been sent, then the Seven Realms truly feared him.
And if they feared him now, they would soon learn terror.
He whispered to the stars, a vow carried on the wind:
( "From tonight onward, I am no longer prey. I am the hunter. One day soon, the Seven Realms will beg for mercy. And I will grant them none.")
The forest seemed to tremble at his words.
The Overlord's shadow had begun to stretch.