Just before they were about to leave, Zhao Ming appeared.
"Brother Kai, I heard you were assigned to punishment cell duty. That is quite an honor for such a new disciple." His smile did not reach his eyes. "Senior Disciple Chen Yun must see some potential in you."
"This junior is only following orders, Brother Zhao."
"Of course, of course." Zhao Ming stepped closer, his voice dropping. "You know, Brother Kai, you and I should have another training session soon. I think you could benefit from more... focused instruction."
[THREAT ANALYSIS]
[ZHAO MING: Probing for weakness]
[ASSESSMENT: Testing whether punishment cell exposure affected you]
[RECOMMENDATION: Show neither fear nor aggression]
"This junior appreciates Brother Zhao's continued interest in helping weaker disciples," Kai said carefully. "Perhaps after this assignment is finished?"
"Oh, definitely. In fact..." Zhao Ming glanced at the cart. "These two are going to the eastern mines, right? That is a dangerous path at night. Bandits, spiritual beasts, all sorts of risks. It would be terrible if something happened to the transport."
The meaning was clear. Zhao Ming was thinking about attacking the transport. Probably to kill the guards and prisoners, then blame it on bandits. An easy way to get rid of witnesses while gathering some death energy.
[SYSTEM ALERT]
[ZHAO MING GROUP: Timeline accelerating]
[ESTIMATED TIME UNTIL CRITICAL INCIDENT: 3 days]
[WARNING: They plan to ambush transport tonight]
Of course they did. This was exactly the kind of chance predators like Zhao Ming looked for. Isolated targets, a believable story, easy victims.
But Kai was going to be on that transport.
"This junior hopes the journey is quiet, Brother Zhao," Kai said in a neutral tone. "Violence would reflect poorly on the sect's security."
Zhao Ming's smile widened. "Indeed. Well, good luck, Brother Kai. I am sure you will be fine."
As Zhao Ming walked away, Kai's mind raced through the possibilities. If Zhao Ming attacked the transport tonight, Kai would be forced into a direct fight. He was not ready for that. His cultivation was still too low.
But the system had marked Zhao Ming's group as targets for a reason. If they attacked and committed murder, that would make it right to eliminate them. And if Kai was there when they died...
[OPPORTUNITY ANALYSIS]
[SCENARIO: Ambush likely tonight]
[POTENTIAL DEATH ENERGY: 300+ points from three Foundation Building cultivators]
[RISK LEVEL: Extreme - You are currently too weak for direct combat]
[RECOMMENDATION: Prepare defensive measures and survival strategies]
"Brother Kai?"
Kai turned to find Lin Wei approaching, his face full of concern.
"Brother Lin, what are you doing here?"
"I heard you got transport duty. That is dangerous, especially at night. I wanted to make sure you knew..." Lin Wei looked around and lowered his voice. "Zhao Ming and his friends have been spending time around the eastern roads lately. Some disciples who traveled that way had accidents. Be careful."
So Lin Wei knew, or at least suspected, what Zhao Ming really was.
"Thank you for the warning, Brother Lin. I will be cautious."
"Do you want me to come with you? More guards might discourage trouble."
It was a real offer, which meant Lin Wei was putting himself in danger to help. That kind of loyalty was rare.
[DECISION POINT]
[ACCEPT LIN WEI'S HELP: Reduced personal risk, but exposes ally to danger]
[DECLINE: Higher personal risk, but protects ally]
Kai made his choice.
"I appreciate the offer, Brother Lin, but you should stay. If something happens, the group needs you here. Besides, there are already two other outer disciples assigned to guard duty."
Lin Wei looked torn but finally nodded. "Alright. But if you are not back by morning, I am coming to find you."
"Deal."
The transport cart left the sect grounds just as the sun touched the horizon.
Besides Kai, two other outer disciples served as guards. Both were at Qi Gathering Second Stage, and both looked nervous. They knew the eastern road's reputation. The driver was an older servant who had made this trip many times before, his face carefully blank.
The two prisoners lay chained in the back of the cart, too hurt to cause any problems.
As they moved, Kai's Death Vision showed him the world in layers of shadow and death. The dying plants along the roadside. Small animals hiding in their burrows, their life forces faint. The prisoners' spiritual energy continuing to fade.
And in the distance, moving through the forest parallel to the road, three signatures burning with the intent to kill.
[COMBAT ALERT]
[ZHAO MING GROUP: Tracking your position]
[ESTIMATED TIME UNTIL AMBUSH: 30 minutes]
[CURRENT COMBAT ASSESSMENT: Your defeat probability: 87%]
Kai's hand moved to the basic sword at his belt. He had no real combat experience in this body, almost no cultivation, and was about to face three Foundation Building cultivators who had killed before.
The smart thing would be to run. Leave the cart and flee back to the sect.
But running meant missing an opportunity. If Zhao Ming's group attacked and killed the guards and prisoners, that was death energy waiting to be taken. And if they died in the process, through luck or desperate action, that was even more power.
Kai had built an empire by taking careful risks when the potential reward was worth the danger.
This was one of those times.
"Brothers," Kai said to the other guards. "I think we are being followed."
The two disciples immediately tensed, their hands going to their weapons.
"Where? How many?"
"Three cultivators in the forest. Foundation Building realm. They have been tracking us since we left."
"How do you know that?" one guard asked, his voice sharp with doubt.
"I have good eyes, brother. Believe me or not, but we need to get ready for an attack."
The guards looked at each other. They were scared but not foolish. The eastern road's bad reputation was not just talk.
"What do we do?" the younger guard asked.
Kai's mind raced through the choices. Fighting head on was suicide. But maybe he did not need to win. He just needed to survive long enough to turn this situation to his advantage.
"When they attack, you two focus on defense. Protect the driver. I will..." Kai paused, then smiled a cold smile. "I will handle the distraction."
"Distraction? Are you crazy? You are not even in the Qi Gathering realm!"
"Exactly. Which means I am not the main threat. They will underestimate me."
It was a terrible plan. But in his previous life, Kai had learned that sometimes terrible plans worked precisely because no one expected them.
The forest grew darker as they went deeper into the eastern wilderness. Any moment now...
[COMBAT IMMINENT]
[SHADOW ENERGY RESPONDING TO DANGER]
[EMERGENCY ABILITY UNLOCKED: SHADOW STEP]
[WARNING: Current cultivation insufficient for prolonged combat]
[SURVIVAL PROBABILITY: 23%]
The attack came without any warning.
Liu Jian burst from the trees with a loud roar, his sword glowing with qi as he swung at the cart driver. One of the guards barely managed to block the attack, their blades crashing together in a shower of bright sparks.
Wang Shu appeared on the other side, his knife moving toward the second guard's throat. The guard raised his sword, but the knife curved around it in an impossible way. A technique that ignored normal movement.
And Zhao Ming landed directly on the cart, his sword pointed at Kai's heart.
"Nothing personal, Brother Kai," Zhao Ming said, his smile finally real. "But you saw too much. Senior Disciple Chen Yun's little test actually works against him. Now you are a loose end that needs cutting."
The sword thrust forward, aiming to pierce Kai's heart just like Marcus's knife had in his previous life.
But this time, Kai was ready.
[SHADOW STEP ACTIVATED]
The world blurred. For one impossible moment, Kai's body dissolved into shadow and moved three feet to the left. Zhao Ming's sword cut through empty air where Kai had been standing.
Zhao Ming's eyes widened in pure shock. "What..."
Kai's own sword slashed across Zhao Ming's thigh. It was not a killing blow, but it was enough to draw blood. The strike was awkward and desperate, but it connected.
[FIRST BLOOD]
[SHADOW ENERGY RESPONDING]
[DEATH POINT GAINED: 1]
"You can cultivate?" Zhao Ming's shock turned to hot anger. "You have been hiding your strength!"
Around them, the two guards were losing badly. Liu Jian's raw power had already wounded one. Wang Shu's knife skills were too much for the other guard to handle.
This was going to end very badly.
But Kai had gotten what he needed. Proof that his shadow abilities worked in real combat. Now he just needed to live through the next few minutes.
"I am full of surprises, Brother Zhao," Kai said, backing away and getting ready to use Shadow Step again.
Zhao Ming's cultivation aura flared, the power of Foundation Building Fifth Stage making the very air feel heavy.
"Does not matter. You are still going to die tonight, farm boy. But now it will be slower. I want to understand what kind of cultivation lets a mortal use space shifting techniques."
This, Kai realized, was exactly the kind of situation where people died in cultivation stories.
It was time to see if he could write a different ending.