The silence gradually returned once more. The sound of rain faded away, and the chaos from before vanished as if it had never existed. Only the cool night wind drifted gently through the City Lord's manor.
The man in white stood quietly for a moment before speaking in a calm voice.
"Try flying up into the sky."
Kang Hao flinched slightly, yet he did not dare disobey. He moved at once. Saint power erupted beneath his feet as his body shot upward into the air.
The night wind rushed past him. His clothes fluttered with sharp rustling sounds. The night sky was tranquil, stars scattered brilliantly across the heavens. Nothing felt abnormal.
The man in white raised his head and spoke again.
"Higher."
Kang Hao drew in a breath. Power surged within his body as he ascended another level, until the city below shrank into tiny specks.
Still… nothing happened.
The man in white gave a slight nod.
"That is enough. Come back down."
Kang Hao descended carefully. When his feet touched the ground, his breathing remained steady. Everything appeared perfectly normal.
At that moment, the man in white flicked his hand. Four clear droplets formed instantly. They drifted forward and enveloped Ye Chen, Mu Ling, Ye Xin, and Huang Ran, transforming into tightly sealed protective barriers to prevent any external force from harming them or causing their disappearance.
Then he turned to look at Kang Hao, who had just landed.
"Stand still. I will take you somewhere."
Before Kang Hao could ask a single question,
One droplet suddenly expanded, wrapping around both the man in white and Kang Hao. Light warped violently.
Whoosh!
Both figures vanished in an instant.
When the world came back into focus, they appeared in the heart of the southern region of the Black Wind Continent. Beneath them stretched vast stone cliffs as far as the eye could see. Gale force winds howled violently, whipping their clothes with explosive flapping sounds.
The man in white and Kang Hao stepped out of the droplet. Everything seemed calm. Nothing appeared unusual.
But only a few breaths later
Ruuuumble!!!
The clouds above began to churn madly. Thunder roared across the sky. The earth beneath their feet shook violently as massive cracks spread in every direction, as if the entire world were about to tear itself apart.
An overwhelming pressure descended in an instant.
Kang Hao's face turned deathly pale. His heart felt as if it were being crushed to the point of stopping. An icy sensation surged from his spine straight into his mind.
His instincts screamed wildly.
If he remained here even a moment longer, he would die without question.
The man in white clenched his fist and raised his hand. The water droplet around them trembled as light twisted once more.
Whoosh!
Both figures vanished from the edge of the continent in the blink of an eye, reappearing at their original location within Sword Heaven City.
Kang Hao collapsed to his knees immediately. His breathing came in ragged gasps. His body trembled uncontrollably as sweat drenched him from head to toe. His heart hammered violently, as if it might burst out of his chest.
Just moments ago…
He had truly been standing face to face with death.
The man in white spoke in an even tone.
"Steady yourself. You are safe now."
Kang Hao tried to push himself upright, but his strength failed him. He fell back onto the ground, staring at the sky as he gasped heavily before forcing out a question.
"What was that just now…"
The man in white remained silent for a moment before replying without emotion.
"It was likely something called the Heavenly Tao."
Kang Hao's eyes widened instantly.
The man in white continued calmly.
"You and I are now in the same situation. We are being watched by the Heavenly Tao. One might even say… we are being hunted."
He lifted his gaze toward the night sky, which had returned to its tranquil stillness.
"But do not worry too much. The Heavenly Tao of this small world is not especially frightening. If you reach the Saint Emperor realm, you will already be able to resist it to some extent."
Kang Hao let out a soft laugh, even as his body still trembled.
"My potential has already reached its limit. I have no special body and no extraordinary bloodline. The fact that I managed to step into the Saint realm at all can already be considered a miracle."
He paused briefly, then looked up at the man in white, his gaze calm and resolute.
"But… my instincts tell me that if I follow behind you, Saint Emperor may not be the end of my path."
The man in white tilted his head slightly. A strange glint flickered beneath the mask before he chuckled softly.
"Very well. You are safe for now."
He moved to pull the four individuals bearing golden luck, still sealed within the water droplets, and stored them inside his own spatial ring. Then he tossed another ring toward Kang Hao and spoke in the same flat tone.
"Maintain order within the city and find people you can truly trust. I will return shortly. That ring can be used to contact me. If anything happens, use it."
With those words, his figure warped and vanished instantly, leaving only Kang Hao lying amid the deep silence.
….
….
….
In the northern region of the Black Wind Continent, within a valley perpetually shrouded in gray black mist, a mysterious cave lay hidden beyond sight. Its entrance was sealed by dozens of overlapping formations. Without knowing its true location, even high level cultivators would never be able to find it.
Inside the cave, dim light from spirit crystals reflected off stone walls stained with layers of dried blood. The thick metallic stench filled the air, making it difficult to breathe. Broken weapons, human bones, and blood that had seeped deep into the rock spoke silently of the countless lives lost in this place.
At the center of the cave stood a small spatial gate.
Its patterns were black interwoven with violet, resembling the gaping maw of a demon devouring all who approached.
Hoarse shouts echoed from within.
"Kill… kill…!"
The sound did not belong to a single person.
It was the combined roar of hundreds of cultivators shouting in unison, voices filled with madness, agony, and a will twisted beyond recognition by relentless pressure.
This place was the secret base of the Black Crow Secret Unit, an organization created by the Zhang family.
A land without honor, without mercy, and without a place for the weak.
Everyone brought here was talentless. They possessed no special bodies, no profound comprehension, no powerful bloodlines. Whether they were abandoned descendants of the Zhang family or orphans no one cared for, all were treated the same.
For the weak minded, this place was no different from hell.
Nighttime screams, training that ended in death, and punishments more brutal than imagination could shatter an ordinary person within days.
But for those who sought power, this place was heaven.
The Black Crow Secret Unit taught everything necessary for survival. Close combat, assassination, silent movement, scent concealment, corpse disposal, poison refinement, basic medical treatment, and more.
They were forged into perfect killers.
Yet every power demanded a price.
Every trainee of the Black Crow Secret Unit cultivated the Technique of Death, bound by a single rule.
They were to serve only the head of the Zhang family.
Disobedience meant death.
No exceptions.No excuses.No second chances.
Inside the towering pitch black structure standing at the center of the spatial gate, the command hall of the Black Crow Secret Unit, a furious roar erupted.
"Are you all idiots! Listen to my orders! Obey my commands, you worthless dogs!"
Bang!
A massive stone table exploded into dust. Shards of stone slammed violently into the walls.
An elderly man stood amid the wreckage, his eyes burning crimson with rage. Terrifying pressure poured from his body, forcing every subordinate nearby to bow their heads instantly.
He was Zhang Lu, the supreme elder of the Zhang family, a cultivator at the Peak Heavenly Cavern realm.
At this moment, the Zhang family was engulfed in chaos unlike anything before.
The clan leader, Zhang Lingyue, had vanished without a trace.
The two geniuses once regarded as the family's greatest hope were no longer under their control.
Zhang Lin was only confirmed to be within the Chaotic Sacred Land, yet they dared not contact him in the slightest.
As for Zhang Wen… He had disappeared as though he had never existed at all.
He had disappeared as though he had never existed at all.
Moreover, the former leader of the Black Crow Secret Unit, along with the first seven ranked Black Crows, had all perished. Most of the members Zhang Lingyue had dispatched to hunt down Zhang Lin and Zhang Wen were also nearly wiped out. Only two survived, and both were left crippled.
The secret unit that had once served as the backbone of the Zhang family had now lost its core strength and was practically crippled.
Under such circumstances, Zhang Lu sought to seize full control of the clan. More than anything else, he wanted the power of the Black Crow Secret Unit to rebuild his own military force.
However, the response he received was something he could not accept.
"The Black Crow Secret Unit obeys only the orders of the Zhang family's clan leader. If you wish to issue commands, please complete the Zhang family's clan leader trial first."
Those words were cold, emotionless, and sharp as a blade.
Within the Zhang family, the position of clan leader was determined solely by ability. One had to pass the clan's special trial before earning the right to compete for leadership.
At that moment...
Clack… clack…
Footsteps echoed from the void. Clear. Heavy. Ice-cold.
Zhang Lu and the current commander of the Black Crow Secret Unit both shuddered violently. The hairs on their bodies stood on end as an indescribable chill surged from their feet straight to the crown of their heads. Their bodies trembled uncontrollably.
They both felt it.
A pressure beyond explanation.
Then a voice rang out.
Its tone was distorted, sharp and deep intertwined, impossible to tell whether it belonged to a man or a woman, whether it was high or low.
"If it were me… would you listen?"
The Black Crow commander's face turned deathly pale. He forced himself to clasp his hands together, bowing deeply as his entire body shook, and spoke with all the strength he could muster.
"Greetings… Young Master… Zhang Wen…"