The
morning sun
shone brightly as Xiao Li left the
Azure Kingdom Royal Academy
, heading toward
Misty Cloud Forest
, the location of his mission.
The path was
rugged and overgrown
, with
dense trees
stretching endlessly in all directions.
Xiao Li
walked calmly
, his senses fully alert.
"The Black Fang Bandits… a group of rogue cultivators causing trouble outside the city."
The mission details had mentioned that they were
only at the Qi Refining Stage
, making them
weaklings
in Xiao Li’s eyes.
But he also knew—
this was a setup.
He had noticed the
gazes of hostile disciples
when he accepted the mission.
He was
certain that someone had arranged for him to be ambushed.
"It doesn’t matter."
A smirk played on his lips.
"Let them come. It’s been a while since I tested my strength properly."
With that, he
disappeared into the misty forest.
Deep within the
Misty Cloud Forest
, a
hidden camp
lay nestled between rocky cliffs.
Inside, a
dozen figures
dressed in
black robes
gathered around a table.
Their leader, a
scar-faced man with a cruel smile
, sharpened his blade.
"So, we’re getting a visitor today?"
A hooded figure stepped forward.
"Yes. His name is Xiao Li."
The bandit leader chuckled.
"One of those Academy brats?"
"Not just any Academy brat,"
the hooded figure said.
"He humiliated the Zhao Clan’s young master and even broke the Spirit Measuring Tablet."
The room fell silent.
One of the bandits
frowned.
"You mean… he’s strong?"
The hooded figure smirked.
"Not strong enough."
"Zhao Wu and some of the Inner Court factions want him dead. All you have to do is… make sure he doesn’t return."
The bandit leader licked his lips.
"Heh. Fine. But I expect full payment."
"Kill him first. Then we’ll talk."
The
hooded figure vanished
, leaving the
Black Fang Bandits to prepare for the kill.
"Alright, boys."
The leader grinned, raising his blade.
"Tonight, we hunt."
As Xiao Li moved deeper into
Misty Cloud Forest
, the atmosphere
grew eerily quiet.
No birds.
No beasts.
Only
silence.
"They’re close."
Xiao Li’s lips curled into a smirk.
"Let’s get this over with."
He took another step forward—
WHOOSH!
An
arrow shot out from the trees
, aimed directly at his
head.
But—
"Too slow."
Xiao Li
tilted his head slightly
, and the arrow
barely grazed his cheek
, embedding itself into a tree behind him.
Immediately, figures in
black robes
emerged from the mist, surrounding him.
"Well, well… You’re smarter than I expected,"
the bandit leader sneered.
Xiao Li glanced around.
"Only a dozen of you?"
The bandit leader's
smirk faltered.
"Arrogant little—"
Xiao Li raised a hand.
"Enough talking. Come."
The bandits
hesitated.
There was no
fear in his eyes.
Only
boredom.
The bandit leader
gritted his teeth
.
"KILL HIM!"
The bandits
rushed forward
, their weapons glowing with
spiritual energy.
Swords, daggers, and spears
flashed through the air
, aiming to tear Xiao Li apart.
WHOOSH!
But in an instant—
BOOM!
A
golden shockwave erupted
around Xiao Li,
sending the first attackers flying backward
.
He
hadn’t even moved.
The bandits
staggered
, their eyes wide in shock.
"What… what kind of strength is this?!"
Xiao Li
vanished.
Before the leader could react, a
hand clamped around his throat.
"Too slow."
Xiao Li
lifted him off the ground
, his fingers pressing into the man’s windpipe.
The bandit leader
gasped, his legs kicking helplessly.
"P-Please…!"
Xiao Li’s
eyes were cold.
"I don’t spare insects."
And with that—
CRACK!
He
crushed his throat
, dropping the lifeless body to the ground.
The remaining bandits
froze in terror.
"M-Monster…!"
Xiao Li
smiled.
"I gave you a chance to run."
He
raised his palm
, and golden
Qi erupted from his body.
"Now, you die."
The forest
lit up with golden light
—and within seconds, the bandits were
erased.
High in the trees, a
black-robed figure watched the battle unfold.
His hands
trembled.
"H-He wiped them out… effortlessly?!"
He quickly pulled out a
transmission talisman
, his voice urgent.
"Abort the mission. Do not engage Xiao Li. I repeat—DO NOT ENGAGE!"
From the other end, a cold voice responded.
"Too late. He’s already marked."
The black-robed figure
shivered.
He turned back toward the battlefield, where Xiao Li stood
alone
, his
golden aura flickering like a god of war.
"If we don’t kill him soon…"
"No one will be able to."