Chapter 64 — Shadows in the Forest: The Hunt Continues
Han Feng moved through the depths of the Western Region forest.
The ancient trees towered above him, their branches forming a dense canopy that blocked most of the moonlight.
He moved beneath their shadows like a ghost.
One step.
Then another.
Each footfall was carefully placed.
His breathing remained slow and controlled.
His spiritual fluctuations were almost nonexistent.
The Art of the Celestial Veil had become considerably more refined after the battle in the Valley of Soul Devourers.
But Han Feng knew better than to become complacent.
A concealment technique was only useful if the person using it understood its limitations.
And Han Feng had already learned that Elder Li could see through his concealment to some extent.
That fact alone was enough to keep him cautious.
Behind him, the Valley of Soul Devourers had already disappeared into the darkness.
Han Feng had not looked back.
He didn't need to.
He could still remember the moment the six-point formation beneath the valley had awakened.
He could still remember Elder Li's expression.
For the first time, that powerful elder had looked genuinely surprised.
Something beneath the valley had noticed them.
And Han Feng had no intention of finding out what it was by staying there.
Not yet.
He needed distance.
Information.
And somewhere to think.
Han Feng suddenly stopped.
His eyes moved toward a distant ridge.
Nothing.
No movement.
No spiritual fluctuations.
Still, he waited.
Ten breaths.
Twenty.
Only after confirming that he had not been followed did he continue.
"The Celestial Corpse Sect won't stop."
His expression was calm.
But his thoughts were not.
The situation had become complicated.
They believed he was responsible for the deaths of several of their disciples.
They believed he possessed the Black Urn.
And now, after the incident in the valley, at least one Elder knew that Han Feng was connected to an unusual ancient resonance.
That was enough to make the entire Western Region dangerous.
Fortunately—
They still didn't know his name.
That was his greatest advantage.
Han Feng continued moving.
After several hours, the forest became denser.
A waterfall appeared ahead.
White water fell from a cliff, crashing into a dark pool below.
Han Feng stopped.
He scanned the surroundings.
Nothing unusual.
He approached the waterfall.
Then stepped through it.
Behind the curtain of water was a narrow opening.
A cave.
Han Feng entered.
The sound of the waterfall immediately swallowed every noise from outside.
Perfect.
He walked deeper into the cave before sitting down.
Only then did he allow himself to relax.
His spiritual sense swept through his body.
No serious injuries.
His Qi was stable.
His spiritual sense, however, was still somewhat exhausted.
Spectral Shadows had consumed more than he liked.
Han Feng frowned.
"That technique is useful..."
He looked at his hand.
"...but I can't depend on it yet."
It was still incomplete.
A single mistake while using it could leave him vulnerable.
Han Feng closed his eyes and began circulating Qi.
After several dozen cycles, the fatigue slowly disappeared.
When he opened his eyes again, he reached into his storage ring.
An ancient scroll appeared.
He unfolded it across the stone floor.
The map was old.
Very old.
Large portions had been damaged by time.
Several symbols were impossible to understand.
But one route remained clear.
Han Feng traced it with his finger.
According to the map, something was hidden several hours from his current location.
The original owner had called it an ancient inheritance site.
Not a treasure vault.
Not a cultivation inheritance.
Just—
A site.
That distinction mattered.
Han Feng had already learned that ancient ruins rarely gave away what people expected to find.
Sometimes there was treasure.
Sometimes there was a trap.
And sometimes the greatest discovery was simply learning that something existed.
He studied the map carefully.
The marked location was surrounded by mountains.
A black lake appeared nearby.
And at the center of the map—
Six connected points.
Han Feng's eyes narrowed.
He slowly leaned closer.
"This again."
The symbol wasn't identical to the one from the Valley of Soul Devourers.
But it was similar.
Too similar.
His Celestial Diagram reacted.
A faint pulse spread through his consciousness.
Han Feng immediately stopped touching the map.
The pulse disappeared.
His expression became serious.
"This isn't coincidence."
He folded the map.
He wouldn't investigate immediately.
Not until he understood what he was walking toward.
Suddenly—
A faint vibration came from his sleeve.
Han Feng's eyes narrowed.
The Subtle Perception Gu.
A Rank 2 Gu he had refined specifically for detecting nearby disturbances.
It was warning him.
Someone was approaching.
Han Feng extinguished the small spiritual flame beside him.
His aura disappeared.
His body blended into the darkness.
Seconds later—
Footsteps sounded beyond the waterfall.
Three figures entered the cave.
All of them wore dark robes.
Their faces were partially covered.
Han Feng remained motionless.
The three cultivators spoke quietly.
"Are you certain the target came this way?"
"I'm certain."
The second man's voice was rough.
"The information came from our contact in the neighboring city."
"The mysterious cultivator passed through the eastern district two days ago."
"And?"
"He was heading toward the mountains."
The third cultivator looked around.
"The same direction as the Valley of Soul Devourers."
The first man frowned.
"Then he may still be nearby."
Han Feng's eyes narrowed.
They weren't talking about the Black Urn.
Not yet.
They were talking about him.
He listened carefully.
"The bounty has already increased."
"How much?"
"Enough to make several independent cultivators risk their lives."
A cold smile appeared beneath the speaker's mask.
"Then there will be more hunters soon."
Han Feng's expression remained unchanged.
So the rumors had spread.
Fast.
Much faster than he expected.
But then one sentence caught his attention.
"The sect wants him alive if possible."
Han Feng's gaze sharpened.
Alive.
That was important.
Why?
Because if the Celestial Corpse Sect only wanted revenge, they would have offered a kill order.
But they wanted him alive.
That meant information.
Or perhaps—
They believed Han Feng knew something about the ancient resonance.
The first cultivator suddenly crouched down.
His fingers touched the stone floor.
A faint gray mist spread outward.
Han Feng's pupils contracted.
Tracking Gu.
He immediately adjusted his breathing.
The Art of the Celestial Veil shifted.
Instead of suppressing his aura completely, Han Feng allowed a tiny trace of spiritual energy to drift toward the rear of the cave.
The gray mist followed it.
The cultivator's eyes brightened.
"He's here."
Han Feng's expression became cold.
They had detected the false trail.
The three cultivators began moving deeper.
Han Feng calculated.
Three enemies.
Unknown cultivation.
The cave entrance was behind them.
The waterfall blocked the obvious escape route.
He could kill them.
Probably.
But doing so would leave traces.
And if the Celestial Corpse Sect was already deploying tracking Gu in the region, three dead hunters would only confirm that the target was nearby.
He needed another solution.
His eyes moved toward a pile of loose stones.
Han Feng picked up a small one.
Then—
He threw it.
The stone struck the opposite wall.
Clack.
The sound echoed through the cave.
All three cultivators turned immediately.
"What was that?"
"Over there!"
One of them drew a black bone blade.
The second released his spiritual sense.
"It's probably a beast."
"Then check it."
The three moved toward the noise.
Han Feng didn't waste the opportunity.
His body became almost indistinguishable from the darkness.
He passed behind them.
No sound.
No spiritual fluctuation.
No trace.
He reached the waterfall.
Before leaving, he glanced back.
The three cultivators were still searching.
Han Feng hesitated.
Then he noticed something.
One of the men had placed a small black talisman near the entrance.
A tracking mark.
Han Feng's eyes narrowed.
"So they aren't just searching."
He understood.
They were establishing a network.
If he killed them, more would come.
If he escaped normally, the mark might reveal his route.
Han Feng quietly stepped back.
He extended a thread of Qi.
The Celestial Transmutation Gu activated.
The energy changed slightly.
Then Han Feng touched the talisman.
Instead of destroying it—
He altered its resonance.
The mark now pointed in a completely different direction.
Toward the northern mountains.
Han Feng smiled faintly.
"Let's see how many hunters you can send there."
He stepped through the waterfall.
The moment he reached the forest, he accelerated.
But he didn't head toward the ancient inheritance site.
Not yet.
Instead, he traveled west.
Then south.
Then west again.
Only after several hours did he finally turn toward his true destination.
The ancient site.
The forest grew darker as he approached.
The moon disappeared behind thick clouds.
Thunder rumbled somewhere beyond the mountains.
Han Feng climbed onto a high branch and looked toward the horizon.
The map in his storage ring seemed almost to vibrate.
He frowned.
He hadn't touched it.
Yet the ancient scroll was reacting.
Han Feng carefully removed it.
The damaged map had changed.
A faint silver line had appeared.
It connected the six points.
Then extended beyond them.
Toward a location that hadn't been marked before.
Han Feng's eyes narrowed.
"Another point?"
The seventh location was extremely faint.
Almost invisible.
But it was there.
The same seventh point he had seen inside the Black Urn.
The same one that had appeared in the vision beneath the Valley of Soul Devourers.
Han Feng stared at it.
A cold feeling settled in his chest.
The ancient map wasn't showing him a treasure.
It was showing him a route.
And the route did not end at the six points.
It continued beyond them.
Toward the seventh.
Han Feng slowly folded the map.
For the first time, he wondered whether he was actually following the ancient clues—
Or whether the ancient clues were leading him somewhere.
A rustling sound came from behind.
Han Feng turned instantly.
Nothing.
Only trees.
Only wind.
He waited.
Then—
A faint spiritual fluctuation appeared several hundred meters away.
Someone was moving through the forest.
Han Feng's eyes narrowed.
The hunters had found his false trail.
They were coming.
He looked toward the ancient site.
Then toward the approaching presence.
His decision was immediate.
He would continue.
But carefully.
No treasure was worth dying for.
Han Feng disappeared into the forest.
Behind him, several figures emerged from the darkness.
One of them looked toward the northern mountains.
"The tracking mark points this way."
Another cultivator frowned.
"Then the target must have changed direction."
A third man looked toward the distant forest.
"He's smarter than the reports suggested."
The leader remained silent.
Then he smiled.
"Good."
He raised his hand.
"Spread out."
The hunters disappeared between the trees.
Far ahead, Han Feng continued toward the ancient site.
He did not know how many people were following him.
He did not know what waited at the end of the map.
And he certainly did not know why the seventh point kept appearing wherever the ancient resonance gathered.
But one thing was becoming increasingly clear.
The Western Region was not merely hiding ancient ruins.
It was hiding a path.
And someone—
Or something—
had begun to guide him along it.