Chapter 68: Shadows in Motion
The Western Region was quiet beneath the silver light of the moon.
Wide plains stretched between jagged stone formations, their surfaces covered by thin layers of dust and dry grass.
The wind moved constantly.
So did the shadows.
Han Feng walked between the stone spires without making a sound.
His black-and-purple robes blended into the darkness, while his long white hair moved gently behind him.
Since breaking through to Qi Cultivation Rank 4, everything about his body felt different.
His steps were lighter.
His reactions were faster.
His spiritual sense reached farther.
Even the circulation of Qi through his meridians had become considerably smoother.
But Han Feng didn't allow himself to become careless.
Strength was useful.
Confidence was useful.
Arrogance was fatal.
He stopped.
His expression changed.
Blood.
The smell was faint, but unmistakable.
Han Feng slowly turned his head.
Several meters away, beneath a cluster of rocks, lay several bodies.
He approached cautiously.
Three cultivators.
Perhaps four.
All dead.
Their clothes were simple.
Wandering cultivators.
Han Feng crouched beside the nearest corpse.
A deep wound crossed the man's chest.
The cut was unnaturally clean.
Han Feng touched the edge of the wound with two fingers.
There was still a faint trace of spiritual energy.
Cold.
Dark.
Corrupted.
He narrowed his eyes.
"This isn't ordinary sword Qi."
He examined another body.
The same kind of wound.
Then another.
All killed with precise strikes.
No prolonged struggle.
Whoever had done this hadn't been interested in fighting.
They had been interested in killing.
Han Feng stood.
A faint chill passed through his eyes.
"The Celestial Corpse Sect."
He had encountered their cultivators too many times recently to mistake the signs.
The corpse energy was familiar.
The killing method was deliberate.
And judging from the remaining fluctuations, the attackers had probably passed through this area not long ago.
Han Feng looked toward the western horizon.
"So they're still moving."
He didn't know whether they were searching specifically for him.
But the possibility was enough.
He activated Shadow Concealment.
His presence gradually merged with the surrounding darkness.
Then he moved.
Half an hour later, Han Feng discovered them.
Three figures traveled through a narrow valley between the stone formations.
Black robes.
Cold expressions.
The unmistakable aura of corpse refinement.
One carried a bone blade.
Another had several black talismans hanging from his waist.
The third was younger.
Perhaps in his early twenties.
His clothes were better than those of the other two, and his posture carried an arrogance that suggested he came from a stronger background.
Han Feng didn't immediately attack.
He observed.
The three cultivators were talking quietly.
"...the elder said the target passed through this region."
"Are you certain?"
"The tracking talisman reacted twice."
"Then we continue west."
The young man frowned.
"Why are we wasting time searching for a cultivator who doesn't even have a confirmed identity?"
The older man glanced at him.
"Because the order came directly from the sect."
"And?"
The young man's expression darkened.
"The sect wants him alive."
Han Feng's eyes narrowed.
So the rumors were true.
The Celestial Corpse Sect wasn't merely hunting a mysterious cultivator.
They wanted him alive.
Why?
What did they know?
The young man continued.
"They believe the stranger has interacted with the ancient vessel."
The Black Urn.
Han Feng's expression didn't change.
But internally, his thoughts accelerated.
They knew.
Perhaps not everything.
But enough.
The older cultivator lowered his voice.
"They also believe he may have some connection to the resonance sites."
The young man's eyes widened slightly.
"The ancient six-point system?"
"Keep your voice down."
Han Feng slowly narrowed his eyes.
This was new.
The Celestial Corpse Sect knew more than he had expected.
He remained hidden.
He could leave.
That would be the safest choice.
But then he noticed something.
A small black plate hanging from the older cultivator's waist.
A tracking artifact.
Similar to the Soultrace Plate used by the Black Moon Sect.
But different.
It pulsed faintly whenever the group changed direction.
Han Feng understood.
They weren't searching randomly.
They had a trace.
Perhaps a resonance.
Perhaps the Black Urn.
Perhaps even the residual imprint it had left on him.
Han Feng's expression became cold.
"If I let them continue..."
They might eventually find him.
He had to know what they were carrying.
And there was only one reliable way to find out.
Han Feng disappeared into the darkness.
The first attack came without warning.
A stone struck the ground behind the three cultivators.
The younger man turned.
"What was—"
A shadow flashed past him.
Han Feng appeared behind the cultivator carrying the tracking plate.
His palm struck the man's back.
Boom!
The cultivator was thrown forward.
He crashed into the ground.
The other two reacted instantly.
The bone blade swept through the darkness.
Han Feng tilted his body.
The blade passed within inches of his shoulder.
He countered with a concentrated burst of Qi.
The attacker was forced backward.
The young man shouted.
"Formation!"
The three cultivators immediately separated.
Black threads of corpse energy emerged from the ground.
Han Feng's eyes narrowed.
They had trained together.
This wasn't an ordinary hunting party.
It was a coordinated team.
The threads converged toward him.
Han Feng stepped backward.
Then his figure blurred.
Shadow Concealment.
The corpse threads passed through empty air.
The young man stared.
"Where did he go?"
A voice came from behind him.
"Here."
He turned.
Too late.
Han Feng's palm struck his chest.
Boom!
The young man flew backward.
He crashed into a stone pillar and coughed blood.
The other two immediately attacked.
Han Feng spun away.
One blade.
Then another.
He avoided both.
His movements were much faster than before his breakthrough.
But he didn't underestimate them.
A single mistake could still be fatal.
The cultivator with the tracking plate suddenly released a black talisman.
A corpse appeared behind Han Feng.
Its fingers closed around his shoulder.
Han Feng's eyes sharpened.
He twisted his body.
The corpse's claws tore through his sleeve instead of his flesh.
Han Feng immediately released the Celestial Transmutation Gu.
A golden-black light flashed.
The corpse energy surrounding the summoned corpse destabilized.
Han Feng seized the opportunity.
He struck its chest.
Boom!
The corpse was thrown into a stone wall.
The formation broke.
The three cultivators staggered.
Han Feng moved.
One.
Two.
Three.
Three precise strikes.
The first cultivator collapsed unconscious.
The second was thrown into the dust.
The young man attempted to retreat.
Han Feng appeared in front of him.
The young man froze.
Han Feng grabbed his collar.
"Who sent you?"
The young man's face turned pale.
"You think I'll tell you?"
Han Feng's gaze remained cold.
"I don't need you to tell me everything."
He reached toward the man's waist.
The young man tried to stop him.
Too late.
Han Feng removed the black tracking plate.
The moment he touched it, he felt a faint spiritual resonance.
His eyes narrowed.
The plate was reacting to something.
Not him.
Something nearby.
Han Feng looked around.
Nothing.
Then he realized.
The plate wasn't tracking his location.
It was tracking the residual resonance left by the Black Urn.
His expression became serious.
The Celestial Corpse Sect wasn't following him directly.
They were following the ancient artifact.
And because Han Feng had carried the Black Urn with him...
The distinction was becoming meaningless.
He looked back at the young cultivator.
"How many people are searching?"
The man hesitated.
Han Feng tightened his grip slightly.
"Answer."
"Three squads..."
The man's voice trembled.
"Three squads have been sent into the region."
"Who commands them?"
"I don't know."
"Where are they gathering?"
The young man remained silent.
Han Feng's eyes narrowed.
Then he noticed something tucked beneath the man's robe.
A blackened piece of parchment.
He pulled it free.
The parchment unfolded.
A rough map appeared.
Several locations had been marked.
One was circled repeatedly.
Han Feng's expression changed.
The location was deep within the Western Region.
A mountain range.
And beneath it—
A symbol resembling a skull.
The emblem of the Celestial Corpse Sect.
Han Feng stared at it.
"This is one of your bases."
The young man's expression changed.
"You..."
Han Feng understood immediately.
It wasn't the main headquarters.
Too exposed.
Too close to a contested region.
This was probably a temporary stronghold.
A place where the hunting squads could gather.
More importantly...
A small symbol had been drawn beside the base.
Six connected points.
Han Feng's eyes became cold.
The same ancient pattern.
The same system.
The Celestial Corpse Sect had a connection to the ancient resonance network.
But how deep?
He folded the parchment.
The young cultivator suddenly laughed.
"You won't survive long enough to find out."
Han Feng looked at him.
"Perhaps."
He released his grip.
The young man fell to the ground.
Han Feng turned away.
He didn't kill him.
There was no need.
The man's memory would contain more useful information than his corpse.
And Han Feng had another reason.
If the Celestial Corpse Sect discovered that one of their hunting squads had been massacred, they would increase their search.
If the survivors returned...
They could spread a different story.
A mysterious Rank 4 cultivator had defeated them and disappeared.
That was enough.
Han Feng walked away.
After several steps, he stopped.
He looked at the tracking plate in his hand.
A faint pulse came from it.
West.
Then southwest.
Han Feng's eyes narrowed.
The Black Urn was reacting.
Or perhaps...
Something connected to it was.
He put the tracking plate away.
"The Celestial Corpse Sect has a base near one of the resonance points."
His expression became thoughtful.
He could infiltrate it.
He could avoid it.
Or he could use it.
But there was another possibility.
If the sect was gathering there because of the ancient network...
Then perhaps they knew something he didn't.
Han Feng looked toward the distant mountains.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"Information is more valuable than revenge."
He disappeared into the darkness.
Several hours later, the two surviving cultivators finally returned to their temporary camp.
The young man was badly injured.
The older cultivator was unconscious.
The guards immediately surrounded them.
"What happened?"
The young man looked toward the eastern plains.
His face was pale.
"The target."
"What about him?"
The young man swallowed.
"He's stronger than the reports said."
"How strong?"
He hesitated.
"Rank 4."
Silence.
The surrounding cultivators exchanged glances.
Then one of them asked:
"Did you identify him?"
The young man shook his head.
"No."
"Did he kill anyone?"
Another pause.
"No."
The guard frowned.
"Then why did he leave you alive?"
The young man's expression became complicated.
"I don't know."
Far away, Han Feng stood atop a mountain ridge.
The wind pulled at his robes.
In his hand was the black tracking plate.
He looked toward the distant horizon.
The Celestial Corpse Sect had begun moving.
So had he.
But there was one thing they didn't know.
Han Feng was no longer running blindly.
He had finally found a thread leading toward them.
And perhaps more importantly...
That thread led toward another point in the ancient network.
Han Feng closed his fingers around the tracking plate.
"Let's see which one of us reaches it first."
He stepped into the shadows.
Behind him, the moon slowly disappeared beneath the clouds.
The hunt had changed.
It was no longer simply a matter of survival.
Now...
Both sides were hunting the other.