"Killing isn't about luck.
It's about patience, planning, and one fatal strike."
---
Black Abyss Bridge, late at night.
Thick fog curled around ancient trees.
The wind howled through cracks in the rocks, like the wails of resentful spirits.
This place, once called "Black Abyss," had been a spirit mine valley owned by Lingyun Sect.
Now, abandoned due to a spiritual energy collapse, all that remained were broken bridges, shattered stone pillars, and ruined wells.
But it had one unique feature—
The spiritual formations were half-dead,
the divine sense detection was patchy—
It was perfect for ambush, concealment, and assassination.
Tonight, it would become a hunting ground.
---
Shen, clad in mud-stained black clothes, lay hidden beneath the broken bridge stumps, blending with the shadows.
He carried only five items:
Wrist dart with poison needle: main weapon
Bone-edged dagger: for close-quarters kills
Toxin powder pouch: for blinding and chaos
Hooked bone rope: for grappling or entanglement
Bite-trigger explosive orb: for emergencies only
No spiritual energy.
No magical tools.
Not even backup.
Just himself—his body, poison, movement, and a single breath.
---
But he wasn't anxious.
He waited quietly, like a corpse.
On a rocky platform a mile above, Qi Lin was setting up a formation.
She was in charge of using "spiritual mist distortion" to create a temporary blind zone in Mu Youlou's perception as he stepped onto the bridge.
They had only one chance.
If that strike failed—there would be no second.
---
Time passed slowly.
The fog thickened.
In the distance, the glow of a descending spirit vessel appeared, followed by wind and movement.
Shen narrowed his eyes.
His heartbeat didn't speed up—
but he had already adjusted his breathing: three short, one long.
Assassination rhythm.
Mu Youlou had arrived.
---
He approached with three escorts.
He wore a cloud-patterned spirit robe, a jade token hanging from his belt.
His face was sharp and handsome, but his gaze cold and disdainful.
He carried the arrogance of one in high places—
looking down on all beneath him.
> "Soul transfer documents, and they want me to pick them up?"
"Bunch of useless disciples..."
His subordinates bowed, not daring to speak.
He stepped into the bridge's blind zone.
---
Shen's right hand slowly locked onto the trigger of his wrist launcher.
His left hand clutched the toxin smoke pouch.
His body sank low, waist coiled, leg muscles twitching—
Every part of him was fully primed.
Ten meters…
Eight…
Five…
Now—
Just as he was about to leap for the kill—
Buzz!
Mu Youlou suddenly raised a hand.
A glimmer of spiritual light pulsed from his fingers, sweeping gently outward.
> "Hn?"
His eyes narrowed, staring at the cliff wall beside the bridge—
Something's wrong.
---
Shen realized instantly—
The formation had been detected.
> "He changed position at the last second—he's alert!"
The window for attack shrank to less than a second.
Shen didn't hesitate.
Strike.
His figure shot out from under the broken stumps like an arrow.
His right hand launched the dart—
A poison needle streaked straight toward Mu Youlou's brow!
Piercing wind!
Mu Youlou reacted instantly.
Spiritual energy surged, condensing water mist into a protective membrane.
> "Courting death!"
The needle didn't pierce through,
but it struck hard enough to make him stagger.
Shen was already upon him.
His left hand flung the smoke pouch—
Bang!
A yellow toxin cloud exploded!
Mu Youlou instinctively retreated.
His three guards flinched for just a moment—
Failing to block Shen's path.
Exactly the opening he needed.
Shen reversed his grip on the bone dagger—
And slashed toward the left side of Mu Youlou's torso with blinding speed.
Slash!
The blade carved through flesh—
One inch deep.
> "Damn... so close."
---
A blast of spiritual force exploded—
Shen was flung backward, crashing into a stone pillar.
Blood sprayed from his mouth.
But he didn't fall back.
He raised his wrist again.
In his palm, a bite-trigger explosive orb glowed blue.
Mu Youlou's expression shifted.
> "You're mad?!"
Shen's eyes were cold. Unflinching.
> "If I can't kill you today—
I'll make sure you remember the pain."
He bit down on the fuse—
Boom!!
The orb detonated in the center of the bridge.
Flames roared skyward.
Stone fragments scattered.
Spiritual energy shattered in chaos.
Part of the bridge collapsed.
Mu Youlou wasn't dead—
But his spirit armor was blown apart.
Blood gushed from his waist.
His aura surged in fury.
> "Fall back!!" Qi Lin's shout rang from the distance.
Shen coughed blood.
He forced his broken body to roll, leapt from the shattered bridge,
and vanished into the forest below.
---
Moments later.
Mu Youlou stood at the bridge's edge, eyes venomous as a snake.
> "...A mortal."
He touched his wound.
Fury trembled through him.
> "A mortal… dared to hurt me?"
---
[Night Forest · Wounded Escape]
Shen staggered through the woods.
His right arm was numb.
His leg bled heavily.
His lungs burned with pain.
Qi Lin dropped from the trees, half-dragging, half-carrying him into a hidden cave.
> "Are you insane?! That explosive was our last resort! You nearly killed yourself—"
Shen spat blood, but his eyes were still cold.
> "If I can't kill him…
I need him to fear being hurt."
> "As long as he remembers—'a mortal can wound him'—
he'll never feel safe again."
He closed his eyes.
His voice was hoarse, barely audible:
> "Mu Youlou will die.
Just… not today."