The moment the footsteps grew louder, Li Xiuwen swiftly concealed himself behind a large bush. He pressed a finger to his lips, calming the turbulent Qi within his body, and fixed his gaze upon the source of the sound.
Three young, robust men in the robes of senior disciples from the Bloodmoon Sect emerged into the clearing. The one leading them had a handsome face, yet it was marred by an arrogant sneer. He was Zhao Feng, a disciple of high talent, and one who harbored an enduring resentment towards Li Xiuwen.
"Damn it! Just a low-level spirit beast, and we couldn't even catch it!" Zhao Feng cursed in frustration, turning to glare at his two followers. "You lot are useless!"
"Senior Brother Zhao Feng… that beast was too cunning, sir," one of them replied, his voice trembling.
Li Xiuwen, observing from his hiding spot, analyzed the situation. Zhao Feng and his lackeys were frustrated from a failed mission. If he revealed himself now, he would undoubtedly become their new target.
But then, a dry twig beneath his foot snapped with a soft "Crack!", a sound that was far too loud in the forest's silence. Zhao Feng's head whipped around instantly.
"Who's there!" Zhao Feng shouted. His eyes fell upon Li Xiuwen as the boy stepped out from behind the bush. "Ah… I wondered who it was. It's just this useless brat."
"Senior Brother Zhao Feng," Li Xiuwen greeted, clasping his hands in a respectful bow, yet his gaze remained steady, unafraid.
"What are you doing in this dangerous part of the forest? Looking for a place to die?" Zhao Feng's voice dripped with condescension, and he let out a mocking laugh.
But Li Xiuwen was unperturbed. "Are you so lacking that you would pick a fight with me?" he said with a steady voice. "Besides, you were hunting a spirit beast, were you not?"
Zhao Feng paused, taken aback, before replying with a flash of anger. "So what if we were?"
"You didn't succeed, did you?" Li Xiuwen continued, a slight smirk playing on his lips that only fueled Zhao Feng's irritation. "If you continue to waste your time with me and are late to report to your master, I fear you might be punished, Senior Brothers."
Li Xiuwen's words struck Zhao Feng and his followers silent. It was an undeniable truth.
In that moment, Li Xiuwen slowly let his gaze, filled with the killing intent he had honed from facing his own deepest fears, fall upon Zhao Feng. Though devoid of any Qi to launch an attack, his eyes were as cold and bloodthirsty as a seasoned assassin's.
Zhao Feng and his lackeys felt a cold dread seep into their very souls. For a fleeting moment, they saw an image of their own death flash before them.
"Do you truly believe you can bully me so easily, Senior Brothers?" Li Xiuwen said, his voice low and chilling.
Zhao Feng and his followers shivered. They turned and fled from the place in terror. They realized that this boy was far too dangerous; despite his lack of power, the murderous aura he radiated was more terrifying than the spirit beast they had been hunting.
After they were all gone, Li Xiuwen stood still for a long moment. The coldness in his eyes slowly faded. He looked down at his hands and clenched his fists tightly. "It seems my Qi chains still have many limitations. But the killing intent I created myself… it works better than I thought."