Deep within the hidden chamber, the air reeked of burning herbs and thick, suffocating qi. The alchemist stirred his cauldron, muttering incantations, while Ye Feng stood silently before the green flames.
His aura had changed. Sharper. Heavier. A predator no longer crawling but beginning to run.
The alchemist looked up, eyes narrowing.
"You've fed again."
Ye Feng's lips curled. "Zhao Wen was… nourishing. His sword intent was weak, but his qi foundation was refined. A pity his diligence couldn't save him."
The cauldron hissed as the alchemist tossed in a vial of blood. "And what did you gain this time?"
Ye Feng raised his hand. Black mist coiled around his fingers, then condensed into the faint outline of a blade. It quivered with killing intent, unstable yet undeniably sharp.
[New Ability: Shadow Fang – Condensed blade formed from corrupted qi. Duration: 10 breaths.]
The alchemist's face paled. "You've manifested a weaponized form already… in only two hunts? Impossible. Even with my concoctions, it should take weeks!"
Ye Feng's grin revealed a flicker of fangs.
"Then perhaps your concoctions are not the only fuel I consume."
The alchemist shivered but pressed on.
"Be careful. With every ability, your corruption deepens. The sect may soon sense the imbalance. If Elder Xuan suspects—"
"Elder Xuan?" Ye Feng laughed, sharp and cold. "That relic can barely contain his own disciples, let alone me. No… the only one with sharp enough fangs is Lin Tian. And even he…"
He closed his fist, the shadow blade vanishing into smoke."…will break."
Suddenly, the chamber trembled. The green flames surged higher, reacting to Ye Feng's qi.
The alchemist stumbled back. "Your corruption meter—how far has it risen?"
Ye Feng's eyes glowed crimson, and for the first time, his voice carried a distorted echo.
"Twenty-nine percent."
The alchemist swallowed hard. At thirty percent, the line between man and monster blurred. And Ye Feng… seemed eager to cross it.
---
The night air was heavy, as though the sect itself held its breath. Lin Tian knelt within the bamboo grove, fingers pressed to the earth as he inscribed faint glowing marks in a circle.
Array lines pulsed with faint light — weak enough to hide, strong enough to trigger when qi passed through.
A predator thrives in shadows. Then I'll turn the shadows into a cage.
His system chimed softly:
[Trap Array – Shadow Snare: When activated, restrains movement for 3 breaths. Success rate: 62%.]
Lin Tian's jaw tightened.Not perfect… but if I can force even a glimpse of him, I'll know who I'm dealing with.
Later, in the training yard, he moved among disciples with calm precision, asking seemingly casual questions.
"When did you last see Zhao Wen?"
"Did anyone notice strange qi last night?"
Most shook their heads, pale and shaken. But one younger disciple whispered nervously:"I… I thought I saw someone on the roof. Just a shadow. But when I looked again… it was gone."
Lin Tian's eyes narrowed. Fast. Too fast for ordinary movement.
That evening, Elder Xuan summoned the inner sect. His expression was grim.
"From tonight, no disciple is to train alone. Patrols will sweep the grounds in pairs. Whoever the predator is, they will find no easy prey."
Lin Tian bowed silently, but inside, he knew: rules wouldn't stop this enemy. If the predator truly hunted, no watchlist or patrol would save anyone.
Which was why his array lay hidden, waiting for the moment shadow moved.
Back in his quarters, Lin Tian sat cross-legged, sword across his knees, qi flowing steadily. His senses stretched outward, alert for the faintest disturbance.
"Come then," he whispered. "I've seen your trail twice. Show yourself once more, and I'll drag you from the dark."
Unbeknownst to him, a pair of crimson eyes watched from a nearby rooftop.
Ye Feng's voice, soft and amused, drifted with the wind."So… the mouse lays traps for the cat."
His shadow flickered, the faint outline of a blade forming at his fingertips.
"Interesting. Let's see how long your courage lasts when you hear the sound of your own bones breaking."
The night deepened. Both hunter and hunted waited for the first move.
The bamboo grove was silent, moonlight filtering through the stalks like silver knives.
Lin Tian sat cross-legged, his breath calm, his sword beside him. To any passing eye, he seemed at rest. But beneath the soil, glowing inscriptions pulsed faintly, hidden by leaves.
Then—
A shadow rippled across the clearing.
Lin Tian's eyes snapped open. His qi flared, activating the array.
[Trap Array – Shadow Snare triggered!]
The ground shuddered as lines of light erupted, forming chains that lashed upward. They struck a shifting figure in the dark, binding it in place.
For three breaths, the predator was visible — a man-shaped shadow cloaked in roiling black mist. Crimson eyes gleamed within, feral and cold.
Lin Tian's pupils shrank. So it really is… human!
Without hesitation, his sword leapt into his hand. He slashed, qi surging like lightning.
The blade cut cleanly through the figure—
But instead of flesh, he struck smoke.
From the shadow, a whispery laugh echoed.
"Impressive… you can see me."
Then the bound figure raised a hand, black qi condensing into a blade of darkness — Shadow Fang. With one brutal sweep, it shattered the array chains, sending fragments of light scattering into the night.
Lin Tian's strike followed through, forcing the shadow back, but not landing true. The figure dissolved into tendrils, slipping between the bamboo like liquid night.
[Trap Array destroyed.]
[Failure: Predator escaped.]
Breathing steady, Lin Tian lowered his blade, scanning the grove.Not a beast. Not an illusion. Someone… cultivating a forbidden path.
His system chimed:
[New Clue: Shadow Fang — Corrupted qi weapon. Requires advanced cultivation.]
[Danger Level: High.]
On a rooftop overlooking the grove, Ye Feng reformed from the mist, lips curled in an amused smile.
"Sharp indeed… you almost tasted me, Lin Tian. But not yet. Not until you're fattened enough to make the feast worth it."
His crimson eyes glowed, and his form melted back into the darkness, leaving only silence in his wake.
In the depths of his hidden chamber, Ye Feng sat cross-legged, black qi writhing around him like hungry serpents. His body still thrummed from the clash in the grove.
Lin Tian's sword intent lingered in his mind — sharp, precise, unyielding.
Ye Feng chuckled. "So the so-called 'lucky protagonist' truly has fangs. Good. It would be boring otherwise."
The alchemist approached cautiously, eyes wide."You clashed with him… and returned alive?"
"Alive?" Ye Feng's grin widened, revealing a hint of fangs. "I was never in danger. The boy's trap was clever, yes, but fragile. If he wishes to hunt me, he'll need more than light and hope."
The alchemist frowned. "But every time you reveal yourself, you risk exposure. Why not stay hidden until you're unstoppable?"
Ye Feng's eyes gleamed red."Because what is a hunt without fear? Lin Tian must know I exist. He must feel my breath on his neck, even when I am not there. Only then will his struggles amuse me."
He rose, cloak of shadows flowing like liquid around his form."And besides… his resolve sharpens with every corpse. So let's see what happens when the corpse is someone he actually cares about."
The alchemist stiffened. "Who… who do you intend to take?"
Ye Feng's expression was almost playful, but his voice carried a chill that froze the air.
"Xiao Yue."
The name struck like thunder. Xiao Yue — a junior sister, kind-hearted, bright, one of the few disciples who still treated Lin Tian with warmth despite his outcast status.
"Her loss," Ye Feng whispered, eyes glowing with wicked hunger,"…will carve the deepest wound."
His system chimed, cruelly confirming his decision:
[Predator Hunt: Target Locked – Xiao Yue.]
[Success Reward: Corruption increase +15%. New trait acquisition highly probable.]
The alchemist swallowed hard, suddenly realizing this was no longer just about feeding. It was about breaking Lin Tian piece by piece.
Ye Feng's laugh echoed in the chamber, low and cruel."Let's see how long you can play hero, Lin Tian… before despair eats you alive."