Chapter 7 :Shadows of the Rogue Path
The forest, though seemingly peaceful, had changed. The faint glow of Lin Feng's qi traced along his veins, a hidden river of power, yet it was still weak, only barely enough to temper his body and sense the flow of surrounding life.
As he moved through the undergrowth, small animals scattered, sensing the predator within. Lin Feng's gaze, sharper than any mortal's, caught the faint shimmer of movement nearby.
Three figures emerged, trudging along the forest path, their voices carrying easily through the still morning air.
"…worthless herbs. The sect won't even take them unless we bring a full sack," one complained.
"Quit whining. At least this forest is quiet. No beasts above mid-tier," another barked.
Lin Feng crouched lower, eyes narrowing. These were cultivators, but not of any sect he had known. Their movements were rough, unrefined, yet dangerous—they were rogue cultivators, wandering mercenaries who survived through cunning and cruelty.
He counted them quickly, memorizing their details.
1. Duan Hao – leader, mid Qi Condensation 3rd Layer. Longsword at his side, dark eyes gleaming with cunning. "Greed is what keeps us alive," he muttered. "And the weak are always prey."
2. Zhao Kun – massive build, scar running across his left cheek, wielding a battle-axe that looked far too heavy for any ordinary man. Loyal to Duan Hao, temper hot as fire.
3. Mei Yulan – slim, graceful, with a coil of black hair and sharp green eyes. Fingers always twitching, ready to throw her concealed poison needles. Her loyalties were uncertain, ambition written in her every glance.
Lin Feng's heart clenched. These were humans, yet far more deadly than any wild beast he had faced. And worse—they could betray without hesitation.
He could have fled. He could have hidden and observed. But something in him stirred. He was no longer merely a survivor. He was the last of the Lin Clan. And the Lin Clan did not kneel.
---
The trio halted at a patch of glowing herbs. Duan Hao inspected them, eyes gleaming.
"Spirit-Nourishing Fruit?" he muttered, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Hah. Worthless in our hands, but the auction house in Tianyu City will pay handsomely for even a fragment."
Zhao Kun laughed, slamming his axe into the soil. "Let's grab them all and leave. No point risking a fight with any forest guardian."
Mei Yulan, however, crouched, her eyes flicking through the trees. "There is movement nearby… something watching."
Lin Feng held his breath, unseen behind the undergrowth. His palms pressed against the earth as if drawing its energy to himself, his qi flowing subtly along the veins of his body, sharpening his senses.
He saw them clearly: Duan Hao's smirk, Zhao Kun's impatience, Mei Yulan's subtle caution. He weighed the odds. He was weak—still only Qi Condensation Stage 1—but cunning could be an equalizer.
---
The moment came faster than expected. A loose stone betrayed him. It clattered against the forest floor.
Duan Hao's head snapped toward the sound, eyes narrowing. "What was that?"
Zhao Kun growled. "Don't move! Whoever's there, come out and face us!"
Lin Feng stood slowly, hands empty, posture calm. The rogue trio laughed, assuming they faced a frightened boy.
"Step out, little one. We won't hurt you… much," Duan Hao taunted, a malicious gleam in his eye.
Lin Feng's voice, low but steady, cut through the morning air.
"I am Lin Feng. Last of the Lin Clan. You will step aside, or you will regret it."
A silence followed. The forest seemed to pause. Even the birds held their breath.
Duan Hao barked a laugh. "Lin Feng? What kind of joke is that? You look like a child."
Lin Feng's gaze hardened. The blood of his clan surged in his veins, primed by Primordial Lin Blood.
"You mock the fallen," he said. "Then you will learn what that blood commands."
---
Duan Hao lunged first, sword flashing. Zhao Kun charged with his axe. Mei Yulan's hands blurred, needles flying with deadly precision.
Lin Feng's heart raced. He dodged Duan Hao's strike, feeling the edge graze his shoulder. Pain shot through him, but he rolled, landing with the agility of a wild cat. Qi coursed faintly along his veins, enhancing his reflexes just enough.
Mei Yulan's needles hissed past his ear, embedding in the tree behind him. He ignored the pain of his grazed shoulder, stepping forward to intercept Zhao Kun's axe strike. The massive weapon slammed into a tree instead, sending wood splintering into the air.
Lin Feng twisted, placing all his weight behind a strike with his hands alone. He didn't yet have the strength to counter Zhao Kun fully, but he used his environment—branches, rocks, roots—to destabilize the brute. Zhao Kun slipped, sprawling to the ground.
Duan Hao and Mei Yulan exchanged a glance. They realized for the first time that this "child" was no ordinary weakling.
---
The fight stretched on. Lin Feng leveraged every bit of qi he had, dodging, weaving, striking, retreating. He managed to sever a tendon in Zhao Kun's leg, crippling the man enough to escape. Duan Hao, enraged, struck with a long, desperate blow—but Lin Feng sidestepped, grabbed a loose branch, and swung with all his might, knocking the longsword from Duan Hao's hands.
Duan Hao fell to his knees, blood streaked across his face, eyes wide with shock.
Lin Feng's chest heaved, but he did not celebrate. He had only survived. He had only won a small victory. And still, the forest echoed with the threat of more.
Mei Yulan crouched, her eyes calculating. She disappeared silently into the undergrowth, muttering under her breath about revenge and future opportunity.
Duan Hao, beaten but alive, limped into the trees with Zhao Kun. Their laughter was twisted, not of joy but of malice and promise: this was not the end.
Lin Feng fell to his knees, gripping his side. His body ached, but his mind burned with clarity.
"They will come again… and the world beyond this forest is far crueler than even these rogues," he muttered.
He thought of Tianyu City, of the auction houses, of the Heaven-Piercing Spear fragment whispered about by the rogues. He thought of the Lin Clan, of Mo Clan, Wu Clan, Ironblade Sect, and the golden-masked figure watching from afar.