Chen Xing gently stirred. The night's battle with Mei Ming had been intense, yet she was still asleep. He kissed her forehead softly, smoothed her furrowed brows, and left a note on the table, then quietly departed from the Hidden Mist Village.
Once outside, he extended both hands, letting his chakra flow outward. It coalesced into a purple stream that lifted him into the air, sending him flying toward the distant country.
---
After crossing the sea, Chen Xing landed near the port outside the city. His chakra was partially drained from the long journey, so he rested at a small inn, eating and recovering his strength. By midday, his chakra fully restored, he resumed traveling through the streets of Haihai City.
The streets were bustling. Vendors shouted, and citizens moved quickly through the crowded marketplace. Chen Xing's attention was caught by a familiar figure.
Sitting at a street-side stall was Mei Ming — enjoying a string of meatballs, her face slightly flushed. She wore a unique outfit: a white robe with black trim, a red sleeve on one arm, her long black hair flowing freely. The sight made Chen Xing pause.
Though he had encountered her before, her appearance here — casual, unarmored, human — surprised him.
Mei Ming glanced up and noticed Chen Xing. Her ruby-red eyes widened slightly in recognition. She frowned playfully, clearly amused by his stare, but quickly returned to eating.
Chen Xing smiled. He had been staring too long, but the gentle scene warmed his heart. He moved forward through the marketplace, careful not to draw attention.
---
Unbeknownst to him, someone was watching from the city gate. A man in a black windbreaker, embroidered with the Hongyun symbol, wearing a swirling mask, observed Chen Xing. Only a single eye was visible, the scarlet Sharingan rotating slowly, three black tomoe spinning with deadly precision.
"Peacock King," the masked man muttered to himself, "I didn't expect someone without Yuxi Bo blood to wield a Mangekyō Sharingan."
He activated his ocular powers. Space in front of him twisted briefly, distorting the area — a sign of a space-time jutsu, revealing that he could strike from afar if needed.
---
Chen Xing entered a nearby jungle to summon the Peacock Eudemon. As the avatar materialized, the masked figure appeared instantly, having moved using his space technique. His scarlet Sharingan glinted, and the three tomoe rotated, radiating a threatening aura.
Chen Xing narrowed his eyes. He did not intend to fight Yuxi Bo openly, but he would not back down either.
"You have a Mangekyō Sharingan?" Chen Xing asked coldly. "I didn't expect others from your organization to still possess it."
"Even though I'm not a formal member, I'm still trained in its use," Yuxi Bo replied calmly. "And I've been taught to kill… by you."
Chen Xing remained silent, analyzing the opponent's chakra and skill. He knew that this confrontation would be dangerous. Yuxi Bo was no ordinary shinobi — he was skilled, deadly, and capable of space-time jutsu, a combination few could survive.
---
The sun beat down through the jungle canopy, scattering golden light across the leaves. Chen Xing's feet gripped the tree trunk. His gaze was fixed, his mind calculating.
"Of course, there's more than one way to resolve this," Yuxi Bo said, his single visible eye cold and assessing.
Chen Xing didn't respond. He could sense Yuxi Bo's intentions clearly, and he ignored the taunt. Instead, he prepared his next move, his purple chakra swirling around him, ready to counter any attack.
Yuxi Bo smirked faintly. "If you can't handle this situation, you'll have to act."
Chen Xing remained calm. The battle had only just begun.