As Zhang Wen was treating Zhang Lin, the faint cry of a crow echoed from within the darkness. The sound was neither loud nor shrill, yet it instantly made the entire forest feel far more sinister.
Flap. Flap. Flap.
Countless dark shadows burst forth from the treetops. Hundreds of crows spiraled through the air, their jet black wings blotting out the glow of the luminous fungi until the forest sank into near total darkness. Their dull red eyes gleamed coldly, all locked onto a single point.
Zhang Wen frowned. Water aligned qi surged instantly, forming a translucent water sphere that tightly enveloped both him and Zhang Lin. The surface of the water rippled in layers, bracing against the pressure from outside.
But in the very next instant, before the sphere could fully stabilize—
Shhk!
A pitch black blade pierced straight through the water barrier with ease, as if the water were nothing more than a thin veil. The blade stabbed cleanly through Zhang Wen's body.
Fresh red blood splashed violently within the sphere, spreading into twisted dark patterns as it flowed with the currents.
Zhang Wen's eyes widened. Agony surged through his body, his face contorting for a brief instant.
And in that same moment, his body shattered apart, dissolving into flowing water that dispersed away from the blade.
The water sphere burst.
Dozens of razor sharp water bullets erupted outward from his form. They moved with lightning speed, piercing straight through the flock of crows diving down.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
The bodies of countless crows were riddled with holes. Wings were torn apart. Bodies shattered. Blood sprayed through the air before raining down onto the forest floor.
The remaining crows scattered in all directions, fleeing in panic. The sound of flapping wings filled the air, then gradually faded into silence within the darkness.
Suddenly—
The corpses of the crows that had fallen onto the forest floor began to twist and distort. Their forms warped. Bones stretched. Wings shrank and vanished. In the blink of an eye, they transformed into human bodies, lifeless and broken. Blood pooled around them, only to be slowly absorbed by the forest, as if the land itself were quietly devouring the evidence.
As for the crows that had managed to escape, they landed some distance away. One by one, they too reverted to human form. Several figures clad in black stood together cautiously, immediately consuming medicinal pills to treat their wounds.
One of them stepped forward. He lowered his head slightly, his tone polite and restrained.
"Please cooperate, young master."
At the same time, beside Zhang Lin, clear water began to swirl. It gathered and condensed, gradually forming the shape of a human body. Zhang Wen reappeared once more, the wound on his torso visibly healing until not a single trace remained, as if he had never been stabbed at all.
He let out a soft chuckle. The sound was faint, yet carried a chilling edge.
His memories were still merging, still incomplete, but one image was becoming clearer by the second.
Before coming to this world, he had worked for a secret organization. A spy who lived in the shadows. His life had been filled with concealment, assassination, and deception. But a single failed mission had led to his capture, and not long after, his death.
Then he had opened his eyes again in this world.
In a body that bore the same name as his own.
Amid the heavy silence, Zhang Wen raised his hand. Water condensed into a thin, transparent sheet, clear as glass. He used it to reflect his own face, then paused slightly.
That face was astonishingly similar to his face in his previous life. The bone structure. The eyes. The brows. There was almost no difference at all.
There was only one exception.
This body was a little younger.
Zhang Wen curved his lips into a faint smile as a certain feeling slowly took shape within him.
Darkness pressed down on everything. The damp stench of soil mixed with blood lingered in the air. Ancient trees towered overhead, their shadows stretching like a natural prison. Zhang Wen looked toward the black robed men surrounding him. Their Spirit Formation level cultivation was released without restraint. Multiple auras overlapped, weighing heavily upon the surroundings.
He knew these people well.
They were the hunting dogs of the Zhang Family. Trained to obey orders above conscience. Creatures that would tear into the flesh and blood of their own clan without hesitation if commanded to do so.
Zhang Wen fell silent for a brief moment. His gaze swept across those familiar faces before he spoke in a calm, even voice.
"What do you want exactly? There is no real need for us to fight, is there?"
Those words were not a sign of weakness. They were merely the last opportunity he was willing to offer.
One of the black clad men stepped forward slightly. His expression was solemn, his eyes filled with conviction in what he was about to say.
"For the future of the Zhang Family. For the greater good of the entire clan. Young Master Zhang Lin must hand over the sacred bone and pass it to Young Master Gu Yisheng. When that happens, the Zhang Family will receive protection and be officially recognized as a subordinate force of a Great Emperor Clan."
His voice was firm, as if he were proclaiming the highest form of justice.
"With just the sacrifice of Young Master Zhang Lin, the entire Zhang Family will ascend. And Young Master Zhang Lin himself will not lose his future either. If the bone is extracted properly, he will still be able to cultivate again."
He paused briefly, then looked straight at Zhang Wen.
"More importantly, Young Master Zhang Wen, you are destined to become a Great Emperor in the future. With your talent, once you reach that level, you can do anything you wish. With the support of the Gu Clan, that future is almost within reach. All that is required is that you sacrifice Young Master Zhang Lin."
Those words hung in the air, heavy like iron chains.
Zhang Wen let out a soft laugh. The corner of his lips lifted with cold amusement.
But before he could say anything, a faint voice emerged from within the water sphere behind him.
"Brother… I… I agree…"
Zhang Lin's voice trembled, filled with pain and surrender.
Zhang Wen turned to look at his younger brother lying within the transparent water sphere. His gaze was calmer than ever as he spoke in a firm, unwavering voice.
"There is no need."
The words were short. Absolute.
"They will never let us go anyway. The hatred that exists now will never end with a few empty words. And with the decisiveness of the Gu Clan, we are far more useful to them dead than alive."
The moment those words fell, several dark shadows burst forth from the darkness.
A flock of crows shrieked as they lunged toward Zhang Wen from every direction. But before they could draw close, an enormous surge of water erupted around his body. Water aligned qi transformed in an instant, taking the form of a massive water dragon that roared skyward.
The dragon shot forward, swallowing the dark figures whole. Torrential waves crushed everything in their path. Screams were snuffed out along with the silhouettes of the Black Crow Secret Unit, leaving behind only heavy silence and the scent of blood slowly being devoured by the forest.
But it was not over.
Several Black Crows managed to evade the water dragon in that fleeting instant. Their bodies shattered midair, then reformed into black robed men. Killing intent surged violently. The black and white blades in their hands slashed downward in narrow arcs, the sharp whine of steel cutting through the air. Their target was Zhang Wen's throat.
In that moment, Zhang Wen clenched his palm. Water qi compressed instantly, forming a long spear that shot upward with flawless precision. The spearhead pierced straight through the chest of one black robed man. Fresh blood sprayed across the air and forest floor.
Yet the man did not fall.
Cold madness flickered in his eyes. With his free hand, he grabbed the water spear tightly and activated a sealing art at once. Gray black runic patterns spread from his palm, like formless chains binding every flow of energy.
Zhang Wen frowned. He dispersed the water spear in an instant, preparing to dissolve his body into flowing water and escape.
But before his power could respond, pitch black shadows erupted from the black robed man's body. Serpentine strands of darkness wrapped tightly around Zhang Wen, binding him completely. The surrounding air turned frigid.
The black robed man opened his mouth and barked a short, harsh command.
"Kill him now!!!"
That order fell together with an overwhelming pressure.
One of the Black Crow Secret Unit stepped forward. The number one was embroidered upon the back of his cloak. His Heavenly Cavern level cultivation exploded outward without restraint. A dark aura crushed the forest, trees trembling violently under its weight.
His eyes held no hesitation. No past. No attachment. There was only the order.
The man raised his blade and brought it down without mercy. A black blade wave tore through the air. He did not care that the target had once been the greatest genius of the clan. He did not care that loyal subordinates who had shed blood for the clan stood nearby.
Boommmmmmm!!
The blade wave crashed down upon Zhang Wen's position. The Ancient Beast Forest shook violently. The ground split apart. Wood, earth, and stone were blasted into the air as destructive forces collided head on.
Within the curtain of dust and smoke, the fate of one branded a traitor was being decided by the blade of his own clan.