Night swallowed the mountains.
Arjun moved through the forest like a wounded beast.
His breathing was rough.
His blood soaked the black robe.
His arm was half-mangled.
His ribs felt like broken knives stabbing into his lungs with every breath.
The Devourer Oath had faded.
And with it…
the temporary immortality.
Now there was only pain.
Only damage.
Only reality.
Arjun stumbled behind a rock formation, leaning against a tree.
He coughed.
Blood spilled onto the leaves.
His vision blurred for a moment.
The System flashed.
🔊 [HOST STATUS: CRITICAL]
📌 Iron Body Stage: 6.5/10 (unstable)
📌 Injuries: severe
📌 Lifespan burned: unknown amount
📌 Recovery Pills: 2
📌 Points: 14,040
✅ Suggestion: Recover immediately
✅ Suggestion: Hide cultivation aura
⚠️ Warning: Tracking seal detected
Arjun's eyes narrowed.
"Tracking seal…"
He felt it.
A faint heat on the back of his neck.
Like someone had branded him in the soul.
Shailendra didn't need to chase personally.
He had turned Arjun into prey for the entire sect.
Arjun whispered:
"Show details."
The System answered.
🔊 [SECT HUNT SEAL: ACTIVE]
✅ Range: 500 li
✅ Detects: blood aura + devouring signature
✅ Weakness: can be confused by blood essence pollution
✅ Solution: mask with stronger blood signature or erase with higher realm
Arjun smiled faintly despite the pain.
"So…"
"To hide…"
"I need more blood."
Not his own.
Someone else's.
A victim's.
A hunter's.
He swallowed a high-grade recovery pill.
Warmth spread through his veins like burning oil.
His broken ribs began knitting slowly.
His arm still hurt like hell…
but at least he could move again.
Arjun stood up.
His eyes were quiet.
This wasn't rage anymore.
This was a plan.
He whispered:
"I'll heal on the road."
"I'll eat on the road."
"And I'll grow while they chase."
THE FIRST HUNTERS
He didn't have to wait long.
A group of cultivators landed on a nearby cliff.
Seven of them.
All wearing brown robes.
Not Iron Mountain Sect.
A different sect.
Their leader held a paper talisman glowing faintly.
A bounty notice.
Arjun saw his own face drawn on it.
WANTED: ARJUNReward: 10,000 spirit stonesBonus: Inner disciple rank + sect favorTarget status: Alive preferred
One cultivator laughed.
"He's right here."
Another licked his lips.
"Alive preferred… but dead still pays."
Their leader smiled.
"Arjun."
"You are surrounded."
"Throw down your weapon."
"And we will keep you alive."
Arjun stared at them.
Then he asked calmly:
"Who are you?"
The leader smirked.
"Black River Sect."
"You should feel honored."
Arjun nodded slowly.
"I see."
Then he whispered:
"So you're not innocent."
The leader frowned.
"What?"
Arjun lifted his black sword slightly.
⚫ VOID-CUT SWORD ART (Fragment)
The leader's expression changed instantly.
"Move!"
Too late.
Arjun slashed once.
A thin black line flew through the air.
The cliff behind them split like paper.
Two cultivators didn't even realize they were dead until their bodies slid apart.
Blood sprayed.
Screams exploded.
"HE KILLED THEM!"
"WHAT IS THAT SWORD?!"
Arjun stepped forward.
His killing intent expanded like poison in the air.
🩸 CRIMSON KILLING INTENT (Intermediate)
The weaker hunters froze instantly.
Their legs locked.
Their minds screamed.
One fell to his knees, vomiting.
Arjun appeared in front of him.
✨ SHADOW STEP.
One punch.
🦴💥 BONE KING FIST!
The man's chest collapsed.
Dead.
Arjun moved again.
A palm to the next.
🩸 TRUE DEVOURING BODY — PARTIAL DEVOUR
The hunter's cultivation drained instantly.
His body shriveled.
Dead.
The leader's face turned pale.
"This isn't a man…"
"This is a demon!"
He tried to retreat.
He formed hand seals for escape.
But Arjun's eyes narrowed.
"No."
Arjun's hand reached out like a hook.
🔥 MOUNTAIN-SPLITTING PALM!
The leader's legs shattered.
He fell.
Screaming.
Arjun walked up to him slowly.
The leader crawled backward, crying.
"WAIT! I-I'LL GIVE YOU EVERYTHING!"
Arjun crouched down.
He stared at him like examining food.
Then he asked softly:
"Tell me something."
The leader nodded violently.
"Yes! Anything!"
Arjun's voice became colder.
"Who paid for this bounty?"
The leader froze.
"I… I don't know—"
Arjun's fingers tightened around his jaw.
CRACK.
The leader screamed.
"OKAY!! OKAY!!"
He gasped, crying.
"It's not just Iron Mountain Sect! It spread to the city guilds! The bounty was posted at Blood Market Pavilion!"
Arjun's eyes sharpened.
"Blood Market Pavilion…"
A place where human lives were sold like vegetables.
A place like that…
was perfect.
Because hunters would come endlessly.
And Arjun needed endless hunters.
The leader sobbed.
"Please… please spare me…"
Arjun smiled faintly.
"Spare you?"
The leader nodded desperately.
"Yes…"
Arjun leaned closer and whispered:
"I never spared anyone."
Then he placed his palm on the man's chest.
🩸 TRUE DEVOURING BODY — FULL DEVOUR
The leader's scream died halfway.
His body dried.
His eyes went empty.
And his soul disappeared into Arjun like smoke.
The system chimed.
🔊 [DEVOUR COMPLETE!]
🎁 +4,000 Points
🎁 Blood essence pollution: HIGH
✅ Tracking seal weakened by contamination
✅ Iron Body Stage: 6.5/10 → 7.1/10
Arjun stood up.
His wounds closed slightly.
His bones hummed.
His aura changed.
Now it wasn't just Arjun's scent.
It was mixed with the scent of seven deaths.
The tracking seal on his neck flickered.
Its signal became unstable.
Arjun smiled.
"Good."
Then he looked at the corpses.
He ripped pieces of cloth from their robes.
And tied them around his arm wounds tightly.
Not to look clean.
To look like prey.
Because prey attracts predators.
And predators fed Arjun.
THE WORLD REACTS
Two days later…
The news spread like wildfire.
Seven cultivators from Black River Sect—dead.
Not killed by an elder.
Not killed by a beast.
Killed by the wanted outer disciple:
Arjun.
In the nearby cities, bounty halls changed the price.
NEW BOUNTY UPDATE:
Reward increased: 30,000 spirit stones
Capture alive: 50,000 spirit stones
Special request: Bring his bloodline intact
When Arjun heard that…
he laughed.
Because now it was confirmed.
This wasn't about justice.
This wasn't about sect law.
This was about the one thing cultivators worshipped most:
profit.
And greed would deliver his enemies to his doorstep.
THE CULT'S MOVE
That night, Arjun sat near a riverbank.
He washed the blood off his sword calmly.
The moon reflected on the blade like an eye.
His system panel glowed faintly.
🔊 [WARNING: Unknown presence detected]📌 Not sect
📌 Not normal cultivator
📌 Aura: blood + curse
Arjun didn't look up.
He spoke softly:
"Come out."
The forest behind him moved.
A figure stepped forward.
Black robe.
Bone-white mask.
A crimson eye symbol carved on the forehead.
The Crimson Eye Cult.
The figure bowed politely.
Like meeting a guest.
"Devourer…"
"We've waited a long time for you."
Arjun's eyes narrowed slightly.
He didn't attack immediately.
Because he knew one truth:
Hunters were food.
But the cult…
was the farm.
And farms didn't send weak animals.
Arjun asked calmly:
"What do you want?"
The masked figure smiled beneath the mask.
"To bring you home."
Arjun's lips curled into a dark smile.
"Home?"
Then he stood up slowly.
Sword in hand.
Aura rising.
Crimson killing intent spreading.
He whispered:
"I don't have a home."
"I have a target list."