Chapter Six: The Uncanny

Stepping into the depths of the forest, Cao Yun did not rush to hunt beasts, but instead began to calculate a more prudent plan. He knew well that in an environment where the unknown and danger coexist, maintaining calm and rationality is of the utmost importance. Thus, he decided to first find a safe and secluded spot to assess his physical condition and properly digest everything he had experienced over the past few days.

He moved along a small forest path, his sharp eyes scanning the surroundings. Soon, he discovered a small clearing surrounded by dense trees—a place hidden and unlikely to be detected by outsiders, making it an ideal resting place. Cao Yun cautiously entered the clearing, ensuring he did not disturb any potential creatures, and sat down in a comfortable position to examine his body. He first checked the wounds on his person, confirming whether they had begun to heal and if any further treatment was required.

Cao Yun found that after several days of recovery, although various parts of his body still ached, there were no serious issues. He then closed his eyes, sensing the flow of blood and energy within him, attempting to evaluate his current physical strength and mental state. After a thorough inspection, he discovered that while his body was somewhat fatigued, his overall condition was acceptable, which brought him a sense of relief.

Cao Yun quietly sorted through his recent experiences, his heart filled with a complex mix of emotions. That day, he had completed his mission three days earlier than expected and returned to the capital of the Qin Kingdom. This was his routine before every mission, for he had come from the Imperial City Guard and knew well the treacherous nature of the hearts there. He maintained a high level of vigilance, always returning a few days early to observe the situation. After all, he was in the profession of an assassin—an assassin for the Imperial City Guard—and his life and death were often not under his own control. However, he refused to be manipulated in such a way, and thus he always fought with all his might to survive, for he yearned to experience a life of freedom.

However, when he returned to the capital this time, he discovered that a large number of Imperial City Guard members were being recalled. As the number of recalled personnel increased over the following days, an ominous premonition welled up in his heart; it seemed as though the superiors were preparing to purge all of them, the assassins of the Imperial City Guard. Cao Yun was not afraid that failing to report would trigger the toxins within him, for a year ago, he had already managed to have the people of the Medicine King Valley concoct an antidote. What he truly feared was that once his superiors truly turned their murderous intent toward them, he would have nowhere to hide. After all, as assassins of the Imperial City Guard, they had assassinated many princes, nobles, and generals of enemy states, accumulating countless enemies. Facing such a crisis, Cao Yun did not choose to submit. When he saw batches of corpses being transported out of the Imperial City Guard, he became certain that his superiors had indeed turned against them. Thus, he began his flight. He killed the pursuers along his path, fleeing from the Qin Kingdom all the way to the Zhouwu Kingdom.

Along this journey, he committed countless killings; the number of people who had died by his hand was no fewer than a thousand.

He faced life-and-death dilemmas several times, yet he relied on his perseverance and wit to turn misfortune into fortune, barely managing to reach the Zhouwu Kingdom. However, no sooner had he arrived in the Zhouwu Kingdom than he was targeted by local government constables. With no other choice, he began a new round of flight. Along this journey, he experienced countless hardships and obstacles, leaving him physically and mentally exhausted. Eventually, he was captured by the demonic cultivators of the Heavenly Star Wolf Sect and brought to this strange place, where he began the trial of the blood slaves.

Reflecting on this journey, Cao Yun’s heart was filled with helplessness and anger. Fortunately, his life remained, and until he could enjoy a life of freedom, anyone who sought to strip him of his existence would be met with a lethal response.

Cao Yun had recovered for a moment and was just about to stand up to explore this strange environment when he suddenly felt a cool sensation surge from the ground into his body, rapidly rushing up his spine toward the center of his brow. Immediately, an intense, strange itch erupted at the center of his forehead, causing him to feel somewhat flustered. Even a man of his firm willpower could not help but reach out to scratch the spot. Yet, that strange itch came and went as quickly as it had arrived, as if it had never happened at all.

Cao Yun blinked, trying to clear his head to determine whether this was reality or an illusion. "Could it be... some strange power of this forest?" he wondered, feeling a sense of suspicion. He knew deep down that this forest might hide countless wonders and mysteries he had never seen before, and what he had just experienced might be one of its special phenomena.

Ignoring it, Cao Yun slowly stood up. His gaze swept across the surroundings, seeing towering ancient trees and entwined vines—a scene full of vitality. He took a deep breath, feeling the freshness and vigor permeating the air; it was truly good to be alive.

Suddenly, a gust of foul wind arose. A variegated leopard lunged from the forest like a ghost, aiming directly for Cao Yun’s vitals. An assassin's instinct allowed him to dodge to the side at the critical moment. While he escaped the lethal strike, his back was still raked by sharp claws, leaving several shocking, stinging, and burning bloody gashes. The leopard, having missed its kill, grew even more vicious, and a standoff formed between them. The surrounding air seemed to solidify, with only their heavy breathing and the rustling of leaves in the distance to be heard. A faint curl appeared on the corner of Cao Yun’s mouth, his gaze as sharp as a torch, locked onto the leopard.

He surged forward, striking like a hunting panther, his fist carrying the force of a thunderbolt as it smashed into the leopard's skull. The eerie light flowing over his gauntlets intertwined with Cao Yun’s murderous intent, doubling the power of the blow. "Bang!" With a dull thud, the leopard’s head instantly burst, blood and brains splattering everywhere, and its massive body collapsed limply to the ground, lifeless.

Cao Yun’s breathing remained steady. Looking at his handiwork, he felt no major ripples in his heart. He gently rubbed his gauntlets; this treasure bestowed by the Ghost Elder was indeed immensely powerful, but he knew clearly that without the aid of these gauntlets, relying solely on his refined skills as an assassin and his robust physique, killing such a beast with his bare hands would not have been an easy feat.

Taking advantage of the fact that the leopard had just died and its blood had not yet congealed, Cao Yun nimbly removed the skin pouch from his back and skillfully made an incision at the key part of the leopard. The blood flowed out slowly, which Cao Yun collected quickly and precisely into the skin pouch. He calculated to himself that this blood should be enough, but to be safe, he would need to hunt another one tomorrow just in case.

Just as he was about to butcher the leopard, a sudden, indescribable itch flared at the center of his brow, as if thousands of ants were crawling there. Cao Yun could not help but reach up to scratch, and as he did, a dazzling red light suddenly erupted from the center of his forehead, shooting straight at the leopard's corpse on the ground. Wherever the red light passed, the leopard's body seemed to be pulled by some mysterious force; a miniature phantom of the leopard slowly rose from the corpse, was swept up by the red light, and instantly vanished into the center of Cao Yun’s brow.

This scene was so bizarre and sudden that it left Cao Yun stunned in place, unable to collect his thoughts for a long while. He stared wide-eyed, feeling the anomaly at the center of his brow, but found everything as normal as if nothing had happened. However, Cao Yun knew this was certainly no illusion; something extraordinary had occurred, and it must be related to that strange, cool sensation that had surged from the ground earlier.

Cao Yun closed his eyes and took a deep breath. After calming the turmoil in his heart, he slowly opened his eyes. Since he could not figure out what was happening and his body felt no other discomfort, he decided to put the matter aside for the time being.

Cao Yun’s gaze returned to the leopard, which had lost its life, and he began the task of butchering it.