Chapter 4 - The Azure River Sect's Fury

The morning mist drifted lazily through the towering mountains.

Countless waterfalls poured from emerald cliffs, while cranes circled above ancient pavilions built upon floating stone platforms.

This was...

The Azure River Sect.

One of the strongest sects within the Azure Cloud Prefecture.

Thousands of outer disciples trained tirelessly throughout the vast grounds.

The rhythmic sound of swords clashing echoed through the valleys.

Cultivation was everything.

Strength determined one's status.

The weak obeyed.

The strong commanded.

It had been this way for centuries.

Yet on this peaceful morning...

The atmosphere suddenly changed.

A deafening bell echoed throughout the sect.

Dong!

Dong!

Dong!

Every disciple froze.

Expressions of confusion quickly turned into shock.

"The Emergency Bell?"

"What happened?"

"Did another sect attack us?"

"No... something is wrong."

Within moments, disciples rushed toward the main plaza.

Even the elders abandoned their secluded cultivation.

No one dared ignore the Emergency Bell.

...

Inside the Hall of Elders...

Dozens of elders sat in complete silence.

The air itself felt heavy.

At the center of the hall stood an elderly man wearing deep blue robes embroidered with golden rivers.

His name was...

Elder Gu Tian.

He was responsible for supervising the sect's outer disciples.

His usually calm expression had completely disappeared.

Instead...

His face was filled with barely restrained anger.

Before him knelt a trembling disciple.

"E-Elder..."

"We found them."

The hall remained silent.

"Speak."

"The mission assigned three outer disciples to retrieve the Shadow Spirit Fruit from Black Pine Mountain."

"They..."

The disciple swallowed nervously.

"They're dead."

The temperature inside the hall seemed to drop.

Several elders slowly opened their eyes.

Their spiritual pressure spread unconsciously across the room.

Cracks appeared beneath the kneeling disciple.

"Continue."

"We discovered all three bodies."

"Each was killed with a single decisive strike."

"No signs of prolonged battle."

"No evidence of spiritual techniques."

"No clues regarding the murderer."

The hall fell completely silent.

Finally...

An elder with white hair spoke.

"Impossible."

"Our outer disciples may not be geniuses..."

"But all three had already reached the Second Layer of Qi Refinement."

"Ordinary mortals couldn't defeat them."

Another elder nodded.

"Furthermore..."

"The Shadow Spirit Fruit has disappeared."

Someone had not only killed three disciples...

They had also taken the treasure.

To the sect...

This wasn't merely theft.

It was humiliation.

Elder Gu Tian's voice became cold.

"Who accepted the mission?"

A middle-aged deacon stepped forward.

"There was another individual involved."

The elders immediately looked toward him.

"A young woman."

"She stole the Shadow Spirit Fruit before fleeing."

"The three disciples pursued her."

"So..."

"They were all killed by the same unknown person."

One elder frowned.

"Perhaps another cultivator intervened."

Another slowly shook his head.

"If that were true..."

"Why leave no traces?"

"They searched the entire forest."

"No sword intent."

"No spiritual techniques."

"No sect insignia."

"Nothing."

The unknown killer had vanished completely.

Like a ghost.

...

Elder Gu Tian slowly stood.

His eyes overlooked every elder present.

"Our sect has existed for over six hundred years."

"Countless enemies have challenged us."

"But never..."

He clenched his fist.

"Never has someone dared kill our disciples and disappear without leaving behind even a name."

His voice echoed throughout the hall.

"This matter concerns the dignity of the Azure River Sect."

"I don't care who the murderer is."

"I don't care where they came from."

"Find them."

His words carried unquestionable authority.

Immediately...

More than twenty elders stood.

One after another.

"I accept."

"I shall investigate."

"So shall I."

The atmosphere grew increasingly oppressive.

Outside the hall...

Thousands of disciples waited anxiously.

Moments later...

The massive doors slowly opened.

Elder Gu Tian walked onto the stone platform overlooking the plaza.

His sharp gaze swept across the countless disciples.

Everyone lowered their heads.

"Listen carefully."

His voice spread across the entire sect through spiritual energy.

"Three disciples of the Azure River Sect have been murdered."

The plaza exploded into whispers.

"What?"

"Who would dare?"

"Has another sect declared war?"

Elder Gu Tian raised his hand.

Silence instantly returned.

"The murderer remains unidentified."

"From this moment onward..."

"Every inner and outer disciple currently outside closed-door cultivation will begin searching."

"Search every city."

"Every mountain."

"Every village."

"No clue is too small."

"If anyone discovers the murderer's identity..."

"The sect shall reward them with five hundred spirit stones, a Profound Rank cultivation technique, and direct promotion to the Inner Sect."

Gasps erupted across the plaza.

Such a reward was enough to change someone's destiny.

Immediately...

Greed replaced fear.

"I'll find them!"

"No matter where they're hiding!"

"They can't escape our sect!"

Excitement spread through the disciples.

None of them realized...

The man they sought wasn't a famous rogue cultivator.

Nor was he an elder from another sect.

He wasn't even an established cultivator.

He was merely a nameless young man in a black robe.

Walking deeper into the mountains.

Growing stronger with every passing moment.

Completely unaware...

That one of the region's most powerful sects had already begun hunting him.

Far away...

Mo Wuchen paused atop a rocky cliff.

A cold breeze lifted his long black hair.

He looked toward the distant horizon where the faint outline of a massive mountain range pierced the clouds.

He said nothing.

But somehow...

An instinct born from countless years as an assassin whispered in his mind.

Someone...

Had begun searching for him.

His lips curved into a faint, almost imperceptible smile.

"Good."

"The hunters have finally started moving."

"But they still don't know..."

"They are hunting the wrong prey."

With that, the black-robed figure disappeared into the endless wilderness, while unseen above the clouds, fate quietly began tightening its net around him.

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