Chapter 13: The Hunter and the Prey

  The Wanmu Forest y 180 miles west of Huntian City. Outside the forest, a campsite had beeablished.

  Within the camp, rows of wooden huts stood firm, banners fluttering in the wind, their inscriptions clearly visible:

  *"Baozheng Trading Firm"*

  *"Qianxing Trading Firm"*

  These were outposts set up by the trading firms of Huntian City.

  In one er of the camp, a crowd had gathered.

  "Windfire Squad is looking for a Body Refi Stage Six cultivator skilled in movement teiques..."

  "Dark Cry Squad needs a Body Refi Stage Seven cultivator profit in powerful attacks..."

  Wooden pques were erected, dispying the names of various squads and their recruitment needs.

  Feng sed the listings before heading toward the Windfire Squad.

  From his inquiries over the past few days, he had learhat newers entering Wanmu Forest were better off joining a team. Wandering aimlessly not only lowered the ces of a good harvest but also greatly increased the risk of danger.

  "I’m at the Body Refi Stage Six and specialize in movement teiques," Feng said to a young man in gray sitting by the squad’s pque.

  "Follow me," the gray-cd youth replied, standing and leading Feng a short distance away.

  "Captain, we have a Body Refi Stage Six cultivator skilled in movement teiques looking to join us," the youth said to a man in his thirties bck.

  The bck-cd man, a woman in red, and a young man in blue all turheir gazes toward Feng.

  "Wele," the bck-cd man said with a slight smile. "We do need a teammate profit in movement teiques for better coordination in Wanmu Forest. But I hope you uand—please demonstrate your skills."

  Feng nodded and blurred into four shadowy images. The four members of Windfire Squad narrowed their eyes, carefully him.

  "Excellent movement teique! Even I, at Body Refi Stage Eight, struggle to distinguish between real and fake," the bck-cd man praised generously.

  "Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Shi Feng, the captain of Windfire Squad, at Body Refi Stage Eight, and profit in defensive martial arts," he said, slinging a massive bck shield off his back with a smile.

  "Little brother, my name is Zhu Li. Guess my cultivation level and specialty," the red-an teased, her gaze fixed on Feng.

  Feng g her, and she promptly puffed out her chest. Embarrassed, he averted his gaze.

  "Alright, stop teasing the new guy," Shi Feng said with a chuckle, noting Feng’s awkwardness. "Zhu Li is at Body Refi Stage Seven and excels ia bat with her whip."

  "I’m Lin Yi, Body Refi Stage Six, profit in archery," the blue-cd youth said coolly.

  "And I’m Yan, Body Refi Stage Six, skilled ieiques," the gray-cd youth added with a hearty ugh, patting Feng on the shoulder.

  " Feng, Body Refi Stage Six, specialized in movement teiques and adept at swordsmanship," Feng said with a slight smile.

  The squad nodded approvingly at his movement teique but paid little attention to his mention of swordsmanship.

  "Now that we’ve introduced ourselves, let’s go over the team rules," Shi Feng began. "In our squad, we resped support each other. As for resources in Wanmu Forest: whoever discovers and harvests a treasure herb first keeps 60%, while the rest of the team shares the remaining 40%. For beast hunts, solo kills yield the same 60/40 split. For joint kills, I, as the main tank, take 40%, Zhu Li takes 20% for her role, and the remaining 40% is divided based on tribution."

  Feng agreed without hesitation.

  "Let’s head out. We’ll celebrate our harvest wheurn," Shi Feng announced.

  The Windfire Squad set off toward Wanmu Forest. Along the way, Feng asked questions about navigating the forest, finding treasure herbs, and huntis. The team generously shared their knowledge, and Feng itted it all to memory—experiehat would otherwise take signifit time to acquire.

  The forest was dense, with t trees blog most sunlight, leaving the interior dim and shadowy.

  As they ehe noise of the outside world faded away, repced by rustling sounds and occasional beastly roars eg in the distance.

  "This path is only used and has a low ce of enteris," Zhu Li whispered to Feng.

  He nodded and tinued following the group. As the beast rrew louder and more frequent, the squad’s expressions grew increasingly serious.

  While walking, Feng memorized the route and surroundings, etg them into his mind with perfect recall.

  ", what is the name of your movement teique?" Shi Feng suddenly asked, turning to him with a smile.

  "The Nine Shadow Phantom Step," Feng replied casually.

  Shi Feng’s eyes narrowed slightly, a thoughtful expression crossing his face as he exged a gh the others.

  "Little brother," Zhu Li said in a pitiable tone, "as a rogue cultivator, I live a life on the edge. If I could learn a movement teique like yours, my survival ces would greatly improve."

  Nearby, Lin Yi said nothing but leveled a pierg gaze at Feng, his bow drawn and ready.

  "What’s the meaning of this?" Feng frowned.

  "Don’t py dumb. Teach us your movement teique, or you’ll learrue meaning of suffering," Yan growled, his bde aimed menagly at Feng.

  The friendliness in the squad’s demeanor evaporated, repced by cold hostility and killing i.

  "Let’s part ways," Feng said with a disappointed sigh, his eyes fshing briefly.

  "Take his arm," Shi Feng ordered.

  Lin Yi’s arrow shot through the air with a sharp whistle as Yan’s bde swung ruthlessly toward Feng’s right arm.

  Disappoiuro determination in Feng’s eyes. His figure flickered, evading both attacks, as his sword uhed in a fsh. The gray-cd youth’s pupils shrank in shock as Feng’s bde pierced his throat.

  "Stop!" Shi Feng roared, throwing a punch while Zhu Li’s whip shed out like a venomous snake.

  Feng sidestepped their attacks with phantom-like agility. A shadoeared beside Lin Yi, and his sword drove straight into the archer’s heart.

  Shi Feng and Zhu Li froze in shock, uo believe that a Body Refi Stage Six cultivator could dispy such overwhelming strength.

  "Kill him!" Shi Feng bellowed, flinging his shield like a battering ram as Zhu Li’s whip struck again.

  Feng dodged Shi Feng’s assault and appeared behind Zhu Li, exeg a precise sword teique. Despite her attempt to flee, his bde pierced through her bad out her chest.

  "Zhu Li!" Shi Feng howled in rage, hurling his shield at Feng before turning and fleeing deeper into the forest.

  Feng evaded the shield and pursued him, but Shi Feng’s superior cultivation allowed him to widen the distance.

  "The Nine Shadow Phantom Step is excellent for bat but cks the speed for chasing," Feng thought with a sigh, noting the disparity in their cultivation levels.

  "I’ll o find a teique better suited for pursuit," he mused, returning to loot the bodies.

  [----------------°-------------]

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