Simply Unlucky

With the heat from the lead guard's breath tangible on the back of his neck he ran. Faster than he had ever run before. He knew what it meant to be caught disturbing the peace in Dust City, especially since he had noticed a few wealthy-looking brats in the crowd of onlookers. His stay in the dungeons would not be a pleasant one. If the rats didn't get him first, the mere stench would eventually do him in.

And so he ran. Scurrying through the alley much like the dungeon rats, with a speed no guard could have predicted, Jianyu leaped up onto the walls and began to climb. Although not very useful in the fields of battle, climbing was a skill he found exceptionally useful when in the city. No one could predict that the greatest weakness in their encasement would be the sky.

With the shouts of the guards under him, Jianyu had already made it up over 10 meters flipping over the edge of the building and landing with a soft thud finally allowing himself to relax. No way could those guards in full armor climb up here.

"Whew. Those guards are no joke, I never thought they would have a High-foundation cultivator in their midst. If they didn't have to fight through the crowd before getting to me I would have been done for."

*thwip*

An arrow seemed to sprout from his leg. Not only that, he could hear the crisp whistling of another black arrow coming from the roof adjacent to him, "What the f*ck?" he muttered.

The pain managed to rouse him in time to dodge the other arrow, nearly tipping over the very building he had just climbed. Barely managing to dodge the second, Jianyu's adrenaline finally kicked in as he leaped to his feet. Spotting the damned archer responsible for his new thigh accessory Jianyu crouched, springing towards the man like a bullet.

Although adept at escaping, Jianyu realized that with his current injuries, there was no way he could run faster than this man, especially at such a close range. 

No sooner had he watched the boy launch towards him than he could see the gleam of light off of the kid's strange blade as it barreled down towards him. Raising his bow in response a cold light gleamed in his eye, "Fool, obviously, you are too weak to break my weapon. Not even my master could, and he is in the Peak Foundation rank!"

Confident in his weapon he held it aloft, however he never expected the sword to seemingly cut through space, appearing just below his chin. Smooth as silk, the blade severed the assassin's trachea. Wide-eyed he watched as Jianyu whirled around him. Behind Jianyu an arrow appeared thudding into his chest.

"Really? Another one?" Jianyu hollered.

Peeking out from behind his meat shield Jianyu spotted another man, nearly 100 meters away wielding a longbow almost as tall as his body. His white cloak fluttered in the wind, and without a single moment of hesitancy, he notched another arrow and began drawing back the cord.

"F*ck", Jianyu paled, "I can't believe he can wield that bow"

Obviously, he was much stronger than the previous assassin. Jianyu hid behind the corpse and waited for the dreadful force of an arrow that never came. 

Hesitantly Jianyu looked out and saw the man hurtling towards him, adeptly leaping from building to building with a long dagger drawn.

Jianyu dropped the corpse and began to run. There was simply no way he could deal with this new opponent. Even at peak condition, this man would have wrung his neck like a farmer's chicken. This was no amateur.

His only hope was to capitalize on the initial distance between them and try to lose him. 

Dashing forward Jianyu managed to land on the next building. Grunting in pain he kept going forward, the arrow still waving around as he ran.

"If he doesn't get me first I might die of blood loss", the already pale Jianyu grew paler as he realized he had to lose the man even faster.

He could still hear the shouting of the city guards as they attempted to follow him from the streets. 

"How could I have such horrendous luck?", he thought glaring down at the sword in his hands, "Damn thing, who could have known that such a ghastly weapon could bring on so much trouble"

The sword seemed to hum in response. Shocked, Jianyu almost lost his footing as he leaped over another gap between buildings. 

"Is it alive?", not daring to let his mind wander he focused back on the task at hand, "It only gets worse from here doesn't it?"

Finally reaching a short two-story building Jianyu glanced behind him. The man was hot on his heels, barely 30 meters behind him. Below the edge of the roof, Jianyu noticed an awning with a brass bar on its far side as support. Thankfully none of the many people below had noticed him. Jianyu took one last glance behind and then jumped over the side. 

Twisting in midair he grabbed the bar and swung up and under the awning just barely holding himself horizontal. 

One second, two seconds, three seconds. Time seemed to creep ever slower as he waited. Finally, he saw the shadow of the man launch over the building and into the crowd. Screams came as the man shoved his way through looking for Jianyu, his dagger still at the ready. After the man had disappeared around the corner Jianyu dropped down, disappearing in the opposite direction.

Panting heavily, blood staining his clothes and dripping from the arrow wound in his chest, Wu Jianyu weaved through the bustling marketplace. The throng of people provided some much-needed cover, obscuring his movements from the relentless pursuer. He had to get somewhere safe, somewhere he could tend to his wounds and figure out what the hell was going on.

The market was a maze of stalls and vendors, the air thick with the smells of roasting meat, exotic spices, and sweat. Each twist and turn offered a potential hiding spot, but Wu Jianyu knew better than to stay in one place for too long. The assassin wouldn't give up easily, and the guards wouldn't hesitate to arrest him on suspicion of being a public menace.

Suddenly, a flash of green caught his eye. Tucked away in a forgotten corner was a dilapidated teahouse, its faded paint peeling and its windows boarded shut. It wasn't much, but it was a chance. He darted towards it, his injured leg screaming in protest, and pushed open the creaky door.

The inside was even worse than the outside. Dust motes danced in the dim light filtering through cracks in the wall. Cobwebs draped the furniture like ghostly shrouds, and the air hung thick with the smell of neglect. But for Wu Jianyu, it was a haven.

He stumbled toward the back of the room, collapsing onto a rickety chair. The throbbing in his chest intensified, and he winced as he carefully pulled the arrow out. Gritting his teeth, he tore a strip from his tattered cloak and used it to bind the wound. It wouldn't stop the bleeding entirely, but it would have to do for now.

He glanced at the strange katana in his hand. The encounter with the assassin had thrown him off balance, but now, in the quiet of the teahouse, the events of the day replayed in his mind. The dream, the fire, the awakening… and the power. The way his body had reacted to the sword, the surge of energy, it was unlike anything he'd ever experienced.

Gripping the hilt, Wu Jianyu examined the blade. It didn't seem remarkable at first glance, but then he noticed a faint inscription etched along the side, shimmering with a barely discernible golden light. This must be the Primordial Chaos the dream figure spoke of. He still didn't understand what it all meant, but one thing was clear – his life had taken a drastic turn.

He closed his eyes, focusing on the newfound energy coursing through his veins. It felt like a dormant volcano awakening within him, a potent force waiting to be unleashed. But how? How did he control it?

A groan from outside the teahouse jolted him back to reality. The assassin. He'd found him. Panic flared in Wu Jianyu's chest, but it was quickly replaced by a steely resolve. He wouldn't go down without a fight.

He scanned the room for any possible weapons or escape routes. His eyes landed on a discarded tea tray, its lacquered surface surprisingly sturdy. It wouldn't be ideal, but it would have to do. He gripped the tray tightly, his hand trembling with a mixture of fear and newfound power.

The creak of the teahouse door opening sent a jolt of adrenaline through him. He took a deep breath, focusing on the energy within. This was it. This was his first stand as someone more than just a petty thief and a street rat. He was Wu Jianyu, and he wouldn't let them take him down easily.