Chapter 46: Shadow Predator

Tang Chun Xi advanced cautiously, attentive to her surroundings. Although excited about her destination, she was prepared for combat. She allowed herself to be guided by the faint pull of the Lunar Umbrella. The artifact pulsed softly in her hand, its stellar energy interacting with the environment around her. The path, however, was not straightforward.

She had to take multiple detours.

Sometimes, she sensed the presence of other cultivators and hunters; other times, her instincts warned her of an invisible danger. Even when the path seemed safe, she didn't hesitate to keep her body covered in stellar wood aura—a rudimentary technique that, while not very effective in recent days, still provided some degree of camouflage without consuming her energy. It was different from the [Luminous Concealment] of the Lunar Umbrella, which, though consuming little energy, did so continuously.

As much as she avoided contact, encounters were inevitable.

Most cultivators who crossed her path simply ignored her, continuing on their own journeys. However, one of them made the mistake of underestimating her. A man with a sly grin blocked her way, his covetous eyes scanning her appearance and the equipment she carried.

She didn't bother arguing.

When he tried to attack, her Lunar Umbrella had already sliced through his throat.

Blood stained the forest floor, and she moved forward without looking back.

After some time traveling, the landscape began to change.

The vegetation grew denser, the humidity thickened the air, and sunlight barely reached through the tree canopies. Small spirit animals, such as the Broad-Fanged Rabbit, moved about the area but showed no aggression.

They ignored her.

Tang Chun Xi knew why. Common spirit animals didn't attack beings they sensed were stronger than them unless provoked.

So why did she feel an intense gaze fixed on her body?

Her body tensed instantly.

'Someone—or something—is watching me.'

Her breathing slowed, and she let her senses expand. Nothing moved, but she knew it was there. Hidden in the shadows, waiting…

'If I wait, I'll be giving it the advantage.'

She had made that mistake before and nearly lost her life.

This time, she would strike first.

Her fingers tightened around the Lunar Umbrella's hilt, and with an agile movement, she spun on her heels and slashed toward the source of the gaze.

— Roar!

Whatever was lurking leaped with terrifying speed.

Tang Chun Xi barely had time to react.

The sound of the air being torn apart by the predator's movement sent her mind racing. Her body reacted before her eyes could even process the creature's shape.

"Phoenix-Winged Step!"

Her feet pushed off the ground, activating her technique to the limit. Her [Phoenix Wings] gleamed in a faintly transparent hue—deeper than before, a clear sign of progress in the technique. The movement created a wave of heat as the wings unfurled.

But it wasn't enough.

The creature was too fast.

'Even at my maximum speed… I can't completely dodge!'

Her eyes narrowed. If she couldn't escape, she had to shift the fight's balance.

'Amplify weight.'

The gravity around her shifted abruptly, propelling her backward with greater force, altering her trajectory at the last second.

— CLASH!

The Lunar Umbrella's blades met the beast's claws in a brutal impact.

The metallic sound echoed like steel scraping against steel, sparks scattering through the air.

Tang Chun Xi felt her arms tremble under the force of the collision.

Yet the monster didn't retreat despite the impact.

Even with her Phoenix Wings activated, even with the heat radiating from her body, the creature ignored it all.

'It doesn't care about the heat?'

That was her last thought before being sent flying several meters back.

She landed with a quick roll, but before she could fully recover, the enemy had already vanished into the shadows. A red figure remained in its place, which quickly dispersed.

Silence.

Her heart pounded in her chest, her eyes scanning the darkness ahead.

Nothing.

It was gone… but not for long.

She knew another attack was coming.

And she didn't have to wait.

A new movement came from the left!

With a precise turn, she raised the Lunar Umbrella, which clashed against the feline's claws in a sharp metallic impact. The shockwave rippled through the air, sending leaves spiraling around them.

This time, she didn't wait to see its reaction.

She attacked.

The Lunar Umbrella gleamed with a sharp metallic aura as Tang Chun Xi unleashed a flurry of swift, aggressive strikes, trying to match her enemy's speed.

The feline dodged with astonishing reflexes, twisting midair and leaping at impossible angles. For an instant, it seemed untouchable, its silhouette vanishing amidst the falling leaves.

'It's as fast as I am!'

The thought settled in her mind as she continued pressing forward. It was rare to find an opponent who could match her agility, making her grip her weapon even tighter.

Yet, no matter how many strikes she delivered, the feline remained unscathed.

It dodged a blade aimed at its flank, jumped back before a cutting arc could graze its head, and finally retreated a few meters, its piercing gaze locked onto her.

Then, unexpectedly, the feline shifted its attention.

With a single fluid motion, it turned toward a small bush and leaped. Tang Chun Xi merely followed with her eyes, not intervening.

The Broad-Fanged Rabbit didn't stand a chance.

Its claws flared with a fiery glow as they descended in a perfect arc, slicing the animal to pieces before it could even react. The scent of charred flesh filled the air, and only then did Tang Chun Xi notice a crucial detail:

The feline's claws were enveloped in a fiery aura.

She frowned. The heat from her Phoenix-Winged Step had no effect on it earlier, and now she understood why.

'So it's really a fire-type. That means flame-based attacks won't be very effective.'

Tang Chun Xi examined the creature more closely—reddish-brown mottled fur, sleek yet powerful muscles, and sharp eyes that glowed like embers.

A fragment of memory surfaced in her mind.

This beast was…