Chapter 32: The Bounty Hunters

The news of the Shadow Sect's bounty spread like wildfire. Within hours, mercenaries, assassins, and rogue martial artists began converging on the city, all eager to claim the lucrative reward.

Tang Xiu's group gathered in the Rusty Blade's meeting room. The air was thick with tension as they discussed their next move.

Xu Liang slammed his fist on the table. "This is insane! Every cutthroat in the region will be after us now."

Lei Xian leaned back in his chair, his usual grin replaced by a grim look. "They're not coming for us, Xu Liang. They're coming for the boss."

All eyes turned to Tang Xiu, who sat at the head of the table, his expression unreadable.

"Let them come," Tang Xiu said calmly. "This is an opportunity."

"An opportunity?" Old Hu frowned. "Tang Xiu, this isn't the time for your riddles. We're outnumbered and outgunned. How is this an opportunity?"

Tang Xiu's gaze swept over the room. "The Shadow Sect thinks they can scare us into hiding. But fear is their weapon, not ours. If we deal with these bounty hunters decisively, we'll send a clear message: we're not easy prey. The Shadow Sect's reputation will take a hit."

The group exchanged uneasy glances. Tang Xiu's plan was bold, but it was also dangerous.

"What do you propose, Boss?" Lei Xian asked, his voice steady despite the uncertainty in the room.

Tang Xiu stood, his presence commanding. "We don't wait for them to find us. We draw them out on our terms. We'll set a trap and eliminate them in one strike."

The plan took shape quickly. Tang Xiu's group chose an abandoned factory on the outskirts of the city as their battleground. The location was remote, giving them the advantage of controlling the environment.

For the next two days, they prepared tirelessly. Xu Liang and Lei Xian set up traps around the factory, from concealed tripwires to makeshift explosives. Old Hu worked on fortifying the interior, creating defensible positions.

Tang Xiu, meanwhile, focused on refining his group's combat techniques. The Primordial Refining Method was still new to them, but they had no choice but to adapt quickly.

"Remember," Tang Xiu said as he demonstrated a fluid movement, "use your surroundings. Draw power from the earth, the air, even the heat in your own body. Don't rely on brute force alone."

Lei Xian grumbled as he struggled to replicate the technique. "You make it look so easy, Boss."

"That's because I've had ten thousand years of practice," Tang Xiu replied, his tone light but firm. "You have two days. Get to work."

The night of the confrontation arrived. The factory was dark and silent, its broken windows and rusted walls casting eerie shadows. Tang Xiu and his group lay in wait, their breaths steady, their nerves taut.

The first bounty hunters arrived just after midnight. A group of five, armed with swords and knives, crept through the factory's main entrance. They moved cautiously, their eyes scanning for any sign of danger.

The moment they stepped on a tripwire, all hell broke loose.

A hidden explosive sent shards of metal flying, disorienting the intruders. Before they could recover, Xu Liang and Lei Xian sprang from the shadows, their movements swift and deadly.

The battle was quick and brutal. Xu Liang's

daggers flashed under the faint moonlight, striking with precision. Lei Xian, relying on brute strength, smashed through their defenses like a rampaging bull. Within moments, the bounty hunters lay unconscious or incapacitated on the ground.

From his vantage point above, Tang Xiu watched with sharp eyes. "Good. They're learning," he murmured to himself. But this was only the first wave.

Minutes later, another group arrived, this one larger and more organized. Their leader, a tall man with a scar running down his cheek, barked orders to spread out.

"Don't let them ambush us like the others!"

Tang Xiu smirked. "Smart. Let's see how they handle this!

He gave a subtle signal to Old Hu, who was positioned in a concealed corner. With a swift motion, Old Hu released a counterweight, triggering a mechanism that sent heavy steel beams crashing down. The hunters scattered, their formation broken.

Tang Xiu descended from his perch like a shadow, his movements swift and precise.

In an instant, he was in their midst.

"Who-" The scarred man barely got the word out before Tang Xiu struck. His palm, imbued with the essence of the Primordial Refining Method, landed squarely on the man's chest. The impact sent him flying into a wall, where he collapsed, unmoving.

The other hunters hesitated, fear flashing in their eyes.

"Leave now," Tang Xiu said coldly, his voice echoing through the factory. "Or face the same fate."

Most of them dropped their weapons and fled, but a few, either braver or more foolish, charged at him. Tang Xiu dealt with them swiftly, his movements a blur. To an outside observer, it looked like a master dismantling mere amateurs.

By dawn, the factory was littered with the remnants of battle. Tang Xiu's group stood victorious, though they bore their share of cuts and bruises.

Old Hu leaned against a wall, breathing heavily. "We did it," he said, his tone a mix of exhaustion and relief.

Xu Liang nodded, wiping blood from his blade. "But this was just the beginning.

The Shadow Sect won't stop with mercenaries. They'll come for us themselves next time.

Tang Xiu's expression was calm, but his eyes burned with determination. "Good.

Let them come. The more they push, the harder we'll hit back."

Lei Xian chuckled, though he winced from a fresh cut on his arm. "Boss, you're a magnet for trouble. But I'll admit, it's never boring with you around."

Tang Xiu allowed himself a faint smile.

"We'll rest for now, but not for long. This battle was a warning to them-and to us.

We've proven we're not easy targets, but we still have a long way to go."

As the group tended to their injuries and fortified their base, Tang Xiu retreated to his room. The pendant glowed faintly in his hand as he studied it.

"The Shadow Sect is just the beginning," he murmured to himself. "There's something much larger at play here. If I'm to rise again, I need to uncover the truths hidden in this world-and beyond."

Closing his eyes, Tang Xiu began meditating, drawing upon the natural elements around him. Though the road ahead was fraught with danger, his resolve was unshaken.

The path to reclaiming his power and exacting his revenge was long, but Tang Xiu was ready for every challenge that lay ahead.