Chapter 5 - The Gathering Storm

The air in the slums felt different. The night was cold, but beneath the surface, something was brewing. The balance of power had begun to shift.

Shen Tian had no illusions—defeating Zhao Kun had not secured his safety. It had only made him a target. Now, eyes were on him, and not just from the lowly gangs that roamed these filthy streets.

Seated within the ruined shack, Shen Tian focused on his breathing. The Phantom Veins Sutra had taken root, weaving its delicate energy through his frail body. Though his meridians remained damaged, he could feel the difference—the sluggish flow of energy now moved with greater ease, like a river carving its path through stone.

It was slow. It was inefficient.

But it was his.

With time, with patience, he would rebuild.

A knock at the door broke his meditation.

"Open up," came Jiang Hao's voice.

Shen Tian exhaled slowly before standing. The wooden door creaked as he pulled it open, revealing Jiang Hao's familiar smirk. Behind him stood the rest of his crew—seven figures cloaked in the darkness of the alleyway.

"You're late," Shen Tian said.

Jiang Hao chuckled. "Had to make sure we weren't being followed. You're famous now, you know."

Shen Tian said nothing, stepping aside to let them in. The shack was small, barely large enough for all of them to fit, but it was private. That was all that mattered.

Jiang Hao leaned against the wall, flipping his dagger between his fingers. "Word is spreading. Some think you got lucky against Zhao Kun. Others think you're dangerous."

Shen Tian met his gaze. "And you?"

Jiang Hao's smirk widened. "I think you're both."

The one-eyed boy from before—Liu Qing—crossed his arms. "The Black Hounds are looking for you. They sent scouts sniffing around the slums."

Shen Tian's expression remained unreadable. The Black Hounds—a ruthless faction that thrived in the underworld. Unlike Zhao Kun's gang, they weren't just thugs. They were organized. Dangerous.

"How long do we have?" Shen Tian asked.

"Not long," Liu Qing said. "They don't take humiliation lightly. You made them look weak."

Shen Tian closed his eyes briefly. He had expected retaliation. What he hadn't expected was who was coming for him.

The Black Hounds weren't just another street gang.

They were professionals.

The first attack came before dawn.

Jiang Hao's crew had dispersed for the night, but Shen Tian had remained awake, his instincts honed by countless lifetimes. He heard it before he saw it—the near-silent rustle of movement outside the shack.

A dagger, glinting in the moonlight.

Shen Tian twisted, the blade slicing through empty air. His attacker—a shadow-cloaked figure—moved swiftly, striking again.

Shen Tian stepped into the attack, closing the distance. His hand shot forward, catching the assassin's wrist. A sharp twist—and the dagger clattered to the ground.

His assailant stumbled, clutching their injured wrist. Shen Tian's grip tightened around their arm, pinning them against the wall.

A girl.

No older than sixteen, her face partially obscured by a cloth mask. Her eyes burned with defiance, despite the pain.

"Who sent you?" Shen Tian asked.

She glared at him, her silence unwavering.

Shen Tian remained still, studying her. She wasn't just a common thug. She had been trained—conditioned for this life.

But she was hungry. Weak. Expendable.

Her own people had sent her on a mission she was not meant to return from.

"You were never supposed to survive this job, were you?" Shen Tian said.

For the first time, her expression faltered. A flicker of doubt.

Before she could react, Shen Tian released her. She collapsed to the floor, gasping for breath.

"Tell them I'm dead," he said.

The girl stared at him, uncertain.

"Or," he continued, "stay and learn."

Jiang Hao's crew arrived moments later, weapons drawn. But the girl was already gone.

Jiang Hao glanced at Shen Tian. "You let her live?"

Shen Tian turned toward the rising sun. His body still ached, his strength still fragile.

"She'll be back."

He wasn't wrong.

Two nights later, she returned.