Chapter 5: Nocturnal Pursuit

The night loomed like a silent beast, devouring every sliver of light within the dense forest.

Ye Huang's figure flickered between the treetops, his silver-white hair flowing with the wind. His deep eyes, dark as the midnight sky, occasionally flashed with a sharp golden gleam. His steps were light, as if he were a ghost in the shadows, moving forward without a single sound.

A strange aura lingered in the forest.

Ye Huang narrowed his eyes slightly, catching the faint scent of blood in the air.

Up ahead, a blurred silhouette staggered forward.

"Still alive, after all."

His gaze remained cold as he landed silently on the ground and approached with slow, deliberate steps.

The wounded hunter lay gasping for breath, fresh blood still oozing from his wounds. He struggled to rise, but his body refused to obey.

"Cough… cough…"

Seeing Ye Huang closing in, the hunter's eyes flickered with fear. But he knew—escape was no longer an option.

"Who… who are you…?"

Ye Huang stood over him, looking down with an expression of indifference.

"A name forgotten by the darkness. Not worth remembering."

The hunter let out a bitter chuckle, his gaze filled with defiance.

"You think… killing me… will change anything?"

Ye Huang didn't respond. He merely raised his hand, where black demonic energy coiled and pulsed within his palm—deep as the abyss, suffocating in its presence.

The hunter's pupils shrank. His injuries had drained him of all strength; he couldn't even muster the will to resist.

But just as Ye Huang was about to strike—

A chilling presence swept over him.

"Whoosh—"

A sharp glint of cold light sliced through the darkness, aimed directly at Ye Huang.

He twisted his body, narrowly dodging the attack. In an instant, Nightblade was unsheathed—its dark edge slashing through the air, intercepting the incoming projectile.

His gaze snapped toward the depths of the forest.

"Finally showing yourself."

A tall figure emerged from the shadows.

A deep hood concealed most of his features, but his half-narrowed eyes gleamed with an ominous glint.

"Ye Huang… you've been far too reckless."

Ye Huang's lips curled slightly, a flicker of battlelust igniting in his gaze.

"Seems like… this night is far from over."

The wind howled. The battle was about to begin.

The stranger's cloak billowed, revealing a striking yet emotionless face. In his hand, he held a razor-sharp dagger, its blade gleaming faintly under the moonlight's glow.

Ye Huang studied his opponent, sensing the demonic energy radiating from his form.

"Who are you?"

The stranger smirked.

"Names are irrelevant. What matters is—"

Before he finished speaking, his figure suddenly vanished.

Ye Huang's pupils contracted.

In the next instant, the dagger was already closing in—aimed right at his throat!

Ye Huang leaned back just in time, barely avoiding the lethal strike. At the same moment, his blade slashed outward, sending a sharp arc of energy toward his attacker.

The stranger chuckled, retreating like a wraith. His dagger traced a smooth arc through the air, seamlessly deflecting Ye Huang's counterattack.

"Your speed is impressive," the stranger remarked, a glimmer of excitement flashing in his eyes.

Ye Huang remained silent, his gaze turning even colder.

This man… is strong.

The tension in the air thickened. The gap between them shrank with every passing second, the rhythm of battle intensifying.

Ye Huang swung his blade once more, black demonic energy swirling along its edge, as if the very darkness itself had been set aflame.

The stranger leaped, nimbly avoiding the strike before retaliating with a swift, deadly thrust.

Blades clashed. Sparks scattered.

Ye Huang stepped back, sliding across the ground to create some distance.

"Looks like… this fight is going to be interesting."

The stranger chuckled lowly, his eyes burning with anticipation.

Ye Huang exhaled slowly, tightening his grip on Nightblade as his energy surged wildly.

The night wind howled, whispering across the battlefield like unseen fingers plucking the strings of fate.

His opponent smiled mockingly, spinning his dagger with ease. Its icy sheen shimmered in the darkness.

"Ye Huang, I wonder… how long can you last?"

Ye Huang didn't answer. Only the slight tremor of his blade signaled his resolve.

"Not much of a talker, huh?" the stranger mused. Then, in a blur of motion—he vanished.

Ye Huang's instincts screamed at him. He rolled sideways, just as the dagger slashed past, severing a lock of his silver hair.

"Not bad," came the voice from behind him. Another dagger strike followed.

Ye Huang pushed off the ground, his figure turning into a streak of shadow. He no longer merely dodged—he counterattacked.

"Clang—!"

Nightblade met dagger. Sparks erupted.

The stranger's strikes were swift, relentless, aiming for every vital point. Yet Ye Huang's blade was a fortress, blocking each fatal blow.

In the blink of an eye, they had already exchanged dozens of strikes.

The air grew thick with killing intent.

"Your swordplay… is stronger than I expected," the stranger admitted, breathing slightly heavier. Yet his eyes gleamed with even greater excitement.

Ye Huang remained wordless. He knew—the fight was far from over.

Suddenly, the stranger leapt back, pressing a hand against the ground. A surge of black energy erupted outward.

Ye Huang instinctively retreated.

"Not bad," the stranger murmured, flipping his palm. A dark rune appeared, pulsing with an eerie glow.

Ye Huang's heart tensed.

This… is his real attack.

The wind howled. Black energy spiraled into a vortex.

Ye Huang's pupils shrank. In a split-second decision, he leapt backward.

"Too slow."

The stranger's whisper echoed—just as dark chains shot from the ground, coiling toward Ye Huang's limbs.

Ye Huang twisted midair, slashing out. The chains shattered—only to dissolve into mist.

"An illusion?!"

Realization struck too late. A surge of killing intent flared behind him.

The stranger had already closed in.

His dagger cut through the air, streaking straight for Ye Huang's throat.

In a heartbeat, Ye Huang twisted his body. Nightblade flipped in his grip, intercepting the strike in a burst of sparks.

"Clang—!"

The force numbed Ye Huang's arm. His opponent was stronger than before.

"Your reflexes are sharp," the stranger mused. "But against absolute power, speed is meaningless."

Ye Huang's expression didn't waver.

He knew—he couldn't let himself be cornered any longer.

Taking a slow breath, he gathered his energy. Black mist coiled around him, shifting in unseen currents.

"Oh?" The stranger's eyes gleamed. "Finally getting serious?"

A golden pattern shimmered along Nightblade's edge—a sign of his bloodline awakening.

"Interesting." The stranger smirked, forming another rune. "But—"

Before he could finish, Ye Huang was already moving.

The next moment, their blades met once more—igniting the battlefield with the true clash of hunters.

The night trembled as their battle raged on.