A World That Devours
"A nameless blade. A forsaken path. A world that has never been kind to those who walk alone."
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Xian Ren moved forward.
The scent of damp earth filled his lungs as he walked deeper into the wilds. The trees whispered secrets older than men, their shadows stretching long under the morning sun. The world was vast, uncaring, and filled with dangers far greater than mere men.
And yet, he felt no fear.
What was fear to a boy who had already lost everything?
His blade rested against his hip, its edge still tainted with blood. The weight was unfamiliar, yet comforting. Once, he had only known chains. Now, he carried something far more dangerous—freedom.
But freedom was an illusion.
His name was already being etched onto death lists. The sect would not forget. The world would not forgive.
He was a marked man.
The hunt had begun.
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The first sign of pursuit came at dusk.
A rustle in the undergrowth. A flicker of movement beyond the trees.
Xian Ren did not stop walking.
He could hear them—low whispers carried by the wind, the sharp click of weapons being drawn. These were not ordinary disciples. The sect had sent hunters.
The Forsaken Blade Sutra was not something they could allow to escape.
"They will come for you. They will never stop coming."
His mother's voice, a whisper from the past, long before she had been swallowed by the cruelty of the world.
He exhaled, slow and steady.
Then he moved.
A blur of motion, his foot pressing against the earth, his body flowing like water.
A dagger whistled through the air, slicing toward his throat.
He tilted his head. The blade passed within a hair's breadth.
Xian Ren did not hesitate.
His own sword flashed—once, twice—silent, precise.
A wet gurgle. A body hitting the ground.
The forest fell silent again.
But he knew this was only the beginning.
They would send more. Stronger ones.
He wiped his blade clean against the grass. His pulse remained steady.
He had no intention of running forever.
One day, he would no longer be the hunted.
One day, the world would kneel.
For now, he disappeared into the shadows, leaving behind nothing but silence and blood.