Chapter 5: The Hunt Begins

The wind howled through the darkened forest. The Azure River Valley stretched before Jiang Chen like an endless sea of towering trees, their dense canopies blotting out the moonlight. A faint mist drifted along the ground, making it difficult to see too far ahead.

Somewhere in this valley, the Black Fang Bandits lurked.

Jiang Chen stood at the edge of a rocky outcrop, overlooking the valley below. From the information he had gathered in town, the bandits had been ambushing merchants and travelers, killing indiscriminately.

But more importantly—they were said to have looted valuable artifacts and rare herbs.

"A perfect opportunity."

Not only would eliminating them give him much-needed resources, but it would also serve as his first real battle in this new world.

Step.

Jiang Chen leaped from the outcrop, landing silently on the soft forest floor. His sharp gaze scanned the darkness as he moved forward, his senses heightened.

Though his Qi was still weak, his body had recovered significantly since awakening. The battle with the Blazing Cloud Sect disciples had been a mere warm-up.

Tonight, he would test himself against true killers.

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A Predator Among Prey

After two hours of silent tracking, Jiang Chen finally caught his first sign of the bandits—a faint flicker of torchlight in the distance.

He moved closer, keeping low. The scent of blood was thick in the air.

Peering through the dense foliage, he spotted a clearing deep within the valley, where a group of ten men gathered around a makeshift campfire. Scattered around them were bloodied corpses of travelers, their valuables stripped away.

At the center sat a burly man with a scarred face and a massive axe resting beside him.

"That must be the leader."

Jiang Chen's eyes flickered. His Qi senses were still weak, but he could feel the pressure coming from the man.

Core Formation Peak.

The rest of the bandits were mostly Qi Refinement and Foundation Establishment, with two at Core Formation Early Stage.

"I can handle them, but the leader will be troublesome."

Fighting someone one major realm above him was difficult but possible—he had proven that against the Blazing Cloud disciples.

But against two major realms above, he would struggle. If he faced the bandit leader in a head-on fight now, it would be suicidal.

He needed a plan.

His sharp gaze flicked to the bandits' supplies. Among the scattered loot, he spotted something wrapped in golden silk—a faint glow seeping through the fabric.

"An artifact or spirit herb?"

His fingers clenched slightly. If he could get his hands on it, it might be exactly what he needed to close the gap.

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Striking from the Shadows

Jiang Chen moved like a ghost, silently circling the camp. He picked up a small stone from the ground and flicked it with precise force into the opposite side of the clearing.

Rustle!

One of the bandits snapped his head up. "What was that?"

The others tensed, their hands moving to their weapons.

The leader scowled. "You're paranoid. Just a damn beast."

The tension eased, and the bandits returned to drinking and laughing.

But they didn't realize one of their men was already gone.

Jiang Chen emerged from the shadows just long enough to strike, his hand covering the bandit's mouth as he slit his throat with the stolen sword.

The man's body slumped silently, his death unnoticed by his companions.

Jiang Chen moved again, repeating the process.

One by one, the bandits disappeared into the darkness, their bodies left behind in the foliage.

By the time one of them finally noticed—only four remained.

"Where the hell is everyone?!"

Panic set in.

But before they could react—

Jiang Chen strode into the firelight.

His cold gaze swept across them. "You took your time noticing."

The bandits froze.

The leader's expression darkened as he finally sensed Jiang Chen's aura.

"You're not a normal traveler," he growled.

Jiang Chen raised his sword slightly, blood still dripping from its edge. "No. I'm your executioner."

The leader roared in fury. "Kill him!"

The three remaining bandits lunged forward—one slashing with a curved blade, another firing a crossbow, and the last channeling Qi into his fists.

Jiang Chen moved like flowing water, weaving between attacks.

He sidestepped the first sword swing, twisted his wrist, and plunged his blade through the attacker's heart.

Before the second could fire his crossbow, Jiang Chen flicked a loose dagger from the ground, sending it straight through the man's skull.

The last bandit—a Core Formation Early Stage cultivator—let out a desperate roar, his Qi surging as he threw a heavy punch.

Jiang Chen caught the man's wrist mid-strike.

His grip was like iron.

The bandit's eyes widened in terror. "W-Wait—"

Crack!

Jiang Chen twisted sharply, snapping the man's arm, then slammed his palm into his chest, sending him crashing into the campfire.

Only the leader remained.

The Core Formation Peak cultivator rose to his feet, gripping his massive axe. A dangerous aura surged around him.

"You think killing a few weaklings makes you strong?!" he sneered. "You're a thousand years too early to challenge me, brat!"

Jiang Chen took a slow breath. He could already feel the pressure radiating from the man.

"He's stronger than I expected."

But then, his gaze slid to the side—where the bandits' loot was piled up. His sharp eyes locked onto the golden-wrapped artifact.

If he could claim it mid-battle…

A small smirk formed on Jiang Chen's lips.

"Let's see how long you last, then."

He lowered his stance—and the real fight began.

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End of Chapter 5