Chapter 6: A Blade Against the Storm

The campfire crackled, casting flickering shadows across the blood-soaked clearing. Ten corpses lay scattered around the dying embers, their bodies still warm. The metallic scent of blood mixed with the smoke of burning wood.

Jiang Chen stood alone, his sword dripping with fresh crimson. His breathing was steady, but the aching in his arms and legs reminded him of how close this battle had been.

Across from him, the bandit leader, a Core Formation Peak cultivator, clutched his side, his heavy battle-axe planted into the ground for support. Deep cuts ran along his arms and chest, and his breaths were ragged. His once-unshakable arrogance had faded, replaced by disbelief.

"You… you're just in Qi Refinement," the leader gasped, his face pale from blood loss.

Jiang Chen's eyes were calm, his grip on his sword firm. "And yet, here you are, struggling to stand."

The leader's jaw clenched. He refused to believe he was losing to a mere Qi Refinement cultivator. Even with his injuries, he still had the advantage in raw power.

A crazed light flashed in his eyes. "Then let's see how long you can last!"

He roared, gathering the last of his Qi, and swung his axe in a final, desperate attack.

Jiang Chen saw it before it happened.

The moment the bandit shifted his weight, his body instinctively reacted.

His rare bloodline stirred—a strange pulse ran through his veins, and time seemed to slow just for an instant.

He could see it.

The angle of the swing, the way the leader's muscles tensed, the exact moment the attack would reach him.

And he moved.

Step.

Jiang Chen shifted to the side just an inch, dodging by the slimmest margin. The axe missed his head by a breath's distance, carving deep into the earth instead.

The leader's eyes widened in horror—his body was still locked in the motion of his attack. Wide open.

Jiang Chen stepped forward.

With one smooth motion, he plunged his sword deep into the leader's chest.

CRACK!

The bandit leader staggered, his eyes filled with shock.

Jiang Chen twisted the blade—and in the next moment, the man's massive body collapsed lifelessly onto the ground.

Silence.

Jiang Chen exhaled. His arms ached, his Qi was nearly drained, and his body screamed for rest.

But he had won.

Now, only one thing remained—the spoils of battle.

He turned toward the bandits' loot, his sharp eyes locking onto a golden-wrapped artifact among the scattered treasures.

Jiang Chen crouched, carefully unwrapping the silk. Inside was a small jade bottle, faintly glowing. The moment he uncorked it, a rich medicinal fragrance filled the air.

"A Spirit Tempering Pill!"

Jiang Chen's eyes flashed with excitement.

A rare pill that enhanced Qi refinement and strengthened meridians—exactly what he needed to break through to 6th Layer Qi Refinement!

But before he could celebrate—

Rustle…

Jiang Chen's instincts flared. His grip tightened around the bottle as he turned sharply toward the trees.

A figure in dark robes stepped forward.

Their aura was sharper and more controlled than the bandit leader's—not as powerful, but far deadlier.

Jiang Chen's eyes narrowed.

"Foundation Establishment Peak."

At first, he was unfazed—he had just killed a Core Formation Peak cultivator. But something felt off about this person.

Their movements were silent, their Qi condensed and hidden. Unlike the bandit leader, who relied on raw power, this person was an expert in killing.

"An assassin?"

The newcomer's voice was calm but filled with subtle menace.

"I was planning to let the bandits do the work for me," he said. "But you handled it better than expected."

The assassin slowly unsheathed a curved dagger, its edge gleaming under the moonlight.

"Since you're weak, I'll give you a choice—hand over the pill and leave, or die here."

Jiang Chen's fingers tightened around the jade bottle.

Even though he had just defeated a Core Formation Peak opponent, this assassin was different.

This was not about raw strength.

"This man is an expert in assassination techniques. If I underestimate him, I'll die before I even react."

Jiang Chen took a slow breath, his mind sharpening.

"Who sent you?" he asked.

The assassin chuckled. "You don't need to know. You should've left after killing those bandits. But you got greedy."

Jiang Chen remained calm. His exhaustion was catching up to him, but he refused to back down.

"I have two options. I can run—but he's faster. Or I can fight, but he's skilled."

Jiang Chen's gaze flickered toward the bandits' campfire, where several leftover bottles of alcohol sat near the flames.

A plan formed in his mind.

He took a slow step forward. "You're right. I should've left."

The assassin smirked. "Good. Now drop the pill and—"

SWOOSH!

Jiang Chen suddenly kicked one of the bottles into the fire!

BOOM!

The flames burst upward, the alcohol igniting in an explosion of heat and light!

The assassin instinctively flinched, shielding his eyes.

That was all Jiang Chen needed.

He moved.

Like a shadow, he darted forward, sword flashing through the firelight.

The assassin's eyes widened in shock.

CLANG!

He barely blocked the attack with his dagger, but Jiang Chen had already shifted. His blade carved toward the assassin's ribs!

The assassin twisted, evading—but not fast enough.

SLASH!

A deep cut tore across his side, and blood sprayed into the dirt.

The assassin stumbled back, his breathing uneven. He stared at Jiang Chen, his expression dark.

"I see," he muttered. "You're not just some lucky survivor."

Jiang Chen kept his stance firm, his sword still raised. "If you want this pill, come and take it."

The assassin exhaled, then suddenly… smirked.

"No. This is already more trouble than it's worth."

Without another word, he faded into the shadows, vanishing into the forest.

Jiang Chen didn't relax. Not until he was sure the assassin was truly gone.

Only then did he finally let out a slow breath.

"That was close."

The assassin was stronger than the bandit leader in skill, but he had been unprepared for Jiang Chen's tactics.

Jiang Chen glanced at the Spirit Tempering Pill in his hand.

"I need to break through immediately."

Sitting cross-legged beside the dying campfire, he closed his eyes and began absorbing the pill's essence.

The road to 6th Layer Qi Refinement had begun.

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End of Chapter 6