The Masked Expert

The shrine was thick with the scent of blood.

Zhao Feng's lifeless body lay at Lu Chen's feet, his ambitions severed along with his breath. The shrine had now become his grave.

Lu Chen relaxed.

He had won.

But before he could even breathe a sigh of relief… A new presence filled the shrine.

A heavy, oppressive aura pressed down on him like a wave.

Lu Chen's heart pounded as he turned.

A masked figure stood at the shrine's entrance, their form cloaked in the darkness of the night.

Unlike Zhao Feng, whose killing intent had been tainted by arrogance and greed, this person's aura was cold, and suffocating.

It was the undeniable presence of a true Foundation Establishment cultivator.

But that wasn't what terrified Lu Chen the most.

He recognized this masked man from the night he infiltrated the Forbidden Chamber's Shadow and stole the Path of the Withered Shadow.

Back then, he had barely escaped.

The fact that the masked man didn't want his presence to be known by the patrol made his escape easier, but still... It was an incredible achievement to have escaped.

And now, he had found him, or worse… he could have been watching him all along.

The masked figure stood still for a moment, as if examining the scene. Their eyes flickered toward Zhao Feng's corpse.

Then, he locked back to Lu Chen.

"You have something that doesn't belong to you."

The voice was smooth and calm.

A hunter speaking to prey.

Lu Chen's grip tightened on his dagger, forcing himself to stay composed.

A direct confrontation wasn't an option. His cultivation was still too low.

If he acted recklessly, he would be dead before he could take another breath.

But, if this person was certain he had the technique, they wouldn't have wasted time speaking.

Maybe…

"He's not entirely sure. He's testing me."

Lu Chen determination was renewed, there is a chance

"He probably didn't know exactly what he was looking for in the Forbidden Chamber, so he's not sure if what I took away was what he was looking for, or maybe he's fishing to find out if I've already passed the technique on to someone else. In any case, that also means he hasn't been watching me." Lu Chen's thoughts were racing

"Senior must be mistaken," he said, his voice steady despite the tension. "I don't know what you're talking about."

The masked figure laughed softly. "Wrong answer."

Before Lu Chen could react… The air twisted.

A terrifying wave of Qi surged toward him, like an unseen force crushing down on his entire body.

Lu Chen felt his bones creak.

The masked man wasn't attacking, this was a show of power. A much stronger one than last time

He forced himself to stand his ground.

Every fiber of his being screamed in resistance, his Qi circulation straining under the pressure, but if he showed weakness now… he was as good as dead.

Slowly, carefully, he lifted his head, meeting the masked man's gaze. "Senior," he said calmly, "I don't know what you're looking for, but I have nothing to give you."

The masked figure nodded their head, as if amused by his defiance.

"You're quite bold for an ant."

Lu Chen's fingers twitched, preparing to activate Shadow Step at any moment.

But the masked figure didn't attack, instead, they took a slow step forward.

"Let's see if you're still bold after this."

And then…

SWOOSH!

A black blur shot toward Lu Chen, impossibly fast.

Lu Chen barely had time to react, his body moved on pure instinct.

His Shadow Step activated, his figure flickering backward just in time to avoid the blow.

But…

BOOM!

The entire shrine shook as the masked figure's palm struck the air where Lu Chen had just been. The stone altar behind him shattered into dust, the force of the attack carving deep cracks into the ground.

Lu Chen's pupils contracted.

"That wasn't even a full-strength attack."

The masked was relaxed

"I wonder how someone from Qi Condensation was able to escape from me at the Chamber. Yes I was incognito and couldn't use my full strength, but it was still shocking."

Lu Chen said nothing.

Every muscle in his body was coiled, ready to move. 

But rushing into a fight was suicide.

If this person truly wanted to kill him immediately, they already would have.

Lu Chen exhaled slowly, forcing his heartbeat to calm down.

"Where is it?"

Lu Chen's mind race. 

Telling the truth meant death, lying outright meant death, then…

Lu Chen was preparing to start a simulation.

"Perhaps… we don't have to be enemies."

Lu Chen was confused.

"?!"

"You intrigue me, Lu Chen," the masked figure continued. "And I'm not one to waste potential."

His voices lowered.

"How about this? You give me what you took from the chamber… And I'll give you power beyond your imagination."

Silence.

The words hung in the air like a blade.

Lu Chen didn't believe him.

Lu Chen has been avoiding using the simulation system as he has noticed that each use puts a lot of strain on his body, mind and soul, but this time there is no choice.

time to simulate.

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