CHAPTER 12: THE BLOODY JOURNEY

After they finished eating the soup served by rou shui. Bai xieye also asked for some information about what had happened during his year-long unconsciousness.

"Have there been any significant changes in the nearby town, or are there any strange people." Bai xieye exclaimed with a calm expression.

He wanted to find information about what had changed during his unconsciousness. Were the monks from the Buddhist temple and the shen family hunting him down.

Mo yun rubbed his beard for a moment, seemingly thinking before answering Bai xieye's question.

"There are a few things that have changed in the past year," he said in a serious tone. "The most noticeable of which is that from the time I sold herbs to the city I heard of the Buddhist temple. They sent many monks to the various regions."

Bai xieye's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Besides that," Mo Yun continued, "I've seen a lot of wanted posters for a man named Shen Xi, but his face is a little strange. And some families in the past year have tightened their guard, I'm afraid there might be a big war."

"So they are still hunting me..." Bai xieye whispered softly, not too surprised by the news.

Mo yun went on to say. "And that's not all. There are also movements of more active assassin groups in this area. I don't know if they are also looking for something. But it feels like there will be big events that will happen in the future."

Bai xieye digested the information silently. The Buddhist temple, the shen family, and possibly others were all hunting for him.

"Then what about the bandits, who are they?" He asked.

Mo yun sighed. "He is Bai houchan the leader of the night wolf bandit group. And I'm sure they won't stay silent after what just happened."

Bai xieye smiled faintly, a cold smile devoid of emotion.

"In that case, if they come again I'll make sure they die a horrible death."

Rou shui gulped at his words. He was still not used to Bai xieye's way of speaking that was full of certainty in killing people.

Meanwhile, outside the hut, the night breeze blew in bringing cold air. It was piercing. The atmosphere of the forest felt so quiet, but Bai xieye knew that it was only the calm before the big storm.

As the sun slowly began to appear, Bai xieye stood in front of the small hut, ready to leave.

Mo yun looked at him seriously. "You really want to leave?"

Bai xieye did not answer the question and chose to turn around leaving the small hut behind him.

Rou shui looked like he wanted to say something, but hesitated. In the end he just bit his lip.

The journey through the forest went without a hitch at first. It was quiet, with only the sound of leaves rustling and birds chirping.

But after an hour of traveling, Bai xieye suddenly stopped. And thought for a moment. About if he wanted to go to the nearest town to look for resources. There was no way he could enter the town with his current appearance with a widespread wanted poster.

"I should cover my face so as not to attract attention and not cause a meaningless mess." He muttered softly.

He forgot to ask mo yun for a robe to cover his face.

Bai xieye sighed softly. "I guess I'll have to find another way to disguise myself...."

Not long after that he heard the sound of weapons clashing and the sound of shouting in the distance.

His eyes narrowed, his high curiosity made him head towards where the sound was coming from.

Upon arriving at the location, the sight of a fierce battle immediately greeted him, several cultivators were fighting intensely, swords clashing against each other, terrifying techniques, qi exploding in the air.

What he saw were two warring groups, but could not yet determine who they were or what caused this conflict.

Bai xieye did not act. He contributed his presence in the bushes. Observing the battle he saw.

One of the groups consisted of four people, dressed in dark blue robes with cloud emblems, they seemed to be fairly well-trained, with fairly neat and coordinated movements. Their opponents were three people dressed in black with red patterns, fighting brutally and mercilessly.

"Which sect's people are they and... The hitman group?" Bai xieye muttered inwardly.

Two cultivators from the lotus heavenly cloud sect were already lying on the ground, their breath coming in gasps, their bodies riddled with injuries. Meanwhile, the group in black only lost one person.

A man from the immortal heavenly cloud sect, who seemed to be the leader of their group, swung his sword in a swift motion.

"HOLY CLOUD LOTUS!"

His sword emitted a dazzling blue light, splitting the air with a thunderous sound. But his opponent easily dodged it then....

"INVISIBLE GHOST SWORD."

The blue light from the Lotus Heavenly Cloud Sect leader's sword swept out like a tidal wave, shattering the surrounding trees into wood chips. However, the ghostly sword of the man in black disappeared instantly, as if dissolving into the shadows. Suddenly- 

Srrrk!

The shapeless sword tip emerged from the air, piercing just below the Cloud Sect leader's collarbone. Blood gushed profusely, soaking through his now torn blue robes. The man coughed, his face pale, but his eyes were still fiery. "You... Shen family wage slaves!" he growled, his voice hoarse. 

The man in black grinned, revealing teeth blackened by poison. "We are no one's slaves. We're bounty hunters." From under his cloak, he threw three poisonous silver needles at the two surviving Cloud Sect members. 

Pluk! Pluk! Pluk!

The needles stuck into their necks and eyes. The two cultivators screamed, their bodies convulsing before their skin blackened and blistered. Within seconds, they were on the ground, mouths gaping with blood foam pooling at the corners. 

Bai Xieye watched from behind a bush, his breathing almost inaudible. His sharp eyes caught vicious details: a woman from the Cloud Sect had her leg cut off by her opponent's serrated sword, trying to crawl away before her head was stomped to shreds by the iron boot of the man in black. Brains and blood sprayed onto the ground, staining the dry leaves. 

"You... monsters!" shouted the dying Cloud Sect leader, gathering his remaining qi. His hands trembled as he brought his palms together, emitting a pale blue aura. "Lotus Risen from the Grave-!"

But before his technique was perfect, the black-clothed man's ghost sword was already spinning like a tornado of flesh. Swisssk! The Cloud Sect leader's head was severed, flying into the air before falling into the mud with a plop sound. His body still stood upright for a moment, like a transfixed statue, before finally collapsing. 

Blood seeped into the ground, forming a puddle among the tree roots. Bai Xieye smelled a nose-piercing iron odor. 

"Do the cleanup," the man in black ordered his men. Two men immediately rifled through the body bags, grabbing spirit coins, weapons, and even prying open the eyes of the corpses to search for hidden qi crystals. One of them pulled out the victim's tongue with pliers, cutting it off to make a trophy. 

Suddenly, the man in black stopped his steps. His cat-like yellow eyes swept toward the bush where Bai Xieye was hiding. "There's a peeping rat..." 

Bai Xieye didn't move. Even his heartbeat slowed down, blending with the rhythm of the night breeze. The man sniffed around, then gave a short laugh. "Ah, probably a coyote that smells blood." 

After making sure there was nothing left, the group of hitmen left, leaving behind the shapeless corpses. Bai Xieye only left after an hour, when the moon began to hang high. 

He stepped closer to the massacre site, observing the wounds on each corpse. Deadly sword techniques... But nothing compared to the movements of the Buddhist Temple, he thought coldly. A piece of blue cloth from the Cloud Sect's robe was caught on a branch. Bai Xieye picked it up, then tore it into a face-covering sash. 

"May you not die in vain," he whispered, looking up at the sky that was beginning to fill with dark clouds. The blue cloth covered half of his face, leaving sharp eyes that flashed like open swords. 

From afar, the howls of night wolves echoed. Bai Xieye smiled faintly. Night Wolf Bandits... or more dangerous hunters?

He continued on his way, leaving behind the field of death that was now swarming with black flies. Beneath the cloth covering his face, his smile grew colder. 

The storm was really coming.