Chapter 20: First strike

Jin Ye sat cross-legged in the dim light of his courtyard, his breath steady, his thoughts sharp. The presence that had lingered outside his walls since the night before was still there, hidden in the darkness beyond the narrow alleys of the Outer Market. It was subtle, careful, the work of someone trained.

They thought they were unnoticed.

Jin Ye allowed the illusion to persist. There was no need to act immediately. Wang Yiran wouldn't dare show his face after the humiliation at the Iron Lantern Inn, but a man like that wouldn't remain silent either. Revenge festered in the hearts of the weak, and Jin Ye had wounded him in ways that would never heal.

The young master wouldn't attack outright. That would be too direct, too dangerous. Instead, he would send others to test the waters, to see if Jin Ye was truly as strong as the rumors claimed.

Let him try.

Jin Ye focused on his breathing, guiding his Qi through his meridians. The energy within him was dense, pressing against the threshold of the 6th stage of Qi Refinement. The stolen fates he had absorbed had quickened his growth, yet there was still more to refine. He needed a proper fight, one that would push his limits just enough to shatter the barrier.

If Wang Yiran wished to hand him that opportunity, Jin Ye would gladly take it.

Days passed without movement, but Jin Ye was patient. He spent his time honing his control over Shadow Step, refining the technique until it became something beyond its original form. He blended it with Moonlit Phantom Steps, making his movements unpredictable, shifting between presence and absence like a mirage in battle. He sparred against the air, adjusting his strikes, finding new ways to use the techniques he had stolen.

When the fourth night came, the presence outside his courtyard finally moved.

Jin Ye, seated in meditation, did not react as the gate creaked open.

The six assassins moved with practiced precision, their steps silent as they entered the courtyard. They carried no fear, only purpose. These were not common street thugs each of them had been chosen for this job, their skills honed through years of bloodshed.

At the front stood their leader, a man with a steady, unshakable aura. His Qi burned with a dense pressure, far more refined than the others. Qi Refinement, 7th stage. The way he stood, perfectly balanced, his hand hovering over the hilt of his saber, told Jin Ye all he needed to know. This was a killer who had faced death countless times and survived.

To either side of him were his two strongest subordinates, both at the 6th stage of Qi Refinement. Their stances were sharp, aggressive, honed through endless battle. One wielded a pair of curved daggers, the edges lined with a faint, poisonous sheen, while the other held a spirit-engraved short spear, its inscriptions glowing faintly under the moonlight.

The remaining three assassins were slightly weaker, at the 5th stage of Qi Refinement, but they moved with discipline, their weapons drawn and ready. Two carried standard longswords, while the last one, standing slightly behind the rest, wielded a chain whip, the links coiling around his forearm like a venomous snake, ready to strike.

Six men, just the right amount.

Jin Ye studied them, his expression unreadable.

They thought they were the predators.

They had no idea they were but sacrificial lambs to test him.

Jin Ye rose and studied them, his fingers tightening around the hilt of his sword. The five underlings weren't a threat. The leader, though—he could be a challenge.

The first strike came without warning.

The two assassins at the front lunged in unison, their blades flashing toward him from opposite sides. Jin Ye's Shadow Step activated, his body flickering backward as their weapons sliced through empty air. Before they could recover, he countered.

His sword sang through the night, a silver arc severing one man's arm at the elbow. The assassin barely had time to scream before Jin Ye's other hand shot forward, fingers pressing against his chest. Scorching Fang Palm. A pulse of fire-infused Qi exploded from his palm, sending the man crashing into the stone wall, his ribs shattering on impact.

The second assassin reacted faster, twisting his body mid-air to avoid Jin Ye's blade. He landed low, his poisoned daggers flashing toward Jin Ye's side. Moonlit Phantom Steps carried Jin Ye away, but before he could strike, a sudden burst of killing intent crashed into him.

The leader moved.

A single crescent slash of his saber split the air, faster than the others' attacks combined. Jin Ye twisted, barely managing to parry in time, but the force behind the blow sent a sharp tremor up his arm. He slid backward, his feet digging into the stone as he steadied himself.

The leader's expression didn't change.

"You're good," the man said, rolling his wrist as he adjusted his grip.

Jin Ye exhaled slowly, flexing his fingers to shake off the sting. The weight behind that strike had been significant—a level of skill and power that came from years of mastery.

The leader vanished, his movement so fast that even Jin Ye's sharp senses barely caught it. The next attack came from the left, a saber strike aimed at his ribs. Jin Ye blocked, twisting his body to lessen the impact, but before he could counter, the assassin had already repositioned. A second strike came from the opposite angle, then a third—a relentless assault that forced Jin Ye on the defensive.

The others closed in.

Jin Ye activated Shadow Step, flickering away just as a spear thrust tore through the space where he had stood. He reappeared behind the spearman, his sword cutting a clean line across the man's spine. Another down.

The leader's Qi surged, his blade flashing toward Jin Ye again. This time, Jin Ye met him head-on.

Steel clashed, sparks flying between them as their swords collided. The force of the exchange cracked the stone beneath their feet. The leader's strikes were precise, efficient, each one meant to kill. Jin Ye's movements were fluid, looking for an opening.

A sudden feint.

The leader's blade disappeared for a fraction of a second, his stance shifting—a deception meant to draw Jin Ye in.

Jin Ye saw it too late.

The saber cut through his side, shallow but deep enough to draw blood. A sharp sting spread through his ribs. The leader didn't hesitate, pressing forward with a follow-up strike.

Jin Ye gritted his teeth, twisting his body at the last moment. The blade barely grazed past his throat as he retaliated, Scorching Fang Palm igniting in his free hand.

The flame-infused Qi struck the leader square in the chest, sending him skidding backward. He landed on one knee, smoke rising from his robes.

Jin Ye wiped the blood from his side, rolling his shoulders. The pain was manageable, but it was a reminder. He got careless.

The leader stood again, his lips curling into something like respect. "Not bad."

Jin Ye returned the look, his blade still steady. "You should have brought more men."

The leader laughed, low and quiet. "You might be right."

Then, he moved faster than before.

Jin Ye met him in the middle of the courtyard, their swords crashing together once more. This time, he wasn't on the defensive.

This time, he was the attacker.

The clash of steel echoed through the courtyard as Jin Ye met the assassin's renewed assault head-on. This time, he did not simply defend. The leader's strikes were precise, powerful, but predictable. He fought like a man who had spent decades refining his technique, relying on flawless execution over creativity.

Jin Ye had no such restrictions.

The assassin's saber sliced forward, its edge whistling through the air. Jin Ye stepped into the attack instead of away, tilting his blade at an angle that forced their weapons to lock. The leader's eyes narrowed as he realized his mistake—Jin Ye had disrupted his flow.

A knee shot forward, slamming into the leader's ribs with brutal force. The momentary lapse was all he needed.

Jin Ye's free hand ignited with Qi. Scorching Fang Palm.

The blast of heat exploded against the assassin's chest, sending him stumbling backward. His boots scraped against the stone, barely regaining balance before Jin Ye was already upon him.

The leader twisted at the last moment, barely managing to deflect Jin Ye's sword with a desperate parry. Sparks flew between them as they exchanged a flurry of rapid blows—strike, parry, counter, step back, reposition.

But Jin Ye was no longer testing him.

He was going for the kill.

He shifted his movement mid-strike, integrating Moonlit Phantom Steps with Shadow Step, making his presence flicker unpredictably between attacks. The leader hesitated, his timing thrown off, and Jin Ye punished him for it immediately.

His sword cut deep, carving a diagonal slash across the assassin's torso. The leader staggered, coughing blood, his grip on his saber faltering. His Qi wavered—his foundation cracked.

Jin Ye spun his blade once and drove it straight through the man's heart.

The assassin let out a sharp breath, eyes wide with disbelief, before collapsing. The saber slipped from his fingers, clattering uselessly onto the blood-soaked ground.

Jin Ye exhaled, the rush of battle settling as his Qi steadied. His side still burned from where the leader had landed a hit, but the pain was distant, insignificant. He had won.

Only one assassin remained.

The last man—the weakest of the six, the one who had hesitated the most—stared at Jin Ye, his sword trembling in his grip. He looked down at the bodies of his fallen comrades, at the blood pooling beneath his leader, and then he dropped his weapon.

"I—I can give you information," he gasped, stepping back with his hands raised. "Spare me, and I'll tell you everything."

Jin Ye remained silent, watching him with unreadable silver eyes.

The assassin swallowed hard and continued. "It wasn't just Wang Yiran. He put the bounty on you, but another party took interest once the offer was made. Someone inside the sect." His voice lowered as if speaking the name would summon death itself. "An elder of the Azure Sky Sect."

Jin Ye's grip on his sword didn't tighten, nor did his expression change, but his mind sharpened. Someone within the sect already knew about him? That was interesting.

He stepped closer, tilting his head slightly. "Which elder?"

The assassin hesitated. "I—I don't know exactly. The one who accepted the contract isn't from Dawnroot City, but the information came through one of the sect's outer informants. That's all I know, I swear."

Jin Ye stared at him for a long moment. Then, he nodded.

"Good."

Relief flickered across the assassin's face. "So you'll let me—"

Jin Ye moved.

His blade cut cleanly through the man's throat before he could finish his sentence.

The assassin's eyes widened in shock, his hands grasping at his neck as blood poured between his fingers. He collapsed onto his knees, gurgling, before finally falling forward, lifeless.

Jin Ye wiped his blade clean against the assassin's robes and straightened, exhaling slowly.

"Fool."

The golden-red threads of fate still flickered above the corpses, dancing like embers in the night. He reached out, grasping them without hesitation. A surge of Qi flooded his body, refining his meridians, further solidifying his cultivation.

The courtyard smelled of blood and iron, the scent heavy in the crisp night air. Jin Ye exhaled slowly, letting the power settle within him. He had expected the Wang Clan to send men after him, but an Azure Sky Sect elder taking interest was a different matter entirely.

He rolled his shoulders, testing his body. The fight had pushed him, but not enough to be a real challenge. If anything, it had only reaffirmed what he already knew—he needed stronger prey.

Jin Ye turned his gaze to the bodies sprawled across the courtyard, their lifeless forms scattered across the bloodstained stone. This was his residence now. Leaving corpses lying around would only invite unnecessary trouble.

With measured steps, he moved between the bodies, stripping them of valuables—gold, weapons, and whatever else they carried of worth. The leader's saber was well-crafted, but still not enough to interest him. He set it aside, along with the rest of the loot.

One by one, he dragged the bodies to a corner of the courtyard, stacking them neatly. He retrieved a small pouch from within his robes—a firestarter powder mixed with alchemical accelerants. A single spark would reduce the bodies to ashes within moments, leaving no evidence behind.

Tossing the powder over the corpses, he crouched down, striking a flint against the edge of his blade. A single ember fell onto the pile.

Flames erupted, burning hot and fast, consuming the bodies within seconds. The heat washed over the courtyard, the firelight flickering against Jin Ye's cold silver eyes. He stood there, watching as the corpses were reduced to nothing but charred remnants.

By the time the flames died down, all that remained was a pile of blackened ash, easily swept away by the night wind.

Jin Ye turned, stepping back toward his residence. He had much to do. His sword had yet to be forged. His alchemy training had yet to begin.

But the first stone had been set in place.

Wang Yiran had tried to have him killed. Instead, he had given Jin Ye another stepping stone.

Jin Ye smirked to himself as he shut the courtyard gate behind him.

Let them send more.