18: The Ruins of Shadow Gorge

Chapter 18: The Ruins of Shadow Gorge

The moon hung high, casting an eerie glow over the ruins.

The air was thick with tension, the silence stretching like a blade ready to strike.

Yue Chan, the Blood Core assassin, stood a few paces away, her crimson eyes glowing faintly beneath the night sky.

She had called me here.

She had warned me of a greater enemy lurking within the Demonic Cult.

And now—she was trying to kill me.

I tightened my grip on my Hidden Blade.

If she wanted a fight, I wasn't going to back down.

🔹 The First Strike

She vanished.

Not with a technique—but with raw speed.

I barely had time to react before her dagger streaked toward my ribs.

Shadow Step!

I flickered backward, just in time to avoid a fatal wound, but a sharp sting burned across my side—her dagger had grazed me.

Before I could fully recover, she was already behind me.

Her dagger sliced down toward my back.

CLANG!

I spun, raising my Hidden Blade to block. Sparks flew as our weapons clashed, but the sheer force of her strike sent me skidding backward.

She was stronger than before.

More controlled. More… dangerous.

"Still alive?" Yue Chan mused, tilting her head. "You're learning."

I exhaled. "I prefer not dying."

She smirked. "Then you should've stayed home."

She vanished again.

🔹 A Duel in the Moonlight

I barely had time to blink before she reappeared on my left—her dagger aiming for my throat.

I dodged, countering with a slash toward her ribs, but she twisted mid-air, avoiding my attack with inhuman agility.

She retaliated with a sharp kick to my chest.

Pain flared as I stumbled backward, barely keeping my footing.

She was too fast.

Faster than even Bai Long.

I needed to slow her down.

I activated Silent Execution, my presence fading into the shadows.

For a moment, she paused, her crimson eyes flickering with something unreadable.

Then she grinned.

"You're finally getting serious," she said.

She closed her eyes—and then, to my shock—she vanished as well.

My heart pounded.

She could track me in stealth?

Then, a whisper of movement—

I barely turned in time to see her blade streaking toward my back.

Damn it.

🔹 A True Monster

I twisted, blocking her strike, but she didn't slow down.

She flowed like water, her dagger moving in a blur.

Slash. Dodge. Parry. Counter.

Each strike pushed me further back, my breathing growing heavier.

She wasn't just fast.

She was unrelenting.

And worse—she was enjoying this.

"You're holding back," she murmured. "I want to see what you're really capable of."

I exhaled. "You asked for it."

🔹 System Activation: Martial Overdrive

Ding!

[Emergency Combat Mode Activated]

Skill: Martial Overdrive unlocked for 30 seconds!

All speed, reflexes, and attack power increased by 50%

I felt my body explode with power as my Qi surged, enhancing my movements.

For the first time, I was keeping up with her speed.

Her **dagger streaked toward my chest—**but this time, I dodged cleanly.

I countered. Fast. Precise. Relentless.

For the first time, she was on the defensive.

Her eyes widened slightly as I twisted mid-strike, my Hidden Blade slashing toward her arm.

She barely avoided it, flipping backward.

Then—she laughed.

"Amazing," she whispered. "You're evolving during the fight."

I exhaled, wiping blood from my lip. "That's how I survive."

Her smile faded slightly.

Then, she whispered, "I was right about you."

I tensed. "What?"

She lowered her blade.

"I didn't come here to kill you, Ye Qing."

I frowned. "You have a strange way of showing it."

She chuckled. "I needed to see your strength for myself."

She took a step forward. "Because soon, you're going to need it."

🔹 The Real Threat

I kept my stance firm. "What are you talking about?"

She exhaled. "The Blood Core Project… it was never about making better warriors."

I narrowed my eyes. "Then what was it for?"

She hesitated. Then, finally, she said, "The Demonic Cult is falling apart."

I felt a cold chill.

She continued. "Wu Jian isn't the real threat. Someone beyond him is making their move."

I clenched my fists. "Who?"

She studied me for a long moment.

Then, softly, she said, "The Hidden Master."

🔹 A Name That Shouldn't Exist

I stiffened.

"The Hidden Master?" I repeated.

Yue Chan nodded. "No one has seen him, but his influence spreads through the highest ranks of the Demonic Cult."

I exhaled sharply. "And he wants me dead?"

She smirked. "He sees you as a wild variable."

I clenched my fists.

I wasn't just fighting Wu Jian anymore.

I wasn't just dealing with assassins and Blood Core experiments.

There was a hidden force pulling the strings.

And now—I was caught in the middle of it.

🔹 Yue Chan's Final Warning

Yue Chan turned away. "You're stronger than I expected. That means you might actually survive what's coming."

I watched her carefully. "And what about you?"

She chuckled softly. "I'll be watching. Maybe next time, we won't be enemies."

Then, just like that, she disappeared into the night.

Leaving me alone.

With nothing but her warning.

🔹 End of Chapter 18

-----------------------------------------------------------

If you guys have any thought on this novel so please let me know and if you feel like the story should need some improvement let me know so I can work on it...