"It's him, the Xiao Clan trash, Xiao Wei."one of the boys said, his voice filled with disdain.
Another boy stepped forward, narrowing his eyes as he glanced at the scene.
"Wait… look over there, that's a Tier 1 Level 9 Fire Bear… and it looks freshly killed."he said, pointing toward the large corpse lying a few meters away.
The third boy, the Martial Master Cultivator and the one who had previously been beaten by Mo Nan, stared hard at the dead beast. His brows furrowed.
"He's… recovering his Spiritual Power. Did he really kill that thing by himself?"
"There are claw marks on its body… I don't think he is the one who killed it"another boy said.
"Doesn't matter, even if that trash killed it himself, we didn't come here to judge his skills. We're here to capture him—those are our orders from Second Young Master."the Martial Master among them snapped, his eyes cold and focused as he took a step forward
The other two boys nodded without hesitation.
The air grew tense as they prepared to act.
Xiao Wei, who had been calmly recovering his Spiritual Energy, suddenly sensed movement nearby him. His eyes snapped open, sharp and alert. His gaze fell on three figures standing just a few meters ahead. From the aura they have in there body, Xiao Wei could immediately tell—each of them was stronger than him.
The one in the lead, the boy with the cultivation of a First Layer of Martial Master, took a step forward and sneered.
"Trash, come with us. Our Young Master wants to have a word with you."
Xiao Wei didn't answer right away. He calmly stood up, brushing the dust from his robes, and looked at them without expression.
"But before that, hand over your Storage Ring."the Martial Master said.
Xiao Wei's face darkened slightly, but he remained composed.
"Who are you, and what exactly do you want from me?"Xiao Wei asked.
There was no fear in his voice—only cold caution. He didn't want to provoke unnecessary conflict, but he wouldn't back down without reason either.
The boy on the left stepped forward arrogantly.
"We're from the Mo Clan, trash. And we think you stole our Monster Cores. So quit pretending and come quietly with us to meet with our Young Master Mo Nan"he said.
Xiao Wei's eyes narrowed slightly at that. How did they find out? He had been careful, cleaned up the scene, and left no trace. But somehow, suspicion still fell on him.
A moment of silence passed before he spoke again, voice low and steady.
"I'm not going anywhere with you. If Mo Nan wants to talk, tell him to come find me himself."Xiao Wei said.
"You damn—"one of the boys stepped forward in anger, but the Martial Master raised his hand and stopped him.
"Enough talking. We're not here to negotiate. Capture him. If he resists, break his legs."the Martial Master said coldly.
As soon as the words, left the Mo Clan boy's mouth, Xiao Wei's figure blurred.
In the blink of an eye, he vanished from his spot—his body seemingly merging with the wind as he activated his Water Flow Steps, the Xiao Clan's High Tier Human Grade Movement Technique.
"After him!"the Martial Master boy barked, his expression turning dark.
The three Mo Clan members immediately launched into pursuit, their bodies flashing forward as they used the Mo Clan's Movement Technique, but even with their higher cultivation, Xiao Wei kept slipping out of reach.
They chased him through winding trails, dense underbrush, and rocky terrain for several minutes, but the gap between them refused to close.
"Why the hell can't we catch this guy?!"one of the Martial Apprentice boys growled in frustration.
"I think… I think he's using the High Tier Human Grade Water Flow Steps technique. It's one of the Xiao Clan's best techniques for speed and evasion"another boy answered, gritting his teeth.
"Don't worry, he's just a Martial Apprentice. He won't be able to use Water Flow Steps for long, he will exhaust his Spiritual Energy soom. Let him run. Once he's drained, he's ours."the Martial Master said with a sneer.
But what they didn't know was that Xiao Wei wasn't simply fleeing. As he darted through the forest with practiced movements, his mind was racing. He wasn't just trying to survive—he was looking for the perfect place to turn the tables.
"I need somewhere secluded… somewhere deep enough that no one will notice the fight, so that even if I kill them no one will found out"Xiao Wei muttered to himself, his eyes sharp and calculating.
He didn't dare face the three head-on in open ground. That Martial Master Realm boy was a serious threat, and one mistake could cost him everything.
Soon, the landscape began to change—the trees grew larger and denser, the air grew heavier, and the sounds of low growls and distant roars echoed faintly through the mountains.
Xiao Wei had arrived at the border of the inner and outer areas of Tiger Mountain.
The expressions of the Mo Clan members changed immediately.
"Damn it! Stop him! If he goes into the inner area, we might lose him—or worse!"the Martial Master shouted, panic rising in his voice.
All three pushed their movement techniques to the limit, their speed doubling as they charged after Xiao Wei. But it was too late.
With a final burst of speed, Xiao Wei crossed the border into the inner region, disappearing into the thick mist and ancient trees.
"Shit! He actually went in there!"a boy cursed, his fist clenching.
Behind him, the others slowed, unease written across their faces.
"What now?"one asked hesitantly.
The Martial Master didn't answer right away. He stared into the misty depths of the inner area, eyes burning with anger and frustration.
"Continue following him, we must capture him no matter what."the Martial Master growled.
In the depths of the inner region of Tiger Mountain, the air was thick with Spiritual Energy and the distant cries of fierce beasts echoed through the dense jungle.
Xiao Wei, sprinting through the foliage, suddenly came to a halt. Just ahead, curled beneath the shadow of a towering rock, a Tier 2 Level 5 Monster lay sleeping. Its massive body rose and fell with each breath, its hide glimmering faintly beneath the dappled sunlight.
Without hesitation, Xiao Wei changed course and charged directly toward the slumbering monster.
"Stop!"the Martial Master realm boy shouted from behind, eyes widening in disbelief.
Xiao Wei came to a stop just a few meters from the monster, a mischievous grin forming on his face as he turned to face his pursuers. The three Mo Clan members had halted several paces back, visibly reluctant to step any closer.
"What's the matter? Don't tell me you're scared now"Xiao Wei mocked, voice calm and laced with sarcasm.
"You arrogant trash, you think hiding near a Tier 2 monster will save you? If this weren't a competition, you'd already be dead! Don't worry—I'll make sure you beg for death before I'm done."the Martial Master snapped, clenching his fists as he turned to the other two.
"You two, grab him. I'll distract the beast."he ordered.
With that, he dashed toward the slumbering creature. Pouring his Spiritual Energy into his strike, he slammed his strongest Martial Technique down onto the monster's hide.
The beast stirred, then roared in fury, the ground shaking beneath its massive body. The Martial Master boy darted away, shouting and drawing its attention as it lumbered after him, eyes blazing with rage.
Meanwhile, the two Mo Clan disciples closed in on Xiao Wei, their expressions filled with disdain and bloodlust.
"End of the road, trash. Let's see you talk big now"one of them sneered, cracking his knuckles as he approached.
But Xiao Wei didn't flinch.
"It's not me who should be running... it's you."Xiao Wei said with a smirk as he raised his hand.
"Arise."
From his shadow, dark mists unfurled like ink in water, and one by one, ten massive shadowy Fire Bears emerged. Their black eyes locked onto the Mo Clan members, their growls low and menacing.
"Kill him"Xiao Wei commanded as he pointed his finger towards the guy who was in the front.
With a roar, the Shadow Bears charged forward. The Mo Clan boy who was in front barely had time to react before he was overwhelmed by the Shadow Bears. Claws and fangs tore through him with savage force, his screams echoing through the forest.
The second boy, stunned by the sudden assault, turned too late. Xiao Wei was already upon him. He thrust forward, his hands wrapped in surging Spiritual Energy as he activated his Tiger Claw technique. His strike landed squarely in the boy's chest, hurling him backward into a tree with a sickening thud.
The boy coughed blood, but with a snarl of defiance, he forced himself to stand. He charged at Xiao Wei, but the battle was already lost.