Chapter 13: The Shadows That LurkThe Misty Cloud Forest was eerily silent.

    The only remnants of the battle were scorched earth, severed limbs, and bloodstained trees.

    Xiao Li stood in the center of the destruction, his golden aura slowly fading.

    The bodies of the Black Fang Bandits lay scattered around him, their lifeless faces frozen in terror.

    "Too weak."

    He sighed, shaking his head.

    "I thought they might at least give me a decent warm-up."

    He turned to leave—

    But then.

    A faint killing intent swept over him.

    "Oh?"

    His lips curled into a smirk.

    He wasn’t alone.

    High above, nestled in the dense tree branches, a figure in black robes watched Xiao Li carefully.

    He had been sent to observe—but after what he had just witnessed, he knew.

    "This is no ordinary genius."

    He had watched Xiao Li wipe out an entire bandit camp in mere seconds.

    His speed, strength, and Qi control were beyond anything expected of a mere new disciple.

    "This… is a monster in the making."

    The assassin clenched his fists.

    He had been ordered to eliminate Xiao Li.

    But now—

    "Retreat. Do not engage." S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    He activated his concealment technique, blending into the shadows.

    But—

    "Going somewhere?"

    A calm voice whispered right behind him.

    The assassin’s blood ran cold.

    "Impossible!"

    He turned—

    And Xiao Li was standing right behind him.

    "W-Wha—?!"

    "You should’ve left faster."

    Xiao Li’s hand shot out, gripping the assassin’s throat.

    CRACK!

    The assassin choked, his vision blurring.

    He hadn’t even sensed Xiao Li move.

    "Who sent you?" Xiao Li asked, his voice calm, yet commanding.

    The assassin gritted his teeth.

    "I… will… never…"

    Xiao Li smirked.

    "Wrong answer."

    His grip tightened.

    The assassin’s face turned purple, and veins bulged as he struggled for air.

    But suddenly—

    "Enough."

    A piercing voice echoed through the forest.

    A second black-robed figure appeared out of thin air, their aura vastly stronger than the first assassin’s.

    "Release him, Xiao Li."

    Xiao Li’s eyes narrowed.

    This new enemy… was different.

    Powerful.

    "And if I don’t?"

    The new assassin smiled.

    "Then you’ll be forced to face something you’re not ready for."

    Xiao Li grinned.

    "Is that so?"

    His grip tightened further, and with a sharp twist—

    CRACK!

    The first assassin’s neck snapped.

    His lifeless body dropped to the ground.

    The second assassin’s smile faded.

    "Hmph. You just made things worse for yourself."

    Xiao Li shrugged.

    "I like challenges."

    The black-robed figure vanished in an instant, disappearing into the forest.

    Xiao Li watched him leave, his expression unreadable.

    "A bigger game is being played here."

    He turned away, stepping over the corpses.

    "Fine."

    "Let’s play."

    By the time Xiao Li returned to the Azure Kingdom Royal Academy, the news had already spread.

    "Did you hear? The Black Fang Bandits were completely wiped out!"

    "They say Xiao Li finished the mission alone!"

    "Alone?! That’s insane!"

    The rumors spread like wildfire.

    But while some were in awe, others were terrified.

    And one person, in particular, was furious.

    Inside a lavish training hall, Zhao Wu’s face twisted in anger.

    "That bastard survived?!"

    His hand slammed onto the table, cracking the wood.

    Across from him, the silver-eyed youth from the hidden faction sighed.

    "Not only did he survive," he said, "he killed everyone we sent after him."

    Zhao Wu’s eyes burned with hatred.

    "Damn it! We need to get rid of him before he grows any stronger!"

    The silver-eyed youth smirked.

    "Relax. We have other ways to deal with him."

    He leaned forward, his eyes gleaming with a dark light.

    "The Academy Tournament is coming soon."

    "And when it does…"

    "Xiao Li won’t leave the stage alive."