Fleeting Light Shadow

Su Yu fought down the nausea roiling in his stomach and hurried over to the mangled remains.

Black Fiend's corpse was unrecognizable. His black iron mask had shattered into several pieces, scattered across the ground among the dark-red flesh.

Forcing himself to stay calm, Su Yu quickly searched through the severed limbs and found the Storage Bag embroidered with a subtle pattern.

He had to leave at once...

Suppressing the urge to retch, Su Yu unfolded the map and scanned it quickly.

When he spotted the red boundary marking the Level 3 Demonic Beast activity zone, Su Yu's pupils contracted sharply.

In his desperate flight, he had blundered into the dangerous depths of the Monster Forest!

Without hesitation, Su Yu circulated all the spiritual energy in his body and shot toward Crescent Valley like an arrow loosed from a bowstring.

Along the way, he deliberately avoided the animal trails and stuck to secluded paths choked with thorny brush.

An hour later, just as the setting sun dyed the horizon blood-red, Su Yu finally found a hidden cave. Thick vines concealed its entrance, and the interior was dry and well ventilated.

Su Yu cautiously inspected the cave once more before slumping down at its deepest point.

Slumped in the depths of the cave, Su Yu felt the faint pulse of the Ancient Sword deep within his soul, his thoughts churning.

What was this sword's true origin?

Su Yu murmured under his breath.

Even Level 3 Demonic Beasts feared it. If word got out, countless powerful cultivators would covet it.

He had to keep it secret!

Su Yu silently made up his mind, then turned his attention to Black Fiend's Storage Bag.

A faint restriction covered the bag's surface. Anyone whose divine sense hadn't reached the Spirit Condensation Realm couldn't break through it.

Su Yu furrowed his brow, pondering how to undo it.

Suddenly, the Ancient Sword deep within his soul trembled slightly. A wisp of invisible sword intent shot out, striking the restriction on the Storage Bag with pinpoint accuracy.

Crack—

The restriction shattered, and the Storage Bag's seal quietly loosened.

Su Yu froze for a moment, then broke into a delighted smile. "Brother Sword, thanks!"

He solemnly cupped his hands toward the Ancient Sword, his tone sincere.

"Let's call it even for the five years you spent draining my spiritual energy. From now on, whenever I get a Beast Core, I'll offer it to you first."

The Ancient Sword quivered lightly, as if responding, then fell silent once more.

Su Yu infused the bag with a wisp of spiritual energy, and its contents appeared clearly in his divine sense.

Several hundred Spirit Stones, gleaming with a faint blue light, were neatly stacked inside. Judging by their purity, they were probably Low-grade Spirit Stones.

A stack of gold notes worth, by his rough estimate, over a hundred thousand taels of gold.

There was also a black-covered manual and a crimson Jade Slip that exuded a bloody aura.

Su Yu turned the crystalline Spirit Stone over in his hand, feeling the pure spiritual energy flowing within it. A sudden idea struck him. "I wonder if Brother Sword can absorb the spiritual energy in these Spirit Stones?"

He held out the Spirit Stone and asked softly, "Brother Sword, do you need this?"

But the Ancient Sword remained as silent as before, without the slightest stir.

Strange... Su Yu knitted his brows, then thoughtfully put the Spirit Stone away.

Could it be that Brother Sword was only interested in Beast Cores?

Setting the question aside for the time being, Su Yu picked up the blood-red Jade Slip, which radiated a chilling aura.

As soon as his divine sense touched the Jade Slip's surface, three scarlet characters abruptly appeared: Blood Burning Technique!

The Blood Burning Technique! Su Yu's pupils contracted, and his fingers clenched around the Jade Slip before he realized it.

Wasn't this the Lin Family's secret forbidden art? So Black Fiend really was an assassin sent by the Lin Family!

A cold anger rose from the depths of his heart. Su Yu gripped the Jade Slip tightly.

Lin Family! Once I'm strong enough, I'll make sure there's no place for you in Skywind City!

Suppressing his fury, Su Yu carefully studied the contents of the Jade Slip.

The Blood Burning Technique actually burned one's own blood essence to raise one's cultivation for a short time.

Though its power was astonishing, every use would drain some of the user's vitality.

A technique like this was no better than drinking poison to quench one's thirst...

Su Yu gave a cold laugh and tucked the Jade Slip deep inside the Storage Bag.

He would keep it for now and decide what to do after finding spirit medicines that could replenish his vitality. Practicing it now would be no different from destroying his own foundation.

Finally, Su Yu's gaze fell upon the manual with the black cover.

Four sweeping, gilded characters—Fleeting Light Shadow—flickered in the dim light.

He opened to the first page. A line of small print caught his eye: A Human-grade High-tier movement technique. Once mastered, its user moves like fleeting light and vanishes without a trace.

A movement technique! Su Yu's eyes lit up.

After his life-and-death struggle earlier, Su Yu had come to understand just how important an exquisite movement technique was in battle.

This precious Human-grade High-tier technique was like snow in the middle of winter—just what he needed!

Su Yu eagerly began studying its principles. The manual read: "Fleeting light seems real, yet is illusory; a shadow darts faster than a startled swan..."

As he read on, Su Yu gradually sank into the technique's profound mysteries, completely unaware of the passage of time.

The sun sank in the west. The crimson rays of the setting sun bathed Swift Wind Valley in a sea of red.

A tall figure darted through the wolf pack, his sleeves fluttering as his form flickered like an illusion.

More than a dozen Swift Wind Wolves bared their fangs and tore through the air with their claws, yet they couldn't even graze the hem of his clothes.

The youth's steps were light, like fleeting light and darting shadow. Every twist and turn came at just the right moment, as if he had already predicted each pounce of the pack.

Roar—

A Swift Wind Wolf lunged with a furious howl, its claws reaching for his throat, but caught only a fading afterimage.

The youth's figure blurred, and he appeared on the other side of the pack. The corner of his mouth lifted, confidence flashing in his eyes.

"About time." He murmured, his gaze suddenly turning sharp.

Clang—

A clear sword ring echoed through the valley. The youth's aura erupted, and his razor-sharp sword intent swept out like a Sudden Storm.

In an instant, cold light flashed and Sword Shadows streaked like lightning. Before more than a dozen Swift Wind Wolves could even howl, they collapsed, each with a hair-thin line of blood across its throat.

Still not quite there... Su Yu lowered his sword, his brow furrowing.

For the past half month, he had trained day and night in the Fleeting Light Shadow technique. He could now toy with the Swift Wind Wolf Pack with ease, but he was still just a hair's breadth from reaching Lesser Accomplishment.

As expected of a Human-grade High-tier movement technique. It was several times harder than the Flowing Cloud Sword Style. Su Yu sighed inwardly.

When he had practiced the Human-grade Mid-tier Flowing Cloud Sword Style, he had achieved Initial Accomplishment in just one day. But Fleeting Light Shadow had taken him three whole days merely to get a shaky grasp of the basic footwork.

To hone his movement technique, he had deliberately come to Swift Wind Valley to face the Swift Wind Wolves.

The wolves usually traveled in packs of three to five, though sometimes groups of more than a dozen appeared.

But with Su Yu's current strength, even a Level 1 High Rank Swift Wind Wolf couldn't withstand a single strike from him.

Roar—

A deafening wolf howl sounded in the distance, filled with fury and unwillingness.

Back again? Su Yu's lips curled. He wasn't worried in the slightest.

Over the past half month, he had long since figured out the Silverback Wolf King's habits.

Whenever the pack suffered heavy losses, the Level 2 Initial Rank king would angrily pursue him.

But Su Yu's soul perception far surpassed that of ordinary people. He could sense its presence from five li away.

And with the terrifying speed of Fleeting Light Shadow, even when the Silverback Wolf King was furious, it could only watch him leave in its dust.

One hundred and three... Su Yu counted his spoils, a smile appearing on his face.

Over the past few days, he had killed more than a hundred Swift Wind Wolves and collected over eighty Beast Cores.

He had fed ten of them to the Ancient Sword, and the remaining energy had pushed his cultivation further. He had now reached the Peak of Qi Refining Realm Eighth Layer!

At this rate, breaking through to the Qi Refining Realm Ninth Layer was just around the corner!

Su Yu clenched his fist, his eyes burning with fighting spirit.

He looked toward the depths of the valley, where the Silverback Wolf King's roar still echoed.

Next time, maybe I can try... A sharp glint flashed in Su Yu's eyes.

Meet the Wolf King head-on!