Black Mountain Fiend Star

The chill seemed to seep into the marrow of one's bones like ice needles, spreading from the depths of the Black Mountain Forest. Even the wind that blew into Black Mountain City carried an unshakeable stench of blood.

West of the city, in the chaotic area near the gates, the air was perpetually mixed with the odors of sweat, cheap wine, and livestock dung. Low adobe houses were crammed together, and the crooked alleyways were always muddy. This was a place for laborers, down-on-their-luck martial artists, and those who preferred to stay out of sight.

"Lame Old Six's" wine shop was tucked away at the end of the most inconspicuous alley. The shop wasn't large; the greasy tables and long benches were worn smooth and shiny. The light was dim, with only a lamp the size of a bean illuminating a corner of the counter. Although it was daytime, several people were already seated inside, mostly hunters and adventurers who had just returned from outside the city. They bore wounds, and their eyes still held lingering traces of terror.

A man with fresh claw marks on his face gulped down a mouthful of cheap, potent liquor. The spicy aroma made him wince. He wiped his mouth and lowered his voice to his companion, "…Damn it, it's evil! Truly damn evil! Over at Old Crow Ridge, four of them! Four green-skinned bastards, and they died horribly!"

Beside him, an old hunter missing a front tooth raised his cloudy eyes. "Green-skins? Scum from the Netherworld Cult?"

"Who else could it be!" The man was still shaken, his fingers unconsciously tracing patterns on the tabletop. "One had his neck snapped, another had a huge crater in his chest, and one… hey, his whole body looked like it was crushed by a giant bear, not a single bone intact! All that was left on the ground was a crooked blood rune, creepy just to look at."

"Who did it? A turf war?" someone interjected.

The man shook his head, his eyes holding a mix of awe and fear. "Doesn't seem like it. The scene was clean, nothing left but blood. It was more like… something just ground them to pieces."

Old Six, who had been leaning behind the counter, slowly wiping a wine glass with a dirty cloth, chimed in without looking up, "Not 'something.' A person."

The wine shop instantly fell silent, and several pairs of eyes snapped towards Old Six.

Old Six raised his wrinkled face, a scar running from his brow bone to the corner of his mouth. His cloudy eyes swept over everyone, his voice hoarse like a broken gong. "A few days ago, over at Wild Dog Slope, three more died, also green-skins. Died in a similar way. Someone saw a shadow from a distance, not too tall, covered in blood, moving as fast as a ghost."

"Who was it?" the man with claw marks on his face asked urgently.

Old Six lowered his head, continuing to polish his cup as if he hadn't said anything. Only when everyone grew impatient did he slowly utter a few more words:

"Looked young, dressed raggedly, like… the apprentices at the martial arts schools."

"Martial arts apprentices?" someone exclaimed. "Which martial arts school's apprentice could be this brutal? Killing four Netherworld Cultists in one go?"

Old Six didn't answer. His gaze, however, was full of meaning.

In a corner, a middle-aged man in plain gray attire, who had been silent all along, quietly put down a few copper coins and stood up to leave the wine shop. He walked out of the alley, weaving through several turns, and after confirming he wasn't being followed, quickly slipped into a secluded side entrance of the Li family compound.

The news spread like wings, carried by the cold wind, sweeping through the lower echelons of Black Mountain City.

"Did you hear? There's a ruthless person, targeting the Netherworld Cult!"

"More than just targeting them, he's annihilating them! His methods are crude, just brute force, beating them to death!"

"They say it's someone from a martial arts school?"

"Bullshit martial arts school! I think some kind of fiend star has set its sights on those shadowy figures!"

"Black Mountain Fiend Star… some people are calling him that."

"Black Mountain Fiend Star…"

In the study of the Li family's Third Elder, Li Qian Xiong, the charcoal fire burned brightly, yet it couldn't dispel the pervasive chill. Li Qian Xiong stood with his hands behind his back, gazing out the window at the desolate courtyard. Behind him, the gray-clothed man who had just returned from the wine shop stood with his head bowed.

"Are you sure it's him?" Li Qian Xiong's voice betrayed no emotion.

The gray-clothed man bowed his head lower. "Nine times out of ten. The timing, the location, the man's build and age, they all match. And… according to the collateral family disciples who were lucky enough to escape, after that night at the altar, Li Yuan's vital energy… became extraordinarily vigorous."

Li Qian Xiong remained silent, his fingers unconsciously fiddling with the thin layer of dust accumulated on the window frame. The anomaly at the altar, the disappearance of the Ancestral Spirit, Li Yuan's miraculous survival and surge in power… all of it felt like poisonous thorns piercing his heart. He had originally planned to proceed slowly, to secretly control Li Yuan and uncover the secrets he held.

But now, this brat hadn't hidden away. Instead, he had actively revealed himself and even provoked the Netherworld Cult! His methods were so brutal, and his reputation spread so quickly!

This was beyond his control.

"He's currently at the Blustering Wind Martial Hall. That old scoundrel Shi Lie Feng seems intent on protecting him," the gray-clothed man added in a low voice.

"Shi Lie Feng…" A cold glint flashed in Li Qian Xiong's eyes. "He can protect him for a while, but not forever."

He turned around, his expression unreadable. "What's the Netherworld Cult's reaction?"

"They lost people, they won't let it go. They are secretive and vindictive; they're probably already investigating."

"Investigating?" Li Qian Xiong's lips curved into a cold smile. "Let them investigate. If necessary… we can offer them some convenience."

The gray-clothed man's heart skipped a beat; he understood the Third Elder's intention. This was using a borrowed knife to kill.

"Then… what about us?"

"Keep an eye on him," Li Qian Xiong said, walking to his desk and picking up a wolf-hair brush, twirling it between his fingers. "Let's see how much trouble our 'resurrected' sacrifice can stir up. When his value is exhausted, or… when he burns himself out, it won't be too late to clean up the mess."

The tip of the brush paused. He raised his eyes, his gaze as sharp as a falcon's.

"Remember, I want to see him alive. Dead… I want his corpse brought back to me. The secrets he holds must belong to the Li family!"

"Yes!" The gray-clothed man bowed and accepted the order, then retreated silently.

Only the occasional crackling of the charcoal fire remained in the study.

Li Qian Xiong put down the brush and walked to the charcoal basin, holding his hands out to the warmth. The orange-red firelight flickered on his somber face, casting shifting shadows.

"Black Mountain Fiend Star…" he murmured, repeating the title, his eyes deep.

He wanted to see if this brat who crawled back from the altar had truly become formidable, or… if he was just a shooting star about to burn out.

Outside the window, the sky grew increasingly overcast, as if a heavy snow was brewing.