Shadow Ambush

A group of over ten people, bolstered by the addition of Zhao Si and two strangers, appeared quite formidable as they advanced towards the Sunset Mountains on the outskirts of the city.

Upon first entering the mountain forest, they were still in the outer reaches. Beneath their feet was a winding path trodden by hunters and herb gatherers. Lush green trees lined both sides, and sunlight dappled through the dense canopy, forming shifting columns of light. The air was fresh and moist, carrying the fragrance of grass and earth. Occasionally, small animals, startled by their footsteps, would dart out from the undergrowth – squirrels, rabbits, and the like – making rustling sounds before quickly vanishing into the depths of the forest, eliciting low gasps and soft laughter from the younger constables in the group, slightly easing the tense atmosphere.

However, as they continued deeper along the path, the surrounding environment began to change subtly. The trees grew taller and thicker, their crowns obscuring the sky, and the light suddenly dimmed, as if transitioning from day to dusk. The path beneath their feet became increasingly indistinct, choked by rampant vines and ferns that threatened to engulf it. The fresh scent of grass and wood in the air gradually mingled with the slightly sour smell of decaying leaves and branches, and a faint, almost imperceptible scent of wild beasts, hinting at their territory.

"Wuuu--Ao!"

"Rooar--!"

From afar, low, wild roars and screeches began to echo, piercing the dense forest with a primal pressure. These were no longer the harmless sounds of small animals from the outer areas, but the declarations of large predators. Moreover, the sounds seemed to be drawing nearer, growing clearer, as if the beasts issuing the roars were lurking not far ahead, on the mountain ridges or within the thickets.

The atmosphere within the group tightened once more. The young constables, who had initially approached the situation with a sense of outing, lost their smiles, replaced by solemnity and vigilance. They instinctively tightened their grips on their saber hilts, their knuckles turning slightly white from the strain. Their eyes nervously scanned every swaying shadow of a tree, every suspicious patch of grass. The three individuals carrying bows and arrows quietly removed their bows from their shoulders, holding them in their hands with one hand resting on their quivers.

Ye Yun, positioned towards the rear of the group, was highly focused, his senses extending outwards like invisible tendrils. He noticed that while Yan Xiao Liu also maintained his alertness, his steps remained steady, his gaze sharp as he surveyed their surroundings. The confidence of a Ninth Rank martial artist made him appear much more composed than the others. The newly joined Li San and Wang Wu, however, acted with unusual casualness. Wang Wu walked in the middle of the group, his gaze fixed forward, as if the perilous environment around him was of no concern. He occasionally moved his neck, emitting faint sounds of joint friction. Li San, on the other hand, seemed more like an observer. His gaze rarely lingered on the path ahead; instead, he seemed to casually sweep over everyone in the group, his attention lingering slightly longer on Ye Yun and Yan Xiao Liu, a hint of assessment and subtle inquiry in the depths of his eyes. Ye Yun keenly felt that gaze, a probing look, falling upon him several times, like the lick of a cold snake's tongue.

The group continued forward in oppressive silence, broken only by the heavy sound of footsteps, ragged breaths, and the occasional crisp snap of a dry twig underfoot. The air seemed to have solidified, and every rustle of leaves made the taut nerves of everyone present jump.

"Rustle... rustle..." A dense patch of waist-high ferns to their front left suddenly stirred, though there was no wind.

"Careful!" a slightly older constable hissed.

Before the words had even fallen!

A black lightning bolt shot out from the fern patch without warning! Fast! So fast it exceeded the reaction limit of most people! Its target was not Yan Xiao Liu at the front or Wang Wu, who possessed the strongest aura, but a young constable named Zhang Ping in the middle of the group.

Zhang Ping felt a gust of foul-smelling wind hit him, saw a black shadow flash before his eyes, and instinctively cried out. He drew his saber and raised it to block! His action was swift, but—

"Riiip—!"

A grating sound of tearing fabric echoed!

The black shadow's speed was incredible, and its angle was extremely cunning. Zhang Ping's saber edge barely grazed the edge of the shadow, failing to form an effective block. The shadow's sharp claws, like curved hooks forged from steel, easily tore through his tough Leather Armor and the clothing beneath, leaving three claw marks nearly a foot long! Blood began to seep out faintly!

The sudden attack caught Zhang Ping completely off guard, and the immense impact sent him stumbling backward.

"Something's there!"

"Protect him!"

"Surround them!"

The group erupted instantly! Gasps, the drawing of sabers, the creak of taut bowstrings mingled together. Still shaken, they quickly tightened their formation, shielding the injured Zhang Ping in the center, their blades pointed outwards, nervously searching for any sign of the attacker.

The attacker had not fled.

About thirty feet ahead of them, under the shadow of a gnarled ancient tree, two points of eerie green light flickered to life, like will-o'-the-wisps burning in the darkness. Then, an elegant yet lethally menacing figure slowly emerged, revealing itself to their horrified gazes.

It was lithe and muscular, a good size larger than an ordinary leopard. Its body was covered in sleek, glossy black fur that seemed to absorb light, without a single blemish. Fluid muscle lines rippled beneath its fur, exuding explosive power. It crouched slightly, its long tail swaying gently behind it like a steel whip, kicking up fine dust with every sweep across the ground. Most chilling were its eyes, the eerie green glow cold, cruel, and devoid of emotion. They locked onto the group, particularly the spot it had just attacked, with a hint of cruel amusement and a predator's greed.

It was the Shadowless Leopard, a master of speed and stealth in the mountains – an adult Shadowless Leopard! Its probing, lightning-fast strike had just shown these uninvited guests who had trespassed into its territory its sharp fangs!

The Shadowless Leopard, now standing proudly at the edge of the shadows, its ghostly green eyes sweeping coldly over the humans who had contracted into a defensive hedgehog formation out of fear. Its sleek, light-absorbing black fur rippled over powerful muscles, its posture so relaxed it was almost contemptuous, as if assessing the quality of its potential meal. It did not immediately launch a second attack, only a low, suppressed rumble vibrated deep in its throat, like distant thunder.

In the midst of this suffocating silence—

"Rustle... rustle, rustle..."

A faint yet unnervingly dense rustling sound, like a venomous snake slithering through dry leaves, began to emanate from the thick bushes surrounding the group, from the depths of the towering ferns, and even from under the shadows of the low-hanging branches. This sound was not from the wind, but from living creatures stealthily moving!

Then, reflected in the pupils of the group, constricted by extreme tension, more despair-inducing emerald lights appeared!

One, two, three... a total of five equally black, equally agile figures, radiating the same cold aura of death, emerged silently from their hiding places like fragments peeled from the thickest shadows of hell's abyss! They stepped out from their concealment, their movements as light as if they had no weight, landing without a sound.

The five newly appeared Shadowless Leopards, like their leader, were covered in night-black fur without a single blemish. Their fluid muscles surged beneath their skin, brimming with primal, explosive power. As soon as they appeared, they spread out like well-trained assassins, some crouching low behind the waist-high grass, others silently leaping onto thick branches to gain a vantage point, or simply blocking the path they had come from, completely sealing off any possibility of retreat.

Six pairs of emerald eyes, like cold jade embedded in darkness, locked onto every person within the defensive circle. There was no curiosity, no hesitation in their gaze, only the purest, most primal ferocity and cruelty of apex predators! Their slightly opened mouths revealed sharp fangs glinting stark white in the dim light. Threatening growls rumbled deep in their throats, low and hoarse, converging into a suppressed, soul-chilling symphony of death that echoed through the silent forest, pounding relentlessly on everyone's hearts.

The growls intensified, like the prelude to a storm pushed to its absolute limit, becoming denser and more aggressive. The leopard pack slightly arched their powerful backs, their taut muscles like a drawn bowstring, accumulating terrifying power capable of tearing through steel. Their emerald eyes fixed on their respective prey, their deadly claws unconsciously digging into the humus beneath them, leaving deep gouges. Their poised stance was like a bowstring stretched to its breaking point, requiring only the slightest trigger to unleash an earth-shattering force!

Just as the group's spirits were pushed to the brink of collapse by this silent terror, and a flicker of hesitation appeared in their defensive formation due to fear—

"Awoooar—!!!"

The Head Leopard, which had stood like a statue, suddenly raised its head and let out a sky-shattering roar filled with savage, absolute command! This roar was like a spark igniting a powder keg, or a hammer striking a death knell!

Before the roar even faded!

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

Six ink-black figures, faster than lightning, shot out from their respective lurking shadows simultaneously! They tore through the stagnant air, producing sharp, piercing whistles, transforming into six black thunderbolts carrying a potent scent of blood and death. With an overwhelming, no-holds-barred fury, they charged ferociously towards Ye Yun and his companions, who were trapped at the core, like fish in a barrel!