Reborn in Blood (Part 1)

Zhu Xiyan stared at the bisected corpse before her and the enraged bald leader; beneath her mask, her expression had lost its former morbid elegance and turned grim.

Thoughts raced through her mind as she desperately sought a way out of this certain-death situation. Beads of sweat gradually appeared on her forehead. In a flash of insight, she began to understand.

Her teacher couldn't have been unaware that the stronghold held prey far beyond her ability to handle. The teacher's order was to eliminate the bandits in the stronghold, so her primary goal was to avoid the bald leader's attacks and kill as many of the remaining bandits as possible.

With this realization, Zhu Xiyan's expression relaxed slightly, her features softening. Though she was merely a sixteen-year-old girl, she somehow appeared alluring.

Zhu Xiyan raised a hand to lightly cover her mouth, looking at the bald man with mockery, then blew him a kiss before drifting backward, light as a feather, vanishing into the darkness.

"Angry? Then come kill me. Death is just a game. I hope... you can satisfy me..."

"Game?" The bald man's face darkened. He had already lifted a giant axe to his waist, his eyes fierce and cold as he scanned his surroundings, searching for Zhu Xiyan's trail.

There!

The bald man's gaze sharpened, but his expression grew even uglier. No other reason—that damned little pest had snuck up behind one of his men like a filthy rat.

That subordinate's face was panicked, still shaken, not yet recovered from the earlier assault.

"Er Mazi!" The bald man bellowed, but didn't dare throw his axe.

"Ah—"

Er Mazi snapped awake, staring blankly toward his boss's direction, completely unaware that danger had already arrived.

"What's up, bo—"

His words cut off abruptly. Er Mazi only felt a pain at his neck, and then the world before his eyes began to spin. In an instant, his perspective seemed to drop to the ground.

Er Mazi saw a headless body, a half-meter-high column of blood spraying from its neck. A moment later, the torso pitched forward and slammed heavily onto the ground. A slender, lithe figure in black appeared in his vision.

"I'm... dead?"

"Damn it." The bald man spat viciously, his emotions unexpectedly calming down.

After killing one man, Zhu Xiyan's figure vanished again into the darkness. At this moment, the bald man bitterly regretted not having a perception-type soul skill; otherwise, how could he let a mere Soul Venerable toy with him like this?

"All of you, get together and stand in that corner! I don't believe it—if you bunch up, she'd still dare to come?" With a fierce glare, the bald man cursed while searching for Zhu Xiyan's trace.

Hearing their leader's words, the bandits, who had been scattered like loose sand, quickly gathered together. Their previously lax and chaotic morale became more cohesive. It had to be admitted that the bald man had some skill to organize such a large stronghold.

Hidden in the shadows, Zhu Xiyan's expression turned sour. She hadn't expected the enemy to pull such a move—a fatal blow for an assassin like her.

She didn't reveal herself again. Carefully, she sought a chance for a one-hit kill, but unfortunately, the gathered enemies displayed extreme vigilance and unity, all watching their surroundings warily.

And so, the two sides remained deadlocked...

Gradually, Zhu Xiyan's face grew grim. Watching the bald man's expression slowly relax, she knew her weakness had been exposed.

She knew her own situation well. Earlier, it had seemed she was toying with the enemy's Soul Emperor, but that was only thanks to her martial soul's advantage and the enemy's lack of perception-type skills. However, a Soul Emperor's soul power far surpassed that of a mere Soul Venerable like her. If she kept maintaining her stealth state without attacking, her soul power would soon run out. When that happened, she would be helplessly waiting for the blade.

Zhu Xiyan's emotions grew increasingly agitated. In a moment of carelessness, her stealth revealed a flaw.

The bald man instantly turned his head toward where Zhu Xiyan was hiding, a vicious grin spreading across his face. "Found you, you little brat."

The soul rings behind him suddenly flashed. A furious roar burst from his throat.

"War!!!"

A blood-red ring-shaped shockwave shot straight toward Zhu Xiyan. At the same time, a layer of blood light covered the bald man's giant axe, and a nauseating stench of blood gradually spread.

Realizing she had been discovered, Zhu Xiyan tried to retreat, but the incoming sound wave struck her, causing her blood and qi to churn violently. She forced down the blood rising to her throat but couldn't move a muscle.

The bald man's face showed smug satisfaction. He bent his knees slightly, then leaped high into the air with such force that the bluestone floor beneath him cracked like a spider web. His blood-red axe was raised high above his head, its landing point aimed squarely at Zhu Xiyan's position.

"Die for me!"

Can't dodge!!

Zhu Xiyan watched the axe descending with its bloody wind, then slowly closed her eyes.

The bald man grinned smugly. The fifth soul ring behind him flashed, and many reverse-edged spikes appeared on the axe's blade. If this strike landed, it wouldn't let Zhu Xiyan die easily—instead, she would suffer immense pain.

Close. The bald man saw that the bloody wind from his axe had already billowed Zhu Xiyan's hood. Delight spread across his face. Good. Every bastard who dared offend him would die!!

"Clang—"

Instead of the expected scream or the sound of the axe biting into flesh, a crisp metallic ring echoed.

"Boom—"

The bald man, midair with no leverage, his face filled with terror, was sent flying backward violently.

"Crash—clatter—boom—"

A cacophony of shattering sounds followed. The flying bald man smashed through countless things.

Looking over, the bald man lay pale-faced in a pile of rubble, disheveled and covered in food scraps.

Trembling, he looked toward his axe, which had fallen to the side. A clear notch marred its blade. His martial soul damaged, the bald man coughed up a mouthful of blood.

The gathered bandits felt a chill run down their spines. They realized with horror that a thin black mist had spread around them without their notice.

Bracing himself through his injuries, the bald man shakily reached out to support himself against a wall and stood up. He didn't pick up his axe. Instead, he looked in terror at the black-robed man who had appeared before Zhu Xiyan.

The black-robed man held a black-green hook in his left hand, and a lantern that flickered with green light hung from his right waist. It was Hals, who had been absent for so long.

Zhu Xiyan looked at the tall figure before her, feeling an overwhelming sense of safety.

"Teacher..."

The Black-Robed Man turned his head, utterly disregarding both Bald and the bandits.

He lowered his head slightly, a flash of green light emerging from beneath his hood. The flames of the Soul Flame flickered dimly, and Hals' characteristic hoarse voice rang out, carrying a hint of displeasure: "It seems you still need training."

"Teacher," Zhu Xiyan said, her face full of shame, tears glimmering faintly in her eyes. "I'm sorry."

Seeing Zhu Xiyan's reaction, Hals' tone softened slightly, though it remained somewhat cold: "No need to apologize. Remember, everything you do is for yourself, for your revenge—not for me."

"Yes, Teacher." Zhu Xiyan lowered her head, her voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz, completely devoid of the seductive charm she had shown during the earlier fight.

"Now," Hals turned his head, fixing his gaze on Bald, who had somehow retrieved his axe and was staring back at him with a fierce, wary expression.

Noticing Hals' attention, Bald stepped back a few paces, then raised his hands in a fist-and-palm salute, unable to hide the weakness in his voice: "Sir, I... I didn't know she was your disciple. I've offended you. Could you give me a chance to atone?"

Ignoring Bald, Hals spoke in a detached tone: "Xiyan, let me teach you another lesson..."

Zhu Xiyan looked up at Hals.

A vast, chilling aura erupted from Hals, soaring into the sky. The horrifying eight Soul Rings—Yellow-Purple-Purple-Black-Black-Black-Black-Red—appeared behind him, exuding a decaying, icy presence.

The eighth Soul Ring, an ominous blood-red, flickered. A black mist, different from the one before, emerged, flowing like water through the hall, bringing with it a suffocating aura of death.

Hals' voice rang out, barely suppressing a hint of excitement:

"This... is slaughter!"