"Boss, I think that little brat is somewhere nearby!"
Another surviving bandit gritted his teeth as he spoke.
Jiang Yi forced down his rage and scanned the shadowy woods around them. His earlier contempt had vanished without a trace, replaced by the terror and malice of someone who felt a poisonous snake's eyes on him.
"He couldn't have gone far!"
Jiang Yi's voice squeezed through clenched teeth:
"We'll wait right here and catch him when he shows himself! Don't you bastards dare split up!"
The three immediately stood back to back in a circle, warily watching for the slightest movement around them.
Ye Feng had already returned to the hollow in the tree, coldly watching the three frightened birds below.
With the three of them together, there really was no opportunity to strike for now.
Especially with their leader, Jiang Yi. His Soul Power was clearly far stronger than the others'. Taking on any one of them alone would be like delivering himself on a platter—certain death.
Then... he would just have to wait them out.
Once again, time was on his side.
As the night deepened, the chill in the forest grew heavier.
The three men waiting to catch him grew increasingly restless, their initial fury slowly turning to unease.
Cold and hungry, their nerves wound tight, every passing second was agony.
At last, one of them couldn't take it anymore.
"Boss, we can't keep waiting like this. We didn't bring food or water."
Jiang Yi knew that well enough. After pondering for a moment, he made a decision he would regret for the rest of his life.
"Fourth, stay here and keep watch."
He pointed at another man:
"Second, come with me to look for some food and water nearby. We'll be back in a flash!"
"Got it!"
From inside the hollow, Ye Feng had seen everything.
His chance had come!
Once Jiang Yi and the Second had gone far enough that they couldn't hear anything here, Ye Feng drew his bowstring once more.
This time, his target was the bandit left behind alone, the one codenamed Fourth.
"Whoosh!"
The arrow tore through the air!
Perhaps because he was on guard, Fourth instinctively shifted to the side the instant the arrow was loosed.
"Thwack!"
The arrow missed a vital spot and sank deep into his left shoulder!
"Urgh!"
Fourth let out a muffled groan of pain, baring his teeth.
Clutching his shoulder, his eyes bloodshot, he roared into the surrounding darkness:
"You little brat! If you've got the guts, come out here!"
Ye Feng didn't fire a second arrow.
His ambush had failed. There was no point in staying hidden now.
He took a deep breath and climbed out of the hollow.
"Hmph! So what if you managed to ambush me?"
When Fourth saw Ye Feng, he first froze in surprise. Then a ferocious grin spread across his face.
"I'm a level twenty-nine Soul Grandmaster! I'm nothing like those useless Third and Fifth!"
Ignoring the agony in his shoulder, he let his Soul Power surge. The phantom of a savage Lone Wolf appeared behind him.
One white and one yellow Soul Ring rose from beneath his feet!
"Then let's see!"
Ye Feng didn't flinch. At a thought, the light of his First Soul Ring suddenly blazed.
"First Soul Skill, Radiant Body!"
A brilliant golden radiance instantly enveloped him, and a surge of strength filled his every limb.
"Die!"
Fourth roared. His right hand transformed into a sharp wolf claw, which ripped through the air as it swiped viciously toward Ye Feng's face!
Ye Feng neither dodged nor retreated. He threw a punch of his own!
Fist met claw!
"Bang!"
A tremendous force slammed into him. Overwhelmed by his opponent's vastly superior Soul Power, Ye Feng slid backward more than half a meter, completely unable to stop himself!
What incredible strength!
Ye Feng's heart tightened. This man was badly wounded, yet his strength was still terrifying!
He absolutely couldn't go toe to toe with him!
At once, Ye Feng gave up on fighting. Soul Power gathered around both his hands, forming two golden Light Blades, each half a foot long.
"Light-Gathering Blade!"
He hurled both blades viciously at the man's face, then turned and bolted, moving as fast as he could!
If he didn't leave now, he'd never get away!
The man was forced back a step by the Light Blades. He slashed them to pieces with two clanging strikes of his wolf claws. By the time he looked up, Ye Feng had already darted more than ten meters away.
"Little brat, where do you think you're going?"
He let out a furious roar, his face twisted with rage, and shouted at the top of his lungs:
"Boss! Get over here! The little brat showed himself!"
Ye Feng had no time to worry about anything else. He plunged into the deeper, darker outskirts of the forest.
Before long, Jiang Yi and the Second rushed over at the sound of Fourth's shout. Seeing him clutching his shoulder, blood streaming down, their fury reached its boiling point.
"After him! If I don't grind him to dust today, I, Jiang Yi, will no longer call myself a man!"
The three stared into the darkness where Ye Feng had vanished, hesitating for a moment.
Even the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest were full of danger at night!
"Boss, what are you afraid of?"
The Second shouted, his eyes bloodshot:
"That little brat dared to go in. Why shouldn't we?"
"Fine! After him!"
Jiang Yi gritted his teeth and led the other two into the boundless darkness.
Ye Feng had plunged less than twenty meters into the forest before he quickly picked out an unusually thick old tree. In a few quick movements, he scrambled up it hand over hand.
The ground was the most dangerous place at night.
He didn't dare spend another second down there.
Once he'd reached a sturdy branch, he immediately took out some insect-and-snake-repelling powder and carefully rubbed it all over himself. Then he suppressed every trace of his presence, lay flat on the branch, and watched the ground below.
Soon, three sets of hurried footsteps drew closer.
Jiang Yi and the other two reached the tree.
"Damn it, we lost him again!"
The Second cursed, panting.
Jiang Yi's face was so dark it seemed water might drip from it. He glanced at Fourth, who was drenched in cold sweat from the pain, then said gravely:
"Fourth, stay here and rest. Your injuries are too serious. The Second and I will search separately!"
"Fine..."
Fourth clenched his teeth and dropped onto the ground beneath the tree.
In the darkness above, Ye Feng smiled without a sound.
With Heaven's road open, you refuse to take it; with no door to Hell, you barge right in.
He waited silently until Jiang Yi and the Second disappeared into the woods in opposite directions.
Then he raised his bow again.
"Whoosh!"
Another arrow!
This time, Fourth was caught completely off guard and couldn't dodge.
The arrow slammed into his chest!
"Urgh!"
He let out a frightened, furious scream, unable to tell where the arrow had come from as he looked around in terror.
The instant he glanced away, Ye Feng fired a second arrow!
"Thwack!"
This one struck him squarely in the right leg!
"Ahhh—!"
A piercing scream rang through the silent woods.
Ye Feng's heart tightened. Something felt wrong.
That scream, along with the strong stench of blood, would soon draw real trouble!
He didn't linger. Without making a sound, he leapt from this tree to another. After a few bounds, he was ready to leave this dangerous place.
Sure enough, less than half a minute after he left, Jiang Yi and the Second could be heard shouting frantically in the distance.
Before you continue