They Went Ahead to Wait for You Down Below!

Besides, even if he knew Wang Kui had picked up his pork, would he have the guts or ability to chase him all the way here?

He bent down and picked up the last small piece of pig liver from the ground.

Then he lifted the leather sack containing the tenderloin and leaf fat he had deliberately set aside for himself.

After checking his bearings, he headed toward the abandoned shelter he remembered against the mountainside.

The shelter was well hidden beneath an overhanging rock.

Built from branches and thatch, its exterior was covered in vines. Anyone unfamiliar with the place might fail to spot it even standing right beside it.

Watching Wang Kui leave the campfire and head in another direction, Li Xuan's eyes flashed coldly.

Here was his chance!

Like a wolf on the hunt, he silently slipped after the two hunters carrying the meat down the mountain.

Both were heavily burdened, and the muddy mountain path kept their pace slow.

They were still muttering complaints about the heavy rain and slippery trail, imagining how they would enjoy this unexpected windfall once they returned, utterly unaware that death was closing in.

Li Xuan did not strike immediately. He followed them until they were far enough from the campfire to ensure Wang Kui would not easily notice any commotion.

He chose a narrow bend in the Beast Trail, with steep slopes on either side.

The terrain forced the two men to pass through in single file.

He raised his bow again. This time, he did not even need a rapid volley, only the steadiest, deadliest shot.

His first arrow targeted the back of the short, stocky hunter bringing up the rear, whose breathing was heavier.

The man's injured arm seemed to affect his balance, making him walk a little slower.

The bowstring trembled lightly, and an iron arrow silently tore through the curtain of rain.

Thud!

The stocky hunter shuddered and pitched forward without even a grunt, the heavy bundle of meat crushing down on him.

Monkey, who was walking ahead, heard the dull thump of something heavy falling behind him and instinctively turned:

"Erdun? What's wrong? Did you sli-"

His voice cut off abruptly. An icy arrowhead had driven viciously into the side of his neck as he turned!

At some point, Li Xuan had slid down the slope beside them like a ghost and fired his second arrow at point-blank range!

That shot stripped his target of any chance to cry out or fight back.

Monkey clutched his neck as blood gushed between his fingers, his eyes bulging almost out of their sockets.

He stared fixedly at Li Xuan's indistinct silhouette in the darkness, filled with boundless terror and disbelief, then crumpled to the ground.

Dispatching the two accomplices had been clean and swift, taking only a few breaths.

Li Xuan walked over and quickly checked them, confirming that both were dead.

Trait drops:

[Keen Sense of Smell (white)]

Trait effect: slightly improves the ability to detect prey by scent in complex mountain forest terrain.

[Take the Hit (white)]

Trait effect: slightly reduces pain and actual damage.

Two white traits, of rather limited use.

Li Xuan gave them a cursory glance, then put them away.

He pulled out his arrows, wiped the blood off on the corpses, and returned them to his quiver.

His gaze did not waver as he looked at the wild boar meat scattered across the ground.

Now was not the time to gather it up.

His most important target was Wang Kui.

He checked his bearings and silently crept toward the mountainside where Wang Kui had gone.

Rain and darkness concealed his tracks, while his Proficient Level archery and greatly enhanced dexterity.

Allowed him to move through the tangled, slippery mountain forest with extraordinary lightness and speed.

Before long, he found the hidden shelter.

Just as Wang Kui had said, it stood beneath an overhanging rock. Sheltered by the stone, branches and thatch formed a triangular space barely large enough to hold a person, with withered vines hanging across the entrance.

A faint glow of fire seeped out from within, along with the sound of Wang Kui humming a tune and apparently roasting something. The charred fragrance of roasted pig liver drifted out, mingling with the earthy smell of rain.

Wang Kui was indeed here, and he seemed quite relaxed.

Li Xuan did not rashly approach the entrance.

He carefully surveyed the surrounding terrain.

The shelter backed against the mountainside, with relatively open slopes to its left, right, and front. Low shrubs and weeds grew there, offering little cover for an approach.

Above the shelter, however, lay the overhanging rock and the steep mountainside beyond it.

A plan formed in his mind.

Nimble as an ape, he used cracks in the rock and a few small trees stubbornly rooted in the crevices to climb silently above the shelter.

Rain made the rocks slick, but his enhanced physique and dexterity kept his body firmly under control.

Soon, he reached the rocky ledge directly above the shelter and crouched low.

Looking down from here, he could make out the scene inside through gaps in the loosely thatched roof.

Wang Kui sat beside a small fire, roasting the piece of pig liver on a branch.

His woodcutter's blade and leather sack of meat lay beside him. He hummed a bawdy little song out of tune, clearly in excellent spirits.

Li Xuan unslung his hunting bow.

From this downward angle, the shelter's roof offered perfect cover-and lay squarely in Wang Kui's blind spot.

He slowly drew out an iron arrow. This time, he nocked two.

The shelter was cramped. Wang Kui had almost nowhere to dodge.

He wanted a one-shot kill, or at least an instantly crippling injury. He would give this martial-trained fellow no opportunity to close in and counterattack.

He steadied his breathing and drew the bow into a full moon.

Through the gaps in the thatch, the two iron arrowheads lined up with the crown of Wang Kui's head and a vital point on his back.

Rainwater ran down his taut arms and dripped soundlessly onto the rock.

Inside the shelter, Wang Kui seemed to have finished roasting the liver. He was holding it near his mouth and blowing on it, ready to enjoy his meal.

He also held a battered, yellowing book, reading with relish, his eyes gleaming.

Seeing that Wang Kui's attention was completely divided.

Li Xuan's eyes flashed fiercely!

Twang!

The bowstring cracked explosively!

Like venomous dragons breaking free of their shackles, the two iron arrows blasted through the thin thatched roof.

Trailing shattered bits of straw and death's piercing whistle, they hurtled toward the unsuspecting Wang Kui below with the crushing force of thunder!

"What?!"

Wang Kui had trained in martial arts, after all, and reacted far faster than an ordinary man. The instant the bowstring cracked, his scalp prickled, and a sense of mortal danger seized his heart!

He had no time at all to see where the attack came from.

Relying entirely on the instincts honed through years in the mountain forests and martial training halls, he hurled himself sideways into a roll!

Thud!

Thud!

One iron arrow skimmed his scalp and buried itself deep in the dirt behind where he had been sitting, its fletching trembling violently!

He failed to evade the other completely. It plunged deep into the outer side of his right upper arm as he hastily raised it to block, piercing muscle. Blood instantly sprayed out!

"Aaargh!"

Wang Kui let out a howl of pain, but with savage courage, he seized the woodcutter's blade beside him.

Ignoring his injured arm, he smashed through the shelter's flimsy side wall and rolled into the open outside.

With his back against a rock and his blade held across his body, he glared up above the shelter in shock and fury, roaring:

"Who's there?! Get the hell out here!"

The instant his arrows left the string, Li Xuan had leaped down from the ledge and landed lightly, positioning himself squarely between Wang Kui and the path down the mountain.

He had already put away his hunting bow. In its place, he held his rain-drenched woodcutter's blade.

"Wang Kui," Li Xuan's voice was terrifyingly calm in the rainy night, "does my meat smell good roasting?"

At the sight of Li Xuan's face, Wang Kui's pupils contracted sharply. For the first time, incredulous horror appeared on his face:

"It... it's you?! Li Xuan?! How is that possible?! Monkey and the others..."

He abruptly realized that Monkey and his companion had probably met a grim fate!

As terror threatened to split his liver and gall, Li Xuan's equipped [Killing Intent] trait actually took effect!

Wang Kui's attributes plummeted from [Physique: 1.8, Dexterity: 1.6] to [Physique: 1.6, Dexterity: 1.4]!

Li Xuan immediately realized this was the best moment to eliminate Wang Kui!

"They went ahead. They're waiting for you down below."

Li Xuan slowly raised his woodcutter's blade, pointing its tip at Wang Kui,

"Didn't you say newcomers like us have no roots here and are easy to bully? Today, I'll show you what it means to be someone you shouldn't cross."

Wang Kui was shocked and furious, but even stronger were the humiliation and rage of being driven into such a corner by a youngster he utterly despised!