THE HUNTER OF DARKNESS

Hou Jun's Fear

"I know about that, Uncle. But the Sky Sword always causes destruction every time I use it," replied Fang An.

"Every sacred weapon has its own uniqueness, Fang An. You can't force the Sky Sword to have the same traits as the Demon Jade Sword. Even if it could, your opponent’s body wouldn’t be sliced in two—it would be completely obliterated. I once witnessed the Sky Sword’s power firsthand when your mother used it," Zhao Wen responded wisely. With age and the burden of leadership as the head of the Temple of Eternity, his way of thinking had naturally matured.

"Is that so?" Fang An nodded slowly. "Then what should we do now, Uncle?"

Zhao Wen stared deep into the dark forest before answering, "I'm sure the army of the Ying Dynasty is hiding inside that forest. For now, let's return to the tent. If they don't attack by tomorrow, then the day after, we’ll be the ones to strike first."

"Our army will attack them?" Fang An asked in surprise, as Zhao Wen’s suggestion strayed from the original plan.

"Not the army of the Shang Dynasty—just the two of us."

"What?" Fang An was stunned. To him, the plan of his father’s old friend sounded like a suicide mission.

"Hahaha... You have no idea how crazy your father was back then, Fang An. I once fought alongside your parents to storm the enemy’s fortress—just the three of us. And not just one fortress, but three, each filled with elite warriors far more skilled than ours. If your father had that kind of courage, why shouldn’t his son?"

Fang An scratched his head lightly.

He imagined fighting that many enemy soldiers with only Zhao Wen beside him.

"Was my father really that brave, Uncle?"

"Out of all the people I’ve ever known, your father had the most courage and the boldest spirit. But that wasn't his only asset—he also had sharp judgment and excellent skills," Zhao Wen said, still keeping his eyes on the forest.

"I must be like my father, Uncle!" Fang An declared, unwilling to be labeled a coward, especially knowing he carried the blood of a legendary warrior.

Zhao Wen shook his head. "You must become yourself, Fang An. Find your own potential. Don’t try to imitate your father. He was like a perfect dish—complete in every way. There may never be another like him."

Zhao Wen smiled to himself. If Fang Yun had been there, he would surely have chimed in with a joke to lighten the mood.

"I don’t understand what you mean, Uncle," Fang An replied quietly.

"You'll find out what your true potential is in time. For now, let’s return to the tent," Zhao Wen said, inviting him back.

---

Some time ago, during the earlier battle, a powerful explosion had echoed through the forest—caused by the clash of two opposing energies.

Emperor Zhu Feng, who had been discussing matters with his court officials, was startled and immediately halted the conversation.

"Where did that explosion come from, Hou Jun? Order the soldiers to investigate the source!" he commanded.

"At once, Your Majesty," Hou Jun replied with a bow before exiting the tent.

Leading a hundred soldiers, Hou Jun personally searched for the origin of the explosion. Judging by the direction of the sound, he headed toward a barren hill.

Hours later, Hou Jun and his men arrived at the edge of the forest. Suddenly, one of the soldiers shouted loudly, drawing everyone's attention.

Hou Jun hurried toward the soldier who had just shouted. "What is it?"

"There, sir." The soldier pointed toward Joyorono’s corpse, now lying cold and stiff on the ground.

Hou Jun stared in disbelief. As he was still recovering from the shock, another soldier screamed and pointed at the severed corpse of Zeng Kun. His body was split in two, his entrails spilled out, emitting a nauseating stench.

Two soldiers vomited on the spot, unable to stomach the grotesque sight.

Hou Jun took a few steps forward. His face contorted with disbelief. The lines on his forehead deepened, reflecting his growing horror.

It was unthinkable—two of the most trusted warriors of Emperor Zhu Feng, who were expected to turn the tide in their war against the Shang Dynasty, were now dead. And not just dead, but slaughtered in a gruesome and mysterious manner. If such powerful warriors could die like that, what hope was there for him and the other soldiers?

Hou Jun’s confidence began to crumble. Something inside him urged him to flee the scene. Appointed as Commander in place of Cai Rui, he was now haunted by the fear of death in the upcoming war.

"Report this immediately to His Majesty! I’ll stay here and keep watch," Hou Jun instructed two of his men.

"Yes, sir."

Hou Jun slowly walked around, observing the surroundings. The farther he walked, the more distance he put between himself and the soldiers.

Once he was completely out of sight, Hou Jun broke into a full sprint, not once looking back.

"I still want to live," he repeated silently in his mind as he ran. He didn’t care if people called him a coward for fleeing the battlefield.