THE HUNTER OF DARKNESS

The First Kill

The four men growled in anger. They clicked their tongues in frustration after none of their attacks landed a hit. What baffled them even more was that the twig in the young man's hand remained unscathed, despite clashing repeatedly with their weapons.

Unbeknownst to them, Fang An had channeled his inner energy into the twig, making it as hard as metal.

"Kill him now!" shouted the man with a green headband, the leader of the group.

Fang An had no desire to drag this fight out. He steadied his stance and launched forward, increasing his speed to swiftly eliminate all four of them.

Truthfully, it wasn’t difficult for the red-haired youth to defeat them. He had already gauged their abilities and was merely testing the durability of the twig he had infused with energy.

This was the first time Fang An had taken a life since he began learning martial arts. The four men were unable to withstand his fierce assault. Their skulls shattered, one after another, as the twig struck with lethal precision.

"Huuuuh..." Fang An exhaled deeply. He had never imagined he would one day become a killer. Yet a voice in his head whispered, If you don’t kill them, they will kill you.

Fang An walked over to the beautiful girl who was still unconscious. He removed his own shirt and used it to cover her chest.

With a gentle touch, aided by a small pulse of inner energy, the girl slowly regained consciousness.

Seeing Fang An without a shirt, she panicked and assumed the worst. Screaming in fear, she covered her chest with his dirty clothes.

"Get away from me... Go away!"

Fang An scratched his head, confused by her reaction. But as he realized he was shirtless, a sheepish smile spread across his face.

"Relax... I didn’t mean any harm. I just saved you," he said, pointing at the bodies of the four men he had slain.

The girl looked where he pointed. Relief washed over her face. "Thank you... for saving me."

Fang An smiled warmly and replied, "What were you doing out here?"

"I was hunting with two of my guards. But those four men had ill intentions. They killed my guards. If you’re willing, could you escort me back to my father's tent? He must be worried sick."

"Alright, I’ll take you there. But I can’t stay long—I still have firewood to gather."

After some time walking, they finally arrived near a cluster of tents set up within the forest. Fang An didn’t linger. He left the girl and quickly went on his way.

---

The next day, the White Eagle Sect was thrown into an uproar by the unexpected arrival of a delegation from the Shang Dynasty.

Yun Xia was visibly shaken upon hearing the news from one of his students. The elderly man rushed to meet Emperor Li Wei and his entourage.

Sweat poured from the wrinkled face of Yun Xia. His mind raced with confusion and dread. He feared the Emperor’s visit might be related to his recent absence from the royal court after having failed to honor a summons.

Meanwhile, Fang An was seen emerging from the forest, a bundle of firewood slung over his right shoulder. Like his father, who was never good at whistling, Fang An’s attempt sounded forced and awkward, just something to keep himself company in solitude.

Not far from the White Eagle Sect’s gates, Fang An came to a halt. He stared toward the busy entrance, a deep frown forming on his brow as questions filled his mind. What’s going on at the sect?

Shrugging off his curiosity, he resumed walking toward the entrance.

Without stopping or asking anyone, he walked straight through the gates. His vision, partially blocked by the large bundle of firewood, prevented him from noticing Yun Xia standing nearby, welcoming Emperor Li Wei and his daughter.

Seeing Fang An pass by without showing any courtesy, Zhang Wuji quickly rushed forward and delivered a hard kick to Fang An’s back. The young man stumbled forward and fell, firewood scattering everywhere.

"Where are your manners, you weakling?!" Zhang Wuji shouted harshly, standing with hands on his hips, eyes glaring down at Fang An still sprawled on the ground.

Both Emperor Li Wei and his daughter turned their gaze toward the commotion. They saw a red-haired youth lying on the ground.

Yun Xia couldn’t hide his shock. A sudden wave of fear surged within him—not because the emperor had witnessed it, but because he feared Fang An might retaliate. And if Fang An’s parents found out, the entire sect could be reduced to ashes in the blink of an eye.

The princess of the Shang Dynasty stared intensely at the red-haired youth she knew all too well. What confused her was why he didn’t fight back, or show the same skill he had used when he saved her just yesterday.

"Who are those two? What’s going on?" asked Emperor Li Wei.

"I... I’m not sure, Your Majesty. The one standing is my son, and the other is a student of this sect," Yun Xia replied nervously.

Zhang Wuji, eager to impress the princess, stepped toward Fang An, his right fist clenched tightly.

"Get up!" he barked, grabbing Fang An by the collar and lifting him to his feet. Just as he was about to strike, Yun Xia’s voice rang out.

"Stop, Zhang Wuji!" Yun Xia left the emperor’s side and rushed toward them. "What do you think you’re doing to Fang An?" he snapped.

Zhang Wuji was startled. His father had never once raised his voice at him, let alone shouted in public.

"This weakling doesn’t know how to show respect, Father. Can’t he see the Emperor is here?" Zhang Wuji said in his defense.

Yun Xia turned to Fang An. For a brief moment, he caught the subtle signal in Fang An’s eyes—urging him not to continue the argument.